Open letter to Daro Weilburg

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

In MANY court cases the Society's Lawyers have argued, under oath, that Jehovah's Witnesses ARE Clergy .... AND that they are ENTITLED to the respect and privileges OF clergy.

Unless like on Orwell's "Animal Farm", we are all equal ..... but some are MORE equal than others.

 

[Shiwiii]

12 hours ago, Anna said:

The reason why elders are to call legal is to see whether they are mandated reporters or not

Why? Give me one good reason why one would NOT report it? 

 

12 hours ago, Anna said:

Unfortunately, the organization seems to think it has to abide by that law.

I disagree. The law does not state that clergy is NOT allowed to report. That being said, if they report, they are not breaking the law. 

 

12 hours ago, Anna said:

One reason is that if an elder learns of a matter that has been disclosed in confidence to them by a victim, then the victim has the right to decide whether the matter should be taken to the police or not. Not the one to whom the matter was disclosed in confidence. 

This is partially true, the clergy privilege is when something is confessed one on one, not in the group setting as in a judicial meeting. 

 

12 hours ago, Anna said:

It has to be remembered that just because an elder applies clergy confidentiality, this does not mean that anyone else in the congregation is bound by it. Anyone and everyone has the right to make a report, even if unsubstantiated

How would anyone else in the cong know if it was only confessed to the elders?  They wouldn't, unless they were part of it  This is why a private reproof is BS! 

 

12 hours ago, Anna said:

This is why he best thing would be if the law would do away with clergy penitence, period.

again, you are thinking along the lines that secular authorities need to correct the wt, they will, just wait and see. 

 

Why is it that in the elders handbook that vandalism is reported immediately but child abuse is not? Does that seem right to you? I know it doesn't and that you don't think that way, but the wt does.