Anna

Yes, instruction is fine, but with this instruction comes honesty. For years we have bashed the Catholic church for shutting their eyes to child sexual molestation. Although our situation is different to that of the Catholic church,  we are not immune to those in authority using their position to get away with such things as child molestation, wife beating etc. Although not prolific like opposers would make out, still, in the words of our own organization "one molested child is one too many". The facts are; there have been elders and ministerial servants who have sexually molested children, and who have got away with it for a long time because no one would believe something like this could ever happen in our organization, after all we ARE Jehovah's organization! I do not believe the GB should hold our hands, just admitting this problem does exist in Jehovah's organization would suffice. Sooner or later this admission will be made, but the longer it's evaded, the worse the results will be as there will be a lot of publishers who will wonder why this information has been withheld for so long.....

Suzi, thank you for sharing your story.
This is the crux of the problem I think, that is why I posted that article you mention. It wasn't to excuse the perpetrators of course, but to excuse those who naively believed a child was safe with them (the perpetrator). As you say, good people just don't think the way perverts do, and that was my argument with regard to Candace Conti, that the elders (despite knowing about one incidence with his step daughter) just did not believe that the perpetrator (Kendrick) would ever do anything like that again. He did. He molested Candace. Then after Candace, he molested his new wife's grandchild. The elders had no idea about any of this. They only found out when Candace confronted them with it years later.....
You also had no idea about your step father, you blame yourself for it, but as you see, you are a good person, who just couldn't imagine that anyone could be capable of anything like that....
The adage should be: "once a child molester, always a child molester". HOWEVER, this is not entirely compatible with scripture, and with the idea that people can change. This is the attitude we Witnesses try to take. BUT, at the same time it needs to be recognized that pedophilia is a real clinical case, almost a disease, that has to be fought like an addiction to alcohol. Is a cure possible? Not entirely, as an alcoholic has to abstain for the rest of his life otherwise he will revert. The same with a pedophile, he cannot ever be trusted around children, until in the new system.

If I'm not mistaken, both Rutherford and Knorr were considered the FDS, after all, this was after 1918, when the supposed appointment was made, as you yourself mention. But I think this appointment was seen in retrospect. (years later). JWInsider will probably know more about this. I believe all of the anointed were thought to be the FDS and then the WT of July 2013 clarified that it only applied to the anointed in the GB, the article was: "feeding many at the hands of a few"
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20130715/jesus-feeds-many/
P.S I think Br. Russell is viewed as one who "prepared the way" and as the "rattling of the bones" as per Ezekiel 37:1-14

Brother Russell died in 1916

Suzi, thank you for sharing your story.
This is the crux of the problem I think, that is why I posted that article you mention. It wasn't to excuse the perpetrators of course, but to excuse those who naively believed a child was safe with them (the perpetrator). As you say, good people just don't think the way perverts do, and that was my argument with regard to Candace Conti, that the elders (despite knowing about one incidence with his step daughter) just did not believe that the perpetrator (Kendrick) would ever do anything like that again. He did. He molested Candace. Then after Candace, he molested his new wife's grandchild. The elders had no idea about any of this. They only found out when Candace confronted them with it years later.....
You also had no idea about your step father, you blame yourself for it, but as you see, you are a good person, who just couldn't imagine that anyone could be capable of anything like that....
The adage should be: "once a child molester, always a child molester". HOWEVER, this is not entirely compatible with scripture, and with the idea that people can change. This is the attitude we Witnesses try to take. BUT, at the same time it needs to be recognized that pedophilia is a real clinical case, almost a disease, that has to be fought like an addiction to alcohol. Is a cure possible? Not entirely, as an alcoholic has to abstain for the rest of his life otherwise he will revert. The same with a pedophile, he cannot ever be trusted around children, until in the new system.

It is, isn't it! This is why the whole situation is not so cut and dry as opposers would have us believe.....

Brother Russell died in 1916

Where is one supposed to look?? I can't see anything like this...

This is the case now. I will try and dig up the latest child protection policies of Jehovah's Witnesses if you haven't seen them yet.

