by Balaamsass 18 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
scott77 - "My concern with the Watchtower if I can read the history, its really and agressively litigant. Most of the times, the victims do not find the justice they are badly looking for."
What goes around comes around.
And like I keep saying, the WTS - for a lot of reasons - would make an ideal candidate for a public example/object lesson.
The WT did the very opposite. I forget the title of the thread but recently the WT Legal Department sent a letter to all elders, clarifying how to react to mandatory reporting statutes. The statutory intent is clear from the text. With the exception of a priest/penitient privilege, all allegations of child abuse must be reported to law enforcement authorities. States are completely fed up with religion evading responsibility. These laws are not judge made laws but laws that the state legislature passed and a governor signed to become the law. There are no exceptions for any religion.
The letter from the Legal Department informed elders to report any allegations to the Legal Department. As a lawyer, I can tell you that in many instances the interests of elders and that of the WT are different. There are ethical questions about not informing the elders that they may have adverse interests and to see their own private lawyers.
I hope that the punitive damages in the Conti case would bring a gradual, face-saving reform. As the WT prepares for appeal, it gives the appearance of impropriety. Also, the WT asserts that it has no liability because the pedophiles are not agents of the WT. They are false JWs. Yet the WT has compiled a long list of pedophiles for many years. I guess they love the feel of computer documents.
Certainly, I expected back pedaling. A sickeningly worded statement or something. So many times I think that my rage at the Wt must be unjustified. Does anyone who is familiar with the Jesus of the gospels see Jesus protecting a pedophile or religion against a young child who ws raped? No, they make their position even more onerous so children have even less safety than before.
I can only hope that in private conversations, the legal dept. tells them to comply. If so, why involve the legal department at all?
Most definitely MARKING...!!
marking
Band on the Run - "I hope that the punitive damages in the Conti case would bring a gradual, face-saving reform."
Honestly, Band, I'm pretty sure they won't.
The WTS has painted themselves too tightly into their particular little corner to implement anything resembling progressive reform, by now. They had a chance in the late 70s to start down that path, but chose to implement a purge for ideological purity instead, and that purge's final nail was hammered home during Jaracz's reign.
Any reform at this stage in the game, and they would arguably no longer be Jehovah's Witnesses, IMO.
If he did expose these people to the secular legal authorities he could have lost his position
inside the church by disobeying the edict created and sealed by a previous Pope and still held to in many parts of the world.
What's your point? So what? He would have lost his job?
Oh, I see he's kept his job. Well, good for him, he's a 'company man'.
Failure to report sexual abuse of a child is immoral and also against the law.
In a hastily announced bench trial that lasted a little over an hour, a judge found the bishop, Robert W. Finn, guilty on one misdemeanor charge and not guilty on a second charge, for failing to report a priest who had taken hundreds of pornographic pictures of young girls. The counts each carried a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine, but Bishop Finn was sentenced to two years of court-supervised probation.
Maybe the Feds will give him what he deserves - prison time.
Wow..I somehow missed this thread...this is HUGE. I know we have a 3rd or 4th year law student here...would be interesting to get her opinion on this. Could this really be a major crippling blow to the WT? Can't remember her screen name though...
If I were an elder 20 years ago presiding over a commitee dealing with a pedophile, I would be in fear of the other shoe dropping. In fact, I would just go to the authorities and spill
Bumping again...
