In ref. to child abuse

by jw 93 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  candidlynuts

  jw do you have a problem with victims of molestation within the Jehovahs witness organization becomeing activists in trying to change organizational policy to protect current and future children? Wow Great question! No , just with the way they are doing it!

  If you have suggestions on better ways to handle the issue , i'm sure we'd all love to hear them. i think we have to realize that the public speaking of pedophilia is relatively new and the people who are trying to stop it, are blazing new trails in their attempts. 5 years ago there were not even state registries online for all 50 states. now you can go online and put in your address and see if any registered offenders live near you. but we have to get the people who are guilty of molestation prosecuted and put on those state registries for those to be effective. fear of disfellowshippment and spiritual death prevent some from reporting offenders, hopefuly not so much in recent years as in the past. due to the efforts of people like those behind silentlambs who make it public that the way the organization deals with pedophiles is flawed and needs to be revised and even more importantly , give a voice to those who otherwise would feel the pain of thinking their experience is an isolated one. all of their methods may not be something i would do, but that said, they are out there doing SOMETHING and i'm sure it will be fine tuned as the years go by. just as the efforts of all of the people who are fighting this problem progress with time.
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  osmosis

  JW: You cannot be right about cops being JWs. Being a police officer means taking up a potentially (and often actually) violent career, where your sworn duty just may be to kill someone. There is a fundamental conflict here, and therefore a person simply cannot have this job and be a witness.

  That you should choose to claim otherwise seriously undermines your credibility and makes me and others wonder why the hell we're bothering to talk to you in the first place.
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  free2beme

  I agree with your post.

  Child abuse a a issue that is far beyond a religion. Just remember your on a board of former Witnesses, so your kind of with people who will be by nature more narrow in view. The wake-up call of child abuse in all religions, walks of life, etc. Is never something to be taken lightly.

  Talk to your children, and have an open line of communication throughout their life.
• 

  Hellrider

  Hey JW, I suggest you read Lady Lees last post in this thread again!

  (LL, that is the most horrible thing I ever heard, what a sick, sick man, in my opinion, men like that should be taken out behind the house, shot and buried in a shallow, unmarked grave. And that goes for the elders who allowed him to continue molesting little girls too! )
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  Lady Lee

  Hellrider

  (LL, that is the most horrible thing I ever heard, what a sick, sick man, in my opinion, men like that should be taken out behind the house, shot and buried in a shallow, unmarked grave. And that goes for the elders who allowed him to continue molesting little girls too! )

  Thanks. This is one person who I think the vultures should get.

  The bad news is that he had 3 daughters by his first wife and abused them before he and my mother got involved with the JWs.

  The good news is that he is now dead. He can no longer prey on little children.

  The WTS operates under the false belief that these men can control their urges and if they deny or say they are repentant the WTS will deem them as not a danger. The WTS really has no idea how impossible it is for them to stop abusing children. Don't even get me started on the 2-witness rule. Like who is going to abuse a child and have witnesses who are willing to step forward and blow the whistle. The only times I have ever heard of their being any "witnesses" was in cases where the "witnesses" were involved with the abuse of the child and therefore would be implicating themselves in the abuse.
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  ferret

  JW I see you omitted from your list of where molestations can take place one that is a proven fact and that is the Kingdom Hall. Please add this to your list and quit trying to protect your image.
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  MidwichCuckoo

  Don't even get me started on the 2-witness rule.

  In MY opinion, there are ALWAYS 2 Witnesses (as required by the WTBTS) - the victim and GOD.

  Are we led to believe that IF a JW child was molested by a NON-JW that the Elders would still believe that it takes 2 Witnesses before before a victim is supported? I think not.
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  cognizant dissident

  jw:

  You sound very confident in your knowledge that your children have never been molested. Never say never. Don't make the assumption that they would tell you if they were. I did not tell my parents I had been molested until I was almost 40 years old. My friend who was raped at 12 by a "brother" also never told until she was about 40. Another friend who was raped at 5 yrs old by the next door neighbour, never told her family about it. I suspect there are many who take their secrets to their graves. No one on this forum has ever implied that only JW's are molesters. You sound as if you have a lot of unresolved issues of your own that you need to work out before you start giving advice to others who have been molested.

  Cog
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  FreeWilly

  JW,

  I've been following your reasoning and I get the following impressions from your statements:

  1) You too are disgusted by Child Molestors.

  2) You argue JW's are no different than other religions who also must contend with molestors among their ranks.

  3) You feel no pity for the perpetrators and advocate taking actions against them to protect children.

  4) However, your loyalty to the Society seems to surpress all of your instincts.

  5) Despite your position on sexual abuse, you admit no problem with the standing 2 witnesses rule.

  6) You apparantly agree with the disfellowshipping of victims, Elders and Bethelites who have publically spoken out for changes in Society policies.

  Sadly, your loyalty to this controlling organization dominates any difficulties you have with child abuse among your members and flawed policies that encourage a cover-up mentality. The Society has counted on loyalists like you to ignore anything unflattering about them. Thankfully the word has been getting out and the Society has been forced to make changes in their handling of abuse. Thankfully more JW's know to go straight to the police regardless of what their local Elders advise. Hopefully more people are not swayed by arguements (similar to yours) that reporting this demented behavior "brings reproach on Jehovah's name". All of this from the hard work and courage of people who have been expelled for doing what you are incapable of.

  You asked what people here have done to affect change. The question is what have you done in your sphere of influence?

  -FW
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  jw

  jw:

  You sound very confident in your knowledge that your children have never been molested. Never say never. Don't make the assumption that they would tell you if they were. I did not tell my parents I had been molested until I was almost 40 years old. My friend who was raped at 12 by a "brother" also never told until she was about 40. Another friend who was raped at 5 yrs old by the next door neighbour, never told her family about it. I suspect there are many who take their secrets to their graves. No one on this forum has ever implied that only JW's are molesters. You sound as if you have a lot of unresolved issues of your own that you need to work out before you start giving advice to others who have been molested.

  Cog

  I know they were never molested . I excercised the 24/7 rule in watching my kids. And I was at school all day too.