For several years I have been honored to coordinate and moderate a Jehovah’s Witness support group based in Los Angeles and San Jose, California. Our group stays in touch by using the Yahoo!Groups email system and through our ExJWsLosAngeles.org website.

I recently received the following question from a non-member of the group submitted on an automated email form located on the Contact Us page of our website:

“How does one cope with the new information that Armageddon will not come in our lifetime using the information from scripture, ‘This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur…’? My generation? Or [the generation of] those who saw the beginning of signs that Jesus gave us to watch for that will mark the end of this system? My hope is gone from my heart. I miss my God, but I am no longer sure he is there. How does one cope with that? Thanks for reading.”

Here is my response to this person’s question:

I’m glad you contacted me. I’ve been free of the Watchtower organization for about 30 years. I left when I was 24 years old and have never looked back. I am no longer afraid, because after heavy investigation and research I determined that the Watchtower is a false teacher. In that way, I was able to cope and search for God in a different way outside the clutches of the Watchtower organization. The more I researched and read, the better I felt, and the better I understood that I need not fear any longer.

When I was in the organization we all believed that Armageddon would surely be here in 1975. But 1975 came and went and nothing happened. The same for the rest of the dates the Watchtower had set that proved to be false prophecies. That includes when the Watchtower built a mansion in San Diego [in the 1920s] naming it Beth Sarim (“House of Princes”) for the Old Testament prophets (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, King David, etc.) to live in. According to the Watchtower, those Old Testament saints were to return in 1925. In 1921 Joseph Rutherford gave a speech referring to the “indisputable truth that millions now living will never die!”

Earlier last year the Watchtower made changes in their doctrine of “this generation.” Now that “generation” is a never-ending and overlapping generation. Time is against the Watchtower because time is always the enemy of the false prophet. (Please see this link: http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/generation.php)

I have always believed in God and continued to believe in God after leaving the Watchtower organization. One of the biggest problems with the Watchtower is that they seem to set themselves up in the place that Jesus Christ should be in. They have a two class system, making their “anointed” class the upper class, and the “great crowd” the class that must hang on to the anointed. Why have a Savior who has died for our sins if you have to hold on to an anointed class? This is totally unscriptural and there is nothing that Jesus ever said that would lead anyone to believe that there would be a two class system – unless you have someone like the Watchtower organization reinterpreting the Bible for you. They have manipulated the minds of rank and file Jehovah’s Witnesses, making them believe that they themselves are the “mediators” for you – not Jesus. Scripture teaches us that Jesus is the mediator and savior for all, not just 144,000 as the Watchtower teaches. (See http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/mediator.php)

But let’s first take a look at that scripture from Matthew 24. I want to stress that when reading any type of literature, whether it is considered a “holy book” (sacred works), classical literature, fiction or non-fiction, the most important thing to keep in mind is context. No one should ever just take out parts of sentences from a piece of literature if you are going to understand it properly. When reading the Bible, or any other piece of literature (and I’m including ancient works such as Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey), one must look at the surrounding context and consider everything together before making a determination about what it means. So taking the one verse about “this generation” and building a whole doctrinal theology on this is dangerous.

If you begin with what Jesus said at Matthew 24, it reads:

“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’ Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, I am the Messiah, and will deceive many.’”

If I’m interpreting this correctly, Jesus is saying that we ought to watch out for people who are deceiving us and not be afraid when we hear of earthquakes, wars, and the like.

In verses 23-25 it says:

“At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time.”

The disciples had just asked Jesus about the end and the sign of his coming. But Jesus didn’t really say what the sign of his coming would be. He went on to describe that there would be things like earthquakes, wars, famines, and persecution. He also mentioned false prophets (again!). If you read on you will find that most of these things happened right before the Romans destroyed the temple. In a way, that was “the end,” and the generation who was listening to Jesus would be around to witness the destruction of the Jewish temple.

But Jesus also described his “coming.” In Watchtower theology, Jesus already secretly “came” in 1914 and has been “ruling” since then. (And nobody else seems to know it except the Watchtower and its followers). This doctrine is an amended doctrine that Charles Taze Russell plagiarized from the Adventist groups that he was associating with before he splintered off with his own group. The 2nd Adventists, who were descendants of William Miller’s followers (“Great Disappointment” of 1843 and 1844) were the ones who came up with these years. Most rank and file Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Russell supernaturally came up with these teachings on his own because God anointed him with this information. The truth is that Russell plagiarized all the information from these Adventist groups. You don’t have to believe me. All you have to do is look up secular sources for Watchtower History.

