just finished reading the Candace Conti court docs

by soft+gentle 21 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  soft+gentle

  I had been reading discussions on topix about the case and decided to go see what was actually said and not said during the trial. I'm left with several indelible impressions of the courage and honesty of Candace and of her mother Kathleen.

  Another thing is that the court was given the opportunity to really get a feel for the JW lifestyle. The close family relationships they promote which emphasizes, for me, that if the elders had been as vigilant as they said they were they would have spotted that Kendrick had become alarmingly close to Candace. From the start of the trial the the two elders both said that they recognised that Kendrick had sexually abused his stepdaughter Andrea and that he was a child sexual abuser. They put this in writing to headquarters. But they did not even give a simple generic warning to Candace's mum and dad who the judge felt were caring enough parents to take action to keep a watchful eye on Kendrick and limit/stop her contact with him. If the parents had been given a simple warning even if it was generic they may have sat Candace down and questioned her about how much association she was having with Kendrick and this may have provided an oportunity for Candace to say what was happening to her. The judge felt that her parents, in their care for Candace, were good enough parents to have protected her if they had been warned. Their care is shown by such things as that when their marriage was breaking up her parents sent Candace for psychotherapy (it was Kathleen who initiated the therapy and Neil agreed to it). When they went to meetings both parents made sure that Candace went with them and sat with them. After kathleen stopped going to meetings Neil (her dad) generally made sure that Candace always went with him to the meetings and that she always sat beside him. These are just some examples of their care. (But of course this does not deny that there would have been occasions that children were given rides to meetings and field service by others. Mr Simons established this fact by quesitoning the elders that in general parents would at least occasionaly arrange for their children to travel to meetings and field service with others. (Day One pages 94&95).

  http://jwleaks.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/candace-conti-v-watchtower-jury-trial-day-1-may-29-2012-pdf.pdf
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  soft+gentle

  okay here is another important point from day 7 (pp91 and 92)- Mr Simons (Candace's lawyer) summing up address to the jury on the matter of what the elders took away from their meeting with Kendrick - that he had lied to them about the extent of his sexual abuse of his step daughter Andrea.

  http://jwleaks.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/candace-conti-v-watchtower-jury-trial-day-7-june-11-2012-pdf.pdf

  So we see that the elders were aware from the start that Kendrick could not be trusted and despite having this awareness they still neglected to meet with him ever again to find out/encourage/monitor/counsel him about his inclinations.

  Some of these concerns that I am spotting in these trial documents i hope to bring up in my discussions with JW family and friends. I haven't as yet decided how to raise the subject though.
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  cedars

  Thanks for sharing those observations soft+gentle.

  Cedars
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  soft+gentle

  thanks cedars.

  Here is another point

  Mr Simons raises the important issue of the elders protecting Mr Kendrick. As awful as this sounds the evidence seems to indicate that they were but whether they were doing so consciously or unconsciously is debatable. What makes it seem that they were consciously protecting kendrick is that they failed to report to the society that they thought Kendrick was lying about the extent and gravity about what he'd done and that therefore he could not be trusted. They admit that another child had come forward and said that Kendrick had touched her chest and that her mother was threatening to call the police. Only the elders in their letter to the society say that Kendrick accidently touched the other girl's chest. If it was so accidental why would the mother be threatening to go to the police? edit: furthermore why didn't the society pick up on this - the fact that they didn't implicates them in the issue of letting the elders protect kendrick imo. here was a golden opportunity to seek to apply their own two witness rule.

  http://jwleaks.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/north-freemont-cong-elders-telecom-with-wtbts-re-kendrick.pdf
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  Refriedtruth

  Bookmarked
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  DATA-DOG

  What makes it seem that they were consciously protecting kendrick is that they failed to report to the society that they thought Kendrick was lying about the extent and gravity about what he'd done and that therefore he could not be trusted.

  IMO, protecting Kendrick was a combo of ignorance due to lack of training ( The Elders are just higher level salesmen/mid level managers, the cannot council about anythiing) and probably the subconscious drive to protect Jehovah's name/WTBTS. Imagine how paralyzed these men become after years of indoctrination. They have no answers. Even if a tiny spark of normal human reaction is left, it is quickly extinguished by " wait on Jehovah " or " ask Mother." Why is there a group of Elders instead of just one? Why are JC meetings and inquisitions always 2 or 3 against one? Because if one good Elder starts to act like a human being, there will always be two or three more to get the meeting back on track. The real objective being re-adjustment in thinking and protecting JAH/WTBTS.

  I think this court case is important for showing the systemic disease within the WTBTS. The symptoms being the ineptitude of the Elders as far as giving any real help the sheep, and the constant priority of protecting the Corporation. The Elders are really victims as well, it's sad. They Elders as a group will be thrown under the bus when it suits the WTBTS. It is after all, a multi-billion dollar international publishing company, that uses free labor and is tax free.
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  00DAD

  S&G, great observations. Thanks for sharing!
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  Giordano

  I greatly appreciate your taking the time and sharing your observations S & G, you too Data-Dog!

  I think if I was starting to understand TTATT this would be my 'stumble' my excuse not to go out in FS or attend meetings. After all why associate with unknown child molesters? I'd tell the Elders...... this is your problem......get back to me when you can certify that the KH and circuit has been swept clean.
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  yourmomma

  those topix threads are some of the most disgusting things you will read on the internet. the length that the jw's go to defend not only the watchtower but Kendrick is throw up inducing. they go as far as deny Kendrick molesting his step daughter, something that is accepted by watchtower lawyers as basic fact. some of the jw posters on that thread really seem like they are either child molesters, or in some sick way maybe were molested as kids and in a stockholm syndrome type of way defend child molesters. and then if that is not bad enough the stuff they say about Candace on their is just shocking, and i am not a person that shocks often, especially when it comes to stuff JW's say. in cases like this, apostates dont need to do anything, just sit back and watch the JW's hang themself with their own words. those threads make jw's look straight up wicked. in those threads they straight up defend child molesting, acting as if Kendricks daughter seduced him and its her fault and had it coming because she was "promiscous". its just jaw dropping stuff.
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  Refriedtruth

  Those Jehovah's witnesses posting at the unmoderated anything goes Topix forum are religious fanatic psychopaths they are 'Charlie Manson without the look'.

  WORSE than Scientology goons.