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I happened across this site today searching for some updates on the organization. I am preparing to write to my 82 year old Mother who is still a JW. I was one for 15 years, left after both my daughters had been molested and raped for many years by an elder in the cong., our "best friend". He eventually went to prison, we stuck firm with the legal battle although the organization attempted to cover it up in the beginning from the law. I did not leave because of what "HE" physically and emotionally did to the girls, but started a systematic study of the Bible, and through that and through questioning the organization, came to the conclusion they were not what they taught. The girls are adult women now, still carry many of the scars of their abuse. I feel badly that this is still going on in the organization, most of all that members go to the Hall and feel safe, when in actuality they are not as safe as those of us in the "world". We were never warned or even taught about sexual abuse, in fact we were taught to believe the opposite in the cong. that these were our brothers and sisters and we could trust them explicitly.
I have no anger, or bitterness - learned some good things, the principles that I still live by today as I worship God in a much healthier and better way. I do attend a church, I do know my prayers have been answered, over and over and over.
My goal is not to expose the organization, but I do wish that someday they would be recognized for what they truly are, a group of men, a cult, they take over your mind. heart and life.
I WAS ABUSED BY MY UNCLE WHO WAS AN ELDER. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS 12 UP UNTIL I WAS 14. I WAS TOLD BY ELDERS THAT I HAD TO FORGIVE HIM BECAUSE JESUS FORGAVE PEOPLE. I JUST COULDNT. I HAVE TO SAY THOUGH THAT THE SECOND MEETING WE HAD WITH DIFFERENT ELDERS( YOUNGER ELDERS), WAS MUCH DIFFERENT. THEY ENCOURAGED MY DAD TO GO TO THE POLICE WHICH MY FATHER WAS GOING TO DO ANYWAY. UI FOUND THAT THE ELDERS DID NOT SHOW ENOUGH CARE AFTER THE EVENT. I DIDNT RECEIVE ANY SHEPERDING CALLS OR EVEN A PHONE CALL TO SEE HOW I WAS. I THINK THIS WAS WHERE I WENT DOWNHILL.
MY UNCLE WAS ARRESTED BUT NOT CHARGED AS THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE EVENT AND IT WAS MY WORD AGAINST HIS. I SHOULD ADD THOUGH THAT HE DID ADMIT TO THE ELDERS THAT SOME OF THE THINGS I SAID HE DID TO ME WERE TRUE BUT THAT HE SAW NOTHING WTRONG WITH IT AS HE LOVED ME SO MUCH. WHEN ARRESTED BY THE POLICE HOWEVER HE REFUSED TO COMMENT. ANY TRUE CHRISTIAN WOULD HAVE BEEN HONEST. I NOW AM DISFELLOWSHIPPED AND STILL DEEPLY AFFECTED BY ALL OF IT. HE HOWEVER IS STILL A WITNESS!!! I KNOW HE WILL DO IT AGAIN MEN LIKE HIM ALWAYS DO.
I DECIDED TO WRITE TO HIM TWO YEARS AGO. I KNEW HE WAS A WITNESS AND I THOUGHT MAYBE HE WOULD BE FEELING GUILTY BY NOW AND WANT TO SET THINGS STRAIGHT. I WROTE EXACTLY HOW I FELT AND ASKED HIM IF NOTHING ELSE COULD HE JUST ADMIT IT TO ME THAT HE WAS WRONG AND EXPLAIN TO ME WHY HE DID IT. OF COURSE I NEVER GOT A REPLY.
MY PARENTS ARE STILL WITNESSES AND I DID ATTEND AN ASSEMBLY WITH THEM ONE YEAR WHILE I WAS DISFELLOWSHIPPED. THERE I WAS SAT THERE WITH NOONE TALKING TO ME, MAKING ME FEEL LIKE I DID NOT EXIST WHEN WHO SHOULD I SEE BUT MY UNCLE WALKING AROUND WITH HIS NAME BADGE ON AS IF HE WAS THE TRUEST WITNESS EVER. THE CRUNCH FOR ME WAS WHEN HE SAW ME AND SMILED! I WISH I HAD STOOD UP IN FRONT OF ALL OF THEM AND SHOUTED OUT WHAT HED DONE BECAUSE THATS WHAT HE DESERVES. WHY DO THE WITNESSES PROTECT THESE MEN? I WAS TOLD I WAS NOT TO TELL ANYONE WHAT HED DONE. WHY????????
I DO BELIEVE IN JEHOVAH AND EVEN THOUGH I DONT INTEND TO GO BACK TO THE WITNESSES I DONT BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE LIKE MY UNCLE WILL GET THROUGH ARMAGEDDON BECAUSE HE CLAIMS TO BE A "WITNESS OF GOD", AND YET I WONT GET THROUGH AND IM A PERSON WHO NEVER HURTS ANYONE. I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN IN A SIMILAR SITUATION TO ME, AND I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS SITE. JUST TO SHOW HOW BRAINWASHED THE WITNESSES ARE I WENT INTO ONE OF THEIR CHAT ROOMS AND STARTED TO TELL MY STORY AND I WAS KICKED OUT STRAIGHT AWAY AND TOLD I WAS A LIAR!
My 3 yr. old was over at her aunts,playing wth her 4 yr. old cousin.They were watching t.v.,and were left alone for only a few moments.When someone returned to the room,both kids had teir pants off.My daughter,said he told her too.No one knows where this came from,or how it got started.My concern is her being around him anymore,even with supervision. Could someone please offer some advice? My e-mail address is BarbDougSle@Webtv.net9(Crystal)
In the early 80s, I was neighbor to an elder whose wife had recently died.I had a daughter, aged 15, at the time. She and her friend, same age, went into his house once and he french kissed one of them. I immediately called the elders in his congregation when I learned this. They told me that he was lonely after the loss of his wife. I found out later that he was doing the same thing to a lot of the children in the neighborhood. I moved shortly after that and don't know if anything was ever done about it.
I was molested as a child and my mother knew about it but did nothing. She acted as if it did not happen. God will forgive him. Last year "he" was convicted of child molestation. I guess he should have kept molesting children IN the Hall. Those worldly girls have parents that love them. I would love to thank the 11 year old girl who went on trial to put away someone who should have been stoped 16 years ago. She is my hero and I want to thank her for giving me a piece of myself back.
Hi, I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses and I feel that Jehovah's Witnesses are being wrongly targeted because we are different. Yes, no one is perfect, and we are all prone to mistakes. But there is no doubt in my mind that some of these stories are overextended simply for the reason of harassing the Witnesses. There is nothing wrong with us and we attempt to hold our selves in high moral standing. Its very funny that I don't see this site encouraging stories from other religions where sexual abuse is rampant. I would appreciate hearing INTELLIGENT feedback from anyone. mbdumas04240@hotmail.com michael d.
