by cedars 62 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
clarity:
I was told, an elder on the west coast, was sentenced to prison for rape of children.
But except hearing of it thru hearsay ... it really is off the radar!
Lou Daigle was a Jehovah's Witness elder and child rapist on the West Coast (BC) who was sentenced to prison this year. It was not publicized that he was a JW.
It is good form to state alleged sexual abuse until the accused has been convicted of the crime in a court of law. Also, I would not consider these cases a "landslide." How many millions of Witness are there now? The constant exaggeration and hyperbole does not serve dissidents well. Every religion has sex abuse.
I would address the elements of JW doctrine and culture, such as the two-witness rule and the belief that children lie, that allow sex abuse cases to not be pursued vigorously through the KH and Bethel. The Roman Catholic Church has a landslide. This is not one.
It is very easy to file law suits. Winning them is much harder. For the dissident cause, it would be nice if a lawyer brought such cases to trial and collected big money rather than sloppy money. With settlements, it is hard to know the factual details. The cases may be one of great merit or a nice easy check written in light of the Conti case.
Roman Catholic victims are going to court and winning in public. There was even a prosecution of a monsignor or some other official who acted as a middleman in the cover-up in the Philadelphia archdiocese.
Individuals commit pedophile behavior. Organizations do not. The WT is more vulnerable on a whole host of issues, including blood, shunning, and neutrality. The extreme control of the organization and the total deference of believers are stronger arguments. My opinion.
When you amp up the language, people tend to tune out. Most worldly people are aware of sex abuse in every organization on earth. The Witnesses are no better or worse than other organizations. The underlying problem is the blind obedience and lack of questioning. These suits may be a distraction but they will never end the WT. Indeed, perhaps the Witnesses will adopt a policy of no settlement for a while. Other groups have done so.
The WT cult is far worse than MANY organizations. They use mind-control to TEACH and PRESERVE blind obedience and lack of questioning. The WT cult as an impersonal organization may not COMMIT pedophile acts, however they have protected individuals who DO.
Simon - "One things for sure, as more and more cases come out and most importantly are won then more and more people will start bringing cases and more law firms will smell the blood and come for a bite too."
I've noticed that, too.
Once a small number of people can demonstrate that they can successfully stand up to a seemingly unbeatable opponent and win, an increasingly larger number will believe that they have a chance, too, and thusly be willing to try. And like you said, more and more firms will smell the blood and come cruising in.
It'll be nice to see the sharks working for the good guys for a change.
blondie - "Numerous cases have not toppled the Catholic Church."
The RCC is a whale to the WT's minnow; they have resources that the WTS couldn't dream of.
Nevertheless, there have been significant repurcussions; the RCC actually seems to be doing something about the problem; Ratzinger resigned, after all (anybody who believes there was no connection is naive, IMO).
Wow! I can see through the smoke screen now!
WT's push in Southern California to get the rank and file to contribute/donate upwords of $200 million in 2 to 3 years time for 70 new Kingdom Halls is just a big front!
They are instead gearing up for possibly having to shell out cash to settle child molestation and other related lawsuits in just that state alone.
Its' beginning to make sense! If only there was a way to warn the average JW household of this scam.
Thank you cedars.
I think the reason the Catholic Church took the first shot was because they were the biggest and had the most cash.
Yes a lot of these cases will hinge on the Conti case... But also as long as the current non-reporting policy is in place, there will be more people coming forward and unfortunately, more children abuse who could have been protected. And for that reason I hope the WT bleeds millions and millions. At least the catholic leadership has shown remorse. The WT leadership updated their instructions to more clearly state that cases should not be reported unless it's local law. They say that child abuse is appalling, but potentially tarnishing the org's name is worse.
Disgusting. But think! Of how many GOOD (read:expensive) lawyers the WT is going to have to retain to fight these cases. What about when they are fighting dozens of cases? They will be crying for more funds for the "Worldwide Preaching Work" (Worldwide Pedophile Protection Fund).
The average Dub upon hearing about this will think its persecution. What we need to help our loved JWs understand is the Watchtower's guilt in all this.
this will no doubt curb the enthusiasm of current and wannabe elders. I for one, would not want to be an elder in California right now even having never committed any abuse.
I would be terrified of a false accusation, which of course is what many JW's will assume all of the cases actually are
oh I dunno - I think there is a trail blazing aspect to what jehovahs witnesses victims of child sex abuse are doing that shouldn't be obscured by what the Catholic church have achieved in this area because there are outstanding differences being highlighted by Candace Conti and the victims represented by Irwin Zalkin. The most important difference is that priests generally (in 90% of the cases) abused teenage boys (according to T G Plante anyway in Sin Against the Innocents: Sexual abuse by priests and the role of the Catholic Church, 2010). Jehovahs witnesses victims range through childhood, pre puberty and early teens but mostly cluster around pre puberty and earlier childhood imo and yes I agree that these adult survivors like Candace Conti are breathtakingly courageous.
edit: in the book mentioned above there is also a must read chapter by Thomas P Doyle that may be most educational for the GB when I come to think of it. It is entitled Canon Law and the Clergy Sex Abuse Crises:The Failure from Above
