Yes, you are right the elders do have a responsibilty; Yes they have failed alot of children. Yes they should be held accountable and made to pay for that!
Ok Bosho: I am going to address this first.. again I said " Many " not all Elders. Even your words above, you agree upon the responsiblity of the elders.
If you look at below.. it states in highlighting.. it doesn't relieve us. We the people have a responsiblity too. That is from the earlier post. Again read carefully. That is why the site is here.. to discuss these things and get things out in the open. When people discuss things openly with out reading into things, with out attacking, etc. You get solutions you may of not thought of .. Period.
As for God handling it all in the end.. that is his place to do so. But it doesn't relieve us or the eldership in dealing with the issues. To use and twist many of the teachings to personal benefit, to shun the victim, to harm another person etc. is wrong. An MANY ex-jw's have gone through to much pain and suffering at the hands of the MANY who are out there.
Counseling doesn't mean endangering a child.
COUNSELING doesn't always mean the COUNSEL of the ELDERSHIP. They do not care one way or another by allowing this person to continue on somewhere else. ( Just because he is now what they consider a apostate .. doesn't mean he cannot be "forgiven" and taken back into the "fold". He can be a danger again to another congregation. That is what I meant when do you know where he is.. what he is doing. Because through your anger you may not even care to know. Or for all I know by your words: he left your congregation .. many ( not all) let things end there. An again this person is out there lurking.. and I pray your niece will not come face to face w/ him again. Or if she does she is well armed ( and shoots off an particular apendage).Also couseling in a structured enviroment ( apparently you are not familar with behavior modification) means that they are held accountable for actions. They are watched, even medicated .. and if they are out in society they are registered. This goes beyond what the eldership could do or even wanted to try to do. This person has family does he not ? They could of placed him in a place to recieve the help he apparently needs. He is a sick individual who preys upon children. I don't think he should be out anywhere.. with out being registered or something. An if his family was " JW" they could of been approached by the elders and advised of options (if they cared to do so).
Below another quote where I stated this again.. he should be on a list with all congregations. Even you agreed the Elders have some responsiblity.
I am stating on this issue that THE ELDERSHIP should of took more of a stance to PROTECT the community and other children within other CONGREGATIONS rather than let this person fade into the big picture again AND start all over.
State laws, and statues of limitations need to be looked at in some cases and yes there are some laws that need to be changed. But again I am speaking in a general way.. am not saying all or this case.
Any preditor of a child needs some accountablity. They are Mentally Ill and need to be handled in a structured enviroment. Preferably one that they have to keep him heavily under watch. ( what part of that was hard to understand..? and does someone being mentally ill mean that they are absolved.. no it does not. Mentally Ill does not equate insanity there is a difference and there are many forms of Mental Illness.. this one comes from a perverse mental way of thinking.)
Your way of "pointing" out things is in a accusatory way. You don't listen to what is being written. You have a way of assuming and accusing.
Like you said you don't know me, neither do you know me,and you have a definate way of reading things into people's post that are not there. You are highly on the defensive and because of that, you put yourself as a target for harsh words. Because you put others on the defensive too. Your anger is palatable.. and it comes out as an attack. That is why I have repeatedly ask you to read carefully before you post.
I have nothing against you personally. But, I do have something against you coming in here and attacking in a accusatory way to others and myself. You started of with a topic you knew that was offensive... I don't know you from Adam and you are asking me a personal question about my belief on God. Frankly it is none of your business.
But I am being as open as I can be under the circumstances. You are not allowing any getting to know you phase what- so- ever.
Then also to interject this too because you seem to be stuck on this. An again assuming I stated that this person should be in the Congregation that your niece is in. Again Counsel doesn't mean endangering a child. Elders can go to a person's home it doesn't have to take place at the K.H. :
1.) I did not SAY that the person should be in your Congregation. But the man is in need of some help.. GODLY or otherwise, Because he is a danger to himself and others.
2) Again I said ,Many.. not all. What part of many don't you get ?.. I even posted the webster dictionary meaning on the word.
Again.. he should of been put away ( by the state and /or family member for mental observation and even plainly just put away in a mental instution for illness forever. Men or women who are preditors like this are ill in the way they think. They feel many times a justification for this type of behavior.. and will do it again if not stopped. ( example: Samantha Runnion's Abuser/ and murderer) Once again.. I say SHOULD of .. unfortunately it did not happen.
After this Bosho.. if you don't understand me.. I am not going to go over this again, seriously it is not my cup of tea. To have to argue or defend myself from your accusations and anger. You want to be offensive that is your choice. What does the bible state about a gentle word turning away wrath ?
If you want to get to know me or any one else for that matter, then I suggest you go about it another way. Less defensive. On that note, I will ask that we start fresh and perhaps get to know one another.. then perhaps we can understand eachother better.
An if you want to know about the 2 witness policy ask... there are people on here with Large data bases on a wide variety of subjects. One of them is JanH.. he has alot of good posts and information on teachings and policies. Also Dakota Red, Silent Lamb, Lying Eyes, Wild Turkey, ... just to name a few there are so many on this board.
Just ask if you want to know something on a subject believe me you will get alot of different replies. It is up to you to decide which is the truth for yourself.
Xandria