I watched the "expert" testimony of Dr. Monica Applewhite last night for the Royal Commission in Australia.
It was painful to watch. It appeared that she simply read some articles that were presented to her. At one point, she suggested that the Watchtower Society produced about four of these issues a year. I don't doubt that she has extensive experience in her field, but her comments indicate that she has a profound ignorance of the context in which those articles appeared.
At the time, Jehovah's Witnesses were producing a total of four Watchtower and Awake magazines a month. That is in addition to the books and brochures that are published every year. She didn't seem to realize that the Awake magazine, especially, is primarily a recruitment tool. Jehovah's Witnesses generally don't have the time or desire to read most of the articles.
Angus Stewart (assisting counsel for the Royal Commission) pointed out that the context is important for understanding these articles.
I suggest that the context indicates that these articles are part of a propaganda campaign that puts children at further risk. An organization that uses aggressive proselytism needs a brand to promote to the public and its own members.
Jehovah's witnesses advertize a future paradise earth. That distinguishes them for most major religions. In addition to the prospect of a literal paradise, they claim that their members enjoy a spiritual paradise now. They point to scriptures that talk about animals behaving peacefully and claim that those scriptures have an early spiritual fulfillment among their own members. The implication is that Jehovah's Witnesses are now peaceful lambs rather than aggressive lions; those who once displayed animalistic tendencies have put on a new personality.
That context causes Jehovah's Witnesses to interpret articles about child abuse as referring to those outside the organization. This propaganda encourages them to further retreat from the outside world and seek security within the organization, where their children might be in even greater danger.
There have been many articles gloating over the issues that Catholics and other religions have had with child abuse. Yet, they haven't acknowledged their own issues and have made strenuous efforts to cover them up. It would tarnish their image. Their branding campaign would be compromised. Growth would suffer.
The use of judicial committees to prosecute even minor offenses causes many Jehovah's Witnesses to conclude that they handle allegations of child abuse aggressively. The problem is that they greatest perceived threat to their branding comes not from the alleged abuser, but from the victim. An abuser is unlikely to talk about his transgressions, but the victim could reveal that their spiritual paradise is an illusion.
I'm sure that many elders are happy to disfellowship a child abuser when guilt can be established, but they generally have no interest in further protecting children by allowing the abuser's actions to become known to the police and the public. If they reinstate such a person under the assumption that the abuser is repentant and unlikely to offend, then children in their own congregation are once again put at risk.
I'm happy if those articles about child abuse have helped some. Ultimately, however, I think they are at the root of a problem that has put children in even greater danger and resulted in aggressive coverups and harsh treatment of victims.
