Jehovah's Witnesses Child Abuse Policy--Exposing the Myths

Chapters

Introduction: Pedophile Paradise or Pedophile Nightmare?
Which is fact and which is fiction? "The policy that Jehovah's Witnesses have on how to handle cases of child molestation is without equal in the religious community." Or Jehovah's Witnesses child abuse policy has created a pedophile paradise. Indeed what is reality and what is myth? Read this chapter...

Chapter One: Child Abuse Is Abhorrent
The Watchtower's child abuse policy begins by stating: "Child abuse is abhorrent to us. This is in harmony with the principle recorded at Romans 12:9. Even one abused child is one too many. For decades The Watchtower and Awake! have featured articles to educate both Witnesses and the public regarding the importance and the need to protect children from child abuse. Read this chapter...

Chapter Two: The Two Witness Rule
The child abuse policy of Jehovah's Witnesses states: "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. Read this chapter...

Chapter Three: If Only One Witness
But what if there is only one witness to the abuse and the accused denies it? Many opposers say that the Watchtower Society does nothing in that case. But is this really the case? Do the elders and the Watchtower Society do absolutely nothing to protect children if there is only one witness? Please take note of what is actually said in the policy:Read this chapter...

Chapter Four: Face to Face
The child abuse policy of Jehovah's Witnesses states: "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." Does this mean that young children who accuse someone of molesting them will have to meet with the accused face to face? Read this chapter...

Chapter Five: Keeping It In the House?
Is the victim told not to go to the police and simply let the elders handle the situation? Is the victim or their family told that it will bring reproach upon God's organization to tell the authorities? Jehovah's Witnesses policy clearly states at the Watchtower website: Read this chapter...

Chapter Six: You Can't Take a Brother to Court
But doesn't the Watchtower publications say that Jehovah's Witnesses shouldn't take each other to court because it might damage the reputation of the organization? Wouldn't this include pressing charges against an alleged child abuser who has not been disfellowshipped? Read this chapter...

Chapter Seven: Just Let The Authorities Handle It
Why not just let the authorities handle child molestation cases since elders have no training in this field? But is the criminal system really the sure-fire answer for protecting children from pedophiles? And does this reasoning really apply to what Jehovah's Witnesses are trying to accomplish in their handling of child molestation in the congregation? Read this chapter...

Chapter Eight: Negatory on the Mandatory
The Watchtower policy states: "the elders may be required by law to report even uncorroborated or unsubstantiated allegations to the authorities. If so, we expect the elders to comply." This raises the question: why not just report all alledged cases of child abuse and let the authorities handle it? Wouldn't it be best if the Watchtower Society made it mandatory for elders to report all cases? Read this chapter...

Chapter Nine: Speak No Evil
But isn't it true that everyone in the congregation is instructed to keep silent including the elders and not let anyone else know that a person in the congregation is a molester or former molester? Wouldn't a person be disfellowshipped or reproved for gossip or slander? Or is this just another common apostate falacy put forth to mislead others? Let us see. Read this chapter...

Chapter Ten: Judicial Action
What action is taken against persons who have been found guilty of abuse by confession or by two witnesses? Is it publicly revealed to the congregation in order that all can be made aware of the dangers and need for caution? Note how the policy at the Watchtower site continues:Read this chapter...

Chapter Eleven: Its a Privilege
Do Jehovah's Witnesses allow former child molesters to be servants in the congregation? If so, wouldn't this be similar to what the Catholic church and other churches have done in transferring their priests or clergymen to a different area where no one knows about their past sins of abuse? That is what some opposers claim. But notice the real Watchtower policy: Read this chapter...

Chapter Twelve: You Can Run But You Can't Hide
What happens if a former molester who has been deemed repentant moves to another congregation? Will anyone know that he is a former molester? Will the former molester perhaps receive privileges or even be appointed to a responsible position of trust because the elders of his new congregation are unaware of his past conduct? Exactly what steps are taken to ensure that children are protected? Read this chapter...

Chapter Thirteen: The Famous Database
You have no doubt heard all kinds of rumors and exaggerations about the database kept by the Watchtower Society on child molesters. Is it good or is it bad? Would you like to see what the database really entails? Lets look at a May 9, 2002 fax Read this chapter...

