I had an interesting conversation at work yesterday while on break. Two work mates of mine started to talk about the JW Missionaries who were taken captive in the Philipines. One guy didn't understand why they would take a JW hostage. The other guy, I'll call him "Fred", spoke up as if he knew the whole story. He said "The muslim radical movement in the area is attacking Christian religions and JW's are the closest religion I know of to fit a true Christian religion." I told him I felt it was terrible what had happened and just went back to listening and waited for the subject to change.
Well, I listened about a few more minutes and decided to speak my mind. I asked them both if they were aware that the WTBTS is protecting Pedophiles and does not turn them in to the athourities and that after a short while of being internally discaplined, that they can go back out in public and knock at your door with the latest magazines. Fred spoke up right away. He said " Well, my ex-wifes parents are JW's and I know alot about this...those people who are coming forward are having a gripe against the WTS and they choose to lash out like that. The WTS uses the rule of having two witnesses to a wrongdoing in order to make a decision. So...." At this point I interupted and asked if he felt that Dateline and CNN would have aired this problem if they felt it was mere hearsay. I also told him I was raised as a JW and recently left because of the hypocrosy, lies and decete within the Org.
By now there was about five other people who joined to listen. Fred was getting aweful quiet and began to back-peddle a little. I asked him how a small child who is being molested by an adult in a private location has any "witnesses" to the crime. All you heard was everyone say...."GOOD POINT". He said " but I know alot of JW's and they are the best people I know." I told him I agreed that there are alot of good people who are JW's, but my point was not with the individuals but was with the small group of Old men up in NY who make all the policy's and form Elder bodies in Cong's to enforce their rules. He said " but they make it sound like it's widespread and is bigger than what is happening with the catholics." I told him about Bill Bowen and Silentlambs, and about the secretary at Bethel who discovered the thousands of cases from cong's all over the world that had been kept quiet. I also told him that Bill was only trying to get the WTS to change the way they handle cases of abuse, both Pedophile cases and spousal abuse cases. I told him that they answered his request by disfellowshipping him and his wife for their efforts.
Everyone around me was speechless. You could see disbelief on their faces. A few walked away very angry. Fred stayed a few more minutes with me and asked about my background. After talking with him he had a slightly different attitude towards the WTS.
Boy did I feel good!!
CC