On October 30th, pedophile Jonathan Rose received a nine-month prison sentence at Manchester Crown Court on two charges of indecent assault. His victims were young girls he had met and befriended as a respected Jehovah’s Witness.
In delivering the sentence, Judge David Stockdale QC was finally serving justice on a monstrous man who had been a Witness elder until only a matter of weeks before the trial. Remarkably, at the time of writing, he has yet to even face judicial punishment from his congregation for his crimes. You are probably wondering, how could this be?
After first learning of this case, I began digging for more details. The report by Cris Osuh in the Manchester Evening News was very informative, but it left a number of questions unanswered. Finally, with the help of a source who is a friend of the victims concerned and was present at the trial, I have been able to piece together a better idea of what happened and who this man is.
This article represents a confluence of the information brought to light in the M.E.N. report and my source’s version of events, which I have found to be very candid and reliable.
Let off the hook?
To better understand this story we need to go back to 1995 when Rose, then in his late teens, was first accused of sexual assault by a girl in her early teens in the New Moston congregation (in Manchester, UK). We will call his accuser “Girl A.”
Girl A’s parents reported the matter to the police and the case went to trial. To their horror, Rose was acquitted, and his elders rallied to his defense. They branded Girl A a liar and painted her family as trouble-makers. The family was subsequently banished from the congregation for refusing to back down, and in particular, for trying to warn other parents.
This first accuser’s father commented on what happened in the M.E.N. article saying, “They held a meeting where they stood on a platform and said no-one should ever take a ‘brother’ to court. They dismissed our complaint as something that happened between teenagers. We were ostracised, and then told to get out of the congregation after the trial.”
It seems Rose’s courtroom victory not only absolved him of guilt in the eyes of his congregation – it also emboldened him to continue his abuse. Before long he moved on to another victim, who we will call “Girl B.”
Rose is said to have met Girl B and befriended her parents while still awaiting his 1995 trial. These parents were among those that the family of Girl A had tried to warn prior to being forced out.
The exact circumstances of Rose’s assault are unclear, but Girl B was “groped by him in her own home” according to the M.E.N. article. This is said to have happened roughly a year after the trial. Girl B was only five years old at the time, but the memory would stay with her, even though she shared it with no one – not even her parents.
Exposed on Facebook
Fast forward to around 2010, and by now Rose had worked his way up to becoming an elder in New Moston. Though he had clearly won over his congregation, his first alleged victim could not forget her experience with him so easily. And it all came flooding back to her one day when she logged on to Facebook.
A photograph was posted showing Rose with a group of his friends, including Girl A. It was taken in the early nineties before the abuse took place, and had been posted innocuously by someone who was oblivious to the details of what had happened in 1995.
On seeing the photo, Girl A wrote the word “PAEDO” in the comments section. This single action sparked a chain of events that would eventually lead to Rose’s conviction.
Girl B is said to have seen Girl A’s comment on her sister’s Facebook page, and enquired as to what she meant by it. Upon finding out that it related to Girl A’s allegations against Rose, she immediately confided for the first time that he had done the same thing to her when she was only five.
Facebook thus played a role in bringing two victims together who otherwise would have been oblivious to their shared experience.
Another victim steps forward
It would be 2012 before a phone conversation between Girl A and a friend of Girl B would move things further forward. During this conversation, Girl A happened to mention that a third victim of Jonathan Rose had come forward – Girl C.
Girl C had been molested over the course of several years, some time around 2003. She was only 10 years old when 27-year-old Rose “kissed her sexually” after exploiting the trust of her parents and seizing an opportunity to be alone with her.
Girl B’s friend passed on the information concerning the court case to Girl B, who realised that this was the time to act if she was ever going to see justice for what had happened to her, not to mention lend her support to another of Rose’s victims.
Girl B thus went straight to the police and made a statement, and the police added her accusation to Rose’s charges.
The charm offensive begins
Soon after being charged, Rose began a campaign to gain support in New Moston congregation and repudiate the accusations. The written statement made by Girl C was touted around the congregation by Rose in an effort to garner sympathy from any who would listen.