Finally, continue to read Matthew 24 and see what Jesus says when he describes his own return. In verse 27, he says, “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

The Watchtower describes Jesus “coming” as invisible. But Jesus said his coming would be very visible, just as though you were watching lightning flashing across the sky from east to west. Normally when we see a lightning storm, we see the lightning strike in a certain direction, but never as visible from east to west. But that’s how Jesus described his own coming.

Finally, my own “hope” comes from my relationship with God. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God and is my Savior who died for my sins. My hope comes from God’s unconditional love for me and that He will never let me go. He is not like the Watchtower god, ready to kick me out of the “kingdom” for every little perceived infraction. In the Watchtower there is no grace, no faith, and no hope.

I’m sorry this has been so long, but I felt motivated to write this to you. I recommend that you order a book called “Crisis of Conscience” by Raymond Franz. (http://www.amazon.com/Crisis-Conscience-Raymond-Franz/dp/0914675044)

Sincerely,
Cynthia Hampton

Editor’s Note: I’ve known Cynthia Hampton for about seven years. She’s been moderating the Ex JWs of California and Los Angeles Yahoo! groups and leading monthly Meet-ups in Downey, a small community near Los Angeles, the last weekend of each month. It’s been over 5 years since I’ve lived in California, but I’ve been able to attend a couple of their meetings over the past few years while traveling in the area. I’ve found everyone in the group to be friendly, open, and eager to help anyone who needs support or information about Jehovah’s Witnesses. Cynthia’s response to the inquiry above is typical of what she does so well. She has strong Christian beliefs, so she is especially equipped to help anyone who is trying to transition from the culture of the Witnesses, and yet wants to continue to have a sincere Christian faith. I hope to feature more articles from Ms. Hampton in the future.

“Cedars,” the founder and main contributor to the website, announced during a podcast on Saturday, January 28th that the new 2012 Global Survey of Jehovah’s Witnesses is now open for business. The new survey is designed as a more specific and definitive follow-up to the successful 2011 Global Survey that began in September 2011.

Using suggestions from many of the website’s readers and previous survey participants, Cedars decided to expand the 2012 version to include more specific questions directed to subgroups within the Witness culture. There are questions for elders, those claiming membership in the “anointed” class, average active publishers, and even disfellowshipped or disassociated members. Groups also include those who have not been baptized yet and Witnesses who have simply faded away from active membership.

Like the 2011 Survey and the site’s “Mini-Surveys,” participation is free, easy and secure. It also has the added benefit of immediate feedback. After a participant answers each question, the system updates the current totals and shows the results instantly.

The 2011 Global Survey was only online for a little over three months – but had nearly 1200 respondents. “Cedars” and webmaster John Hoyle are hoping that with eleven months left in 2012 they will eventually see hundreds of participants in every one of the six subcategories. “We’re not expecting a lot of ‘anointed’ members or anyone from the Governing Body to take the survey, but we feel that all other categories should be well represented given the amount of time the survey will be online.”

During a Cult Free Radio interview (#13), Cedars mentioned that results from the 2011 Survey are still being compiled. He will forwarded them to the Watchtower Society’s leadership and Governing Body, as well as international news organizations. “It’s all about giving average Jehovah’s Witnesses, both active or inactive, a chance to share their opinions – to have their say for once. We’re hoping that the 2012 version will be even more definitive and informative.”

Cedars also made it clear during the interview that the purpose of the Survey is not to criticize Jehovah’s Witnesses, but rather to educate anyone with ties to the religion. He also pointed out that some very interesting and unexpected results have already surfaced while compiling the 2011 Survey. “We can only imagine what we will discover with the new format and expanded questions.”

Click Here to Go to the 2012 Global Survey of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Disclaimer: This article in no way reflects the views of the parties who run this website, are solely my views and opinions, and as such I am merely sharing them with the public. – John Steele

By now many of you know that the court case has been terminated; not dismissed - but terminated. I say this because there is a difference. If the case had been just dismissed then we would have action at an appeal. But by terminating the case and forcing it shut, it basically means that they [the Court] are forcing the case closed and effectively preventing any leave for appeal. In plain language: someone wanted this case shut down and buried.

