WTS Addresses Child Abuse - er, kind of...

by iiz2cool 139 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  amac

  It would be like me writing a book about how to build an airplane -- I could try, but it wouldn't fly!

  Well, they didn't write a book on protecting yourself from child molesters. They wrote a book on, on, on...well whatever it's about. They included some very general advice for children. If sometime tries to touch your privates tell on them. If they threaten you, tell on them anyway. They didn't specify who they should tell, but logic dictates that the child would tell SOMEONE, and isn't that the point? Are there people that they should NOT tell?

  Again, there are families out there in all religions who may neglect to cover this with their children, so I would prefer some general information on the topic included in a religous pub rather than NO advice. NO advice will keep this a taboo subject, which is what we DON'T want.

  And about it being too graphic...from these two pages I see nothing wrong. Penis and vulva are not dirty words and a child should be taught that. Go ahead and use "the area a swimsuit covers" with your children, I pretty much guarantee that they will find some words to describe their genitals on their school playground. Might as well give them the correct words to use so they don't think it is "dirty" to talk about them.
• 

  Gopher

  Amac,
  

  Did you read the whole excerpt? When we look at specifics (and not just generalities), the writers of these 2 pages of the "Learn" book are frightening the kids.

  First they said Jehovah will protect you. Exactly how, when there's thousands of molestation cases going on within the organization? Did Jehovah protect those innocent children? But the implication is that if someone DOES bother you, that somehow Jehovah is not protecting you. Maybe he doesn't love you, because something bad happened.

  Then it went on to say that the molestor could teach you to do something bad, sex without marriage. As if the innocent child who is raped/molested could possibly have any bad motives.

  This kind of guilt-placing on children is not healthy but it forms the basis for the "discussion" that the WT Society is directing parents to have with their children.

  Once they've established who is guilty (the child, apparently) then it goes on to say to tell on the molestor. But as was pointed out earlier in this thread, who in the JW organization would listen to the child if they don't have two eyewitnesses?

  There's a lot between the lines here, and the Society is skating on thin ice as it faces multiple sexual-abuse coverup lawsuits. They are hardly the people to be giving advice on such delicate matters.
• 

  SwordOfJah

  amac: Although we don't see eye-to-eye on many things, I do appreciate your logical view.

  Gopher: Like many here, you are looking too much into what "they are really saying" instead of what they are actually saying.
• 

  Nosferatu

  And about it being too graphic...from these two pages I see nothing wrong. Penis and vulva are not dirty words and a child should be taught that

  This is not the problem I have with the book. The problem I have with it is how many times the word SEX is used. I don't think a child at age 6 should know what sex is.

  But who only should have sex relations?- Yes, two grown people of the opposie sex who are married to each other.

  Why didn't they word it "But who only should have a romantic relationship? Yes, a man and a woman who are married to each other". The wording was not wisely chosen.
• 

  Angharad

  The problem I have with it is how many times the word SEX is used. I don't think a child at age 6 should know what sex is.

  I agree that sex is mentioned to often. I know kids will eventually learn these words but I know that when talking to my six year old I would definately not use words like that at the moment.

  Not to hijack the thread, but in my opinion the whole book is way to negative on every aspect of the kids lives and is literally about putting the fear of god into them. God can see and hear EVERYTHING you do, we must always make god happy etc. Satans & demons tied into lots of subjects.
• 

  amac

  The problem I have with it is how many times the word SEX is used. I don't think a child at age 6 should know what sex is.

  Why not? If they are in a public school system, chances are they will learn some definition of sex by the first grade (about 7 years old.) Why not teach them correctly before some school kid teaches him incorrectly and ends up giving him warped views. Sex is something for adults only and your penis/vulva is not to be touched by others. I see nothing wrong with using the words sex, penis and vulva with my children. By the time I was in first grade I had learned fbuicfkf, dbiacnkg, and ppuoswswy. I'd much rather teach my children correctly rather then let them learn from the school yard and have a "dirty" view on it.

  Gopher -

  Did you read the whole excerpt?

  Yes.

  I disagree with the thought directing and guilt tricks used by the WT. But that is part of the religion in general and is not going away anytime soon. So if that is the route families want to take in raising their children, there is nothing much we can do about it. Many other religions also have detrimental dogmas that affect children. The point is this screwed up religion included a good bit of advice in one of their pubs telling children to resist and then "tell on" ANYONE trying to molest them. I see nothing wrong with that and am glad the advice is in there at all.
• 

  Simon

  re: the sex ...

  I don't think being taught that "God is watching you" and "demons are making you do it" is teaching them the correct view of sex and is promoting the whole "sex is evil" twaddle.

  yes, they should be taught. We bought our eldest a book and went through it with him because he wanted to know where babies come from. We teach him the truth but just tell him the bits he needs to know at the time.

  I think the book is possibly trying to cover too wide an audience ... a 6 year old needs a different book to a 16 year old.
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  BONEZZ

  If they are so worried about our children, why didn't they put together a book 20 years ago? Their attempt to cover their asses is so shallow it's laughable. Being in the media spotlight for thousands of child molestation cover-up charges wouldn't have anything to do with it...would it? Of course not. -BONEZZ
• 

  cruzanheart

  Might as well give them the correct words to use so they don't think it is "dirty" to talk about them.

  Amac, I agree with you about that! We have always used the correct terms with our children, which has resulted in some really hilarious moments around our house and around company. However, what I said about the excerpt regarding child abuse still stands. It's going to make a child, PARTICULARLY one who has been or is being abused, feel like a really bad person. It is that psychological aspect and the horribly heavy-handed and prejudiced way it was worded that caused me to make the statement about me writing a book about airplanes. And I firmly believe that the only reason the Society wrote any of that in the first place is so that they can virtuously and self-righteously say that of course they are addressing the child abuse issue.

  Nina
• 

  amac

  It is that psychological aspect and the horribly heavy-handed and prejudiced way it was worded

  Unfortunately, that is just part of the religion and will not be changing anytime soon. With that in mind, I'm glad they included this advice for children to "tell on" anyone trying to molest them.

  If they are so worried about our children, why didn't they put together a book 20 years ago? Their attempt to cover their asses is so shallow it's laughable.

  I don't really see this as a "cover up" as they have put out many articles on molestation in the past. If the recent media attention served as a reminder to them to cover this topic again, then great. It's not the first time they've covered it and probably won't be the last.