Silent Lambs/Bill Bowen..Who rejoices now?

by wasasister 87 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  hillary_step

  Yes Jim, "Lets get this into perspective"

  1. Bill Bowen has done more to change the WTBS than anyone else in 100 odd years.

  Has the Society changed its policy in the way it handles child-abuse cases? Have they instructed the elders to report these crimes to the police rather than take the fatal step of telephoning the local Branch first?

  2. The Society have had unleashed upon them a floodwave they cannot - and will not handle.

  The WTS, like most other religions, including the Mormons, and The Hare Krishna movement are undergoing the very same problems as we speak. As yet the WTS has not sustained a defeat in court regarding the child-abuse issue. It will at some stage, and this will be due to the diligence of lawyers who will win by presentation of facts.

  3. The WTBS would love to see us destroy ourselves - we are the only ones who can do that.

  The WTS has been fighting this issue for many, many years. Its greatest enemy is not BB or XJW's but the free flow of knowledge, agreed hastened by individuals fired by a sense of justice like BB and Raymond Franz, Carl Jonsson and others. However, inevitable defeat would always have been its destiny due to social evolution as much as the agitation of XJW's. There exists a fuse running throughout the WTS own theology that will spell its own death or reincarnation.

  4. More has gone into Bills work than the rest of you know, filtering out gossip and untruth.

  You seem under the impression that Bill is being attacked personally. Some of his methods have proved to collapse under close scrutiny, and it is these that have been rightly criticised. The WTS does not need to defeat SL, if SL becomes self-defeating.

  5. How many of us on this board would have had the guts to do what he has done.

  Many have been doing very much behind the scenes regarding this issue for years before BB was a voice, it is they that paved the way. Very little seems to be spoken about this whole facet of activity. Perhaps a book one day will tell the tale.

  6. It is easier to criticise than to do.

  In these instances I disagree Jim. It is far more difficult to criticise and try to bring some rationality to an issue that appeals to the spirit of the mob rather than justice and honor. Many years ago while travelling in North Africa I saw a man beaten and finally hung for having interefered with the child of a village elder. On my way back I stopped in the same place and after inquiries discovered that this man, though a known criminal, had actually been innocent of this particular crime. The defence of the lynch party was, well "who cares, he was a villian anyway." I still believe that anybody, even members of the GB, are innocent until a court of law finds them guilty, and I repudiate the mob mentality and will not become part of it however emotionaly strained the circumstances. God bless the critics of SL as they will act as a restraint for excessive behavior. Criticise with courage and do not fear the mob. As I said yeserday I see no honor in a person in the guise of protecting abused children, moving then to abuse adults and feeling that this can be excused.

  7. If we "sack him" who will take his place? None here thats for sure - and then the society will have won.

  See point 3) and 5)

  Best regards - HS

  Edited by - hillary_step on 21 December 2002 16:20:11
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  kelsey007

  newlight well said. I think most here share those thoughts. I had to chuckle at a post just below here about jw support of child abuse. When first talking to Bowen he had a habit of saying "Lets spank those bad boys!" Clearly a jw accepted remark. At any rate I do believe, though the criticisms here may have not been easy for Bowen to accept that they have had an effect on him somewhat. That is a good thiing- and who knows- one day he may actually come to a point that he will thank all those here that criticized him so much when he realizes that most here did so because of our concern over the abuse survivors that he says he wants to help so badly.

  As far as changing the WT- I havent seen that. Of course, most here are at the mercy of what is posted here for any info we recieve in regards to silent lamb's progress. IMHO I still believe that Bowen has a long way to go in being an effective leader for the cause. If and when he tones down is seemingly eager ability to throw out un-needed and/or abusive words toward others that in itself will aid in positive results for the movement. Just spent the night with my JW mom, btw. She of course has all the jw lit laying around. Living not far from the Barb Anderson congregation- there has been no talk of silent lambs, bill bowen, barb anderson or any change of wt policy.
• 

  IslandWoman

  HS,

  Well said!

  (I usually refrain from such accolades but just thought I'd try it out this time.)

  Good to "see" you,

  IW
• 

  SloBoy

  Hillary-Step,

  Maybe I missed something. Does the "abuse" of adults by Bill that you are somehow correlating to the oppressive dynamics of child molestation rest in the misunderstanding/miscommunication between Bill and rev? or Ray? I've been on jobsites where under the stress of performance things have been said that probably shouldn't have been. But I, in no way catagorically regard those making such flippant remarks as individuals unqualified to oversee the task to completion.Usually, the project gets completed, differences are settled and relationships are preserved, keeping the mechanism in place for the next challenge. I hope ALL those who are offering whatever support to Silentlambs, can maintain a similar approach.Once again I ask ; Is all this rhetoric starting up again in response to rev's post of a few days ago, or has BB gone out and disembowled someone.....IW, I know you also will want to respond to this post, but it would be alright with me if you don't.
• 

  Mulan

  HS...........you said many of the things we have discussed at home. Thank you for putting it so well.

  I read a post you made a few months ago about how you and AlanF, Farkel and Maximus (maybe others) had been carefully working on this abuse issue, for a long time, and BB came and just bulldozed through, possibly ruining years of work already done. I had no idea, and it hit me hard to read that. We really need to know all sides of an issue, don't we?
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  hillary_step

  SloBoy,

  This is not an issue of personality, at least not for myself. BB and RF are just people, that is all, something that is often forgotten in the mele. My net is cast much wider and is focused on attitude, not personalities. My continual hope is that the SL issue can be depersonalized to the extent that no unfounded hopes are hung on either of the people that you mention.

  My real concern is that like the WTS, readers are being coerced and bullied away from the kind of debate that leads to growth. I am not taking sides, I am challenging concepts and this from the position of a person who has been involved on a voluntary basis in many charitable concerns for two decades.

  Best regards - HS

  Edited by - hillary_step on 21 December 2002 18:3:46
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  hillary_step

  Mulan,

  Your voice is always one that I listen to as it heralds hopes of peace.

  My best regards to you and yours - HS
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  SloBoy

  H.S.

  The reason for my original post centers on the last sentence in your response to point # 6 above. If this is not about personalities, then who is being discussed as one that " under the guise of protecting children, then moves on to abuse adults". Or was that just a vague generality?
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  hillary_step

  Hello Slo,

  The 'a' person' that I refer to is ANY person who feels that the end justifies the means, whether that is BB, RF, their sympathizers, or myself. It is a generic statement meant for all of us for whom the cap fits. If the cap fits BB, and I leave that for you to decide, then yes, it could be applied equally to him.

  Best regards - HS

  PS - I might add as an example, that when I criticised SL advisors for some ill planned decisions a few months ago I received a barrage of email from SL supporters. Among the many vitriolic statements made, one threatened to kill me and the other to cause my wife sexual injury. This is what I mean.

  Edited by - hillary_step on 21 December 2002 18:47:47
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  DannyBear

  Hillary,

  I hope you wraped all those email threats up in a neat little package, forwarded them to someone you trust, and have or will make them available to law enforcement.

  Danny