We were less than 90 days away from trial. As many of you already know, I turned in the “witness list” several weeks ago and stipulated that Don Adams [President of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, Inc.] would be the first Witness I would put on the stand. That coupled with the nearly 300 page opposition to the Summary Judgment, which had a great deal of evidence attached, was enough to terrify the “powers that be” at the Watchtower.

Through this whole affair the Watchtower has only been concerned with one thing – and that is not dealing with the problem, but trying to cover it up.

To this end they have used the usual type of tactics, threats, intimidation – and ultimately money. Yes, they basically paid to have this case forced shut. The Watchtower has made payments to various agencies and parties involved in this, and this is just one of the behind the scenes things that most are not aware of.

A good example of this is the identity theft charge surrounding Jason Cobb. The evidence was clear and the police acknowledged that laws were broken, but yet they refused to make any arrests. This is because the Watchtower sent representatives to talk to the Menlo Park Police Department, and they basically threatened the police. They made it very clear that none of the defendants were to be arrested. See, if they were arrested, it would send a clear message that they had in fact broken the law and engaged in illegal activity. To present a facade that these were “innocent brothers who did nothing wrong,” they basically neutralized the Menlo Park Police Department with threats of legal action and more. Do I know this for a fact? Can I prove this? Well the answer to that is “yes” – easily. Yes, we did have a witness who was willing to come forward testify about this.

The harsh reality that many may find hard to swallow is accepting that these so-called brothers are a part of a vast network with an agenda that is “less than legal,” to say the least. They get away with this activity, and it works because as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses you would never think that a brother or someone in the organization would ever be engaged in illegal activity. Sadly, what I have discovered during this situation is that the Watchtower literally breaks the law every day to further their agenda. It’s the only way they can get done what they want to do.

These were the things we would have exposed in open court and they could not allow that, so they basically bought their dismissal of the case. I know many of you right now are thinking, “Oh this guy is crazy. He is not one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and he does not know how we operate.”

To that I say, I was apart of this from the beginning. I know many things that have been kept from the public. Why else do you think the Watchtower insisted on a confidential order? They wanted to make sure the intimate details of this case would never be made public and would stay secret – stay hidden.

Things got to a desperate fever pitch after the Settlement Conference. We made it clear that we were not interested in any type of settlement. The settlement conference is supposed to be where both sides come together to hammer out terms to end the case. It’s “tit for tat,” to get something – you have to give something. It’s a way to compromise so that both sides are happy, thus paving the way to end the dispute. From the very start the defendants never wanted any type of compromise, and this is because all they cared about was how it looked. If they were seen making a deal it would send a clear message to the public that they in fact did something wrong. They told us we could appeal our situation and keep it in-house, which is all they wanted – so that you, the public would never know what this  was really all about. We declined their “generous” offer due to the fact that we had already observed brothers lying, falsifying evidence, threatening potential witnesses, refusing to comply with court orders and more, and this is definitely not the behavior of a “Christian who is in the truth.”

It’s funny how the Watchtower refers to its way of life as “the Truth,” but I have never seen so many people working so hard to hide the truth and deny it.

Regardless, after the Settlement Conference it became painfully clear that we could not be bought, intimidated, bribed, coerced, threatened, or bullied. I suspect it was at that point that the parties from the Watchtower realized that they were very close to [going to] court – and that since you could not stop us or shut us down, they had to go around us and find other ways to put the brakes on this runaway train.

If you can’t buy the parties who are taking you to court, then the next best thing is to “buy the court.” This is what happened. I am not saying they “bought the judge” or anything like that. I am saying that someone from the Watchtower came out with a large briefcase full of money and they bought certain clerks at the courthouse.

