Great pics
Great mission
Great people
silentlambs UK Pictures
by silentlambs 13 Replies latest jw friends
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expatbrit
Way to go Bill!
And meeting Esther Rantzen! Now the results of that should be interesting!
And I'm glad to see that, as well as performing the serious business of Silentlambs, you look to have had an enjoyable trip to Britain. You deserve it!
Expatbrit
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abbagail
Heeeey Bill!
Welcome Back to "The Mother's" Motherland! (USA)!
Glad the trip was very successful and safe all around! The pics were great! Yes, we LOVE those tee-shirts!
The UK JWs/xJWs standing with you all look a wee-bit shy.
I was glad the older brothers made it even if a little late, and could be in the picture, too.
And your UK "host" definitely looks like a friendly fellow!Thanks everyone for the inside-UK-scoop on Esther Rantzen. I was wondering what she was all about.
Looking forward to the future silentlambs report re: the UK visit. I'm dying to know why that Bethelite came out to chat & shake hands, and what he had to say, since the UK-WT letter said they would DECLINE to meet with you. (btw, in your emailing you asked us to decide for ourselves what we thought of the WT-UK's 9-14-02 response: It's COMPLETELY LAME as always, imho.) Possibly something BETTER occurred after the date of that letter! Also wondering if you got to speak with Panorama again, etc. etc.
GRITS
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abbagail
From: "silentlambs" [email protected]
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 13:01:07 -0500
To: [email protected]Watchtower responds. At the link below you will see the pictures of my visit to WT in UK. You will also see enclosed a copy of my original letter to UK WT and below it their response. Is UK WT in any way admitting any flaw in WT policy? Read the letter and form your own opinion.
Regards, billhttp://community.webshots.com/album/50410357EOsntJ
----------------------------------silentlambs
PO BOX 311, Calvert City, KY 42029September 10, 2002
Branch Committee
Watchtower
The Ridgeway
London, U.K. NW7 1RNDear Brothers,
I wish to request a meeting with the Branch Committee on September 16, at 11A.M. to discuss Watchtower Policy on child abuse in the U.K. I also would like to see how we might work together to assist the Governing Body in the U.S.A. to adjust policy for better protection of Jehovahs Witness children.
I realize this is short notice but I am traveling several thousand miles to be in your area and feel our meeting could be very productive.
Below as you will note are the added sentences that did not appear in the letter to all congregations in the U.S.A. dated 5-24-02. It has given many of our American brothers and sisters pause to see the difference between these two letters. The U. K. letter seems to go one step further than the U.S.A. counterpart. It states:
Our position is that the secular authorities deal with crime while elders deal with sin. To avoid a miscarriage of justice elders must not interfere with, prevent, or impede any secular investigation into child abuse. They must ensure that secular laws are adhered to. (Romans 13:1)
To that end they are instructed to contact the legal dept at Bethel whenever they receive information from even one person who alleges that child abuse has occurred. When a report is received guidance is given by the legal dept to ensure that:
1. The alleged victim and other potential victims are protected from possible abuse.
2. The council is given to report crime to the proper authorities and to comply with any additional legal requirements.
The elders know that it is the absolute right of the victim, his or her family or anyone else to report the matter to the authorities, if they so wish. (Galatians 6:5)
This difference gives credence to the following questions:
1. Why are U. K. brothers and sisters informed that all child abuse is reported to the authorities when in the U.S.A. they are not?
2. Why did the recent Panorama program in July, have several cases that indicated exactly the opposite occurred when U. K. Jehovahs Witness children were molested?
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3. Why has there been no acknowledgement or apology to the victims who were hurt by Watchtower Policy?
4. Why did various police officials acknowledge that Jehovahs Witnesses did not cooperate with them when child molestation was investigated in the U. K.?
Questions like these deserve an honest and Christian answer to help the public know where the truth lay. It also serves to help fellow Jehovahs Witnesses see that the local Branch has nothing to hide and is willing to do what is right by their children.
In good faith I look forward to our meeting. As the Governing Body stated in the 5-24-02 letter to all congregations; The moral cleanness of the congregation continues to be of vital concern to the "faithful and discreet slave. (Matthew 24:45) This gives me hope we can find a productive basis to encourage the Governing Body to take the Christian course by placing the protection of our children as the highest priority in a religion that claims to be the only channel to God.
Thank you for your consideration and along with this letter goes my warm Christian love.
Very truly yours,
William H. Bowen
silentlambs
-----------------------------WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF BRITAIN
THE RIDGEWAY LONDON NW7 1RN TELEPHONE 020 8906 2211September 11, 2002
Mr. W. Bowen
P O Box 311
CALVERT CITY KY 42029Dear Mr. Bowen:
We are receipt of your letter dated September 14, 2002 requesting a meeting with the branch committee in Britain.
The branch committee respectfully declines your offer to meet with them. They see no reason to discuss the questions you raise in your correspondence. The position of Jehovah's Witnesses on this serious issue is already a matter of public record. Our publications have consistently and clearly highlighted for many years that child abuse is an abhorrent and an unacceptable practice. We strongly believe victims need and deserve sympathy along with loving personal support and are already committed to doing what we can to render such assistance.
Yours sincerely,
Watch Tower B. & T. Society O F B R I T A I N
Company registered In England No. 3858051 Charity Reg. No. 1077061.
Registered Office: IBSA House The Ridgeway London NW7 1RN United KingdomEdited by - Grits on 19 September 2002 15:35:22