Johnny Young confesses to Pornography to Jehovah's Witnesses
Pornography: How two elders discuss a penitent who has confessed to viewing porn

Pornography: Johnny Young’s Confession

If you spend enough time around Jehovah’s Witnesses, you’ll discover that pornography is an oft discussed topic, particularly between elders. It’s a problem that raises it’s ugly head like an ill-timed erection. The problem permeates every level of the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ organization: young persons, adults, elderly persons, ministerial servants, elders, circuit overseers, and branch representatives. It is fair to assume then, that even governing body members may have to struggle with the problem. In reality, the disease is endemic because as long as Jehovah’s Witnesses obsess over sex and pornography – whether they abhor it or love it – they will continually have to deal with sex and pornography among themselves. 

So how do Jehovah’s Witnesses deal with sex and pornography? I’m glad you asked! They deal with it in a way that only a high control group can: in the weirdest possible way! It’s not enough for them to say, “Pray to God and ask for forgiveness. If you need any constructive help with addictions, we can give you a list of some good therapists”. Oh no! That sort of help just doesn’t compute in a group that has to control your behaviour, information, thoughts and emotions.  They have what they believe is a better way. It’s a mix of Bible verses, Watchtower publications, elder manuals, elder meetings, and carefully planned discussions with the penitent.

Discussing Johnny Young

Johnny Young is a fictional young man who serves at the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He has recently confessed to viewing pornography to an elder named Darnell. Upon direction from “bethel Office”, Darnell has met with another elder, Terrence, to discuss Johnny’s problem and “see how best they can help” him. The video below is a training video for elders in dealing with pornography committed by young persons at headquarters around the world. 

Transcript

Hi, Terrence.

Hey, Darnell.

Now well, we have been assigned by Bethel Office to see how we can best help Johnny Young.

He confessed to being involved with pornography.

He initially approached me about the problem, and he revealed that he was exposed to it by a non-Witness relative when he was in his preteens.

He mentioned that he’s been under a lot of pressure lately. He wants to get married and so he has been dating. But the last two sisters he dated called things off. And this sent him into a downward spiral.

In addition to that, a number of his friends have left Bethel for various reasons. And that adds to his distress.

Wow. What a difficult set of circumstances. I really feel for the young man. Did he say if it has affected him in some other ways?

Yes, he did. He also mentioned that from time to time while viewing pornography, he slips into self-abuse. In fact, he admitted that these things have become part of his way of coping.

You know, Darnell, it’s commendable that he approached you.

Well, he is a good young man, a hard worker. I would never have guessed what he is dealing with.

Yes, that might be true.
But when I say commendable, I mean you – you are to be commended.

This young man must feel comfortable enough with you and that you’re easy to approach about such intimate matters.

So, how can we best assist?

What he said he felt ashamed to have to talk about it, but he sensed a feeling of relief knowing that he would receive help. So, I was thinking that we could share with him some Bible examples of those who made mistakes and who felt a measure of shame or guilt but received Jehovah’s help.

Yes, that will definitely help reassure him that he is not beyond Jehovah’s tender care.

And after that, if we can ask for specific details as to the amount of times that he viewed pornography, and the type of material that he viewed, this will help us when we consider the questions found in the Shepherd book.

That is true.

He said that when he was between 13 and 15 years of age, he would engage in such activity once a month, but he stopped before he got baptised. But it has been since he’s been at Bethel that these old desires have crept back into his life and so that is why he asked for help.

Yeah. I, I really feel for the young man. And we can commend him for not trying to do it alone. Seeking help to overcome this really demonstrates that he wants to do things Jehovah’s way.

That is true.

From what I understand, he’s only spoken to me about it. His father and his mother are separated; his father not being in the truth™. So, he has not been inclined to speak to either of them about it.

But those are things that the two of us can confirm.

Very true.

So, what do you think he’s expecting to happen?

I’m not really sure. But no doubt you recall that the Dwelling manual in paragraph 79 states that whenever a member of the Bethel family is involved in viewing pornography, a determination will be made whether he can remain in Bethel.

So, in harmony with that, the responsible brothers have asked us to get back with Johnny and gather all the facts so that we can make a recommendation regarding whether he can remain a member of the Bethel family and a ministerial servant.

So, based on that, the Shepherd the Flock of God book – I have my tablet here – says in Chapter 13, paragraph 6, “The body of elders may determine that the person still qualifies to serve in an appointed position. Does his involvement consist of a few brief viewings of non-abhorrent forms of pornography?” was the first thing.

