'How to Cope With Negative Feelings' WT April 15 (page 2)

ISP

G'day Ozzie!

I thought along those lines but it didn't seem to fit. In the context of someone who has been the victim of child abuse and in need of encouragement....the idea of elders being 'spiritual' policemen i.e. conducting investigations etc. is hardly appropriate. So what was the intention......????????? There is an unfortunate comparison drawn between shepherds and policemen. Problem is the police do have a position and role in matters of child abuse and this WTS comment clouds matters.

ISP

Edited by - ISP on 11 March 2001 1:14:47

ICHING

Ozziepost,

here in reality it looks like all i did was ask a simple question.

However i can understand that to someone as eager as yourself for the entire world to know that their entire knowledge of a subject amounts to a glib regurgitated platitude - it may look like preaching.

I suppose i should devote my postings to matters of far greater import - like the pro's and cons of the Brooklyn based book publishing companies board of fascists viewpoint?

ICHING

The obvious lose, the inscrutable win.

thinkers wife

I must echo RHW's comments. Somehow that didn't work for me. Many of the elder's I knew did practice policing. And many pretended to be professional counselor's and marriage counselor's.
In my experience, they offered a lot of platitudes and no real solutions.
For instance in the case of an abusive marriage mate, they once said "if just one of the mates is applying bible principles it will make it a better marriage".
I can think of many other examples of the elder's interference causing more harm than good.
After re-reading the quote from the WT, I also think it is making reference to the fact that there is a common way of speaking of the elders policing.
TW

ISP

TW, you maybe right re policing. I am well aware of the 'policing' mentality in a host of sexual matters,particularly with couples but child abuse? is that one they attempt to police?.........I maybe wrong, but thats why I thought it may mean something else.

ISP

thinker

ISP,
When I read the quote you posted, two things came to mind:
1) The Society is very concerned about the bad press (in newspapers and in the planned Dateline show) it is receiving in regards to abuse.

2) The WT is also concerned about other victims of abuse coming forward and telling their stories, leaving the org. or both.

The story seems to have two purposes. Put some positive "spin" on the WTBTS concerning abuse and tell others in the congregations that their problems with abuse need to go no farther than the elders ("keeping in close association with the congregation") and should not be viewed as a reason for leaving the organization.

I expect to see alot more "spin" as the Dateline show approaches.

unanswered

thinker-i have to agree with your take. if the org. advises that victims use the authoritys to bring perpetrators to justice, or if they advocate counseling to help victims work things out, more and more people on the "world" will learn about the problems that exsist in the org. since the org. tries to project themselves as a group not nearly as subject to the immorality of other groups, public awareness of their faults will really hurt their credibility. i too await the upcoming dateline and it's possible results.

Tanalyst

Interesting they omit what kind of abuse she suffered, was it emotional,mental,physical,or sexual?

What kind of therapy did the elders give her? They just might put
shrinks out of business.

Is she healed or does she have personality disorders yet.

Yes I know, as an adult she doubled her field service time and lived
happily after.

Englishman

ISP,

This is stunningly loaded stuff. The reference to the elders " not being policemen" surely means that the WTBTS are not going to take on any responsibility for the bad behavior of its appointees.

What they are actually saying, IMO, is forget childhood abuses, get over it, the elders aint goin` to root things out on your behalf!

Englishman.

'How to Cope With Negative Feelings' WT April 15

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