Clerks control all the paperwork, and we learned early on that the clerks can sabotage a case faster than lighting. A good example of this was the last court date on September 1st. The plaintiffs [Jon Cobb Sr. and Walter Arlen St. Clair] had a document that was filed a month before – and the judge knew nothing about it. In fact the clerks were trying to keep the judge from ever seeing any of our briefs or motions. It was Arlen St. Clair, through a bit of smart detective work, that found out [that] all of our case files were thrown into a box and never properly filed with the court. This was done for two reasons: to make it appear as if we were not filing the proper documents in a timely fashion, and to prevent you the public from getting them. Because once a court document is filed it becomes public record that anyone can see or get copies of. This was a problem for the defendants and they regularly complained to the judge that we were putting court documents out in the public, but in fact we were not. The law says they are supposed to be available to the public once they are filed. So, Mr. Anthony Smith made an arrangement with one of the clerks to prevent our documents from being filed and this turned into an embarrassing fiasco on September 1st when the guys produced a document that was supposed to be reviewed by the judge but she never received it – let alone [having] read it. That’s when we knew for a fact the clerks were working with Smith to sabotage this case.

It’s all in the court record. I am not making anything up, anyone can do the research and get the documents for themselves and see.

Yes, there was a lot going on behind the scenes. [There were] lots of threats, lots of trickery, lots of deception – and all by the defendants and parties of the Watchtower.

The reality is the Watchtower does have a lot to hide. That became evident when we served subpoenas to them for the personnel files of the guys [the plaintiffs]. As you all know, the Watchtower refused to cooperate. I kept thinking: they’re not even being sued, so they have no reason not to cooperate - unless they have something to hide. I kept asking, why can’t they see their own [Watchtower] personnel files? It was very hard for me to accept that an organization that preaches about truth and honesty would have something to hide. But it became an obvious reality that they do.

What the Watchtower was trying to keep from being made public is that they have created this vast network for information. Wherever they have Jehovah’s Witnesses working, they use them as contacts for information. For example: say they want to know what movies you watch on Netflix. No problem! They have Witnesses who work there. Someone gets a phone call and is told to monitor the rental account of “sister so-and-so” and they begin to watch your activities online. Say they want to know who you’re talking to on the phone. No problem! They contact “brother so-and-so” who works for the phone company and they tell him to get your records. They can find out where you are at any given time cause they can use the GPS function of your cell phone and are able to keep track of you – and yes, they can also read your text messages.

We had planned to ask Bruce Raditich about that on the stand, as he was scheduled to testify. Mr. Raditich is a surveillance expert and knows all the ways to spy on someone, or eavesdrop on their phone calls – because he had been doing it to us. They have Witnesses that work at Yahoo, Hotmail, and Google and they can read your emails any time they want. It’s sick when you think about it. Yeah, it sounds very “Orwellian” – but it’s all true. They did it to all of us to try to find out what we care about. Who could they get to and intimidate to force us to stop or [find out] what our court strategy was going to be? Whenever we did research and searched for things on Google, we had to be careful because we knew there are Witnesses working at Google. Obviously, someone from within the Watchtower convinced them this was information they needed to know about in an effort to stay two steps ahead of us.

Again, I am sure you all are thinking “well, this John Steele guy is just crazy.” But remember, I was here. I had a front row seat. I know the things that they did to try to find out what we were working on or what evidence we were going after.

These were the things that would have been exposed at the trial. So it should be very obvious that the case was terminated - not because we did not have a case – but because they were terrified of what they knew we could prove because we did have a case. We were determined to expose the truth, not the Society’s version or spin on the truth. Despite “Brother” Anthony Smith tampering with potential witnesses, or instructing them to make themselves unavailable for depositions (as in the case of Mr. Bill Douglas). Or [Circuit Overseer] Paul Koehler instructing potential witnesses to “plead the 5th and not cooperate with any questions.” We were determined to forge ahead to expose this fraud. We felt that the public and nearly 7 million Jehovah’s Witnesses were owed the truth.

What’s sad is seeing people along the way who preach so diligently about “integrity” apparently not having this quality themselves. People you once respected, that later you find can be bought off from [giving] honest testimony with empty promises. We watched Mr. Bill Douglas courageously telling [Ernest] Brede that he was going to start to look for missing account money, and that if he found some impropriety he would be contacting the police. Now I understand Mr. Douglas is a supporter of Brede because he was promised an elders position if he cooperated with the defendants and not the courts. I understand loyalty, but I also understand principle and telling the truth, even if that truth is ugly. You don’t cover something up that will hurt millions of people just to keep yourself out of hock because you are too cowardly to face the things you have done.

