Scott,
: I do want to know which Bethel you are stationed at and how long it has been since you stepped outside the walls of the compound.
I have not associated with JWs for well over 5 years. I was disfellowshipped in the spring of 2000 for refusing to quit associating with a disfellowshipped person.
: My wife and I just went through a twelve day trial where we fought to get the society to acknowledge the wrongs they did to my wife.
I can understand why you felt like their behavior warranted an apology, but I don't see how that benefits the children, as silentlambs says is their one and only objective.
: As for your comment about Idiot elders; the society keeps these men in the dark and feeds them shit just like little mushrooms. and the Mushrooms are happy because they only know life in the dark. The shit that the society pumps out does nothing to help these men understand the responsability that comes with the position they occupy within a closed society such as the JW's.
I disagree. I have seen reproductions of recent BOE letters on how to handle accusations of child molestation. If these letters do exist and are real, they seem to contain detailed, explicit instructions for elders to follow.
: In addition the only man who told the truth on the stand was one of those "IDIOT" elders. The other bethelites lied through their teeth and tried to pin it on anyone but themselves in spite of the massive number of "secret" letters that we uncovered and produced to prove that the confrontation was directed from the Bethel itself.
Shame on them, then. How this relates to stated JW policy is unclear to me. The policy is the issue I thought, not corrupt WTS officials.
: As far as reporting , the elder who eventually reported the matter was immediatly removed as an elder for being strong willed and then later DF'd for being unreasonable.
Perhaps he was unfit to serve as an elder, and made an issue out his demotion. Or perhaps he was railroaded. Either way I can't pass judgment on him or those who DF'd him since I don't know all the facts.
: CYGNUS, could you comment on the application of MATT 18 in making an abuse victim confront her abuser despite her pleas not to be made to do it.
Yes. I think it's stupid. I do not and will not ever belong to any religious organization, especially one that follows the Bible. An abusee should go to the police, not the Bible. Of course, chances are if the abuser is prosecuted she might have to testify in court and "face" her abuser then, so really your point is moot.
: And how about the Bethel directing the cong elders to "persuade strongly" the victim that she had to apply Matt 18 or else be blood guilty at armageddon.
Matthew 18 stands as it is written. I see no exceptions to its principle for criminal or sensitive wrongs committed against a fellow Christian.
: OH yes, when the victim finally had a mental collapse due to the trauma of having to relive the abuse she was told that she did not have the spirituallity of a proper JW and that she could not live up to the high spiritual standards of the JW's.
Yep, a lot of elders are idiots. Does the WTS share some blame for that? Sure. Do you want them to get on the right track and help educate elders to be more tactful and caring, or do you want your pound of flesh?
: And that she had HAD to show signs of forgiveness to the abuser. ( PS the abuser was given the SEVERE repremand of not being able to handle the microphone for 6 months) However he was able to give prayers and serve as a pioneer and a mentor to young married couples. (All at the blessing of the Bethel)
Then get out of the JWs or switch congregations if you can't stand the corruption. I agree, JWs can do some heinous things, but I don't see how WTS policy is dictating what you have experienced. Perhaps you could reproduce the letters from your Bethel branch to demonstrate how such directives came from the top and contradict what J.R. Brown says.
: The Bethel has never said they were sorry or asked what they could do to help vicki. The only way they know is the court system.
Which is sad and reprehensible when that happens. But you know the WTS is going to act to protect itself. I am not surprised or dismayed that the WTS will act hypocritically if they feel they have to -- after all, they're a Christian religion and Christian religion has done that from Day One.