WE ARE DOING A RESEARCH AS TO HOW MANY JW'S IN SOUTH FL ARE ABUSED BY THOSE AS MOST OF THESE STORIES EXPLAIN. PLEASE HELP US WITH THESE RESEARCH BY PROVIDING NAMES OF PERSONS, LOCATIONS OF THE KINGDOM HALLS, COURT CASES ETC E-Mail US AT voice4@bellsouth.net
I am writing this for myself to get it out of my head, I was raised a JW fourth generation, My father an Elder my Mother always a regular pioneer and never home, we, my brother and sister were left home to take care of ourselves until they came home in time to rush us off to the meeting, when my mother did take us we would spend hours waiting for her to come out of the houses . My sister and I would rock ourselves for hours banging our heads on the back of the car seat, only to be made fun of when she and her partner would come out of the house, anyway many time my mother would take us in the bathroom and have us bend over while she would insert her finger up our rectums, I can still remeber how badly it would hurt, we all suffer from hemroids today my brother my sister and myself. I don't expect anything will ever come out about it because since I wrote a letter and sent it to the congregation, it is I who is being treated like an apostate, I have quit associating for three years now and not once have been approached by the elders
Hello again! I have been quiet for awhile on this site. But I have been reading the heart rending stories and have felt the pain and anger that these stories generate. I have been in contact with a high ranking elder in California who shall remain nameless. He admits that this problems exists big time but he is still blinded by the lies told by the spin doctors at Bethel. He has tried to tell me the standard lie the "Jehovah will take care of it in due time". He says that the society is dillegently pursueing this. Hah! It's more like the society is hedging its bets against the lawsuits it is facing. He has even tried to get me to come back into the fold. Not likely! While this fellow is a nice guy and seems to have good intentions he is so blinded I actually feel sorry for him. I have asked him to go the Silent Lambs website as well as this one and read all the stories and then talk to me about the "In due time spin off". To all of my friends and brothers and sisters, keep the faith! Mark H. Palo of Lowell MA. palo50@yahoo.com
I was molested by a elder when I was 13 and he was 23 and when I told the other elders they blamed me for it instead of him
When I was 16, I babysat for an elder's brother-in-law, who was a jw, also, and when his wife left the room he would put his hands in my shirt and pinch my breasts. He constantly spoke about sex. Which shocked me. He did it to my sisters, too
when I was 13 I was fondled by a married elder and I told the other elders and my mom and them blamed me because they said that I wasn't sorry enought for it and that he was. They put me on reproof for 3 weeks while he got to go scott-free and then I had to look at his face while was giving a talk on sexual abuse to everyone. I wanted to crawl. My mom never contacted the police or anything. She was just on thier side. Cause' they're the "all-knowing"
Randy,
Sexual abuse is but one of many types of abuse a child being raised in a "Witness" household has to undergo. My wife, a witness of 21 years, has followed the lead of other sisters, brothers and elders of her religion to instruct our children to lie to me and deceive me concerning their involvement with the organization. My children have had stories read to them directly from the bible, one in particular about a woman who lied to guards who came looking for a man. Seems this women knew where that man was hiding. She also knew that the guards would kill him if they found him, therefore, she lie to them in that she told them she didn't know where the man was. My kids have had this example read to them and told that this is proof that it is okay to lie to people of authority, including a parent, when it comes to doing gods work. It is added that part of gods work is learning about, promoting, and protecting the Watchtower. Therefore my children have been taught it is okay to lie to me, to you, to a judge (while under oath?) to anyone when it comes to their involvement, teachings, and promotion of the Watchtower. My wife, not being very bright, did not stumble upon this "child rearing" method herself. I have found letters she has received over the years from JW's who have never met her, but heard of her plight in living with an "opposer" while trying to bring her children to know Jehovah. Thats right, what some of these letters have instructed her to do is darn outright evil and sick. But it looks as though evil is rampant throughout the Watchtower. Imagine the level of abuse that has subjected my children to. What do you think is in store for them when they find out that this is wrong. Think this could leave them a slight bit unbalanced? I believe my children have a real crisis of conscience lying ahead of them.
clayda23836@hotmail.com
I have been reading of some peoppes experiances in here i myself know of a sister who was abused, but you know she never blamed jehovah and is still faithful to god, she doesnt carry around her hatred for any one although she is wary of people and protects her children to the best of her ability, but i say to all these ones who have been wronged if you really have a case band together and form a coperative and take the wt to court and sue them stop whinging and just get on with it if they are as evil as you say they are do it for the benefit of every one go to other churches and get them to sponsor you guys im sure they will cos the churches have the real love of god and they dont abuse people do they so you cant trust them so get on with it and put an end to the wt society if they are from satan and you from god you should be able to beat them and if you dont do any thing your just a pack of miserable whingers wh cant get on with your lives ill be waithing to see how you go .
I would just like to say, everybody has the right to choose a religion and the only reason I am writing this is because I believe others should know. I grew up as a JW I was so into it, I had plan of being a pioneer, but something happened. When I was 11 I was sexually abused by an elder. One who was supposed to be one of the annointed. I am 16 now and still in much pain. I tried to ask elders how this could happen, no one would respond. That's all I ever wanted. I still feel my pain would end if someone anyone even pretended to care goddess_tina69@hotmail.com
Sure sexual abuse happens in all denominations, but the councelling offered by there governing bodies is genuinely caring and truly seeks to assist the victim, rather than throw guilt upon them, only to rub salt in to wounds
Dear "This is all made up"
By your comment, I have to take into consideration that J.W. do NOT belive in higher education, as you cannot spell or word your sentences correctly. You sound like the village idiot and I would advise you not to write anymore comments, as it make you and the J.W.'s look like morons.
I think it's a sad sad world we live in where adults and children are brainwashed into believeing that if you are not a J.W., then you will not be saved and that you are a bad person. Out of all the people in the world, do you really think that God only loves those who are involved in such a cult. That God does not want anyone else in the Kingdon of Heaven except for 144,000 people (all of whom know that they are going to heaven because they are the only ones who can partake in the memorial service by eating the bread and drinking the wine?? Since J.W. have been around, is there anyone keeping a count of how many people have in the past and now currently are taking communion at the memorial services???
i too was raised in a jw home. i was molested by my father and brother. this was taken to the elders of our church and my mother was told i had a demon in me that was causing my father and brother to do this. the demon had to be beaten out of me. this was in the late 60's and early 70's in washington state. it appears to me that this church is a part of the problem when it comes to incest and sexual abuse of children. it has taken me many years of working hard to heal from the damage both by father and brother as well as the church caused me by having my mother beat me to drive out the demons.
I, too, was molested by an elder in my congregation, unfortunately this elder happened to be my own grandfather (or at least the man my grandmother married after my real biological grandfather had passed away). He not only perpetrated his crimes upon me, but also my cousin and was beginning to try and work on my baby sister. Yes, the elders in the congregation were made aware of it, yes, they did try to protect their flock. O.k., but why do they DF this man then to turn around and reinstate this sick pervert within a year later. Jehovah can and is the only one who may forgive this man, his trangressions and truly except his repentance, however, congregation elders (not being no where near perfect) should not ever be able to reinstate a man who has committed these kinds of crimes against children. Repentant or not!!!!! They don't really know the heart of a man, only Jehovah knows this, so why take the chance that you could very possibly be wrong in thinking that a pedafile has truly changed their ways. What fools are these people to think that they should take this kind of chance with another child's life!! I am one of the ones who came away from this having a great strength within myself and my abilities, however, I do know that there are many, JWs or not, that it has effected in a very negative way, that have always had issues with it all their lives. As for the woman who seems to think this is all a "wa. . wa" session. You need to get over yourself and be a little gracious and compassionate towards others these crimes have effected and understand that not everyone having gone through this experience will bounce back that quickly in their own lives, unfortunately some just never really do. Who are you to judge and make inference to anyone having serious issues with being molested, even if you were molested yourself (sorry, just didn't take the time to read your entire pompous comment past a point). I,like you, do believe very much so in many things that I was taught in growing up within the organization, however the knowledge that I have, not only of my own experience, but others too, trully do know first-hand that whoever is running the show needs to be fired!! HOWEVER, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH JEHOVAH!!!! I love him and I know that he loves me and I don't need someone in the middle trying to interpret for me. I do have a mind of my own and will never again stand by and let a crime of this nature be swept under the carpet. I will speak out loud, publicly and privately, and I don't care who hears it!! I will do anything I personally can to protect an innocent child!!!!
Paducah Sun 2-12-01 Editorial Page JR Brown (Director,Public Affairs Office Jehovah's Witness) Response to William Bowen
"Our position on pedophilia has been well-publicized for decades."
Oh really, how come me and my parents knew nothing about it when I was a child?
"Following are excerpts from the Jan. 1, 1997 issue of The Watchtower. "For the protection of our children, a man known to have been a child molester does not qualify for a responsible position in the congregation."
