This article from the Lexington Herald Leader via the Associated Press further demonstrates the poopy pants currently being worn by the pompous Asses at the Watch Tower. My wife, Bobsgirl AKA Tema Smith Bosken roared.
Posted on Sat, May. 25, 2002
Elders don't show for former elder's excommunication hearing
DRAFFENVILLE, Ky. - An excommunication hearing for a former Jehovah's Witnesses elder didn't occur as scheduled Friday night because the three elders assigned
To hear his case failed to appear.
Bill Bowen, 44, of Draffenville, faces expulsion from the church for speaking out against its handling of sex abuse allegations. He claims child-abuse allegations
are not typically reported to authorities by the Jehovah's Witnesses because of the church's policy of handling problems internally.
Bowen and about 50 allies - some of whom came from as far away as California and Florida - gathered in front of the Draffenville Kingdom Hall before his
scheduled 7:30 p.m. hearing. Some of them were victims of child abuse at the hands of other church members, Bowen said.
But the panel of elders never arrived, he said.
"I'm quite perplexed," Bowen said. "They gave me the time, the address and the location in writing. There was no misunderstanding on my part where I was
supposed to be."
Bowen resigned his elder position in December 2000 to protest the church's policy.
Church leaders have denied wrongdoing.
Bowen could've been 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.
Bowen was disappointed and angered that the hearing didn't happen.
"I had several witnesses to testify on my behalf, and there was a considerable expense to get them all here," Bowen said. "If they ask for another hearing,
I'm going to ask them to either dismiss the charges of pay the expenses for all the witnesses to come back, because they inconvenienced them."
Members of the church are required to shun those who are disfellowshipped, even if they are members of their own family.
"Facing an excommunication hearing is a very stressful thing. I've had this hanging over my head," Bowen said. "When I finally have a moment to get it over
with and testify and find out what their charges are against me, for them not to show up, creates even more anxiety.
"It's very unkind, and very unprofessional."
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 on Friday.
"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."
In a statement issued from their headquarters, the Jehovah's Witnesses have said church leaders are "required by the Holy Scriptures to see to it that the
congregation remains clean and unified."
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.
Bowen isn't sure what will happen to his case now.
"It's the accused that usually doesn't show," he said. "We were ready. The elders didn't follow through with their word.
"What they want, I think, is to try to set up a new hearing to have the advantage to their side. They want me by myself, they want me at a disadvantage.
I'm not going to let that happen."
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Tema You Rock!!! Silent lambs, You Rock!!! You all rock!!!
All of you who idly say nothing note the simple, beautiful truth being revealed here to us all. The only way you can ever hope to make a change is if you act to promote the change you seek. In other words, it is sometimes good to get off your ass and do something positive.
Dubs, stop waiting on Jehovah, already. He’s obviously here and busy at that. You just can’t see him for the 2 by four in your eye.