Do you feel vindicated by the exposure of the WT Society in Australia? It seems like a feeding frenzy on here! I love it. You?

by Wasanelder Once 104 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  konceptual99

  d4g,

  I in no way wish to intimate support for the current process or claim that the cultural and social barriers to people speaking freely are not there. I agree that many of us will have first hand experience of situations where social exclusion, judgemental attitudes and sustained injustice have been perpetrated. On that point, it's very gratifying to see the RC getting under the skin of the published processes and examining what the reality is in terms of how things are actually implemented and what the experience for the victim actually is.

  I am just wondering however if there are situations that have to come to light through places like this site where people have first hand experience of being disfellowshipped for going to the authorities about child abuse. If this was the case, especially if this was in the relatively recent past, then any such exposure in a formal enquiry similar to the Royal Commission or through the media could be highly embarrassing to the WTS.

  I've never come across such a situation but would love to know if there are such cases.

  As a side point, are there reasons why the cases of unreported abuse you know about remain unreported? Are you or others you know in a position to support the victims in making a report now?
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  Nitty-Gritty

  As posted by konceptual99
  

  I am just wondering however if there are situations that have to come to light through places like this site where people have first hand experience of being disfellowshipped for going to the authorities about child abuse.

  and

  
  Are there reasons why the cases of unreported abuse you know about remain unreported? Are you or others you know in a position to support the victims in making a report now?

  I would be interested in having answers to this as well.
  
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  done4good

  As a side point, are there reasons why the cases of unreported abuse you know about remain unreported? Are you or others you know in a position to support the victims in making a report now?

  I would love to be able to report these cases. The trouble is I have no specific information as to who the victims themselves were, and in all but one instance, don't know who the alleged perp was, (that one I know of I was warned about when I started attending that hall in the late '90s, but never was any specific information given about the "who to" or "when" any of his abuse took place). This rest are all based on information I heard from elders and others that "there are known pedophiles in our cong", and they don't say "who". The folks are trusted sources to me, (so I know what they are saying is credible), but that is not going to hold in court of law. This is also over the course of time I was "in" and I am long since out, (10 years). As I stated before, there are likely others here much closer to the actual cases themselves that could speak to specific cases with enough detail to incriminate someone. I unfortunately do not have this.
  

  To your point, there is a significant difference between trying to build a legal, (criminal or civil), case against the WT with respect to its manipulative practices regarding social stigmatization of those who are victimized, and what is the much more elusive, (however salient), issue of how the organization and its complex social structure prevent justice from being carried out for the sake of those victims and their families, (especially in the USA where religious freedom issues appear to trump all). This is the crux of the problem and why it is so difficult to change the way these cases are handled in the congregations of JWs.
  

  d4g
  
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  Ucantnome

  do i feel vindicated?

  i don't feel vindicated however i am enjoying listening to it and particularly Stewart, I think that is his name.
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  Vidiot

  For me, the whole thing makes me feel, strangely enough, kind of queasy...

  ...and I'm totally in favor of it happening just the way it has been.
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  jwfacts

  Nitty-Gritty I fail to understand how you can stand up for the Watchtower when its policies have been shown to be grossly lacking. It should not be relevant if it was as good as other churches at the time, since the religion touts being spirit directed. It claims its stance is actively directed by the Bible, Jesus, and Jehovah's spirit. Yet suddenly JWs are justifying that they were on par with the world, as if that is good enough. Your strong defence is indication that internally you know the Governing Body are just men and their rules are man made, all of which is evidence that you are following just another religion.
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  Vidiot

  jwfacts - "Your strong defence is indication that internally you know the Governing Body are just men and their rules are man made..."

  Nitty Gritty is making a strong defense?
  

  jwfacts - "...all of which is evidence that you are following just another religion."

  Which, again, leads to the inevitable question: "if it's no different from any other church, why stay?"
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  flipper

  Getting in a little late on this discussion - but no, I don't need to feel " personally vindicated " about anything. True justice for the victims and exposure of a criminal organization like the WT Society will vindicate itself AND the child abuse victims, THOSE are the people who need to be vindicated.

  Many of us ex-JW's are just messengers getting the word out - we just ask " don't shoot the messenger ". I am satisfied that yes, the WT Society is being exposed for the criminal organization that it is, but there is STILL a lot of payback and injustices committed by the GB and WT leaders that need to be answered for. It's not over by any stretch of the imagination. Not until there are criminal indictments against the WT leaders will I be truly satisfied. And they are put in jail for crimes against humanity. Then I will be somewhat more satisfied. Even more so if the whole organization disintegrates
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  RichardHaley

  For me this investigation is more evidence that my original decision to fade in 08 was the correct one. I am also glad that at least some victims are being heard and listen too and hope that this is the hole in the dike that will eventually open the flood gates for change on this issue. My hat of to all those who have been instrumental in getting this started years ago.

  I was still "in" and serving as a newer E when the Dateline episode featuring Barbara Anderson was aired. Myself and another "more experienced" E made a "shepherding" call on a family who had been shook up by it and stopped going out in FS. The E I was with reprimanded them for even watching the "apostate" episode and said it was all lies because it was obvious BA was never at bethel because she was wearing pants and we know those are not allowed there! Who's wearing the pants now TM3?! If BA was asked to testify she would jump at the chance, would you? Now that I think about it this was the start of me questioning things.

  This event is real good information to share with those you love who are still in since it is not from a supposed "apostate" source but rather a respected governmental agency and can be done rather innocently. I have already shared it with a family member who has been serving as an E since the arrangement started. Sill waiting for a response. The R&F locally are unaware of this, but not for long!

  As far as NG is concerned, no animosity here towards you. The fact that you are even posting here means that there is still some hope for you.
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  JWdaughter

  Vindicated but the scope and harm is very real and substantiated in a way that even personal experience didn't prepare me for. It's very sad to see grown men so delusional about the harm they've inflicted.