Sexual Abuse Memories are implanted by Satan, so Forget & Endure Them

by Gerard 53 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  diamondblue1974

  This is sickening but not surprising in the slightest, its written in true WTS style, no bibliography, no references to medical or psychiatric journals or any other academic source in relation to their medical opinions, the fact is they know the rank and file will just follow the guidance given without question and this is the problem. How many abuse victims will not speak out as a result of this article? isnt this convenient for the WTS if the abuse happened at the hands of another JW? and in particular an elder?

  Having known someone who had supressed memories I do have an insight into this area and believe that therapy is sometimes helpful and part of the process of recovery; to deny someone the opportunity to even consider such an option in my view is totally immoral and irresponsible.

  Funny though even though the article was written in 1995 its convenient that it is placed on the front page of their website when they are under fire from abuse victims in the courts.

  Personally I found the article dismissive and flippant having no real regard as to the feelings and psychological welfare of the many victims of abuse. It smacks of 'keep em quiet keep em busy'

  DB74
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  Gill

  Their stupidity is astronomical in its proportions. Their pity, does not exist. Their understanding can't be found.

  Time for that book publishing, fake religion to fall!

  Rip that Tower down!
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  TopHat

  The WTS is digging a deeper and deeper hole for themsleves the more they try to cover-up the trail of pedophles in their mist. They are disgusting!
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  sir82

  I have no doubt whatsoever that some persons have repressed memories that surface years, or even decades later.

  I am absolutely convinced that many JWs have abused children and elders have done nothing about it.

  I am appalled at the Society's lack of positive action in thousands of cases of child abuse.

  But, I still have an honest question:

  Ignoring the specious "Devil implanted the memories" argument...

  Suppose you have this scenario:

  A 29 year-old woman suddenly remembers abuse at the hands of her father 25 years ago. No one witneseed it, none of her siblings report any abuse, father denies it, of course there is no forensic evidence after 25 years.

  Accuser is in therapy.

  It is one person's word against another's. One of the 2 is either lying or has a faulty memory--could be either one. There is no evidence other than one person's memory of events that occurred when she was 4 years old.

  What could/should elders do in such a situation?
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  truthseeker

  This is part of the article is particularly galling...

  Or perhaps the one accused will confess, and a reconciliation may be achieved. What a blessing that would be!

  Disgusting.

  As if a child molestor and their victim would come to a reconciliation, shake hands and then go out on service together. All at the drop of a hat.
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  BluesBrother

  sir 82 . A good question that I would have had the same stance upon when I was an elder - but the sensible answer?

  Pass it to the authorities - you are out of your depth. At least encourage the victim to seek professional help and see if the truth can be established, the victim helped and if appropriate, the perpetrator nailed.

  Meanwhile withhold judgement as you see fit.

  I read the article and was amazed at the lack of any reference to the law of the land, or a crime having been committed. It was presented as though it would all be handled "in house" by the elders, as if they held the Urim and Thummin to be able to give the judgement of God. I hated the bits about the victim having to keep going, and treat the alleged perpetrator as normal , even keeping up family visits . Everything was geared to helping the victim get over it and cope, and not doing anything about it. I Noted that they still reported that repressed memories against a Catholic Priest were judged to be true..

  Surely this is off beam.

  Even if more than one person "remembers" abuse by the same individual, the nature of these recalls is just too uncertain to base judicial decisions on them without other supporting evidence. This does not mean that such "memories" are viewed as false (or that they are viewed as true). But Bible principles must be followed in establishing a matter judicially

  If more than person reports a Witness smoking cigarettes, they take action .
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  LDH

  Gerard,

  sharp eye. They did remove it. My recommendation, if you ever go to their website and see something, PRINT IT OUT before you come here and 'talk about it.'

  About 4 years ago there was an article on their website that broke blood down into 8 components and told JW which they could take, along with their circular reasoning.

  I didn't think to print it out before I referenced it on the old WitNet site. Sure enough, I went back the next day and it was GONE GONE GONE.

  MY JW family tells me no that surely such article ever existed.

  Lisa

  Once burned twice learned.
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  coolhandluke

  Um. Yeah. I recovered a memory when I was 14. I had no prodding. I was reading an article about molestation something similar to my own experience. In fact it was with my mother. She asked me point blank. CHL, have you ever been molested. I broke down, couldn't talk for a minute. I told her that I had. She cried. We called my grandmother to ask her if she knew about it. She was like, um don't you guys remember the jc? Don't you remember that you made the girls family move? (They rented 1/2 a duplex from us) Nope. She didn't remember and neither did I. These things have slowly come back with time.

  So F*UCK the governing body and their narrow insights. Maybe some of those old codgers should be a young woman, a rape survivor or maybe a molested child. Then we wouldn't have comparisions to cows, questions of "didja scream?" or bullsh!t comments like the ones they just made.

  CHL (of the class)
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  FairMind

  If the accusation is denied, the elders should explain to the accuser that nothing more can be done in a judicial way. And the congregation will continue to view the one accused as an innocent person. The Bible says that there must be two or three witnesses before judicial action can be taken.

  Yea, this is old information and not the new way of dealing with child molestation accusations. The matter is now (where required by law) referred to the police. This is in all likelyhood done as a legal protection. It makes me ill to think about the lack of love that went into such a statement as above.
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  Lady Lee

  The article is still on their site @ http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/1995/11/1a/article_01.htm