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I just began receiving this news. I am not yet on the outside but have given indications. I was molested by a man who floated in and out for years. When he came back and I got the nerve to speak, I was silenced. He went on to live a sexual life for over 5 yrs with his half sister. He did this while being active in the Cong. They finally disfellowshipped him. He and I had our confrontation AGAINST Elder wishes and I am healing finally after over 20yrs. Years that I thought I deserved punishment. YEARS that I believed the death of my infant child was directly related and given to me as a punishment for what I did!!!!!!!!!!! Now I am SOOOOOOOO angry with the Elders for holding back info from Child Protective Services. I am so confused and hurt.
how much longer is the watchtower society going to get away with everything they do? is there anything we can all do to expose this cult. from an ex witness of 28years
Very informative and well constructed. Thank you. It was said that 12 sisters in our former cong had MPD. It's probably an exaggeration (via the talkative elder) but there seriously was one we knew. Her father (when she was a child) continually had sexual relations with her and her sister - who never stayed a jw, hating it instead. It was repressed until our sis' daughter was married, and she too had been molested by the grandfather!!! He was NOT df'd in his kh down the Willamette Valley in Oregon - he admitted nothing. I wish I could send this link to her. She still struggling at it. Her father lost some privileges for a while, that is all. I did not know that abuse was so widespread in "god's organization". Thank you site-holders for the work that you do. When the exodus occurs there's gonna be a lot of psychological problems. Since children had to wear their JWness at school they are already two steps back on the social success ladder. Keep it up. Blessed Be. Glen who once was Deleted.
I think this is a wonderful thing you are doing in helping to expose the awful things the society covers over. I am no longer a JW, but growing up my mom was a JW and we lived with an extremely abusive man. He molested me and physically abused me from the age of 4 until I was 17. The elders new about this the whole time and told my mother she would be discipled if she left my stepfather because she didn't have scriptural reason to leave!!! Can you believe that. Then I attempted suicide at 17 and they disfellowshipped me because I was not sorry for doing such a thing. I am trying very hard to get my life back on track, but it is so hard when everyone in your family is still blinded by this SICK cult. I just hope that this site will help some others to realize they are not alone and it isn't their fault!!!
Thank you so much for this info. Scarey for me but important work. I have been out of the org for more than 20 years. Have always had the fear that in addition to my father agressiviteit that there was more. Still afraid of the unknown. I hope my fears will turn out to be wrong but so much has been blocked out. Thanks to the womans awake group things are starting to surface. Whatever may come up I am glad I am not alone. My strength and love to all of my fellow survivors!
The Society has managed to avoid big trouble so far by calculating that most people will assume these abuse cases are few and far between, and perpetrators are dumb hicks. Or that elders involved are inexperienced. This is far from true. JWs have a huge, disproportionate number of abuse cases, but they are almost always swept under the rug even by well meaning persons. Thanks to the internet and people like you, Randy, that's changing.
What is also happening is that progressive circuit and district overseers are getting a belly full of this stuff and persons inside the service department are getting very jumpy over what could happen when litigation starts. Some are quietly saying this is why God is not blessing the organization in growth--the spiritual paradise does not now exist. The Society's legal department thinks it has things under control but there is concern.
The trail is pretty large out there. Wouldn't surprise me to see file destruction in this country, just like the U.K. Brooklyn and Patterson have already done their share of "housekeeping," but there are still files floating around, especially the letters giving specific directions to cover up. The American public can be forgiving about sex issues, but do not lie to them, and do not cover up--that's gospel the GB must learn.
Overlooked is the nature of sex abuse, which involves power and control. Victims are scarred for life. This site is going to be a powerful force for good, Randy, because for the first time there will be a safe haven for persons to learn they are not alone and that there are persons who will not tolerate abuse in any form.
Al Capone was nailed for income tax evasion, it's fitting the Society could be brought down for failure to handle sex abuse issues and then covering up.
The congregation I was baptized at has had a history of child sexual abuse. While I lived there a JW couple (he was a ministerial servant) were foster parents. He molested the mentally challenged foster daughter. Everyone knew and no one did anything about it including me. The grief I feel for that young girl is horrible especially since I was a child of molestation too (not Jws). Recently the sister who studied with me called my husband to tell him about one of her grandaughters who had been molested by an elder. He carried on for years doing this and the victims finally broke the silence. She wanted to know how I put my life back together (of course she could not speak to me directly since I disassociated myself). I hope she took my advice and got her granddaughter to a therapist.