Perhaps most disturbing were the efforts Rose went to in trying to obtain positive references ahead of his trial. In an astonishing act of brazenness, Rose and his father are said to have visited the home of Girl B’s father to ask him for a character reference!
At the time, Girl B’s father (who was no longer a Witness by that point) was unaware of what Rose had done to his daughter, since she had not yet found the circumstances or strength to confide in him about what had happened. Girl B’s father thus found out about the abuse of his daughter from the lips of her attacker as part of a shameless ploy to escape punishment.
Almost as inexplicable was the disfellowshipping of Girl C by New Moston elders a matter of weeks before the trial. The exact reasons remain unclear, but it is thought to have been some form of intimidation or retribution on the part of the elders for her role in pursuing justice against her abuser. Drinking alcohol and ‘going off the rails’ was touted as the excuse.
Despite such acts of desperation from both Rose and the elders who supported him, it seems common sense prevailed at least to some extent. Rose found himself stripped of being an elder, albeit only a few weeks before his trial. So recent was Rose’s removal that, at the time of writing, the website charityinsight.com still lists him as a trustee on its page for Manchester New Moston Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses…
Despite losing his position (likely through necessity), Rose continued to enjoy the full support of his elders and the congregation as far as the charges were concerned. This would later manifest itself once the proceedings began in early September 2013.
Courtroom shenanigans
Rose arrived for his trial at Manchester Crown Court with an entourage of Witness supporters, including several elders. But this inundation of fans did not impress the judge.
With the trial threatening to descend into a circus on only the first day, the judge ordered that the court’s public gallery and even the waiting area should be off-limits to all but family and those involved in the proceedings.
Despite this ruling, certain elders are said to have ignored orders by trying to sit beside Rose in a public show of support – even though this was to lead to their ejection from the courtroom. The pleas of one elder to present evidence in support of Rose were similarly denied after complaints from the victims’ side.
Having succeeded in manipulating almost an entire congregation to rally to his cause, Rose set about trying to convince the judge and jury that the similar claims of two women of different ages, who had little connection to each other, were false. Unfortunately for him, a court of law is not so easily swayed.
In one attempt at arguing his innocence, Rose testified regarding an incident involving Girl C in which she had been hauled before her elders for some indiscretion described in the M.E.N. article as “entirely normal teenage behaviour.” But the more the story unravelled, the more it actually counted against him.
Some time ago Girl C was deemed to have been involved in “inappropriately sexual” conduct with someone. Rose had orchestrated matters so that, as an elder, he could be involved in a judicial investigation to explore the intimate details along with other elders.
In recounting the incident, Rose argued that he must be innocent because Girl C did not bring up his abuse of her during his questioning. In making this assertion, Rose completely overlooked the fact that he had no place interrogating the girl on such matters, and that Girl C’s reluctance to confront him on that occasion did not equate to his innocence.
In any case, it seems the judge was not diverted by Rose’s argument. As my source expressed, “it most certainly did not do him any favors.”
In another failed attempt at winning over the judge, Rose presented a photograph of himself taken with Girl B and her family. The photograph, taken shortly after Rose had abused Girl B, showed Rose stood beside his victim. Rose’s argument? He must have been innocent, because otherwise why would Girl B be stood so close to him?
Watchtower representatives emerge
A surprising feature of the trial was the arrival of two Watchtower representatives from bethel towards the end of the first week. Both were relatively young, perhaps in their thirties. Their identities are as yet unknown.
The victims’ side looked on in disgust as, for the remaining days of the trial, these representatives sat firmly on the defendant’s side of the courtroom, consulting with Rose and making it clear as to on whose side their allegiance fell.
Only when confronted emotionally by one of the victims’ family members on the final day of the trial did they accept that their behavior in supporting Rose so openly was inappropriate. After this exchange, they elected to sit in a more neutral position from that point onwards.
An eventful verdict
After a week and a half of hearing evidence, the jury finally returned a guilty verdict on two of the charges involving Girl B and Girl C respectively. On hearing this, Rose’s wife is said to have lunged towards the side of the victims, screaming and shouting. Only after intervention from the police and members of her own family was she restrained and peace restored.
