Oh!! I noticed something that I better correct
WT policy toward complying with the law. As stated above it is my understanding that in most if not all states anyone who has substantial evidence of a crime, including child molestation, that individual is required by law to report it.I have been lead to believe that is Not True and a person is NOT obliged to report unless it is specified in law - So if it is please show me the law(s). Also I noticed this ....
About five years ago I was warned by one of the WT's consulting attorneys (local brother) that if a witness friend wants to inform me of a case of molestation, I needed to ask them first if they were informing me of this as a friend or as and elder?I think this is bad legal advice. Go back in your Watchtower rags and you will note that once you were baptized you became an "ordained minister" or in the eyes of the law, a member of the clergy. Once you became a JW, in the eyes of the law you must, under your clergy "professional hat", report any abuse case that comes your way. The law does not provide you a "free pass" by taking off your hat. Thus, any baptized JW, (not just elder as the WTS seems to think) must report abuse where there are manditory laws requiring the clergy to report the abuse. hawk
Edited by - hawkaw on 5 November 2002 15:23:0
Edited by - hawkaw on 5 November 2002 15:24:49