A Canadian documentary production team has just released an English translation of “The Kingdom’s Dirty Secrets,” an outstanding and engaging video presentation of a very disturbing subject: The attempt to cover-up and conceal child sexual abuse within the Jehovah’s Witness religion.
The original French language version of this documentary was produced in Quebec, Canada. Viewers will find it an excellent presentation that is revealing and engaging on so many levels. The producer was successful in accurately conveying the many twists and turns encountered while investigating “The Secrets” cover-up. The recently released English-language version builds on that success as the story smoothly transitions from one segment to another.
This report presents real experiences as revealed by those who are the actual suffering, silenced victims of child sexual abuse. The producers did not limit their investigation to just the scandalous behavior of Jehovah’s Witness elders in Quebec – but chose to expand their investigation to include cases from within the United States.
As the story unfolds, viewers learn that it’s there, in the United States, where policies on pedophilia, even for Canada, were crafted to cover up abuses and crimes. The real intent of the cover ups was to protect the public image of the Watchtower Society. The Watchtower Society, the legal and corporate manager of the eight-million-member Jehovah’s Witness religion, is actually a behemoth publishing empire.
It was also in the United States where a staff member (Barbara Anderson) discovered the religion’s “dirty secrets” while she was working at Watchtower headquarters. She later went public, describing how child abuse and other criminal acts were routinely swept under the rug by the religion’s leaders.
[The production team’s interview with Barbara is included in the documentary below.]
[LINK to (English language) YouTube video]
[LINK to original (French language) YouTube video ]
[LINK to original article and video at ICI.RADIO-CANADA.CA]
Really hard hitting documentary bravo
I am pleased that this doco includes the US. Much of what happens outside the US such as the australian Royal Commission doesnt seem to cross the borders into the US.
Thankyou for this very fine, and well documented commentary…My heart goes out to all who have been victims of sexual abuse, ones life changes for ever…worst yet to belong to a religion who points the finger at other religions and yet themselves cover over and protect the abusers and re victimize the person who already is suffering physically, emotionally, mentally….May Jehovah render to all those who proceed to smear His Holy name with disgusting acts…where is the “craig in the wind storm”…not within the organization…sadly for help, we must turn to so called “worldy people” for help and justice and understanding. Thankyou to Barbara and all who like her are “calling her acts of injustice” to mind….I have been there, and know many who have likewise….we have all been treated the same….keep up the good work …it is appreciated.
This is an excellent documentary that I wish all Jehovah Witnesses would watch. However, they do not educate themselves as to the real Truth.
Excellent documentary!
I was told by a “sister” that the “brother” that raped me was going to another church and teaching Sunday school, and that I should come back to the Kingdom Hall. Well, I asked her why she doesn’t call that church to alert them to the danger of their women and children. She said to me, “It is none of their business to know anything that happened before. You are crazy and need help if you think I am going to stir up trouble for the elders.” I asked her, “Stirring up trouble? Why would protecting children, which is what Jesus demands of us, is considered trouble? Shouldn’t it be considered loving and considerate of the people that we want to minister to?” She was told to disassociate herself from me by the elders and if she didn’t, she would suffer the same treatment.
Oh and the elders knew he was teaching Sunday school in an open door Christian church that taught the Trinity. They never disfellowshipped him. They felt sorry that so many women and children were coming forward and telling on him and that none of us had “two to three preferably male Jehovah’s Witnesses” to watch him raping women and children. From a legal perspective in the State of California, if two to threes witness it and do not report it to the police they are guilty to a lesser degree but still guilty of the crime. What a great tool to keep perverts in business at the Kingdom Hall…the Good Old Boys (sex offenders) Club!
That’s Horrible. What Happened.. But turn about is Fair play?? In other Words. Do until others. Let Him Get Raped. That Would Be Another Story I bet He Would Sequel. An holler.An Would Not Forget it psychologically or physically for the rest of his life
It is a problem with Jehovah’s Witnesses when non Elders/clergy that call themselves your (fairweathered) “friends” demonize and shun victims. They are a party to the incest, pedophilia, and rape that goes on when they side with the sexual predators or told by Elders that victims “are bad association and that they should disassociate themselves from them and have empathy for the accused.” They are under educated, sick and wrong, and were NEVER your REAL friend in the first place!