The early work of Bill Bowen is commendable.
He helped expose the WTS as being no different from any other "worldly" organisation in having its share of perverts and abusers.
However, like Liberal Elder's campaign to permit blood transfusion for JW children, Bill Bowen's Silentlambs is addressing the symptoms only and not the disease.
Certainly, child abuse is despicable and disgusting, but it is only one of many symptoms of the disease spread by the Watchtower religion -- false hopes based on lies and anti-christian doctrine which ruined all our lives.
ALL of us who left have experienced feelings of instability and insecurity as a result of being well and (un)-truly duped. Some of us gave our best years to the WTS, being raised from infancy by trusting parents to believe the Lie.
Like millions of former JWs, I was never sexually abused, but I am nevertheless, very happy to be an ex-member! I am no longer a follower of men. And I am certainly not a disciple of Ray Franz. But some thanks for my present good situation (and readers here too) must go to him.
As I was exiting the Watchtower, it was his books which made me aware of the depth and breadth of the WT's falsehoods. It is WT Governing Body's failure to follow Christian doctrine and to apply its own rules consistently and fairly which causes many of the ills we all suffered. It puts control into the hands of poorly educated and ignoble men -- the wolves in sheep's clothing.
Ray's style of writing was non-confrontational and unaggressive. I am sure that many of us found it appealing and soft, at a time when we needed gentleness. But more importantly, his second book explained clearly why none of us need follow the lying leaders any longer. It showed us that the WTS is not special at all (except in its uncompassionate badness!). It was a stepping stone toward Christianity (or to other Ways for some). But most importantly, it gave us a good start on the road to FREEDOM from mental, emotional and doctrinal slavery.
OTOH, how can we severely criticise anyone in particular for anything written in a WTS publication? The WTS and its "faithful slave" and writers are run by the Devi Inc!! The fact that there may be a quotation of Scriptures is irrelevant. We all know how adept the GB is in twisting Scripture to suit its ends! It gives its approval to anyone who writes its teachings appealingly. And were we not all guilty of saying and doing stupid - even wicked - things "with God's approval" while we were under the WT's influence?
Someone once wrote an essay on the perils of organisation. Men start them with great and good intentions, but sometimes the groups carry us along and make us forget the humble and noble ideals that started them. Everyone jumps on the Bandwagon, wanting a piece of the action - 15 minutes of fame!
So yes, your early work, Bill Bowen is commendable, but please don't allow present successes to go to your head. Don't forget why you started Silentlambs!
And ask yourself -- did you love the WTS? Were you trying to reform it until they booted you out?
Or did you walk away from it because, close up, it stinks of lies and hypocrisy and badness?
Anton
Witness Aid UK