Posts by wannabefree

The Jehovah's Witnesses' so-called "judicial committee" is dealing with criminal cases, according to some former members of the Christian religious denomination. The committee has refused to reveal sexual abuse cases to the police. Minister of the Interior Päivi Räsänen of the Christian Democrats is asking for clarification on how police could better serve victims in such cases.

Kirsi-Maria Aho, a former member of the Jehovah's Witnesses denomination, faced sexual abuse some twenty years ago. Cases of abuse are heard by the faith’s judicial committee. The abuser was not part of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

“It was a crime. First, the man raped me and then he abused me sexually. This would have been a matter for the police, but the elders banned me from going to the police because the name of Jehovah couldn't be dragged through the mud,” Aho says.

Aho had to appear before the committee several times. She describes it as cruel and accusatory.

“It was really cruel. A young girl under fire in front of three men,” she says. “The men asked confusing questions, such as whether I had indulged in group sex. The Committee emphasized that I had done wrong and that I was wicked and adulterous. No one defended me.”

As punishment, Aho was ostracised from the community. At the same time she was isolated from her loved ones.

Recovery from the devastating experience has been slow.

“I thought for 22 years that I was bad,” says Aho. “Since I was isolated from the Jehovah's Witnesses I’ve thought that. Art therapy studies have brought me self-respect and understanding. I’ve realized that I’m not the bad one.”

Minister of the Interior calls for clarification of police role

The Victims of Religion Support Association has documented 28 such human experiences under the Jehovah's Witness’ legal committee. Aho's is one of them. This week the association gave the Minister of the Interior Päivi Räsänen a list of suggestions on how society should address the issue of Jehovah's Witnesses legal committees. Räsänen is the parliamentary member responsible for matters relating to religious communities.

The association proposes, among other things, that religious courts be prohibited by law. Räsänen has passed the report on to the Ministry of Justice for clarification.

“In any case, we should not accept parallel legal systems in which crimes are investigated and sanctions considered,” says Räsänen. “Now, of course, it should be figured out where these judicial committees stand in light of our legislation.”

The report recommends that police have a better understanding of such cases and Räsänen has already called on her own Ministry to clarify their role.

The Jehovah's Witnesses see the Victims of Religion Support Association as an attack on the principles of the faith. The Jehovah's Witnesses community did not wish to comment further.

4

Not on JW.ORG: Northern California: Alan Abbott, Elder/Bethelite convicted of Child Molestation.

by Balaamsass2 in

forwarded to me by northern cal jw concerned about how this elders case & jw connection was swept under the carpet for many years.. shingletown man pleads no contest to molesting childrecord searchlight staff4:15 pm, mar 19, 2009. local.

alan abbott.

a 54-year-old shingletown man has pleaded no contest to molesting a girl in exchange for a 24-year prison sentence, a prosecutor said today.. alan paul abbott, who pleaded no contest wednesday to three counts of lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under the age of 14, is due to be sentenced on april 16.. abbott will be required to serve 85 percent of his prison sentence, or about 20.4 years, before becoming eligible for parole, deputy district attorney ben hanna said today.. he will be on parole for five years upon his release from prison.. abbott, who was arrested in late december, was accused of molesting the girl from about 2004 to 2006, hanna said.. .

wannabefree

Wow! Is this sentence the norm? I was under the impression these guys usually only did three to five years.

300

ALERT: NEW LAWSUIT settlement - $13 MILLION

by Watchtower-Free in

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/135m-awarded-to-bible-teacher-gonzalo-campos-alleged-abuse-victim-jose-lopez-281031832.html.

(published thursday, oct 30, 2014).

thursday, oct 30, 2014 updated at 11:58 pm pdt.

wannabefree

And now we see proof as to the real reason the GB was separated from Watchtower corporations several years back ....

EXHIBIT 23

page 3 lines 1&2

Gerrit Losch lives and works in New York. But, Mr. Losch is not now and, in fact, never has been

an officer, director, managing agent or employee of Watchtower.

58

new assembly experience... what do you reckon to this one?

by purrpurr in

ok so aparently there was this young girl who wanted to study with the jw's because she loved the bible so much.

she asked her fathers permission but he refused, after much nagging though he said she could have a study if she was prepared to have one of her fingers chopped off.

he thought the is would stop her but she was willing so he got a knife and cut off one of her fingers... a little while later she wanted to attend the meetings and he said no and again when nagged said she could attend meetings if she had another finger chopped off so she agreed and he chopped off a second finger.

wannabefree

If it has any truth to it, with the way things have gone in Japan with JW's, it should be updated with the girl learning TTATT and lamenting losing her fingers for the stupid cult.

4

anyone got this article? from 1947 awake

by sowhatnow in

im looking for the article called 'are you also excommunicated' in the jan 8th 1947 awake.. anyone have a pdf file to share so i can print it?

.

thanks one way or the other.

wannabefree

https://archive.org/details/1947Awake

53

Awake! to be part of Watchtower Public Edition!

by Atlantis in

this was posted on a jw site and it would be nice if we could verify.. .. .. as of february 2015, the awake!

will come as a part of the watchtower public edition instead of as a separate magazine.

this is a huge change... with serious cost savings.

wannabefree

less magazines to throw away ... on the down side, what about Awake! University ... will you still get a college equivalent education with the Wakeuptower?

27

Would YOU Have Refused Blood To Remain Faithful To Your JW Beliefs?

by minimus in

i believe that most witnesses would refuse blood to show their faithfulness to jehovah's law on blood transfusions....( that sounds silly, huh?).

.

wannabefree

Unfortunately, yes, I am certain that I would have ... fortunately I never had to

35

what does jehovah eat ?

by bigmac in

yeah yeah---i know--spiritual food.. .

or maybe---beans ( human beans ).

for those on here who still believe in a god---how do you perceive him / her / it ?.

wannabefree

if he ate, he would have to poop, so even more important, where is his toilet?