Due to the lateness of the verdict, the judge elected to set a new date of October 30th for Rose to receive his sentence.
Rose had six weeks to put his affairs in order and prepare for what would likely be a custodial sentence. But he was to use this period to resume attending meetings almost immediately (in spite of bail conditions prohibiting any contact with under 18s) in an apparent last-ditch attempt to drum up support.
Defiant to the end
Rose returned to Manchester Crown Court on October 30th, once more with a small army of supporters at his side. So numerous were those with him that the court clerk was forced to move other cases and allocate a larger courtroom to accommodate everyone who wished to hear the sentencing. On learning of this, Rose is said to have remarked, “They can all come in the f***ing dock with me. There is plenty of room in there as I’ve done f***-all wrong!”
The defiant and obnoxious attitude was apparently not limited to Rose that day. His mother, also a Witness, is said to have walked past one of his victims and called her a “slut,” despite not having seen her since she was a child. My source remarked, “I can only say I’ve never seen or heard anything like this behavior from any Jehovah’s Witnesses in my lifetime. It was an eye-opener.”
Before the sentence was passed, Rose’s lawyer gave a closing speech and presented the judge with a pile of letters that had been gathered by Rose over previous weeks, each expressing “disagreement or disbelief” from local Witnesses regarding his guilty verdict. Once again, this did not work in Rose’s favor.
“The judge was genuinely angered by being presented with a heap of letters from Witnesses expressing their disbelief at the guilty verdict,” my source explained. “He took offense at their disrespect for the jury’s decision.”
In passing sentence, Judge Stockdale told Rose, “You are now utterly disgraced – even though many members of that community still place a great deal of faith in you. The Jehovah’s Witnesses… upholds very high standards of moral behaviour – you deviated altogether from those standards.”
As reported in the M.E.N. article, Rose “showed no emotion” when receiving his sentence. In the words of my source, “There was no remorse, no shame, zero. He was just stood in the dock chatting away with his bag like he was going on holiday for a few weeks.”
Rose is now serving a mere nine months in prison, and has been made to sign the sex offenders register. Perhaps more significantly, as the following letter shows, Rose has been made subject to a “sexual offences prevention order.” On his release, he will be banned from “visiting or remaining in any domestic premises in which he knows a child / children under the age of 18 to be present.” How this will work out practically for Rose in terms of his participation in the preaching work remains to be seen.
Reasons for concern
Arguably the most perplexing aspect of this whole story was the ease with which Rose played the victim, and succeeded in convincing so many individuals within his congregation of his innocence. One is left wondering, how many more Witness pedophiles in positions of authority have similarly managed to persuade their fellow worshippers, including elders, to turn a blind eye?
In light of this, Watchtower’s comment to the press seems all the more hollow. A spokesman told the M.E.N., “Everyone has become more aware of how to deal with these issues in recent years. In no way would the Jehovah Witnesses purposefully try to protect anyone who is accused of serious crimes.”
This sounds more like wishful thinking on the part of the spokesman than an actual reflection of how things are.
Just to re-cap, at the time of writing this article Jonathan Rose is still a member of New Moston congregation. He is not disfellowshipped. Conversely, one of his victims HAS been disfellowshipped on seemingly trumped-up charges by elders who have made no secret of their support for Rose. This alone would indicate that there continues to be denial on the part of the congregation as to his culpability, with Watchtower’s consent or indifference.
And then we have the strange presence of the two young bethel representatives during the trial, who only ceased sitting with and showing support for Rose when confronted and shamed into apologizing. How can Watchtower in all sincerity claim that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not “purposefully try to protect anyone who is accused of serious crimes” when they have so openly showed their support in court for just such a person?
PLEASE NOTE: Shortly after this article was published it was disputed that Rose has yet to be disfellowshipped. As a precautionary measure, the article was taken down for 24 hours until it could be verified to the extent possible that this is indeed the case. As of the time of publishing this article, no announcement has been made in New Moston congregation to the effect that Jonathan Rose is no longer a Jehovah’s Witness. Here at JWsurvey we take the truthfulness of our information very seriously. If anyone familiar with the case can establish that anything written in this article is unfactual, please contact the author at the address provided on our contact page and we will ensure any errors are rectified.
