Posted on Sat, May. 25, 2002
Marshall rally targets sex-abuse policy of Jehovah's Witnesses
CHURCH LEADERS DENY WRONGDOING, DEFEND EXPULSIONS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BENTON - A former Jehovah's Witnesses elder who faces expulsion from the church for speaking out against its handling of sex-abuse allegations rallied with others yesterday in front of the Marshall County courthouse.
Bill Bowen, 44, of Draffenville, and his supporters claim child-abuse allegations are not typically reported to authorities by the Jehovah's Witnesses because of the church's policy of handling problems internally.
He resigned his elder position in December 2000 to protest the church's policy.
Church leaders have denied wrongdoing.
A hearing was scheduled last night to determine if Bowen would be disfellowshipped -- or excommunicated -- from the church for sowing discord in the faith by speaking out against the church's handling of allegations of child molestation. It was uncertain whether an immediate decision would be made after the hearing.
Members of the church are required to shun those who are disfellowshipped, even if they are members of their own family.
Three others who have spoken out against the church's policies have been disfellowshipped in recent weeks. They are Barbara Anderson, of Normandy, Tenn., and Carl and Barbara Pandelo, of Belmar, N.J.
"Something is wrong," Bowen said.
"Victims should not be punished."
Tema Smith-Bosken, of Cincinnati, a church member who said she was molested by a family member, was one of about two dozen people who stood in support of Bowen yesterday.
"A lot of people are questioning the motives of the individuals who are coming forward," Smith-Bosken said. "We're just a bunch of people with big hearts who are strong enough to come forward on the hope, just the hope, that something will change. I know my talking .. will put me in the line of fire."
J.R. Brown, a spokesman for the denomination, has said that parents are not punished by the church for going to the police first in cases of child molestation.
He also said members found guilty of molestation by a church judicial committee are removed from all positions of responsibility and cannot evangelize door-to-door without being accompanied by a fellow Jehovah's Witness.
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