4 years ago, when we were still "in" the "organization" we had the opportunity to help a 30 year old "brother" get out of a life of drugs and trouble. He had been raised around the "organization" his entire life. His family was a typical family we see that had a lot of trouble with alcohol and immorality. Nevertheless, he was determined to "break the pattern" of the family tradition. He moved in with us for 8 months and succeeded in stopping his abuse of drug, alcohol, and tobacco. He ended up marrying a woman that is "in" the "organization". They are both still "in" it. They are good people. During his stay with us, I had mentioned how nice his Uncle was to our 13 year old son. His Uncle would take our son flying in his airplane. He commenced to start crying and said to not let our son around his Uncle anymore as his Uncle used to rape him when he was about 14. At that time his Uncle was an elder. He had since stepped down. Now, it was some 15 years later. However, the weekly bible study is still held at his house today. Even after he was "found out" 4 years ago. Even after he was told to stay clear of the youngsters in our small area, and he did not. Even after MORE victims stepped forward. He was privately admonished and restricted to not comment at meetings for 3 months. In fact, he was not even admonished until I performed some research and collected about 7 pages of materials on child molesters and presented this information to the local elders. It was very clear that these elders did not want to do anything. Since that episode I have since been DFed as an apostate. I went to the elders about 2.5 years ago and told them that I could no longer support the 1914 date as fact, that I disagreed with the blood issue, and that I felt strongly about the voting issue. I told them that I would not discuss my views openly but only with "them" my family members, and my best friend who had already been inactive for about a year. They said that was not good enough. They DFed me. Yes, things are no different out here in Western Washington State than they are anywhere else around the world when it comes to the "organization". At least they are consistent!
Thanks for your site. I am an advocate-writer for victims of clergy sexual and domestic violence in all faiths. I've heard from hundreds of readers, but only one Jehovah Witness. In my opinion, this is not because the problems are less in number or degree. Instead, I believe that the more conservative or the more likely a belief system is to be extreme or dogmatic, the greater the degree of coercion and/or shame to keep the victims from coming forward. I'd invite you to look over the information I have on my site (http://members.tripod.com/~NoColluding) and consider ordering the materials already published elsewhere (such as my personal story, HOW LITTLE WE KNEW). You may also be interested in a related novel I've written, which should be released within a few weeks. It's entitled THE TRUTH ABOUT MALARKEY.
Plowing Frozen Ground, Dee Ann Miller write-on@radiks.net
I've just added a link to you on my page about child abuse/neglect in another cult. It's domained at: www.taxexemptchildabuse.net.
Best -- Mike
20 years ago I was abused by a ministerial servant - a friend of my fathers. My folks never reported it as they were afraid people would think it was my fault. The abuser became an elder and continued his abuse on other girls until he was arrested and found guilty in a court of law last year. However, desspite the fact that the elders now know that this happened to me 20 years ago, and continued all this time, THEY HAVE STILL NOT DISFELLOWSHIPPED THIS MAN!!!!!! He is still part of the organisation. Who does this organisation protect? the innocent or the guilty? I am just left "the dissillusioned!"
I was a witness for over 30 years and felt many times that acts of sexual abuse were covered up or not addressed Thank you Randy and Free minds for keeping up on this and doing what you can to see that it is stopped. The sisters have had things force up on them by the brothers and nothing was ever done to the brothers but the sisters had to take full responsibility for the acts. I have first hand knowledge of this.
