Silentlambs: Modern-day Folk Hero?

by Derrick 37 Replies latest jw friends

Derrick

I think so!
He's the "Knight in Shining Armor" for many young ones across the globe, who were spared from predators moving in for the kill. Who was instrumental amongst Jehovah's Witnesses in chasing these monsters off? It should have been brothers in the Watchtower Society. Yet their shameful inaction left an elder willing to risk all no choice but to fight a horde of creatures that most would have dismissed as an impossible battle.
These are terrible times for children. Their innocence has been robbed by a breed of stalker unimaginable just a decade ago. Imagine their innocent worlds shattered by some adults who are "monsters" that prey these innocents? Many parents are living in denial, having grave difficulty facing this unfortunate truth. Thanks to public awareness of this problem, many parents are now protecting their children without projecting fear. Such is an exhausting task and nightmarish ordeal for many parents to endure in silence.
Young children today raised in Jehovah's Witnesses families were promised safety aboard a "spiritual ark." However, mounting cases of child abuse in the congregations has revealed a stark reality. JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES DO NOT ENJOY SPECIAL PROTECTION FROM GOD ANYMORE THAN ANY OTHER CHURCH CONGREGATION. Simply looking at the "fruit" of the "tree" in this regard proves that what I have just said, although sad, is true.
The joy of families who attend Kingdom Halls and imagined they were basking in Jehovah's exclusive favoritism and protection over other families has caused some serious disillusionment! Even heartbreak. They may feel helpless when their efforts do not prevent their precious child from becoming the next victim. The fear experienced by these children is often worse than the terror a young child Rebeccca (aka "Newt") experienced in this often-quoted scene from a classic science fiction movie released almost 20 years ago...
Newt: "My mommy always said there were no monsters, no real ones, but there are."
Ripley: "Yes, there are."
Newt: "Why do grown-ups say that?"
Ripley: "Because usually, it's true."
-Aliens
Once upon a time in a kingdom that seems far, far away, a child can look forward to a time when there are no monsters, no real ones. Until then, the Knights in shining armor will continue to rid the land of these monsters using every legal means at their disposal, until the Day that Christians look toward when they will all fall from Jehovah's Sword.
Yes, I view you as a modern-day folk hero, brother.
Derrick
Read all about Silentlambs efforts at http://www.silentlambs.org/
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
-- William Blake (Auguries of Innocence)
Dogpatch

Yes, he's a gem.
probably nearly broke, shunned, and vilified by his own family.
I'll give him a cheer.
Why did it take so long for somebody to step up to this?
People are afraid of losing something.
I guess Bill is not.
thanks Bill,
Randy
anewperson

I believe others before Bill also tried to publicise the problem but were intimidated, mocked as crazy etc. Happily, though Bill was taken seriously very quickly via the papers and TV because of his many years as a JW elder. For that matter right now those who say that some JWs have been physically intimidated and have suffered experiences that show in some instances electronic devises are being employed for surveillance and harassment, etc are also being mocked as crazy or called liars even by opponents of the Watchtower Society who themselves never had such experiences and say they never heard of such. Yet it is true and with time these other concerns will also be made better known faster thanks to the internet. Bill Bowen is a hero. Let us pray for more heroes to stand up and lay naked the other excesses by those fanatical in playing "the faithful and discrete slave" for the WATCHtower Society. May these be the real and enduring "Last Days" for tyranny by the Watchtower as a religious cult whose policies also have caused thousands of our JW loved ones to bleed to death from the false policy regarding blood transfusions.
chappy

And to think he's probably considered the Anti-Christ incarnate to the opposition.
later,
chappy
silentlambs

I appreciate the kind words offered, but please let's not forget the real heroes, the silentlambs. They have been robbed of their innocence and for the rest of their lives will have to deal with the actions of a selfish person. They are the ones called crazy, they are the ones who are shunned, and treated with disdain when they have difficulty copeing with the injustice that occurred to them. It is they who oftentimes at their lowest point find the strength to tell their stories to try and protect children.
What do they have to gain?
How much fun is it to review the most terrible event of your life?
What other purpose could they have to relive something they have spent their lives trying to forget?
People like JR Brown say it is pride or they are lying to get attention or they are trying to profit from Jehovah's people.
Anything to discredit those who suffer.
It is hard for wicked men to understand the simple act of compassion. The first comment made to me when approached about the use of attorneys was, "they can have all the money, I just want to stop them from hurting anyone else like the hurt me." Yet money is what survivors disserve above anything else. Money buys therapy and gives them at least one means to find a way to cope with what has happened to them. Yet they care not about these issues but think about the innocence of children and protecting them from the pain they know. A person who sacrifices their pain to protect the innocent.......
What better way could you define the word Hero?
I am honored to know these "heroes" and I pray when the time comes to stand and deliver that their courage will fuel the fire that destroys what WT policy is doing to children.
anewperson

