The extent to which some JWs take the carefully loaded statements from Brooklyn as meaning its open season to victim blame is shocking really. The WBTS can take to the stand, admit the abuse happened and agree it shouldn't, but you'll still find JWs who are so convinced that it could never happen that they'll refuse to accept it did. The victims are stealing from God, they're lying for gain, they're apostates and want to tarnish Jehovah's name etc etc etc. Anything but question whether or not their religion has adequate safeguarding policies. It's grim really because it all contributes to putting children at risk, with the WBTS only too willing to wash their hands of any responsibility when it suits them.
Mephis
JoinedPosts by Mephis
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17
Does This Mean JWs No Longer Point the Finger at Child Sexual Abuse in Other Religions?
by steve2 inthose who still attend meetings will be better placed to answer this question.
since the conti case - but likely some years before it became more widely known in ex-jw circles and beyond - there appear to have been no watchtower or awake news snippets on child sex abuse in the churches of christendom.
also, do rank and file still talk to householders about the churches of christendom's cover-ups of such abuse?.
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Org is going to appeal!
by The Searcher inthe english woman who has been awarded 275,000 compensation for being abused by the ministerial servant paedophile, will now have to wait while the org fights to keep hold of its precious money, by appealing the court's decision.. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33201010.
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Mephis
They need to have a 'real prospect for success' for an appeal to be allowed. Typically that means the initial judgement having made an error of fact or law. In Britain, a desire to appeal in civil cases isn't the same as being allowed to appeal. They have three weeks to ask for permission. -
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Jehovahs Witnesses to pay 6 figure sum to sex abuse victim. UK.
by The Scotsman inhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33201010.
story just broke in uk!!!!
a woman who claimed jehovah's witness elders failed to protect her from sex abuse carried out by a convicted paedophile has won a six-figure payout.
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Mephis
If the settlement has been agreed here, then it means the WBTS has accepted that they were liable under British law and will be paying out. There's no obligation on the victim to remain silent if this has been agreed in court. Usually any secrecy agreements will be done prior to it ever reaching court. The judgement is on public record now. The victim has a right to anonymity but may choose to waive that or give interviews whilst retaining it. This has been a full court case, but held without jury I believe?, and today is just the verdict. Whether there will be appeals etc., we'll see I guess. The WBTS has its own special and unique take of how the law works.
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Jehovahs Witnesses to pay 6 figure sum to sex abuse victim. UK.
by The Scotsman inhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33201010.
story just broke in uk!!!!
a woman who claimed jehovah's witness elders failed to protect her from sex abuse carried out by a convicted paedophile has won a six-figure payout.
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Mephis
Waiting on reading judgement, but BBC hinting that the judge ruled on this because they took no measures to protect children in spite of knowing the man was a pedophile. This was something raised as an ongoing concern in the Moston case by the tribunal hearing the WBTS' appeal earlier this year.
Thoughts with this brave woman. -
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Guns. Well said Mr President, if only your countrymen had the same courage to consider changing course.
by nicolaou inive had to make statements like this too many times.
communities like this have had to endure tragedies like this too many times.
once again, communities [were harmed] because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no problem getting their hands on a gun.. lets be clear: at some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries.
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Mephis
The problem with the video Cappytan links is that the guy doesn't touch upon definitions. Common assault in the UK is classed as violent crime. I push someone, I get prosecuted for common assault. +1 to violent crime. Around 50% of British violent crime results in no injury to the victim. In the US, I'd need to commit an aggravated assault in order to add to the numbers - which by definition does result in injury to the victim. It's a curious video in that it fails to do precisely what it says it wants to do. I am 4 times more likely to be murdered in the US than I am in Britain and 35 times more likely to be shot dead, and I am 7 times more likely to suffer an assault which results in injury in the US versus Britain. -
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'Conti' Court decision secures Watchtower's Policy of confidentiality
by telemetry11 inthe court on the rule of confidentiality of penitential communications and evidentiary privilege--.. decision reads:.
"the law generally protects the confidentiality of communications with clergy like those of kendrick to the elders here.".
"if the person has a constitutional right to independence in making religious choices, the recognition of an evidentiary privilege is an apt means of protecting that autonomy.
