Guestbook Post

silentlambs

The following is a post on my guestbook. The person did not include their email. How would you respond?

silentlambs

This site is really nothing but a slur on Jehovah's Witnesses. The truth is that any religious organization can be infiltrated by pedophiles. But to give the impression that the Witnesses are overrun with pedophiles is slanderous and misleading.

If someone has been the victim of a pedophile, then he is free to go to the police. The Society's official documents, included on this site show that the Elders MUST go to the police if the law requires it. If the law doesn't require it, then the problem is with the law, not with the elders. Why criticize the elders for not going to the police if the victim himself (or his family) don't want to go?

Also conveniently overlooked is the fact that Jehovah's Witnesses are the ONLY religion that has ever disfellowshipped child molesters and other immoral persons. Show me another church that does that!

I think it's disgusting that your site uses the plight of defenseless children as part of a polemic which is really based on theological differences with the Jehovah's Witnesses religion. Do you really care about the children, or do you care about promoting your own agenda?

In short, what this site is about is simply associating the word "pedophilia" to Jehovah's Witnesses in order to try to discredit our faith in the eyes of others. Long on rhetoric, short on facts.

Satanus

silent

I'll comment on part of it.

'If the law doesn't require it, then the problem is with the law, not with the elders.'

He's in effect saying, if the elders do wrong by omission, it's not their fault, it's the govt fault. This shows extreme pro wt bias. The wt claims to have the highest possible standards of justice, cleanliness and loving care, yet when it's not administered or proves to be nonexistant, he blames the govt, which has much lower standards and furthermore doesn't claim such lofty standards. Their own book says, of the one who has much, much will be demanded. By their own profession, the wt has more knowledge/truth/responsibility than any other org.

The person making these comments is very bent, a result of wt indoctrination.

SS

waiting

Howdy Bill,

If someone has been the victim of a pedophile, then he is free to go to the police.

True, and NOW, jw's are told that. By many accounts, that hasn't been the case - victims & parents were kept silent by direct elder comments and/or inuendos - for the "good of the reputation of Jehovah's people. His congregation."

The Society's official documents, included on this site show that the Elders MUST go to the police if the law requires it. If the law doesn't require it, then the problem is with the law, not with the elders.

The OFFICIAL documents don't always tell the story of the reality of the situation. ie: walk into any McDonald's and read their Mission Statement. Do they live up to it? Come on.........

It is the truth that different states have different laws. If you lived in a state that said you didn't have to report a murderer, terrorist, rapist, ......would you? ETHICALLY, is it the responsibility of people who purport to be good people, let alone God's Chosen People, to NOT report molesters to the police? For the good of their own children and the good of their neighbors' children?

What are Christians supposed to be, according to the scriptures - good people or do as little as the law requires? Where does a Christian's conscience come into play? A Christian's ethics?

Why criticize the elders for not going to the police if the victim himself (or his family) don't want to go?

BECAUSE CHILDREN ARE BEING MOLESTED AND RAPED - AND THEY DESERVE PROTECTION!

A woman may be beaten and mutilated by her husband....she refuses to press charges, as he may change. In many states now, the hospital is still bound to report the offender, and the police are bound to investigate, even bring charges. Why? The woman may not be thinking rationally, may be brutally intimated, and he may turn to his children next. In other words, just because the victim won't report the molester, it doesn't mean he shouldn't be reported for the good of other children.

Also conveniently overlooked is the fact that Jehovah's Witnesses are the ONLY religion that has ever disfellowshipped child molesters and other immoral persons. Show me another church that does that!

I think that's a "red herring" or something like that. Just because the jw's do something about molesters...sometimes... doesn't make them better or worse than other churches.

It's not about Elders. It's about Protecting Children.

waiting

Magog

Most churches do not disfellowship anyone. Where members get involved in child abuse and molestation, usually the parents go to the authorities. The parents or gaurdians never see any conflict with such reporting. They do not see it as a blemish on the church. When church leaders get involved in these acts they are fired, and reported to the authorities.

Routinely, Witness parents are encouraged to let the Elders handle a situation, or they are told not to report because ti will bring reproach on the organization. The Elders do not report because they see no ethical or moral obligation to do so. The person who sent you the email does not understand these important differences.

Reborn2002

Easily refuted.

Consider the fact this individual has all kinds of things to say but chooses to omit their email address or contact information?

Looks like a coward that likes to talk sh1t but is close-minded enough to not debate the subject matter to me.

Ignore it. He/She is full of it, and whats worse yet, they know it.

The true Kingdom of God is located in your heart, not an organization of hypocrites.

www.geocities.com/latinloverchicago/Jason1.html for my new webpage and info!! Im trying to live now!!

Scully

Guestbook entry begins:

This site is really nothing but a slur on Jehovah's Witnesses. The truth is that any religious organization can be infiltrated by pedophiles. But to give the impression that the Witnesses are overrun with pedophiles is slanderous and misleading.

But we aren't talking about "any" religious organization, are we? We are talking about the religious organization that claims to be Spirit-Directed. We are talking about the religious organization that claims its leaders and role models are Spirit-Appointed. We are talking about the religious organization that claims to be the most upright and the most pure and the best example of true Christianity there is on earth.

The fact that even ONE pedophile was able to infiltrate this religious organization and get past the Holy Spirit and carried on in their preying on innocent children destroys all of those claims in a heartbeat.

Love, Scully

It is not persecution for an informed person to expose a certain religion as being false. - WT 11/15/63

joelbear

How would I respond to this post?

With rational argument and proof.

peace

Joel

waiting

Howdy Reborn,

Ignore it. He/She is full of it, and whats worse yet, they know it.

He/she is most likely an active jw, perhaps doubting. To ignore it is to let let the slam stay there. Since it's easily refuted - and gives a chance to allow a "counter-witness" to jw's, it would seem that refuting the shallow thinking makes sense. Others are reading also.

Most people don't like to think about the particulars of rape/molestation of children. Even more people don't like to think that their beloved elders and Society are shielding the rapist/molestor. Give 'em something to think about.

Howdy Joel,

WHow would I respond to this post?
With rational argument and proof. - joel

I am assuming you're setting the standards on "rational argument and proof"? And what "proof" do you except on a web (word) forum? If a jw doesn't go to the police (because he/she was, say.....5 years old when raped) and his parents covered over it because the elders *slightly* encouraged taking care of it *in house*......what "proof" are you expecting to find?

Even if it was reported to the police, say.....10/20 years later when the child moved away from their ignorant and/or domineering, and/or hurting parents, what "proof" is valid for you?

I agree fully that over generalizations are improper - as would be your comments this time around.

waiting

joelbear

Clearly my point is still misunderstood. I have not ever and will not ever doubt that pedophilia exists among Jehovah's Witnesses. I do not ask and have not asked nute to provide such proof. Nor have I asked it of the several who have privately emailed me with their own stories of abuse.

The poster above makes an accusation that Bill Bowen is using this issue to discredit the Watchtower Society by saying that the Watchtower supports cover ups, lack of aid to victims and more generally total injustice in the case of child molesters.

To this, I stand by my recommendation that this accusation be answered with rational argument and proof.

Joel

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