>>LETS TRY TO play a game of fairness in this tirade of accusations?
>>How about a fairly unbiased presentation by ALLEXPERTS ENCYCLOPEDIA?
http://en.allexperts.com/e/j/je/jehovah's_witnesses_and_child_sex_abuse.htm
**Jehovah's Witnesses and child sex abuse
--"Jehovah's Witnesses, as an organization, have been accused of covering up cases of child molestation committed by their members. The religious group came under scrutiny parallel to the discovery of systematic abuse and cover-ups, most famously, within the Catholic Church in the late 1990s and early 2000s, although other religions had less-noted issues concerning sexual abuse. (See Anglicans in Australia, Unitarian/Universalism, and possibly Greek Orthodox Christians).
In February 2001, Christianity Today printed an article alleging that Jehovah's Witness policies made reporting sexual abuse difficult for members, and did not follow legal norms on the issue. Shortly after, in 2002, Erica Rodriguez filed a suit in the US District Court in Spokane, Washington. Manuel Beliz was convicted of abusing her and was sentenced to eleven years' imprisonment for his crime. In her suit, Rodriguez sought unspecified damages from Beliz for her abuse, and also from the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. In 2003, Heidi Meyer alleged that her pleas concerning sexual abuse were dismissed and that this is a widespread problem. [1]
**IN RESPONSE, Jehovah's Witnesses stated their opposition to any form of child abuse. They encourage parents-especially fathers, to take an active role in the proper guidance and protection of their children from pedophiles. They affirmed that the local elders are expected to investigate any accusation of child abuse. Declaring that where child abuse can be proven by their standards (Two witnesses which they interpret Deuteronomy 19:15 and Matthew 18:15-17 to support or a voluntary confession ), and the member is unrepentant, he or she is disfellowshipped (expelled from the religious institution). [2] Some criticize this stand since acts of pedophilia are usually done in private. If the child comes forward, he or she is considered to be only one witness. Since two witnesses are not present no judicial action is taken. However, judicial action can be taken if two persons are witnesses to separate incidents of the same type of wrongdoing. In addition, the Jehovah's Witnesses organization and its adherents have nevertheless faced criticism for leniency on this issue.
William H. Bowen, a critic and former member of the religion, who founded Silent Lambs[3], went so far as to state: "I refuse to support a pedophile refuge mentality that is promoted among bodies of elders around the world. Criminals should be ousted, identified and punished to protect the innocent and give closure to the victim." [4]
**WITNESSES DO NOT ACCEPT (my caps)such charges. They defend themselves by stating that they obey all legal requirements for reporting sex offenders, and that they do discipline and disfellowship (excommunicate) pedophiles. In addition, their policy is that a man who is a child molester does not qualify for a responsible position in the congregation and that anyone in a responsible position who is guilty of child abuse would be removed. The Watchtower January 1, 1997 They further state that their procedures have been refined over time. They state that over the years, as they have noted areas where their policies could be strengthened, they have followed through and that they are continuing to refine them. Authorized Site of the Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses They also vigorously dispute statements that encourage a negative view of an already oft-persecuted religious group.
One common criticism of Jehovah's Witness policy regarding sex abuse is that the victim is encouraged to first report the crime to the elders.
**However, Witnesses' spokesman J. R. Brown said Witnesses are not required to report crimes to elders before calling civil authorities. Victims and their families are free to call police at will, he said, although some don't choose to. Tubbs, Sharon (Aug. 22, 2002), "Spiritual shunning", St. Petersburg Times. Thus the victim may decide to report the crime to civil authorities. The elders are not instructed to encourage or discourage a report to civil authorities, nor do the elders themselves report the crime (though in some cases, elders have suggested to the victims that reporting the case could tarnish the reputation of the organization), even so, the victim and his or her parents have the freedom and the responsibility to take whatever they feel is the best course of action for themselves. [5].However they are expected to report the allegation to the branch office of Jehovah's Witnesses in their country. In addition, the authorized Site of the Office of Public Information of Jehovah's Witnesses states that the elders will report even uncorroborated or unsubstantiated allegations to the authorities if required by law. "The safety of our children is of the utmost importance. We take it very seriously." So concludes an official document on their Public Information page. However, any delays in reporting sex crimes to civil authorities and collection of available evidence can decrease the likelihood of successful prosecution of the accused offender. [6] (PDF format)
The BBC reported on the controversy around Jehovah's Witnesses child abuse in July 2002, in the Panorama program "Suffer the Little Children". The details and transcript are at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/2114320.stm.
