Need relevant BOE letter, etc...

ThatSucks

..USA..

A witness just told me that witnesses ALWAYS hand over a molester to the cops. He also told me I was full of crap whenever I told him that elders call the legal dept. first to find out whether or not the state is a reporting state.

Could anyone with the resources please point me to the BOE letter or other resource that indicates that elders should contact the legal dept. every time they hear an allegation of molestation? I have been searching the 'net' and cannot locate it, only mention of it.

Thanks in advance for time and effort.

--Suckster

Elsewhere

Try this site:
http://watchtower.observer.org

"As every one knows, there are mistakes in the Bible" - The Watchtower, April 15, 1928, p. 126
Believe in yourself, not mythology.
<x ><

ThatSucks

Well, thanks anyway Elsewhere. Unfortunately, from what I am hearing on this end:

"See, they can't tell you where that actual information comes from. They just want to point you out to someone else who has said the same thing. They have no real proof for what they claim."

Now, in all fairness, I have found reference to the 02-02 BOE indicating that every case should start with a consultation to WT legal, but I need to know if that is the only instance where they are told to call wt legal first, or if earlier references are made in WT policy anywhere.

Unfortunately, I have found nothing but the 02-02 BOE, but I am still looking. I was just hoping that someone who KNEW off of the top of their head could help save me time so that I don't lose this witnesse's "interest".

Anyone else's help is immensely appreciated.

NeonMadman

Sucks:

Email me. I think I may have what you need.

Tom

"Gentlemen, he said, I don't need your organization, I've shined your shoes, I've moved your mountains and marked your cards. But Eden is burning"
--Bob Dylan

ThatSucks

Hello NeonMadman.

Thank you for your generosity. I will mail you shortly.

Elsewhere

The only reason I point references like that is because I have learned that there are many people who try to get others to do their research for them.

I'll dig around a bit for you, but you (and your challenger) must be willing to do research too.

Has your challenger sited WT literature that states what he is claming and backed them up with actual cases? Here at JW.com, you have a wealth of first hand experiences of cover-ups and abuse. Is your challenger ignoring these examples? If so, perhaps his interest is not genuine but is a programmed knee-jerk reaction to defend the JWs.

"As every one knows, there are mistakes in the Bible" - The Watchtower, April 15, 1928, p. 126
Believe in yourself, not mythology.
<x ><

ChiChiMama

Go to the silentlambs web site and click on WT letters.
You will find the BOE letters on WT policy on child abuse letters there.

ChiChi

ThatSucks

Elsewhere:

:: The only reason I point references like that is because I have learned that there are many people who try to get others to do their research for them.

I understand completely. Unfortunately, whether it be poor researching skills on my part or poor documentation skills on Kent's part, I am unable to find the information I am seeking on his site, especially with the lack of a search feature. I have found many areas on the 'net' that refer to "that BOE letter", but I have no date, time, or even textual quotations.

:: I'll dig around a bit for you, but you (and your challenger) must be willing to do research too.

Don't worry about it. The witness who was 'challenging' me has already considered the case closed, as "those opposers aren't trying to help anyone but themselves", in his rather unbalanced opinion. Since he is no longer interested, neither am I, as I know what I have read and I know what he has not. But, thanks anyway.

:: Has your challenger sited WT literature that states what he is claming and backed them up with actual cases?

No. The challenger claims that he does not need the literature because he "just knows how they do things, because that is what my elder friend says". He believes that he knows all and sees all, regardless of his status as MS.

:: Here at JW.com, you have a wealth of first hand experiences of cover-ups and abuse. Is your challenger ignoring these examples?

No, the challenger is discounting such examples as "disgruntled opposers with an axe to grind" who cannot be trusted.

:: If so, perhaps his interest is not genuine but is a programmed knee-jerk reaction to defend the JWs.

I believe your judgment is 100% sound on this point. I should have known it would be pointless to try and discuss this from someone who doesn't even believe the FLOCK book even exists. *shrug*.

Elsewhere

Here is a list of related BOE letters.
http://www.silentlambs.com/wtletter.htm

This BOE letter explicitly states: "the elders should write the branch office"
http://www.cport.com/~wtlies/letter7-20-98.doc

This BOE letter refers to the BOE letter dated July 1, 1998 and explicitly states that the elders should immediately contact the legal department.
http://www.cport.com/~wtlies/boe_ltr.pdf

The last letter also says:
“Never suggest to anyone that they should not report an allegation of child abuse to the police or other authorities. If you are asked, make it clear that whether to report the mater to the authorities of not is a personal decision for each individual to make and that there are no congregation sanctions for either decision. That is, no elder will criticize anyone who reports such an allegation to the authorities.”

The fact that they worded this so strongly suggests that it has been a problem that elders were discouraging people from going to the authorities – as can be testified to by plenty of people here at JW.com and SilentLambs.com

I would also like to point out the fact that it says “If you are asked…”. Many JWs presume that it is a bad idea to go to the authorities for anything that may make the JWs look bad and therefore will not report it. The statement “If you are asked…” also means that elders will not tell anyone this unless explicitly asked. This puts the victim in a very difficult position, as JWs don’t want to appear “spiritually weak” in front of an elder.

"As every one knows, there are mistakes in the Bible" - The Watchtower, April 15, 1928, p. 126
Believe in yourself, not mythology.
<x ><

ThatSucks

ChiChiMama:

Thank you very much. I don't know why I didn't think about that before.

(Actually, I do know why... It's because I suck. )

Anyway, thank you Elsewhere, NeonMadMan, and ChiChiMama for your time and effort.

Need relevant BOE letter, etc...

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