PBS NewsHour full episode Feb. 17, 2015
The link above will take you to the full episode, but the part about Jehovah’s Witnesses can be seen below. It is called “Did Jehovah’s Witnesses Cover Up Child Sex Abuse?”
I think most of us are pretty sure the answer is yes. Especially since it’s hard to be an active member of the ex-Witness community without knowing at least few exxers who had similar experiences.
Jehovah’s Witness Report gives a short summary of related information here. Cedars of Jehovah’s Witness Survey fame gives a summary of the episode here. Here is an article I wrote for Michigan Skeptics a while back; make sure to check the comments. 🙂 Note that this was written a while ago and more information has come to light since then.
Jehovah’s Witnesses use 1st Amendment to hide child sex abuse claims
The religion’s parent organization, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, issued the directives in at least 10 memos dating back to 1989. Although the memos were anonymously written, Watchtower officials have testified that the organization’s Governing Body approved them all.
Remember the part in bold. The next time a Witness tells you these letters are all apostate fabrications, you can now tell them how mistaken they are. Why would officials admit it in court if it wasn’t true?
A list of documents regarding the ongoing Candace Conti case, the first ex-Witness to successfully sue the Watchtower for its failure to warn other Witnesses about known pedophiles.
Are Jehovah’s Witnesses a Cult?
According to Janja Lalich and Michael Langone, a psychologist and the executive director for ICSAÂ (International Cultic Studies Association at icsahome.com), several characteristics* that may be present to a greater or lesser degree, and which help to distinguish cults from other communities or groups are:
This one comes from AAWA’s website and is written by Richard Kelly.
DateLine TV Watchtower Jehovah’s Witnesses Pedophilia Witness for the Prosecution
An older story exposing the problems with Jehovah’s Witnesses and pedophilia, but also from a major news source.