by soft+gentle 21 Replies latest watchtower bible
When I read those court documents I made some of those same observations.
I have many complaints as to how the elders respond to having a known molester in their congregation, but my main one is how they take away the rights of every parent by not giving them the information to protect their children.
I have shared those views with my JW family and they completely agree.
This whole situation is just awful. How long will the WTBT$ keep putting their image above the safety of children?
When my mother became aware of a sex offender at our hall in the 1990s, she contacted the elders and was told to "sit on the other side of the room". When she discreetly warned a couple of the other sisters about it, she was taken in the back room for a talking to. Shortly thereafter, he was sent back to jail after commiting a different offense and being arrested. I sincerely believe that the elders should warn parents. Instead, they continue to sell the lie of everyone inside the hall being a big family that we should trust. I shudder to think what could have happened had he gotten ahold of some unsupervised kids at a convention.
Like soft+gentle, I just finished reading the trial transcript.During the process of digesting what I read, I was reminded of a concept that I learned, ironically, during a phone conversation with an elder in the Service Department.I don’t remember what the issue was that I was calling about but I do remember him mentioning the concept of a "realm of confidentiality."Essentially, it’s the idea that there are those who qualify to be included this realm.Why would parents not be included?By the Awake! magazine’s own words, parents are the “first line of defense” against child abuse.Isn’t it common sense that you would include parents?I was struck by how the judge seemed to base his rulings, instructions and interpretations on common sense, at times citing to common law.
For me, at least, the concept of a realm of confidentiality helped me prioritize the complex and sophisticated arguments and issues in this case.I hope it may help others.
DNCall , yes i noticed the judge's reference to common law and I got the impression that one application he made of this was to the period when mandatory reporting did not include religions as yet but that common law did. The judge was discussing these points in chambers with all three lawyers as to what should be allowed from depositions and what disallowed. I must go back and check as I am a little hazy about this whole subject and how it impacts to what extent the elders and Service department failed to take reasonable steps to protect Candace.
Did you notice that both the judge and Mr Simons were aware of treading in new territory. On one of the days, during a discussion of what instructions needed to be given to the jury a defence lawyer even mentioned what appellate lawyers want to know. I think this was during a discussion of whether or not the jury needed to be told to assess whether a duty of care applies in the case. I'll check where and when as I have not made many notes as yet.
(posted the above on your thread too http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/246541/1/Candace-Conti-Trial-and-the-Realm-of-Confidentiality
vageni82
your mother took reasonable steps imo by warning those two sisters after first alerting the elders.
data-dog, I hope this case succeeds at appellate court level because there is a pressing problem amongst Jehovahs witnesses. In addition to the huge threat to youngesters in not warning parents, if the organsiation is suppressing recividism then this is giving a false impression to the world of the effectiveness of their program of spiritual help for offenders.
yourmomma, redfriedtruth, yup I'm noticing that too
thanks to all who have commented
making a correction to this para from my post 1125 above
Did you notice that both the judge and Mr Simons were aware of treading in new territory. On one of the days, during a discussion of what instructions needed to be given to the jury a defence lawyer even mentioned what appellate lawyers want to know. I think this was during a discussion of whether or not the jury needed to be told to assess whether a duty of care applies in the case. I'll check where and when as I have not made many notes as yet. (okay found it. Day seven pages 45 and 46)
to read
Did you notice that both the judge and Mr Simons were aware of treading in new territory. On one of the days, during a discussion of what instructions needed to be given to the jury a defence lawyer even mentioned what appellate lawyers want to know. I think this was after a discussion of whether or not the jury needed to be told to assess whether a duty of care applies in the case which in context was part of what was being denied/allowed to defence and plaintiff lawyers. I'll check where and when as I have not made many notes as yet. (okay found it. Day seven pages 45 and 46)
truthsekkeriam said: I have many complaints as to how the elders respond to having a known molester in their congregation, but my main one is how they take away the rights of every parent by not giving them the information to protect their children.
I have shared those views with my JW family and they completely agree.
Me too, and yet they still go along like zombies! Additonally the WTBS also allow these criminals to go door to door, exposing them to more families.
The court transcripts were fascinating.
FYI, a poster called 'Lifeswater' showed up on an older discussion on Beliefnet and said he was an elder in the Contis' and Kendricks' congregation. He gave some additional background to the case - at least his perspective on it. It was interesting. You might want to take a look.
He posted a few times so you'll have to scroll through some nonsense to get to them. He was responding to our former JWN 'friend' Dream Weaver (aka Alice in Wonderland, Spade, Consfearacy, etc., etc.) who had been posting the same twisted opinions on the case as she'd been doing on Topix.
Thanks ann
lifeswater shared some valuable insider info. I am stunned that those 2 elders lied so blatantly under oath about notifying the elder body about kendrick. I absolutely believe what life's water says regarding this because the very same situation transpired in a local congregation - the elders who knew about a pedophile were told by the society to keep the info secret even from the other elders. I ought to have guessed that this was probably a worldwide policy
Do you all have a consoling place you can go to when you are overwhelmed with feeling for candace? I find I do need something like that so that I can continue to study these court docs and think about the implications. my consoling place is to picture Candace with her dog attending her therapy sessions as a child or joyfully riding her horse. Without this it is impossible for me to think about this subject objectively
