Jehovah’s Witness guilty of strangling children for sexual gratification

Warwick Crown Court, where Ian Pheasey was sentenced to five years
Warwick Crown Court, where Ian Pheasey was sentenced to five years

Once again, Jehovah’s Witnesses hit the headlines regarding the covering up of child sex abuse.

This most recent case concerns Ian Pheasey, who was a member of a congregation in Warwick. The court was told how Pheasey attacked a 7-year-old girl while working as a volunteer librarian at the Kingdom Hall in the 1990s. He was charged with offenses that occurred between 1989 and 1994, and he pleaded guilty to 3 offenses.

Pheasey’s offenses are unusual in nature as he obtained sexual gratification from strangling children. His first victim was a 7-year-old girl who had gone to get a book from the library in the Kingdom Hall. His second victim was a 14-year-old girl who he grabbed around the neck and threw to the floor where he straddled her and squeezed her neck.

The poor girl fell unconscious twice and was crying out, “Jehovah help me.” Pheasey told the girl he would kill her if she told anyone, and he also said if she ever had daughters he would rape them as well.

She ran home screaming and crying to her mother, but sadly her mother told her to clean herself up. She was taken to the hospital for the bruising to her neck, but was told by her parents that she must never say anything about it. Furthermore, the matter was “swept under the carpet” by the congregation, according to the prosecutor.

Ian Pheasey, who admitted fantasizing about young girls
Ian Pheasey, who admitted fantasizing about young girls

Pheasey admitted fantasizing about strangling the girl, and that he had lured her over with the intention of strangling her and becoming sexually aroused.

His third victim was only 6 years old when he was carrying out some work at her parents’ house. As the little girl sat in his van, he got in and started tickling her and then moved his hand up her skirt. He only stopped when she kicked out and screamed.

Nicholas Taplow, prosecuting, stated: ”He was a man who had a particular sexual fascination with the act of strangulation. He derived sexual gratification from strangling children, and many children were strangled in this way by him during what he described as horseplay.”

Pheasey was jailed for 5 years after he pleaded guilty to assaulting one girl, causing her actual bodily harm, and indecently assaulting 2 others.

A spokesman for the Jehovah’s Witnesses said the church deplored Pheasey’s behavior and denied it was involved in a cover up of his crimes. The spokesman said, “Jehovah’s Witnesses abhor child abuse, and view it as a serious crime and sin. The safety of our children is of the utmost importance. Any suggestion that Jehovah’s Witnesses cover up child abuse is absolutely false. We are committed to doing all we can to prevent child abuse and to provide spiritual comfort to any who have suffered from this terrible sin and crime.”

This case is particularly shocking as some of the offenses happened at the Kingdom Hall. Not only is the nature of the crimes particularly disturbing, but also the reactions from the parents and the congregation. Sadly, this is a common occurrence, and one we are becoming all too familiar with. What I found particularly interesting in this case was the statement released by the Jehovah’s Witness spokesman.

In two sentences within the statement, they mention child abuse as a sin and a crime. It baffles me that they still can’t seem to understand that if something can be described as a “crime,” this far outweighs whether or not it is perceived as a “sin.” Have you ever heard Witnesses describing murder, kidnapping or burglary as a sin? Of course not, because they are crimes. As an abuse victim myself, I find it offensive that they effectively minimize the seriousness of the crime of child sex abuse in this way.

The other interesting point is that they claim to provide “spiritual comfort” to any who have suffered child abuse. I would love to know what this comfort consists of. I imagine it to involve three old men sitting with a victim reading scriptures from the bible.

Although in my case, both myself and the other victims didn’t even get that! When will the Governing Body realize that victims don’t want “spiritual comfort.” They want to be believed and supported. They want to know that if they report the matter to police, the elders will be right by their side. They want to know that others in the congregation are going to be protected because of their bravery in coming forward.

Sadly this is not the case. In case after case we are seeing more support for the abuser and their family than for the victim. I don’t know the victims in this case, but in case they read this article I want to just say this:

What you have done has taken great bravery and determination. I know what it’s like to live with something for over 25 years and feel like you will never get justice. I can only imagine what you went through with elders at the time, and maybe even recently, but you are not alone. There is a huge, loving community out there full of ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses who all understand how you feel. Each brave person who comes forward shines another light on to the organization and its unwillingness to protect children.

