This is my first post on this forum. I am by all accounts a witness, if not an ideal one. :)
In light of the reaction after the Panorama program I have seen a mixed variety of responses. There is plenty of the "head in sand" variety, quite a few reserved judgements and a few doubters too. The elders reaction in my congregation to a friend of mine who had been abused as a child was respectable and their discussions with that individual made no excuses but reaffirmed the sense of the societies policies.
However my own personal view is this, and I would welcome peoples thoughts on my opinion.
When I chose to become a witness in my own right (I was brought up in the organisation by my mother / divded household) I made the choice based on the fact that I could not fault the societies motives in general. I speculated about the possibility that the organisation was a money making venture, or that it was nothing more than a power trip by various eccentric individuals. I attempted to assertain the accuracy of the society's thoughts and interpretations of scripture and I looked for pitfalls.
I still reserve judgment on all of those issues. I got baptised because I could not prove thier motives otherwise. There are issues and interpretations that I still disagree with now, but I can not fault the fact that ultimately, Jehovah's Witnesses are the best (to my knowledge) organisation for helping individuals get close to God. This view may have been different if I was in a different congregation however.
I feel that the issue with peadaphiles should not be used as a mud slinging activity. And I certainly don't agree with the insinuation by the program of the organisation as having bad motives at this stage. However on careful review of the societies policies I do believe that the organisation has a very wooly approach to this issue. The policies may not be there to protect Peodaphiles, but it does because of the way that the society directs its followers to thmeselves as being the primary authority and not the police.
There are obviously resons for this and that is another debate entirely. But the crux of my view of recent events is that the society has been proved negligent by their lack of action within individual congregations. I am not impressed. However I certainly do not condemn the society for this since I do not expect much more from human beings.
The answer?
Look only to Christ as a means of seeing God. Use the society as a means of obtaining the neccesary information to learn about Christ. Work with the society to further aid that process for others. Do not look to other humans as an exclusive means to this end and never accept or lay down on man made policies. People, think for yourselves!!! Make the truth *your own*.
Best Regards,
Visionary Man