Further reading…
Nice summary of events. Thank you.
The “bethel” representatives remain without name and the accounting of their presence at court must be considered heresay. I think such reports must be carefully scrutinized because inevitably, inuendo and outright hatred for the “organization” colors such reports and undermines their credibility.
I have NO doubt but what the “organization” harbors all sorts of ills. Certainly, in accordance with JW beliefs, Satan has certainly penetrated the “organization” and works against it from within. The fact that the “organization” seems helpless to do anything to cleanse its own organization of even the appearance of pedophilia or other forms of corruption speaks volumes about its own hypocracies.
My wife who is a JW and with whom I attend meetings, dismisses all of this by saying that Jehovah will have many surprises for those who are responsible for this, and many of those who consider themselves among the “annointed” may have a big surprise at some point in the future. Although I am not, not will be a member of this organization, I whole heartedly agree: if there is such a thing as “judgement” by Jehovah, there will be some major surprises in store for many.
Acadianlion – I do not report hearsay. My source is trusted. As I say in the accompanying video, the story is actually far more shocking than I have described – not less so. I am sorry that your devotion to your wife and her faith has so obviously colored your interpretation of and response to this serious issue, not to mention your baseless optimism that Jehovah will come to the rescue to save a manmade cult that is no better than any other.
The only thing hard for me to understand about cases like this, are what if people lie. What if people do not like me and know that if they lie, they can put me away in prison? That is my only fear about cases like this. I hope that he was guilty and these girls were not lying, which makes it easier to see who most likely is lying, when 3 are against 1. But say it was just one, how would you know? It the US we are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but I’m afraid that if a little girl went around telling everyone I touched her, they would believe her. It’s a little scary the power they have, hopefully children are raised better and would never lie about such serious things, but some kids are raised horribly and might even be told to lie. I guess that is where the jury comes in. Either way, these JW true colors came out in name calling at the end.
“How would you know” is why you call the police and report what you do know. They have ways of questioning children to determine the truth. They ask the same questions over and over, looking for a different answer, and ask supporting questions to find out if they’re just making things up. “Where did this happen? What was he wearing? What were you wearing?” Trying to maintain a lie under the questioning of trained professionals is very difficult, but they also know how to ask questions so they don’t traumatize ones telling the truth.
Acandianlion, which surprise are talking about?
Under subheading Days Like “the Days of Noah” in the Watchtower issue of 1 January, 1986 (w86 1/1 p. 13 par. 12) you can read:
“Shocking as it is, even some who have been prominent in Jehovah’s organization have succumbed to immoral practices, including homosexuality, wife swapping, and child molesting. It is to be noted, also, that during the past year, 36,638 individuals had to be disfellowshipped from the Christian congregation, the greater number of them for practicing immorality. Jehovah’s organization must be kept clean!…”
in the Watchtower issue of 15 May, 2015 page 29 par,13 you read: “a considerable number of judicial actions and disfellowshippings that take place each year are the result of sexual misconduct. How crucial it is to prepare our heart now (http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2013366)!
“Jehovah’s organization must be kept clean!” we are in 1986, then in 2013, 27 years later, we are told “How crucial it is to prepare our heart now”!!! So, what surprise is your wife is telling you: The flood of the days of Noah (a tale) or Armageddon of 1975 (another tale)!
The best surprise would be CLEANING THE EVIL ORGANIZATION and CREATING NEW HEARTS FOR JWs!!
It was not one little girl …. it was three separate girls. The prosecutors would have interviewed them along with experts in child sex abuse to determine if there was a case. And this is the whole problem with the Watchtower’s policies. They allow these cases to be scrutinized by 3 elders who are patently not qualified to determine anything to do with child sex abuse…and in fact as Cedars stated Rose himself was involved in interviewing one of the girls. Most elders are barely qualified to wash windows and do janitorial duties. The facts come down to this… it is a crime even if they Watchtower believes you can be forgiven of this sin… it is still a CRIME which has to be investigated just like murder and rape. This Watchtower society still acts under the old patriarchal rules from an ancient book which never even mentions pedophilia. There is part of me that really wonders if one of the governing body has been involved in something like this…why else would they stick to this outdated policy?
