In reading thirdwitness of late, I am reminded now how painful it was to deal with that level of cold, harsh denial. They don't even know what they say.
For those innocents hurt by this strange, mean little sect I submit ...
October 8, 1993 Awake:
Tragically, adult society often unwittingly collaborates with child abusers. How so? By refusing to be aware of this danger, by fostering a hush-hush attitude about it, by believing oft-repeated myths. Ignorance, misinformation, and silence give safe haven to abusers, not their victims.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
January 1, 1997 Watchtower:
Depending on the law of the land where he lives, the molester may well have to serve a prison term or face other sanctions from the State. (The congregation will not protect him from this. )
If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
The "two witness" rule of Jehovah's Witnesses regarding child abuse (from their website):
When any one of Jehovah's Witnesses is accused of an act of child abuse, the local congregation elders are expected to investigate. Two elders meet separately with the accused and the accuser to see what each says on the matter. If the accused denies the charge, the two elders may arrange for him and the victim to restate their position in each other's presence, with elders also there. If during that meeting the accused still denies the charges and there are no others who can substantiate them, the elders cannot take action within the congregation at that time. Why not? As a Bible-based organization, we must adhere to what the Scriptures say
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way;
1992 BOE letter:
As members or the community in which Caesar still acts as God's minister and hence still has a certain authority, all in the Christian congregation would want to consider their personal and moral responsibility to alert the appropriate authorities in cases where there has been committed or there exists a risk that there might be committed a serious criminal offence of this type
is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
Novemver 1, 1995 Watchtower:
“Repressed memories” and similar expressions are enclosed in quotation marks to distinguish them from the more typical memories that all of us have."
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
thirdwitness:
Opposers say this is bad policy since child molesters usually do not molest with others around. This protects the molester and not the child.
To this we say, The rule book is the Bible. Do we just throw that out. The two witness rule is actually a very good rule.
Love never ends.
November 15, 1973 Watchtower:
"And by dragging fellow believers before pagan judges, they would bring great reproach upon God’s name. As outsiders would be led to believe that Christians were no different from other people in being unable to settle differences, the interests of true worship would be injured. It would have been far better for individual Christians to take personal loss rather than to injure the entire congregation by bringing their disputes to public notice."
As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
November 15, 1973 Watchtower:
"However, if any member of the Christian congregation, without regard for the effect of his action on the good name of the congregation, ignores the counsel from God’s Word on this matter, such one would not be "free from accusation" as a Christian. He would not be one who has "a fine testimony from people on the outside" of the congregation.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
January 1, 1997 Watchtower:
"For the protection of our children, a man known to have been a child molester does not qualify for a responsible position in the congregation. Moreover, he cannot be a pioneer or serve in any other special, full-time service." He would not qualify Scripturally. We take such action because we are concerned with maintaining Bible standards and protecting our children. Everyone in our organization is expected to meet the same requirements, namely, to be clean physically, mentally, morally, and spiritually.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
November 1, 1995 Watchtower:
If there is some valid reason to suspect that the alleged perpetrator is still abusing children, a warning may have to be given. The congregation elders can help in such a case.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
'official' statement on child abuse made by Jehovah's Witnesses on their website:
Our procedures have been refined over time. Over the years, as we have noted areas where our policies could be strengthened, we have followed through. We are continuing to refine them. We do not believe that our system is perfect.
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three
'official' statement on child abuse made by Jehovah's Witnesses on their website:
Still, the safety of our children is of the utmost importance. We take it very seriously.
but the greatest of these is love.
To me, the saddest part of all of this is not the tens of thousands of men, women and children who have been hideously abused. But those who have the ability to step in and do not, or make policy to implement change and have not or, worst of all, those who do not care one whit about an innocent's pain and instead interested in maintaining the cold harsh fortress mentality and to hell with the cost.
Perhaps even sadder is that these people will not ever allow themselves to see what is written in black and white and understand the horror in front of their eyes.