Are the rules changing?

[Rogue]

Hi everybody,
Hope you all had a nice weekend! :)

Some of you may remember how I told about my niece, who had been abused by her father during her youth... he was an elder... short summary: she left the truth and was vomitted out by her entire family, and the man who did this to her, well, he was not df-ed, only his privilleges were taken from him... but after a few years he could hold lecturs again, walk the mic, pray on stage etc etc...

Recently, my niece sent her parents a long letter about how she feels about the way everything went, and how she is under medication and psychological help because of everything, and how she hates her parents for acting as the victim, because their daughter "left the truth", whenm actualy she is the victim...
Anyway, the other day she received a letter from her father... a short letter, saying that he might have missjugded the effect the abuse has had and still has on his daughter, and that recently the elders had paid him a visit to discuss a new WTBTS article about childabuse, and they revised the situation and took away all his privilleges again...

I don't know about any new article, do any of u? Appearantly it handles about the seriousness of childabuse and how someone that mollests its own child is also a danger to other children... and this is something that happened about 7 years ago, that he was removed as an elder... and now they suddenly take extensive action, he can't walk the mic anymore, nor hold lectures, read the WT or pray... I was sort of possitively surprised... is the organisation finaly becomming aware of the seriousness of it all, ánd of their accountability...? Obviousely they hardly had any choice, there was a huge need for change, or it was just a matter of time before people would start running away from the org on a larger scale... but still, I was positively surprised....

[watchman]

If there has been any sort of adjustment it would probably be done very quietly. Probably through the ministerial training schools or perhaps a letter strictly to the elders. It most definitely would not come out in a Watchtower as that would imply that Bethel's policies were not adequate in the first place. So, it will take an active elder to answer your question.

watchman

[Rogue]

The article I was talking about doesn't handle about a change in procedure in the organisation, it is just a new article about childabuse in general, and within families in particulair... as far as I know (I've not read it) it doesn't say anything about childabuse is handled within the org, but has a sharper tone on the subject of childabuse and it's seriousness... the articler itself doesn't withold any shocking revelations, but the elders that visited my uncle, came to discuss that article with him, to make him understand how serious it realy is.... and on top of that they revised his situation and removed his privilleges... the last one must be a change in organisatory policy, and Watchman, u are probably right, that only an active elder can enlighten us about this new policy....

But my uncle had added a copy of the new article to his letter, my niece has it, she couldnt find a date or issue number on it though... so I was wondering if any of u know about a new article on childabuse?

[panda]

Hi Rogue, hope you are doing OK. I have looked at the latest mags, and nothing on child abuse, though some articles on child promiscuity. I really find it difficult to understand that the wTS or elders personally do not understand the impact that child abuse has on the individual, there is so much material from experts out there, amazes me that they only have bothered to try and understand the problem now.

Hope your niece is doing better.

panda

[dgibson]

I think they would have to start separating the congregation meetings by age if they got down to the dirty details. So, things may envoke interest in young ones, so they may think. Or, they may be affraid of the experts coming after them for giving away free advise?

[TheMdC]

I confess to not reading the mags cover to cover so I may have missed an article on the subject.

It seems to me, though, that either a second witness would have had to come forward or the uncle would have had to confess. Or perhaps the abuse became publicly known among the congregation or in the local area and so "brought reproach."

Otherwise, I don't see what would have moved the brothers to take action now, when the same brothers wouldn't do so in the past.

[James]

There was a series of articles that ran in the October 2007 Awake.

http://www.watchtower.org/e/200710/article_01.htm

http://www.watchtower.org/e/200710/article_02.htm

http://www.watchtower.org/e/200710/article_03.htm



agape,
James

[Eyes & Ears]

I think they would have to start separating the congregation meetings by age if they got down to the dirty details. So, things may envoke interest in young ones, so they may think. Or, they may be affraid of the experts coming after them for giving away free advise?


Hi Dgibson,

I just wanted to say those are the cutest puppies ever. Just absolutely adorable.