Greg,
JW children are indoctrinated not to speak. Its only when they are adults and having to deal with the effects of unreported abuse, that they begin to have the courage to speak out. Why are Elders still protecting abusers? Why are they still not reporting a crime against a child? This is a cult, and through fear they control their members, to the point where abuse is allowed and decency, kindness and caring is ignored at the expense of children.
@Acadianlion
What if there is no Jehovah? Who will clean up the organization then?
Thanks for this article, John. It’s good to be able to hear the real facts from a trusted insider. I can’t say I’m shocked or surprised at the behavior of the congregation over this crime. JWs can be as thick as thieves, when their horrible little deluded religion is exposed for the sham it really is. let’s hope some brothers and sisters manage to wake up after this.
Excellent article, although it does make me puke.
My hate for this organisation it taking deeper root and growing as I write. I want a worldwide public disgrace for these manipulating criminals. Lying creeps. The Governing Body from Hell. They must be stopped. Now.
If Jesus really existed, they would be in deep trouble, but as it is obvious, no god is looking out for the children anywhere.
When researching the Characteristics of Sex offenders one common trait is present among them all and that is they are “GRAND MANIPULATORS” in usually positions of power or authority. They Certainly fit in well with a organization that has been manipulating people into a falsehood of lies for the past 100 years or so.
My heart goes out to these young victims who now have to deal with the fallout years later.
Perhaps the Governing body needs to re-visit what the bible says as to the qualifications of a overseer and begin to realize how many in their sect are falling far short of them. Its all about who you know not what you know.
As God says nothing goes uncovered Heb. 4:13
John, you hit the nail on the head with the ” Grand Manipulators ” they are great actors, always grooming their victims, always a “con man”..Most are not real even with other members. Most could win a academy award with their acting..They fit the mold of those who come to pray are looking for some one to prey upon. It doesn’t matter “for what” Ponzi scheme, real estate fraud the list goes on ,check the money crimes connected to JW’s on the internet “It’s an eye opener.
It can happen, and has in the past, but that’s the reason the law enforcement is tasked with a thorough investigation before bringing charges. Even where a victim has a compelling accusation, if evidence/testimony is lacking to convince a jury/judge, prosecutors have option of declining to prosecute.
And, recall there are two avenues of remedy–criminal and civil. In the UK, as mentioned, and the derivative source for USA justice system, the case above has a criminal sentencing. Now, the parents and the girls probably have an option of bringing civil punitive damages suit against HQ and/or Rose, himself.
What a real tbjw would ask is why did Rose allow himself to be in situations that left him alone with these girls? Likewise, why was the typical admonishment to not be alone with member of opposite sex (when not married) ignored? Even most Christian pastors and deacons with an ounce of discernment and propriety would not be in a closed situation alone with opposite gender (and, these days with same gender).
Seems like common sense, but again, if its not in the rules or guidelines, people will believe they can do it, or get away with it, without consideration of harmful effects on neighbors. After all, that’s the purpose of being a JW–you don’t have to do all that thinking and research because “Mother” is doing it for you.
That paedophilic bastard was shielded by a bunch of fellow paedophile elders! May they receive their judgement in full.
Thank you for such a comprehensive coverage of this case.
There’s a similar one coming up here in Melbourne, (Australia).
I can’t help but again notice the pure evil in the way the organization deals with the problem of pedophilia in the congregations. Victims are disfellowshipped and pedophiles are protected and supported by the members of the congregation. There is pure evilness in their actions, contrary to the spirit Jesus manifested!