Hi Randy, I am thankful to have found your site. I would like to comment on the issue of SEXUAL ABUSE IN THE ORGANIZATION. I used to think that my case was unique but have come to the realization that it is rampant and there are many victims of sexual offenders that are protected by the "CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE" among the leaders of the Watchtower Society. All the years of being one of Jehovah's Witnesses I bought the propaganda they used to lambast the clergy of other religions about hiding pedophilia. Sadly, to me and my family we have been directly affected by a family cover-up to hide my father-in-law's 3 generational child molestation record within the congregation, as well as outside. The Society Headquarters in Brooklyn has involved itself in directing elders who are family members and even fathers and husbands of victims, to keep the secret of this pedophile, who has been publicly reproved once, in the 60s, disfellowshipped, criminally convicted, in the 80s and reinstated, and again disfellowshiped in the 90s and reinstated again during a civil action brought forward by his victim and witnessed by other victims in court testimony, and was found guilty in a judgment against him in favor of his victim, who is his own grandaughter. Although she was awarded a large amount in the judgment, the case is being appealed by him and his wife and supported by family elders against his victim. This trial that began last November 1999 and went on for 3 weeks until just before Christmas, was attended to by many of his victims in support his grandaughter's suit against him. The elder involved in the previous disfellowshippings of this man chose to take ecclesiastical privilege at the direction of the Watchtower Society in a letter given to the judge which did not have the Watchtower logo on the top. To my understanding This elder should not have taken this privelege since all the victims involved had waived their right of privilege. It is also my understanding that since this case was litigated in New Jersey, the elder did not have a legal privlege because he is not a full time cleric payed by Watchtower, even though he boastfully likened himself to a "priest" or a "bishop". The grandaughter of the pedophile, is my daughter, and the pedophile is my husband's own father. Since my daughter came forward in 1988 when she was 12 yrs old, we have chosen not to have anything to do with this man and the family and elders who are co-dependant of the pedophile have done everything to make the victims as being the "bad" ones and the molesting grandfather, the poor wrongly accused victim. In essence, my spiritual community of religious leaders have "embraced" the pedophile, and "abandoned" the victims. I would like to hear of more information about Watchtower lies and coverup through their sleezy lawyers and elders taking direction from them and the Service dept. regarding sexual abuse in the congregations.
There should be a list of congregations allowing pedophiles to go door to door. Elders knowing that they have sexual offenders going out in service are misrepresenting themselves to their communities by allowing these predators "preach" at the doors and are opportunists who can view the "householder" that has a little child standing next to them while hearing the message of the sex offender preaching incognito as a good Christian. Preaching door to door gives a pedophile the perfect opportunity to later come back to stalk or molest unknowing children seen at the door!!! Sexual molesters are going door to door with the knowledge of the Watchtower Society. People should be made aware that the person at their door preaching the good news of the kingdom may well be doing it to hide behind the secrecy and protection of Jehovah's Witnesses. RWH
It happened to me too.
DAN FITZWATER OF YERINGTON NEVADA WAS CONVICTED OF MOLESTING A CHILD THAT WAS 8 YEARS OLD. HE WAS AN ELDER AT THE TIME AND WAS ACCUSED BY OTHERS OF THE SAME THING FOR OVER 20 YEARS. HE ALSO LIVED IN BRADENTON,FL. AND GRANTS PASS, OR. AS WELL AS SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA AND GEORGIA. HIS ALLEGED ABUSES HAD BEEN REPORTED IN AT LEAST A COUPLE CONGERGATIONS. HE IS SERVING HIS SENTANCE IN CARSON CITY, NEVADA AND IS STILL A MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING IN THE CONGERGATION. HE WAS NEVER DF'D OR EVEN REPROVED FOR THE ACTS COMMITED ON THIS CHILD. MAKES ME SICK!
