Below is my letter to the editor for my local paper.
Also, I copied and sent to this paper the "Press Release" by silentlambs.
The scandal within the Catholic Church that has been brought to light recently is abhorant. The sexual abuse of children and it's coverup is inexcusable. Can you imagine the outcry if the Catholic Church began to excommunicate both those who bring this tragedy to light and the victims for going public?The Catholic Church has not, but the WatchTower Bible and Tract Society (WTBTS), whose members are called Jehovah's Witnesses is doing just that very thing. Three members of various Kingdom Halls around the country are being brought before what are called Judicial Committees for causing "division" in the Christian Congregation.
What have they done to cause this "division"? They've gone public with a pedophile scandal within their own church. Dateline NBC has produced a news segement concerning the efforts by the WTBTS to coverup pedophilia within it's ranks. Interviewed for the program were Mr William Bowen of Kentucky, a former Elder in the religion who resigned over the pedophila crisis; Barbra Anderson of Tennessee, the wife of an Elder, and the Pandelo family from New Jersey. All three have been instructed by Elders in their congregation to appear before a Judicial committee on Friday, May 10, 2002 .
According to Barb Anderson the local congregations have been instructed to bring the individuals before a judicial committee for causing division in the congregation. The direction came to the congregations in a letter sent to them from the national headquarters in New York City.
Within the WTBTS wrong doers are not disciplined unless there are two witnesses to the alleged wrong doing. Since pedophiles do not molest their victims when others watch, they can not be disciplined. Further, families are often discouraged from going to the Law to allow the local congregation to handle the problem. Families have been threatened or actually disfellowshipped for going to the police with the crime because, according to the WTBTS, if there aren't two witnesses it is spreading scandal to report this to the police.
More information on this subject can be found at www.silentlambs.org.
YERUSALYIM
"Vanity! It's my favorite sin!"
[Al Pacino as Satan, in "DEVIL'S ADVOCATE"]