Watchtower's Response To Nbc Expose

[watchman]

The Watchtower has published a response to NBC's expose (http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&fg=rss&vid=e23e8a3c-9c9d-4898-9a23-dde52fbc70db&from=05)on their public relations website (http://www.jw-media.org/), reproduced below:


For the sake of the victims in these cases, we are pleased that a settlement has been reached. Our hearts go out to all those who suffer as a result of child abuse. Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide are united in their abhorrence of this sin and crime.—Romans 12:9.We do not condone or protect child molesters. Our elders expel unrepentant sinners who commit this crime. (1 Corinthians 5:13) In the United States, over 80,000 elders currently serve in over 12,300 congregations. (Acts 20:28) During the last 100 years, only eleven elders have been sued for child abuse in thirteen lawsuits filed in the United States. In seven of these lawsuits against the elders, accusations against the Watchtower Society itself were dismissed by the courts. Of course, one victim is one victim too many. However, the incidence of this crime among Jehovah's Witnesses is rare.

Congregation elders comply with child abuse reporting laws. (Mark 12:17; Romans 13:1) We do not silence victims. Our members have an absolute right to report this horrible crime to the authorities. The October 2007 issue of our monthly journal Awake! features the cover series, "Keep Your Children Safe!" These articles clearly show our concern for protecting children (http://www.jw-media.org/newsroom/index.htm?content=/region/global/english/backgrounders/e_molestation.htm) from sexual abuse.




The question thinking Jehovah's Witnesses ought to ask themselves and their elders is this: If the Watchtower Society is reallyconcerned about the victims, why did it take numerous lawsuits for them to offer any sort of compensation? Where is the righteousness in being forced by "worldly" lawyers to do the right thing.

Also, if the Watchtower bears no responsibilty for the numerous crimes that have been committed against children, then why have they made out-of-court settlements with the victims? Furthermore, since the millions of dollars they have paid out to the abused are funds solicited from Jehovah's Witnesses for the sole purpose of advancing the World Wide Work of preaching about Jehovah's Kingdom, then if the Society is really guiltless as they claim then they have apparently allowed themselves to be conned out of money donated to God. Why would they allow that to happen? Why not go to court and rely on Jehovah to defend them so as to protect the kingdom's coffers? Especially in view of the fact that the Society's press release even boasts that the courts have dismissed some cases.

The answer should be obvious. Bethel's lawyers are shrewd enough to know that if these cases went to court they would lose BIG TIME, and a jury would likely award the victims much more then the Society settled for.

Please notice, too, that even though the Society paid the victims they have not offered one word of apology.

The beauty of Jehovah's justice is that the mountain of money the Society is sitting on and which they will do anything to preserve, including lying, is soon going to vaporize. (See recent blog entry: Dollar Death Spiral (http://www.e-watchman.co.uk/))

Be reminded that all the prophecies in Isaiah, Ezekiel and Zephaniah that foretell that the day will come when men throw their worthless money into the street were originally directed to the people of God's earthly organization. And the Christain letter of James foretells the same judgment will also befall Christians who have acted unjustly.


Watchman

[Sketch]

Does anyone know how many lawsuits have been brought against individual congregations or elders? I can't belive its only been this handfull... not with the hundreds or thousands of people who've been abused...

[Eli's Foe]

The Watchtower has published a response to NBC's expose (http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&fg=rss&vid=e23e8a3c-9c9d-4898-9a23-dde52fbc70db&from=05)on their public relations website (http://www.jw-media.org/), reproduced below:
"We do not silence victims."

The beauty of Jehovah's justice is that the mountain of money the Society is sitting on and which they will do anything to preserve, including lying, is soon going to vaporize. (See recent blog entry: Dollar Death Spiral (http://www.e-watchman.co.uk/))

Be reminded that all the prophecies in Isaiah, Ezekiel and Zephaniah that foretell that the day will come when men throw their worthless money into the street were originally directed to the people of God's earthly organization. And the Christain letter of James foretells the same judgment will also befall Christians who have acted unjustly.


Watchman
[/b]

The biggest deceit , is this lie. The gagged victims of the recent out of court settlements must surely wish they had received true justice - but no one will ever receive it at the hands of these men. It is just sickening that the vast majority of Witnesses who would never condone these things continue to support the financial coffers of the WTS in complete ignorance.

EF

[Nash]

It takes humility and lowliness of mind to admit fault and error - qualities which, sadly, the WTS does not possess. I've never heard of an instance where the Society has stated outright that they were wrong and I've never read about the Society apologizing for anything.

This is because, to admit fault on such a grand scale as this would call into question the role of the holy spirit on the organization. Then, that would open up further questions. So, as I see it, the WTS, because of its past decisions coupled with the past and present theological structure of its teachings, is forced to back itself into a corner to save face - mind you, even if it were to offer an apology, it's too little too late.

Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place - what a choice: admitting fault or admitting hypocrisy. That's a situation I wouldn't want to be in.

Nash

[Jinnvisible]

The best propaganda is always from the most well practiced at it. Who is more practiced than this puppet master ?

[Jeshurun]

One of these days the Watchtower will back itself into a corner with its own lies that even the sheep will not be able to ignore. In any event the appearance of this vile news on primetime national television (once again) will get them talking, hopefully. Maybe enough people will get together to take Bethel to task. I would love to see entire congregations band together to confront the evil slave, storm Bethel and demand some admissions and repentance. I don't think even they would have the nerve to try group disfellowshippings.

I can only imagine how Jehovah feels about high ranking ministers carrying his Name make it onto the FBI's most wanted list.

Sick to my stomach.

Jesh

[stayawake]

yes Jesh ,step aside while I hold your head.

They have really dragged Jehovah thru the mud.
I can see why 1 Pet 4;17 must have priority.
love sis stayawake

[Jeshurun]

yes Jesh ,step aside while I hold your head.

They have really dragged Jehovah thru the mud.
I can see why 1 Pet 4;17 must have priority.
love sis stayawake[/b]

If it ever comes down to storming Bethel I can hop on the railroad and be there in 45 minutes.

I wonder if anyone on the GB is even sweating. I'm sorry Robert but I can't help seeing this harlot. The disgusting things of the earth, I sit a queen, I shall see no mourning or sorrow, a real spiritual prostitute.

If hypothetically the One World Religion is Babylon the Great and the Watchtower joins it, perhaps Jehovah finds a way to annihilate it first, while the rest of BTG goes down within the hour?

[DoubtingThomas]

Jehovah's got the situation well in hand Jesh. We don't need no stinking revolt here! In due time brother, in due time. Sooner than later is my gut feeling.

And yes ... the Society has actually done group Df'ings!

There was an entire congregation (Kingdom Hall) in Texas that the WT came in to, took all of their literature out of, removed all of the elders, and locked the doors to the Hall! I guess the WTBTS held the title to the building!

From what I understand, the congregation then started their "own church". Funny ... uh?

DT

[Peter]

The irony is this weeks No3 talk was about spiritual paradise.

[Viking]

"We do not condone or protect child molesters"

In the past it was usual that child molesters were protected. The COs coming around always reminded the elders to that thing. It was his utterance to the elders that all parents who went to the prosecutor were to be set before a judicial committee.

About 2002 they changed their mind and started to permit the way to the prosecutor.

So WT is shaping again its past. Under their white collars they have dirty necks. I nowhere see any confession to the old practice no excuse , no " we are sorry" only the self praising.

soon the jar will break.

Their spiritual paradise is a fraud, a hoax, a kind of self satisfaction
We live in a world that is evil

[panda]

It's obvious that the WTS has not repented of these sins, and the sheep have suffered. What is important to Jehovah and Christ is the sheep. Jesus did not die for the WTS. The arogance and proudness of the WTS and its GB is no different ot the Israelite nation, which he eventually ousted.

I hope and pray that all will come to a head real soon for the sake of the sheep. Jehovah is bigger than the WTS, sheeesh.

[watchman]

Someone brought it to my attention that the Watchtower has just posted an article on the front page of their website entitled: It Pays to be Honest (http://www.watchtower.org/). In the wake of the exposure of their dishonesty Bethel's hypocrisy is staggering.

[NEW HEART]

I was a little girl (7) when I was molested by a bethel pervert my sister married. He denied this and lied and got away with it. It was all covered up, because she was not to talk about it at all to anyone, or else get disfellowshipped . It messed me up for a long time. I have never trusted men around my daughters ever since, especially when brothers try to hold my young daughter on his lap, because it brings it all back.

Well, my sister divorced him and he went on being an elder, and eventually married a pioneer sister. She already had 2 small daughters, and he ended up molesting them for years. Come to find out, his pioneer wife found out and turned him in, and he denied it again. Now over 10 other victims have come forward and the idiot is still denying it, and refuses to admit his quilt. All these years he has been used as an elder in the hall, even though he was turned in numerous times. Finally the elders refused to keep him, because there was just too many cases, and they were looking like fools, so they finally disfellowshipped him just recently. He cannot be reinstated till he ADMITS he is quilty of lying.

My question to all of you is , what about all the innocent pure hearts this demon in sheeps covering has been sacrificing to satan? What about the rights of these young girls to grow up and marry a husband undefiled, and pure on her wedding night? Why should anyone have to keep quiet to such a crime? Would a God of pure love expect this to remain covered over just because they claim it would bring reproach on his name. It brings reproach not on Jehovah, but on those claiming to be his mouthpiece! Shame on them! I will never put my trust in any manmade kingdoms on this earth ever again! I will only fear God and give him glory and worship him alone and follow his Son, Jesus as my ONLY mediator between my Father and I, no one else is needed. We are all already FREE, and have been since Jesus died for us. His everlasting Kingdom is near to happening, and will crush all these manmade kingdoms here very, very, shortly.

