New Flock Book - Child Abusers NOT excluded from serving again
by allelsefails 17 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
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allelsefails
I know this is not new, but I stumbled across it again and wanted to vent. This sort of "secret information" is horrible -
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konceptual99
I've commented on this before but I think there is one very extreme circumstance where this might be acceptable. There is the potential situation, using a UK example, (very rare I am sure) where a person is convicted of a sexual offence under the age of consent - for example two 15 year olds. Typically in the UK this would not be prosecuted but it is legally possible. So in legal terms the offender has commited an offence and could be forced to sign the sex offenders register. Of course the individual is not a pedophile in the real sense of the word but does have a conviction for having sex with a legal minor.
Should a person like this be branded as a pedo for the rest of their life? Should this bar them from becoming an elder at a future point?
Of course I am not even remotely proposing that it acceptable for a pedophile to become an elder ever, just suggesting that there could be a situation where there is absoutely no risk since there is a difference between someone who is a genuine pedophile and the specific circumstance I have described.
The other key point to make is that the above paragraph in the flock book does not narrow the field to the circumstance I am describing. It does allow for the scenario where someone who has genuinely abused children could be given the opportunity to become an elder or ministerial servant. allelsefails is 100% correct - the risk posed by this loose policy is great.
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mP
kon:
How many 15 year old elders are tehre ?
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allelsefails
Kon - your point is well made in general. A ridiculous ruling on a 14 year old and a 13 year old experimenting should not follow you forever in any respect.
The WT has their own definitions for phrases of course. When they say "child abuse" they do not include any minor on minor offenses. Even if the law recognizes these the WT does not. I remember reading the 97 WT refernced in this paragraph and thinking I was proud we took the stand that someone who had abused children would never serve in a responsible position. Little did I know that a "known" abuser had to be certified by the branch not common sense.
When "allelsefails" - try common sense.
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konceptual99
mp - i am not talkng about 15 year old elders, I am talking about a scenario where someone is older but was convicted when younger.
allelsefails - you are right, I'd forgotten that the WTS already discriminates. The fact that the discimination also extends to whoever the legal dept considers a risk does not seem to trouble the elders and org at all. All us active faders could be sitting in the same hall as a convicted child abuser but at least "mother" says weirdy pedey is OK so not to worry...
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jhine
Is this from the 2010 elders handbook ?
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Jeffro
jhine:
Is this from the 2010 elders handbook ?
Yes.
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jhine
Ta very much
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straightshooter
After a young sister, 23, died from a debilitating disease, her parents accused a brother, 24, of being a pedophile at 16 years of age with that young sister, then 15. The parents never brought this subject up when their daughter was alive. The BOE after discussing the qualifications of this brother, never appointed him because of this accusation. The brother is now married and has 4 children. Should he be prevented from being a servant the rest of his life? I don't know.
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BluesBrother
That comment referred to this WT , which says different .....
WT 1997 1/1 pp26 - 29
"What if a baptized adult Christian sexually molests a child? Is the sinner so wicked that Jehovah will never forgive him? Not necessarily so. Jesus said that ‘blasphemy against the holy spirit’ was unforgivable. And Paul said that there is no sacrifice for sins left for one who practices sin willfully despite knowing the truth. (Luke 12:10; Hebrews 10:26, 27) But nowhere does the Bible say that an adult Christian who sexually abuses a child—whether incestuously or otherwise—cannot be forgiven. Indeed, his sins can be washed clean if he repents sincerely from the heart and turns his conduct around. However, he may still have to struggle with the wrong fleshly impulses he cultivated. (Ephesians 1:7) And there may be consequences that he cannot avoid.
Depending on the law of the land where he lives, the molester may well have to serve a prison term or face other sanctions from the State. The congregation will not protect him from this. Moreover, the man has revealed a serious weakness that henceforth will have to be taken into account. If he seems to be repentant, he will be encouraged to make spiritual progress, share in the field service, even have parts in the Theocratic Ministry School and nonteaching parts in the Service Meeting. This does not mean, though, that he will qualify to serve in a position of responsibility in the congregation. What are the Scriptural reasons for this?
For one thing, an elder must be “self-controlled.” (Titus 1:8) True, none of us have perfect self-control. (Romans 7:21-25) But a dedicated adult Christian who falls into the sin of child sexual abuse reveals an unnatural fleshly weakness. Experience has shown that such an adult may well molest other children. True, not every child molester repeats the sin, but many do. And the congregation cannot read hearts to tell who is and who is not liable to molest children again. (Jeremiah 17:9) Hence, Paul’s counsel to Timothy applies with special force in the case of baptized adults who have molested children: “Never lay your hands hastily upon any man; neither be a sharer in the sins of others.” (1 Timothy 5:22) For the protection of our children, a man known to have been a child molester does not qualify for a responsible position in the congregation. Moreover, he cannot be a pioneer or serve in any other special, full-time service.—Compare the principle at Exodus 21:28, 29.
Some may ask, ‘Have not some committed other types of sin and apparently repented, only to repeat their sin later?’ Yes, that has happened, but there are other factors to consider. If, for example, an individual makes immoral advances to another adult, the adult should be able to resist his or her advances. Children are much easier to deceive, confuse, or terrorize. The Bible speaks of a child’s lack of wisdom. (Proverbs 22:15; 1 Corinthians 13:11) Jesus used children as an example of humble innocence. (Matthew 18:4; Luke 18:16, 17) The innocence of a child includes a complete lack of experience. Most children are open, eager to please, and thus vulnerable to abuse by a scheming adult whom they know and trust. Therefore, the congregation has a responsibility before Jehovah to protect its children.
Well-trained children learn to obey and honor their parents, the elders, and other adults. (Ephesians 6:1, 2; 1 Timothy 5:1, 2; Hebrews 13:7) It would be a shocking perversion if one of these authority figures were to misuse that child’s innocent trust so as to seduce or force him or her to submit to sexual acts. Those who have been sexually molested in this way often struggle for years to overcome the resulting emotional trauma. Hence, a child molester is subject to severe congregational discipline and restrictions. It is not his status as an authority figure that should be of concern but, rather, the unblemished purity of the congregation.—1 Corinthians 5:6; 2 Peter 3:14.
If a child molester sincerely repents, he will recognize the wisdom of applying Bible principles. If he truly learns to abhor what is wicked, he will despise what he did and struggle to avoid repeating his sin. (Proverbs 8:13; Romans 12:9) Further, he will surely thank Jehovah for the greatness of His love, as a result of which a repentant sinner, such as he is, can still worship our holy God and hope to be among “the upright” who will reside on earth forever"