For total article go to www.silentlambs.org
It was on a Friday, late afternoon around 1967 in PA.USA. at our Circuit Assembly. I was close to 11, my neighbor walks up to Mother, who was Magazine Servant and asks if I could go home with him as he "forgot his notes" and he was giving #5 talk.I never liked this guy, we went to different cong.Mother ordered me to go with him. On the way back he stroked my leg.Once arriving at home he goes to his home I go to mine.He then enters my home without knocking and announces he found his notes.As I'm combing my hair he enters the bathroom with his exposed erect penis and orders me to "kiss it". I freeze. He orders,"Touch it". I freeze, he grabs my hand and forces me to touch his penis. I push past him and enter my parents bedroom. He gives up and says we have to get back to the ass. Within 2 hours he's preaching up a storm, never flinching a bit. A short time later he forcibly fondled me again.
Within a year or so he was accepted at Bethel,Watchtower farms. Some years pass, he gets married, & is sent to a southern state as a Special Pioneer.His parents & my family move down with them to start this new Cong. up around 1973.(Ever hear about 1975?) He's the Presiding Overseer and loves the power and trip.
The emotional agony and mental anguish the JW organization put me through, being around him in the Cong. and out in the same car group was unbelievable.
One early morning I knocked on his door when I was 16 or 17 and asked him if he ever repented of his sexual advances he made toward me years ago."Yes" he said,"in a committee meeting at Watchtower Farms"
Later that week all 3 elders approached me. The PO(my molester),his father,& another elder.The father & son asked if I had spoken to anyone about this? I said,"Yes,as I slightly remembered back home a friend who was visiting me and was fondled by this PO. I called him & he confirmed it." Father & Son said that was gossiping & I could be D'fd for that.(Such Monster Gangster Religious Wolves, I thought I was the victim, but no the PO is the victim.) It was a LUCKY day for me in the organization, the 3rd elder said ,"No way". So they didn't go after me.
Soon thereafter I needed to have a document for my Pioneer Status for Selective Service,I forgot the name of the Elder who gave my baptismal talk, so I called Bethel,"Legal dept. Jackson" a voice said. I explained the situation, he replied,"We don't keep those records, just write down your PO's name." I didn't believe him, and no way was I going to write down that my PO who molested me baptised me too, since we weren't even in the same Cong. when I was baptised. I then called a relative at Bethel, within 5 min. I had the name of the Speaker. About a year later I go to bethel,shortly thereafter give a text comment down at Squibb Dining room.Back then they had 2 Governing Body members preside over text since they weren't tied together for sound. Imagine my surprise when I discovered this guy presiding at text table was William Jackson, lawyer in legal dept. who told me they didn't keep records of what I needed and just write down my molester's name.
The last I heard about my former PO and molester - he's an elder in Florida.
About 8 years ago on Mother's deathbed I told her how I had a hard time trusting people and getting close to them from being molested.I had forgotten I had told her when it happened. She said yes I told her, but she couldn't do anything about it since she needed this molester's mother as a friend.
As far as therapy Watchtower never contacted me nor my parents of getting professional help.In fact their view was,"As a rule for a Christian to go to a worldly psychiatrist is an admission of defeat. It amounts to 'going down to Egypt for help'Isaiah 31:1....Also, more and more psychiatrist are resorting to hypnosis which is a demonic form of wordly wisdom." Awake! 1960 March 8 p.. 27 The JW org. is the worst place for therapy, I'm very grateful for the unconditional love and support I've received from Non-JW.
If I had been molested by a Roman Catholic Priest you'd read about it every few months in the Wt. A JW did it and you'll never see it in any of there literture.
And now in Watchtower letter to Elders in Great Britin June 1 2001, "a former child abuser who is currently serving as an elder or ministerial servant. In such a case, if the branch office has decided that he can appointed or continue serving "
What a fake, phoney, fraud religion.
WTguineaPIG@ziplip.com
I don't even remember the events of my molestation when I was younger. It was about 10 years ago. I am 18 years old and I can not even remember anything about my childhood before 8 years old. I guess I blocked it out, because I am not even sure who did it. I do not know if it was my own dad or my best friends dad. My best friends dad was put in jail for molesting her. I suppose it was her. I came out and told my mom that I know I was molested as a child by my best friends dad and she said "he probably wasn't the only one" what a great mom huh? This leaves all kinds of questions in my mind. I was very sexually 'active' at a very young age but I find myself hating the thought of sex now. I want to go see a psychiatrist or a psychic, because I am usually very moody or tense to the person in my life who loves me the most. I have been with the same guy for a year and he knows all of this and decided to stay with me anyway. But I always find myself treating him so bad for no reason. I guess it is because of my insecurity and so unwilling to trust any man. I do not know what a grown man could possibly get out of two eight year olds but I know this, if anyone were to ever molest a daughter of mine, he would be lower than dirt, in a coffin. That will be the only suffice.
Yes, I know the feeling you talking about. I'm now 51 and still have those mood swings and feel that I'm a cold person in comparison to others. My family and friends, oops, I forgot, I don't have friends. Jup, I'm not able to keep them. After a short time I withdraw, I'm just not able to get close to people. My own family has a difficult time understanding me some times. They try and I know they still love me, that is what helps me through bad times. Don't give up and, yes, seek professional help. Don't go on hurting yourself by hurting the people you love most. I had treatmend and took medication and it helped me a lot. I think I'll never completely like others, but that is okay now, at least I'm able to talk about it. My love and simpathy to all of you that have been abused.
Yes, I know the feeling you talking about. I'm now 51 and still have those mood swings and feel that I'm a cold person in comparison to others. My family and friends, oops, I forgot, I don't have friends. Jup, I'm not able to keep them. After a short time I withdraw, I'm just not able to get close to people. My own family has a difficult time understanding me some times. They try and I know they still love me, that is what helps me through bad times. Don't give up and, yes, seek professional help. Don't go on hurting yourself by hurting the people you love most. I had treatmend and took medication and it helped me a lot. I think I'll never completely be like others, but that is okay now, at least I'm able to talk about it. My love and simpathy to all of you that have been abused.
I was a Jehovah's Witness for 30 years in Eastern Canada....and a good one.....I placed more magazines than most, got more subscribtions than most, had more book studies than most.....
However, during my association with this group, I personally knew of many of my peers who had to experience grueling sessions with the 3 male elders on the Judicial Committee. These men would ask for intimate details concerning wrongdoing,......over and over these elders seemed to "get their jollies" from stories from young publishers. (Publisher is an active JW who sells their books and magazines from door to door). I personally knew of a pedophile who was an active accepted publisher in the congregation, he later advertised for a wife, married a woman from the USA and moved there. I know of numerous cases of child abuse, I could go on and on. The elders are not qualified to handle the position that is thrust upon them.....but they do anything to not let the "old world" think there is anything wrong in Jehovah's organization. We were taught theorcratic warefare.......which is "don't reveal anything to anyone that they don't deserve to know"........and Satan's old world does not deserve to know anything about what goes on inside the Watchtower walls.
This is the case of a child hood friend who I encouraged to be a JW. She was fondled and carressed by a ministerial servant. (now an elder) I suggested that she talk to the elders. She did and they did not believe her. She went to the people who comforted her in the past. The neighborhood Catholic Church. She was disfellowshiped for doing so. I have not talked to her for almost 20 years. She is a nurse and worked at a prominant hospital in Hyde Park in Chicago. She grew up in Woodlawn and lived next door to my grandparents. I have always felt so bad about what happened to her and was not there to comfort her because she stopped coming to the Hall and I could not get in touch with her. Our mothers were good friends also. God does not like UGLY. And I hope all things are wonderful for her. She deserves the very best.
