For Immediate Release JW-MEDIA.org post response to child sex abuse verdict

by BlindersOff1 68 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  skeeter1

  I think there are many JW (especially women) who are deeply disturbed by the WTS handling of child and spouse abuse. These women have seen women & childlren shafted. This stuff has been in the news "too much." The WTS is at the brink of losing the alot of followers. They have been losing new converts. Therefore, they have to project an image that they abhor child abuse. But, we know they really care more about the Borg and POWER.

  They WTS makes strong statements becuase it needs to.

  But in the end, all of this "claims" makes them look alot like Scientology to me. Scientology is always blaming others for false accusations. But, it's the religion that is the common denominator.
• 

  ScenicViewer

  strymeckirules noted,

  "The jury rendered a multimillion-dollar damage award to a woman who claimed that she was molested as a child by a member of a local congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses." (From Watchtower's official Media web site.)

  "they use the word "claimed" in such a way that it suggests she was lying and that this part of the case was not proven." (strymeckirules)

  I too was struck by their use of the word 'claimed.' In reality there is no question that Candace Coti was molested by a Jehovah's Witness. The real issue in the trial was whether or not Watchtower contributed to the crime by it's policy of keeping the presence of known child molesters in a congregation secret from it's members, thereby putting them at risk.

  By now saying 'a woman claimed she was molested...' the Society is using a bait-and-switch tactic to draw the attention of Jehovah's Witnesses and the public away from the real issues of the trial, and are making it look as if a lie is being perptrated against the Society and Jehovah's Witness members.

  The ones really lying (cleverly) are the Governing Body and JW Media. Shameful!
• 

  irondork

  "...court case involving alleged acts of child abuse."

  "... woman who claimed that she was molested"

  "... policies of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society contributed to the alleged abuse."

  "... found responsible for the alleged misdeeds of a member

  “We are very sorry for whatever harm this young lady may have suffered."

  Good, God! They just don't get it.
• 

  skeeter1

  All of that "alledged" and "claimed" language is really going to bite them in the butts.

  Women are most of the congregation. Each woman has come before the WTS elder committee (or knows someone who has). The elders ALMOST ALWAYS makes the woman out to be harlot! The one to be blamed. The one to be reprooved. Why? The elders are in charge. All are men. Everyone above them is men. Eve was the woman. Bethsheba was the woman. All tricked the men - who were "Jehovah's" perfect men.

  I think alot of JW women are going to sympathize with Candace Conti. I know in my family, the JWwomen all stayed home for Barbara's NBC report - and I got comments that they hoped the child sexual abuse would stop. But, at that time, it was "small" . . . . even though my family knew of 2 pedophiles. Now, there is www.silentlambs.org listing all the problems. There is Barbara who tried to change the system, and Candace who tried to change the system. And, look what happened to these women. Disfellowshipped, outsted, belittled, called liars, etc.

  I think the WTS did a big boo-boo with this press release. They are going to alienate many R&F women. Women, many, smell bull. When you get a woman mad . . . .
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  Quendi

  The WTS keeps thinking that it has "a covenant with Death" and that it will ride out this storm, but it has miscalculated. While I don't expect a palace revolt from rank-and-file Witnesses--most of whom are too mind-numb to even care about the verdict and awards rendered in thiscase--but i am holding on to another hope. That hope is the verdict will be upheld upon appeal and that we will then see more such lawsuits filed against the organization. If there is to be no reaction from within, then it may very well fall to external forces to bring down this cult.

  The WTS statement is disgusting on its face. Everyone is right to say that the use of the word "claimed" implies a belief that Candace Conti is an abject liar, that the molestation never took place. Furthermore, it also implies that even if she was assaulted, the WTS policy of secrecy and silence in these matters had nothing to do with enabling this perp to continue assaulting other young victims. While an appeals court may reduce the amount of damages awarded, I don't see how it can reverse the verdict. And if the WTS loses on appeal, then it will have to decide whether to pursue this case all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States.

  In a way I hope it will so that it can finally and decisively be held accountable for its crimes. But it is obvious that even in these early days following the end of the Oakland trial the Society is feeling some heat. Otherwise it would have issued no statement at all but would have tried its time-honored strategy of sweeping the matter under the rug. Maybe there are enough Witnesses with functioning consciences calling on the Governing Body to answer this development. Maybe they will read the statement and conclude that the organization is definitely in the wrong. But whether they do or not it may well be that this case will mark the beginning of the end for the WTS. I certainly hope so.

  Quendi
• 

  skeeter1

  The pedophile hasn't faced criminal charges. He is a follower in "good stading" despite other convictions of molestation.

  If the WTS admitted that the wierdo actually did molest her . . . . then, I wonder if they (elders) would be brought to testify for the Prosecution. The elders ld have to get on the stand and say, "yep, we know he did it." Then, thy would be convicting a fellow, JW man who was in "good standing."

  What you are seeing here is a "good old boys" club. That simple.

  Skeeter
• 

  purplesofa

  The first thing my friends pointed out when I shared msnbc's coverage was the use of the word ... alledged.

  I am surprised they came out with a statement.

  I bet all the big MSM has contacted them.

  Hopefully, some airtime will come soon.

  Egypt stuff is dying down. Hopefully it won't get lost with all the Sandusky stuff going on.
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  DT

  At least we can use this to prove that it really happened, assuming the Witness doesn't think jw-media.org is an apostate website.

  Most organizations would have had a statement like this prepared ahead of time. They must have really been caught by surprize.

  "The individual members of any organization must ultimately bear the responsibility for their own actions"

  They seem to be backing away from the concept of community reponsibility. I guess that means they should stop criticizing Catholicism for what individual Catholics do.

  "This is the first time that an organization was found responsible for the alleged misdeeds of a member who held no position of leadership or authority"

  This sounds like a strange statement. Surely there must be an organization somewhere that was held to be at least partially liable for what a member or employee did. I also question that he had no authority. I remember directing groups for service of over twenty woman and children when I was eleven. I was male and baptized so I was responsible for directing others, even though I didn't have an official position.
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  metatron

  Can any legal action be taken against the Watchtower for making these statements? Can they be brought to a court's attention at least in their apparent effort to deny what a court has proven?

  metatron
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  purplesofa

  If there was no conviction of the rape/abuse I think the word alleged has to be used by the media.

  When Eman Al Obeidi was raped in Libya, even thought she had a positive test kit that proved she was raped,

  in the media "alleged" has always been used as there was no cinviction.