Jehovahs servant,
New heart

[Peter]

It messed me up for a long time. I have never trusted men around my daughters ever since, especially when brothers try to hold my young daughter on his lap, because it brings it all back.[/b]

Any brother having a child on his lap is asking for trouble, in today’s current climate its wise no to be touchy feely with younger children. Brothers need to cover their backs, it may be innocent but if individuals get the wrong end of the stick, what then for the brother.

Personally I give children a wide birth, its sad I know but that the way it is. One approached me today nice little kid, he reached out to me but I just gave him a friendly smile and a pat on the head-how are you so to speak!

I for one am sickened that all men are under suspicion because of the few. The time will come well all men can be trusted in Gods new world.

[Jeshurun]

My question to all of you is , what about all the innocent pure hearts this demon in sheeps covering has been sacrificing to satan? What about the rights of these young girls to grow up and marry a husband undefiled, and pure on her wedding night? Why should anyone have to keep quiet to such a crime? Would a God of pure love expect this to remain covered over just because they claim it would bring reproach on his name. It brings reproach not on Jehovah, but on those claiming to be his mouthpiece! Shame on them! I will never put my trust in any manmade kingdoms on this earth ever again! I will only fear God and give him glory and worship him alone and follow his Son, Jesus as my ONLY mediator between my Father and I, no one else is needed. We are all already FREE, and have been since Jesus died for us. His everlasting Kingdom is near to happening, and will crush all these manmade kingdoms here very, very, shortly.

Jehovahs servant,
New heart[/b]

My heart goes out to you Sister. It's wonderful that you have found your way around the Gatekeepers and instead of killing you they made you stronger.

Agape
Jesh

[douglas]

During the last 100 years, only eleven elders have been sued for child abuse in thirteen lawsuits filed in the United States. In seven of these lawsuits against the elders, accusations against the Watchtower Society itself were dismissed by the courts.[/b]
why even SAY this? 7 of 13 dismissed?! 6 of 13 NOT. duh.
what honor, integrity, humility or faithfulness is there in distancing "the Watchtower Society itself" from obvious stumbling blocks in the spiritual paradise it oversees?
(nods to nash and jinn for thoughtfood.)

and btw:
the apostle paul: "do you not know that you shall judge angels?" ...while we must respect and obey the superior authorities, they are placed in their RELATIVE positions by God, and "relative" means that they are in the final analysis Satanic. what practical relevance is there in the dismissal of cases by the courts? why even SAY this?
and again btw:
"only eleven elders have been sued"? SUED? is that the standard by which harm to the flock is determined? lawsuits filed in Satan's world?

[Viking]

how many law suits were made failing as the elders did not report the case to the prosecutor?
That once was politics from WTS.

There is the figure of more than 23,000 cases of child molest in the WT files.

surely much more convicted elders than just 11. 11 is a number of carneval.

I miss their ability to confess the mistakes of the past and to confirm that such things in future will given at once to the prosecutor. But that all would countercarry their idea of a "spiritual paradise".

And nothing of all is reported in Awake or in the WT. It is all hidden before those elder brothers who give good donations. the money flow must not made short.

But the rivers will be deviated soon by the big one from the north.

Jehovahs judge will end this sad story and break down the ivory towers where the dwellers are asleep.

[Nash]

Hi Douglas,

Welcome to the forum.

Nash

[ano.nymous62]

[quote]
' I was a little girl (7) when I was molested by a bethel pervert my sister married. He denied this and lied and got away with it. It was all covered up, because she was not to talk about it at all to anyone, or else get disfellowshipped . It messed me up for a long time.'

Dear Sister New Heart,

So sorry to read about your story. I so feel for you as I have lived a similar story of sexual abuse by an elder when I was 10 years old. Sadly, my Bible study has lived the same nightmare in the hands of an elder. The cover up was true in both our cases.

I have just been publically reproved. My sins? I brought up the matter to the attention of our eldrers for the third time. I objected to the fact that a sexual abuser who denied (of course) his sins was appointed as theocratic school overseer in our congregation only weeks after having denied all accusations. Since the abuser sexually harrasses myself and my Bible study at the kingdom Hall I asked the elders for help. Apparently, as the matter has to be left to 'rest' I am not allowed to mention what he does. Doing so makes me a slanderer. Mentioning it again makes me a repeated slanderer and the third mention made me aligible for a judicial committee. At the judical committee I had two choices: Apologise, retract all charges and be publically reproved or sustain the charges and be disfellowshipped.