 

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Further reading…

143 thoughts on “Jehovah’s Witness guilty of strangling children for sexual gratification

  • January 4, 2016 at 10:58 am
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    Choking a child to get sexual satisfaction?! I’ve heard of all kinds of disgusting things coming from the JW child abusers, but this raises the bar on disgusting and evil acts. To sweep something like this under the rug saying that ‘it will bring reproach on Jehovah’s name…” is absolutely absurd.

    This again is more proof of these IDIOTS running the show are not God’s one and only channel. I’m so glad I am not having anything to do with this evil organization. Shunning me? NO. I’m shunning them!!!

  • January 4, 2016 at 1:14 pm
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    Watchtower’s (a.k.a Jehovah’s Witnesses) political involvement is one that will surprise many people. An organization that should be no part of Satan’s political system is involved in politics.

    The Apostle Paul outlined what are involvement in this world should be. In 1 Corinthians 10:21-22 it states the following: “You cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons; you cannot be partaking of “the table of Jehovah” and the table of demons. Or ‘are we inciting Jehovah to jealousy’? We are not stronger than he is, are we?”

    The United States Legislature creates the laws that lawyers use as a basis for their situation. Does the United States Legislature use the Bible as a basis? I do not think so. In addition, whose laws have stand the test of time, Jehovah God’s laws found in the bible (1,900 plus years) or that of the United States Government that has only been around for under 300 years?

    Watchtower has paid for the education of certain men to be lawyers. They have invested thousands of dollars into a couple of men’s legal career. The law books that are being used in Watchtower’s legal department. Do they address the Bible at all? Are they not from the “table of demons”?

    For example, their involvement with the United Nations as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Associate Member is extremely hypocritical. Especially, if they claim to be “no part of the world” as Jesus Christ was. A pure example of eating at the “table of demons”.

    Watchtower Babble and Tract Society is trying to get the best of both worlds by having a legal department at their World Headquarters. 1 Corinthians chapter 10 tells us that we cannot have both. How would you feel if you wrote laws that were a million times better and someone decided not to follow those laws and follow a set of laws that are inferior? I would tell that someone, are not my laws better than the ones you are considering?

    None of Jesus Christ’s Apostles were lawyers. Jesus did not choose one lawyer as one of his Apostles. Not one. Watchtower may state that lawyers were not around in Jesus time. That would be a false statement. Lawyers have been around during the Greek Empire which is before Jesus’ time on earth.

    I believe the reason we have child abuse in the Jehovah’s Witnesses is because the organization knows that they have an in-house legal department to hide behind when confronted with the issues of child abuse.

    That is one of the main reasons I do not donate money to the Watchtower Babble and Tract Society. I feel having in-house lawyers is a huge conflict of interest.

  • January 4, 2016 at 1:47 pm
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    I think I finally understand the “free will” discussion that’s been going on. It’s not about individual free will to do good or evil. It’s the biblical argument that yahweh “needs” to allow the consequences of Man’s exercise of Free Will to play out before he intervenes, in spite of all the ensuing misery. Finally got it. Thanx. And I agree, that is a STUPID concept. Why should millions suffer, just to make a political statement? I like the analogy someone made, to it being like a ‘pissing contest’ between yahweh and satan. LOL

    • January 4, 2016 at 3:07 pm
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      @A4
      My thoughts on the posts up to this point on this topic…
      As a deist, I tend to stand between two diametrically opposed views (and please forgive me for generalizing):
      To the atheist – ‘because there is suffering there is no God’
      To the theist – ‘God is responsible for all suffering’ (either he allows it to prove “the issue” or causes it as a form of punishment)

      To the deist, the marvels of the universe indicate a cause & purpose, but the idea of whether this cause is a personality or a force or something else all together is left open-ended. The deist often identifies with the watchmaker analogy: once the watchmaker (God if you will) creates the watch and winds it up, it then starts running according to plan and does not require the watchmaker’s further intervention.

      As some have stated in other comments, when people believe that a few elites are receiving divine instruction, it empowers those elites to unduly influence them. I agree. Even for those who accept that there is some grand issue running its course between God and the Devil, for either one of them (God or the Devil, that is) to intervene would be to skew the issue and thus nothing would truly be settled. Either way humankind are on their own to exercise their free will.