The real problem for the Watchtower and the defendants was, of course, the bank records. The records we received were incomplete. There were Jehovah’s Witnesses working within Chase Bank who were instructed not to cooperate with the court order. Mr. Smith has been working feverishly in an effort to try to conceal the identities of the Witnesses within the banks who aided the defendants in what appears to be a complex criminal enterprise. We asked for the records, but in reality we needed only one document, and this was going to be an integral part of exposing a very complex scheme of money laundering and tax avoidance, which sadly is what appears to be happening at the Watchtower by various individuals in their official Bethel positions.

The important factor about the bank accounts is not the amount of money that goes into them, but it’s where the money goes and who gets it when they transfer it out.

It would be too complex to explain how it is done here and now. But I promise to elaborate in the future. Suffice to say, the Kingdom Hall remodeling projects appear to be a front to cover over laundering and embezzlement. Remember when Jason Cobb discovered the bank account at Chase Bank by accident. Instead of Brede and Showers just saying, “Oh yeah, we opened that account [because] we are the officers of the congregation now.” [Instead,] they denied knowing about the account. Then they ran down to the police department to file a false report against Jason [Cobb], claiming that Jason opened the account and that [it was] the plaintiffs [who] were all embezzling money from the congregation. It was important that they [the defendants] created an alibi and make it look like they had nothing to do with that account. The question you should be asking is, “Why?” Brede, Showers and Contreras did not want anyone knowing that they opened that account. That alone should make anyone suspicious of them. The answer to the riddle of the bank account, and why the defendants would deny having any knowledge of that account when they in fact opened it themselves, is what will blow your mind. I will elaborate at another time on the answer, but for now I just want to make you think about this.

There are some unresolved issues that are still being dealt with like the military is interested in having a chat with Mr. [Paul] Koehler about his fake military service. There are some other things, but I guess they will be dealt with in time. We have gotten lots of phone calls from many of you wanting to know if the guys are OK. I can tell you Jon Cobb Sr., Arlen St. Clair, and Jason Cobb are doing fine and in great spirits. Mostly they have spent the last 24 hours reflecting on the true definition of corruption.

One thing was abundantly clear throughout: Those within the Watchtower claim to be no part of this world - but they certainly found various ways to work with the world to further their ends.

Editor’s Notes: Mr. Steele, whom I’ve never met or conversed with, has been involved in this case as an assistant to the plaintiffs. He is also close to one of my anonymous contacts in Menlo Park, California. He asked that person to send me a draft of his statement about the status of the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall lawsuits. I’ve agreed to publish his original draft with only edits for spelling, missing words or punctuation, and obvious grammatical errors.  My edits or additions to help with context are marked with brackets [ ]. I think this article fills in some of the gaps in our understanding about the background of this case. But more importantly, it gives us an idea as to just how seriously the Watchtower’s leadership wants to put a quick end to this scandal. Whether Don Adams and Company succeed in quashing this revolt remains to be seen, but thanks to the plaintiffs and Mr. Steele, we’ve received an education on what the Watchtower will do to get their hands on a valuable piece of real estate. In a future article, we’ll get the full story as told by the former CEO and elder, Jason Cobb. If you’ve been following the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall scandal, you’ll definitely want to read it.

By the Editor

A federal judge dismissed the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall lawsuit last week due to filing and jurisdictional issues.

On January 6, 2012 the Chief Magistrate Judge for The United States District Court for Northern California, Maria-Elena James, dismissed a lawsuit filed in August 2010 by Jonathan Cobb Sr. and Walter Arlen St. Clair.

Readers of Ex-JW.com not familiar with this case should take time to read earlier articles outlining the events leading to the filing of this lawsuit along with the backgrounds of the plaintiffs and the defendants. You can find links to those articles by typing “Menlo Park” in the search box in the far right sidebar.

The judge’s decision to dismiss was not related to the issues in dispute or any of the civil or criminal acts alleged in the case. She dismissed the lawsuit due to the lack of federal jurisdiction over the issues involved. In her written opinion, she pointed out that her court did not have the authority to rule on most of the charges outlined in the plaintiffs lawsuit.

