JWs Support Silentlambs!
THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE - THE ANOINTED REMNANT CHRIST’S BROTHERS JOINT HEIRS
July 28, 2001
The Faithful and Discreet Slave
From the four corners of Jehovah’s Earth
Brother William Bowen
Paducah KY, USA
Greetings to our Dear Brother Bowen,
As a large group of the Faithful and Discreet Slave, a part of the anointed remnant of Christ’s Brothers from around the world, we wanted to commend you for your fine work that you have done. This is a letter of support. We know that it is not easy to go against the policies of the Governing Body. You are courageous and bold. We appreciate the work that you are doing on behalf of the lost sheep that have been neglected and abused by elders and indirectly by the Governing Body for not putting proper policies in place to assure the safety and security of all members old and young alike.
Your hard work of community service with the silentlambs website and the 800-WT-ABUSE, phone number has helped many that have been wounded and scarred by representatives of the WATCHTOWER Society.
THE PROTECTION OF PEDOPHILLES HAS NOT ONLY HURT THESE YOUNG ONES SEXUALLY, PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY BUT WORST OF ALL, SPIRITUALLY!
So many have lost their love and trust in Jehovah God. This is a crime in itself! Parents and other family members have lost faith because of the hypocrisy and the deception carried on by brothers in the back room with secret meetings. Unfortunately, the outcome of these meetings has hurt so many innocent lives yet protects the criminals in this circus of a pedophile paradise.
How can this be? What is going on? What does our dear master, Jesus Christ have to say about this? How would secret meetings in the back room be conducted if He were there in person? What about the thoughts and feelings of our dear heavenly Father Jehovah? Have any of these men thought about our spiritual family in the heavens?
Jehovah, Jesus Christ, and the angels all see and hear everything. God will bring judgment against these perverted hateful wicked evildoers! What bloodguilt has been heaped upon their heads!
Are their decisions based on the Bible or on demonic influence?
How disgusting for Jehovah to look down and see homosexuality running rampant at Bethel while out in the congregations a pedophile paradise exists. So many parents are grieved over their children being victims of these activities “sponsored” by the direction of the Governing Body. While it may not happen in every congregation, even one is one too many! Do we have 100 cases? Could we have more?
Churches of Christendom earth wide are dealing with pedophiles in their midst! Are we any different? NO! With the exception that Watchtower Corporation, wants to keep their dirty little scheme a secret! So we ask: ”What are they hiding?” Why don’t they admit guilt, make amends, pay restitution, forgive, go to the authorities and then implement new policies pertaining to these perverted people that are in our ranks.
The Anglican Church of Canada read a letter to all of their congregations on Sunday, May 28, 2000, stating that they could be in financial ruin because of litigation from over 100 cases of proven child and sexual abuse. Their sex offenders are in jail. What about our children and those who prey on them? Are our perverted sinners still speaking from the platform, still going door to door, still in good standing? Are our frightened children told to be quiet and do as they are told? We should learn a serious lesson from the Anglican Church. Their ministers are taking the right steps to get the authorities involved, to quit hiding, to admit guilt, say they are sorry and make restitution. Instead of pointing a finger at them, the Governing Body needs to take a hard look at the repentant behavior of the Anglican Church and learn from their example!
If we do not take action can we say we are any better than these churches? News reports and TV coverage of pedophiles, homosexuality, adultery, bribes and payoffs as well as lawsuits dominate the front page and national news in countries around the world. Will we be next? If so what would that do to our clean image? Have we become like the Pharisees? We are shocked and appalled at the breath and depth of this horrendous problem. We are unable to make suggestions to the Governing Body and the Legal Department. They have turned a deaf ear to us. Do they think they are above the LAW of Christ and of the local authorities? (Romans13)
What would Jesus Christ do?
How would Jesus Christ handle these sensitive matters?
When will these atrocities stop?
Where do we go from here?