      I hope I have not strayed too far off topic, but I wanted to clarify my position on this. As per my earlier post, we shouldn’t get hung up on who on this site is a Christian, or an Atheist, or believes in the Bible, or doesn’t. Our common purpose is to bring to light the negative effects of an organization that has entirely too much influence over the lives of its followers. It’s great to share opposing points of view as ‘food for thought” but it can also become a distraction if we become too caught up in ‘proving our point.’

      WS

      • January 4, 2016 at 5:33 pm
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        Free will is not a contest between God and Satan. God does not need to prove anything, or settle any “issue.” That’s not why he lets free will play out.

        God could create a universe without any evil or suffering. But that would mean there is no free will. We would act as God commands, all the time. Like puppets.

        The freedom to choose good or evil is a great gift; profound, really. But it does not exempt us from God’s laws. We are responsible for our own choices; they will determine our final outcome.

        God will rightfully judge us on the basis of free will and how we use it. That’s why he lets free will play out. To see what we really are.

        • January 11, 2016 at 4:41 pm
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          @Simon Kestral

          God knows “the end from the beginning” – Isaiah 46:10

          Unlike false gods, God knows everything that will come to pass – Isaiah 41:22-23

          The only problem with such idle boasting is the clear implication that God knew 100% that his designs would fail, Satan would rebel, Adam & Eve would be disobedient and all of the aftermath, war, slavery, rape, global genocide (Noah’s flood), pain, suffering, death had nothing to do with abuse of free will, it was all predestined.

          So what’s the point in creating a world hoping to be proved wrong when you know full well that you cannot be proved wrong because you are omniscient?

          Absolute sadistic nonsense, if true.

          And on the subject of good and evil, I will take no lessons in morality from any flesh or spirit creature capable of commanding humans to do such despicably unjust things to each other:

          Deuteronomy 25 11-12

          11 If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, 12 you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.

          Really! “Show her no pity”? Pure evil.

          If you think the solution to human problems is to live in a “new system” of inescapable theocratic dictatorship run by a God with all the compassion and sense of justice of a particularly deranged, misogynistic member of ISIS – well good luck with that!

          Quite frankly I would prefer everlasting death to that.

          • January 11, 2016 at 5:12 pm
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            @Martin
            Your logic is well-founded. I prefer the concepts of deism. A creator put the universe in motion (likely at the Big Bang) and it continues to unfold in accord with the divine purpose. That’s why humanity is constantly improving: our life span is increasing, we are becoming less violent, etc. The bible is an example of humanity’s attempt to understand the creator and his nature and there is some value in the concepts and teachings presented. But when a strict, literal interpretation of scripture is demanded, without taking into account what else we have learned about the world, an overly dogmatic and limited viewpoint ensues. As it is written: “the spiritual man considers all things.”

            WS

    • January 4, 2016 at 4:17 pm
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      Amen anomymous4! The concequences of free will are much less attractive to me now, during my current fading, as they were during my defending talks on stage and field service. I see it this way now: Machines are man made and can do impressive things, but we don’t want them to do other, unexpected things. It could even scare us and we would not appreciate such “freedom”, for it could cause serious danger and discomfort. We rely on and benefit from their programmed tasks and expect nothing else. Animals can also do all kinds of beautiful, funny and impressive things, but are not held responsible for their acts because they are driven by instinct. If men would have been created with some more intrinsic and automatic discomfort with evil and disobedience, would men have known the difference in comparison with the higher degree of free will that God actually gave Adam and Eve? No, I truly think not. You see, animals would not have been criticised by Adam and Eve for being lower than men and having instinct. At the same time, hyper intelligent angels and their more divine free will would have been invisible for men’s eye to observe most of the time, so…we would be happy as we were, but just more able to avoid diabolic masterminds such as the original snake. But somehow, that probably wouldn’t have fit Jehovah’s standard for being worshipped by creatures with reason. So now I’m more and more struggling with the idea that Jehovah could have warned Adam and Eve about the true intentions of the snake BEFORE his first act as satan. Wouldn’t Adam and Eve be grateful to Jehovah, being a shield against such an overwhelming powerful evil force, but therefor also realizing they still had very much to learn about appreciation and loyal love, but without the price of losing their lives by slowly dying and leaving such a horrible heritage to mankind? I can only imagine how strong my own feelings would be as a father. I would never put my daughter to such a test, with the potential risk that she would fall prey to a twisted, evil, fallen pervert who would love to see her get sick and die, even if she had been disobedient or completely ignored my FAIR, CLEAR warning/instructions of what to do or do not. 6’000+ years of death, torture, cancer, leprosy, bubonic plague, flesh eating bacteria, necrotic diseases, ebola etc. is a HUGE, HUGE price for one guy and one gal misusing free will while it was Jehovah that agreed on and allowed this option in their mental matrix! I know I’m nothing and God is everything but I wonder, in all sincerity…would every man, woman, child feel like an unhappy robot because he could not hold his hands into fire? No! Under normal circumstances, it is driven by reflexes, not free will, to take your hands back within a fraction of a second. For 20 years as a JW, I had no problem with God given free will, but now I’m really struggling with it. When I project this concept to this article, I’m displeased with the reality that only positive experiences are given as proof of JHWH’s blessing, while ignoring the filth that is taking place, even INSIDE the KH, is burying defenseless “little flock” under the cold, hard reality of abuse. Isn’t that also proof that the HS is much less active as every devoted witness would like to believe? It could awaken people to other “facts” regarding 1914 or the overlapping-generation. Regarding sexual abuse, “Jehovah will take care of it” or “Leave it to the elders” is so easily said by people who’s lives are not damaged or destroyed by gruesome acts of abuse within the Christian congregations or by those in denial. New people are always so impressed by the love-bombing and the so called “spiritual paradise”, that they become blinded for any potential risk for their kids. Unless they are informed and cautious people of course…and visit websites like these :-) Bedtime in Europe now.