i would just like to say that i believe in what jehovah's organization teaches us from the scriptures and that although i too have had my share of what some would consider as "good days" as well as bad days that there isn't a day that goes by that i don't think about jehovah and the worldwide brotherhood. i've been disfellowshipped for 6 years,and although it was basically for lying to cover up my transgression nad then later admitting that i had lied[ which we all know is likened to death as satan's first lie has caused us all to die,]that i don't condem the organization as a whole ased on the errors of the few. and yes i've heard of the terrible horror stories of the molestations, beatings and worse an i believe that it's satan at his best working overtime as we know that his time is short and he intends to mislead many before he to be abolished and then finally destroyed...'the love of the greater number will cool off" and those misled will be as "the sands of the sea". i don't know how you all can be so blinded after having had the accurate knowledge the truth for so long? how sad i am for you all. i'm sad that some of you put you're total reliance in these "men","elders" when you know very well that weare not to put our trust in "nobles" or earthling men...yes the siciety recommends that we be obedient to those takingthe lead among us but not to the point of covering up missconduct. and if one's congregation is "wicked" to the point that jehovah's holy spirit ceases to function therein, i'd certqinly go as high within the organization to make it known than to sit back and be intimidated by these "false brothers" who hurt the very flock they are to cherise as jesus cherished his congregation. none of you should have been made to feel like you had committed the "unforgivable" sin..."who of us knows the mind of jehovah"? only jehovah can read hearts. the only reason we were ever admonished to avoid certain associations is for the very same reason that parents would want their children to avoid drugs, pornography, or any other unsafe environment..i mean it's pretty obvious, isn't it? yes, there are some lovely worldly people out there, caring individuals, saints...and yes ther are some "loons' in the orgnization too...and these we must rely upon jehovah to remove instead of removing ourselves from jehovah's ark of protection. i still consider myself to be in the truth as dissfellowshipping is not a forever hing, but merly a disciplinary action given to those whom jehovah loves [hebrews]. i know that i am the only one holding myself back from reinstatement and that is something that i do not hold anyone accountable for. so, in answer to your question, i enjoyed the field ministry very much, i relished in bible study, i didn't find the bible to restrict my enjoyment of life, fun, or excitement. so there are some movies that weare admonished not to see...so what? so there is questionable entertainment out there to be avoided..and? it's just like the worldly phrase 'no pain, no gain' and i'm not talking about the suffering of abuses by these perverts, who perverted the truth by their conduct and defiled these innocent ones or the other atrocities that have carried throughout all of human history in a fqcets of life, not just jehovah's organization...my god, no one said that the society is perfect...nor are they they pious assholes that you crybaby's have made them out to be.. i mean for crying out loud, this is just a waa-waa- website for the slackers who found obedience an impeedment on their "rights" as human beings, which by the way we would not have if it were'nt for jehovah. i came into the truth in 1981, so yes i was around when they discouraged furthering ones education and encouraging pioneering.. so what? if you need a skill to support yourself, take a f*****g class. there is no one, and i mean absolutely no one who can stop you from eing "self-sufficient" AS The scriptures require you to be. if your congregation elders threaten to dfp you, go to another congregation...we all know that there are strong and weak congregations out there and even though it is not pc to shop around for the congregation of your choice, it's certainly not forbidden! so, if you're happy out ther in the dark , hey more power to ya, okay. but if you just had an axe to grind, grind it then get back to where you belong, be joyful. i know i'm looking forward to it with tremendous pleasure. PHYLLIS
To the user above... I have never believed that one person or even a few could give God a bad name. Nor can they do that to the Watchtower Society. The problem is that the Watchtower Society itself has had a very large hand in covering up sexual abuse in its midst, even appointing "brothers" that they knew had been accused many times of sexual abuse. I have personal knowledge of this and my husband personally talked to a Watchtower lawyer that told him outright lies that my husband called him on. the case in which I refer to ended in a guilty verdict against the Watchtower Society, a local congregation, and an elder in civil court. the elder was found guilty in a legal court and is in prison. The "society" informed the victim that they had a lot of money and would keep this in appeals for years. The family settled out of court. As far as i am concerned the "society" makes a safe haven for child molesters. Therefore I believe that they are in effect guilty of child molestation themselves. THEY CAN NOT BE JEHOVAH"S ANNOINTED PEOPLE!
What amazes me is that an elder can abuse children and then go and dictate morals to anyone who will listen. As a victim of this particular elder I turned into a compulsive liar, a trait of a lot of abused children. I was counseled by the elders of my congregation about the perils of lying and "the elder" was one of the disciplinary elders. My life from thereon in went progressively downhill and the only comfort i got was for all my family to shun me totally. I had spent years of my life being a victim to this this man, and the rest of my life being a victim because of this man.