Number 2: Does he display a heartfelt desire to desist from looking at pornography?

Number 3: Are we convinced that he will refrain from viewing it any further?

Number 4: Does he retain the respect of others who are aware of what he did?

And number 5: Does his conscience allow him to do so?

Yeah. That’s valuable guidance on how to approach the matter. And again, I, I want to commend him for seeking help, having the courage to do so. You know it has to be embarrassing to reveal such matters to the elders.

That is true.

When he spoke with me, he said that he knows that I’ll have to talk to other elders and he is willing to face whatever comes, even if it is judicial.

He is prepared for that.

He mentioned that he has a lot of confidence in me and that whatever happens will be done Jehovah’s Way. So again, he is prepared for.

Excellent. That is certainly encouraging to hear.

And before we meet with him, would you mind if I said a word of prayer?

Not at all. We need Jehovah’s Spirit to help us to care for our dear brother.

Questions for Viewers

How many times did Darnell and Terrence say "true"?

They said “true” a total of five times. Terrence started with, “that might be true”; Darnell said, “That is true” three times; and Terrence also said, “very true”. For a religion that likes to refer to itself as “The Truth”, they like to say “true” a lot. The more it’s said, the more it’s instilled. Isn’t that the truth!?

How many times was "pornography" uttered?

“Pornography” was said six times. Darnell uttered the word five times. Terrence only uttered the word as he was most interested in how many times Johnny viewed pornography and the type of pornographic material.  Why elders of Jehovah’s Witnesses need to know more than they have been told by the penitent reveals more about the perversions of the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ hierarchy than it does about the penitent.  

When did Johnny first get exposed to pornography?

When he was between the ages of 13 and 15, he would view pornography once a month. However, he was exposed to pornography before he was a teenager. As with all these training videos, it’s never members of Jehovah’s Witnesses who introduce another Jehovah’s Witness to such material. It’s always a “non-Witness”. Furthermore, they had to present Johnny as being from a family where both parents are estranged, or one or both are not Jehovah’s Witnesses.  And this is the crux of the problem in Jehovah’s Witnesses: If they cannot make a training video where the problems can and do arise within the Jehovah’s Witnesses without any outside influence, how can they ever resolve the issues that they have? They continually direct blame elsewhere for their own inadequacies. Johnny is already a victim of their stupidity. 

How many times did the elders refer to the scriptures from the Bible when discussing Johnny's "sin"?

They didn’t. They never looked at a single Bible verse. Instead, they looked at two publications written by unknown members of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The publications in question are not publicly accessible, except by means of this website. They are the manual for elders eyes only, Shepherd the Flock of God, and a manual for staff that work at the headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Dwelling Together in Unity. Both publications were quoted in the same way one would quote Bible verses. To a congregation elder, there is no distinction made between direction in the Bible and direction in these confidential publications. This is a serious issue within Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is why untold numbers of victims of their perverse judicial process never return when expelled: rules are set in secretive books created by anonymous individuals who train unpaid clergy to obtain as much sordid details as possible to mete out discipline as severely as possible. 

What are the elders next steps?

Having looked at zero Bible verses, and after reviewing a single paragraph in each of two manuals, the elders have come to the conclusion that they need to make a determination if the penitent qualifies to serve in an appointed position, and whether he can remain a member at headquarters.  One has to wonder what kind of mental capacity these men have if they need to look up the same single paragraph each time someone breaks their arbitrary rules!

As a reader, I’m sure you can remember these five simple steps, and won’t need to come back to this article to remind yourself what they are. If you can answer Yes to all these questions, you are good to go; otherwise, you’ll be forced to stop wasting your time doing chores for the high-control group that you belong to:

  1. Did you have just a brief viewing of pornography, that didn’t involve homosexuality, bestiality, or some other abhorrent forms of sex?
  2. Do you have a clear desire not to view pornography again?
  3. Are those who know that you looked at pornography convinced you will refrain from looking at it further?
  4. Do you continue to respect those that know you looked at pornography?
  5. Does your conscience allow you to continue to serve in an appointed position knowing that you viewed pornography?

Or more concisely:

  1. Was it just a brief viewing?
  2. Will you not view it again?
  3. Have you convinced everyone you won’t view it again?
  4. Do you continue to respect those you convinced in question 3?
  5. Does your conscience allow you to continue in a position of authority?