      • January 4, 2016 at 8:55 pm
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        @redpilltwice:
        I don’t want to go too far down this rabbit hole, but have you ever considered that the Adam & Eve account may not actually be historical?

        Although the JWs and a number of other fundamentalist churches insist on a literal, historical interpretation, many more progressive Christian churches have suggested it may really be allegorical. Combine such reasoning with the fact that archeologists have found human remains that are tens of thousands of years old. Our choice becomes to either dismiss the science and try to explain it away or to accept it and reassess the garden of Eden story. If we look at it as allegorical with a lesson to be learned, a lot of the struggles you suggest as to comprehending how a loving God could act that way are cleared up.

        WS

        • January 5, 2016 at 5:21 am
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          Thanks for your reply Winston and don’t worry, you can go as far down the rabbit hole as you want! I was just reasoning from a JW point of view, because every argument can be posed against a counterargument. Of course I’ve reconsidered all the biblical stories regarding their true meaning. My oldest teenage daughter even declared herself agnostic after we as parents stopped going to meetings (brave girl, never baptized, free as a bird now) :-) But my mind still needs to complete a certain circle of logic (if possible) before piece of mind sets in. In order to grasp the logic of how and why things went so horribly wrong in Eden and why so many have to suffer for it, one might find its simply beyond any logic or even too elusive to grasp, and consider the event as being not historical. The counterargument from a bible reading Christian would be “Why would Jesus refer to Adam and Eve as an act of direct creation (Matthew 19:4) and teach moral lessons if it wasn’t meant literal? Again, the new argument against that counter argument could be that other lessons (such as the prodigal son) also are illustrations, not literal accounts. Or, that it’s not quite certain how, when and what parts of the bible came to us in its modern form, in comparison to the original manucripts. Or, like you said, that archeology seems to indicate an older age for mankind. So, I’m not saying we need to take the account literal, but I’m always interested in arguments from different sides. I certainly disagree with “Free will” as a satisfying explanation for how this still could happen among God’s “spirit-directed” people. It should never be a free-card to leave matters to Jehovah and sweep abuse under the carpet. I wonder if my country, The Netherlands, will also see some sort of Royal Commission. RC church was spanked in public in 2011, when Deetman reports came out, but at least their pope made apologies. Unfortunately (as far as I can see), most JW’s over here are ignorant or in denial of current events such as in Australia or this sick JW strangler. May justice revail!

          • January 5, 2016 at 11:56 am
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            What if Jesus never really existed? Or was not really the Son of God, but just another charismatic preacher of the Day? Check out JWB (JW Blog) – article “Did Jesus Exist?”

  • January 4, 2016 at 2:01 pm
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    Why is WT Corp full of perverts, obsessed with tight pants, sex, what is and is not permissible in the marriage bed, who can have sex and who can’t? Well, let me put forth a theory. When someone is hungry, what’s on their mind? Food! When someone is thirsty, what’s on their mind? Water! When someone is poor, what’s on their mind? Money! When someone’s NATURAL, NORMAL, HEALTHY sexual appetites are suppressed, they will be thinking about it a lot more, and there will be those who find unhealthy, perverted ways to satisfy those appetites.
    Whatever happened to the Sexual Liberation movement of the 60’s and 70’s? Those folks weren’t going around molesting children!
    Another problem is out-of-control greed. Women discovered that sex can be very materially profitable. Now you practically need to be Donald Trump to get laid. No offence to the ladies, but I ‘calls ’em as I sees ’em’.