The discussions of "Haven for Molesters" in the witness.net is just an example of how the Society has veiled the fact that Sexual predators are rampant in the congregations. They sidestep the fact that because confessed perverts cannot hold a position, than that makes it ok because they can't be a pioneer or Ministerial Servant or Elder. Just because the elders are directed by the Legal dept on Society policy in handling pedophiles in the congregation does not excuse the problem. These perverts are still allowed to go door to door to unknowing "householders". The Watchtower Society doesn't make itself bothered with the danger it exposes families in their neighborhood territories. These pedophiles are also known for stalking and attacking children outside the congregation and are still able to "hide" in the Watchtower Haven of Secrecy of so called Ecclesiastical Privilege. Pedophilia and incest is passed down throughout the generations in families and congregations. It is only now being exposed by victims. Yet Victims in the Watchtower Society have no rights. This is common for women & children to be encouraged not to "speak to anyone about it" for fear of "reproaching Jehovah's Name". The Grand God of the Universe does not rely on the Legal and Service Dept. to protect his name. What they really are worried about is protecting their own Watchtower name and Perverts hiding in their ranks. Incest is a big problem because of the Silence imposed by abusive family members on victims. When the abusers are elders who are fathers, grandfathers, uncles, of victims the conspiracy to hide the "Secret" becomes not only a generational family matter but a generational congregation matter. Because of my own first hand experience of exposing my own child's offending grandfather who was a known molester in 1988 by elders family members and congregants who kept his secret for 3 generations of victims in & out of the family and neighborhood as well as in the congregation. His perversion for children and was allowed to go ignored from the 50's to 90's with the knowledge of Watchtower Legal and Service dept, and elders of various congregations that he hid in. Watchtower does not care about victims because if it did it would not hide behind "ecclesiastical privilege" when a predator and his family of elders want silence from the victims. Ecclesiastical privilege is something the Watchtower Society used to fault other religions for hiding criminal's confessions and not supporting victims. The Watchtower Society's elders involved in these cases seek protection from the Legal and Service Dept. I have known many many victims of pedophiles, and many of whom are daughters of sexually molesting Jehovah's Witnesses. These victims usually suffer spiritual abuse as well at the hands of the elders and congregation over these issues. Most turn to addictions, relationship problems, severe depression, low self esteem, and anxiety disorders. Even if they remain as witnesses they re-enact their childhood connections by having relationships with controlling men in their controlling religious environment that perpetuates the cycle and through the authoritarian, controlling, secret keeping Watchtower Society and its enabling elders, the victims are revictimized with imposed silence, indifference, and or punishment through threats of abandonment by family, congregation, and Jehovah. The victim of sexual abuse and incest within the religious community of Jehovah's Witnesses, is set up for a life of guilt, fear, unworthiness, and control, until they are able to "see" that the craziness of the Watchtower Society's Spiritually abusive lifestyle mirrors the craziness of the childhood experiences of control, silence, fear, abandonment, within the family home. The pressure to do better by preaching door to door the "good News" for hours during each week can ensure more of the cycle because Witnesses seek people who are "victims" during the low points in their in their lives, bring in their anxieties from their own family issues. And so the propensity for disfunctional families is perpetuated and sustained by the religious community of the families in the congregation. I have seen the pecking order and rivalry and backbiting that is practiced the same way that is known in unhealthy family systems. I hope that the issue of SEXUAL Abuse continues to be addressed and exposed to everyone so that the Watchtower Society cannot keep "sweeping it under the rug" as brought out in their own publication in the 1974 Watchtower January 15 article with the picture of a "priest". The modern day article should have a picture of an elder.
Barbara
Do you ever find that all of this is overwhelming? I do. Being raised in that religion and being abused by not one but two of my family members who also had another evil cult going on the side...sometimes I feel like just making it through the day and all those memories is extremly hard. Therapy only goes so far, my experience with it was I was put on display for all head shrinkers to look and poke at me. I am able to get past the anger and work on getting my head space back. If you feel that what you've gone through is sick and disgusting I share those feelings. There is one thing that makes it all feel a little bit better and that my friends is KARMA it's going to come back to them later on if not now (my one abuser is in a comma and unable to speak but knows exactly what is going on...YES!!!)then in the next life, and by the way we do go somewhere when we die.
ALTHOUGH I AM NOT A WITNESS...I DID STUDY AND ATTEND MEETINGS AND GOT TO KNOW MANY FAMILIES VERY WELL OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD...THIS IS JUST ABOUT THE MOST SLANDEROUS AND REDICULOUS THING I HAVE READ YET....AS IN ANY RELIGION THERE ARE IMPERFECT PEOPLE AND PEOPLE WHO WILL NOT BE WHAT THE TEACHINGS OF THE BIBLE INTENDED FOR THEM TO BE...STOP SINGLING OUT THE WITNESS'...