**In response to the above BBC program, Paul Gillies, spokesman for the Britain branch of Jehovah's Witnesses comments on their official web site: "Sexual abuse of children is not just a terrible sin but also a crime that can leave lasting emotional scars on its victims. Jehovah's Witnesses everywhere abhor the sexual abuse of children and will not protect any perpetrator of such repugnant acts from the consequences of his gross sin."
References
See also
*Roman Catholic Church and child sexual abuse
*Jehovah's Witnesses: Controversial Issues
External links
*Article of Erica Rodriguez's suit
*Jehovah's Witnesses' Response on child abuse, from official site (video)
* Jehovah's Witnesses Official Policy on Child Protection, from official site
* News Articles on Jehovah's Witnesses and Child Abuse
*Robinson, B.A. (2003), "Jehovah's Witnesses and child sex abuse", ReligiousTolerance.org. Retrieved 29 July 2005.
*Vleugel, Rado, "Jehovah's Witnesses & (sexual) child abuse", watchtowerinformationservice.org. Retrieved 29 July 2005.
*"Child Abuse Among JWs", Investigator Magazine, Volume 93.
*Tubbs, Sharon (22 August 2002), "Spiritual shunning", St. Petersburg Times.
*U.S. Department of Justice (September, 2004) "A National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations (Adults/Adolescents)" (PDF format)
*2001 Christianity Today article by Corrie Cutrer
**AS AN ELDER for most of my 40 years in the truth, dealing with child abuse in the 70's through the 90's , THERE WAS NEVER any cover-up with ANYONE involved in such depraved acts.
--We indeed deal severly with ones doing such harm to our children!
========UPDATE #1========
WE TAKE KEEPING our organization as clean as is reasonbly possible >>>>VERY SERIOUSLY, as is noted by the world:
***** "TIME MAGAZINE of Dec. 3, 2007 in the Cover Story "What Makes Us Good/Evil" and under the article:
"WHAT MAKES US MORAL" p. 54 AND under the subheading: "How We Stay Good" p. 58 para 6:
......"Religious believers as diverse as Roman Catholics, Mennonites & Jehovah's Witnesses have practiced their own forms of shunning ---though the banishments may go by names like EXCOMMUNICATION or DISFELLOWSHIPPING. Clubs, social groups andd fraternities, expel undesirable members and the U.S. military retains the threat of discharge as disciplinary too, even grading the punishment as "other than "honorable" or "dishonorable" darkening the mark a former service person must carry for life"
>>>We disfellowship some 40,000-50,000 yearly (past figure) witnesses a year for SEXUAL MISCONDUCT! And thousands more are reproved, publicly or privately, BECAUSE OF true repentence!
>>DO YOU really think we would let the WORST of perverted sex go unpunished?
=========UPDATE #2========
The world even RECOGNIZES how BALANCED & diligent we are in disciplining ANY violators of Jehovah's laws and of our CHILDREN, from the past to the present:
*** w82 4/1 p. 13 Insight on the News
>>“Doing It Right”
--A recent editorial in the Sun of Gainesville, Florida, contrasted the so-called Moral Majority with Jehovah’s Witnesses in their approach to morality. “[The Witness] publication, The Watchtower, provides the instructions—most of them reassertions of long established principles,” noted the Sun. And “the offender who resists ‘loving concern’ is apt to be ‘disfellowshipped,’ which means dismissal from the congregation. . . . The discipline may offend some Americans, but it is entirely proper for Witnesses to enforce their own fellowship rules. It is a voluntary association, and the exit is easy for anybody who wants out.”
