There is one aspect that seems to be missing totally from the subject of child abuse.
The Watchtower has up through the years told us time and time again how those 4, Jehovah, Jesus, Holy Spirit and the GB has “appointed” elders as “gifts” to the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Back in the fifties, the Watchtower Society was very honest and open about who really appointed the Watchtower elders:
*** jv 54 5 Proclaiming the Lord's Return (1870-1914) ***
Back then, it was customary for the congregations to vote each year for those who would preside among them. Today, Christian elders among Jehovah’s Witnesses are not elected by local congregations but are appointed by the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Care is also exercised not to use expressions such as “pastor” or “elder” as titles.
Still in the sixties the Watchtower was pretty clear about who actually did this:
*** w67 9/15 563 Recognizing the Part Played by Jehovah's Organization *** 12 You noticed early in your association that the congregation had appointed servants who ministered to the needs of the congregation. Before they were appointed by the governing body, they had to measure up to Bible standards for overseers and ministerial assistants.
When the new elder arrangements came in the beginning of the seventies, the Watchtower still admitted who were really appointing elders:
*** w72 8/1 458 Loving Oversight of the Congregation of God ***
As a governing body it appoints elders and ministerial servants who hold responsible positions in the Christian congregation.
Now in this case has the Watchtower Society been consistent about who appoints their corpse of elders? No, not at all, it is the Holy Spirit who appoints them:
*** w59 6/1 339 Paying Attention to the Flock of God ***
Overseers have a great responsibility by reason of their being appointed by the holy spirit. In what way did it appoint them? In that by inspiration it has laid down the requirements for overseers. Also, in that it matures Christians to be qualified to serve as overseers, and, further, in that those making appointments are guided by it.—1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9.
No, it is Jehovah who appoints them:
*** w76 2/15 118 Jehovah's Friend or the World's Friend-Which? ***
18 Also, to encourage and help His friends to resist catering to selfish desires, Jehovah has taken additional steps by appointing elders. It would be wise to respond to their counsel.
No, it is the Governing Body who appoints them:
*** w96 1/15 15 Jehovah's Sheep Need Tender Care ***
Today, Christian elders are appointed by the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and care is exercised not to use such terms as “pastor,” “elder,” or “teacher” as titles.
Well, never mind all that, but in the case of all the child abuse going on in this organization, where is Jehovah, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Governing Body? Are they all asleep?
What is the best they can do? Apparently all they have to show for themselves is a couple of lawyers, named Mario Moreno and J. R. Brown, men who try to cover the Watchtower Society’s butt.
Have all the abuse victims ever read this before?:
*** w97 3/1 28 Are You Afraid to Trust Others? ***
These men are not paid professionals. Rather, they are “gifts in men,” provided by Jehovah to help you. (Ephesians 4:8, 11-13; Galatians 6:1) How? Skillfully using the Bible, they will apply its healing power to your personal situation. (Psalm 107:20; Proverbs 12:18; Hebrews 4:12, 13) They will pray with you and for you. (Philippians 1:9; James 5:13-18) Help from such loving counselors can do much to heal a troubled spirit and restore peace of mind.*** w96 1/15 15 Jehovah's Sheep Need Tender Care ***
The apostle Paul told fellow elders: “Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed you overseers, to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own Son.” And how grateful the sheep are that these men appointed by holy spirit “treat the flock with tenderness”!—Acts 20:28-30.
4 Jesus gave the congregation “gifts in men,” some as “pastors,” or shepherds, who treat Jehovah’s flock in a tender way.
Yes, how “tender and loving counselors” they are. Just listen to the tender and loving way Moreno deals with the poor sheep here:
“Louisville Courier-Journal, 2-4-01 According to church lawyer Moreno, the system worked. Elders did their job, and victims and police did theirs, he said. "What was the harm?" Moreno said. "The report got made.
"You've got a teen, who has been molested, upset at the elders for not calling the police?" he said. "You can call the police. You're the one injured.
"Who makes the laws? Not us. Don't blame us for the laws, please. Talk to the state legislators of Colorado."”
Don’t you feel all the love and tenderness that flow from the “council” of this shepherd, Moreno, appointed by, Jehovah/Holy Spirit/Governing Body, etc.?
“Why come whining to the elders you brat, call the police yourself! After all YOU was the one who got molested, none of them was molested so why should they call the police?”
What Moreno and the other wonderful “shepherds” really want is for all victims to shut up and stop bringing harm to “Jehovah’s Organization”. That’s the absolutely only thing that matters:
*** w85 11/15 27 Elders, Take Your Shepherding Responsibilities Seriously ***
19 Shepherding “the flock of God” is hard work, but it is most rewarding. Therefore, shepherds of the flock, carefully guard your precious privilege. Care well for God’s sheep. And may all sheeplike ones cooperate fully with the undershepherds appointed by holy spirit. “Be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you and be submissive,” urged Paul, “for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will render an account.” (Hebrews 13:17) As all those wholeheartedly devoted to Jehovah work together unitedly, great spiritual blessings and benefits will continue to result from the faithful service of Christian elders who take their shepherding responsibilities seriously.
Victims should of course “cooperate fully” with the elders, and be “obedient and submissive” to them. Never mind that being like that was probably what got them abused in the first place.
As it turns out in reality, the Watchtower Society organization with all these “wonderful shepherds”, duly appointed by all the big shots in heaven and on earth are utterly powerless to protect their children against pedophile predators in their midst.
Of course in reality we should be on our guard against all who claim to be appointed by Jehovah. As we know Moses was apparently appointed by him, and it would be wrong to claim that the welfare of children had a very high priority in the mind of this “most humble man on earth”:
*** Rbi8 Numbers 31:14-18 ***
And Moses grew indignant at the appointed men of the combat forces, the chiefs of the thousands and the chiefs of the hundreds who were coming in from the military expedition. 15 So Moses said to them: “Have YOU preserved alive every female? … 17 And now kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has had intercourse with man by lying with a male. 18 And preserve alive for yourselves all the little ones among the women who have not known the act of lying with a male.*** Rbi8 Judges 21:10-12 ***
10 Hence the assembly proceeded to send twelve thousand of the most valiant men there and to command them, saying: “Go, and YOU must strike the inhabitants of Ja'besh-gil'e•ad with the edge of the sword, even the women and the little ones. 11 And this is the thing that YOU should do: Every male and every woman that has experienced lying with a male YOU should devote to destruction.” 12 However, they found out of the inhabitants of Ja'besh-gil'e•ad four hundred girls, virgins, that had not had intercourse with a man by lying with a male. So they brought them to the camp at Shi'loh, which is in the land of Ca'naan.
According to the Watchtower, and the Bible Jehovah do not change, so it turns out that his priorities regarding children doesn’t seem to have changed all that much.
We have absolutely no reason to expect much from an organization who worship such a God, and the one who is described in Bible. People have a tendency to be like their Deity.
Occasionally there seem to be some in Brooklyn who at least understand this, but they seem to be a small minority:
“Author Amos Oz recently noted: “It is typical of religious fanatics . . . that the ‘orders’ they get from God are always, essentially, one order: Thou shalt kill. The god of all fanatics sounds more like the devil.” The Bible says something quite similar: “The children of God and the children of the Devil are evident by this fact: Everyone who does not carry on righteousness does not originate with God, neither does he who does not love his brother.”
Awake!” September 8. 1997, page 4.
Norm.