We as Jehovah’s Witnesses who are part of Faithful and Discreet Slave, Christ’s Brothers, Joint Heirs, the Anointed Remnant stand on the side of justice, wisdom and love with Jehovah and Jesus. We do not condone or wish to share in the sins of the Governing Body. We do not agree with the policy of two witnesses and hiding the pedophile. The leadership of the Governing Body has disappointed us and let us all down. They seem to be more concerned about the Organization’s image, protecting assets and distracting from the real issues. The Governing Body deserves censure. JUSTICE must be served. Jehovah will punish them severely for this and other crimes. This letter serves to remind the Governing Body of the Faithful and Discreet Slave members that have tried to intervene and been ignored! Jehovah will see that the truth comes out! Whether or not the Watchtower cooperates with the authorities we have to wait and see. The record shows that they are guilty of destroying evidence and creating appalling spin stories of blame and denial. They have been known “to evict brothers and sisters from Bethel for trying to speak out”. It is a mockery a terrible reproach on Jehovah’s name. If other honest-hearted brothers and sisters really understood these matters, they would be appalled. Is this what Jesus had in mind when he said, “By this all will know you are my disciples, by the love you have among yourselves?” Are we really adhering to this standard set by our Master?
”You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood a holy nation, a people for a special possession…called out of darkness into the wonderful light…. Have love for the whole association of Brothers.” (1Peter2: 9,17)
“You should all speak in agreement, there should not be divisions among you. But that you be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought.” (1Cor. 1:10)
Do we all maintain a high level of moral cleanness among our members according to the direction offered at 1Peter 1:15,16 and 1Cor. 5: 9-13? Are we truly doing all things for God’s Glory? (1Cor.10: 31)
In Titus 2:11,12 it mentions being instructed by God, “to repudiate ungodliness and worldly desires and to live with soundness of mind and righteousness and godly devotion.” You and your family are certainly obeying the scriptures and applying the fruitage of the spirit in your lives. Jehovah will bless your efforts for taking a stand for righteousness sake and helping your fellow brothers and sisters in their time of great sorrow and need of true understanding.
Brother Bowen, you have the compassion in your heart to help our heavenly Father’s children. You have created a place of refuge for the distraught and depressed. You are truly a Brother in every sense of the word. You have given hope when there was only despair. You have given a light when they saw only darkness. You were finally a listening ear at the end of a telephone line when no one else cared. You were the light that gave direction, understanding and reassurance. Confidence, freedom, and trust have been taken away from all of the victims. You have lovingly found a way through your perseverance and kindness to restore these to those that have lost them.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the work you have done.
May more righteous hearted brothers join you in this endeavor to allow the healing and reconciliation of these poor souls to begin. May the truth come out, no matter how much it hurts so we can all become complete in our hearts toward Jehovah. May your family find peace and strength in staying close to Jehovah, in this time of difficulty. We realize that you may have lost friends and loved ones over these issues. But know that true friends will stick closer than a brother. Please do not neglect to forgive those persecuting you by praying for them. We know that your heart is pure and it will move you to do what is right in the face of adversity. We respect and honor you for being one of our dear brothers.
APOLOGY
At this time, we would like to take this opportunity to make a public APOLOGY to all of those that have been hurt and stumbled by the pedophiles that have been allowed to continue in our midst with the holy blessing of the Governing Body. We are shocked and stunned by these increasing horrendous true to life accounts. We wish we could tell you how deeply sorry we are in person. This should never have happened to any of you. This is a heavy Burden to bear.
Clearly, we are greatly saddened by these atrocities. We love you and want the best for each and every one of you. Some of us also have been molested and or raped as children, teens or as adults. We feel your pain: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Please remember that Jehovah loves each and every one of you. He will not turn his back on you the way humans have done! Please pray to him and establish a close relationship with him. He truly cares for you.
NEED FOR REFORM
We see that the time for reform is long overdue. We have wanted it for a long time. Unfortunately, we have no power. We do not make the rules. The suggestions we have offered have fallen on deaf ears by those in Brooklyn.
As a collective body of the Faithful and Discreet Slave Class throughout the world, we want to wholeheartedly suggest the following directives be implemented by the Organization:
1. Pedophiles that engage in heterosexual and/or homosexual acts be disfellowshipped and leadership privileges be taken away for life if reinstated.