May Jehovah sustain the silenced victims of sexual abuse within the congregation.

I really feel for you, sadly I have not found the answer as to why Jehovah's organisation can get it so very wrong on the policy of child abuse. May be they would re-think if it happened to a member of their own family.

The only way i rationalise it is to tell myself that maybe this is what Satan is asking of Jehovah as he knows it hurts so deeply it is likely to break us sisters.

Keep smiling.

Your sister Ano.nymous62.

[billy]

Dear ano.nymous62

thats absolutly deplorable - i dont know what to say to you - have you thought about going to the police? How are you holding up? Do you have any support in the congregation? Or councilling?

I'm so sorry to hear of this sad state of affairs

sister billy

[TheCook]

That's terrible, absolutely terrible. What are those elders doing? What can they be thinking, that they're protecting the sheep? I don't know what to say, my heart really goes out to you sisters, and I hope you get some comfort in the fact that Jehovah has not left you, or shut you out from your relationship with him. I can only say that I would have done the same, if I had been the victim of such unjustice, or even if I had seen it happen to someone in my congregation. I think it would be impossible to stay quiet in that situation. You have nothing to apologize for, sisters, they have. One day, justice will be done, until then all we can do is stay close to Jehovah and somehow, in some way, endure the hardships.

Love, The Cook

[Peter]

If you need to go to the police then go.</span></span> </span>

[Molly]

Dear Sister Ano.nymous62

I have only the utmost compassion for your situation. Hiding place or shelter is one thing that the elders are not in cases like these. It bothers me that both you and your Bible study are both being sexually harrassed by this elder. It suggests to me that there may be others who are receiving his unwanted attentions. He apparently thinks he can do these things without repucussion.

You have apparently tried three times to entreat the elders to do something about this individual to no avail. Matt. 18:15-17 tells us how to proceed in matters like this: 15"Moreover, if you brother commits a sin, go lay bare his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, in order that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. 17If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations and as a tax collector." You are, I am sure, familiar with these verses. The question is, if your worldly next door neighbor were to behave in the same fashion as this elder, what would you do? The answer is simply. You would call the police and get justice from that source. These scriptures tell us to take full advantage of the authorities if there is no satisfaction from the congregation, because they tell us to treat that brother as you would someone in the world. Nowhere do these scriptures suggest that you are to be treated as a liar or slanderer.

One would think, since there are two of you to complain to the authorities about this matter, that they would take it seriously. Of course, you and your Bible study would probably be considered slanderers by the congregation, perhaps you would even be disfellowshipped. On the other hand, it might save some other sister from his abuse or it could result in others coming forward to further expose his behavior. That could be a weighty decision for you to make, so you have my sympathies.

Molly

[Jeshurun]

My sympathies and prayers also go out for you Sister Anonymous. I can&#39;t offer better advice than you have already received here. Jehovah is seeing all of this and there should be no fear on your part of what they might do to you even if they go so far as disfellowshipping. If that were to happen you certainly would have plenty of company in those ranks from other victims of abuse by WTS reps.

The Watchtower&#39;s sins are piling clear up to heaven and those in charge of the flock are to be held to higher accountability because of their office of oversight.

God bless you for not taking this out on Jehovah and keeping your faith in Him. It&#39;s an honor to have you here among us.

Agape
Lou

[James]

We do not condone or protect child molesters. Our elders expel unrepentant sinners who commit this crime. (1 Corinthians 5:13) However, the incidence of this crime among Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses is rare.

Watchman
[/b]


"Shocking as it is, even some who have been prominent in Jehovah’s organization have succumbed to immoral practices, including homosexuality, wife swapping, and child molesting. It is to be noted, also, that during the past year, 36,638 individuals had to be disfellowshipped from the Christian congregation, the greater number of them for practicing immorality. Jehovah’s organization must be kept clean."
watchtower january 1, 1986

And how many were reinstated again and again?

agape,
James

[Peter]

The irony is this weeks No3 talk was about spiritual paradise.[/b]

“Shocking as it is, even some who have been prominent in Jehovah’s organization have succumbed to immoral practices, including homosexuality, wife swapping, and child molesting. It is to be noted, also, that during the past year, 36,638 individuals had to be disfellowshipped from the Christian congregation, the greater number of them for practicing immorality. Jehovah’s organization must be kept clean” (Watchtower 86)

Now does that sound like paradise?

Immoral practices-How many innocent mates become injured as a result and leave spiritual paradise?

Homosexuality-Is there such in paradise?

Child molesting- I’m sure there will be none in the literal paradise so why do we assume they live and are allowed to live in spiritual paradise.

From the above article the society certainly recognize that there’s a problem. :mellow: