~* expoze dewachtowa *~

Myth 8: Jehovah's Witnesses support the victims of pedophiles and help them
seek treatment and protection under the law.

The Truth is.

The Watchtower Organization is a closed society that encourages incidents of
child molestation be handled within the organization. Only at the advice of
Watchtower Legal will elders even suggest to parents a child molester be
reported to the police. Typically edlers are advised to remain neutral when
it comes to the reporting of chidl abuse. At the congregation level the
only action that can be taken with a confessed child molester is a "local
needs" part that would state to watch your children, but nothing would be
directly stated that a pedophile was actually in the congregation. Another
action could be for the elders to have a meeting with the pedophile and tell
him/her they would monitor their conduct around children. He/she cannot have
children at their home for sleepovers nor hold them in their lap or work
alone with children in the field ministry. The elders generally have contact
at meetings and in the field ministry. The rest of the time the pedophile
has the freedom to monitor his/her self.

The Watchtower Organization is a closed society that thinks everyone outside
the organization is a part of Satan's world. Satan's world will be destroyed
when the day of judgment comes and this includes everyone who does not
become a Jehovah's Witness. The basis for this teaching is found in
scriptures like 1 John 5:19 that states, "The whole world is lying in the
power of the wicked one." This reinforces the Jehovah's Witness mentality
that anytime you go outside the organization, the help you obtain is being
guided ultimately by Satan and you should be distrustful of what they offer
in any way.

One letter to Body Of Elders dated 1992 states that therapy could be sought
for molestation victims if it was "in harmony with bible principles." This
implies victims would need to approach a therapist and demand that any
guidance given must be offered in complete harmony with the way Jehovah's
Witnesses believe the bible.

Elders have absolutely no training on guidance, therapy or counseling when
it comes to child molestation issues. The 1994 Elders School specifically
advised against getting training on counseling or therapy for mental health
issues stating, "we are spiritual shepherds only." The admonition was to
listen, read a scripture, and say a prayer and that should be sufficient.
The attitude was, some things will not be solved till the "new order" and
persons with difficulty should learn to endure. The way troubled victims
were advised to cope was to read the bible, pray, be regular at church
meetings and participate more in the field ministry.