And the Jan 22, 1985 Awake referred to above says on page 8 in the box: "First, the child—and other children too—must be protected from any further abuse. This must be done, whatever the cost. In many cases the accused molester will have to be confronted. But whatever it takes, it is important that the child should feel confident that the molester will never be able to get at her (or him) again."
Opposers say its all a bunch of double speak. They argue that these publications are speaking of non-Jehovah's Witnesses but they try to hide or cover over child molesting in the congregation because they do not want it to become public and bring reproach upon the organization. They say that protecting the children takes a back seat to protecting the reputation of the organization and the so called spiritual paradise. They even say that persons who report child abuse to the law will be reproved or even disfellowshipped.
The truth is that adherents to the faith of Jehovah’s Witnesses are expected to maintain high moral standards. While other religions have developed a relaxed attitude towards morals, Jehovah’s Witnesses have remained steadfast. Views on morals have not changed in the religion’s 120-year history. One hundred years ago it would have been unimaginable for members of the Anglican Church, for example, to tolerate sex before marriage or homosexuality. Yet today such things are now tolerated in that Church, and among many other Churches.
On the other hand, no such dilution of Christian morality has taken place among the Witnesses. Their unique subculture looks down heavily upon sex outside of marriage. In fact, anyone who is caught or admits to things such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, regular use of pornography, etc. may be “reproved” by congregation elders, or be excommunicated or disfellowshipped. Indeed this does happen, for they freely admit that tens of thousands of such ones are expelled from their ranks each year. For a fact the January 1, 1986 Watchtower 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!(1 Corinthians 5:9-13)" There certainly doesn't appear to be a cover up here from the Watchtower publications.
It is important to keep this in mind when considering these accusations about harboring child molesters. Why would a religion so strongly dedicated with keeping itself “morally clean” by excommunicating rapist, murderers, thieves, and the like, then turn around and “protect” pedophiles? Furthermore, the men who decide to excommunicate sinners are not some aloof bishop or deacon who lives many miles away, as may exist in Churches of Christendom, but are in fact the local men who oversee the local congregation. These men charged with keeping the congregation morally clean are nearly always local men, who probably have families of their own, men who will certainly know the perpetrator personally. They have their own children to care for and consider. Why would they knowingly and happily keep a pedophile in their midst, hiding his acts from the Police, and exposing his own children to danger?
The truth of the matter is that Jehovah’s Witnesses, like most people in your community, will view child molestation with the same abhorrence as most human beings. There is no question that child abuse is as disgusting to Jehovah’s Witnesses as it is to most anyone. Their own religion teaches that fornicators, including child molesters, who do not repent will be destroyed forever by God and shall “not inherit God’s Kingdom”.
Chapter Two: The Two Witness Rule