And another one…
So basically, 3 victimes as possible witnesses to his acts were still not enough to consider any action against him. This is probably one of the rare cases where the “procedures” could have been followed to the letter …
Out of curiosity, has any child abuse involved a female adult and a male child/teenager in the past ? What would have happened in such a case ? I wonder …
I recently read about Jonsson and his research on the 607 BC timeline and how this got him disfellowshipped. How ironical it is, compared to what he has done, if he was abusing children instead, he’d get more support …
Just as light exposes what is shrouded by darkness so it is with facts expose the real motives of the JW organization. In other words, thanks again Cedars and well done!
In the United States we have truth in advertising that is required by law. This forces businesses to reveal all the facts of an offer, good and bad. The practice of revealing the negative part of an offer today is known as the “fine print”. It is so named because deceptive business men would place their advertisements with all the included terms, the favorable ones in large print and the negative ones in a small hard to read print. Some advertisers were so deceptive they even hid the fine print in the artwork so it was almost impossible to be read. The Governing Body uses a similar tactic, they have amplified their voices by means of false claims of being Gods chosen ones and have sought to mute the voices of their detractors by means of labels such as “apostate” and by regularly excommunicating any who disagree with the fine print of their dedication. By excommunicating, they are accomplishing what the term implies they are cutting of communication with the individual.
Reading your article is much like putting the fine print behind a magnifying glass and reading the negative terms, which few would ever agree to, if they knew them or could see them.
It reminded me of a congregation coordinator who sought an unscriptural divorce from his wife to protect himself from her impending medical bills. He is a greedy piece of garbage. However the elder body supported him at the hearing as his wife sat and cried. They did not even delete him when there was zero grounds for his actions. It took years for it all to come out what his real motives were. Now he shamelessly tells everyone why he did it and that he felt manipulated into the marriage.
A baptized witness believes they have dedicated their lives to god and it is done with the common goal of supporting god and showing love to their fellow man. However their dedication has fine print that reads much like this. We own you, Mind, body and emotion. We will tell you what to believe and what to care about. No matter how ignorant or repugnant the elders may be, they will tell you what to do and you are not allowed to question them or their motives.
If witnesses could see the fine print before dedication and examples like the one you pointed out. They wouldn’t have any followers.
Please know that I do not think of all elders as ignorant nor repugnant. Rather I am pointing out that a witness does not have the dignity of deciding which ones are.
And to think, this is why we would cast stones at the Catholics. In my indoctrinated mind a priest was synonymous with this kind of misbehavior. How sad to see the tables turn like this!
As a “recipient” of the jw judicial system, I can personally vouch that being alone with the opposite sex is considered “circumstantial evidence” and was grounds for discipline. I know they wasted little time coming after me! To see them justify these actions when it involves a CHILD just turns my stomach!
I’m aware that there are many agnostics and atheists on this site so I’ll refrain from getting too preachy. I’ll just say that I’m deeply grateful that these matters are being revealed. When you consider the speed and timing of these scandals I’m hard pressed to write them off as coincidence. The truth is being revealed and it will be known.
Thank you Cedars as always for your integrity. I hope we all live to see the WBTS brought to justice. This is just the beginning…
It never ceases to amaze me that the Jehovah’s Witnesses is the only religious organisation in which the victims repeat victims are disfellowshipped and shunned for exposing their abusers and in this instance not the perpetrator. And they have the gall to criticise others for the same thing. Talk about hypocrisy not to mention the unbelievably evil mindset of those in authority who countenance and do this. Shame!
Dynamo, who will clean the Organization? That’s the questions!!
*** w83 3/15 p. 31 Honor Marriage! ***
What, though, if one mate wants or even demands to share with his or her partner in what is clearly a perverted sex practice? The above-presented facts show that porneia involves unlawful sexual conduct outside the marital arrangement. Thus, a mate’s enforcing perverted acts, such as oral or anal sex, within the marriage would not constitute a Scriptural basis for a divorce that would free either for remarriage. Even though a believing mate is distressed by the situation, yet that one’s endeavor to hold to Scriptural principles will result in a blessing from Jehovah […]
As already stated, it is not for elders to “police” the private marital matters of couples in the congregation. However, if it becomes known that a member of the congregation is practicing or openly advocating perverted sex relations within the marriage bond, that one certainly would not be irreprehensible, and so would not be acceptable for special privileges, such as serving as an elder, a ministerial servant or a pioneer. Such practice and advocacy could even lead to expulsion from the congregation. Why?