Judge James did not make any comments on the validity of the plaintiffs’ charges, nor was her ruling a vindication for the actions of any of the parties involved (including alleged criminal acts by the defendants). Instead, she ruled that the plaintiffs’ claims fell outside of the federal court’s jurisdiction, although some criminal and civil (torts) complaints might be successfully pursued in state courts. She also pointed out that because the plaintiffs had not asked for specific monetary damages (the court has a minimum threshold of $75,000 in these kinds of cases), their case did not meet those federal court guidelines.

You can read the judge’s written decision in full by clicking on this link or the one at the end of this article.

What does this ruling mean for the plaintiffs, the two dismissed former elders of the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall? Will they find another way to bring their grievances to court  to have their names and reputations exonerated? Will the Watchtower Society make a move to expel them from the “Christian Congregation,” along with one or more of the other former elders connected to this case?

As for the defendants, can they go back to their lives as elders and ministerial servants in what has become a spiritually divided congregation? Can they finally complete the merger of the Redwood City South and Menlo Park congregations not only in fact, but also in the spirit of Christian brotherhood? Or is this just a lull in the battle while everyone chooses sides and prepares for another fight?

The future for those involved in the lawsuit is unclear at this point. This is not the end of this sordid tale. It seems that the congregation will suffer more turmoil in the months ahead as current and former elders continue to fight over control of the little Kingdom Hall in Menlo Park, California.

Case3:10-cv-03907-MEJ Document 137 – Dismissal

Editor’s Note: Based on feedback I’ve received from my contacts close to the current situation within the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall, this story could be like an out of control forest fire: flames may have been put out in one area (the federal court), but have already heated up and are about to reignite in another (the state courts). Unfortunately, it seems more turmoil is yet to come before the ultimate damage to this congregation can be fully assessed. Within the next few days I will be publishing revealing new information about what really happened in Menlo Park taken directly from court documents.

Within the next few days, millions of people in the western world will celebrate Christmas, followed a week later by the New Year. In most countries, Christmas comes on December 25, but in a few (mostly those located in Eastern Europe and Asia Minor) Christmas comes on January 7. This difference is due to the fact that most branches of the Eastern and Russian Orthodox churches still use the Julian calendar for setting their religious feast days.

But not Jehovah’s Witnesses. They don’t celebrate Christmas in December or January. Nor do they celebrate in October, the month they claim was actually the time of Jesus’ birth.

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas or the New Year. Witnesses don’t put up and decorate trees, do not exchange gifts, they sing no carols, send no seasonal cards, and have no parties. They will not wish anyone “A Merry Christmas” or “A Happy New Year!” While Jehovah’s Witnesses may believe in Jesus Christ, they do not believe in Christmas.

Witnesses proclaim that they are the only ”true Christians,” but they never celebrate the birth of their Founder and Savior. In fact, they consider the very practice of celebrating anyone’s birthday to be “an evil practice” and “heathen.” Jehovah’s Witnesses caught celebrating any holidays can expect to be excommunicated and shunned by other JWs.

The origins of Christmas…

During the year (1951) that my family converted and became Jehovah’s Witnesses, my father decided that we would celebrate one last Christmas and then give up the holiday forever. Since we would never again celebrate Christmas or birthdays, Dad decided to bend the rules that one last time so that he could give me a bicycle (that he’d bought months before) as one last special present. My very last Christmas gift was the only bicycle I ever had and was my only means of transportation until I could afford to buy my first automobile – nearly ten years later.

The most difficult thing about not celebrating Christmas for me was trying to explain “why I didn’t” to my non-Witness friends. Schoolmates would look at me like I was an alien and then ask, “What? Don’t you believe in God or Jesus? What? Are you a weirdo or something?”  Even at that age I had a pretty tough skin, but constantly trying to explain our situation and beliefs became something of a chore every school year. After a while I just wrote their comments and questions off as a form of “persecution.”

After that 1951 holiday season my family never again celebrated Christmas. Dad once told me that he still felt guilty about our celebrating that one last time, but he figured Jehovah would judge him for his other good works and maybe give him a pass on his one last “sin.”

My first wife was raised Catholic, but converted to being a Jehovah’s Witness shortly after we got married. So Christmas had been very much a part of her life growing up and was still important to her family. I left the Witnesses a few years later, but she continued going to the Kingdom Hall. Every year she and our daughters would get presents from her Catholic family, so we celebrated a kind of “pseudo-Xmas” each year. I finally decided (as “head of the household”) that I wanted my daughters to have a “normal childhood,” able to enjoy Christmas and their birthdays like other children their age.