  • January 4, 2016 at 2:14 pm
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    I get annoyed when I hear JW’s described as “nice people”. U know what? The world is FULL of NICE people. I’ll bet Charles Manson was a ‘nice guy’. In person, Hitler was a helluva guy. Saddam Hussein always had a great big smile for the cameras. I’m sure Kim-Jong-Un is one crrrrrazy Party Animal. And what the heck, u know, in a couple of interviews I saw on YouTube, with serial killer Ted Bundy, he seemed like a perfect gentleman. Same goes for Jeffrey Dahmer. I wish the world would just get over this “nice” illusion / delusion. Doesn’t the bible itself say that the Devil appears as an Angel of Light? “Nice” is useless. “Nice” is bullsh*t.

    • January 5, 2016 at 3:13 am
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      Speaking of Kim-Jong-un, if u want a good laugh, check out The Interview (2014), if u haven’t already seen it. & even though it’s a comedy, it does an AMAZING job of showing how a person can put up a completely false front!!

  • January 4, 2016 at 2:19 pm
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    “The fanatic is always concealing a secret doubt.”
    — Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, 2011 (currently on Netflix)

    • January 5, 2016 at 7:50 am
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      I saw that! anon 4 and immediately thought of the j dubs how interesting you connected the dots too ruthlee

  • January 4, 2016 at 2:27 pm
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    “Men like you can play God all you want, but it will always be a peasant who digs your grave.”
    — Outpost III: Rise of the Spetsnaz, 2013

  • January 4, 2016 at 2:38 pm
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    Not sure if this was in the main article or one of the comments, too lazy to check & my computer goes wonky whenever I do anything, but someone mentioned a JW Ped who went to jail and started conducting bible studies with other inmates. lol How is it that all these guys find Jesus AFTER they get pinched? I’m beginning to wonder if Jesus doesn’t live in prison. :)

    • January 4, 2016 at 2:52 pm
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      At least I have the comfort of knowing that if I ever piss off the “powers-that-be” with all my anti-Establishment, anti-New World Order talk, and end up in the can, Jesus will be there waiting for me. :)

  • January 4, 2016 at 2:45 pm
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    @ Doc Obvious

    U got it! Watchtower wants to keep EVERYTHING “in-house”.

  • January 4, 2016 at 2:57 pm
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    Q: What’s the difference between a catfish and a Watchtower lawyer?
    A: One is a scum-sucking bottom feeder. The other is a fish.

  • January 4, 2016 at 3:41 pm
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    @ Winston Smith

    I like ur ‘watchmaker’ analogy. I personally feel like God created the Universe (perhaps thru’ Big Bang, Evolution, whatever) and let it go its merry way. No need to overanalyze the issue, pick it apart, or beat it to death. Who cares, anyway? Fact is, WE’RE HERE. Let’s DEAL with the situation and all the problems and challenges that come with it, instead of wondering what tribe we came from, and whether or not there’s a Magic Kingdom somewhere in our future. If there is, we can all celebrate when we get there. For now, I’m a firm believer in the Problem-Solving Mindset, and it’s not like there’s any shortage of problems in THIS world, here & now. And I agree, this Site exists to expose a corrupt, controlling, out-of-control organization, and provide an outlet and comfort for those who have, or are in the process, of escaping said twisted organization, not to discuss Philosophy. So I’ll shut up now.

    • January 4, 2016 at 8:59 pm
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      @A4
      “Fact is, WE’RE HERE. Let’s DEAL with the situation and all the problems and challenges”

      Amen!

      It always bothered me that the JWs wanted to leave all the world’s problems in “God’s hands” rather than taking action to make the world a better place.

      WS

      • January 5, 2016 at 2:04 am
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        “Those who believe they can help the starving do not understand at all the message of the Bible”. These are the exact words of a indoctrinated JW, when I asked him why JWs not have support or charity facilities.

