suppose an active jehovah's witness sees a worldly person abusing a worldly child; for example, touching her genitals, and the witness goes to the police.
the worldly police will take action.. now, suppose the same jehovah's witness also sees a witness abusing a witness child in the same way, touching her genitals.
the witness knows he can't go to the elders because there are not two witnesses to the fact.. does the witness get to think that there is something very wrong about the two witnesses rule?
Sola,
"Concrete evidence"?
Sorry but that's laughable. Do you honestly think they would hand us over a list of who told them to stay away from from us?
No, they didn't give us names, but the PO told us they were told to stay away and being that they all did, I'm guessing he was telling the truth.
Mary,
Your posts are so spot on, Society has"chosen the wrong priority"
I wouldn't want to be in their shoes when it all is exposed, It wont be pretty and they certainly wont have Jehovah backing them.
speaking as a lady, yes!.
i think a balding man has 2 options- 1. hair club for men 2. shave it.. balding men- not hot; bald- hot; bald with goatee- extremely hot!.
what do you think ladies?.
I say take it all off!! My husband already keeps his hair really short.
http://www.startribune.com/sports/99785534.html.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38533071/ns/us_news-life?gt1=43001.
for all of us.. syl.
Most tragic thing I've seen in a while I can't imagine how devastated these families are.
suppose an active jehovah's witness sees a worldly person abusing a worldly child; for example, touching her genitals, and the witness goes to the police.
the worldly police will take action.. now, suppose the same jehovah's witness also sees a witness abusing a witness child in the same way, touching her genitals.
the witness knows he can't go to the elders because there are not two witnesses to the fact.. does the witness get to think that there is something very wrong about the two witnesses rule?
Sola,
I appreciate your kind manner, however every time you post I shake my head because it's nothing what we have experienced.
I know you prefer to think it's the elders fault for going against the written policy. My problem with that is.. WHY? What would they have to gain from it? I would think any elder would be totally sickened by a child molester!! So the question is ..Why? what would cause a normal man to turn against written policy and the bible accounts of how Jesus treated those who were hurt and in need?
It took me a great deal of time and heartbreak to figure this out. I mean these elders knew us, they knew our child they knew the kind of family we were so Why would they leave us to ourselves. Why did they make us feel as if we didn't matter and our child's victimization 1. by the molester. 2. by the questioning they put her through was of no concern to them?
I finally realized they were only doing what they were told to do. Did it make it easier? No. Will I ever trust "Men" again? No. But I have forgiven them because they were put in a horrible position. Does or will Jehovah forgive them for stumbling my family right out of the Org? I have no idea..It's something they will have to worry about.
mine's was, if your job interfere with the meetings you have to decide who you will choose,.
serving jehovah or serving man, if anyone knew my needs it most definitely was jehovah.
and he knew i needed my job to eat.
You need to just leave it in Jehovah's hand and wait on him.
suppose an active jehovah's witness sees a worldly person abusing a worldly child; for example, touching her genitals, and the witness goes to the police.
the worldly police will take action.. now, suppose the same jehovah's witness also sees a witness abusing a witness child in the same way, touching her genitals.
the witness knows he can't go to the elders because there are not two witnesses to the fact.. does the witness get to think that there is something very wrong about the two witnesses rule?
"If the Parents go to the Police 1st and the Child Abuser is arrested on credible evidence, Parents relaying factual information to fellow parents of the Accused arrest and subsequent trial would not be slanderous, because there will be Public Knowledge of the arrest to point to. (At least that how it should work on paper. But Imperfect Humans always get in the way of the Perfect Plan )"
Then why after we went to the authorities were we told by the elders not to speak to anyone about it while the molester was out on bail?
Why were phrases such as "reproach on Jehovah's name"and "causing divisions" brought up?
Why was my husband taken off the attendant list the following month, without a word?
I'm sorry, but we lived it. I did exactly what you all say to do, I went to the authorities first and guess what? We were treated like crap by the elders from that point on. Did they say, "you did the wrong thing?" No... But, we pretty much knew they weren't happy with the order in which we did things. We received zero support! We absolutely wouldn't have believed it if it hadn't happened to us!!
I'm telling you, being totally and completely devastated by finding out your child was abused by a trusted brother and then finding out the religion that you love is nothing what they claim made for some really horrible years. I felt so foolish for putting trust in men.
http://news.stv.tv/scotland/west-central/187628-jehovahs-witness-sexually-abused-seven-year-old-boy/.
a jehovah's witness has admitted sexually abusing a young boy from the age of seven.. thomas gold, 45, abused the child over a period of seven years at an address in clackmannanshire.
the abuse began with a kiss on the boy's mouth, and became more sexual as the youngster got older.. on one occasion there was "unnatural carnal connection" between them.
Sadly your right Flipper.
suppose an active jehovah's witness sees a worldly person abusing a worldly child; for example, touching her genitals, and the witness goes to the police.
the worldly police will take action.. now, suppose the same jehovah's witness also sees a witness abusing a witness child in the same way, touching her genitals.
the witness knows he can't go to the elders because there are not two witnesses to the fact.. does the witness get to think that there is something very wrong about the two witnesses rule?
@ Titus.
My comment was made in refrence to you saying...
"And you don't need to, MS. If police arrests that man, everybody will know. You don't need to tell them."
The only ones who knew, were those involved.
We were told not to tell anyone.
The congregation as well as the public was not aware this man was out on bail awaiting a trial for over a year. Thankfully he was convicted and sent away to prison....however, no one was protected from him in that year.
So NO "everyone" did not know this brother in their congregation was awaiting trial for molesting.
suppose an active jehovah's witness sees a worldly person abusing a worldly child; for example, touching her genitals, and the witness goes to the police.
the worldly police will take action.. now, suppose the same jehovah's witness also sees a witness abusing a witness child in the same way, touching her genitals.
the witness knows he can't go to the elders because there are not two witnesses to the fact.. does the witness get to think that there is something very wrong about the two witnesses rule?
Hi Titus,
Not true.
When I went to police the molester was arrested, we were awaken in the middle of the night by an officer informing us he was released on bail. No one other then those involved knew anything. We were told not to talk to others about what happened...because we wouldn't want to slander our brother. A bit later after we were harassed at a court appearance by one of his family member(active JW) my husband approached an elder and informed him of what happened..again we were the ones told to keep in control and not to cause divisions by talking to others.
We at no time felt like the victims in this case, but instead were treated as if we did something wrong.
Unless you live it and see for yourself I'm sure I will never convince you that things aren't done as you would think they would be. I just hope you never have to find out.
interesting story.
this fellow needs encouragement to go to the police.
the co was later promoted to do .
So very sad...
Please take it to the authorities, even if nothing is done you will be able to feel better knowing that you at least tried.
I for one will always error on the side of support of a victim, if I'm wrong. Shame on them. If I'm right, I was one less person to harm the victim for speaking up.
I have been on the other side when my daughter accused a fellow JW of molesting her. Many believed the molester over her which tore at our heart..."how can they doubt someone brave enough to speak up?" Well in time the creep admitted to being a child molester and those people who believed him were left feeling quite foolish for taking a stand on his side.
My opinion...Offer a kind word and sit back and wait for it to be proven or not. Don't add salt to an open wound by calling someone a liar before you know for sure.
