I knew a man who disfellowshipped his son.

by andrekish 2 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  andrekish

  I knew a man who wouldn't talk to his own son. I am neither the man nor the son.  The son is a very disillusioned friend.
  

  I have to be careful with how this is said in order not to blame any innocent group by mistake. 

  The man was a religious man and went to his local religious place of worship and all associated get togethers.  His son didn't want to go to this place of worship, it seemed like mind control to him.  So he went to the pub, smoked pot, and got involved in very petty crime so his Dad disowned him.

  
  Then the man who wouldn't talk to his son was arrested and jailed for sexual abuse of children within his religious group.  He had been doing it for 40 years and it was his job to investigate such things.

  How does any group deal with that?  When it has taken it's eye off of the ball and innocents have been traumatised.

  
  But far, far more importantly, how does the innocent son carry the weight of his father's crimes?  How could he ever go back to the group? 
  
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  LisaRose

  Sadly, this kind of things happen in a religion like this. While there are many good people in the religion, they have their fair share of hypocrites. They don't have a paid clergy, so elders are usually not very well prepared to do any kind of counseling, and sometimes use their position to prey on innocent children, as this creep did. 

  It's a cult. The Organization has been paying off victims for years while berating the Catholic church over its child abuse issues. Fortunately there have been several lawsuits lately where victims would not settle and sign non disclosure agreements, so the cat is out of the bag. 

  Your friend would do well to stay away from anything to sso with his father or the religion. 
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  andrekish

  Thanks for reply. 

  My friend will never go near them again.  He doesn't blame every member obviously, but In his eyes Jehovah is partly responsible as well, because he still believes in God.  I can only imagine what would be said behind his back were he to attend any meeting.  I've was there to hear the local Mormon congregation go wild with gossip when a lesbian lass in early attendance attempted suicide. 
  

  My friend will always carry his father's blame on his shoulders a bit, because the sins of the father reflect upon the sons.   And my lesbian friend still carries the wrist scars.  Based on the testimonies of horror on this site it appears not to be changing yet.

  Those who are Witnesses could be right.  I believe in a Creator so I cannot dismiss them.  And I do hear the good side of their message, so thank them for that.  But how can we trust a group whose leaders seem blind at times?  Sometimes blood fills their footprints as they pass.  But isn't that true of us all? 

  It is such a shame that can be said.