 | It’s a practice that is centuries old: confessing one’s sins to a trusted clergy member. But could the protection these confessions receive through clergy-penitent privilege be aiding admitted child sex offenders? “We have a responsibility to try to prevent aggressors from harming people ... |
Article: What Is The Clergy-Penitent Privilege And How Can It Protect Sex Offenders?
by AndersonsInfo 19 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
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AndersonsInfo
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Finkelstein
Disturbing and sad that this is still going on in this day and age
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Listener
I wonder how common it is for a pedo to confess to the Elders, I would be surprised if many do. It's more likely that a victim is doing the reporting and that hardly could be seen as a confession.
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LongHairGal
ANDERSONS INFO:
I was raised Catholic and remember the confessional.
But, at least when somebody confesses to a priest, they are assured that it will remain secret since a priest generally speaks only to other priests..Now, contrast that to telling something to an elder. He’ll tell other elders, the elders tell their wives, the wives get on the phone, etc. etc.
Also, a priest is usually a priest for life. Contrast that to elders stepping down. What happens to all the ‘secrets’ they are told? Since they are not legally bound like a doctor or lawyer to be silent, what then? Everybody is at the mercy of their discretion..and that is assuming they have any. Bottom line: no confidentiality there.
I do not believe JWs can claim clergy penitent relationship when it suits them. Therefore, they should be required to divulge what criminal JWs have told them. Whether or not they will comply with this is another thing. Also, how would you get priests to comply?
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Vidiot
LongHairGal - "...how would you get priests to comply?"
Threaten their tax exemption.
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smiddy3
Dont forget Jehovah`s Witnesses are on record as saying they "have no clergy class" .
Yet in a Court room when asked to divulge certain information ,they claim Clergy-Penetint privilege ?
Which is it WT / G.B./JW ? Do you have a Clergy class or don`t you.?
That is something the rank and file PIMI JW`s should be asking the Elders in there congregations .
Also to note as an example using the Catholic religion a person confesses to a priest and its between the priest and the confessor alone nobody else is involved .
If and when somebody confessed a sin / crime to an Elder in the JW religion it then becomes a matter for a judicial meeting with 3 Elders , that then is passed on to the Branch Office and possibly to the legal dpartment which involves a helluva lot more people .
So in no way can it conform to simply one Clergy person and a confessor.
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Half banana
The governing body of the JW organisation are "whitewashed graves". Everything they do is to signal how divinely wonderful they are. Except they are not wonderful they are hypocrites.
The Watchtower message was that charity is from the devil who wants to perpetuate this world not God's Kingdom -- except when it comes to claiming tax exemption, then they are first in the queue to register for the benefits of being called "a charity".
The "clergy" of "organised religion" are of the devil -- except when it comes to calling their own elders "clergy" for the purpose of weaselling out of reporting cases of sex abuse to the police by claiming "clergy penitent privilege".
Throughout the history of the Watchtower there has been a consistent pattern of hypocrisy based on the self righteousness of the leaders. The principle teachings of Christianity according to James in the NT have to do with the care and compassion for the weakest among them.
But the history of Jehovah's witnesses demonstrates quite the reverse. There is a hierarchy of concern: the biggest funding and care goes to the interests and properties of the leadership and at the other end of the scale, innocent abused children are viewed as a nuisance whose presence might sully the squeaky clean image which they seek to portray.
Never have the GB demonstrated by actions that they truly care for the feelings and welfare their flock. Historically, individuals in the flock are treated as expendable if they do not conform to the interests of their leaders.
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road to nowhere
Privileged communication stops at the confessional, not shared and advice sought on how to handle
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Simon
Considering that the Catholic church has has such a problem with child abuse, you have to wonder whether they take advantage of the confessions of others to find victims for themselves.
There is no benefit to allowing any special "privilege" to be told about a heinous crime and not be compelled to report it. IMO it should be classed as conspiracy to traffic / abuse children unless they report it.
They can fuck the idea that their little wooden boxes are special and not part of the real world.
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LongHairGal
SIMON:
True.. I was in my early teens the last time I was in a confessional and said the words through the screen: “Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been one month since my last confession...”
This was long before the days of scandals of any sort and the priests were respected. Looking at it now, the idea is ludicrous that somebody confess sins to another equally sinful human - and what are they thinking when they are hearing these sins?
When birth control pills came out and my Mom went to confession, the priest had the nerve to ask if she was a married woman who used birth control. She said “Yes”. The priest then said: “Sorry, but I cannot absolve your sins.” ..Well, that was the end of confession for MY family..Besides, my Dad had no use for the Church and their asking for money.
I am glad they have been exposed about their major child abuse. Now, the Witnesses have to experience the same thing. However, I believe they will have to be dragged kicking and screaming- because they do not want to cooperate!