Not having access to a scanner, I will describe the black and white photograph of two ragamuffins, my sister and I. She appears about three, which would have made me about five. She is wearing a short dress with faded prints, while I have on a corduroy jumpsuit. Her little face is squinting up at the camera, while I glance down and to the side. My sister shared this photo with my wife and I on a visit to our home last year. She said she had carried it with her for many years as she viewed me as her “protector“, although, when it counted I was no help at all. A bit more on the reason for my sister’s visit later.
Our dad was a Congregation Servant in the early 50‘s and a pedophile. When the horrid matter finally came to light in 1956, he lost his servant privileges and was placed on a year’s “probation”. Part of his demonstration of repentance was a required confession to me. My mom stayed in the hall as my dad entered my room. He blurted out: “I pulled her panties down and everything!” Then he burst into tears and exited. I was left to sort out what “and everything” meant, although I sort of knew. My sister later told me that she was approached by one of the judicial committee and told that they did not hold her accountable and no action would be taken against her, quite a magnanimous gesture since she was eight at the time. My sister and I were sworn to secrecy, admonished that the slightest verbal slip could send our dad to prison.
When my folks separated briefly, I was told that I was now “the man of the house,” a role I was innocently willing to assume. The quick return of my tyrannical father was a disappointment to me, a feeling instantly picked up on by my dad. The first of a second tier of siblings was born in 1958. The baby was placed in my sister’s room until my dad used the pretence of checking on the baby to force himself on my sister again. My mom’s reaction? Move the baby.
With this quick peak at my unsightly childhood, please fast forward with me to 1969. I have just received a letter from the Watchtower appointing me Congregation Servant in a small congregation in the Ozark Mountains, a thousand miles away. The former overseer has just been disfellowshipped. I will soon learn that he is a pedophile/sexual predator. The irony is not lost on me: son of a pedophile Congregation Servant replacing a pedophile Congregation Servant.
The modus operandi of this evil man was to see to it that a thirteen year old girl he fancied is appointed as “Accounts Servant.” Correspondence in the congregation files indicates the Society is reluctant to do this. After two letters from Mr. Evil, describing his limited options, this girl’s math skills, blah, blah, blah, the Society relents, reluctantly. This frees Mr. Evil to frequently “go over the accounts” with his victim, sometimes on the Kingdom Hall carpet. The whole town knew about this liaison before Jehovah’s angels saw fit to expose it, with Mr. Evil picking the “servant” up from school most days.
Meanwhile, back in the paradise that is the Rio Grande Valley, my relatives spoke in glowing terms about an extremely rich brother, who had moved down. This multi-millionaire, Roy Robinson, owned a tractor company in Canada, maintained residences in Mexico and the Bahamas, but kept an “Airstream” behind the Brownsville, Texas Kingdom Hall to use as a changing room. Soon, Brother Robinson began to lavish gifts on many in the congregation. Many in the congregation received new cars, usually Mercurys or Oldsmobiles. My folks were given a Mercury Marquis as was my sister-in-law. My sixteen year old nephew was offered a Corvette, but his dad said “no”, accepting a modest Ford Tempo instead. The publishers were allowed to make the last payment or two on most of these vehicles and were responsible for their own insurance. It was stunning to go to a Kingdom Hall meeting in one of the most impoverished areas in the United States and see a parking lot full of brand new cars.
By far the majority of Brother Robinson’s attention was reserved for a young girl I will call Maria, an exquisitely beautiful Mexican-Cajun, barely in her teens. Maria went through three luxury cars before she was old enough to drive them, a BMW, a Mercedes and a Jaguar. Her mom drove a Lincoln Continental and had a condominium on the island. Rumors abounded. While visiting in 1984, I saw a black Jaguar pull up to the Airstream travel trailer behind the Kingdom Hall. Brother Robinson immediately got out of the trailer and into the Jaguar. They were gone for over an hour. Something didn’t look right at all. I had no facts, just rumors, but I arranged to meet the presiding overseer, Brother H., at a restaurant. Brother H. listened to what I had observed and heard while visiting, implied he had his own concern but nothing to act on. I asked him when the circuit overseer’s visit was. His exact words were: “When Jehovah wants him to visit.” A useless conversation , really.
In 1995 Maria filed a lawsuit involving the WTBS, the elders and the Robinson estate. Many JW’s were interviewed in the case, including many who are my relatives. One even has transcripts. The Society’s lawyers basically stonewalled until Maria played her trump card- videotapes. She had confiscated VHS tapes so repulsive lawyers on both sides were sickened.
Maria was not asking for money damages, only an apology from the Society to her and to others who had been called liars and apostates. She got her wish.
I also understand that a seven figure donation made to WTBS by Rose Robinson, the widow, was returned.
Now, back to the purpose of my sister and brother-in-laws visit. They were seeking my help in dealing with their local elders concerning being used in Kingdom Hall builds. My brother-in-law was being denied the “privilege” because of a letter from his ex-wife who mentioned “child abuse”. The context of the “child abuse” reference was that my brother-in-law had not been a good provider, that , on occasion, the children had only hot dogs to eat, therefore suffering from economic child abuse. The elders stated that there was new policy and their hands were tied. My sister said she now felt like she had been victimized twice. The elders indicated that she was perfectly free to go on Kingdom Hall builds without her husband. My heart goes out to her.
TMS