tiki - "Why are they so damned determined to protect criminal pedophiles?!?"
Because the public release of the WT's pedo database will no doubt reveal a shit-ton more names of offenders that the Org has covered for...
...hard numbers which reveal what we've already figured out: that - on average - there's at least one offender in every congregation in North America.
After that, it'll only be a matter of time before a significant number of JW parents - realizing that no matter where they go, their kids are at risk - will throw up their hands and say, "f**k it, we're done", depriving the Org of a significant source of revenue flow (absolutely vital to a corporation, regardless of its assets) and a generation of future members.
It will also reveal the names of prominent members in leadership positions, the arrest (or even public disgrace) of which will impede the Org's ability to function, and undermine the rank-and-file's confidence in the assertion that it's "God's Earthly Organization".
Not to mention that fewer and fewer JW men are "reaching out" for positions of responsibility in local congregations, and public exposure of alleged sex offenses amongst potential candidates will disqualify them from "serving", causing the bottom of that barrel to be scraped bare to the wood.
With all these considerations, it's very hard not to winder if the WTS is - at least from their POV - fighting for their life.
