Do elders comply with secular laws about reporting an allegation of child abuse to the secular authorities? Yes. In places where such laws exist, elders endeavor to comply with secular laws about reporting allegations of abuse. Such laws do not conflict with God’s law. (Acts 5:28, 29) So when they learn of an allegation, elders immediately seek direction on how they can comply with laws about reporting it. Elders assure victims and their parents and others with knowledge of the matter that they are free to report an allegation of abuse to the secular authorities. But what if the report is about someone who is a part of the congregation and the matter then becomes known in the community? Should the Christian who reported it feel that he has brought reproach on God’s name? No. The abuser is the one who brings reproach on God’s name. w19.05 10 ¶13-14

The Bible instructs the husband and wife to honor each other and their marriage vows. It encourages marriage mates to have a deep sense of commitment to each other, stating: “A man will leave his father and his mother and he will stick to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” (Gen. 2:24) In contrast, those influenced by the wisdom of the world promote a different view, saying that each spouse should focus on his or her own needs. “In some ceremonies,” notes one book about divorce, “the traditional pledge to marry for ‘as long as we both shall live’ was replaced with the more limited promise to marry for ‘as long as we both shall love.’” Such a casual view of marriage has led to countless broken families and has caused immeasurable emotional harm. Without a doubt, the world’s disrespectful view of marriage is a foolish teaching. w19.05 23 ¶12

Paul was concerned because some Christians were apparently being influenced by the unwholesome reasonings and philosophies promoted by Satan’s world. (Eph. 4:17-19) That can happen to any one of us. In a desperate attempt to turn us away from Jehovah, Satan, the god of this system of things, uses various tactics. One of them is that of exploiting any tendency we may have toward selfish ambition or self-promotion. He may even use certain aspects of our background, our culture, or our education to bring us over to his way of thinking. Is it possible for us to root out things that are “strongly entrenched” in our minds? (2 Cor. 10:4) Notice how Paul answers: “We are overturning reasonings and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are bringing every thought into captivity to make it obedient to the Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:5) Yes, with Jehovah’s help we can actually gain control over wrong reasonings. w19.06 8 ¶1-3