In response to the post dated November 15 in regard to the above posts being "ridiculous", and "Slanderous", I would like to say that if you have not been a child who has been raped by a family member, who represents the religious community that keeps the secret than, and if you were never a "witness" than you really have no basis for your opinion other than the few nice people with whom you were fortunate enough to associate with. And to be very blunt it is people like yourself who refuse to see that Pedophilia is a big problem in all religions, but when Jehovah's Witnesses use their literature to point the finger at other religions for sexual misconduct than they better be prepared to include themselves. As far as the excuse that there are "imperfect men' yes that is true but when this is used as an excuse to relieve themselves of the responsibility of dealing with the problem and bringing it out in the open and apologizing to victims rather than trying to insure silence them, then it is irreprehensible because they claim to be the religion that bears the name of God, Jehovah.
My daughter was abused by her Uncle (By Marriage) who was a MS of "good standing". The committee case was a joke it was all my daughters fault for not saying anything (6 years old" and that she had allowed herself to become his mistress. We have all left thank goodness and have no regrets about doing so the WT is an evil self absorbed organisation that must be exposed for what it is. John Law
test #1
Q: Is the Watchtower Society the only organisation wherein abuse occurs? A: NO!
Q: Then why focus on the WTS? A: For the following reasons.
The WTS will not accept ACCOUNTABILITY for their actions. They are proud and arrogant.
They have created an infrastructure that is conducive to the hiding of abuse cases. They are insensitive to the hurt caused to individuals and even prevent these hurt ones from receiving the necessary assistance.
They push accountability for their actions down to individual members who become their scapegoats.
They often write one thing in their literature but practice exactly the opposite.
The CONTINUE to criticize other organisations and to be able to do this they have to delude themselves that they are not guilty of the very actions they accuse others of.
The WTS leaders are FAITHLESS HYPOCRITES. PHARISEES. They are quick to call out “JEHOVAH” “JEHOVAH” but have dishonoured HIM by failing to exercise faith in HIM.
CONCLUSION: The WTS is in desperate need of heartfelt REPENTANCE.
My sister was confronted sexually by an adult individual in the congregation. This individual is close friends with one or more of the elder body. When my mother confronted the elder body about this, nothing was done. They did not want to "disrupt" the congregation.
It is all a bunch of legal b.s. There is no concern for the individuals involved.
To those that think this board is singling out the JW's, think again. Those that complain about the singling out, are only helping to silence what must be heard. The injustices commited against the helpless individuals are noted here. The only way that the stories will ever be told and heard, possibly allowing some sort of closure to those involved, will be provided by the use of this board.
My sister was confronted sexually by an adult individual in the congregation. This individual is close friends with one or more of the elder body. When my mother confronted the elder body about this, nothing was done. They did not want to "disrupt" the congregation.
It is all a bunch of legal b.s. There is no concern for the individuals involved.
To those that think this board is singling out the JW's, think again. Those that complain about the singling out, are only helping to silence what must be heard. The injustices commited against the helpless individuals are noted here. The only way that the stories will ever be told and heard, possibly allowing some sort of closure to those involved, will be provided by the use of this board.
I will not mention exact locations or names here in telling my story. I tried and failed to expose an elder in a southern Missouri JW Congreagtion. He molested several young girls, some as young as 12, others over 20. I took it the 'theocratic course', that is I went to the CO. What happened? Well, it turned out this CO had been a beneficiery of this 'Elder's family's wealth in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, he was wined and dined, taken aboard their family Yacht (they are all JW's). The CO covered it all up, while lying to me that he had it investigated. The Girl's families were told to shut up, "to avoid bringing reproach on the congreagation".
I am informed by a friendly Ministerial Servant, and also an Elder that Letters of protocol from the Watchtower society to local bodies of Elders (and residing in their Watchtower Society Letters Section of their file cabinets) tell the Elders that in cases of Molestation, to stress forgiveness, forgiveness, forgiveness to the parents of the children. That if the children would testify in court, "think of the trauma it would bring upon the children".
I have seen numerous instances of coverups, a multitude of JW Elders are molesters. Think about it. To become an elder what do you need to do? Be male middle class, middleaged, sort of a bullhead, go out in service. The rewards are complete power over a flock of gullible plyable JW's, including children. It sure beats going through a seminary and also Psychological evaluations, which a lot of elders would flunk.
