Elder Involvement — Graphic … pages 4-6

by Marvin Shilmer 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  Marvin Shilmer

  Elder Involvement — Graphic Presentation pages 4-6

  Today I added to my blog pages 4-6 of the 13-page submission by a Doctor of Psychology that is a Watchtower appointed elder. He had ideas about elder involvement with Jehovah’s Witnesses suffering mental illness, and particularly victims of child abuse, and thought it best to share these with Watchtower.

  My article is titled Elder Involvement — Graphic Presentation and is available at: http://marvinshilmer.blogspot.com/2011/09/elder-involvement-graphic-presentation.html

  As I have time to ready additional pages I’ll upload them to this article until all 13 are available.

  Marvin Shilmer

  http://marvinshilmer.blogspot.com
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  Glander

  I cun't enlarge it to a readable size.
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  Marvin Shilmer

  For those who missed this...

  Glander,

  You should be able to download the image and then enlarge it to whatever works for you.

  Marvin Shilmer
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  sizemik

  Wow . . . this is high quality analysis and advice . . . kudos to the brother who penned this.

  Two things that stood out . . .

  1. More than 70% of sisters have been abused sexually (not including other forms of abuse) . . . that's staggering!

  2. The parallels between the abuse experience and the Elders handling of the matter . . . frightening as to the long term effect this must be having.

  And it would appear this piece of solid gold advice (not just criticism) has been totally ignored . . . . unforgivable!!!

  Also interesting . . . the alluding to the HLC arrangement. Look at the lengths the Society has gone to to protect their stupid goddam no-blood policy . . . and compare that to the inaction over this problem, next to which the blood issue pales in significance.

  Thanks Marvin.
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  shadow

  did the writer geta response from WT?
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  jamiebowers

  I noticed that the writer referenced a November 1988 Watchtower that addressed "severe" abuse being a reason for marital separation. That's strange, because in December 1988 the elders in my case tried to bully me into staying in a marriage where my jw husband not only confessed to beating and strangling me, he was also forcibly committed to a mental hospital by his own doctor and a judge for threatening to kill me.
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  JW GoneBad

  This is a must read. BTTT.
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  AnnOMaly

  Thank you for posting this illuminating letter, Marvin. I wish it had been on public view years ago - I know somebody (an abuse victim) who would have been extremely interested to read it (she's no longer with us, unfortunately) as what the writer describes echoed her own experiences and opinions about how the Org. dealt with abuse. I'm keen to see the rest of it, and like shadow, I also want to know what the WTS' response was - if any.
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  Pams girl

  Thanks Martin

  I can only echo what Sizemik says...........70% of women sexually abused, this is a huge number and VERY worrying......shocked.
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  AnnOMaly

  I think there has been a misunderstanding:

  The letter said (bear in mind the writer is a doctor of Psychology and JW patients will be referred to him):

  "It is my experience that over 70% of all the sisters I see ... "

  i.e. abused JW sisters who are his patients - not JW sisters per se.

  "... have been victims of sexual abuse."

  Therefore, the other 30% of sisters he treats have been victims of other forms of abuse.