This Is NOT a question regarding Bill Bowen/Ray Franz et. al. That has been discussed elsewhere. But, there are so many skeptics, so many people who talk about the corruption in the jw's, expecting us to believe how THEY were hurt, but not wanting to accept that child molesting was covered up? Some even pointing fingers @ other religions, i.e the catholics. The catholics have nothing to do w/ this, neither do stats about how many molesters on the outside vs. inside. Those arguments are both red herrings. Even If it was'nt a precedent, which I believe it is, even in the "sick" cong.(a redundant phrase if you ask me)where it did happen to "keep jah's name pure", I don't know why people don't acknowledge that. Some of the posts really strike me as having the old jw & otherwise attitude of, We don't want to think about that, it's too ugly, so we'll pretend it does'nt exist. Which has allowed this to perpetuate. Answers, please?
Why do so many people here disbelieve allegations?
by avishai 41 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
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minimus
I think people in general accept that child abuse exists in the world, whether in a Kingdom Hall or in a church. If an allegation SEEMS to be far-fetched, it may not sound true.
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avishai
Good point. Even the thought of molesting a child is so far-fetched as to seem impossible to myself, but I know it happened to my lil' bro. Like Dennis Miller said, "If you're thinking about hurting or having sex w/ a child, you have to kill yourself right now. You just have to step in to that pitch & take one for the team
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A Paduan
To many people the idea of that sin is foreign and so they have no understanding of it. People understand murder because they've been angry, they understand theft because they've been so needy, but not many people get it about molesting children - so I suppose because of that people often find it hard to believe because they don't identify with it.
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Prisca
I think it comes from being fed lies for so long, that we are naturally skeptical of anything that we don't relate to. When we hear of people being hurt in the congregation we can relate to those experiences, but unless we have been sexually abused, it is hard to understand the feelings the abused person has.
Also with the nature of the Net, it is easy to say anything you want without being accountable. So people are skeptical of anything that can't be proven.
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IslandWoman
Avishia,
But, there are so many skeptics, so many people who talk about the corruption in the jw's, expecting us to believe how THEY were hurt, but not wanting to accept that child molesting was covered up?
There is child rape is the Jehovah's Witnesses Org., there have been I'm sure outright efforts by some elders to cover it up and of course the mind set taught by the Witnesses helps to keep things in the congregations. These things I believe. Ironically, it's the inside look into the GB world in COC that helps me to believe that there could be some outright covering up of this problem at the top.
However, the accusation that five GB members are child rapists must be proven outright before I can (for want of a better word) put faith in that allegation. To be honest it would have been much easier to believe that allegation if someone like Hillary_Step had said it. Why? Because he has proven his level headedness, his trustworthiness and he appears to be careful about what he writes.
The allegation is a serious one. Not for the GB or the JWs, but for the credibility of "silentlambs", the poster who initiated the topic and has remained silent when his supporters continue to discuss it. I will wait and see whether in the next few months these five members will be accused in a court of law.
What a person is doing in the "here and now", today, seems to have become the important thing with many posters here. "Forget past good efforts, what is the man doing today!", has been applied to another hard working person. I feel it is then proper to say: "Bill Bowen has done a great job so far, but that is in the past. Now I will wait to see if he brings the five GB members to justice. If he does not bring forth enough evidence to produce an investigation by the proper authorities then he has failed. And while his past efforts will be remembered his present failure is what counts."
What is good for the goose is good for the gander.
IW
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Nordic
IslandWomen
Please, SHUT UP
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IslandWoman
Nordic,
IslandWomen
Please, SHUT UP
OK
IW
P.S. Feel better?
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Valis
ashivai...there is a difference between questioning and asking for evidence versus disbelieving any allegation per se. As well, the nature of how one comes across the allegation is also important to look at. I for one get tired of the "things that cannot be revealed at this time" business. I think all allegations of child abuse should go to the police and not anywhere else. Not on a message board or website, but straight to the cops and the courts. Then the "truth" comes out for everyone to see. It also gets rid of the ""things that I cannot reveal at this time" class.
Sincerely,
District Overbeer
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aluminutty
IW:
The person who originally posted this thread specifically requested that responces not include the BB/RF mess. Don't be a muckraker. You are bordering on obsession.