I have read the pages of comments with great saddness and heartfelt pain because it caused me to go back into old memories that were buried through love gained by LDS and Catholic priests who assisted me in healing from the horrors of the Jehovah's Witness experience of my early childhood. I have been in too many congregations and known too many Jehovah's Witnesses to not cherish the words By their works you shall know them. I have by leaving the JW's found a healing for the molesting I as a male received from a JW pioneer when I was 11 and he was 25. I did not know him. My parents trusted his two pioneer brothers with me to go on a journey to visit their family. I was put in bed with their older brother and woke up in the middle of the night with him in my shorts. I was in terror in a strange house with mostly strange people. I managed to sneak into the hall way and stay there all night. I did not got to the overseer as he was a brother in law to the molester. I did not tell my dad or he would have shot someone. I suffered alone and I remember riding in the car the next day thinking oh so this is what guys do. I fought homosexuality from then on and was no help in the JW's. The LDS were wonderful but did not have the guts to address my needs to those wonderful people whose fruitage of love amongst themselves should shame the JW's lack of it. I left the LDS and later went to a priest who helped me to acknowledge and live with my damage caused by a Jehovah's Witness Pioneer. He taught me Christ was forgiveness and that I could seek control of my desires through abstence and it works for me. I can strive for this. I can also be thankful I am outside the evil hard fruitage of the JW people. I still have to battle it as our family has one sister who is a JW Pioneer and we have all finally shunned her in order to keep our sanity.
I would like to add more to the above in order to clarify that I do not carry great hatred for the local Jehovah's Witnesses. I live back among 3 congregations of them that I knew well. Although I wrote a letter to the Society Headquarters demanding the removal of my name I am treated as disfellowshipped. I do not regret this. It has been over 20 years now. I have a a masters degree. I am very accepted by all in our small communities. Jehovah's Witnesses secretly talk to me all the time with some sort of awe. I guess they felt Jahweh would curse me. He has blessed me and so I carry no hate as Christ is not hate. But I always think of the error of JW doctrine as not seeing that about 90% of the bible is pre Christ 9% is post Christ and only 1% is Christ. I center on the writings of Mathew Luke Mark and John and ignored the JW's way of interpretting Christ. You cannot find Christ in their manner. It hurts that they do not know that they do now know Christ. I also view the Watchtower Bible Tract Society as Christ did the pharisees and the saddicees who he directed great anger at for overloading God's people. But as a good priest will say we are not here to judge, we are here to forgive and to extend true Christ like love.
I was sexually abused over a period of 3 years by my step-father. When I eventually told my mother about the abuse I expected support and above all protection. I got neither, I was taken to the elders and told to tell them what had happened. Their advice to my mother was "Jahovah does not want you to get a divorce, Why don't you send your daughter to live with her father? I was sent to live with a father I didnt know and my abuser continued to go to the meetings and was never reported to the proper authorities.
My story isn't unlike any other that I've read. But it helps so much knowing I'm not alone. Even though 20 years have gone by since I left home because of my stepdad molested me, it still feels like yesterday. I still feel it affecting my every move and thought. Just when I think I've gotten past it, it rears it's ugly head.
My stepdad was a respected ministerial servant. On the outside, we had the perfect JW family. Behind closed doors it was hell. In our family, our parents didn't raise us, the elders did. Whenever any of us even batted an eyelash wrong, our parents went to the elders to report us.
Looking back now, and now being a nurse, I can see my mom suffered from depression-- badly!! But, growing up as a JW, all I could see was a mom/wife not ding her duties. She spent most of her time in bed. I, being the oldest, took care of my sisters and brother. I cooked, cleaned, and knew more about my dad's business than mom did. I felt sorry for my dad--with no "attentive wife". After a fall out of a tire swing, my back would hurt. Stepdaddy dearest would rub it, one thing lead to another. Then every night I'd lie awake to hear his drunk footsteps up to my room. I'd have to set my alarm to get up in the middle of the night for a bath. If I took one when he was home I'd catch him staring. (The window was too high for my to reach, but standing out on the deck you could see in.) Years later mom said she caught him on top of me. There are alot of things I don't remember. Once I even ran away from home and was determined to tell the juvenile officer about what was going on. But she ended being a sister to a JW, and was convinced I was just causing trouble.
Years later, I met my biological dad and found out I was wanted somewhere else. At one time the Elders decided I shouldn't have a relationship with him since he was "worldly". But after finding out I was going to have to go to another elder's meeting I snapped and decided I would never go to one again. I ran away to Texas.
I'm glad to find eveyone here. To this day this still messes with me.
hI randal--I AM CELIBATE MYSELF. SINGLE AS WELL FOR 21+ YRS NOW..i AND MY KID WAS ABUSED BY HER PAPPY..MY OWN PAPPY WAS VERY ABUSIVE-HE BEING A PERON OF GOODWILL--THERE IS WORLDY ABUSIVE FOLKS...I WANT TO BE ABUSED SHIT I CAN DO THAT TO MYSELF....AMEN THE BITCH FROM HELL AKA AS QUEENAPOSTATE...YOU GET WORSE AS YA GET OLDER...
To the person that wrote in on Friday, June 8 at 7:36 PM: - Your story is almost identical to mine. However, my abuse took place 20 years ago. My mother also did nothing. "He" was also convicted in a court of law last year and I thank God that these "wordly" little girls had the courage and strength to come forward, and their perants the "staying power" to take on this evil man. He should have been stopped 20 years ago - how many other hasn't he screwed up? And my mother? She says that these people were just making trouble for Jehovahs name! Even after 20 years no sympathy. Mom you suck!!!!!!
Let's just say that my "cousin" (he's in his fifties) tried to have sex with his daugter's best friend(she was 13 years old). This bastard pursued this little girl for months. My "cousin" is a jw. This poor little girl was not a jw. This little girl would spend the night and made sure the bedroom door was locked. When the little girl would ask him to stop harrassing her, my "cousin" would threaten to keep her from seeing his daughter. After awhile my "cousin's" wife found out of this pursuit and was outraged. She called the elders and to her dismay, not much was done. My "cousin" was not disfellowshipped or even really counseled. My "cousin's" wife, on the other hand, was humiliated. The elders in private meetings with her would constanltly remind her to keep up her wifely duties. They repeatedly told her that my "cousin" would not be pursuing other interests if she was keeping him entertained in the bedroom.
My "cousin's" wife has never been the same. Her son (who is an elder in the jw organization)admonishes her for taking to drinking lately. My "cousin's" daughter has been forbidden by her father and jw elder brother to have anything to do with that "little slut" (the victim)
HOrrible horrible religion
To Eastern Canada Poster, I am also in eastern canada and was a "good JW".
I would love to hear more of your story as it sounds VERY familiar to what I experianced growing up in as a JW.
My Email address is shanesiemens@email.com I look foward to hearing from you.
Re: Archives from December, 2000 I'm not a JW. Never have been, never will be. But it's interesting that JW's use the excuse that it is a bad reflection on Jehova in order to avoid dealing with the truth. The Bible is full of many bad acts by individuals. Some of these people were key spiritual figures. Any of the JW's heard of Moses? He murdered an Egyptian. And how about that fellow that God loved so much? What was his name? I think they called him "King David". Isn't he the guy that had an adultrous relationship with his neighbor? And, if I recall correctly, he had his lover's husband killed, didn't he? And did not Reuben take his fathers concubine and Judah lay with his daughter in law thinking she was a harlot? And are not all of these things and many, many more recorded in "Holy Scripture"? God did not choose to ignore or cover up the sins of even those He designated as his special agents. It appears to me that we have to make a determination here. Either these accounts got into Scripture by accident or against God's will, in which case we can no longer claim that Scripture is "inspired" and "inerrant" (which attributes the JW's rightly affirm) or we accept it as posessing those attributes, which means that we can learn proper procedure by looking to its example. We need not flaunt or broadcast our sins but we do need to "confess" them, "repent" from them, "ask God's forgivness" on a personal as well as corporate level and take the action necessary to see that they do not continue. Something JW's to this point, apparently, are unwilling to do.
My father was and still is an elder. My brother molested me and my friends for over ten years. I was told it was my fault and don't tell because it would bring reproach on Jehovah's name. I ran away from home at the cost of losing ALL family and friends. I was labeled "bad association" and was shunned. My brother later became an elder. I even got my fathers confession about all the abuse on tape. Once again the elders did nothing. I grew up knowing nothing else and was left to grow up on the streets, totally unprepared for the real world.