Yes, I fully agree with you, one should expect that
 
Actually JWs in Italy are one of the largest religions after the Catholics

Yes, instruction is fine, but with this instruction comes honesty. For years we have bashed the Catholic church for shutting their eyes to child sexual molestation. Although our situation is different to that of the Catholic church,  we are not immune to those in authority using their position to get away with such things as child molestation, wife beating etc. Although not prolific like opposers would make out, still, in the words of our own organization "one molested child is one too many". The facts are; there have been elders and ministerial servants who have sexually molested children, and who have got away with it for a long time because no one would believe something like this could ever happen in our organization, after all we ARE Jehovah's organization! I do not believe the GB should hold our hands, just admitting this problem does exist in Jehovah's organization would suffice. Sooner or later this admission will be made, but the longer it's evaded, the worse the results will be as there will be a lot of publishers who will wonder why this information has been withheld for so long.....

Yes, instruction is fine, but with this instruction comes honesty. For years we have bashed the Catholic church for shutting their eyes to child sexual molestation. Although our situation is different to that of the Catholic church,  we are not immune to those in authority using their position to get away with such things as child molestation, wife beating etc. Although not prolific like opposers would make out, still, in the words of our own organization "one molested child is one too many". The facts are; there have been elders and ministerial servants who have sexually molested children, and who have got away with it for a long time because no one would believe something like this could ever happen in our organization, after all we ARE Jehovah's organization! I do not believe the GB should hold our hands, just admitting this problem does exist in Jehovah's organization would suffice. Sooner or later this admission will be made, but the longer it's evaded, the worse the results will be as there will be a lot of publishers who will wonder why this information has been withheld for so long.....

I have to admit I didn't read all of the info that Anna and Ann plus others have submitted, but the article (submitted above) about what a child molester looks like :
 http://www.childmolestationprevention.org/pages/tell_others_the_facts.html#georges_story    
rang true with my step-father (of 50+years - not a JW, married, good income, white) who abused my daughter and youngest son.  Back in the late 70s my daughter was about 3yo, I caught him picking her up by putting one hand between her legs and the other under her armpit.  I immediately went to him, firmly told him not to do that anymore.  My daughter who is now in her 40s claims she can still remember the feeling. 18 yrs later, I relied on my parents for childcare since I had become a single mother and couldn't afford daycare when my son was small.   (Both parents were retired at this time.) The abuse began at about 4-5yrs old thru teen yrs.   The abuser was so clever, I had no idea for which I have felt deeply guilty.  We would sit at family meals (the 4 of us) and the abuser could act like nothing was wrong.  My son was weighed down with threats and so remained silent.  I thought he was just moody.  I didn't find out until my son was 23yrs old when he finally told me.  By this time his abuser was dead.  My son has left the Truth since he claims he is now Gay.  What the abuser takes freely for selfish reasons has a huge cost to others.  They are clever and cunning.   Good people just don't think the same way perverts do.  You just don't want to accuse someone of such serious crime.  Education is important and it's unfortunate we can't trust anyone.   Children (under 10yo) are now abusing younger children and the government can't do a darn thing about it because of their age.  This whole thing is such a mess.  They need to castrate the B______ds (crude, I know).  
I have a RV with an ex-member of the FLDS polygamist group (their leader is in jail for life for sex abuse) and I fear doing an internet search will put them off from learning more from the Bible.   I have stopped donating for the ww work because so much money is going to these settlements.  I donate to the KH and if they send money to the HQ, that's their business.  I feel I should write to the HQ and let them know, maybe that will get them to be more transparent.  I came across a quote from the Dali Lama the other day:  "A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity."  I would send that but I think they would disregard it given the source.  I pray to Jehovah that he will direct Jesus to handle this matter quickly and with great wisdom.   I pray for the victims and for protection for all children, JW or not.  May we all maintain our joy and peace in these troubled times.  Love to all.  
 

Good points.
Also, some terminology is more common or even unique to JWs, so if we punch in those terms (e.g. 'God's kingdom' or 'ransom sacrifice'), we are going to get jw.org at the top of the list. Punch in 'Kingdom of God' or 'atonement doctrine' and jw.org will be way down the list if it appears at all on the first page.