Looking back, I sincerely believe that deep down, and despite her protests, that my wife was happy that I took that position. It made our family’s lives a lot more conventional and even seemed to reduce the initial opposition of her parents to our marriage. We just didn’t mention my decision to my JW parents or family.

Although my first wife and I divorced in the early 1970s, we’ve been relatively good friends over the years. She left the Witnesses just before the 1975 debacle, and eventually returned to her family’s Catholic faith. For me, the best thing to happen was that my three adult daughters have few memories of those times and none of them became Jehovah’s Witnesses. They all enjoy the holidays, and most years their families gather for birthdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. My grandchildren have no idea what life without Christmas or birthdays would be like. In fact, one of my granddaughters has been a dancer in a semi-professional performance of “The Nutcracker Ballet” for several years.

How to save some money during the holiday season…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4om3k9tIZ18

I understand why the Watchtower teaches that Christmas is based on pagan feasts and celebrations. While I agree that many of our holidays may have ancient antecedents, that does not mean those holidays carry the same significance to our modern cultures. What Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t seem to understand is that in our society no one actually worships or even mentions any pagan gods during the holidays. We don’t sacrifice our babies to Baal (or live animals to Jehovah) in our churches or back yards. We don’t celebrate birthdays by decapitating anyone.

Holidays have simply become part of our secular culture. They are days that we don’t have to go to work, allowing us to spend some time with family, neighbors and co-workers for a little recreation and some good times.

It is true that for many people there is still a religious significance to the Christmas and Easter holidays. If the holidays draw people toward more spiritual events, so be it. Maybe that’s even a good thing for those of us who have no inclination toward things spiritual during the rest of the year.

Over the years, Jehovah’s Witnesses have clearly been moving away from recognition of Jesus as their savior and mediator. They will certainly deny such a charge and argue with you on this subject, but their own publications have moved the Governing Body and their ephemeral “faithful and discreet slave class” into Jesus’ position as “only mediator.” This transition began in the late 1920s when the Society’s president, Joseph Rutherford, decided to declare all traditional Christian and cultural holidays as “pagan” or “political” and then banned the Watchtower’s followers from celebrating or enjoying any of them. Christmas was one of the first on the chopping block. As a result of Joseph Rutherford’s edicts, Jehovah’s Witnesses have absolutely no holidays or celebrations – neither Christian or “pagan.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses only celebrate one “holiday.” No – I take that back. They really don’t celebrate any special day. They mark only one day a year as being significant and worthy of recognition: the Memorial of the last evening meal that Jesus had with his apostles. “The Memorial” more or less lines up with the Christian “Good Friday” and the Jewish “Passover.” Even so, Witnesses do not celebrate Easter, the day that marks Jesus’ resurrection. Nor do they celebrate Valentine’s Day, Halloween, or Thanksgiving Day (USA).

If you think that Jehovah’s Witnesses celebrate at a Memorial meeting, I suggest that you actually attend one. It’s quite a stretch to imagine that listening to the same basic 30-minute outlined public talk you’ve heard for years and watching a goblet of red wine and a plate of dry crackers being silently passed around to be “celebrating.” If you do, then please do not invite me to your next party. Somehow, I can not imagine that Jesus was thinking of a JW Memorial Celebration when he said, “Keep doing this in remembrance of me…”

Choosing to celebrate the holidays, or not, should be your personal decision – based on your own knowledge and conscience, not because of a decree from a group of old control freaks in New York state.

There are things I dislike about the holidays, the commercialism, the crowds, and the traffic. If a family can afford to give gifts, good for them. If not, no one should feel that they have to buy gifts if they don’t have the funds nor the desire.

There are also things I love about the holidays. Pretty lights decorating homes all over the city. Excited children enjoying their gifts on Christmas morning. Families getting together after months of being apart. Being able to enjoy good food and good drink with good friends. Laughing and tearing up while watching the classic Christmas movies on TV.

So no matter what your personal feelings might be about the holidays, I still want to wish you all…

A Very Merry Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!