Dear Randall--YOU do such a great service and I love you dearly for it with all this ABUSE coming out of the closet and it now being talked about big time...20 years ago Linda and Lisa thought and felt so alone but went ahead and availed ourselves of therapy Susuan Forward for one==mother and daughter have BONDED quite well==CELEBRATING THANKSGIVING--LINDA. LISA. and MAMIE KITTY make 3..WT did their number on US (ME) but whats new WE are not alone--RANDY THANKS YOU ARE QUITE A GUY--I used your full name sooo sue me.(((((HUGS))))
Thank you for this great work that is so much a part of what I feel is the revealing of things done in the dark that are foretold to come to the light in these Last Days.{2Tim.3:1-7] The world, the Church and all who love & can see what is right, no matter what their race, religion, age or sex may be, know that some thing needs to be done in this & other sins that is taking it's toll on this generation. No group is free of God's Judgement, or the price that they must pay to cover up their sins; such as the ones I have read about here-in these postings. Thank you again. And keep up the Light on this.
Dear Randell,
I have been following your website for some months now and the information which you have provided has been of great help to me as I am sure it is for a great many of exJW's out there who were either born into this religion or had parents who were practising witnesses and the children had no choice but to follow until they could decide to leave (I ended up running away from home as a teenager).
After many years of being an ex JW and with most of my immediate family practising JW's I just learnt to live with things and had minimal contact with my family. Since researching information on the internet on this organisation I have really come to terms with it and wholeheartedly blame the Watchtower organisation and their governing body for the terrible deception and heartbreak that they have caused and I hope that the day will come soon when they will be held accountable for their actions.
From a Wellwisher Please keep up the good work - I hope and pray that one day the organisation will be publicly exposed.
Bravo! While my story is already on Randys web site, I have a few things to add. Besides the rapes that occured to my person I was also a prisoner of the Wt and my parents. As I grew up with the JWness I suffered greatly in school and at the hands of neighborhood bullies. My parents never handled it properly. Instead they gave me the inane excuse that a good Christian deserved to be persecuted. At ages 10-11 I was dealing with the rapes I thought were my sin and to place this burden was ridculous.I did not live any where near a normal childs life. In my therapy sessions we are finding that I have repressed many incidents about my childhood. Some of them are quite powerful statements as to the falsehood of the JWs. The branch servant from Finland was good friends with my parents and I saw him get drunk with my dad on more than one occassion. As I grew up I would easily notice the other dysfunctional families. Some of my boyhood friends are still Witnesses but then they were anal retentive even back then.In my hometown of Lowell, Mass. I came to realize that JWs are no better than many of the other religions. The elders in this town have dealt heavy hands to people who have come foward and reported sexual abuse. My ex brother in law, now a CO told one woman who came foward that she was a slut! Why did he say this? Her father was a cronie and an elder. Since elders are perfect, he never could have sexually abused her. I have come to the definite conclusion that the elders aren't fit to even counsel pets. I would love to see a large class action suit against the WT. I would join it! These people deserve to be taken down a few notches. Keep the faith, yer brother, marco
AT LEAST I KNOW I'M NOT CRAZY. I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH ME AS I WAS GROWING UP. BEEN AN EXJW FOR OVER 20 YEARS (SOUTHERN CALIF) AND WAS MOLESTED BY MY STEP-FATHER AND ABOUT 15 OF THE ELDERS WERE ALWAYS TOUCHING ME. BASTARDS!!!!!MY FAMILY IN STILL IN THE THAT TWISTED RELIGION!!!!
TOMORROW IS THANKSGIVING DAY and I do not have to eat a the same table as our ABUSER but then he is 6 feet under and that is alot to be THANKFUL FOR _ A whole lot....HAPPY TURKEY DAY ALL............
