Reply to James Bonnell

by silentlambs 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  silentlambs

  As some of you may have noted James Bonnell the local PO here made a comment in the local paper. Today I recieved this response in an email, I thought it was worth sharing.

  silentlambs

  The following is the exact email quoted below:

  "James Bonnell, a local Elder in the Draffensville, KY. Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses is quoted as saying, (and I quote), "This issue was brought up over a year ago, and Mr. Bowen has tried to keep it in the public eye,"

  "I reply to this man, (who is being used by the Jehovah's Witness Society), I don't appreciate YOUR twisted views of this matter. I have seen evidence of your wisdom. When you were approached on the matter of my daughter's father, who admitted to molesting my younger sister, you looked at my little sister and stated, "What is the big deal, it is not like you were raped or anything."

  "I am deeply saddened that someone like my daughter's father, and James Bonnell is allowed to offer counsel and guidance, and be in any good standing at all within an organization that professes to be exclusively of God. This just adds insult to injury.

  "Keep up the Great work SilentLambs...Shine those lights, and EXPOSE this darkness!"
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  dungbeetle

  I'm deeply saddened, too.

  (((((silentlambs and mrs silentlambs)))) and (((author of the email)))

  In 1975 a crack team of publishers was sentenced to death by a judicial commiteee. They promptly escaped from the cult and now live life on the run. If you have a problem ... and if you can find them ... maybe you can contact the A--postate Team"
• 

  DazedAndConfused

  I think I am a bit confused here. I am wondering about the wording since I know nothing of your story. Wouldn't your daughter's father be you? I am assuming that it is your stepdaughter?
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  silentlambs

  I am not related to any of these folks. It was not my daughter that was being discussed in the email that I recieved today. Also as noted above the man is the local PO not the CO.
  As many can see these matters are always complicated, yet the post above shows how unempathetic those who are used by the GB actually are. Brother Bonnell's comment seems to discredit the work of all the silentlambs as just an attempt to keep matters "in the public eye", well this is true but it certainly is not the point or the purpose of the organization.
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  Derrick

  I reply to this man, (who is being used by the Jehovah's Witness Society),
  I don't appreciate YOUR twisted views of this matter. I have seen evidence of your wisdom. When you were approached on the matter of my daughter's father, who admitted to molesting my younger sister, you looked at my little sister and stated, "What is the big deal, it is not like you were raped or anything."

  That is shocking a Circuit Overseer who is considered a so-called "overseer of the flock" would dismiss an immoral act of "loose conduct" (the molesting of your little sister even if claimed in didn't lead to rape).

  According to your quote, the Circuit Overseer has admitted to considering "loose conduct" against a child as inconsequential! Accordingly, the Society's own guidelines dictate this man should immediately be removed from his position and brought before a Judicial Committee on disfellowship charges of apostasy (in this instance, the apostasy being giving the impression that molestation which falls under "loose conduct" against a child by an adult not leading to actual rape is of no consequence).

  Is the Watchtower Society aware of what this Circuit Overseer said in this quote? To your knowledge is the Watchtower Society considering any action against this man so they at the very least appear "consistent" to the public and not partial in judgment?

  Aside from that, the whole thing that happened to your sister, especially by someone masquerading as a "Christian," makes me nauseated. If you're going to tell me the Watchtower Society is adding insult to injury by allowing this Circuit Overseer to continue after being informed of his remark, then I consider this one of many "smoking guns" that proves the governing body is not really Jesus Christ's "faithful and discreet slave" but imposters.

  Derrick

  To see a World in a Grain of Sand
  And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
  Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
  And Eternity in an hour.

  -- William Blake (Auguries of Innocence)
• 

  Ranchette

  As some of you may have noted James Bonnell the local PO

  So,if I understand this correctly,
  James Bonnell is the PO or presiding overseer,an elder.He is not a Circuit overseer.

  James said the following to the news paper,

  "This issue was brought up over a year ago, and Mr. Bowen has tried to keep it in the public eye,"

  Then James Bonnell says this to a victim of child molestation,
  

  "What is the big deal, it is not like you were raped or anything."

