So Sick About This "Rape/Scream" Thing I Could PUKE!

by DarioKehl 7 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  DarioKehl

  Religion in general takes away enough human dignity as it is: Born in sin, indebted to Christ, worthless, imperfect, dirty, and in need of salvation.

  Watchtower takes it to a "whole-nutha level" for people in search of this salvation: Hoarding the heavenly hope to a select few, demanding faith only by enough works (...and then only "PROBABLY you" may be saved), cock-blocking our way to Christ by claiming he only mediates for them...etc.

  In addition, their oral laws rob us of individualism, free thought, investment in future, healthy sex lives, education, free choice, association and emotional and financial stability.

  Any story of rape or molestation we read about uses one word when referring to the victim: INNOCENT. When a woman or young person is raped, we read that "their innocence was stolen" when that crime occured. The WT has now held our very INNOCENCE hostage. Not only is our salvation "PROBABLE" and subject to qualification, we must now QUALIFY for our own innocence if our bodies are violated in a violent sex crime. I am absolutely furious about this. Even recently, part of my conscience would still give the GB/WBTS the benefit of doubt, but I cannot do that anymore after learning this. Here's why I'm so upset...

  OK, Lemmie get this straight:

  1.) JWs are not allowed to own or use handguns without loss of privilage or good standing, right?

  2.) JWs are not allowed to take self defense classes without loss of privilage or good standing, right?

  3.) When Jesus died, he nailed the Mosaic Law to the "Stake" with him, right? (We're allowed to eat pork, opt out of circumcision)

  4.) The majority of us (and active JWs) are aware of what pornea/fornication is as interpreted by WBTS, right?

  SO...

  IF a baptized person is raped or molested, having no allowable training or weaponry with which to defend themselves, is violently subjected to sexual assault and doesn't scream, their very INNOCENCE is up for grabs by the body of elders?!?! Based on a law that DIED with Jesus and doesn't even fit the definition of fornication?!?!? I'm sorry, but fornication/pornea involves consenting parties, doesn't it? Or did they happen to leave that qualifier out of their definition in the new "Slaughter the Flock" book???

  Every one of us needs to think about our mothers, our wives, our sisters and our young kids for a second. Imagine they fall prey to rape, molestation or sexual assault. Imagine their shame, disgust, guilt, fear, anger and terror. Imagine the humiliation after talking to detectives, prosecutors, possibly taking the stand in a trial, identifying the perp, having the story publicized in the news--and during all of that--having to sit before a panel of 3 totally unqualified men who ONLY give a DAMN about determining whether or not the victim QUALIFIES for innocence as dictated by their elastic and flawed interpretation of their hateful God's dictates. Imagine if their hope in "the organization" was the only constant left in their lives, the last place they feel they could attain refuge and then realize, "Hey wait a sec... I was supposed to scream? Now I'm in the HOT SEAT looking at private reproof AT THE VERY LEAST and DF for SURE if I cop a TOTALLY JUSTIFIABLE ATTITUDE?????"

  This came as a shock to me. I had never heard of this before and I've been a JW my entire life. This "scream" requirement is probably not well known by many active JWs and I'm sure many vicitms are shocked when they're hit by this REQUIRED question. I'm sure the local elders don't really enforce this, however, the mere action of bringing up the question in the first place is a tactical GUILT maneuver, fostering feelings of self-hate and doubt for the rest of the victim's life. HOW DARE THEY APPLY THIS EVIL EVIL EVIL BRONZE-AGE LAW to such a sensitive modern topic!!!!! Why THIS? They don't stone bratty kids to death anymore. A husband doesn't stone his adulterous wife anymore. Yet they KEPT and ENFORCE the most disgusting law of them all?!?! These guys are truly sick FUCKS.

  I'm sorry... I gotta to to my KRAV MAGA lesson so I don't HAVE to scream!!!
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  rebel8

  Well I don't know that it's promoted that way as much nowadays, but yeah, that's definitely how it was.

  Even if a woman screamed, she was considered "damaged goods" after a rape. Also many times the victims were blamed for bringing it on themselves by flirting, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, makeup or clothing.