There has been 5 cases of sexual abuse in my Jehovah Witnesses family all of the cases had never been persecuted by the justice this will only dirty the Witnesses reputation, this is what you are told and this child molesters will go on molesting other kids, elders, pioneers.I was molested as a child and have to live with ghost for the rest of my life, an elder and brother-in-law who came to my family and pretended to be a good christian manipulated my mother. Also my nephew was molested by a pioneer, they went to the service, or to bible studies and gain his confidence and molested him. My niece was molested by a so call elder which my mother trust so much. my other niece as well is in the same situation. The most painful situation is that we have to keep it to ourselves, I try to talk to my family about this, but since I am not longer a witness they do not believe that I am putting god first, but may be trying to poison their minds against th Jehovah Witnesses. I really feel for all the kids that are growing in that religion and are being force to go to the service sometimes with people that at times they do not feel comfortable with, or are put in danger becouse they need to make their parents happy, or to say hello even if they do not like the person, most of times parent will feel that pushing their kids to go with someone that may be an elder or pioneer is safe without knowing that could be their kids worse nightmare.
In response to the person that on Sunday Feb. 4, 2001, 12:51 AM said, "One has to wonder why.....(you are)... not including other major religions?" It would appear that your response has a fatal flaw. If you have or had children who have reached their teens you no doubt have heard, "Why can't I? All the other kids are doing it." And your response, if you are consistant in your logic, was more than likely something like, "Well, OK then. If you do it, we just won't mention it." And if you follow this logic, when TV does a report on the criminal life of Jesse James, they could be faulted because there are scores of infamous criminals about whom they said nothing. The fact is, this sight's stated purpose is "Watchers of the Watchtower World" not "Watchers of the Whole World", not "Watchers of the Religious World", not even "Watchers of the Denominations". And whether one approves or disapproves of the title and parameters of the discussion topic, the author has every right to determine the description and set the scope of the subject matter. My suggestion to you is, (and I intend no sarcasm in this remark) if you think it a worthwhile project to expose other organization's or denomination's immoral or illegal activities, why don't YOU do so. You have as much right and oportunity to use the www as does the author of this sight. And I am confident that there exists plenty of incidents of a similar nature outside the Watchtower World. It is not an easy or comfortable thing to see the organization to which you are committed criticized. But, in all honesty, if the accusations are true, it is the right thing to do. If they are not true, I'm sure the Watchtower will soon have them in court and off the Internet
My stepfather raped his own 13 year old daughter while in the 'truth'. He was convicted and placed on probation after the elders came to his rescue.
I was a witness married to a ministerial servant and my marriage broke up after my daughter was sexually abused by her father yes the MS in fine standing in the congregation.My daughter told the elders but they didn't believe her until I made my ex husband confront the elders and tell them but he was just privately reproved and is still a witness.
i used to be a unbaptized follower of jehovah. i studied faithfully 4 13 years. i am not, now only because i was sucked in by the teptations of the world. 14 years later i find myself displeasing jehovah out of habbit not rebellion. any time i was brought before the elders 4 some minor mistake i made i was always spoken to or guided, without judgment and embaressment. everyone makes mistakes. in the whole time i was active, i always appreciated that the elders never carried on w/ it. i never heard of problems in the organization such as molestation and abuse scandels, but then again if somone commited such a gross act and truly felt repetent before jehovah, then should it be carried out and published 4 blashmere and poeple who try to comfort themselves w/a reason why they may survive destrution. if u could choose exactly how ur father treats u and ur family, wouldnt it be exactly the way jehvahs wittneses describe there father?
after reading all these comments about the watchtower it is no wonder that this organization is shrouded in secrecy and i can now believe that breaking the ties from them must be very difficult it is shocking that such institutions are allowed to exist in the 21st century may they all burn in hell forever!!!!!!!!!and shame on you for harming inoccent children my the wrath of God allmighty strike you evil patrons of the devil down
Tomorrow is SUNDAY and a lot goes to church as well as KHs...LINDA and LISA and our kat do not..ONE DAY AT A TIME RANDY and folks...THE ones who are for JWs are for the most part in denial sad to say...and are probably nice people..I do not trust anyone but LINDA now--to thyownself be true..I want to read a bible I got one..I read anything I want and WACHTOWER and stuff is not on my list...JWs (ADULTS) are not having their arms twisted TO BE WHAT they are..They want to be JWs (cult/clique/club) what ever floats their boat.I am basically tired of this trying to save these adults that do not want to be saved,,,Kids are different--they probably will have to stick it out till they are of legal age and then flee the scene--dissassociate them selves NEVER TO RETURN and look forward !!!!! TAKE GOOD CARE ALL.. gueenapostate L I N D A
TO THE POST ON SUNDAY THE 15th----my gosh such a factual list I am sure..I experienced and witnesses many of those myself in my JW life...C H U R C H not I - not daughter or my kat attend...there is enough of that on the web and Mr, Watters will testify to that..I have a bible on my book shelf along with a book "History of Jack the Ripper" all WACHTOWER lit. hs been round filed years ago..I know Mr. Watters frowns on leaving an e--add..but since I am my own BOSS---queenapostate@webtv.net AS THE SAYING GOES -- I AM FREE WHITE and WELL OVER 21 -- 7 yrs older than Mr. Watters to be exact !!!!! QUEENIE
I was abused by a Brother who was very close to my Parents. He lived in our house a molested me at night when my parents were asleep. It was common knowledge that he had molested his neices. My father was a very strict Witness and i was fearful of telling him or my mother. I have suffered through this period of my life and have never been able to put it behind me. I pray for peace of mind.
I will start by noting that I am not a JW; however, the experiences I have had with them have been pleasant. The ones I know are very kind people who show genuine interest for others. I have read some of the previous letters and I notice that there is a lot of destructive criticism toward them. Who are you guys to judge? I think the JW group are trying their best to live up to the standards that JesusCrist taught.(which by the way, many of us do not even get close to meeting with our judging, cousing,smoking, drinking, cheating the gov., practicing fornication and 1000 more.. The point that some JW'sparents punish their kids for not reading the bible has nothing to do with their teaching but with the inabilitiy of the parent to raise the kid. All religious member have made mistakes and that has nothing to do with the original intentions of the teachings. We are all weak and imperfect. If we were to approve a religion for the perfectness of its members, no one would qualify. Jesus would be all alone. Please stop condemning the JW because you may be condemning the true cristians who really trie to live up to the standards JEsus taught. After all, How many religions do exaclty as a JEsus said when he said to go house by house and village to village and profess the good news? I guess my oint is: who really knows the religion that has been approved, nobody knows therefore, DON'T JUDGE.
I was molested when I was twelve by a member of our congregation, Several years later it was revealed that he molested 10 other boys that were around my age in the congregation . Instead of reporting him to the authorities, the elders disfellowshipped him but stated that they felt it would do harm to the congregation if he was reported. Needles to say this person is in hawaii probably doing it to some "worldly children" i guess the witnesses care less for wordly children that witness ones!!! My sister went through a terrible experience on her own, she was raped by a man, and the witness blamed her, she was disfellowshipped because of it and the emotional scars on her and our family have just now begun to heal after (20) twenty years. I feel this religion caused more pain and hardship on our family than anything else. I personally feel that this religion is evil in itself, and the only difference between David Coresh followers and witnesses is that they do not have guns. Fortunately, we have all left the so called "Truth" with the exception of my oldest sister. and i have noticed that, over the years, he finatic views have waned. We can at least talk nowadays without her preaching the religion. Whenever they come to my door "I slamm it in their face" WITH DELIGHT!!!If anyone want to file a class action lawsuit against those brained washed bastards SIGN ME UP
Sincerely
John C Cantrell 641 N. Sandy Ln Apt#206 Elkhorn, WI 53121 Phone Number 262-743-1602
I was sexually and emotionally abused until I left home at the age of 15. In all that time, the man, an elder in the congregation word was taken against mine, even although he did report that he use to enjoy "slashing" us with water while we were bathing. I was thee one who was demonised and was called a rebel. I was frightened ans scared and eventually had a nervous breakdown at 15 years old. Nothing was ever looked into. I am very bitter because in my heart I forgave and just got on with my life, only to discover that his abuse had bot stopped with me but continued with my niece. It has been such a soul destroying experience and there is just no recourse because immediately as not a baptised witness, the witmness word is above yours, because they serve Jehovah and even if anything did happen Jehovah has forgiven them. I am sick and saddened. I coped with my abuse but my niece. Who also suffered a miserable childhood at his hands. How can I forgive that?
