Airdate : December 27, 1992
Topic : Jehovah's Witnesses (conflict between welfare of child and divorced parent's freedom of religion)
Transcript : 1-800-777-8398, or see http://www.burrelles.com/transcripts/cbs/sixm92.htm (bottom of the page) and http://www.burrelles.com/transcripts/tranburr.htm.
I've lost my copy of the transcript, but this is my recollection of one part of the broadcast :
The show is from about ten years ago, but still very relevant today. It dealt with WT child custody cases and what life was like for kids in the WT (no birthdays, no friends / activities outside of the WT, etc.) and the excellent work done by Duane Magnani (www.witnessinc.com) in child custody cases involving the WTBTS.
1) Watchtower lawyers represented a JW wife in a child custody case against (ex-JW or non-JW) husband.
2) Their young daughter (around 6 years old) testifies in court that her father had molested her.
3) Later she testifies than an elder (who was her grandfather) told her to lie in court and say her father had molested her.
4) 60 minutes confronts the person "unofficial representing" the WT, who dismisses it by saying something like "false allegations of molestation are usual in custody cases."
5) 60 Minutes then reveals they did research and found that in JW vs. ex-JW custody cases, it happens much more than usual.
Between Dateline and 60 Minutes, I get the feeling the WT policy on child abuse is "if you're a JW, we'll cover it up, if you a non-JW, we'll make it up."
Again, this is my recollection, transcript post anyone ? Watching the segment is better than just reading the transcript, maybe 60 Minutes should rebroadcast it as it was very insightful into the life of children in the WTBTS.
Locutus