**Bump**
ONE-WITNESS POLICY
by UnDisfellowshipped 24 Replies latest jw friends
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UnDisfellowshipped
RevMalk said: What difference does this [two-witness rule] make? Who are we to tell them who they can disfellowship and who they can't?
Well, as I have shown, I think this Two-Witness Rule makes a big difference. And we most certainly should be able to speak out against the Jehovah's Witnesses Disfellowshipping, Shunning, and Ostracizing CHILDREN because they decide to tell someone about the pedophile without having the required Two Eye-Witnesses to the act of molestation.
RevMalk said: Again, we're barking up the wrong tree, instead of trying to get them to change their policy on who they DF and who they don't, we should be encouraging them to do the right thing and to call the authorities who are qualified to handle a real investigation. And on top of that, since we know we'll be unsuccessful in those regards, we should be working to change the laws to force them to turn these cases over to the authorities.
The Number 1 Priority has always been for the Elders to notify the Authorities and for the Elders to allow the victims and victims' parents to notify the authorities and warn others about the pedophile.
The Number 2 Priority is getting the Watchtower to STOP PUNISHING CHILDREN who tell others about the pedophile or who go to the Authorities and to STOP LABELING CHILDREN AS LIARS and SLANDERERS when they did not have Two Eye-Witnesses.
RevMalk said: Come on guys, why can't anyone see that trying to get them to change this 2 witness policy will not make a positive difference, even if they did?
I have shown on this Thread that it definitely should make a positive difference.
Another very wicked part of the Two-Witness Rule, is that the Elders tell the Child that if they tell anyone about the pedophile without having Two Eye-Witnesses, they are breaking Jehovah's Law, and that Jehovah God will DESTROY them at Armageddon.
RevMalk said:
If they changed that policy and started DFing people with only one witness, it still doesn't help the child......the child is still lost in the shuffle.
Besides the fact, as we've plainly seen, they're aloud back in within the year and even able to grow into an authority position.....and still no-one will be told in the congregation and the children will not be protected.
That is why we MUST FORCE the Watchtower [through Media and Authorities] to change not only the Two-Witness Rule, but also we MUST FORCE the Watchtower to STOP allowing pedophiles to EVER hold a position of authority in the Organization, and we MUST FORCE the Watchtower to allow Victims to go to the Authorities!
I will comment more soon.
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UnDisfellowshipped
Also, here is some more information about the Two-Witness Rule:
I have heard that the Two-Witness Rule is so horrible that it has caused some victims to try to commit suicide because they thought that they had sinned against God by going against the Two-Witness Rule.
Also, we (child advocates) WILL NOT be satisfied until the ENTIRE "Child Protection Policy" of the Watchtower Society is DONE AWAY WITH.
The Entire Policy MUST GO -- not only the Two-Witness Rule!
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UnDisfellowshipped
RevMalk said:
If they changed that policy and started DFing people with only one witness, it still doesn't help the child......the child is still lost in the shuffle.
Besides the fact, as we've plainly seen, they're aloud back in within the year and even able to grow into an authority position.....and still no-one will be told in the congregation and the children will not be protected.
That is why the ENTIRE "Child Protection Policy" must be done away with.
RevMalk said:
If anything, changing that 2 witness rule will make it worse. How?
Because then these stupid parents will be satisfied with their decision to DF and less cases will go the the public and less children will be helped, on top of the fact that innocent people will be found guilty. Maybe not many, but one is too many and it could be someone we know and love.
I'm sorry, but that is a pretty bad argument. Every day the Jehovah's Witnesses' Elders Disfellowship INNOCENT PEOPLE. If more INNOCENT PEOPLE get Disfellowshipped, it would be unfortunate, but so be it -- they can always use the "Appeal Process".
Your statement makes it sound like you are more worried about possibly maybe one or two innocent adults being Shunned, than about Disfellowshipping thousands of pedophiles.
So, do you suggest that the United States should not send ANY pedophiles to jail because a FEW (out of thousands or millions) of them may be innocent?
Also, think about this:
How many children are actually willing to go through U.S. Court Trials or JW Elder Judicial Hearings and LIE about someone molesting them? They would have to be awful wicked to lie about someone and put him in jail if he was an innocent person.
RevMalk said:
Frankly, there's probably a ton of Pedophiles out there that are right with you on this crazy idea. Then they know for sure they're not going to be turned in and go to jail. What's a little bit of time being DF'd going to do to them? Nothing, because they know when they come back, everyone will be so happy for them and jump right on the bandwagon associating with him, and it's exposing our children to even more risk.
So, you are saying that we are helping pedophiles by wanting to get rid of the Two-Witness Rule?
We are helping pedophiles by wanting the Watchtower Society to get rid of the Two-Witness Rule, which automatically labels children victims as LIARS and SLANDERERS if they do not have Two Eye-Witnesses?
This has NEVER been about ONLY the Two-Witness Rule.
If the Watchtower Society ONLY gets rid of their Two-Witness Rule, but does not get rid of any of their other "Child Protection" Rules, it would do NO GOOD.
I can guarantee you that victims would absolutely NOT be satisfied with that.
Bill Bowen has always stated that the following things MUST BE CHANGED:
1: Victims must be allowed to go to the Authorities without sanction from the Elders.
2: Pedophiles must NEVER be allowed to have a position of authority within the Organization.
3: Pedophiles must NEVER be allowed to go door-to-door.
Plus many other things that must be changed.
RevMalk said:
I'm asking that everyone stop this crazy idea, and work on what will really help. This is counter productive and God forbid the society ever did cave, we'll have done a horrible horrible thing!
I'm sorry, but we've spent years going about this all wrong.
Rev, I don't like those statements, they are an insult and a slap in the face to abuse survivors.
You basically called the abuse survivors "crazy" and said that they are "helping pedophiles" because they want the Watchtower Society to STOP labeling Children Victims as LIARS if they do not have Two Eye-Witnesses!
______________________________________________RevMalk said:
We can't make them change. We can only make the law change. It should be mandatory in every state for parents AND Clergy to report.
Oh, I am 100% sure that after the Watchtower Society starts LOSING MONEY from Lawsuits they will start changing their Policies.
I agree that we need to make the Laws change.
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