by Drifting Away 22 Replies latest jw friends
Here in the U.K, since the Reformation, there has been no such thing as "Priest/Penitent confidentiality" as a Legal concept.
But, regardless of where you are in the World, and what Laws there are, you have a MORAL OBLIGATION to protect and support the victim, and to report a Crime.
NO EXCUSES !!!
I agree with much of what has already been said. The laws covering confession were written around the catholic church and what goes on there. One on one confession. It is supposed to even be anonymous. So you can imagine what gets confessed. Some stuff is true. Some is not. Who knows. But since it is just a one-time one-on-one conversation, it is of minor significance. You certainly couldn't hold a priest accountable for everything that could get "confessed" in that setting.
What JW's do is not even close to what the Catholics do and thus barely any parallel can be drawn concerning confidentiality protection. Like has been mentioned here, there is basically never a case worthy of mention that is between just the confessor and one elder.
Their entire system is setup to involve multiple elders, usually the entire body, plus the branch.
**If one minor comes forward and reports child abuse, a call is made to the branch, and 2 elders meet with the accused. if it is denied, the matter is noted at the branch and it is dropped if there are no mandatory reporting laws. They don't report anything to the authorities even though it is documented that over 90% of reports from minors are proven to be true. This shows a lack of love for the child, the other children in the family, the other children in the congregation, and the other children in the community.
WT simply chooses business interests over the welfare of children and their families. This apparently is how Jehovah runs his organization and Jesus runs his congregation.
xjwsrock - "If one minor comes forward and reports child abuse, a call is made to the branch, and 2 elders meet with the accused. if it is denied, the matter is noted at the branch and it is dropped if there are no mandatory reporting laws. They don't report anything to the authorities even though it is documented that over 90% of reports from minors are proven to be true. This shows a lack of love for the child, the other children in the family, the other children in the congregation, and the other children in the community."
Sums it up so well.
But, regardless of where you are in the World, and what Laws there are, you have a MORAL OBLIGATION to protect and support the victim, and to report a Crime.
NO EXCUSES !!!
Well said! No more to add.
WT have a policy of covering up crime within WT so as not to bring reproach on Jehovah.
When my daughter was physically beaten which resulted in a black eye by my ex, we went to an elder. He told us not to go to a domestic violence shelter and told us not to go to the police.
He denies this now.
Hiding crime is what they do. We are not the only ones......and when a female tries to expose a crime she is df'd.
Kate xx
No. They would become culpable of not reporting a possible crime.
JWs don't have a "clergy". And it's one of their BIG claims too. Every JW is considered a "Minister". No clergy, no laity is their claim.
If a crime occurs, you call the police not elders or priests and such.
UK:
Australia:
Vincent Toole, head of the church's Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, told the commission he would seek independent legal advice about the church's obligations to report child sex abuse to the authorities.
Justice McClellan asked Mr Toole if he understood there was a general obligation for every citizen to report crimes to the authorities.
"Coming to this commission has been a wake-up call for me, I can assure you," Mr Toole said.
Delaware:
www.revealnews.org/blog/jehovahs-fight-law-requiring-child-sex-abuse-be-reported-to-police/
Ha! That quote of Vin Toole saying "it's been a wake up call" is laughable!
He then treated the ARC with contempt by out rightly lying about several things such as "spiritual warfare" .