I was a JW for 25 years before disassociating myself. My two sons had already stopped going to meetings as soon as they were old enough to decide for themselves. The entire time I was a Witness I did exactly what the society told us as "sheep" to do, and my family suffered a great deal. My children were only allowed to associate with other Witnesses, and, as I had to work (since my husband was a Witness who never took responsibility for his family) I always made sure that only other Witnesses kept my children while I worked. Fully trusting that they were all who they said they were, I am now dealing with the fact that my older son was sexually abused by a 17-year-old "pioneer" in the congregation whose father was an elder and who was looked upon as a wonderful example in the congregation. For all appearances this young man and his family were above reproach. This family were our neighbors, and my son was 8 years old when the abuse occurred. His grades in school fell dramatically and he became depressed. I tried to find out what was wrong with him, but he never told me about the abuse until he seriously contemplated suicide at the age of 17. Of course, while the depression was controlling his life, I, being the trusting person I was, never took him to a psychologist since the society poo-pooed the idea of any non-witness therapist giving counsel to a Witness. Their "worldly" ideas might "influence" us in a bad way!!! Needless to say, my children and I suffered a great deal for years. Although I have no reason to believe that my husband ever had an affair, he was also a person in "good standing" in the congregation, although he was addicted to pornography and masturbation. I finally started waking up to all the misinformation my family had received from the society for all those years and tried to change my own mind for a couple of years. However, I only became more convinced that I had been misled, and wrote my letter in the summer of '99. I have apologized to my children for all the problems they suffered as a result of my being so steadfast and not deviating from the advise of the society. I'm trying to make up for it now, and will continue to do so even though my children are grown and they have families of their own. Also, a friend of mine for years in the organization talked to me of the mental and emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepfather who was an elder and raped her repeatedly for years. At one time he stepped down because of her accusations but was never removed, himself never admitting to anything. The authorities were never informed, and he would constantly secretly tell her that he was "getting it" from neighborhood children. All the while he was serving as an elder. Now she has several children and a husband, her mother refuses to speak to her because of the accusations she has made against her stepfather, and he has never been reproved or removed from his position as elder. I also know of another elder who sexually molested his daughter and who has served as an elder for 30 years! She confided this in me when she was only 17, and has also suffered severe mental and emotional problems. There are other examples I know of, but in the interests of brevity I will not relate any more. There is one piece of advice I can give to victims and their families. Get professional help. United Way has programs for helping people even if you can't afford to pay, and the psychologists they use are licensed and very good. If you don't like the one you get, ask for a different one. The important thing is to regain your self-esteem and mental and emotional health. Thanks for a place to post this, and I wish you all well.
At the age of fifteen, I was seduced by an older, married "sister," a friend of the family and member of our congregation. Now really, what fifteen-year-old, affection-starved, hormonally-raging boy could say "no"? My only regret through all of this has been my foolishness in succumbing to baptism at age 13. For that reason, I was disfellowshipped at age 16, banished from my family and friends for the past eight years for failing to rejoin this Orwellian cult. Only through the anonymity of the Internet can I mention the following: I was fed to the wolves (read: elders) by my own father! I have always presumed this was revenge on my lover, who was responsible for ending his own reign as an elder. My father and I have retained a peaceful relationship since, mainly because I buried this issue quite deeply within me (by far, my most-guarded secret--I have told NOONE!) The reprocussions on my social, emotional, financial, etc. life have been STAGGERING. I have only recently climbed out from under suicidal depression. One side point of interest: at the time of the "judicial" hearings, both myself and my lover were required to submit all evidence (read: love letters) to the elders immediately. Hmmmmm... Anyway, thank you for maintaining this greatly-needed site. It is a step toward eliminating an oppressive evil.
I am an attractive woman who looks younger than my age....when I started to drift away from JW, two elders came to my house knocking on my front door but I could not hear for I was in the back yard tending my flowers so they pushed my wood fence gate open and walked to me. When I got up, I almost screamed for two dark colored suits dressed men may looked at my breasts while I was tending the flowers with a very loose old blouse which my breasts may expose to anyone who stood above me. I was so embarrassed and one of them criticized me for smoking then I criticized him for letting his wife popping birth control pills which also can cause cancer. After that I never wanted to touch KH ever for I do not want to be controlled or being criticized for wearing old clothes to work in the back yard. I knew for sure that if I still am a JW, I may go to face these elders why I wore that loose old blouse and smoked. No more dirty-minded elders for me!
Action is now being taken against abusive sexual predators (ASPs)in the WTBS. Go to the following URL and Email the site designer in order to obtain directions for connecting with those initiating a class action suit in behalf of the victims/survivors: http://hometown.aol.com/abaadun/predatorsamongusindex.html