Why do Jehovah's Witnesses tend to ignore child abuse?

Question

I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness.
On numerous occassions, I saw children of Jehovah's Witness parents abused by non Jehovah's Witness family members or friends, &brothers within the congregation who were far too 'touchy feelly' with married women & some underage girls.
It happened to me and it happened to others. There was an overwhelming tendency to keep up apperances. One was to remain friendly & polite to the individual carrying out these activities. My mother would force me to go out of my way to greet brothers I was afraid of or who made me uncomfortable. I was forced to continue associating with men who tried to or did advantage of me.
Those caught in the act of abuse were not shunned, they were given continued access to the children and permitted to stay in their homes.
It felt bizare...so many people KNEW what was going on and yet went to massive extents to make the abusers feel welcome and to act as though nothing had happened.

WHY? Why do they do this?

It doesn't seem to be something that they are actively TAUGHT to do...it just seems to be a kind of tradition, a learned behavior. Child abuse is spoken of very little amongst them, it's almost a taboo subject, far more so than amongst other religious people I know.

JR- Words are one thing, action is another. I saw this kind of behavior go totally unchecked.

Answer 1

Child abuse is certainly NOT a "taboo" subject among Jehovah's Witnesses. For decades, the publications of Jehovah's Witnesses have contained blunt, honest discussions of the matter. For example, here is a link to an article from 1985, over twenty years ago.
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/19850122/


Even if this question's unverifiable anecdotes are accurate, frankly it seems unclear what congregational action could have been accomplished without the cooperation of victims and parents. Sadly, at times anti-Witness activism (such as this so-called "question") seems motivated by the activist's need to express emotion and anger against some authority figure OTHER THAN her own parents, who apparently refused to file police reports about these alleged crimes.


As a people, Jehovah's Witnesses are disgusted and repulsed by abuse, and are relieved when secular law enforcement officials successfully investigate, prosecute, and punish any criminal who engages in these terrible crimes.

Jehovah's Witnesses fully understand that their role as a religion is in providing comfort to the victim and her family, sharing relevant bible warnings with the congregation and specific potential victims, extolling Christian peaceableness and righteousness, and eventually perhaps in counseling a repentant sinner.

Government workers such as police and prosecutors are generally empowered to pursue criminal matters. Jehovah's Witnesses always work in obedience to secular law and deference to the personal decisions of victims (and their families, where practical). Jehovah's Witness ministers do not investigate criminal matters, leaving such matters to law enforcement authorities.

An unrepentant baptized Jehovah's Witness who is found guilty of a secular crime is likely to be disfellowshipped (or "excommunicated", although Witnesses do not use this latter term). However, a sin against God's supreme authority is clearly a different matter from a sin against secular superior authorities. The standards for criminal conviction and forced religious disassociation will never be identical.


While this questioner and question seem sincere, it is sad that others use such "questions" dishonestly to besmirch Jehovah's Witnesses. Interestingly, such "hatred" should be expected by true Christians in this time of the end, and it actually helps identify Jehovah's Witnesses as Christ's true disciples:

(John 15:19) If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you.

(2 Timothy 4:3-5) For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.

Learn more:
http://jw-media.org/vnr/2122827332/717263.htm
http://jw-media.org/vnr/2122827332/713173.htm
http://jw-media.org/vnr/2122827332/716353.htm
http://jw-media.org/region/global/english/backgrounders/e_molestation.htm
http://jw-media.org/region/americas/usa/english/releases/educational/usa_e990402a.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/19970101/
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/19951101a/

Answer 2

I am sorry that you experienced such travesty. I too am a Jehovah's Witness and I have not yet seen this type of behavior. True Witnesses should not indulge in such behavior and if I were you, I would report it to the police because some may profess to be Witnesses but are truly not and give true Jehovah's Witnesses a bad name.

Answer 3

You can visit this site to see how the congregation takes cares of child abuse within or outside of the congregation..

http://thirdwitness.com/childabuse/default.html

Child Abuse is not ignored in the congregation, it is to be handled by the family ,Elders and by the police.

Child Abuse is not spoken little of in the congregation(s) and you can see further proof here..

http://thirdwitness.com/childabuse/Inhouse.html


Update: I seen actions take place - you cannot say these actions never take place because they do..

Update: Have you taken actions and tried calling the police? Because as the Jehovah's Witnesses policy states, no one is blocked from contacting the police if a abuse occurs..

WT Website:

"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."


Policy also states:

"When a member of the congregation is accused of child molestation, the elders should contact the Society's Legal Department immediately. Many states make it mandatory that elders report an accusation to the proper authorities but other states do not. In those states where such is required, oftentimes the parent, the guardian, or the accused person himself can do the reporting. In this way the confidentiality protected by ecclesiastical privilege is not violated. Still, whether or not the accusation is reported to the authorities, when it is established that a member of the congregation is guilty of child abuse, appropriate steps should be taken in keeping with initial direction from the Society's Legal Department."



So if someone is guilty of anything, its the Witnesses of the abuse or the parents... If anyone in the congregation witnesses a abuse, they should report it to the police.


No Actions are taken?


The Jan 1, 1986 WT freely admits: "Shocking as it is, even some who have been prominent in Jehovah’s organization have succumbed to immoral practices, including homosexuality, wife swapping, and child molesting. It is to be noted, also, that during the past year, 36,638 INDIVIDUALS HAD TO BE DISFELLOWSHIPPED from the Christian congregation, the greater number of them for practicing immorality. Jehovah’s organization must be kept clean!"

Answer 4

Well firstly assuming this happened, You have the whole hearted appologies and sympathies of any/all who truly strive to follow Jehovah.

I personally disagree with the general position of your question, but to answer, why do any people make mistakes or do bad things?? If you learned anything about the Bible then you know why.

Sadly we are ALL imperfect.

Answer 5

It is my thought, that when what goes on unchecked with the Witnesses, is finally exposed, and it will be, it is only a matter of time, the Catholic Church cover up will be child's play in comparison. No pun intended.

It does not matter to us who lived daily abuse, what ever the Society says about child abuse and molestation, their actions speak louder than their words.

Like the Witnesses point out to us,The WBTS is a publishing company. What they print is an entirely different thing than how they actually handle child abuse when you are the one involved.

Answer 6

ypu should inform authorities about this and im sure Jehovahs followers will not tolerate immoral conduct as what i observed and studied .

Answer 7

remember that the third part of the sons of God in heaven that belonged to a perfect organization were evil, they were expelled exactly the same we do when someone is a unrepentance sinner. it is sad but yearly thousands are expelled by inmoral behaviour.

Answer 8

They will be accountable to Jehovah when he jugdes those ones

Answer 9

People who do this, of any religion, are evil, period. If this is a tradition and part of the belief system of JW's, then it's apparent how far the church has strayed from Christ.

Answer 10

I never witness this but they will be judged on the end ,thanks for opening my eyes to this behavior.