by AndersonsInfo 76 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
WT Society leaders are you listening ? Your house of Watchtower cards is crumbling before your eyes and being shredded to pieces as with broken glass. Or is the sound of breaking glass the negative Karma you are justly deserving due to criminally negligent child abuse policies ?
Either way , it's high time for justice to be done
Astonishing! Thank you Barbara.
Zalkin are the Watchtower's worse nightmare.
I know we all want these things played out in open court but who can blame a victim for accepting compensation and getting on with life?
The cracks in the Watchtower are starting to show.
Very interesting. I do not know if the three justices gong to handle the Watchtower appeal case against our own Conti are not knowledgeable about this settlement. Looks like the fire is going to be out of control.
Scott77
Unless Campos was convicted, these are allegations. Settlement does not equate liability. Until the laws change, requiring religions to break confessional privilege for pedophile confessions, religion does not have a legal duty in these cases. It is clear, however, that this ancient rule is now undergoing considerable modification or it may be dropped altogether.
What about moral duty, though? I expect any organization, remotely favored by God or the fates, too have higher standards than the law. The scriptures the JWs rely on is NOT express. It is a very subjective interpretation that is not necessary for any essential WT doctrine.
I wonder why, in the face of more and more settlements, the WT clings to the silly rule. Religion is no longer an arm of government. Adult rape and pedophilia crimes no longer require corroboration b/c much proof exists that children do not lie in these areas. Evidentiary techiques do already exist to ferret out troubled children who would lie. Certainly, a case by case evaluation makes much more sense than a blanket rule.
Once the clergy/penitent privilege starts to be breached, however, and the Conti case is so important, I doubt the two witness rule will stand. The very nature of the crime makes it almost impossible there will be witness. I assume the witnesses must be adult men. Convicting someone of a crime wtihout due process is reprehensible but KHs are not part of Caesar's empire.
What is so burdensome or negates any secular duty to merely make an announcement that someone has made allegations against a JW. Such an announcement should be immediately followed by a much longer lecture that the authorites and KH elders are investigating the allegation. It may be impossible to resolve. No facts are proven. A mere allegation is no proof.
The newspaper do so all the time. Note that public officials and the press alway use the word "alleged," so as not to libel or slander or affect judicial outcomes. Legal resolutions are nice but, truly, are not as important as basic moral values.
I wonder if Jehovah's Witnesses realize they are not Jehovah's Witnesses, but independent contractors. The Society is so lawyered up. If they once showed concerned for an alleged victim besides announcing that they have no legal duty, a different situation would emerge. Merely stating that no proof is available yet but IF it happened, a serious breach of God's commandments were involved. IF it happened, concern for the alleged victim should be noted.
This has to do with overreaching and legal protection, not doctrine. The Roman Catholic Church no longer makes such assertions. Only by making the allegation public, as in the case of Sandusky, can one determine if there are legions of other victims remaining silent. Besides, we all know Witness culture, after being told to rely on Jehovah, how many active Witnesses would dare report it to authorities.
Render Caesar;s things to Caesar but God' things to God. Their legal duty is beside the point. A basic moral duty is present.
'Plaintiff's attorney said that Campos is a serial molester.'
So Campos was a serial molester while also serving as a JW Elder!
The question is how many other appointed men among JWs are currently serving as Ministerial Servants or Elders who are also child molesters? There is a high likelihood that there are many more 'J W Campos' out there. Remember too that there are 100,000+ JW congregations with an average of 15 to 20 Ministerial Servants and Elders serving in each one.
If only we had our hands on that WTBTS sex offender data base!
| "... I expect any organization, remotely favored by God or the fates, too have higher standards than the law. ..The very nature of the crime makes it almost impossible there will be witness... I wonder if Jehovah's Witnesses realize they are not Jehovah's Witnesses, but independent contractors... Render Caesar;s things to Caesar but God' things to God. Their legal duty is beside the point. A basic moral duty is present. " | |
| Band on the Run |
Hi Band on the Run,
I thought those were some of the great pieces statements I liked. I think, they stand out. May be it can be safely stated that the Watchtower society of Jehovah's Witnesses has lost the 'contract' to represent the higher authoriy and his higher morals on this earth.
Scott77
The Campos deposition is very interesting, especially where he admits to molestation after molestation over the years. These are not allegations by Plaintiffs. In fact, in the court records it's revealed that this man confessed to elders at different times the molestation of different kids. When he was accused, most times he admitted what he had done, but would repent so was forgiven. Nobody ever went to the authorities so he continued his acts of perversion and finally he fled to Mexico. I have not asked why he has not been extradited by the authorities to the US but I'm going to.
Barbara
During the weekend, the Zalkin court documents will be uploaded to Send Space and I'll put the link on JWN. Also, the Conti Trial Court Documents will also be uploaded. They are all pdf files and searchable.
Barbara
It is extraordinarely disturbing to see the blatent disregard for the safety of the congregation that was exhibited by these elders, congregations, and the WTBTS. So much for protection from danger and the evil one(s) by Jehovah and his strong tower.
Thank you Barbara for your tireless work in this matter, you are an angel!
So why did the Conti case get press coverage (albeit pretty weak) and this case seems to have no coverage (didn't come up on google news)? Is it just a matter that the society actually lost and lost big in the Conti case?