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Mephis
I'm not seeing the obvious reasons. There is no blanket immunity to torts even under the First Amendment. Any changes of policy will come as a result of doing math that continuing to allow children to be abused by pedophiles, not least because there aren't adequate child protection policies, will continue to result in millions being awarded in damages for that negligence. If you're held legally responsible for negligently allowing kids to be abused in your home, too darned right that you'll be held responsible for that and will be dragged to court. -
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Watch Tower appeal unfavourable judgement in Otuo v Morley and Watch Tower
by Adwoa Kromo insir david eady sitting as emeritus high court judge, quite likely in court 13 of the high court in the queens bench division at 10:30am tomorrow will hear an appeal against the decision of master leslie refusing to strike out a claim from mr otuo against an elder, j morley of the wimbledon congregation in england.
watch tower seeks to assert that the repetition of the allegation of fraud by the said elder at a meeting to hear the reinstatement application of the claimant in the presence of three other elders can not amount to publication sufficient to found a claim in slander.
further, the occasion should attract qualified privilege and as such even if the words were defamatory of otuo, the defendants should be protected in law by the privilege in so as far they acted in good faith.
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Mephis
This is a fascinating case in many ways. What caught my eye in an earlier stage of the case is that, once more, the WT tried the 'we're a religion so we aren't answerable in court' line, and, once more, a British judge politely slapped them for such stupidity in his judgement. (HHJ Maloney, 5/12/13)
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Boy, 7, taken away from his parents. Judge rules he has been damaged by his Jehovah's Witness mother's religious beliefs
by snugglebunny ini guess that's what a cult upbringing does to a child:.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3092457/boy-7-taken-away-parents-judge-rules-damaged-jehovah-s-witness-mother-s-religious-beliefs.html.
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Mephis
I've read the judgement of this case. ( http://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/markup.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWFC/HCJ/2015/40.html ) It's more complex than the Mail puts out (not a surprise), but yes, the mother has indoctrinated the boy in a way in which a very experienced judge feels has been very detrimental to this boy's wellbeing. eg He is so afraid of being around 'worldly people', he is refusing to even go to school.
There is obviously a nasty split between the parents, neither of whom have put the boy's needs first. But the mother made assurances three years ago that she would not use religion to try and distance the boy from his father. She lied about that and not only has she damaged the boy's relationship with the father, she's caused her own son a great deal of distress (his dad's not going to live in paradise) and 'significant emotional harm'. This case has been in the courts for quite some time, and the judge has placed the boy into foster care as a last resort and with the sole desire that someone should be placing a distressed little lad's interests first.
JWs, as I assume Malachi is, may not like it, but a high control religious group which enforces a doctrine of being separate is harmful at the best of times. In a case such this, it's been absolutely devastating for a child. I hope the lad gets all the help he needs to have a more balanced view of life.
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Jehovah`s Witnesses today & first Century Christianity
by smiddy inin the first century ,did not christians who took the lead , have to earn their own keep ?
and provide for their own sustenance ?
their are numerous texts that support that position are their not ?.
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Mephis
Earliest texts seem to suggest that those who travelled would stay a day or two at most and have basic needs provided for. Some texts (eg the Didache) seem to suggest they had a problem with imposters and people taking advantage and so set time limits for the hospitality to be provided. The non-Christian stuff which touches on the religion (eg Lucian's Passing of Peregrinus) also suggest they were seen as being somewhat gullible and could be taken advantage of. There were also communal meals held at the houses of the richer members in each area, with the suggestion that the richer helped provide for the poorer. Worth noting that the bible examples of people like Paul suggest they had trades to support themselves. -
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what was the public reaction to elders enforcing child sex abuse policy.
by joe134cd ini was just watching this you tube video regarding the liability that elders put them selves under when handling child abuse matters.. https://youtu.be/3l25-mbvqyq.
so my question is.
dose anybody know what happened to the elders involved not just in this case but in all the cases wt finds itself getting embroiled in.
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Mephis
Elders, as trustees of charities as they more often than not are, here in the UK are responsible for their actions under charity law. Those of Moston,. Manchester are currently the subjects of a Charity Commission statutory inquiry, and those at Barry congregation, Wales are facing an operational compliance case. In the past, the Charity Commission has tried to work a little more behind the scenes over issues around abuse and cover-ups and individual congregations.
Being a trustee of a charity carries legal obligations. If elders aren't aware of that when becoming a trustee, then they're demonstrating that they shouldn't be one in the first place.