        • January 5, 2016 at 5:07 am
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          Are the JWs the only religion that don’t have a charity for the needy/poor/malnourished/underprivileged? Every religion I can think of has a charity where they can help these people.
          How do the JWs continue to get charitable status when they only get their followers to donate their money and time to only the JWs?

          • January 5, 2016 at 6:04 am
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            They claim they are doing ‘spiritual’ bible-teaching work in the community, or something bogus like that. They have really pulled the wool over the naive government. How is waking people up on Saturday mornings to shove the “Watchtower” down their throats, charitable work??!

          • January 5, 2016 at 6:09 am
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            …Unless the governments are in cahoots with these jerks, which wouldn’t surprise me. Remember, Watchtower is a NGO member of the United Nations!!!!!!!!!!!!

      • January 5, 2016 at 7:52 am
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        That’s because they are lazy minded Winston. The pioneers are notorious for being work shy especially the career ones ruthlee

        • January 5, 2016 at 11:19 am
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          @ruthlee
          Good point! I recall a number of pioneers who seemed exceptionally lazy (and ignorant) in the other aspects of their lives, but still managed to hold on to that pioneer status. I think they particularly enjoyed driving around all day, drinking coffee, and occasionally telling someone that they had all of life’s answers.

          I’m reminded of 1 Timothy 5:13: “At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips and busybodies, saying things they shouldn’t say.”

          WS

          • January 5, 2016 at 11:38 am
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            All too true. With all the $$$ floating around the Borg, these Bums usually don’t have a problem garnering physical support from friends & family. I never knew any who worked in a factory or dug ditches to support themselves. If anything, they are usually given cushy, high-paying jobs by other “brothers”. In fact, I’ve known Bethelites & pioneers who vacation regularly in exotic locales like Costa Rica, or take trips back home to places like South Korea, all paid for by some well-to-do JW benefactor, while I myself have been involved in many occupations involving back-breaking physical labor for chicken-feed wages, having to stare out the window at all the ice & snow during winter off-hours. LOL

        • January 6, 2016 at 3:18 am
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          So true!
          My parents always warned me that ‘pioneers’ we’re just lazy. Then I got sucked in and totally believed all of these ‘full-time servants’ were the hardest working, biggest sacrifices, in line for the most blessings, people in the organization.
          Mostly they are a bunch of loud-mouthed, lazy-bums, and you’d be better off to stay well clear of them before they try and guilt you into giving them something.
          There will be an army of freeloaders wondering what happened when this organization comes crashing down!

          • January 6, 2016 at 5:36 pm
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            @JJ
            I appreciate your blunt comments in this regard. After all, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck…

            WS

          • January 8, 2016 at 9:04 am
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            We were always giving our ‘roll up to win’ free coffee strips to the pioneers. Some weeks I was taking bottles to the dpot to get enough money for milk etc but felt guilted into giving to our pioneers.

  • January 4, 2016 at 4:39 pm
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    Another eye opener article Karen.

    Is it no wonder that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is in so much trouble? This is absolutely a pedophiles paradise if there ever was one. Where can a pedophile go to practice his vile acts and be completely protected by the church with a two witness rule? What’s worst of all, even if he is disfellowshipped he will still not be reported to the proper authorities in order to protect the community or those at the Kingdom Hall.

    What is especially heinous is that the recidivist rate of pedophiles “child molesters had a 13% reconviction rate for sexual offenses and a 37% reconviction rate for new, non-sex offenses over a five year period” and “another study found reconviction rates for child molesters to be 20% and for rapists to be approximately 23% (Quinsey, Rice, and Harris, 1995)”. http://www.csom.org/pubs/mythsfacts.html

    So according to the standing policy of “the Organization” these deviates can
    • be reinstated if disfellowshipped,
    • be appointed as ministerial servants and elders to “shepherd the flock” after reinstatement,
    • be completely forgiven for past sins, their files sealed from the authorities and the congregation and finally
    • once again be allowed access to further sheep to molest.