Before I say anything else, I need to make one point perfectly clear: I believe that any person who abuses a child (or teen/adult) deserves to be punished to the full extent of the law. I am not here to defend child molesters. What I would like to do is encourage people to look at this reasonably: Let me explain.
I was raised as a Witness, in a family that was spiritually strong. I identified myself as a Witness without any trepidation all through my school years, was baptised at age 13 and eventually started pioneering. When I found that I no longer believed what I was preaching I decided it was time to leave. Like others that have posted here, I lost many of my friends - friends that I'd grown up and gone to school with - and my immediate family took a long time to accept my decision. I've now built my own life: I'm studying psychology at university, where (for those of you who tell the world all Witnesses are morons) I perform extremely well, my family and I have mended our relationship, I have many good friends and a good reputation at my place of work. The point is this: I'm qualified to make the comments I'm about to make.
Firstly, I doubt the credibility of some of the posts, not because I refuse to believe bad reports about the organisation but because they don't sound like they come from ex-witnesses. Witnesses do not refer to the organisation as 'the Watchtower' - those who do are usually in the early stages of a bible study and have only a very limited knowledge of the organisation. Witnesses do not take communion - EVER - and do not refer to any part of the Memorial service as communion. They do not refer to the congregation as 'the flock'. They do not preach or believe that the bad things that happen to us are a punishment for sins from Jehovah. I have no doubt that the majority of posters are genuine, but for those of you only here for a slinging match: grow up and take it else where.
I notice, in many of the posts, that the abusers were family members or close friends. This is not a phenomenon that is specific to the Witnesses: it is a fact that most abuse occurs within an environment of trust, and abusers are usually well known to their victims. It also raises an interesting question: How many of these cover ups were perpetrated by the Society, and how many were due to the reluctance of family members to come forward? Many abuse cases - in any oraganisation or other context - are not reported, many children are abused while their parents stand by impotently and let it happen, for fear of reprisals not just from the church but from the community in general. I would like to make the point that the Society does not forbid seeking legal resolutions to problems. It is encouraged for these problems to be solved internally first, but if this brings no satisfaction then Witnesses are NOT forbidden to turn to secular authorities. Abuse victims are often afraid and/or ashamed to ask for help - especially if close family members have more or less condoned the abuse through their silence - but this begs the question: Why didn't the parents, aunties, uncles, close friends, etc.. bring these cases to the attention of the police? JWs actually consider it a transgression to withhold information from a secular authority in a criminal investigation.. I can accept larger scale cover ups in some cases... for the others, however, did those who were supposed to care for you REALLY do everything in their power to bring the abuser to justice? And if not, was it due to religious influences, or simply because -as is the case in many instances of abuse EVERYWHERE- they were themselves too scared/embarressed to react?
Futher, many of the cases of abuse are from many years ago. This raises another interesting issue: At those times sexual abuse of any sort -molestation, rape - was almost always disregarded as being fictitious or the fault of the victim. At that time, the attitude that the victim was also at fault was a rampant misrepresentation on the part of the whole of society, not just the Witnesses, and sexual misdemeanors were often swept under the rug. This doesn't justify any cover ups that have occured, but it pays to bear in mind that there were mitigating circumstances, and that not every lapse of justice was due to the Witnesses.
Witnesses do not claim to be perfect, they don't claim to have everything right. Like every religion, there are fanatics who push the boundaries of sanity, but this is not confined to the Society. Nor do they brainwash people. No one is ever forced to get baptised - in fact they are encouraged not to do so until they are sure of the decision in their own mind. Problems occur in all congregations and at all levels of the society (incidentally, there is also no such thing as an 'elder in a high position') as they do in any organisation - the people who run the organisation are fallible, human, and as such might concievable lose sight of what's right in favour of what's easy. It's wrong and it stinks, but it's the way the world works.
To those of you who are bitching and moaning about growing up as witnesses and being 'brainwashed' by a vicious, dangerous, tyrannical cult: You grew up in a different organisation to me! I was never forced to get baptised and pioneer, I was not forced to leave school, I was no more indoctrinated than a child of a Catholic or an evolutionist - and while we're talking about indoctrination, lets take a little look at the background and methods of the Catholic Church. My childhood was no better or worse than anyone else's, and most of the hardships I did face were not due to being a Witness. Most of you have been witnesses at one time or another: You KNOW why the congregation disfellowships and this is a misrepresentation! Like me, before you decided to leave, YOU TREATED DISFELLOWSHIPED PEOPLE THE WAY YOU ARE TREATED NOW. You know the teachings behind it, you knew them before you got baptised and were ever in a position where you could be disfellowshipped. The bottom line is: sooner or later it was your choice. If you didn't have the backbone to stand up and defend your beliefs and leave before you turned into bitter, twisted individuals using a legitimate cause for a personal vendetta, the fault is entirely your own. I know how it feels to believe something others don't, to live up to standards others laugh at, to leave the only world you ever knew, lose your friends and family and try to survive in a new world that you don't know. I've been there. But that decision was mine. So don't blame the Witnesses because you made royal messes of your lives - you made your own decisions, stand up and take some goddamn responsibility for yourselves instead of blaming the society, your family, your friends and the bloody dog!
I am an ex-Witness. I have a good life, I'm happy and I'm doing what I want to be doing. I am not educationally disadvantaged. In fact, reading some of the posts it would seem I'm much more literate than half of those moaning about Witnesses being reponsible for their stupidity. I have nothing against the organisation: I go my way, they go their way. It has problems - possibly big problems - but I won't make that my own personal cross to bear, and I won't label a whole organisation as evil because of human errors. If you want to do that, you'll spend the rest of your life not going into churches of any denomination.
To those of you who were abused: I was horrified when I read your stories, I cannot even imagine the pain and the fear and the loneliness you must have felt. I sincerely hope that your abusers will be brought to justice, and I admire and support your decision to speak out. Hopefully most of you have by now sought treatment, and to those who haven't, I encourage you to do so. While these wound fester your abuser is still hurting you. They've taken enough from you and done enough damage: Don't let them take any more. See a professional, find help (and I don't think you'll find it here), and reclaim your life.
To those of here who have a chip on their shoulders: Grow up! Take some goddamn responsibility for your own actions, don't blame everyone else for your own mistakes. If your life isn't what you want it to be then the fault lies squarely with YOU. I have quite a few ex-witness friends and none of us are messed up because of the truth, we're normal, well-adjusted adults - as you would be, if you could stop bitching long enough to get a life.