2. The authorities should be called first if molestation occurs.
3. The elders as well as congregation must be more supportive of the victim and family.
4. We need a zero tolerance policy regarding child molestation and sexual abuse.
5. Both professional and spiritual training should be conducted to enforce these proactive policy changes. There must be a program especially designed around this issue in the next Kingdom Ministry School for elders and ministerial servants.
6. Access to Rape Crisis Centers and Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Centers for professional counseling in local congregations.
7. Brothers and sisters from every congregation should be trained to assist the young ones in this situation.
The message needs to be clear: There will be no sympathy, no hiding place in our midst for those hurting our children. The loving course of action should be followed. Is not this how Jesus would show love and support?
May we thank Jehovah, for giving us a glimmer of hope with the silentlambs website.
Yes, we believe that Jehovah answers prayers and we pray that as time goes on the punishment will fit the crime to those who deserve it. In the mean time, may you brother Bowen find comfort in knowing for those in need, you are accomplishing Jehovah’s work. Thank you once again for helping these fragile victims to become strong victors in fighting this cruel battle.
May we all have the peace of God and may Jehovah bless each one of us as we continue to serve Him faithfully now and forever!
You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.
Agape Love,
Your True Brothers in Christ,
The Faithful And Discreet Slave
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Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia make the following declaration,
06/01/07
To the people of Russia and of the world
D E C L A R A T I O N
of active members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses International Organization
We are compelled to write this Declaration because of recent events in the United States that have to do with established incidents of sexual abuse of minors involving some appointed servants (including elders) of the Jehovah’s Witnesses religious organization. We want to express our opinion about the situation and about the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society position in this regards.
Our organization’s leadership — the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses — remains silent and pretends that nothing extraordinary is going on. Nevertheless we cannot remain silent any longer, because we see it all, we face these problems in our everyday lives and we feel confused and ashamed when others point us to such incidents. Thus we in Russia feel very uneasy about these facts.
We do recognize clearly that the present internal policies of our organization are favorable and conductive to concealment of such transgressions against law and morals. All who attempt to press for just punishment of the offenders will themselves come under condemnation unless they have enough evidence against an accused person – oftentimes presence of two or more eye-witnesses of a given incident is requested, whereas one-man witnesses of crimes committed against close kin are dismissed. Therefore a criminal often goes unpunished and privately continues to commit felonious acts against his victim. We do not know of any single instance when elders of a congregation would turn to the law enforcement agencies with a request to investigate claims of sexual abuse, although crimes of such kind should be investigated by experts.
This probably happens because the elders themselves, as we know, are often involved in similar transgressions (including, to be sure, not only sexual sins, but also deceit, licentiousness, rudeness etc,). Thank Jehovah, we do not know of any instances of pedophilia in Russia, but in other situations actions of elders are being portrayed in such a way as if nothing has happened — elders being often “shielded” by fellow elders and/or regional overseers. All this gives rise to feelings of indignation and aversion. We have enough examples to prove our case, but it is not our goal to publish these. Unfortunately it turns out that it has become more important for Jehovah’s Witnesses to maintain authority of the elders and of the organization in general than to maintain biblical ethics and morals. We’d be glad to find ourselves mistaken, but thus far all facts speak in favor of such conclusion.
On behalf of all Jehovah’s Witnesses indignant with the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society policies we would like to make apologies to those who have suffered from such actions on part of Jehovah’s Witnesses. We are truly ashamed of their actions.
We do this because we recognize that the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, with its usual practice of improper “pungency”, will never do it. Public should know that among Jehovah’s Witnesses both in Russia and in the world there are hundreds and thousands of honest people — they see all the lawless deeds of their organization and sincerely mourn it.
We also do recognize that many policies of our organization are not biblical, but rather based upon dogmas put forth by the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. One result of such unchristian position is their “policy of concealment” as applied to various crimes committed by members of the organization. Rank-and-file Jehovah’s Witnesses are mostly unsatisfied with this policy, but they remain silent for fear of being repressed by the leadership which has only one interest: to maintain a positive public “image” of the organization.
We do not want to be condemned by Jehovah along with those who stubbornly persist in their delusions (2 Thess. 2:11-12). Having put our hope in His mercy and submitted everything under His mighty hand (1 Peter 5:6), we pray for our brothers that God may open their eyes (Rom. 10:1).
Members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses International Organization