@MadCornishBiker Said
I wish I could say it didn't happen in any religion, but it does probably in all of them.
I do agree however that it is wrong to blame the religion itself for it happening, and even more wrong to blame God for it.
The only time the religion itself is to blame is if they either cover it up or ignore it.
I can't help but feel that the Catholic Church is the worst for that. They don't do anything much about it except try and hide it. If it becomes public they simply "bury" the priest in some little backwater parish somewhere and nothing more is done.
I do appreciate that, according to their beliefs they have " the sanctity of the confessional" but I do believe they sometimes abuse that, and there is always the problem of what do they do abut it, if anything.
I know a lot of people are going to disagree with me on this one, and I can't speak on more than one individual case I know the outcome of, but I can comment on what is official policy which takes into account, first of all the feelings of the victim, though they may not always feel it does. I do however now it was followed in the one case I know of directly, because it happened in a congregation I was in at the time.
The second thing they consider is what power they have to actually do anything, which is actually more limited than people believe, because if the victim doesn't complain there really is nothing anyone can do.
However official policy, which I hope is always adhered to, is to encourage the victim to approach the police to report that occurrence and then approach the accused person and persuade them, if possible to go to the police themselves and give themselves up.
The problem for the elders, as it is for the police, is that all too often there is a distinct lack of evidence, and while it didn't happen in the case I know because the perpetrator took the elders advice and handed himself in, it can often be the word of one person against the other, and whether you believe the victim or not you cannot solely take one persons word against another. The courts won't, the CPS won't proceed if that's all they have and the Police's hands are tied.
Is that fair? No, but nothing can be done about it. The victim often ends up with understandably bitter feelings and often lashes out at everyone because they didn't get the justice they deserved. As I say, understandable but unfair also because if nothing can be done then nothing can be done, and it has to be accepted as a simple but cruel fact of life.
As far as the religious angle goes in the case of the JWs if it is legal stalemate then it is for the as well. They cannot act on one person's word alone, no matter how reliable that person is perceived to be.
However if the Police take action, and that action ends in a successful prosecution, then the Elders can use that as the second witness. They can use the verdict as the second witness and proceed with any disfellowshipping action they see as necessary.
However sometimes, if the perpetrator has cooperated with Police and elders, and is given a custodial sentence by the courts that is considered as action enough, since the perpetrators cooperation is seen as a sign of repentance. Accepting responsibility for his or her actions is taken positively. After all, as Christ said, his Father wants mercy not sacrifice so forgiveness should be extended to any where it is feasible.
Incidentally in the case I actually know about it was a father on a daughter and the abuse had happened a decade or so before the perpetrator became a JW. I have no idea what happened, at the time but as soon as it was raised the father admitted it, went voluntarily to the police and, as they say, "took his lumps". Last I heard he was in Bristol Prison.
As I say, I wish it didn't happen anywhere, but especially amongst those who are, as a group if not as individuals, God's people on this earth. However, as I know from personal experience, there are bad apples in every barrel.
Sadly this kind of thing we know goes on all over the place,through all walks of life,but when a child is abused mentally,physically or sexually it just makes my blood boil.
An adult should never ever take advantage of an innocent child who trusts what they are being told do by the adult,and the fact that the Catholic Church knows full well what is being done,yet what do they do about it?? sweet F*ck all unless it's to condone the actions of the Pedo priests by hiding behind their religion and pretending they know nothing and quoting text from a book of Fairy Tales when asked questions.