Yes. It is a good reproof. I have endeavored to mitigate that remark elsewhere, saying we never know for sure who that verse fits. But it a point worth repeating.

Is that what I should have told my sister? My younger sister was sexually molested by an elder. She stayed despite that without making waves, until she started to see other things she found deeply disturbing and then she did "move on" as you say. Actually, she shouldn't have "moved on" because later on, most of the elders (the bad ones) were either removed or disfellowshipped - half of them were apostate (but that's not all they were up to). Of course nobody wanted to believe anything (even with concrete evidence) since they were regulars on the circuit assembly platform and on even on the district convention. It took about 10 years to sort itself out (should have been much quicker considering the evidence), but it did, (although it took other elders to step in and do what actually had to be done.) Still, 1 Timothy 5:24 will prove to be true if you wait, in one way or another. 

"This ‘superfine apostle’ in the 2 Corinthians 11:5 mold was a big honcho in the HVAC world and would freeze everyone out of the Kingdom Hall because he liked it cool - even locking the thermostat so nobody not under his control could touch it. One elderly sister declared she would no longer attend meetings – where was the love?
"It developed that this man planned to poison his wife so as to move in with another woman, and all the while maintain his position in the congregation. Joe Merlin sniffed him out in a heartbeat. ‘How can you guys be so naïve?’ he cried before one Body of Elders who could not believe what was right before them. But when the dust at last settled, one of them approached him: ‘You’re right, Joe - we are naïve.’ Sometimes Jehovah’s people are naïve. They are the ‘sons of the light’ whom the ‘sons of this system of things’ do end runs around."
From the chapter 'Dirty Rotten Lowlifes' in 'No Fake News But Plenty of Hogwash.'

True, one reason is because these are targeted questions, the kind of questions not necessarily asked by the general public, but mainly the questions WE, Jehovah's Witnesses ask the public to think about. To illustrate, if I was a random person, (someone perhaps who has never heard about Jehovah's Witnesses) and I begun to be conscious of a spiritual need, I might wonder where to begin. I might google "getting to know god" .  This search brings up various Christian denominations from the Christadelphians to the Mormons. JWs do not appear even after 3 pages (I didn't look any further). The same results come up after searching for "ways to praise god"  "how to find god"  and "where can I find god".  On the other hand questions such as "Truth about god"  and "Who is god" brings up JWs as the first entry. “Who are true Christians” brings up  6 “Christian websites” first, and  7th one is ours with the slightly curious heading “Origin of the Cross—Why True Christians Do Not Use the Cross”.
Interestingly, according to  this website  the percentage of traffic directed from search is 13.40%.  It is a lot higher in some of the other sites. But it’s pretty cool that we rank  number 1 especially as the most translated website.  We probably also still rank number 1 for most widely distributed magazine in the world (WT 1st, Awake 2nd)
 
 
 

I won't say anything except that is exactly what would happen. 
 
This primarily is referring to anointed Christians who have "received the heavenly free gift and become partakers of holy spirit." However, by extension, we also apply it to the great crowd. It would be dangerous however to set ourselves up as being in the judgment seat of God and decide for ourselves that people whom we may disagree with (or are in fact wrong) can't make changes before they die or merit everlasting destruction. It would be pretty dangerous to throw that around lightly in this kind of venue.
I don't think anybody is suggesting there won't continue to be congregations, even despite stuff that shouldn't happen. As far as "...experienced blemishes at least as bad as is claimed by some happens today...," I just read those two chapters over and I won't comment on that, just to say I think "blasphemy" would be worse for sure. I couldn't add any further without being too specific. 
Seriously? Ask a Catholic choir boy...or...
You mean like quoting John 8:7, and from a different translation that you cherry picked to agree with you? The F&DS tell us that the 12 verses at John 7:53-8:11 are spurious and "...have been obviously added to the original text of John's gospel." But having the NWT, you already know that don't you? So to highlight your own agenda you quote a spurious passage from a translation that we don't even use/accept the passage of (except on the side). Another reason some feel that verse is spurious is that it in principle, contradicts God's word - especially when it comes to exposing wrongdoing from within the congregation. 
What religion did you say you were again? It doesn't read that way in our Bible. (And I won't bother to comment on your omission of verse 19 of 1 Corinthians 11 - as translated in the literal Kingdom Interlinear and pretty well every other Bible.) 

