Sorry it took awhile to respond on this thread. Been REALLy busy with work the last week. Since Doubting Bro was last I'll reply to ou first, then the others.
DOUBTING BRO- I agree with you. I'd like ALL 50 states to be reporting states then child molesters wouldn't be able to scurry off into non-reporting states where the laws are too lax. All we can do is hope that law enforcement in this country & the government starts seeing the seriousness of child abuse as a criminal offense.
OTWO- Very true that the elders are going to the WT society first to cover their a$$e$ legally. And because they are sharing confidential JC details with others OUTSIDE the 3 guys on a JC - they violate the confidentiality so it wouldn't hold water in court.
I DO have a problem with priests using " clergy penitent privilege " regarding child abuse because in most cases a child molester WILL NOT be influenced by a priest to confess to the police . That's why the molester is going to confess to a confidential priest in the FIRST place - to keep it hidden & quiet. To NOT get exposed.
There are certain states which have laws requiring ANYBODY in positions of authority dealing with children to go DIRECTLY to the law enforcement officials if ANY report of child abuse is given them. I've read where child day care centers, YMCA, psyhologists, priests, etc. ANYBODY overseeing children have a moral & legal obligation to report cghild abuse to authorities. I'll have to find that info- but I read it on the board here somewhere.
JOSHINAZ- You make very good points. I agree with you. In my opinion the elders should NOT be the first to hear about a child abuse offense ! Victims should bypass the elders and go to the police FIRST & FOREMOST -as the priority is in protecting children from further harm & exposing the molester as doing a CRIMINAL deed- not just a SIN. This crap HAS gone on too long in the JW organization as well as OTHER cults & churches. It's time for exposure and time for people to wake the hell up !
EXWHYZEE- Good point. If an announcement was made to a congregation of someone getting DFed it would crtainly start rumors. Especially among some who knew of a child abuse offense. But even the JC elders REPORTING it to Bethel legal - breaks the alleged " clergy confidentiality " anyway - so it wouldn't bode well for the WT society in courts.
DSSYNERGY- You are right. Since mandatory reporting is required in most states anyway the ecceisiastical privilege is violated required by law ! It's a slippery slope which the WT society really hasn't thought out well at all. Reason WT society doesn't inform elders of their legal & moral obligations to report ? Because they don't care about victims. They just care about the publicity of their reputation.
VM 44 - As mentioned in the Gilbert Simental links - court orders WERE brought in time requiring elders to testify in court about what was said at Gilbert Simental's JC meeting about his child abuse offenses. They HAD to testify or they WOULD have been held in contempt of court. There needs to be MORE pressure exerted on elders to do this. But it requires these cases to actually GO to court and requires victims & elders to ACTUALLY REPORT it to police so it can GET to the courts !
WASANELDERONCE- Exactly. You hit the point on the head. The WT society's own rules & regulations void any clergy confidentiality clause. The confidentiality gets lost as soon as the JC elders report it to bethel.
WT WIZARD- I agree with you. If copyright laws are broken to expose child molesters - so what ? The act of child molestation is a far more serios felonious crime which has to be stopped in our country ! People pondering on joining a cult like the JW's need to be informed of what's happening inside the cult before joining so their own children aren't put in danger by prospective pedophiles.
TRUTHSEEKERIAM- What you & your husband experienced egarding your daughter & the treatment you received from elders was criminal & horrific ! The GB & elders are just a bunch of cowardly panty waists's who are hiding child abusers among their ranks to avoid bad publicity and the law exposing them ! If enough people bring it out in the public - they WILL get exposed more & more. I'm so sorry you went through that experience with your daughter. I do hope she is doing somewhat better now friend.
ELDER- PATROL - Elders may consider themselves " spiritual advisor's " however when they do that in confidentiality AGAINST the law it prohibits law enforcement officials from ever becoming AWARE of child abuse occuring in the JW congregations ! There is no way that " elders and other bonafide spiritual advisors recognize BOTH an obligation to maintain a penitent's confidentiality AND an obligation to legitimate civil authority. " That can't happen in synchronicity do you realize that ? The main priority the law will look at is the protection of further harm to the child victim and putting the child molester behind bars. The main priority the priests or elders look at is the keeping the child abuse crime confidential for the outward appearance of the church or WT society. There are 2 DIFFERENT goals or aims here - don't confuse that fact. Elders HAVE refused to testify in court. It happened in the link I posted on the JW child molester Gilbert Simental. The elders were FORCED to testify by a court order !
JAMES-WOODS- Good point. WT society can't argue " ecclesiastical privilege " if they don't have a clergy. Yet the WT society does try to control & have power over their members very true.
MAD SWEENEY- It really is criminal in my opinion how the WT society handles protecting the confidentiality of these child abuse cases. Actually it's a violation of intruding and preventing law officials & police from doing their investigations ! WT society should be brought up on charges of abetting & tampering in my opinion
