"Don't Go to Court" - doesn't apply here

by Gopher 2 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  Gopher

  One thing in the JW mindset is that part of 1 Corinthians 6 which outlines reasons to settle disputes within the congregation (with the elder's assistance) rather than taking them to court.

  1 Corinthians 6:7 is the supporting verse, and it says,

  It means altogether a defeat for you that you are having lawsuits with one another. Why do you not rather let yourselves be wronged?"

  Why would this NOT apply to cases of child molestation?

  Well, the last part of the scripture (quoted above) indicates that the victim in the cases covered here would have the ability to extend forgivess or understanding to the wrong doer.

  Of course, in the case of molestation, the victim is not on an equal footing with the abuser. The victim cannot possibly extend forgiveness to the wrong doer.

  So 1 Corinthians 6 about not taking a fellow Christian to court does not apply to cases of molestation.

  -J.R.

  Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.--Will Rogers, 1879-1935
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  cellomould

  Hey Gopher,

  Also, unless the child molester has a terrible memory, this wouldn't qualify as a 'dispute'. Both victim and perpetrator know what happened and whether wrong was committed cannot be debated.

  I can think of only a few unlikely examples where a victim could say 'I suspect you of molesting me'.

  Most cases will fall into the realm of deliberate intent.

  cellomould

  'the Earth has enough to satisfy the need of all the people, but not for satisfying the greed of some' Gandhi
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  bonovox

  sorry, this little rant belonged in THIS thread perhaps:

  Why is it that when someone is abused, or a parent is told by their child that they were abused, the first persons that they run to is the elders? Just who the hell are they to intercede in criminal matters anyways? I recall being taught that you would want to try to work out a civil or business disagreement within the congregation before going the legal route, but WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A CRIMINAL MATTER HERE PEOPLE!!!

  Just to follow through on the logic presented in one of the letters, if you saw your brother kill another brother, would you phone Joe Elder, or would you pick up the phone and call 911?

  And by the way, what's to prevent a person from putting their hand up during the Watchtower study, being passed the mic, and fully exposing the molester in front of the entire congregation? Sure, you may not get to comment for a long while after that, but after you level the accusation publicly in front of everyone, do you honestly think the entire congregation will rush you out of there with one accord (and I dont mean a Honda, as the old joke went)??? That person would never be able to show their face at the Hall again, and certainly should be booed off the platform if they ever got up to speak. Radical? Yes! Necessary? Absolutely!

  Letters to the GB??? Waiting on the decisions of imperfect men?? Call the friking police for crying out loud! They wont hold you to that 'mouth of two witnesses' crap!

  Cmon people, use the brain Jehovah gave you!

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  "Well the God I believe in isn't short of cash, mister!"