Is child abuse becoming the 'Benghazi' of exJW's?

by Simon 20 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  Simon

  I've been noticing a trend recently that seems to becoming prevalent in posts which I think is a little sad and counter productive where, whatever the topic is actually about, someone will be keen to remind everyone about child abuse issues within the WTS.

  Any sort of abuse, especially that of children, is a very serious issue but I'm not sure it's prevention is necessarily best-served by brining it up at every opportunity. It ends up looking a little like the Republican party's obsession with Benghazi where they harp on about it to such an extent that people have become blind to it and it almost becomes a punchline. People become less and less convinced of the claims because they hear them too often.

  Trying to turn any discussion into including comments on it, however well-intentioned, starts to look misguided at some point. It becomes too much. It becomes noise. It becomes repetitive and like those learnt-by-rote and repeated-ad-naseum chants that many anti- groups rely on - less and less noticable.

  Does it help the issue? I don't think it does. I think it helps to expose what the organization does - highlight where it fails when it fails, but repeating a claim at every opportunity risks looking like an obsession and a smear campaign.

  Maybe keeping our powder dry for the times it's needed would be more appropriate and more effective than sprinkling it everywhere?

  So a discussion about literature carts ... doesn't need comments about child abuse.

  A discussion about some doctrinal change ... doesn't need comments about child abuse.

  Let's try saving them for the discussions about the issue itself where it is relevant.
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  truthseeker100

  Maybe you've got something there. Good advice.

  It's just that child molestation and other forms of child abuse are such heinous acts that it gets under a lot of peoples skin.  
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  OneEyedJoe

  100% agree.  When I was first dipping my toes into the water here, before I found jwfacts the apostate community seemed somewhat obsessed with the child abuse issue.  Of course, i had been inoculated by the cult against things like that with the 'imperfect men' excuse.  As Simon pointed out, mentioning it in small, out of context, doses like that makes people more prepared for the full information and actually does the topic a disservice.  Much like a vaccine, you get used to everyone harping on child abuse so if you ever come across the full information to realize that it's a systemic problem, you're more likely to dismiss it.

  If we limit the child abuse discussion to topics that present the full story, people stumbling upon it are more likely to see it as a credible, systemic problem.  That can only happen, though, if all the information is presented, otherwise the 'imperfect men' excuse covers everything nicely, perhaps with a touch of persecution complex.  

  This has been on my mind for a while, but I didn't know how it would be received if I brought it up.  The many off-handed references here to the pedophile protecting GB or similar comments probably delayed my awakening by several months.  For someone in a different situation, it could very well push them back to the cult forever.  
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  OnTheWayOut

  The child abuse issues are not my personal issues,  but try to understand the passion of those who have an experience or were effected somehow.  And as an educated guess,  I would say the percentage of JW incidents among membership is higher than the Roman Catholic Church.  Even if not, it's up there. 

  Your point is  valid but people tend to gravitate toward their passion. 
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  Simon

  Your point is valid but people tend to gravitate toward their passion.

  I don't think the people doing this are the ones actively working on the issue. I think it's seen as a stone to throw at the WTS - that is their passion.

  I don't think it's right to use the issue simply as a stick to prod the WTS with, it should be treated with the seriousness it deserves, not used as a footnote "yeah, and they also ..." in any other complaint.
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  wannabefree

  I agree Simon.

  Child abuse is a heinous crime.

  How the Organization handled this issue to protect their reputation is criminal.

  I believe they are more careful today, as are most institutions that have had to face this issue. 

  One of my awakenings was how they dealt with it, not that it happened.  God's Organization would set the example in how they cared for the sheep, it wouldn't have to be punished by Satan's world for failing in something that it should shine as the example in ... and then do what they could to hide it.

  When Gregario Smith was interviewed about his recently released documentary Truth Be Told by jwpodcast about not covering the abuse issue I thought he had a balanced answer.
  
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  ctrwtf

   I think it's seen as a stone to throw at the WTS - that is their passion.

  I agree.  As it is with most of us here.

  Every religion, civic group, charity etc has a percentage of child abusers among their ranks.  That doesn't make the Boy Scouts or the Salvation Army essentially bad.  The Watchtower is essentially bad for a host of reasons that have nothing to do with child abuse.

  While the JW's response to this tragedy is heinous and while the victims' pain is enormous, there are probably more victims due to the policies of disfellowshipping, blood transfusions and homophobia whose pain is just as real.

  
  

  
  
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  Simon

  I wasn't suggesting anyone's cause isn't valid or pain isn't real.

  I was just suggesting that it may be more effective to tone down the "pedophile" accusations as they are being overused and when you see extreme accusations being thrown about too often it can make those doing it look less like people fighting a cause and more like people with an axe to grind, possibly throwing mud in the hope that some of it sticks.

  It ends up being ignored and passed by in discussions and I don't think that is what anyone does or should want.

  It should be saved for the topics actually focused on the issue IMO and will then be more powerful and effective when expressed.
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  DesirousOfChange

  I agree that the child abuse issue comes up in discussions where it is not necessarily appropriate and actually detracts from the other issue being discussed.

  I've always assumed that those who take a strong position on the matter were likely personally harmed and it is the issue to them -- perhaps the issue that has caused them the greatest harm. 

  Doc
  
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  truthseekeriam

   Being someone who has personally been effected by the child abuse issue I have been guilty of what you are bringing up.

   I have always found this forum a safe place to vent my feeling, which I admit are many. I really think we as posters post what we ourselves live. For some of us or at least myself, it happens to be this issue that really effects our thoughts. I'm sorry if it's not something you like, but it is me. At least at this time of my healing process :)