    Anyone who thinks, for a New York second, that Jehovah God would support an Organization with his Holy Spirit that allows this travesty is a lunatic. Anyone who says “leave matters in Jehovah’s hands” is completely deluded. It is Orwellian speak for “do nothing”. The elders have the power (by sacred scripture) to warn the congregation of sexual predators (by name) and remove the predators (forever) in order to keep the congregation clean. It is everyone’s duty to report crimes or suspected crimes to the proper authorities –publishers as well as elders. These sexual acts of depravity perpetrated against the youth are a crime… the act and the cover up. These ‘sheeple’ won’t report because all of them are coerced by fear of the “Un-faithful and indiscreet slave” and the trepidation of losing their precious positions as Watchtower stooges

    • January 4, 2016 at 6:43 pm
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      This organization is rotten to the core. I don’t think even the Catholic Church went as far, in actually creating POLICY to cover up these kinds of heinous crimes. The Watchtower Society is entertaining and protecting all these “wolves in sheep’s clothing”, practically rolling out the Red Carpet with a big neon sign that reads “Pedophile’s Paradise”. The so-called “Spiritual Paradise” is dead and buried, if it ever existed at all. I’m sure word of this organization is spreading like wildfire among the pedophile underground. What a nightmare.

      • January 4, 2016 at 9:16 pm
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        Not only is this organization a haven for pedophiles, but also for abusive men of all sorts. Over the years, I became aware of a number of men who were physically and/or verbally abusive to their wives and children and yet still held positions of authority in the congregation.

        WS

  • January 4, 2016 at 6:55 pm
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    Jehovah’s Witnesses are supposed to be peaceful worshippers of a loving god. Yet, he is constantly referred to in their scriptures as “Jehovah of Armies”. Sounds quite aggressive and militaristic to me. Why not “Jehovah of Hospitals”, “Jehovah of Day Care Centers”, “Jehovah of Farms”, “Jehovah of Temples and Monuments”, “Jehovah of Hosts”, “Jehovah of Masses”,”Jehovah the Protector”, “Jehovah of Security”,or even “Jehovah the Fighter” or “Jehovah of Forces”, etc, etc, etc? Interesting choice.

  • January 4, 2016 at 7:17 pm
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    Sorry to those who still ‘believe’, but in regard to the whole Garden of Eden story, Why would God need or even bother to “test” Man (& Woman)? Why not just say, “OK, these are the rules, Don’t murder, Don’t steal, Don’t litter, etc. — If you break the rules, you’re out.”? Why all the Drama??

    • January 5, 2016 at 5:28 am
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      In case you were referring to me…don’t worry, I’m okay. Just reconsidering things I have believed for 20 years. Willing to let go. Awakening can be a crazy process sometimes, but it feels really good :-)

  • January 5, 2016 at 4:54 am
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    The JW religion teaches it’s people to be powerless that’s why it’s bad for kids. When I was six years old my father took me to a door. The house holder asked my father a question about the flag. The house holder got mad at my dad’s answer and when he spit at my father the spit got on my dress. My parents wiped the spit off my dress but I remember I could still see the outline of the spit on my dress. I wish people would try to help JWs wake up rather than be hurtful. I wish I could break that man’s nose. The JW’s are taught to be powerless and not take action in order to not ‘make waves’ My father fealt like doing something but he didn’t. It isn’t a religion good for protecting kids.

    • January 5, 2016 at 7:19 am
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      Absolutely agree, Alexandria:

      I was out in field service, aged 16 and accompanied a youngster about 11 years old.

      We knocked on a door which was sheet glass top to bottom, in a wood frame. When the man opened the door and I introduced who we were, we were told in no uncertain terms where to get off and he slammed the door.

      The glass shattered in thousands of little pieces over the young lad accompanying me (he too would end up in Bethel in later life).

      Horrid. Inhuman. How would you ever convince someone they were wrong if you react like that? But, there again, I am always told I am too sensitive….(yeh, right)

    • January 6, 2016 at 7:28 pm
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      All too true. Jehovah’s Witnesses are brainwashed to be passive, just like sheep.

  • January 5, 2016 at 5:42 am
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    Karen, thank you for this article — and I respect very much your loving message of support to other survivors of sexual abuse within Watchtower and outside it.

    It’s very encouraging that this case in particular seems to be getting a lot more UK media attention. I see JW.survey has most of the links at the bottom of your article. Here’s a link to a new one:

    http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/484952/UK-Jehovahs-Witnesses-sex-abuse-cover-up

    Like the Daily Telegraph report, this article does a very good job of joining the dots for readers not familiar with the near-imploding systemic cover up of sex abuse within Watchtower.

    The message is getting out there — at last. There is more and more chance of children and vulnerable people being protected and supported — at last. Let’s keep up the pressure in all (legal) ways that make use of our individual talents!

