I watched the CBS news

DJ

Well, it was about 5min. long segment. I'm sad that they did not report the fact that where there is no law to report molesters......the jw's don't. That being said would have made an impact. I suppose every bit of media helps. This will be good for those who will have jw's come to their door in the future but it was not very in depth, like Dateline was.

proplog2

I think Bill's glory is fading. I tried to look at it as an ordinary person with no knowledge of JW's and it didn't stir me. In fact with SARS, Terrorism, War in Iraq, Economy in the toilet- I would have probably refilled my coffee cup on this one.

nowisee

hi dj,

i saw it too -- thanks. it was a bit disappointing - i think they could have done so much more with the story. they should have interviewed all of us! hah!

love to you, nowisee

Nomad Soul

Dissapointed. Made my brother watch it. It sucked to prove a point.

fjtoth

The following now appears at the CBS web page: http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/eveningnews/main3420.shtml.

Another Church Sex Scandal

SOUTHERN MINNESOTA, April 29, 2003
(CBS) Like any mom, Heidi Meyer fixes boo-boos, serves up breakfast and even reviews some math homework.

But every day is a fight for this mom to overcome her past.

"Basically any way that he could put his hands on me, he did," she told CBS News Correspondent Jane Clayson.

From the time she was 10, until she turned 13, Heidi, a Jehovah's Witness, says she was molested by a member of her congregation. Finally, she turned to the leaders of her faith.

And what did they say?

"They asked me, do you think this could be a misunderstanding? And I said, no. No, I'm very sure of how his hands were on my body and there's no way to misunderstand that," Meyer said.

But the elders dismissed her plea for help and sent her away with a warning: "You need to keep quiet about this. You don't want to drag his name through the mud. You don't want to drag the name of Jehovah's organization through the mud."

Bill Bowen, an elder for more than 20 years explained, "Anything that an elder says is viewed as the direct word of God."

Bowen, a former Jehovah's Witness went on, "You could even be excommunicated for questioning what an elder tells you to do. There's no negotiation here. You must obey what the elders direct."

But what silences most victims is that Jehovah's Witnesses require either a confession or two eyewitnesses to any accusation -- making sexual abuse almost impossible to prove.

For Leanna Morley, in Oregon, the abuse started when she was five.

"It's time that the people knew about the secrets that happen in that religion," she said. "It was a living hell."

Sue was seven years old and living in Washington. Her molester later made a chilling confession. He said there were 24 to 42 little girls that he had molested -- he couldn't remember how many exactly.

Bill Bowen says by the end of the year he expects at least 100 lawsuits to be filed against the faith.

The problem is huge, he said. "It's of global proportions. You're talking about tens of thousands of children who've been molested in the last ten years. Tens of thousands, easily."

The Jehovah's Witnesses Headquarters disputes these numbers but says they're aware of the problem -- and cites a letter it published last May. It says "we have long instructed elders to report allegations of child abuse to the authorities where required by law to do so, even where there is only one witness."

There is another letter. It denies Heidi Meyer's charges, saying "... no child abuse involved."

For Heidi, it's another betrayal by a faith she trusted and turned to for help.

"These are your spiritual leaders, these are men appointed by God in the eyes of Jehovah's Witnesses, and who was I? You know, I was just some kid."

As a mom she's still fighting to overcome her past -- even choosing to home school her son because she's afraid to leave him with others.

Also:

Jehovah's Witness William Bowen, Attorney Jeff Anderson and plaintiff Heidi Meyer announce a civil lawsuit filed against the Jehovah's Witness headquarters on Tuesday, July 2, 2002. (AP)

BadJerry

hi DJ, I thought it was good,

new faces and a little more exposure. Like Bill said the surface is just being touched on how many have been affected.

from IMANALIENTO logging on to hubbys ID

DJ

Hi Imanaliento!!!

I've missed you! Yes, you are right and everything helps! I just wish that they made the point about the states where it is not the law to report. How many states have a law to report? 13? Where is the common sense that makes it ok not to report if it isn't the law? I hate how they can make a statement sound like one thing while it really means another! My mom was watching and I just wanted her to HEAR that....grrr. but you are right and it is a start. Dateline was great and I'm so glad that I taped it.

fjtoth,

Wow. thanks for posting that.....now we can read where the wt states that they report where it is law. I appreciate your work, thanks again!

Nomad,

LOL. It wasn't that bad! Chin up!

Nowisee,

I'm glad that you saw it too! It could have been better but I think we, as xjw's maybe don't have the clearest perspective....I wonder what someone w/ no experience with jw's thought of that show? Maybe it was an outrage.......?? Maybe we are somewhat desensitized in a way and just want the wt to tumble NOW. I know that I have lost patience....

Proplog,

I thought about the impact of the plague (SARS) and the war and the terrorism too. i thought it was odd to hear all of those things that JW's preach to convince us that the end is here, while they are acting in an ungodly manner as well...ironic.

DevonMcBride

One thing Bill said even shocked me.

Bill Bowen says by the end of the year he expects at least 100 lawsuits to be filed against the faith

metatron

Too many of you don't get the point - persistence! THe Watchtower will not be defeated by ONE story - but they will suffer ruin by an unyielding image of ugliness and corruption. They crumble one crack at a time - a centralized power hounded by endless cyberwarriors and angered victims. Bring on the lawsuits. Bring on the bad press. Drain them in a guerilla war without end while they fantasize that Armageddon will save them. metatron

DJ

Metatron,

I understand what you are saying. I think that we just get excited because we hear about the broadcasts in advance and we get our imaginations going and then.....we feel somewhat disappointed. You have to admit that it would have been great if the statement below......

It says "we have long instructed elders to report allegations of child abuse to the authorities where required by law to do so, even

had been followed up by the reporter, to include the fact that they if they aren't required by law, then they don't see it as important enough to report to the authorities . Do you happen to know just how many states require this? I am not sure but I don't think it is very many!

You are so right that they envision that the big A will come now and save them. It is a sad delusion. They are delusional. I hope that this little snippet tonight will atleast alert householders to slam the doors in their faces if they deny these things. My mom told me on the phone tonight after viewing..."It's all lies". That is the reality of the jw mind, because their stupid magazines warned them about media attacks. You know, I realize now that they know exactly what they are doing and well in advance. They try to cover their butts w/ the rank and file before they are revealed as the lying,cowardly,false prophets that they are. I want to see them fall and I want my family out!!! I get carried away with emotion every so often because it always burns at a low flame in my heart all day, everyday. They are ruthless. My daddy is dying and isn't able to comprehend this stuff that is going on now and my heart breaks for him. I want my mom atleast to have a chance to get out before she dies. It just makes me sick how they can just ruin families and cause my old jw mom to feel that she still has to go out in service while my dying father needs her at home. I HATE what they do to people.....sorry, ok..I'll just go and try to get my fire back into that low flame again. love, dj

I watched the CBS news

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