As some of you know I was given pdf files of much of the Conti and Lopez child abuse court cases and asked from a friend to peruse through it and post some excerpts on the board here that may have been missed or not addressed in the PBS Newshour report or the ABC News Nightline report. So after going through this Richard Ashe testimony I feel I found something quite interesting that exposes the real attitudes of the WT Society leaders towards child abuse AND the attitudes WT leaders put into it's appointed men's minds as well. The viewpoint that Richard Ashe displays is repeated in elders throughout thousands of JW congregations on this planet.
In Ashe's court deposition on pg. 300 attorney Irwin Zalkin asked him this question, " Was it the policy of the Jehovah's Witness organization that a member who is a victim of childhood sexual abuse should NOT discuss that with other members of the congregation ? "
Richard Ashe replied, " It was encouraged that such individuals would talk to the shepherds of the congregation to get spiritual assistance . But to go out indiscriminately and talk about it with others, that's a PERSONAL DECISION they make. WE DON"T CONTROL INDIVIDUALS. " O.K. This is an out and out lie that he states here. Much evidence indicates that young JW child abuse victims HAVE been DFed in the past for telling others in the congregation that they were molested . Even JW family members of child abuse victims HAVE been DFed for talking about a child abuse situation within their congregations - so Ashe is lying when he claims that " no sanctions " are levied against child abuse victims or their families. " It HAS happened .
Now notice in Ashe's next comments how he contradicts his first statement about " not controlling individuals " . Richard Ashe continues in answering Zalkin, " But you try and help them ( child abuse victims ) to see that by talking about this with others indiscriminately , especially an allegation of child abuse that has not been proven or established by means of scriptural standard of evidence- may NOT be in the best interest of the person, NOT because of any sanction by the organization, but just by the personal response that they may receive from others, they simply DO NOT WANT TO HEAR about these things. They're not elders. They're not trained shepherds, and they may be going through situations in their own life that they can't bear hearing these things. " So let me get this straight. In this organization that claims to have the " MOST loving people " on the earth- a child abuse victim is better served to stay quiet, not seek out emotional support from his or her " loving Christian brothers and sisters or close friends ? " How does Richard Ashe get off saying that most of fellow JW's " don't want to hear about these things " ? Why ? So the elders and WT leaders won't be embarrassed that felony child abuse is alive and happening within many congregations ?
It's obvious to me and I'm sure others that the goal of the WT Society is to cause separation between victims of child abuse and their " brothers and sisters " who should be allowed to support these victims. It's a way many mind control cults use in alienating victims, or " trouble makers " who would otherwise influence rank &file JW's against the criminal WT child abuse policies which protect pedophiles- not victims of child abuse. So that's how I see this particular deposition by Richard Ashe. I welcome any and all comments, observations, or views on this. Your comments are needed to keep the public aware of the behind the scenes criminality occurring by the WT Society and it's leaders. I look forward to your views. Take care, Peace out, Mr. Flipper