by OrphanCrow 15 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
On behalf of the Methodist Church in Britain I want to express an unreserved apology for the failure of its current and earlier processes fully to protect children, young people and adults from physical and sexual abuse inflicted by some ministers ... of the Methodist Church.
Governing Body, are you listening?
I doubt it. Those seven arrogant assholes are too full of themselves to know what humility and a real apology look and sound like.
Let's review: It's a cult!
Oubliette - "I'd say they are making the WT leadership look bad, but they have done that all by themselves."
Obviously, I'm aware that there are much deeper reasons, when I'm in a cynical mood, I'm inclined to think that the WTS is being so resistant because the RCC is taking the lead they have, just out of sheer contrariness and traditional anti-Catholicism.
One of the reasons why the Methodists stood out with this, is not only their response - which was welcomed by survivors' groups - but also that the problems and abuse they uncovered and took responsibility for were not limited to just those with a formal role in their religion.
The WBTS has already tried, in Australia, to argue that they don't have a problem to address unless it's an elder (and to a lesser degree a ministerial servant) who is the abuser.
It's quite the contrast in how organisations look to their past, own their mistakes, seek to make restitution and redress, and look into how better to protect those whom they claim to 'shepherd'.
@ Mephis...
Well with the exception of the RCC, the vast majority of Christian churches don't feel compelled to constantly reiterate the claim that they're "God's Earthly Organization".
Actually, I don't think that even the RCC does that anymore.
@Vidiot
You are correct.
The belief that one's religion is the "one true faith" is called "triumphalism," and it is now forbidden in the Roman Catholic Church as is proselytism, which is evangelizing by employing techniques that compares "our true religion" with "your false religion."
The Roman Catholic Church, since Vatican II and especially since the reigns of St. Pope John Paul the Great and now Pope Francis teaches that G-d is not limited by denominational lines or any particular means in G-d's distribution of "truth," which the RCC refers to as "the economy of salvation."
This change in doctrine includes the view that people can fulfill G-d's purpose in ways not understood by the Church, and that the Church relies on the fact that the covenant between G-d and the Jews is still intact (which is also why attempts to convert the Jews is a big "no-no" now in Catholic circles).
Thanks for expanding, Caleb; it's appreciated.
To add to it, not only is attempting to convert Jews a non-no, but "unrepentant" anti-Semitism is a full-on excommunicating offense.
I told my devout JW mom about that, and even she said, "good for them".
