As many of us saw in the PBS news hour program and the ABC News Nightline program the elders from one congregation failed to communicate properly to the elders in another congregation concerning the child molester Jonathan Kendrick when he moved to a new congregation. I have parts of this " introduction letter " from the Fremont Congregation to the Oakley Congregation elders so you can read it for yourself and decide how irresponsible these WT appointed elders were.
Dated 1/16/98 it opens :
" Dear Brothers, Enclosed are the publisher cards of Brother Jonathan Kendrick , and OUR comments in his regard that we hope will enable you to get to KNOW him better.
" Brother Kendrick is a fine brother who can easily offer a " positive " spirit to a congregation. He has served the North Congregation as Literature Servant in the somewhat RECENT past, has done well in the TMS and presenting the " good news " in the field ministry.
" However, our brother has had a " stormy " marriage which has ended in divorce , during which time a Judicial Committee saw the need to place restrictions on him for outbursts of anger. His anger was not unprovoked however, in that his former wife ( now inactive ) , never allowed him to assume the scriptural role of " family head ". She resisted him in allowing her teenage daughter ( from a previous marriage ) , to date a " worldly " individual with whom she was sexually active ( even in their own residence when Jonathan was not present ) , resulting in a child out of wedlock. So Brother Kendrick has had much frustration to deal with , but the committee agreed that that didn't give him license to vent his anger in violent demonstration , which in at least one case, involved the Fremont police department.
" Brother Kendrick has been away from good, regular spiritual association for some months now . As a result , I fear the world's attitudes have creeped in on him a little more. Please help him put these aside. Jonathan may seem a little " gruff " on the outside , but you will find with some attention he will respond well to your efforts. He wants and appreciates strong, pointed counsel on the TMS as well as personally to help him grow and progress.
" The skills of Brother Kendrick vary from violin playing to topiary to wood-working and welding ( trade ). He is a very interesting individual who has taken the lead with some YOUNG ONES in the congregation and helped them from ' VEERING OFF COURSE.'
" Jonathan is no longer on restriction ; you'll find him to be a fine individual, kind, loving, and appreciates the peace and refreshment of the Christian brotherhood. Please convey our well wishes and warm love to him , and all those loyally serving JAH in the Brentwood Congregation."
Your brother, --------------- ------------------
I don't know about you- but this letter is a laughingstock , an absolute affront to any semblance of justice being done. These elders KNEW Jonathan Kendrick's background as a child molester and spoke well of him anyway to his new congregation- even to the point of saying he had helped young ones in the congregation from " veering off course ". Uh-huh. What ? By molesting them ? There is NO excuse for WT Society appointed elders to be SO irresponsible as to recommend a child molester in a positive way to a new congregation. It is unforgiveable as he ended up molesting more victims. Disgusting is an appropriate adjective.
And yet- the WT Society's attorneys KEEP denying any responsibility for what goes on inside their congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses wherein they appoint idiotic, lame brained men as elders who due to their irresponsibility continue to put children at risk by promoting in glowing terms pedophiles from one congregation to the next. And we wonder why the WT Society has so many child abuse cases and lawsuits against them right now ? It's because this happens ALL THE TIME. This is NOT a lone case if you are reading this as a lurking Jehovah's Witness. You may be sitting next to a pedophile right now as you attend your " Christian " meeting. And your children may be sitting next to a child molester or pedophile as they sit at your " Christian " meeting. Will the elders ever tell you as a parent if there is a molester sitting next to you ? No. Will they tell you as a parent if this pedophile newly molests children in your congregation ? No. So HOW do you protect your children ?
By getting PROACTIVE and spreading the word to other JW parents in your midst that this kind of conduct is going on and you have to ACT if your children are going to be protected. Call your local police authorities. Call child protective services if you know of these pedophiles or child molesters are being allowed to BE with children in your congregations. Whether out in service or alone at gatherings- will YOUR conscience as a parent be more responsible than the leaders of the WT Society or the elders towards your children ? If YOU don't protect the young ones in your midst- who will ? Not the elders. Not WT leaders. That's been proven. Now is the time to act, spread the word. I wish you all well, Take care, Peace out, Mr. Flipper P.S. Let's protect the children- THAT is the priority.