All true. May Jah bless the Little Ones some of whom are now adults. May they all get to stand taller and with far greater joy than the powerful ones whom He shall shatter by the might of the real Truth in the news spotlight. May it be a spiritual Armageddon for those calling themselves and their toadies the "glorious ones" even while they wink at:
the pedophilia coverup policy
the death-causing blood policy
the invasions of privacy
the harassment
and all the other bad fruits of darkness.
Long live the "Free Christians" movement. Up with Jah, Down with the Watchtower!"
Norm

Hey there anewperson,
You said:
All true. May Jah bless the Little Ones some of whom are now adults. May they all get to stand taller and with far greater joy than the powerful ones whom He shall shatter by the might of the real Truth in the news spotlight.
If we for a moment take time to consider Jah’s track record so far in helping the “little ones” I am afraid that the future for them looks just as bleak and hopeless as the past.
Jah has never shown any interest whatsoever in the little ones other than causing them even more harm.
Where was and is Jah, Jehovah, Jesus, the Holy Spirit when millions of “little ones” were abused? Are they all asleep? What is the best they can do? As it turns out in reality, the Watchtower Society organization with all these “wonderful shepherds”, duly appointed by all the big shots in heaven and on earth are utterly powerless to protect their children against pedophile predators in their midst. On the contrary, they protected the molesters.
In reality we should be on our guard against all who claim to be appointed by Jehovah. As we know Moses was apparently appointed by him, and it would be wrong to claim that the welfare of children had a very high priority in the mind of this “most humble man on earth” This is what the Moses and Jah did to the “little ones”:
*** Rbi8 Numbers 31:14-18 ***
And Moses grew indignant at the appointed men of the combat forces, the chiefs of the thousands and the chiefs of the hundreds who were coming in from the military expedition. 15 So Moses said to them: “Have YOU preserved alive every female? … 17 And now kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has had intercourse with man by lying with a male. 18 And preserve alive for yourselves all the little ones among the women who have not known the act of lying with a male.
*** Rbi8 Judges 21:10-12 ***
10 Hence the assembly proceeded to send twelve thousand of the most valiant men there and to command them, saying: “Go, and YOU must strike the inhabitants of Ja'besh-gil'e•ad with the edge of the sword, even the women and the little ones. 11 And this is the thing that YOU should do: Every male and every woman that has experienced lying with a male YOU should devote to destruction.” 12 However, they found out of the inhabitants of Ja'besh-gil'e•ad four hundred girls, virgins, that had not had intercourse with a man by lying with a male. So they brought them to the camp at Shi'loh, which is in the land of Ca'naan.
According to the Watchtower, and the Bible Jehovah do not change, so it turns out that his priorities regarding children doesn’t seem to have changed all that much. Thousands if “little ones” have been molested in the Watchtower Society, the Catholic Church and in all societies. This has been done for as long as mankind has existed and not once has Jah done anything about it. As documented above he actually ordered his wonderful “chosen people” to abuse the “little ones”. We have absolutely no reason to expect much from an organization who worship such a God, and the one who is described in Bible. People have a tendency to be like their Deity:
“Author Amos Oz recently noted: “It is typical of religious fanatics . . . that the ‘orders’ they get from God are always, essentially, one order: Thou shalt kill. The god of all fanatics sounds more like the devil.
I am afraid that if the “little ones” has any hope to be protected it takes people like Bill Bowen and other human beings who are decent enough to make a difference. Jah seem to be the absolute worst abuser of them all.
Norm.
joelbear

Hi Bill,
How many cases total have been reported?
In your opinion, how many of those cases will go to trial?
Thanks
Joel
Derrick

