by silentlambs 94 Replies latest watchtower scandals
Tele,
Regarding compassion, today is the 1st day I've seen you make any compassionate statements towards Erica. At least my compassion was first and foremost to the victim rather than the wife of a perpetrator.
I still stand by what I said, I would be ashamed to sit on the side of the perpetrator even if I was there supporting a friend. Shunning has nothing to do with it.
Regarding compassion, today is the 1st day I've seen you make any compassionate statements towards Erica. At least my compassion was first and foremost to the victim rather than the wife of a perpetrator
congrats on your race for self satisfaction
I want to go because it appears to me Erica was df'd because she is a victim/survivor of a crime. I have yet to hear anything to the contrary, and besides I can believe it because it happened to me, and it is WT policy, and has been.
was she df'd or did she dissacociate herself?
As an observer I have to wonder why everyone who seems to know anything is being so careful about using this guys name? I agree with those who say everything you say should be documented and provable. From my own background with a small, close knit congregation with a lot of relatives I can see them reacting as tele said, repulsed by the molester and yet angry that it was all dragged into the public arena as it would dishonor so badly the religion and on the congregation/family. The mindset of most Witnesses is that it will be a "Bad Witness" or "Reflect on Jehovah/The Society" and that a quiet arrest would have been much better with no trial. They would have wanted him punished but would probably have prefered he do a plea bargain and hush it up. I would like to see this perverts name plastered across the page. If he has been convicted once already I would think that would be a matter of public record and that even if he is getting another trial on a technicality releasing his name would not affect the trial adversely for the victim.
Why help conceal this man's identity? Why not print the case number and scan the coverage it recieved if it recieved any? I would be very surprised if the Society would want their name linked to this guy's and I would think the more pupblicity it got the less likely he would be to get a WT lawyer sitting by his side, or one linked in anyway to the Society. I have long since stopped thinking that moral right or wrong held any sway over the decisions the business known as Jehovah's Witnesses makes. Bad publicity would put them on the high in a heartbeat, if I read them right. Might affect magazine sales. Why NOT put his name up??? Are there any legal reasons not to?
Erica Rodriguez is not DF or DA, as far as all are concered she is a Jehovah's Witness in good standing. She is a victim, her innocence was taken away by a man who appears to have molested multiple children. If anyone diserves support, positive comments, and not to have negative gossip, she does. It is easy to judge according to our circumstances, but unless you were molested it is difficult to comprehend the mental state of those who have undergone these things.
Lets not fight over the details. Use this space to offer kind words to Erica, she has had enough pain in her young life to last a lifetime. Let her know we understand, support her and wish her well.
I am sorry the wife of the accused married a chid molester but that does not diminish the crime and people he has harmed. I do not wish to provoke any attack on this man. It appears the courts will take care of the matter. Let them do their job. Our job is to try and help with healing and closure. This case is so sad, so many have been hurt ultimately by the actions of one man, yet an organization provided him with catalist to make the damage far greater. Why? Why? Why? The answers are yet sadder and the ramifications incomprehensible, yet here we see it is happening everywhere on a large scale. Can WT ignore this any longer? I certainly hope not.
Erica certainly does deserve all of our support. Yet it is her name that is on this board. Why not the GUILTY party? I extend to Erica all of my compassion and wish her healing and peace of mind. I condemn the blinded cult members who would have her suffer in silence and allow this person to be punished only by the elders and only within the Kindgom Hall. That isn't enough. Not even close. We have three victims we know about, who knows how many others? In my opinion anyone who rapes a child deserves death. If not that then at least a long prison sentence. Preferably after castration. I don't know all of the case, mitigating details just wouldn't seem possible in this one. I do feel the utmost sorrow for the perverts wife, children, and even his friends and the congregation members for being tarred with the brush of his deeds along with him. They are innocent unless they support him or aide him in hiding his crime. Or unless they too inflict pain on the victim adding insult to injury.
No doubt, Erica's courage in standing up, in going back, and in not letting this criminal get away with what he did has probably saved future victims and comforted past ones. I hope he is quickly re-convicted and gets more than eleven and a half years this time. The girls will carry their scars to the grave. Erica is to me, the heroine in this situation. She had to fight a lot of inertia to come back and go through all of it, and now to have to do it again. If every one of us had her courage, it would be a better world. If every Witness had her courage, there would be no WatchTower Cult. You deserve respect and admiration, Erica. You have mine.
thank you Silentlambs for setting a few things straight.
Life is a roller coaster. Get in, sit down, shut up and hang on!
Kismet,
My two cents:
I wanted to say something earlier this morning, but time would not permit. Those that took issue with your position misunderstood, imo. I think your admonition to Bill (silentlambs) was very appropriate. In the long term, if he takes your advice and shows greater care when making certain statements, it will serve him?and more importantly, the cause--very well. Extreme care must be exercised in this case since the Society is all too willing to play hardball, showing little concern for what really matters, the health of little children. That being the case, every comment must be verifiably true.
Btw, I like the quote you had earlier: The mean between two opposing positions is often where truth can be found.. It's what I strive for.
tj
Yes Grunt, I agree with the naming of this ROT. I was rather stunned to see Erica's last name up here rather then the PREDATORS!
I too, asked for his name to be posted as a PUBLIC NOTICE of sorts, so that anyone online fromthis jamoks cong WOULD BE ALERT TO THE FACT. Not alert to the VICTIMS LAST NAME.
What is his name and cong's name FOR PUBLIC NOTICE?
sKally
SilentLambs:
Erica Rodriguez is not DF or DA, as far as all are concered she is a Jehovah's Witness in good standing.
Correct me if I'm getting this confused with another case, but isn't this the one where the parent was disfellowshipped for reporting the guy to the authorites?
Erica's father was an elder and she was a regular pioneer. While it was threatoned, no member of her family was DF for going forward with prosecution. You must have this confused with another case. There are so many they all run together.
