| Author | Comment | Wolfgirlhk
Registered User
Posts: 3
(9/25/02 10:08:06 am)
Reply
|  What do you think...
...of all the recent news stories of child abuse within the organisation? Are the elders doing what they should?
I mean, I remember loads of times that they would mock the Catholic Church for protecting pedophile (sp?) priests. And now it's coming out that they're doing the same thing?
How does that make you feel? (I have personal interest in this question.) ________________________________________
I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.
~ Sir Winston Churchill | the dog
Unregistered User
(9/25/02 11:43:47 am)
Reply | Too many abusers.....
I've attended meetings for over 30 years. I have personally known 4 abusers and 1 rapist in the three congregations I've been associated with in that time.
The only way the brothers got to know about these individuals was when the police decided to prosecute, otherwise we would have been unaware just what sort of men we we sharing meals and associating with.
I know for a fact that one of the child abusers, an elder, had been reported to the body of elders in his cong' over 10 years ago. They decided that as there were not two witnesses to the 'alleged' abuse that they could not pursue the matter. He carried on abusing "systematically" according to the judges summing up. Yes, he was prosecuted, found guilty and jailed some months ago and yet he is still an elder!
Quote:
Are the elders doing what they should?
Do I really need to answer that?
the dog | Ben
Site Administrator
Posts: 5
(9/25/02 11:11:44 pm)
Reply | Re: What do you think...
Its important to understand the difficult position that elders find themselves in. Discounting the fact that a great many elders are totally unqualified to be in the position they hold as respects general education, aptitude, and just plain good sense, we must remember that there are a number of elders who truly want to do the right thing. They are very limited as to what they can do. They must follow policy from the Society. Policy comes in a variety of ways, including special letters written specifically to the body of elders (BOE), information that everyone reads out of the Watchtower, information in the KS (Elders book), letters written to specific congregations or specific elder(s) as well as the variety of ways that the unwritten policies are disseminated. The latter is accomplished by means of direct conversations with C.O.s; elders meetings with the C.O., elders meetings at circuit assemblies with the D.O. and C.O., direct communication with the society by phone, and sometimes by conversations from bethelites that come down for special talks, etc. I believe someone posted something to this effect on our old board but it doesnt hurt to review it. Smile.
Now Im sure the elders would love to do the right and sensible thing here and tell the congregation: Look, people, if someone molests your child, regardless of who he is, call the police immediately! But simply put, they cant do that. Those are not the instructions from Brooklyn on the matter. Concerns about the present policy should be addressed to the Society itself and not the elders or the Circuit or even District Overseers.
P.S. The Society will not respond to your concerns either. Smile. To do so would imply that they are submitting to human reasoning and we all know that their information comes directly from abovedont we?
| Wolfgirlhk
Registered User
Posts: 5
(9/26/02 7:46:37 am)
Reply
| Re: What do you think...
Quote:
Now Im sure the elders would love to do the right and sensible thing here and tell the congregation: Look, people, if someone molests your child, regardless of who he is, call the police immediately! But simply put, they cant do that. Those are not the instructions from Brooklyn on the matter.
Hmm...you would think that they would not follow orders that endangered the lives of children.
After all, even "worldly" people can see that "just following orders" is not a good excuse to do the wrong thing. Look at Nurenburg (sp?). The Nazi officers said they were "just following orders." They were still condemned.
If it was your child, would you sit quietly and let the person get away with it? Or would you go to the police?
Quote:
I believe someone posted something to this effect on our old board but it doesnt hurt to review it.
I never saw the old board. I'm a newcomer.
________________________________________
I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.
~ Sir Winston Churchill |
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What do you think... 
Too many abusers..... 
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