Chapter Fourteen: Talk to My Lawyer
Some opposers argue that the Watchtower Society is ran by lawyers and as such the policy set forth is just a smokescreen to mislead others from knowing the real policy that the lawyers follow. Would you like to see some actual quotes from some of the Watchtower lawyers demonstrating that their advice is in harmony with the Watchtower policy? Read this chapter...

Chapter Fifteen: Reporting for Fiduciary Duty
One of the most outspoken supporters of the Silentlambs organization, Robert King, the self proclaimed watchman said of the Watchtower Society: "They have denied Jehovah by claiming before the courts that Christian elders have no responsibility before God to protect children from the crimes of a congregant." But is this really what the Watchtower lawyers argued in a court of law? Read this chapter...

Chapter Sixteen: In Case of Poisson...
One of the most famous cases brought against the Watchtower Society is the one brought by the children of Sara Poisson. You no doubt heard how the elders were told by her that her husband was sexually molesting her two children and the elders stood by and did nothing, even telling her not to report the abuse and not to seek professional help. But is this really true...? Read this chapter...

Chapter Seventeen: The Whole Boering Truth
In Canada, Vicki Boer brought a civil lawsuit against the elders of her former congregation and the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society asking for $700,000 concerning her child abuse at the hands of her father who was one of Jehovah's Witnesses claiming they were negligent, breached their duty, advised her against contacting the authorities, and against seeking professional help. What did the court find? Read this chapter...

Chapter Eighteen: Deal or No Deal?
Six cases against the Watchtower Society involving 10 alleged victims brought before civil courts in California were settled on February 13, 2007. "Spearheading the lawsuits is Texas law firm Love and Norris,... How much was the settlement and who really was the victor? Read this chapter...

Chapter Nineteen: Faith, Hope, Love and Norris
Many opposers of Jehovah's Witnesses have placed their faith in the law firm of Love and Norris hoping they can win a big judgment against the Watchtower Society in the courts of the land and thus hoping to discredit the Watchtower's child abuse policy. After Kimberlee Norris read much of the information presented in the previous chapter, she felt the need to respond. She stated: Read this chapter...

Chapter Twenty: The Tell-Tale Telememo
During the court cases that were recently dismissed with prejudice in Napa Valley, California, a form printed by the Watchtower Society, entitled Child Abuse Telememo, was brought forth in the discovery phase. The Child Abuse Telememo was a form filled out by a member of the Society's Legal Department when elders phoned in to the headquarters reporting child abuse. Would it provide damning evidence against the Watchtower Society that contradicts what they have published in writing about their child abuse policy. Read this chapter...

Chapter Twenty-one: Silentlambs or Noisy Goats
Bill Bowen and his associates often make statements as to what the Watchtower policy is concerning child molesters. They would like for others to believe that their statements are indeed statements of facts about the policy. They hope that others will take them at their word and not investigate for themselves....lets examine some of their statements. Read this chapter...

Chapter Twenty-two: What About All Those Stories
You've no doubt heard these types of stories: 'I knew someone that was disfellowshipped for reporting allegations to the police. A sister in my congregation was told by the elders not to go to the police. This brother molested children for decades and the elders stood by and did nothing about it. This elder molested children and was never removed as an elder.' And so on and so on. In fact, Bill Bowen of Silentlambs claims to have some 7000 similar horror stories. Read this chapter...

Chapter Twenty-three: The Apostates' Heroux
"In my home congregation,....Ralph Heroux.....ministerial servant....molested multiple victims over a period of decades....reported to the elders multiple times in several congregations....nothing was ever done congregationally,..." Those are the words of an opposer of Jehovah's Witnesses Read this chapter...

Chapter Twenty-four: ______ Vs Watchtower
You may have read of lawsuits brought against the Watchtower Society but you oftentimes only hear one side of the story, the side of the complainant. As opposers jump on the usual 'its a pedophile paradise' bandwagon, you rarely see an honest examination of the cases. And if the lawsuit is dropped or dismissed that is often lost in the witch hunt mentality and never reported. If you would like to examine the other side of the story on some of these cases, please continue. Read this chapter...

Chapter Twenty-five: Who Has a Better Policy?
If you have read the previous chapters you have come to realize that opposers have misrepresented the child abuse policy of Jehovah's Witnesses. Now that you have been shown the true child abuse policy with quotes and documentation, you are in a better position to judge its merit based on fact not fiction, truth not myth. And so the question: What religion has a better child abuse policy than Jehovah's Witnesses? Read this chapter...