This too Shall Pass (RC Commission vs WTS)

by undercover 25 Replies latest jw friends

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  umbertoecho

  Steve2

  Also, it already serves as a robust validation of former Witnesses (e.g., Barbara Anderson, Bill Bowen, etc) who have worked tirelessly to articulate genuine concerns about the JW organization's harmful policies and procedures on responding to abuse allegations.

  This is a good point and a valuable form of validation for those who have really stuck their necks out. I include those victims who testified in this instance. They were the ones with strong voices of out rage and hurt. The elders and Co were pathetic in contrast to those women.

  The voices of those men were croaking, mouths were dry, amnesia was running rampant. It was not a good look for such a religious organization that has gloated over every other religion being called to account in the past. Now, WTdom is just another American made religion born at a time when many others were forming......
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  steve2

  If JWs appraise the elders' bumbling performances throughout the RC as something to be proud of, it underscores how much standards within the JW organization have dropped.
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  Listener

  This RC will have an effect for years to come in many ways.

  The org. thought they had the best pedo policy in the World in comparison to other religions. The RC showed that writing articles was not enough.

  The org. thought that as they were the only ones that took matters seriously and held JC's, and investigated matters they were way ahead. The RC showed that this procedure alone put them in a different position and makes them more accountable for their actions on two levels. Firstly the moral aspect that the elders in many instances were now of the full knowledge that they had identified (beyond accusations) that they had full knowledge of there being a pedo. That makes them responsible for hiding that information and doing nothing to protect the public at large and little for those within their commune. It is a moral issue that they have dealt with inappropriately Secondly, they have identified a criminal and by law their responsibilities may go beyond mandatory reporting requirements in certain countries where a known criminal must be reported. The RC also pointed out that their claimed clergy privilege was very shaky in their circumstances because of the amount of people involved and how they internally report on the matter.

  Now that Geoffrey Jackson is involved, being required to provide a statement and verbal testimony, it will be evidence that any court around the World will be able to use.

  After this Friday it's still not over, the best is still to come. The Commission requires them to consider all the information that has been revealed through the hearings and statements which has identified the wrong practices and inefficiencies. Many of these the Elders have testified that they fall short. The Commission has identified issues that are, in their own words, 'serious issues'. They are required and have been directed to not only identify them but explain how they will personally address these issues. Within the next couple of years they will be required to return to the Commission with these findings and solutions.

  If they choose not to change or not to recognized the serious issues they have there will still be a report from the RC with their findings directly dealing with the inadequacies of the JWs. That report will be damning and it would be better for them to co-operate.

  They think it is bad now, once they submit their reform papers to the Commission it will demonstrate that they have needed the intervention of Government to change their practices and it will be an admittance that they recognize the negligence of their past policies.

  This is all for the protection of the victim and there is no way the org can wiggle out of this one calling it persecution and lies.
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  OnTheWayOut

  Freddo makes a great point:
  Instead of people leaving in shame because they've shagged each other or had a cigarette or wanked to porn they can take the moral high ground and go up to the trolley dollies and their minders and embarrass them and say "How can you profess to be a representative of the creator when your leaders are defending child abusers? You white washed grave!"

  I can see that happening in Australia. I read of, even met a few people who left the Catholic Church after their problem. I read on here all the time about MS's and elders looking for a fairly honorable way to resign. Maybe they won't wait for such an honorable way and just say they don't want to be called out for these things.

  I think the hype here is always to be expected, but I like the "moral high ground." We keep shouting that they are a dangerous mind-control cult and people who were never JW don't care. "Get over it," they say. But tell them how JW's have been worse (by percentage) than the Catholic Church and children are in danger. Now, they want to know more.
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  Mickey mouse

  Different issues wake up different people. For some it's 607, for others it's the UN Issue and so on. In the coming years thousands will sign up to this site and relate how they were disgusted by the child abuse scandal as uncovered by the royal commission.
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  thedepressedsoul

  It all depends on how many more cases get started because of the commission. This could either die down after or the other outcome is that it causes more people to come forward, more lawsuits, and more countries looking into the JW's.

  I think the 2nd is most likely the outcome. The "clean" jw name has really been ruined this time. It's the ultimate conversation stopper to use on a JW.