If you know about sexual abuse within the organization [and there must be thousands of people who do - some of whom see this forum], please ignore the idiocy of 'two witnesses' and 'waiting on Jehovah'. This child you know of being abused, will be emotionally crippled, perhaps suicidal, and often unable to ever pursue normal human sexuality as a result.
Your simple act of picking up the phone, calling the local police, even anonymously, may save a life. Forget the effect this has on the abuser - you may never see him come to justice - though we hope he does. The main thing is the child - that innocent child whose life is being ruined by bad policy and misapplication of the Bible.
That's all I have to say - please do it right now. Surely Jehovah, if he is looking down, will never have any ill feeling toward those who, like Jesus, show love for the little children.
Well said.
I used to have a copy of the Flock book, I have no idea where it is now, but instructions given to the elders are (1) testimony from minors may be ignored; (2) testimony from worldly people (non-Jehovah's Witnesses) may be ignored. So there could be evidence, there could testimony presented that the elders are allowed to ignore.
No where are there are any instructions that forensic evidence or a court conviction acts as a second witness. In point of fact, as long as the sexual offender denies he assaulted the child, the child must present 2 eyewitnesses to prove that they are telling the truth.
When I was a Witness, there was a great deal of confusion over whether the victim himself/herself could be a witness or whether the 2 eyewitnesses had to be literally standing and watching the abuse taking place. I was told by a circuit overseer the latter was the case. But I don't know if that is the situation now.
As long as the two witness rule is in place, Jehovah's Witnesses allow sexual predators to attack without real fear of consequence.
The two witness rule is evil. It is not found anywhere in the Bible. Not once does any scripture ever make this burden mandatory for victims of sexual assault. In fact, adult women in the Mosaic Law who were raped in the field were allowed to say they screamed. That was enough proof.
Why would Jehovah make such a provision for an adult woman and yet demand so much for from an innocent child? Answer -- he didn't. This rule is not Biblically based. It is a lie and it is evil. Anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to sell you something.
Chris