*** w74 11/15 pp. 703-704 Questions From Readers ***
Do lewd practices on the part of a married person toward that one’s own mate constitute a Scriptural basis for the offended mate to get a divorce?
[…] As to Jesus’ statements about divorce, they do not specify with whom the “fornication” or por•nei′a is practiced. They leave the matter open. That por•nei′a can rightly be considered as including perversions within the marriage arrangement is seen in that the man who forces his wife to have unnatural sex relations with him in effect “prostitutes” or “debauches” her. This makes him guilty of por•nei′a, for the related Greek verb por•neu′o means “to prostitute, debauch.”
Hence, circumstances could arise that would make lewd practices of a married person toward that one’s marriage mate a Scriptural basis for divorce. For example, a wife may do what she reasonably can to prevent her husband from forcing upon her perversions such as are carried on in a brothel. Yet, due to his greater strength, he might overpower her and use her for perverted sex. So as not to be prostituted in this way at another time, a Christian wife may decide to get a divorce. She could establish with the congregation that the real reason for this is por•nei′a and then proceed to get a legal divorce on any truthful grounds acceptable to the courts of the land.
If, on the other hand, the lewd practices were engaged in by mutual consent, neither mate would have a basis for claiming por•nei′a as a Scriptural ground for divorce. This is so because neither party is innocent and seeking freedom from a mate guilty of por•nei′a. Both marriage partners are guilty. Such a case, if brought to the attention of elders in the congregation, would be handled like any other serious wrongdoing.
WHO WILL CLEAN THE ORGANIZATION?
Another abuser is brought to justice, not by divine intervention, but by people being brave enough to go to the police and share their experiences on Facebook.
I’m not going to get all atheist here, in deference to those who honourably hold a religious belief.
I am disgusted with the congregation, the bethel representatives and mostly, with that abomination who would harm those poor people.
Whether there is a God or not, our responsibility is clear. Inform the police immediately of any accusation of child abuse and let the Judicial system do it’s work.
The fact that elders would not do this, but telephone the Bethel office first, is monstrous.
If Jesus is looking down, which I don’t believe, but if he is – he must be filled with fury at people who claim to follow him who would either abuse a child, or help to cover it up.
I sincerely hope that the three innocent victims of this travesty of a man can now find some comfort in the fact that he is now known to everyone as a sex offender.
I noticed with great concern that Rose can visit a home with children under 18 with the parents’ permission.
I hope yet more children will suffer.
Cedars, thank you for your article. You are a good man and of great help to so many of us who have been victims of the WTBTS over the years.
Peace be with you
Excelsior!
Many apologies, that last sentence should have read, I hope yet more children will NOT suffer.
Excelsior!
So tragic what happened to those girls. The org is so quick to discipline even minor discretions between concenting adults, I never cease being astonished at the inaction when a criminal complaint is involved.
So, let’s ask this question Haki: if someone is raised JW, and presumably never been inside a brothel–man or woman, how would they know what is practiced inside a brothel? Extrapolation, how do “pristine clean” elders know what’s practiced inside brothels? Are they watching [ahem!] “educational videos”? Inquiring minds..
Whatever happened to some old-school kinky fetish bedroom games with a little leather, chains, a whip, some whipped cream and a few choice safe words? a little “foot worship”? the grind of a nine-inch spiked pump heel into the groin or that tender spot on the lower back?
But, I suppose we should wait for the other shoe to drop in these abuse cases when the young men start coming forward with charges against male predators. Although astute, ambitious young men, probably captured evidence and are using it as a tool to climb the JW career ladder.
Come on penthouse, that is a little offensive. My wife is unable to wear 9 inch heals. I am truly hurt.
I think the disturbing element for me is that the elders take on a judicial role in congregations and investigate cases of this nature themselves without any formal training or broader understanding. It also sickens me that some sick people could actually use this position to get access to kids and then feed their own sick fantasies without any one else in the congregation being able to see it. True voyerism at play. Makes me feel ill.