  This victims sister emailed Bill Bowen and exposed his attitude towards child abuse victims and now Bill is sharing this info to expose this elders attitude with all of us here.

  I think this is what Bill is trying to tell us.Bill correct me if I am wrong.

  I am disgusted at this elders true feelings and I am glad Bill is keeping this in the "public eye" because it is not just a one year old past problem as Mr Bonnell would have everyone to believe.
  This is a current problem with many victims.

  Keep exposing them Bill!!

  Ranchette
• 

  anewperson

  It appears Mr Bonnell (won't call him a "brother") believes molesting a child is not as wicked as an adult raping an adult. I'd argue it's even worse. Shame on you, Mr Bonnell! (on the other hand should we even dignify him with the word Mr/mister?)
• 

  belbab

  Bill,

  This is one of the most confusing posts ever. Ranchette has made a good effort to clarify it. But confusion still exists.

  First, change the word response to message, response means reply, the message you received is not a reply to a post from silentlambs.

  Two, is the word silent lambs after your introduction of the post a signing off of your introduction or the salutation from the email sender?

  Third: boldwords added by belbab (for clarification of the meaning, I hope) and message put in italics by typing at the beginning of the message, [ ] with an i within the brackets and typing [ ]with /i within the brackets at the end of italized message. If I type the i and /i you will only see the result of italics not what I typed.

  I reply to this man,(to Mister Bonnell) (who is being used by the Jehovah's Witness Society),
  I don't appreciate YOUR twisted views of this matter. I have seen evidence of your wisdom. When you were approached on the matter of my daughter's father,(my former husband??) who admitted to molesting my younger sister,(ie, my former husbands sister in law) you looked at my little sister and stated, "What is the big deal, it is not like you were raped or anything."
  I am deeply saddened that someone like my daughter's father,(my former husband) and James Bonnell is allowed to offer counsel and guidance, and be in any good standing at all within an organization that professes to be exclusively of God. This just adds insult to injury.

  Keep up the Great work SilentLambs...Shine those lights, and EXPOSE this darkness!

  (signature or some nom-de-plume of emailer)

  belbab, confusor or clarifier, who knows?
• 

  waiting

  Well, Bill could take the high road......and go with the obvious (whether it's true or not)

  James Bonnell, a local Elder in the Draffensville, KY. Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses is quoted as saying, (and I quote), "This issue was brought up over a year ago, and Mr. Bowen has tried to keep it in the public eye,"

  Response: "Brother Bonnell, thank you for reminding us all that child molestation among Jehovah's Witnesses - and the leaders encouragement to send molesters to unsuspecting neighbor's doors - was brought up more than a year ago by me. It is a terrible problem facing most religious organizations.

  And thank you so much for the compliment that I have earnestly tried, as a member of Jehovah's Witnesses, to keep it in the public eye. Any molestation of an innocent child needs to be kept that way until changes of church and government law is made. I'm sure you would agree that our children's safety should be our primary concern.

  Sadly, to date, the Watchtower Society has made no changes in their laws. The Catholics and other groups are amending their laws - at least they're trying.

  I appreciate your acknowledgement that I'm trying to rectify a wrong for innocent children within the Watchtower Society.

  Brother Bowen"
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  jerome

  i would like to ask some questions.

  first let me say that this whle child molestation thing makes me sick.

  at one time i think jw theology stated that a woman had to scream in order to be raped.
  this matter seems to be going back and fourth and i dont know what the current theology states. that is not to say that they would not sympathize with a woman who was too scared out of her wits to do anything but i think they might even label it grounds for disfelloship. i may be wrong please clarify.

  so would they consider it rape if the child did not scream or would they consider it fornication.

  and if it were fornication who would they blame. what disiplarny action would be brought against the child and perpetrator.

  in jw theology how old do you have to be to get married?
  or is this an unritten rule?

  if a child were to come foward and report this act but did not have a second witness for support would the child be called a liar and labeled a bad association.

  thanks for your coperation.
  

  the bible is a two edged sword
  wield it the wrong way and it you WILL cut yourself!