I feel for the mother and sisters who were so misguided by the Jehovah's Witness organization regarding being abused.

I am no stranger to Jehovah's Witnesses and the Kingdom Hall. My father was a hardworking man who was excommunicated from the organization because he would not give up his weekends with his family to Pioneer for them.

Not only was my family not invited to attend my 97-year-old grandmother's funeral, but Brothers and Sisters from the Kingdom Hall contacted my family to say we were not welcome and would not be allowed in if we showed up - all because we were not of their faith! After her death, we discovered that for the last year of her life, the Jehovah's Witnesses were telling her she would not go to the "new world" (equivalent of heaven) if she continued contact with her family.

This mother was put in a position to choose between her children's best interest and her "church," i.e. Kingdom Hall. To anyone else, being told to pray over the issue and to "be a better wife" may seem completely insane! But unfortunately, to me, it is completely understandable due to my lifelong contact with the Kingdom Hall.

From what I have experienced, the "elders" who oversee the individual Kingdom Halls are not trained faith leaders. All other religions I am familiar with have a leader who has extensive training for this position. The Jehovah's Witness elders have no right to guide individuals or families.

All decent, faithful people, especially putting themselves in the position of giving guidance, must take on the role of looking after the best interest of those individuals. Thus, notifying the proper authorities when abuse is suspected or discovered!

VICTORIA CATER

Henniker