Carol, you are not alone in all of this making one sick at heart. We can all take hope that we are united against this horrific abuse.
It is so wrong to forget the fundamental responsibility to show love to all to apply their convoluted and twisted 2 witness rule and other outrages.
We must hope that Candace Conti’s defence against the WTBTS is successful. But even if by some sneaky way the WTBTS succeed, they still will have lost. The disgust we feel at these cases is shared by the vast majority of people. Eventually, the GB will have to change their policies, even if it is grudgingly, because of the stink these cases cause them.
I also hope that none of those 8 want to knowingly protect paedophiles in the WTBTS.
Peace be with you
Excelsior!
Thanks, Cedars, for presenting this information. My heart goes out to the victims. As for Rose, tho he only received a paltry 9 months for his crime, I hope his life is forever destroyed by this. Just a thought on the two WT reps, I hope they too are crying with shame.
Cedar you are an apostacy. stop this rubish now or you will regret it sooner. you think you can fight jehovah the soverign lord of the universe?
stop thanking him, he is brainwashing you guys. its all lies. That guy is a an agent of satan. an apostate
Big,
Gosh meaningless threats, why do you stoop so low? I guess some people just cannot be helped when the indoctrination is all they have. I guess your spelling indicates your level of education?
I hope you have peace, love joy and happiness in your life. Isn’t that what a Christian should be wishing for everyone? Oh yes, but Jehovah’s Witnesses, are not allowed to wish that, instead they are only allowed to curse and threaten. What a shame.
@Big – How is it lies? There are none so blind as those who CHOOSE not to see. There was evidence. He was tried in a court of law. If your god supports pedophiles then just pray your kids never come in contact with one in a congregation because they are there…. hidden by a failed organization built by men… for men.
Big, I do not know what you hoped to achieve with your comments. Do you want us to ignore the findings of a Court?
Is the judicial system of the United Kingdom an apostasy against God? Have they lied in this case?
I have sympathy for you. Your lack of correct spelling and grammar indicate to me that you have received a poor education. Either that, or you have contempt for this forum.
Words cannot express my disgust at an individual who would abuse a child. That is what Mr. Rose did. Further, he also abused other children. A Court of Law found him guilty, and he is now carrying out his sentence. For evermore, he will be listed on the Sex Offenders’ Register.
It’s been many years since I read the bible, but I’m sure that it frowns upon slander. Indeed, Satan is known as a slanderer against God. Severe penalties ensue from it.
So, I would very much like to see your evidence for Cedars’ alleged lies. If you cannot provide evidence, then you have slandered him.
So, Big, either provide your evidence, or have the courtesy to apologise to Cedars.
I would urge you to research the child protection policy of Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is totally wrong. Many innocent children have suffered horrific abuse that was never reported to the authorities. The application of the two witness rule means that many victims have to wait for your God to bring justice.
Peace be with you
Excelsior!
Cedars, do we have any update on whether Mr. Rose has been disfellowshipped from the Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Does he continue to enjoy the support of his congregation?
Do we know the identity of the two gentlemen from Bethel?
Peace be with you
Excelsior!
I’m afraid it is you who have been brainwashed by this evil organization.
I get a kick out of some of the people who comment here.
@Big have you not been paying attention at your mind control meetings that the slightest couriosity to these forums are wrong? You haven’t been paying attention have you? Oh but you are curious aren’t you? You really need to educate yourself and bring some evidence to the table ;)
Cheers
These “Elders and ministerial servants,” are supposed to be appointed by “Jehovah” to keep the congregation clean. They are men with NO training in matters such as these. They are janitors, and window washers and men with regular jobs. Not psychologists or counselors who have qualifications for helping people. No loving creator would appoint such scum to take care of his sheep! Once again the cult has protected the hideous!
I think I know that guy….
Thats Gross their power has got them hungry for children. I feel so bad for these innocent kids who are forced by some parents to tolerate it. The Governing body of course has to pay because they feed these elders making them feel haughty with ungodly strength.
Joseph was imprisoned on false charges was he not ?