Any comments: scary1076@yahoo.com
Hello, I have not posted for some time. The following story is not of sexual nature but it is of abuse in a mental nature. My inlaws were both JWs. Recently my mother inlaw passed away. They held the funeral memorial at the Kingdom Hall. My father inlaw was holding a reception afterwards at his house. Now this man just lost his wife of 57 years. She had been his one and only. I am married to his daughter. He knows I am an ex-JW. We get along fine and we don't discuss religion. Well, the local paper ran an obituary and I was listed as a son-inlaw.Immeadiately the idiot pea brained elders in Lowell, Mass. called the even dumber elders in Chelmsford, Mass. and told them I was disfellowshipped. The subhumans couldn't even get that right, I DISASSOCIATED myself. I know, I know, it is treated the same, but to me it makes a difference. Well thanks to an elder named Ken Signell of the Chelmsford, Mass. congregation my poor father inlaw was told that if I was present at this reception NO ONE FROM THE HALL WOULD ATTEND! my my! What were they afraid of? And what a time to stress thier shunning beliefs! I guess if they breathed the same air I did they would all leave the borg. But wait! I went to the hall for the memorial talk. They must have fumigated the place when I left. In reality they gave a very poor witness to this mans family, friends and neighbors.I didn't hear one positive comment when my wife and I arrived after the so called brothers had filled thier stomaches and swilled his booze. One last point in this mental abuse thing, my wife never has been, never wants to be a JW. Why was she shunned at the hall? Why couldn't she be at the reception when the oh so holy christians (lower case on pupose) were there? Is shunning now in effect by guilt by association now? Hmmm, another new provison from Jehovah maybe? Well, Thankyou, Lowell and Chelmsford, Mass. congregations you are true beacons of idiocy and ignorance. keep up the good work! Mark H. Palo palo50@juno.com
This is Mark Palo again. I just read the previous posting to mine. I must say the person who posted sounds very much like some hard core AA veterans I know with her "quit yer bitchin" attitude. Oh, by the way the scary1076@yahoo.com address keeps coming back as invalid, just so you know. I agreed with some of your observations but I just have to know what congregation you attended. Was it Micheal Jacksons or the one the Prince presently attends? Your comments that as a child nothing was forced and your family was spiritual may be true and you had a close to normal childhood as possible. I am happy for you. In fact estatic! My father was a Bethelite for 13 years, my mother a special pioneer for gawd knows how long, in fact my entire maternal side of the family were religous Witness fanatics. So your comments about being forced are absolutely not true! I remember being forced and being beaten if I didn't go in service or to meetings. I remember being beaten up at school for all the reason we know. I remember being given the lamest excuses by my BRAINWASHED parents. Can I ask you how I should look at the rapes that occured to me at Bethel? Provisions from Jehovah? Maybe my years of alcoholism hiding from the horrible truth that my so called Christian father knew about the rapes and said and did nothing because he was TOTALLY BRAINWASHED by the SATANIC men of the Watchtower.Or was it the Fecalith elder who offered me a study in the Truth book to help me with my drinking instead of taking me to a detox as he should have that makes me BITCH. Oh you might say after studying Psychology at college, this man has rage issues. Yes I do, my therapist tells me so. I go weekly to deal with my PTSD, sleep disorder, anxiety, distrust of anyone, and lethal rage. I too attend college, major in Human Services/mental health and hold a 3.8gpa. Not bad for a dysfunctional witness brat on the Deans list. As I said I don't know what hall you attended but it had to have been some where in East Kukamanga or your elders were doing some awful good peyote. But, if your experiences were such that you have good or pleasant memories, more power to you, but please, don't mount the proverbial soap box and tell some one like me to "Quit my bitchin" It theraputic you see!! Mark H. Palo palo50@juno.com
I am not now nor have I ever been affiliated with JWs. My only contact is the memory I have of a child I attended elementary school with and the occasional JW at my door.
The child I speak of was a very troubled child, I recall that during our sixth grade year he systematically plucked all the hair from his arms, his eyebrows, and even his eyelashes; he had started to pull the hair from his head when the school year ended.
As I look back on the child, I wonder, from the advantage of years and training, if he was being sexually abused?? All the memories I have of him point to a YES answer.
I do know that he was being raised in an all female household comprised of mother, aunt, and grandmother. They lived in a senior citizen's high-rise apartment building. The mother and aunt were very active JWs, (not being very familiar with the cult I can not attribute correct labels for their status)leaving the boy with the grandmother for long periods.
I remember his apparent sadness from Kindergarten through the third grade when it was someone's birthday and they had brought a treat, or at various holiday parties. Sometimes,his mother or aunt would pick him up but usually he had to sit there with nothing while everyone else enjoyed the treats. A few times the teachers sent him to the office or on a made up errand while a birthday treat was passed.
I can remember in Kindergarten how I couldn't understand WHY this boy wouldn't take the cookies I brought to celebrate my birthday with. As I got older and began to understand that his RELIGION prevented him from celebrating I thought how could ANY religion be like that for I had read in my Bible that God commanded the children of Israel to Rejoice, and the sing.
Around the end of third grade and until I no longer attended the same school he did, I noticed that he began to state, usually loudly & belligerently, that it was O.K. for us to have our parties but he was going to "make it through" while the rest of us "will perish".
Why would anyone remember things like this 30 years later??
My heart goes out to those who have been abused, I apologize for taking so much of your time but I wonder, how many of us know or knew a child who is/was being abused and can't express the abuse/ tell about it in any way other than "ACTING OUT" or misbehaving to get attention.
Hi Mark,
Correct email address is:
scary1026@yahoo.com
My point is: you're putting the blame in the wrong place. People did those awful things to you, not the organisation. And the people that did those things were not acting in accordance with what the Witnesses or the bible teach.
You have every right to be angry - infact it's perfectly normal and healthy (to a point) to be angry. But be angry at the right person/persons.
I'm from Australia, so I doubt you would be familiar with the congregation I was from. Some of the earlier ones I attended were in Melbourne (Victoria).
And if you re-read my post, you'll notice that I mention that victims of abuse have every right to be upset, and have a real reason to bitch. My comment about getting over it was directed toward ex-witnesses who left/were df'd under 'ordinary' circumstances and now have a bone to pick.
If you like, feel free to email me. I stand by what I say though: It's unfair to brand the entire organisation for the actions a minority of the people in it. Finding someone to blame for a while is fine, but eventually everyone has to account for themselves. The abuse was NOT your fault, you didn't deserve it, you couldn't control it, you did nothing wrong and committed no sin. But how you react to it now - and your method of dealing with it - IS your choice and is fully in your control. Don't cause yourself more anguish by hanging on to the hatred: as long as do, the people who hurt you to begin with have won because they still control your life. Don't let them.
Hope life eventually makes up for the pain you've had. If it makes you feel any better, my life wasn't exactly roses either. I just had different problems, and I've managed to escape with minimal damage :D.
Scary
To scary1026@yahoo.com, you e-mails keep coming back as undeliverable. palo50@juno.com
i was sexually abused by a now jw elder in texas. i was dissfelloshiped 2 years ago and have never been happier being out of that cult. now i'm struggling trying to fight for the custody battle of my 2 children- whom their father is a fanatic jw. I go to court next month and need some advice on fighting against the jw cult.
