Clarification about two witness rule please .

by jhine 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  jhine

  I was talking to a Witness the other day , she was explaining about false religion, and the subject of paedophiles came up . Of course she was adamant that the Watchtower deals swiftly and decisively with offenders .

  I was about to ask if she was aware of the two witness rule and how that is a let off for child molesters when l remembered reading on here that now they accept two DIFFERENT accusations from two different victims .

  Am l remembering this correctly ? I want to have my facts straight if l do mention it . Jan

  I
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  alanv

  Yes that is what they say now. They have had to change their view on this because they realized how stupid their original policy was. However the fact remains that if there is an accusation against a witness of sexual abuse and there are no witnesses, nothing is done They say leave it in Jehovah's hands.
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  possum

  A prominent elder visited me at home when my husband was away working and sent the young brother witnessing with him away to visit a witness who lived nearby. While hosbitibliy making him a cup of tea he took the opportunity to sexually assault my small child. My child informed me as soon as he had left the house and I informed the elders immediately. I was told in no uncertain terms that 'I would upset his wife who was ill'. (he has since dumped the so-called sick wife for a younger woman with small children) and my child would not be believed until another child(another witness) come forward with an allegation of sexual assault. We spent 12 years 'waiting on Jehovah' until my now baptised teenager remembered the assault and was accused of being demonised to even think such a thing about Jehovahs spirt appointed elder! I subsequently reported the incident to the police and the Australian Royal Commission. This resulted in such a vicious shunning campaign that we sold our home and moved away.
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  rebelfighter

  Possum,

  Never a JW, you did absolutely the right thing!

  When you first reported the incident when it happened was the appropriate time for these men appointed by Satin to take action.

  Looks like they are "waiting on Jehovah" to clean up this mess they done got themselves into with all these governments and court cases. IMHO, that maybe a mighty long time.
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  possum

  Rebelfighter, What really gets to me is that the 2 witness rule required myself and my husband to protect the abuser of our child (which included going out in the ministry with this abuser, listening to his public talks, ect, ect) Also being in state of constant tension and dread wondering which children your silence and complicity may put in danger made me physically and emotionally very unwell. I am 3rd gen born in and was put under enormous pressure to "be faithful". The whole processes which should have been handled by policeman skilled in investigating reports of child abuse. Not by this guys best buddies (who all has small daughters and so their daughters where protected by their fathers access to privileged knowledge( just like a clergy class.
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  rebelfighter

  Possum,

  I have no clue how you could remain silent. Never a JW, I was not sexual abused but suffered from both physical and emotional abuse from my mother. I now protect ALL children I come in contact with from all forms of abuse and have no problems contacting authorities.

  I assisted my girlfriend in putting her husband behind bars, he took a plea so he only got 15 years, he was looking at life.

  When I finally found out what the JWS was all about I was beyond belief. Read my intro to the forum you might find it interesting. If I come across a MS, Special Pioneer, OH Elder they get an ear full. Go back and read my previous post.

  They don't escape this Rebel or Fighter very easily.
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  possum

  Rebel fighter, read your post very interesting. thankyou.
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  Vidiot

  alanv - "They have had to change their view on this because they realized how stupid their original policy was."
  

  You're giving them too much credit.

  They didn't really change it all that much, and it was mostly for legal reasons and a decade of pressure from the moderates and liberals at Bethel (who, I might add, are no longer there).

  And they never thought it was "stupid".
  
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  LisaRose

  
  I have no clue how you could remain silent.

  Rebelfighter, I am sure you did not intend this, but your comment could be read as a very harsh criticism of Possum. You were never a JW, so possibly you do not understand how cults work. Jehovah's Witnesses have been conditioned to obey the elders no matter what, she would have been expected to let them handle it and accept whatever action they decided to take. To do anything else would have been considered to be disloyal and unfaithful, a rebelling against Jehovah and his arrangement. I am sure this was extremely painful and difficult for her, but she would have done it because she felt that was the only chance for her child to remain in Jehovah's organization and avoid being destroyed at Armageddon. Of course now she knows better, but she made the best decision she could at the time, based on what she believed at the time.

  I feel for anyone who has had to go through such a thing. The last thing they need is to have someone criticising them for decisions they made.

  
  
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  rebelfighter

  LisaRose,

  I totally get it. I also get how women and children are treated as second class citizens in the KH. I have been here for a little over a year now. I asked a question one day why in the world does it take so many Elders for a congregation of 90 to 120. When you put women down continually, never give them any power, Herd telling them their brains are smaller -- OH yeah you are going to have a bunch of "Drama queens" as someone on this forum likes calling all of us women who speaks up.

  I was just a very rebellious kid starting at about 14 and all the gay men that hung out at my mother's house recognized that in me so when I see something wrong I fight. At that point I made it perfectly clear to my mother she was no longer going to beat me up or I would beat the crap out of her.

  And not knowing the JW rules because he never told me the rules, he sent me a good bye have a nice life email. I sent him an email in return threatening him if he did not explain himself. Men do not scare me, actually not much of anything scares me. I make sure my battles are legal and I take them down.