If 'Johnny the Bethelite' reported this (from his Bethel hidey-hole (more likely) Rick Fearon's closet ) then it must be legit.
Having said that, the mental distress of suddenly being cast out and shunned by family and friends is no laughing matter and, tragically, there have been suicides or suicide attempts by those who have suffered this treatment.
 
 
 

I had never heard of "Johnny the Bethelite," "Rick Fearon" nor any of the blogs/websites you linked to until I saw your post. That is because I don't go to those places except by accident. But apparently, in direct violation of the clear direction we get from the Faithful and Discreet Slave, you do. Your post is like telling someone: "Hey there is a roaring lion down the path in that cave that wants to kill you. Why don't you go and check it out? In fact, I'll help you along by greasing that slippery slope with a direct link to it."  Whose side are you on anyway? It brings to mind a couple of expressions: "A danger to himself and others" and "with friends like that who needs enemies?"
Are you kidding me? Someone disagrees with you and you come up with that nonsense? My intention has always been to help people stay active and in the truth, despite the things that have stumbled many. Things that they find hard to rationalize. Things that YOU can't even stand to hear, let alone experience in real life. The fact is, I would have found it very difficult myself had not others patiently and lovingly showed they understood what I was seeing/going through, having experienced it themselves and providing seasoned scriptural advice to make sense of this madness. No one else would have understood and I would have been on my own. I think such ones are a gift from Jehovah. And although some people live in "pretend world," or as most, simply never see this stuff, shouldn't  basic common sense tell you that this stuff goes on? When someone is df'd let's say as an apostate/immoral/molester... How long do you think that has been going on for? Just that day? Doesn't reality tell you that at times these (prophesied about) wicked men and imposters were men that were "not whom they appeared to be" for years, decades even? So what (sometimes) happens to the ones who are exposed to such men? Nobody believes them (or wants to believe them) - that's what. Or they are viewed as negative trouble-makers by guys like you. Guys who set themselves up as "keepers of the faith" while ignoring/denying these spiritual "widows and orphans."  These little sheep often leave the truth when they are treated like that. 

I have to agree with you there. Just the other day a sister brought up the subject of the convention and the talk about protecting our children. She is now the third person who absolutely did not think the counsel could apply to anyone being a threat in the congregation. It didn't even cross her mind. Those very few who are aware of this problem, and those who know about the Australia Royal Commission's findings, know exactly why this particular program was included at the convention. It was a response to the problem. However, not many are actually aware of that. I have yet to see a candid admission that we do have this problem among our ranks.
That is the scary part and has been suggested by many an opposer or ex-jw. I do not think much of the public is aware of this problem, as I have yet to meet someone in the ministry who brings it up. However this could change. I think that if this becomes a problem in the ministry, and brothers start reporting it, the GB might do something about it. In the mean time, have you perhaps thought of writing a letter to them, similar in content of what you wrote here? It's possible that if they receive many letters complaining about the lack of transparency regarding this issue it might hurry things along.
P.S. We had hospitality lat month and the brother was telling us about one of his Bible studies, who left the catholic faith because of pedophilia. I thought, oh no, what's he going to do when he finds out we have a similar problem! I know one sister who left the truth because she said she left the Catholics because of this.....

Perhaps it is but a manifestation of the verse: to the Jews I became a Jew, to the Gentiles I became a Gentile, to the Punk Rockers, I became a Punk Rocker.

Russian JW Punk Rock.....  Now I have heard it all. 

It was necessary for the first to take a crash course. Besides, what was Jesus saying other that he would be resurrected?
As for the second, he was already part of a people with a dedication to God. Diligently reading Isaiah, he just needed a few tweaks to bring him up to speed. He didn't have centuries of apostate teaching he had to undo.