This story may be bigger than we realise.
If you haven't personally been exposed to child sexual abuse, it's easy to say blah-di-blah. I certainly wasn't, in my almost idyllic childhood, and I couldn't imagine the relevance of the issue to my own life.
But when I read Barbara's article, it reminded me that I ran into an ex (or inactive) JW a few months ago, a guy who still stays in touch with people in the sea-side congregations where we were both involved in our active JW days.
He told me about an elder in our neighbouring congregation, a well-respected dentist, who had been having sex with his daughter for all those years.
I checked with my own sister, still very much part of that world. Yep, it's true.
Damn, I knew Uncle Gert and I had no idea. We had no idea.
He's no longer allowed to be an elder, and he's retired now, in a congregation further up the coast.
What can I say?