How big a deal is the royal commission..? It seems to be not much...

by _Morpheus 25 Replies latest watchtower scandals

  • _Morpheus
    _Morpheus

    My understanding (very limited and maybe flawed) is that this commission has no teeth. If thats true why would the org care? Send a few lawyers, go through the motions but in the end.... Its a dog parking On a porch. Keep walking. Your in no danger.

    i hope anyone who reads this understands my position. Im not a wt apologist by any stretch and i would love to see them nailed but im also a realist. This royal commission seems to be the equivalent to a congressional committee in the USA. There can be some ramifications from but very rarely and nothing overly severe. They tend to be political tools and more for show. They are often used to hurt people in the public eye to whom that matters.

    Is my understanding correct? Does this thing have teeth or is it simply a lot of smoke but no fire?

  • LoveUniHateExams
    LoveUniHateExams

    My understanding (very limited and maybe flawed) is that this commission has no teeth

    This commission will be making recommendations to the Oz government that the WT in that country will have to implement. Justice McClellan said that within a year or two, the authorities will be checking up on the WT to see that they're complying.

    The commission will also be seeking redress for the victims - this includes funding for psychiatric/medical treatment plus lump sum for the actual abuse.

    How big a deal is the royal commission - in addition to the above points, these hearings are streamed around the world for all to see. So, the RC is a huge deal - I hope it's giving the GB/WT lawyers panic attacks.

  • freemindfade
    freemindfade

    Well they might be opening doors for others. Dismantling the society smoke screen and revealing procedure and docs and lies better than anyone yet.

    I think if nothing direct comes of it. It's giving loads of info and precedent

  • punkofnice
    punkofnice

    I welcome the outcome that the WBT$ will have to change it's archaic and vile policies regarding child abuse..possibly shunning too.

    This is bad publicity for the fat, gluttonous, stuffed pigs in Brooklyn. I hope their wallets suffer very badly as a result.

    They seem to be in damage control mode already.

    I agree the RC seems to be a paper tiger on the outside but I'm hoping for reform from the WBT$ as a whole to protect children.

    I hope the GB find that this is one of many falling dominoes that ultimately destroys them.....not hlding my breath though.

  • Ozman
    Ozman
    Hi_Morpheus....I'm a recent visitor here & would like to offer my thoughts. Does this RC have teeth? If we are to believe it's purpose is to investigate & recommend changes to the way institutions deal with child sexual abuse, then that in itself is a 'big bite' for victims & survivors. Although I can't say if there will be any criminal proceedings towards any one particular person or organisation, this whole process has been a healing process for me personally & I would imagine many thousands of others. Please excuse me if I sound like I'm giving a sermon...that may have something to do with my upbringing! Love this place & the way everyone shares their time & thoughts.
  • OrphanCrow
    OrphanCrow

    The Royal Commission does have teeth.

    It sits within a much larger political and legal structure. Other countries are watching closely - Canada and Britain especially, who also conduct investigations of this kind. The results of Royal Commissions become a part of public record, archived and accessible to everyone.

    The other agency/organization that is watching closely is the Catholic Church. Dismantling the WTS structure could impact their structure as well.

    The effects of inquiries of this type sometimes take years to implement. Unless, of course, things are revealed that are of a criminal nature. Then, outside agencies could get involved. This testimony is valid court testimony that can reveal the ways in which the WTS is accountable legally in other courts. For example, if fraud was revealed, probably a police agency would perk up its ears.

    I think that police investigations are already underway - or soon will be - into all those 1006 paedophile files that the WT Branch did not report. The names are now known to the authorities and I would guess they will act on the ones they are able to. Those cases will be investigated. The Royal Commission would not hide them from the authorities like the WTS did. And what about "the list"? That could reveal more criminals in hiding.

    I have faith - I think changes are coming. And criminal justice.

  • Freesoul
    Freesoul

    Even if there are no financial repercussions or legal ramifications for WT I believe the the Royal Commission has been a huge success.

    The RC did their homework and spoke the JW language, they knew what questions to ask, WT had no where to hide, it showed the incompetence of all the elders, and their legal team. The elders were twisting and changing their stories because they were scared, they showed they were more interested in covering their own asses and their religion rather than the care of our little children.

    Everything is now on public record and can be used as a reference for anyone who wants it.

    Well done to the Royal Commission, they spoke with respect and compassion.

    I also hope they don't let Geoffrey Jackson out of the country before they interview him, I would love to see him on public record.

  • adjusted knowledge
    adjusted knowledge

    I think the impact for the USA is now the lawyers here have recorded testimony that perhaps didn't exist. The Royal Commission seems to be doing a through job in their questioning.

  • GodZoo
    GodZoo

    They can have pretty big teeth.. and for an organization like the borg who quite viciously guard their reputation and standing of being squeaky clean and the torch bearers of morality in this world this commision can wreck that facade.

    --------

    A Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue in some monarchies. They have been held in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia. A Royal Commission is similar in function to a Commission of Enquiry (or Inquiry) found in other countries such as Ireland, South Africa, and Hong Kong.

    A Royal Commissioner has considerable powers, generally greater even than those of a judge but restricted to the terms of reference of the Commission. The Commission is created by the Head of State (the Sovereign, or his/her representative in the form of a Governor-General or Governor) on the advice of the Government and formally appointed by Letters Patent. In practice—unlike lesser forms of inquiry—once a Commission has started the government cannot stop it. Consequently governments are usually very careful about framing the Terms of Reference and generally include in them a date by which the commission must finish.

    Royal Commissions are called to look into matters of great importance and usually controversy. These can be matters such as government structure, the treatment of minorities, events of considerable public concern or economic questions.

    Many Royal Commissions last many years and, often, a different government is left to respond to the findings. In Australia—and particularly New South Wales—Royal Commissions have been investigations into police and government corruption and organised crime using the very broad coercive powers of the Royal Commissioner to defeat the protective systems that powerful, but corrupt, public officials had used to shield themselves from conventional investigation.

    Royal Commissions are usually chaired by one or more notable figures. Because of their quasi-judicial powers the Commissioners are often retired or serving judges.

    Royal Commissions usually involve research into an issue, consultations with experts both within and outside of government and public consultations as well. The Warrant may grant immense investigatory powers, including summoning witnesses under oath, offering of indemnities, seizing of documents and other evidence (sometimes including those normally protected, such as classified information), holding hearings in camera if necessary and—in a few cases—compelling all government officials to aid in the execution of the Commission.

  • done4good
    done4good

    I will defer to the Aussies or others better qualified than myself to determine if the RC has any teeth.

    That said, there is no question that the coverage has attention. The frequency and intensity of pressure the organization is receiving from many sources, on many fronts, amounts to a long, slow death of a thousand cuts.

    Someone mentioned on another thread about JWs becoming more "culty". This is a sign of itself of cognitive dissonance being experienced by the masses, in aggregate. CD is the product of internal mental conflict, and when these types of stories hit the media, the JWs' reaction initially is shock, almost immediately followed by a strong sense of denial. That denial is their "protection" from information they find very discomforting, and their response to the dissonant information heard.

    All of this leads to a polarization of currently open minded people vs. hardcore adherents over time. The ones left who are "culty" in their behaviors are the more hardcore types, however being hardcore is not 100% mutually exclusive with being intelligent. Once something happens to them personally that makes them question, all of these accounts that caused CD come rushing back, and this time serve to confirm their doubts, rather than causing them to dig their heels in deeper.

    If most of us take the time to reflect on our exit out, we can probably see how some variation of this process happened to ourselves.

    d4g

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit