Jehovah’s Witnesses two-witness “rule” is applied by elders when a Witness member accuses another member of a “sin,” even if that sin is a criminal act. If there aren’t two witnesses to the accusation, it goes nowhere, including not being reported to the authorities. And in the case of an allegation of child abuse, the accused is free to molest again.
Watchtower attorney, Jim McCabe, recently stated this about Jehovah’s Witnesses two-witness rule which he described as a Bible-based belief :
“What we are doing is simply being consistent with the Bible laws and principles, and as much as you dislike the outcome, we have told everyone of our stand, and you can’t fault us for being consistent,” the organization said in its defense of the rule .
(Quoted by Christian Post reporter, Sami K. Martin, in her recent article, “Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Child Sex Abuse Cases Bring Religion’s Practices Into Question”)
See also “Bible-Based Belief Harms Children,” http://watchtowerdocuments.org/bible-based-beliefs-harm-children/
Enquiring minds want to know what is there to “dislike” about the “outcome” of Jehovah’s Witnesses elders "consistently" following this two-witness “Bible law”?
Jim McCabe, how do you sleep at night when you know that the “outcome” of the application of the two-witness belief as recently reported in the press does cause this:
Plaintiff John Doe I, during ages 11 to 14 endured sexual abuses: forced to perform oral sex on 3 men when he was 12 years old; digitally penetrated, causing him extreme pain and bleeding; molested by an elder, while he was forced to sexually abuse a young girl; forced to solicit approximately dozens of other pre-pubescent boys to come to the organization, who were later sexually abused; forced to watch approximately 12 other boys be sexually abused by elders.
Physical abuse: slapped; punched; threatened with death if he did not perform physically and sexually as instructed; threatened with death of his family if he did not perform physically and sexually as instructed; threatened with ex-communication from the organization and by members if he did not perform physically and sexually as instructed.
Plaintiff Jane Doe I, during ages 6 to 8, endured sexual abuses: groped, fondled, touched, and digitally penetrated in the 3rd grade. Physical abuse: physically hit and punished; forced to work long hours for the Elders over several months, while a minor, without pay. Emotional abuse: forced to watch others being physically abused.
Plaintiff Jane Doe II, during ages 7 to 9, endured sexual abuses: groped, touched, and fondled; forced to perform oral sex, and to remain silent; exposed to sex and sex acts; forced to grab elder Jackson’s penis. Emotional abuse: forced to watch others being physically and sexually abused.
Plaintiff Jane Doe III, during ages 4 to 12, endured sexual abuses: touched and fondled; exposed to sex and sex acts.
Plaintiff Jane Doe IV, during ages 5 to 10, endured sexual abuses: touched, fondled, and groped by Jackson; forced to kiss adult males. Emotional abuse: forced by Jackson to watch others being physically and sexually abused.
Plaintiff Jane Doe V, during ages 6 to 13, endured sexual abuses: fondled, touched, and groped by Jackson; exposed to sex and sex acts by Jackson; forced by Jackson to perform oral sex while being groped. Emotional abuse: forced by Jackson to watch others being sexually abused.
Information taken from Complaint filed by six victims against Jehovah's Witnesses elders for child abuse – T urley Law Firm, Dallas, Texas, October 26, 2014 http://www.wturley.com/Recent-Filings/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n4mB_OwTpQ&list=UUruQg25yVBppUWjza8AlyZA
Barbara