The High and Mighty William H. Bowen and Friends
Most people in the world who would know of Bill Bowens (and friends) efforts on behalf of the adult survivors of childhood abuse (ASCA) would applaud his efforts and maybe even help to a greater or lesser degree. Many a political representative and elected legislator have certainly voiced their agreement with the sentiments expressed by Mr. Bowen and his supportersas evidenced by recent passage of tougher child abuse reporting laws in some states, with plenty more in the works.
However, the recent expulsion of Mr. Bowen from his church, caught on film and posted to the internet, brings to mind another event that occurred many years ago. In the land commonly referred to as Romania, in the late 1980s, some estimated several thousands of Romanian Jehovahs Witnesses separated themselves from the Watchtower Society and in effect, if not in word and deed, expelled the Governing Body from their organization. They changed their name to (in English) THE TRUE FAITH JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES. They preach from house to house and hold conventions. They say they have fared little better in their preaching work now than they did before the Big Split; and Watchtower itself has been reporting little or no average increase over the last five years; the year 2001 saw zero increase. Each religion either blames the other, or jointly blames the government and/or the Orthodox Church. At first blush, these two religions hardly seem as different from one another as they claim.
Watchtower Society did NOT take the expulsion of its Governing Body from the small group of Romanian TRUE FAITH JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES with a mild spirit, nor tact, nor any Christian spirit. It seemed that after the Romanians had sacrificed life and limb for Watchtower Society principles, all Watchtower Society wanted now was blind obedience and forwarded checks (so the Romanians seemed to feel). The Romanians took their toys and played elsewhere and the Watchtower Society has made little, if any, mention of the scandal to the rest of their adherents in the world. If nothing else, the actions of THE TRUE FAITH JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES were met with derision and contempt on the part of those few Watchtower Society adherents who even knew about the group.
The Romanian TRUE FAITH JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES have claimed that they welcome Watchtower Society adherents to their conventions, and it would appear that shunning, if it is still practiced, is not extended to Watchtower members. They seem to minister to Watchtower Society and former Watchtower Society adherents the same as members of the public in general.
Watchtower Society has lost many of its members since the Romanian split (as havemany religiouns). Very likely these former members do not practice shunning and expulsion anymore.
But did they in the late 1980s? Many of those who were formerly elders and pioneers, and who knew about the Romanians were derisive and contemptuous of them; they viewed the Romanians as apostates or even the evil slave class; the Romanians years of service and hardship were viewed with nothing less than disdain and of no consequence by those that were Witnesses THEN.
Were the Bowens and the Pandellos, and the Andersons within that number? If they had met, on an American street, in those days, a TRUE FAITH JEHOVAH'S WITNESS would they have treated THEM like any member of the public? Or not even have spoken a greeting to them?
The Romanians had no Internet, they had no exjw movement they had no Ray Franz, former Governing Body member to help them. They had only their hearts and their courage to stand against their former brothers and sisters in the faith AND their government AND the Orthodox Church---whatever their faults, they been there and done that with a bang, before it became fashionable.
Maybe NOW, all the years of service the Romanians had rendered from the 1940s to the 1980s will have some meaning for those that are now former Watchtower Society members. Maybe NOW, former Watchtower Society adherents can view their Romanian counterparts with the respect and dignity to which these brave individuals are entitled, and which they have formerly been deprived of by THEN faithful Watchtower Society adherents.
MAYBE NOT.