  Then there is the incest rape which is yet another level of sick doctrine. I once knew a jw who was trying to work through her issues of being raped by her elder dad, only to have him intrude in her treatment and insist she continue to sleep with her husband while having flashbacks and continue to socialize with her rapist dad as though nothing had happened. She was scripturally required to forgive him and show proper respect to him as an elder, or he would DF her.

  Back in those days females seemed to be bred to be victims.
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  yourmomma

  the phrase "its a cult" came to my mind, but also what came to my mind was "yeah, but what is the God of the OT's excuse?"

  there are two parties that are "sick fu*s".
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  LongHairGal

  DARIO KEHL: The religion's view on rape is similar to that of other repressive religions in the world. She somehow deserves it because she is a woman. Please. As far as JWs being discouraged from taking self-defense, etc., I was always of the opinion that the religion was DELIBERATELY setting everybody up (both men and women) to be victims. When you really think about it, one of the first things they do is to get people to let down their "guard". From there it was downhill all the way. They want people with no sense of self-preservation. People like this are easier to exploit. And, they don't think they should complain because, after all, Jesus was persecuted. It is a real masochistic head trip being in this religion!
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  thetrueone

  The WTS. leaders try and emulate the social moral standards of a civilization that existed 3000 years ago,

  hows that for fucking stupid. Woman are seen in the WTS organization as lowly seconds to men, just like in the

  ancient Judean era. In that era if you wanted a woman and she wasn't interested in you, all you had to do is forcibly rape her,

  then admit what you had done and pay a requested dowry to the girl's father and she would then have to become your wife.

  Nice Hey !

  The WTS leaders. are poorly educated idiots playing power games with hapless unfortunate people that they've lured to be under their control.

  Being thats the case its really not surprising they would come up with archaic stupid laws of their own.

  That two person witness rule is another beauty too isn't it ?
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  Band on the Run

  Jesus indicted that system. He repeatedly challenged it radically and ended up crucified. (Of course, would we be saved if he were not crucified. Should Judas be a major Saint?). Slavery existed. Fathers could murder their children and/or wives with total impunity.

  Our innocence cannot be betrayed b/c the criminal actions of perp cannot rob of us our inate state.

  I recall those times vividly. The total sense of powerlessness. My criminal law prof. discussed rape by asking how many men in the class were propositioned by other men, esp. when hitch-hiking. I thought maybe three men. Every male hand was raised. Next,, he asked how many felt they could take their whatever in a fight? Hands stayed up. This is the difference. Women do not have the same body strength.

  Self-defense should be mandatory. I cannot manipulate words to describe how all those discussions of women ruined forever, never to be loved, to never marry, etc. messed with my brain. Times have changed outside the Witnesses. Why can't Witness women stand up for their basic human rights?

  I loved my mom with all my soul but I saw her beaten routinely and accept crap continuously. The result was that I felt inferior and tainted. Do you know that once you are raped or incest survivor, you are more likely to be raped than the average woman? Powerful stuff.

  I have a great concept for a book: a group of different aged women who were active in the Witnesses discuss how these teachings affected them.
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  Violia

  bttt
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  nugget

  I think the problem is that Elders have not training on the psychological damage of rape and sexual assault their sole purpose is to establish level of repentance. This presupposes guilt. I have personal experience of elders who although feeling that the woman was not guilty of anything still went through the process of asking the questions to establish level of guilt and at the end of the process placed her on limited restrictions. The man involved who was guilty was placed on the same level of restrictions because he expressed repentance. This creates confusion and guilt that victims are forced to carry with them. No one told her she was presumed innocent they didn't feel it was necessary. It is truly shameful.

  At the end of it all these are not suitable things for elders to deal with this is a police matter and no man should be immune from prosecution whatever his status in the congregation. There has been an unfortuate history of putting the reputation of the society ahead of the welfare of the flock and women have been asked to forgive incest and rape and not take it to the authorities. We no longer live in the stone age and women should not be used as political tools to maintain the appearance of morality where it does not exist. Elders need to think about them as people who can suffer long term harm when these issues are mishandled.