Yes, he's a gem.
probably nearly broke, shunned, and vilified by his own family.
I'll give him a cheer.
Why did it take so long for somebody to step up to this?
People are afraid of losing something.
I guess Bill is not.
thanks Bill,
Randy
I had no idea what Bill has endured. If I had the financial means, then I would help him. Perhaps one of these days if I inherit something or win the lotto or stocks go crazy again or whatever, I'll be in a position to show my deepest appreciation. My deepest wish is that those with the financial means reach out to him now.
IMO, Bill is truly as close to the "prototype Jehovah's Witness" as you will ever find. He's what I thought, as a naive teen almost a quarter century ago, all Witnesses were like. His life is about the values that the Society falsely preaches is the fruit of its teachings, when in fact the proverb about reaping the whirlwinds of destruction is more applicable. In fact it is rare to see many in this religion live selfless lives and not afraid to lose material things without any promise of immediate reward. Many JWs who sold everything in 1975 (and I was there to observe this phenomenon as a newly baptized one), actually did so (IMO, based on observation and gut instinct) in order to ensure their survival through Armageddon. They wanted to be literally "saved alive" as Revelation mentions. Would they have sold everything to save a child? I think not.
To balance these aforementioned platitudes, I guess that I should confess publicly that even I would be too chicken to spend everything, even jeopardizing my retirement nestegg, for legal expenses to defend a child. I would scream bloody murder to the media, and try to help as so many who volunteer their time do. Indeed, nobody is expected to impoverish themselves or spend beyond their means of living for these worthy and live-or-death causes such as the protection of children from pedophiles. HOWEVER, BILL CHOSE TO RISE ABOVE THIS.
Indeed, I wouldn't be surprised if Bill has shamed and embarassed before God and men the "faithful and discreet slave" in this area. In a religion filled with those who have proven themselves slackers -- strutting around pretending they are special because they "Pioneer" and turn-in many hours a month on their Watchtower timesheets -- it appears that one Bill Bowen will join the few authentic Christians.
Jove strikes the Titans down
Not when they set about their mountain-piling
But when another rock would crown the work.
-Paracelsus. Part iv. (Robert Browning* (1812–1889))
The Watchtower stamps out "true Christians" on an assembly line by the thousands a day in an unbalanced attempt to "get the word out to everybody" and "mark" those who slam doors in their faces. They really should be teaching people to use their time more fruitfully for the benefit of the oppressed -- whether it's child abuse or the plight of the elderly -- in the selfless spirit of Silentlambs.
Derrick
___________________________
* Source: http://www.bartleby.com/100/473.html
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
-- William Blake (Auguries of Innocence)
Derrick

Norm wrote:
If we for a moment take time to consider Jah’s track record so far in helping the “little ones” I am afraid that the future for them looks just as bleak and hopeless as the past.
Jah has never shown any interest whatsoever in the little ones other than causing them even more harm.
Poor-in-spirit Norm, you continue to perpetrate these lies against God every chance you get. It is quite obvious you are filled with anger against One whom you so thoroughly misunderstand -- even to the point of rage -- and direct your hostility to the One who has blessed you with prosperity in Norway.
I can't help wondering whom do you thank when good things in life come your way?
I'll leave a few soul haunting thoughts...
An atheist's most embarrassing moment is when he feels profoundly thankful for something, but can't think of anybody to thank for it.
- Mary Ann Vincent.
The religion of the atheist has a God-shaped blank at its heart.
- H.G. Wells
Some are atheists by neglect; others are so by affectation; they that think there is no God at some times do not think so at all times.
- Benjamin Whichcote
Why is the Atheist's main target always Jesus of Nazareth, and never Buddha, Confucius, or Mohammed? Why is the aspiring athlete's target always the true champion and never the also rans?
- Anonymous
I was at this time living, like so many Atheists or Antitheists, in a whirl of contradictions. I maintained that God did not exist. I was also very angry with God for not existing. I was equally angry with Him for creating a world.
- C.S. Lewis
[As an atheist] I never noticed that the very strength of the pessimists' case poses us a problem. If the universe is so bad, how on earth did human beings ever come to attribute it to the activity of a wise and good Creator?
- C.S. Lewis
Atheistic morality is not impossible, but it will never answer our purpose.
- Roswell Dwight Hitchcock
He only is a true atheist to whom the predicates of the Divine Being - for example, love, wisdom and justice - are nothing.
- Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach
Derrick

Silentlambs: Modern-day Folk Hero?

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