>>The editorial observed that, in contrast, the religious Moral Majority politically “seeks to enforce its doctrine not only upon its members—but wants to enact its beliefs as national policy.” In the opinion of the Sun, this mixing of religion and politics is unconstitutional, and therefore the Moral Majority is “doing it wrong and the Jehovah’s Witnesses are doing it right.”
=======UPDATE # 4======
MORE ON OUR OFFICIAL STAND
"Jehovah's Witnesses and Child Protection"(http://www.jw-media.org/newsroom/index.htm?content=africa_middle_east.htm)
>>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. Among others, there was the article "Let Us Abhor What Is Wicked!" published in the January 1, 1997, issue of The Watchtower ; "Help for the Victims of Incest" in the October 1, 1983, Watchtower, "Your Child Is in Danger!", "How Can We Protect Our Children?", and "Prevention in the Home", all in the October 8, 1993, Awake!, as well as "Child Molesting—Every Mother's Nightmare," in the January 22, 1985, Awake!
>>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. 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. If during that meeting the accused still denies the charges and there are no others who can substantiate them, the elders cannot take action within the congregation at that time. Why not? As a Bible-based organization, we must adhere to what the Scriptures say, namely, "No single witness should rise up against a man respecting any error or any sin . . . At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses the matter should stand good." (Deuteronomy 19:15) Jesus reaffirmed this principle as recorded at Matthew 18:15-17. However, if two persons are witnesses to separate incidents of the same kind of wrongdoing, their testimony may be deemed sufficient to take action.
>>However, even if the elders cannot take congregational action, they are expected to report the allegation to the branch office of Jehovah's Witnesses in their country, if local privacy laws permit. In addition to making a report to the branch office, 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. Additionally, the victim may wish to report the matter to the authorities, and it is his or her absolute right to do so.
>>If, when confronted, the accused confesses that he is guilty of child abuse, the elders take appropriate congregational action. If he is not repentant, he will not be permitted to remain a member of the congregation. Even if he is repentant—is cut to the heart and is thus resolutely determined to avoid such conduct in the future—what was stated in the January 1, 1997, issue of The Watchtower applies. The article said: "For the protection of our children, a man known to have been a child molester does not qualify for a responsible position in the congregation. Moreover, he cannot be a pioneer [full-time missionary of Jehovah's Witnesses] or serve in any other special, full-time service." He would not qualify Scripturally. (1 Timothy 3:2, 7-10) We take such action because we are concerned with maintaining Bible standards and protecting our children. Everyone in our organization is expected to meet the same requirements, namely, to be clean physically, mentally, morally, and spiritually.—2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 4:17-19; 1 Thessalonians 2:4.
>>IN FEW INSTANCES (my caps), individuals guilty of an act of child abuse have been appointed to positions within the congregation if their conduct has been otherwise exemplary for decades. All the factors are considered carefully. Suppose, for example, that a long time ago a 16-year-old boy had sexual relations with a consenting 15-year-old girl. Depending upon the U.S. jurisdiction where he lived when this happened, elders may have been required to report this as an incident of child abuse. Let us say that 20 years have passed. The child abuse reporting law may have changed; the man may have even married the girl! Both have been living exemplary lives and they are respected. In such a rare case, the man could possibly be appointed to a responsible position within the congregation.
>>Our procedures HAVE BEEN REFINED (my caps). Over the years, as we have noted areas where our policies could be strengthened, we have followed through. WE ARE CONTINUING (my caps) to refine them. We do not believe that our system is perfect. No human organization is perfect. But we do believe that we have a strong, Bible-based policy on child abuse. Anyone in a responsible position who is guilty of child abuse would be removed from his responsibilities without hesitation. We certainly would not knowingly allow him to serve elsewhere, either because he moved or through a transfer.
>>The Bible teaches that individuals can repent of their sins and "turn to God by doing works that befit repentance," and we accept what the Bible says. (Acts 26:20) Still, the safety of our children is of the utmost importance. We take it very seriously."