An Important Note To All Serving Elders

by hillary_step 16 Replies latest jw friends

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  DB

  Good points Hillary!

  When I served as an elder, it once came up in a discussion that we could be personally named in lawsuits. I thought to myself at that time, 'wow, no one ever told me this'. Scared the dickens out of me.
• 

  hawkaw

  Hi HS,

  The WTS would be fools not to bankroll the elders defence and defend them to the hilt. Why? There would be a high risk that elders would go to the other side with their information to cover their butts. You would not want them to go to the "other side" with their information.

  If a massive class action lawsuit is done, the last thing you need is one or two elders going over to give the other side amo. You must as a large corporate defendant - try to defend everyone on your side or you are toast.

  hawk
• 

  hillary_step

  Hawk,

  You may be right but I know of at least one case where the WTS allowed one of its elders to be sued, did not bank-roll his defense and would not even co-operate with his lawyers who were looking for information on disfellowshipping procedures.

  He remained an elder throughout, and though he was declared inncocent he paid for his own defence in total.

  I also know of two cases where the WTS is allowing elders, who even though they followed protocol in a child-abuse case, to be sued. They are providing 'information' for their lawyers, but are *not* paying for the defence and are playing a minimal part in the whole affair.

  Times are changing Hawk. I believe that the CO's are not bluffing, and elders are being warned to look to themselves *if they have not followed protocol*.

  Best - HS
• 

  outnfree

  "(4) Child abuse is a crime. 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 matter to the authorities or not is a personal decision for the 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 bolded statement doesn't go far enough either. In many jurisdictions (and all 50 states) the parents of an abused child MUST REPORT THE SUSPECTED ABUSE to the authorities in order to comply with Caesar's law. The elders should pro-actively urge these congregation members to report and keep a clean standing before "God's arrangement." (Romans 13:2) As the scripture points out, this will protect the elders from "judgment to themselves."

  outnfree

  When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him. -- Jonathan Swift
• 

  IslandWoman

  HS,

  Times are changing Hawk. I believe that the CO's are not bluffing, and elders are being warned to look to themselves *if they have not followed protocol*.

  
  I hope so HS! It's good for the elders to be responsible for their own actions. Fear has kept many a lowly rank & file publisher in line, it's about time some elders kept in line also, fear is a powerful motivator!

  IW
• 

  hawkaw

  Interesting information and thanks HS.

  This is extremely dangerous road for the corporation to go down.

  But it is good for the victims. Nothing worse than the people on the defendants side all fighting one another.

  hawk
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  LDH

  Hillary,

  Please check your email.

  Lisa