There was a brother in my congregation who was an elder. He got disfellowshipped about two years ago for looking at child porn and also trying to meet up with a thirteen year old boy online. He was also arrested soon after this. It was just announced that he has been reinstated, and he supposed to get out of jail in a couple months. Not surprisingly, a lot of people in my congregation are not too happy about this, and neither am I.There was always something weird about this guy. He always studied with kids, kids were always sitting next to him at the meetings and even had kids sleep over house! What do you all think about this situation?
Pedophile Elder in jail gets reinstated
by Trapped in JW land 31 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
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joe134cd
I would say show them how you feel by voting with your wallet and feet, and if enough people do it. It will certainly make them think twice.
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Splash
I don't think he will be 'cured' when he comes out.
Splash
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wannabefree
The guy is clearly sick. But how long should he be disfellowshipped? According to their view, they are the only true Christians and as long as he is disfellowshipped he is doomed. Forgive 77 times (or 70 x 7), it's not so much the allowing him back in that is the problem, it's how they protect the vulnerable once he comes back.
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sir82
It's disturbing that he was reinstated, but it's far more disturbing that he will apparently be freed after just a couple of years in prison.
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Wasanelder Once
It is likely that more will come out on this guy as time goes on. Hopefully it will be things coming to light rather than new offences. Then he will be back in the greybar hotel again for an extended stay.
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LisaRose
Ridiculous, and foolhardy, if this is true they are putting children in danger. By the own rules, to be reinstated a person has to express repentance for the act which got them in trouble, and demonstrate that they have turned away from the behavior that led to the act. Obviously he would have no access to child porn or children in prison, so he could not possibly have shown any real evidence of repentance. A child molester will say or do anything to keep themselves out of trouble and maintain access to their victims, so anything they say is meaningless. It's very likely he will reoffend, especially if given access to children, which he will have in the congregation, since he is reinstated. Well, at least the people in the congregation know about what he did and can take steps to protect their own children, but what if he changes congregations?
I wonder how long it will be before he is made an elder again.
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Trapped in JW land
I agree with you 100%, Lisa.
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happy@last
I am assuming he will be on some sort of sex offenders register. Ask the elders if they have checked this.
Ask the elders how he can prove his repentance as he is unlikely to have had access to porn or children whilst in prison and therefore his 'works' whilst incarcerated cannot be taken into account. I suspect there will be a 'confidentiality clause' to the answer.
Ask the elders how they are going to be 'protecting' the young ones at the hall before during and after meetings, how will they be protecting them at social gatherings, how will they be protecting children that he will see whilst out on the door to door work.
Ask how many in your hall would like him as a neighbour in the 1,000 year rule before he is made perfect, if the idea makes your skin crawl how would it make a supposedly Loving Father feel, if the holy spirit was truly with the judicial committee then they must have gone against it. (I do not beleive there is a Loving Father or holy spirit)
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quellycatface
Yes, I certainly agree with Lisarose.
The elders have ZERO knowledge on how sex offenders operate.
This is another disaster waiting to happen.