Yet Another Coverup For Abusers

[The Wanderer 3,044]

While this is about jehovah's Witnesses, it sometimes, sadly, rings close to home.

Sex abuse accusations within the Jehovah's Witnesses

A religious sect's doctrine protects accused sex offenders and makes it virtually impossible for complaints to be reported to police. W5's Avery Haines investigates an alleged sex abuse cover-up within the Jehovah's Witnesses

View Video Here

 

[JoeMo 2,558]

45 minutes ago, The Wanderer said:

While this is about jehovah's Witnesses, it sometimes, sadly, rings close to home.

Amen.  My oldest son was molested by an SDA teacher in his freshman year of high school.  He's dead now.  He was molested in 1990; and died in Feb. 2005.  I miss him a lot.  Teacher who molested him was protected by the Conference and simply "got a calling" to another school to teach and molest elsewhere.  Hopefully, the denomination has updated its policies to protect the students rather than the teachers.

[The Wanderer 3,044]

I should have mentioned that I did not post this to necessarily attack JWs; but after I watched this video; I realized that one of the driving forces behind this organization's cover-ups and protection of sexual predators is a verse that has been coined as "The Two Witnesses Rule, taken from the OT in Deut:

Quote

Deu_19:15  One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

This was something new for me to learn and I was surprised by it. I mean, what do they think is going to happen here? How on earth would TWO, not one, but TWO people (witnesses) ever be able to see a sexual predator do this? In order to "obey" this rule, two guys (elders) would have to physically see the offence take place! I can hardly wrap my head around this.

There is a similar text in the NT that I imagine gets used in similar ways:

Quote

1Ti_5:19  Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

Just when I think I have seen everything! It must be horrible for the people who are victims of this!

[The Wanderer 3,044]

7 minutes ago, JoeMo said:

Amen.  My oldest son was molested by an SDA teacher in his freshman year of high school.  He's dead now.  He was molested in 1990; and died in Feb. 2005.  I miss him a lot.  Teacher who molested him was protected by the Conference and simply "got a calling" to another school to teach and molest elsewhere.  Hopefully, the denomination has updated its policies to protect the students rather than the teachers.

I am really saddened to hear about this JoeMo. Hopefully the "updating" also included taking that scumbag to court and serving him his just desserts. But that doesnt heal the wounds, I am sure. Only Jesus can fill that one, and it may take time and effort, but I pray that you will (if you have not already) experience the love and healing of this "deadly wound." I cant even begin to imagine what you have gone through.

 

[Gregory Matthews 5,131]

Joe:

*  In my opinion, and experience, the SDA denomination, at least in the NAD, has moved light years away f from where it once was.

*  However, I do not claim that it has reached perfection.

*  One evidence of this change is the fact that more of these cases are being publicly reported.  NOTE:  The level of reporting is such that I am  often not reporting them here in this forum.

*  While I can speak best about the NAD, I can tell you that such cases are now being reported in other countries of this world.  This suggests to me  that the SDA denomination, on an international basis, is becoming more aware and is presently more often taking appropriate steps.

 

[The Wanderer 3,044]

1 hour ago, Gregory Matthews said:

While I can speak best about the NAD, I can tell you that such cases are now being reported in other countries of this world.  This suggests to me  that the SDA denomination, on an international basis, is becoming more aware and is presently more often taking appropriate steps.

I would agree, in general that they are doing a better job at "reporting" this kind of thing.

One of the reasons I posted this is because if you are able to watch the entire video (45 minutes) it brings up some other key issues that are engendered by this kind of issue. Some participants in this video had talked about how they were, for example, told things like "the love of God, true brotherhood and fellowship, and "family" friendly atmosphere "could only be found in God's true church,"  and as they told their stories they reflected on how shocked they were as they started discovering THAT same love and brotherhood, outside the Kingdom Halls, in their cases. As I listened, there were and are some eery simlarities in my own experiences of the past in terms of how I allowed my mind to literally be imprisoned by "the organization" and the shunning and abuses that happened when I didnt conform perfectly. Which I am sure we all here KNOW I dont do too well. lol

Most churches have a list, sometimes quite invisible until you violate something on it, of "sins" that are worse than other sins, and heaven forbid, sexual abuse is not on some of these lists; and yet, mental illness or drug addictions ARE on all of those lists. It is so heart-rending to hear the stories of these courageous people who stood up to The Watchtower, and to be reminded of how similar things are in so many churches I have attended. And I dont just mean the Adventist Church. Lord help anyone who struggles with addiction or mental illness. I cant post everything thats happened to which I am referring, but in any other circles, except churches, it would be jail time for certain people. Its monstrous what some get away with. Like the fabulous 7 in Bethel, at the Watchtower HQ, leaders right at or near the top seem untouchable, and unaccountable for the same things you or I would be given the boot, or worse, immediately.

And I am not even by a long-shot "anti-church" as I enjoy very much attending when I do go.

 

[Gregory Matthews 5,131]

Joe:

I am so sorry about your son.

Gregory Matthews