How would you respond to this defense made on behalf of The Watchtower's Child Abuse lawsuits?

by adjusted knowledge 32 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

• 

  StarTrekAngel

  The keywords here is that "you have the right to go to the authorities". For sure you do, but that does not mean it won't have consequences for you within the cong. Just like you have the legal right to choose your own medical treatment. What happens after you make that choice is a different story. This is very much the same legalistic approach put forth by the org when asked about shunning policies. Shunning is not an official policy of the WTBTS. The answer is correct, but the question is preemptively stripped of its meaning.

  The society will report to authorities where required, that is, once they have confirmed the event thru the two witness rule. Before that, they are not obligated to comply. Member do have ther right to report, that is their constitutional right. But under the light of WTBTS the member will be prosecuted for denouncing something that was not confirmed following WTBTS regulations.

  Its all legalism. Put together to avoid more lawsuits and bad publicity.
• 

  JWdaughter

  If a new policy was instated, I would feel encouraged.

  "If you know or have strong suspicions of child abuse by anyone towards any child, immediately report it to the proper authorities with as much urgency as possible. Afterwards, if the alleged abuser is a JW, then please come talk to the elders so that we can be sure to make ourselves aware of the proceedings and ensure the safety of the children in our congregation/organization"

  Elders are not policemen or doctors. I think many are humble enough to recognize this and I think most would appreciate not being judge and jury of (essentially) a child victim or an adult who may be being accused for reasons that are not about abuse or who may be in fact guilty and is suffused with much bigger issues than they are prepared to deal with.

  Will that ever happen? Doubtful.
• 

  Vidiot

  StarTrekAngel - "Its all legalism. Put together to avoid more lawsuits and bad publicity."

  Oh, yeah; that's really worked out well for them.
• 

  StarTrekAngel

  LOL Vidiot. I meant to say it avoided them the more petty lawsuits that could come if they writings weren't legally correct. Has it not saved them from bad publicity to say that shunning is not a policy of the WTBTS?
• 

  Heaven

  What I see is that Watchtower's own policies are bringing reproach on Jehovah's name. They've bitten off their own tail and now they are bleeding.
• 

  Vidiot

  StarTrekAngel - "I meant to say it avoided them the more petty lawsuits that could come if they writings weren't legally correct."

  More like they avoided lawsuits and bad PR in the short term, but in the long term, created a legal clusterf**k.

  Further evidence that, to me, the WT heirarchy really are full-on True Believers who are 100% convinced that God's got their back and will bail 'em out before it comes around to bite them on their collective ass.*

  If they weren't, they'd make much more sensible and pragmatic long-term decisions.

  StarTrekAngel - "Has it not saved them from bad publicity to say that shunning is not a policy of the WTBTS?"

  Sure, if anybody actually believed it.

  x

  * EDIT: Either that, or they'd rather the entire WTS crash and burn then consider the prospect of losing that much face (to the R&F or the rest of the world).
• 

  andrekish

  Locally, area and names withheld, the elder in charge of investigating this type of abuse was the very person doing it for almost 40 years.  None of the abused dare speak out.

  Have to admit that this area is a minefield so to anyone who has ever been at the bad end of this type of stuff I can only say 'keep cheerful if you can and if you are currently being abused please tell some-one who you can trust.'  There seem to be wolves everywhere.
  

  
  
• 

  little_Socrates

  As a Catholic I have to say they are taking it very serious (at least in my local area)  All volunteers must get fingerprinted. pass a background check, and be trained in spotting and preventing abuse.
  

  
  
• 

  adjusted knowledge

  Catholic religion has reacted better to this issue than the JW.  The problem is the leadership of the JW is left up to mainly uneducated  elderly males that feel they are demi-gods.
  
• 

  Iown Mylife

  That wt article 'peats n repeats that a child molester would have their privileges removed; a child molester would not qualify for privileges in the cong. But they don't tell the reason for the privilege-ectomy. So a male who is announced as no longer an elder or no longer an MS, maybe for some totally different reason, but with no explanation given, might be assumed by the cong to be a molester!

  This creates a whole new hammer in the borg's toolkit.

  Marina