Victoria, Australia: Report on Oct. 11th hearing involving Steven Unthank

by AndersonsInfo 156 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  Band on the Run

  I doubt they said in court that the Faithful and Discreet Slave does not exist. They probably said the Faithful and Discreet Slave is a theological construct and not a legal person capable of being sued in any common law jurisdiction. If Witnesses want to hear that they denied the Faith and Discreet Slave as a Bible teaching, so much the better.

  Sizemik, your comments about being a plaintiff vs. a defendant as requiring different legal strategies and mind sets are so astute. Indeed, they can not sit in the posture of an aggrieved minority religion, akin to Puritan, Pilgrims, and Quakers. They are used to playing David. This case declared that they were Goliath. Whatever the legal merits of the case, it was good for their overdeveloped sense of hubris to be forced to change their policy. All this happened without any court order or direction. A politician taught a legal class that the mere fact of running for office, even there is no chance of election, draws your opponent closer to your policy.

  I've attended many a lecture about plaintiff's lawyer vs. defense lawyers duties.
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  breakfast of champions

  I tend to agree with BOTR--- it's not like saying you can't bring suit against the College of Cardinals, an actual body of men; it's more like saying you can't bring charges against the Trinity or something to that effect. All in all, that means the FDS doesn't really exist in any substantive manner.
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  mind blown

  The REAL issue isn't the FDS (that just come out)......the issue is non compliance with a "law that involves children".

  The court prosecution needs to be informed that there has been much "child abuse" "within the WTS" ...(maybe in Aussie Land) or anywhere else AND HOW IT IS HANDLED WITHIN THE WTS "WORLD WIDE"! (me thinks would make sense)
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  mind blown

  And a side note to JW's who are watching this thead........

  I WAS FUCKING SEXUALLY ABUSED BY A JW BROTHER WHEN I WAS 6 YEARS OLD.....(TRUE).... HOPE THIS GOES ALL THE WAY......
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  TimothyT

  Lets hope that the correct sentence is passed so that children can be protected!

  Can i also ask, what power does the Australian legal system have to convict each member of the governing body as criminals? These men are not in Australia's jurisdiction so how will this work?

  Tim
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  james_woods

  Lets hope that the correct sentence is passed so that children can be protected!

  Well, if nothing else, it looks like the society has backed down and instructed at least the elders to get the required cards...

  That having happened, probably the rest of the case will wind down and go away.
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  wha happened?

  Legally yes, James. It will go away in the minds of the court. However, in the age of instant news, the long term effects of their duplicitous statements in court will hang much longer affects to those with thinking abilities. Those who choose the head and the sand approach, they'll be back where they feel comfortable, that is if they ever took their head out of the sand to begin with.
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  MrMonroe

  BOTR, the case is unllikely to have come to the attention of any legal journals. It is still in its formative stage. It is certainly unusual in that an individual with no legal background has been permitted to launch a private prosecution. If the news coming via Barbara is reliable, the Department of Public Prosecutions is giving indications that it may take over. Hopefully it will develop.

  Sizemik, The simple fact is that so far there is nothing for the mainstream media to report about this case. Once something happens (ie, a trial begins in the Supreme Court) then there is the possibility of coverage. Though the machinations of the WTS may be of interest to us, they don't excite the interest of newspaper editors.
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  mind blown

  The fact that the wts/gb issued cards AFTER they were brought to court bears no weight...still looks bad.

  When a law is issued and you break it, you will be prosecuted. For instance you know it's against the law to buy or take drugs.....you're caught with them, you do the time.....you can't say.......oh I'm not doing them now.....they were just in my pocket..............or you run a red light.....and tell the police officer....oh I didn't see the red light.......you're still going to get a ticket......or you kill someone and there's proof......all the excuses in the world won't excuse you......may make the penalty lower.......however, will still get charged. And it's not like there's not been enough child abuse cases for the record....

  Also, the fact that the WTS/via attorney has stated there's not a JW cong, is a HUGE "red flag"...though it's not offically on the books....... the court knows there is by seeing them on the streets or having them come to the doors of many ...or via internet or video.......and I'm sure Mr Unthank can prove there is. The pink elephant is in the room.

  Would be great if The Crown has this mind set....."we are going to make an example of you".... making that statement to the world..........fingers crossed....
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  wannabefree

  attorney has stated there's not a JW cong

  I believe they said something more like "The Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses" does not exist in Australia. This is very different than saying there is not a JW congregation.