i was raised a jw as a child. Of course like many other jw victims i was also sexually abused. I lived with the fear of letting the elders know, much less my father who would've killed this man. I am now a grown woman with children of my own. I am no longer part of the jw organization--thank god!! I am going through a divorce and my ex-husband who is a ministerial servant is fighting me for my two kids. Any advice on taking a jw to court. I've been told by many i dont stand a chance but i'm going to try-- i want my children to lead a normal life, not just reading the watchtower and going door to door on the weekends. Please email any advice for i will be in court in 2 weeks. my address is cleanair5967@aol.com. thank you
Let's see< I don't even know where to start.I "stumbled" upon this sight tonight after searching"Watchtower" out of curiosity.Yes, I am a sexually abused x-JW,so this gives me the go ahead.I've just spent hours reviewing many of your posts,and in this case,do believe that 99.9% of these stories are fact,seeing that they sound very similiar to my own experiences.You know,the evil step-dad posing as an upstanding,service going,well-loved by his congregation,talk-giving,JW(a man-made org I may add).All the while,through practically all my childhood,infringing on puberty,molesting,raping,mentally abusing,beating me,complete with all the scare tactics in order to keep the mouth(s) under control(my younger brother also,who by the way,is his real son.Imagine that..)Sometimes right after a meeting!(mom never knew a thing,I think she was scared to shit just like we were)And at last when it all came out,of course you know,the "elders"(who thinks of this stuff?great...)pulled the old hush tactics because it would bring reproach upon Jehovah's organization.Sound fimiliar?What is up with these people you may ask,and Who are they to pretty much make the rules and change them when it seems fit?Judging from the extensive interest and study I've been accumulating on the matter of this organization,along with the keen sense of observance,And the God-given gut feelings,The whole thing doesn't add up.Hell,it doesn't even stand up!We see that right here on these pages,multitudes of innocent children forced into a warped way of thinking through years of sexual abuse combined with this "we are the only true religion".Riding in service bright and early on the weekends, bothering most folk who's Saturday/Sunday mornings are sacred.Get your foot in the door, make that presentation,place that literature(don't forget to mark your time down,kind of like a scorecard,ya know?)Most people have their own beliefs,but that's not good enough.We would say,"We're not here to change what you believe,just trying to get people to look at the Bible. Yeah, right.to persistant to be coincidence,my friend,brother...Why is the WATC
I WASN'T THROUGH!Why is the WATC a corporation,then? A corporation's soul purpose is to generate cash flow,make more money,right?Somebody has to benefit financially through all this I assume.I think I've kind of veered off the subject a little but ther are just sooo many things I would like to get off my chest.Oh, And I've heard my share of first hand "Bethel stories" fresh off the boat,right off the GW bridge .Tails of smokin' weed(they were caught and sent home),Drinking on the roof of Bethel, Listening to "worldly",suggestive,Satanic should I say ,music in their room.Yes sir, Staight from the tonsils of a gung-ho to this day witness.Yes we are all imperfect, and tend to lean towards sin, but Bethel?come on.I think New York is probably a very evil spot on this planet, anyway.What a place to stick your headquarters. It all goes back to my own beliefs,which is against all they teach you,that there is one true creator,but the religious organizations,every single one,Have some terrible flaws.Molestation is skimming the surface.You want dirt? Search Charles Taze Russell and see what you come up with.It was rather shocking,and scared the crap out of me once again.Be a christian, live by the true words of God Almighty, go out in the woods in your underwear and pray.If your motives are pure,why should it matter?Why do I have to have a Bowl-cut,and wear a tie everywhere I go to be one of the chosen few?He will sort them apart.Notitle of any earthly format will determine our outcome,just our hearts. Peace
There is an elder in a greater Vancouver congregation that is the father of his grand daughter. He was raping his teenage daughter until she became pregnant. After he was found out he was disfellowshiped for a while and the whole affair was swept under the carpet and kept from the authorities. Since the authorities did not know this man continued to foster children for a living, and collect welfare. Ten years later this man was once agin made an elder and the first thing he did was set up a Friday night youth group! - And the elders let him. He used to hug all the young girls and some of them would say he gave them the creeps. I am wondering if, even though many years have passed, he should be reported to the police?
as we all know molestation cases have very little to do with sexual pleasures. men and women from all walks of life no matter what age or color seek control, most of the time resulting in both physical and mental harm of an individual. the major result of molestion and or rapeis the victim can get over the pain that may be involved,but the victim will never get over the mental conditions that some times follow along. i believe there is no excuse to over power some-one in a controlling way no matter what may have happened to them to cause the to act in such a manner. ill end off by saying it is unfair that sex offenders are taken easy by the justice system. a crime like that is no different from murder. murder you injure someone, in result of death.rape and molestation you injure someone, in result of a life time of fear personally i would rather be dead to live a life time of fear and lack of trust for those who surround me.
> What do you want to happen?
I want him arrested before he dies, i want him to know what he's done has ruined a life forever. I want him to know he hasnt got away with it. I want to know why he did it. I dont want an apology, it isnt good enough, it would make me feel no better. He would have to show me he means it, like him choosing himself to write or something. I want him out of Wallsend so I can walk around without seeing the bastard's face. >
I read in some newspapers about elders who are allowing molesters be allowed to keep thier sexual sins confidential. The congregations are just outside of Bethel, in Brooklyn where the Headquarter is. Fairlawn and Hawthorne Kingdom Halls are the ones mentioned who the molester, who's name was given as Clemente Pandelo, resides. I hope more information comes out about sexual molesters. And what's with the 9-15-01 Watchtower article accusing the other religions of hiding sexual molesters of children. With all the publicity about the Jehovah Witnesses hiding child sexual abuse among it's leaders, how can they even make such hypocritical pronouncements in thier major magazine?? With all of the evidence that is quoted in the Associated Press, Asbury Park Press, USA Today, Courier Journal in Kentucky, Paducah Sun, various papers in New England, and all across the country how can the 9-15-01 Watchtower make such an assinine statement to it's readers? This posting site can be a great spot to quote the names of elders and the molesters they protect. It's a low regard for life that is seems evident in this religion, and a high regard for protecting the image of the Corporation that boasts to it's members that it is the visible representative of God himself, and therefore, to expose sexual predators in it's midst would "bring reproach" on God's name. They should remember that if they are truly interested in not bringing reproach on God's name, that they feel they represent, they should expose the criminals they hide, and the leaders who are hiding them. Isn't that what God did in the Bible?? Expose the criminals and their actions? Even when they were his representatives? I think the congregations that surround the Northern Jersey area, such as Hawthorne, and Fairlawn and others who are close to Brooklyn Bethel Headquarters have decieved there members and betrayed the children who have been molested by over the decades by Clemente Pandelo. I hope more information comes out about him and other molesters from the congregations mentioned in the newspaper articles.
how ashamed you all should be, the ones that perpetrated these crimes or covered them up are not true worshipers of Jehovah, you should have went straight to the Society's headquarters, you are only hurting yourself for allowing a few bad eggs (these bad elders) take away your relationship with Jehovah's organization. all true worshipers of Jehovah are outraged when anything like this happens, and make sure to rid the congregation of such ones, but even some of you admit to keeping it covered up for so long, perhaps you should read some recent articles in the watchtower and awake to see the society's point of view, and realize that it is individuals to blame, not Jehovah's organization.
You are the one who should be ashamed to come onto this posting board and tell those who share their stories of abuse by those they totally trusted. If it were anyone who covered up it is the filthy Organization of men loving thier positions, and forcing a disgusting "2 witness" policy on victims coming forward to tell your pathetic Society Headquarters. Even your name for your organization is unbiblical, in fact more like the world you hate so much. Read the testimonies on here and on other sites and the media recent court case of the young girl last month. Be ashamed of all the filthy congregation members who showed up at that trial and called her a disgusting name and pleaded with the judge not to send her molester back to prison. It is all in the court records how she was threatened by one saying she would kill her. Such good fruitage. It is denial. You should be ashamed not only of the sexual perversion your religion covers up while it self-righteously blames victims for "losing thier relationship with Jehovah's Organization". How very sad to think you have the backing of any god, let alone the Biblical God. The articles you speak of in the watchtower and awake are the society giving lip service with loopholes tho their stated point of view. Your 2 witness loophole gets any pervert off the hook if they deny it because your pervert leaders know full well that no molester has another witness to the assault of a child. So the child or young girl deals with it while you protect the molester. You are trying to protect your publishing company you call your god. Sacrifice your children to the god of your pamplet pushing publishing corporation. Is that what your Oct meeting is about. All you pathetic publishers worshipping your publishing company that boasts exclusive relationship with God??? If that is true, your god must be lying to you all the time, because you keep changing your society "point of view" in your watchtower and awake. Read your society points of view on Rape in the articles of your magazines from the 50's onward. Does Jehovah keep changing his mind with new light, old light, new light, again. And how about the society's point of view on Blood??? Is Jehovah changing his mind and giving you new light just like with vaccinations, and transplants, and Kings of the North and South and so on. Your publishing corporation is not god or even god's channel. It is lawless, man made, false prophet. Just another fear tactic religion preying on hurting vulnerable ones. Have fun at your special meeting in Oct. learning all the things like you do at your weekly sales pitch meetings. Your a pyramid cult with false prophecies and can't financially afford to risk besmerching your filthy image by admitting to child molesters among you. And because your members go along with it they are as guilty as the perverts in Headquarters. You be ashamed. Especially if you really are believe that you "rid" yourselves of molesters. Shame on you. Shame on your religious organization of hypocrites without love of what is truly good.
The WTBS has caused some of its own problems by preaching that they are "GODS NATION". So if you are a young victim in "Gods nation", naturally you at first try to protect it even at your own expense, then when you realize it was a man made organization all along, you get very BITTER. Shanesiemens@email.com I welcome comments
TRADE TOWERS IN N.Y flattened--sure takes the heat off of the WT does it not?? I think so but for the time being only---but this is my opinion only !!!! queenapostate PEACE LOVE TRANQUILITY