  • January 5, 2016 at 7:53 am
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    The link from Meredith J on December 30, 2015 at 2:43 am on the Friday Column: “Everyone makes mistakes except Jehovah’s Witnesses”; concerning a letter that went out to elders to destroy evidence. Is it safe to say that this letter went out only to the brothers in the U.K. or did it go out to all congregations world-wide?

    I find this absolutely repugnant as the ARC cornered elders with their own handwritten notes describing in full what measures were taken, if any, vis-a vis child molestation claims in the congregations.

  • January 5, 2016 at 8:33 am
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    When I was in the JW cult, I remember constantly hearing how we were the best. Other religions were always sneered at and viewed contemptuously. I don’t know how many times I heard we were “the nicest, most loving people” and how the “world” was slandered as debauched, Satan-controlled and just plain bad.

    It’s ingrained in JWs. It’s part of their programming. They’re the best, nothing is wrong with their cult or its followers, they will live forever in paradise, blah blah blah.

    Along comes a monster in their midst and their brainwashed minds can’t handle it. So they cover it up because they don’t want to shatter their delusion. Nor do they want the world to see any flaws as it might discourage more recruits, and therefore more money into the corporation’s coffers.

    It’s horrifying to know that thousands of children’s lives were damaged and destroyed and the cult swept them under the carpet while protecting the monsters. I’m glad this issue is coming to light. I just hope the US wakes up to it and starts investigating them. That will hit the cult hardest.

    • January 5, 2016 at 11:29 am
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      @GulfCoaster
      “I just hope the US wakes up to it and starts investigating them. That will hit the cult the hardest.”
      Amen!
      I think this organization’s ‘waters are drying up’ a bit quicker in Europe & Australia than here in the States. Could be wrong, that’s just my perception. To hit them here at their home base would be significant.

      WS

    • January 5, 2016 at 1:07 pm
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      Within time the whole world needs to wake up. If not, I would feel discouraged.

  • January 5, 2016 at 8:02 pm
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    Thanks for the article Karen –
    My son knows a sister who used to be in Pheasey’s congregation. She said he was a disgusting man. We are trying to find out if he has been disfellowshipped or not.
    To read that the parents of his victim did nothing amazes me. If it had been a child of mine I don’t think he would have walked very well after!
    Five years is not enough. He will be released, probably reinstated in the cong, and no-one will be any the wiser.
    These sort of predators do not reform. He will do it again and I dread to think of the consequences.
    As for the Borg protecting children from abuse MY A..E!

    • January 5, 2016 at 9:44 pm
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      I personally knew an inactive JW who was convicted of over 100 counts of sexual assault against children (he liked young boys). He did 7 years in prison. Now I hear he is out and a very active member of the local congregation. And as suggested, I am sure no one there is any the wiser. Protect your kids: keep them away from the KH.

      WS

      • January 8, 2016 at 10:22 am
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        This fills me with horror! truly satanic old nick and his demons are getting such a kick out of the slaughter of the innocents. ruthlee

  • January 6, 2016 at 1:23 am
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    Thank you Karen Morgan for your article. It is good to hear the voice of a Watchtower abuse victim speaking up. You and others are very courageous. Those of us who have left are standing with you. You are not alone anymore. Enjoyed your article and wish you all the best with your future plans.

  • January 21, 2016 at 12:17 am
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    How many posters have experienced the wrath of your Congregation for reporting a Jehovah Witness Pedophile who is currently holding down the position of Elder? Its no fun as your Congregation turns against you and information from these Judicial Meetings are leaking out.

    Why Jehovah’s Witnesses should not be handling anything beyond disputes of who should drive their car around in Field Circus this month. Victims must try to defend themselves because usually Elders instituting the Judicial Committees have a collective knowledge of handling such delicate matters of Zero!

    I mentioned the Sexual Predator who molested one of our family members lamented how “the Watchtower has not organized a group to encourage former elders that have had their positions stripped away because they committed the sin of Child Abuse. When Pedophiles tell you “My action is not really a sin because the Jews did not consider your childhood actions (Age 24-29 when he molested his victims) “coming of Age until you were 30-35 years old!”.

    The Perp told us he was greatly depressed the Watchtower forgot all his good works, did not remember everything he did to protect “his congregation from teenage sex” and “was the harshest judge when it came to adultery!”. Only a lunatic can read something I wrote and say “Yes, that Elder made valid points, he should not have lost his position as Elder and should be getting psychological and spiritual counseling because he did so much to help the Organization grow!”.

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