WT PR Statement - silentlambs march

by silentlambs 84 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Big Tex

  I think the WT's policy as it stands is very reasonable, and it's not J.R. Brown's fault if idiot elders don't do what they're supposed to.

  Cygnus, I do not want to pile on, but I want to point out to you that this statement is, at best, asinine. There is no other religon, Christian or non-Christian, that requires victims of incest and/or sexual abuse to have two eyewitnesses to the event. A flyer was recently handed out to various Kingdom Halls here in Dallas that asked this question: "How many child molestors allow two people to watch as he rapes a child?" Answer: None. This official WT policy in effect encourages pedophiles to stalk their victims without fear of being caught. To say otherwise gives your position no credibility.

  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.

  You cannot be serious. What is the point of having a policy, rule or regulation if that policy, rule or regulation is not enforced? And if it is not enforced, then why have the policy to begin with? The WTS has been informed of hundreds of cases where the elders, COs and DOs have acted worse than this and yet they have done nothing to correct these men. And yes, I do have personal knowledge of two cases.

  The official policy is evil. It protects evil while at the same time harming and re-victimizing innocent men, women and children.
• 

  footprints

  Cygnus
  It is obvious that you have the same point of view that the GB of JW's Has.
  

  The problem starts when elder one is a drunken blabbermouth that likes Playboy Magazine, elder two is a drunk that doesn't pay his bills or go in service and the third elder's son rapes the tiny daughter of a single sister. The third elder has the goods on the first two and tells them that he will lower the boom if they do not go along in protecting his son. The sister finally after being harrassed continuely for months goes to the local authorities. The elders disfellowship her for something that they don't even have to tell the publishers. At that point no one will talk to her so no one finds out about the rapes. The rapest is only 17 years old so the court procedings are virtually secret.

  The society is fully to blame when someone finds out and calls the DO and the legal department, (in this case Mr H....... ) He goes to that congretation, works in service with the rapest. Makes sure to use him for prayers and such and sees to it that the rapest does not lose any priviliages..

  The sister stays disfellowshiped, the publishers remain un-warned and the rapest racks up 5 more victums ......

  Some feel that when the DO got there he should have removed the whole body, disfellowshiped the rapest and apoligized to the sister and the congregation.
  I know where the society gets their point of view.... but I figure you must be a contortionest if you also have your head that far up your ass.
• 

  garybuss

  
  
  The Watch Tower Corporation is a multi billion dollar complex of Corporations facing a multitude of claims and suits. It seems to me it will be very difficult for them to issue an apology without admitting responsibility. I can see their legal department advising against any statement of that nature.
  
  They are in a defensive, reactive mode and they will soon need to start sacrificing individual elders who have not followed their guidelines exactly to cut their losses. They will most likely sacrifice some elders who have followed directions as well. They seem good about making sacrifices.
  
  All the public statements made by Brown will haunt them someday too. They will need to dispense with him and remove the statements made by him from credibility by claiming he made those statements on his own without approval from headquarters. He will be replaced when the convenient time arrives.
  
  My best to you all. I hope you are finding some closure and peace. I am lucky, I was only physically and verbally abused by them.
  
  It was worth visibly and permanently fracturing my relationships with practicing relatives to get away from them. They are my enemies for now and forever.
  
  gb
  
  
  
  

  The Way I See it http://www.freeminds.org/buss/buss.htm
  
  
• 

  hillary_step

  Gary,

  Well said.

  HS
• 

  Pathofthorns

  I don't believe the attacks on Cygnus are entirely fair. There is alot of talk about "changing policy" and taken at face value the stated policies don't presently seem terribly far off from a reasonable ideal.

  A certain amount of reading between the lines would appear to indicate whatever policies are claimed are not necessarily followed. Many statements also appear to indicate that present policy has been in effect for a long time when in reality such comments are misleading. And no acknowledgment or acceptance of responsibility for past errors or inadequate policies is terribly frustrating.

  What many of us have come to appreciate over time is very difficult to explain and to understand for others who might not have had the same bad experiences within the WT. You also have to appreciate and respect people approaching these issues with caution, balance and reason.

  It is an easy thing to jump on the bandwagon and call the WT liars and child molesters. But it is more difficult sometimes to interpret the evidence and present it in a reasonable and convincing way to build a solid case against them.

  Path
• 

  SloBoy

  Sloboy,

  I could not fix your html. I have copied your message so that you can re-post it if you so desire.

  Let me know if you need me to mail it to you.

  Best regards - HS

  Edited by - hillary_step on 2 October 2002 0:48:5
• 

  Cygnus

  Path, thank you.

  BigTex,

  : There is no other religon, Christian or non-Christian, that requires victims of incest and/or sexual abuse to have two eyewitnesses to the event.

  Perhaps. I don't know that to be a fact. However, the Bible says what the Bible says. You have a problem with the two eyewitnesses routine, blame Jehovah, Moses, and Paul. Not the WTS.

  : What is the point of having a policy, rule or regulation if that policy, rule or regulation is not enforced? And if it is not enforced, then why have the policy to begin with? The WTS has been informed of hundreds of cases where the elders, COs and DOs have acted worse than this and yet they have done nothing to correct these men.

  Agreed. So what silentlambs perhaps ought to be concerned with is the enforcement of the policy and not changes to the policy itself. It's not unlike people who clamour for more gun laws and blame the NRA for taking a stance against "gun control," whereas the NRA has consistently said ENFORCE THE EXISTING LAWS.

  footprints,

  : Some feel that when the DO got there he should have removed the whole body, disfellowshiped the rapest and apoligized to the sister and the congregation.

  Yes, perhaps. GM members, DOs, elders, etc. do not always do the right thing. So what is needed is maybe a better understanding of what is in print, and how to accomplish the right thing. I think that is the direction the WTS has been endeavoring to follow.

  The only thing I really see people asking for that I could possibly agree with (thankfully not being in a position of responsibility in the org) is that the identity of known, convicted, 100% guilty child molestors ought to be revealed to the congregation on a one-by-one basis (not from the platform). I see no reason why they cannot go door to door while supervised. If the Society or anyone else tries to cover up for a known, 100% guilty child molestor then they are reprehensible. Some here say that has occurred. I am still willing to give the Society the benefit of the doubt, that they do really want to do the right thing. After all, JWs believe some WACKY, CRAZY, EMBARRASSING stuff and to make themselves look even worse by knowingly supporting a 100% guilty child molestor makes no sense if they are going to go through hoops and practice JWism to please God. Maybe I'm just naive and don't recognize that some JWs, even high level ones, are insane enough to do that.
• 

  hillary_step

  SloBoy,

  Would you 'mend' your HTML.

  HS
• 

  hillary_step

  Cygnus,

  As you know I always appreciate your desire to present these issues with a close eye on justice for everybody's point of view.

  It must be acknowledged however that there has been pressure from within the WTS to change their methodology for handling child-abuse cases for many years. These calls have gone unheeded to the point that many of us have been puzzled at the GB determination to pursue a policy that is flawed and does not do justice to the spirit of Christianity which they claim to adhere to more closely than anybody else on this earth.

  The two witness policy is flawed and this can easily be proved. Murder does not require the two witness rule to be adhered to. A confession of murder is immediately handed over to the 'secular authorities' to deal with regardless of the reporting laws within that state. Child abuse is a crime and yet the process is treated quite differently. Why is this?

  Best regards - HS
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  UnDisfellowshipped

  Here is an interesting Quote which is somewhat "On Topic":

  The Watchtower November 15th 2002 Issue, Page 17, Paragraph 13:

  "Present-day elders must not 'stop up their ears' to legitimate complaints."