OK, sorry I interrupted the thread.

Later,

E & E

[dgibson]

Thanks E & E

[panda]

Thanks E & Editto. Love those gorgeous babies, do you have a name for them yet? thanks for putting them on as your avatar, just delightful.:D

[panda]

I confess to not reading the mags cover to cover so I may have missed an article on the subject.

It seems to me, though, that either a second witness would have had to come forward or the uncle would have had to confess. Or perhaps the abuse became publicly known among the congregation or in the local area and so "brought reproach."

Otherwise, I don't see what would have moved the brothers to take action now, when the same brothers wouldn't do so in the past.yeah I tend to agree, was thinking about this last night. Also a certain amount of time has to go by, before someone is completely free from accusation, this is by the public or within the congregation, I would be interested to know when he had his privileges lost. But I see that his was given his privileges back, so the time period may have elapsed.

Seems there may be new accusations against him, or something was not resolved.

I just hope that the child in question is not in any way hurt by any new drama or unresolved issues.:mad:

[Rogue]

There was a series of articles that ran in the October 2007 Awake.

http://www.watchtower.org/e/200710/article_01.htm

http://www.watchtower.org/e/200710/article_02.htm

http://www.watchtower.org/e/200710/article_03.htm



agape,
James

Hi James,
Thnx for posting these links... from what I've heard from my niece, this are not the same articles, the article she has, deals more about abuse within a family... and she was irritated by the opening line, that said: "If you have mollested a child, are you to wicked to be forgiven by Jehovah? The bible doesn't say anything about this, but......" and then they come up with their own rules about forgiveness, although the Bible clearly doesn't say anything about the subject... but other than that, she said it was a good article...

MdC, my uncle had already confessed 7 years ago, and the elders did take actions, they din;t DF him because he repented, but his privilleges were already moved back then... but he gained some privilleges back in a few years... and now they revised the situation and took them back again, although they were already fully up to date on the entire situation 7 years ago.... My uncle had told my niece that it had to do with new rules... as far as I know, the story is not publicly known in our congregation, only the close relatives know... that is what bugs my niece, that most people in the congregation see her as the wicked child that hurt her parents for leaving the truth... and they have no idea what realy went on and who realy is the victim....

[Jahsdisciple]

Hey Rogue,
I dont know all the situation,but why is it the female is always blamed even when she is a child or just turned a teen and later as well. It makes me sick that somehow she must have even a small amount of blame. This is total rubbish ! It makes me angry for the innocent one because they feel that even in a small way it must be their fault. this is also wrong 100% !!

The person who did it is 100% wrong. the innocent must be seen this way...and this means they are in no way responsible for what they did to them.

Is it any wonder they 'leave the truth'(man i hate that expression!). They know others see them wrongly or think they have a small part of the blame...and knowing they are 100% innocent cant bear to be around people who think like this.

Pass on to them that not everyone has this kind of mind set ! JD.

[Jahsdisciple]

Hi Dgibson,

I just wanted to say those are the cutest puppies ever. Just absolutely adorable.

OK, sorry I interrupted the thread.

Later,

E & E

I wanna see POLLY !!!

[TheMdC]

Rogue, if the abuser confessed and lost his privileges, what were the grounds for DFing your niece? (or was her DFing a separate event? if so, we should respect her privacy on that)

[dgibson]

Max & Katy Some more pictures in my picture folder. I even put myself there, and my mother, and father. I wonder if i would be in trouble if they knew I posted their picture on what they are being told is an apostate website.:o:rolleyes:

[panda]

Max & Katy Some more pictures in my picture folder. I even put myself there, and my mother, and father. I wonder if i would be in trouble if they knew I posted their picture on what they are being told is an apostate website.:o:rolleyes:great pics, thanks for sharing. Love the dogs on the veranda! :D

[dgibson]

Thank you, sorry for highjacking the thread. I was so pleased to finally figure out how to put in a picture. Maybe I went overboard.