Download Mad Sweeney’s Christmas Special

"I'm taking the survey. How about you?" - Pastor Russell

We’re pleased to announce that a new tool for communicating with both Jehovah’s Witnesses, former Witnesses, and non-JWs is now available – an online, world-wide, opinion survey website:

JWsurvey.org

The original survey was conceived and initially executed by a gentleman from the UK known as “Cedars.” He suggested setting up a survey in late September as his reaction to some of the discussions taking place on the Jehovahs-Witness.net forum. [Link to original thread.]

Cedars tried to design the survey in a way that anyone connected to Jehovah’s Witnesses in any category (current JWs, former JWs, elders, Bethel members, etc.) could feel they have a voice and be able to freely express their opinions. Cedars worded the questions to be neutral, neither pro or con as they relate to the Watchtower Society or its teachings. Cedars admits that he hopes to hear from more active Jehovah’s Witnesses than some of the other groups. That way he can get a better feel for what current rank and file JWs are really thinking.

One poster on that first thread suggested that Cedars try using the online polling services provided by Survey Monkey. Cedars took that suggestion, came up with a list of questions, and installed the poll on Survey Monkey. The first version of the Global Survey of Jehovah’s Witnesses 2011 was online and ready for business on September 21, 2011.

Initial Feedback

From the very beginning, reaction and support for the Global Survey was amazing. Within just three days over 400 visitors had logged in and answered the survey. Although the first responses to his survey tended to be very positive, there were a few who followed his forum thread with suspicions about his intentions. A few posters made serious accusations about both Cedars and his motives.

Part of the problem began when Cedars informed the other JWN posters that Survey Monkey’s “free” polling service was only “free” for small surveys for a very short time. Unfortunately, Survey Monkey wanted at least $400 USD to offer a level of service he needed beyond the first month. Cedars had  hoped to get over 12,000 responses to the survey through the end of 2011.

When he mentioned the financing issue on JWN,  several posters (and even a moderator) began criticizing his project on several levels. Surprisingly, he actually received some small donations in response to his initial appeal for financial help – which he immediately refunded. Others accused him of possibly being an undercover agent for the Watchtower Society; there were suggestions that he might be helping them collect IP addresses and locations from survey participants so that the Governing Body could hunt them down and expose them.

Cedars realized that the purpose of the survey and its results would be tainted and his motives questioned unless he personally financed the survey – something that was impossible for him to do on his own. With no source of funds and a growing backlash against his project, within days he was ready to just give up and forget his survey idea. Although he knew that he had many enthusiastic supporters, he was also facing and having to answer almost constant and rather harsh criticism from a growing number of posters. For a few days the tone of some of the forum threads turned mean-spirited:

“What kind of a scam are you pulling? Yea yea you said you didn’t want to talk money but you say you are negotiating with the board owner. be assured that I will pass this info on to him…”

Within hours the debate over the value of the survey and Cedar’s motives spiraled out of control. He was almost convinced to give up the fight and let the survey die a premature death. Then, surprisingly – like a shifting wind – things cooled down. After several encouraging posts seemed to change the overall mood, Cedars decided to give it another chance. [Link to JWN discussion thread.]

An Offer to Help

The webmaster for Ex-JW.com and InsidetheWatchtower.com contacted Cedars and offered his technical assistance and other support – an offer Cedars quickly accepted. A new stand-alone website was engineered and readied within days. The Survey Monkey version of the Global Survey remained active and in place until October 18.  At midnight the new survey site went online. By that time the Global Survey had over 800 responders. The webmaster moved the results from Survey Monkey to the new site and the survey picked up right where it left off the day before. [Link to discussion thread.]

Within hours Cedars went back online to JWN and announced the new website to the world. [Link to thread.]  Since then support for this project has exceeded expectations.  Dozens of visitors have actually registered on the site, made comments, and offered some excellent suggestions.  In the first twelve days that it was online (October 19-30), the site had over 3200 page views and another 100 Global Survey participants.

An added feature of the new website are frequent “mini-surveys.” The first of these surveys discusses various views about who the “faithful and discreet slave” really is; that survey has already had over 200 participants.  A new “mini-survey” will go online on November 1, to be followed by another on November 15, 2011.

Instant Feedback

One nice feature of all the surveys is their “instant feedback.” After you’ve voted on a particular question, you will instantly see the current results. You can then compare your answers to those who have already voted. At the end of the survey, there is a short form that allows you to make a brief comment that will be instantly delivered to Cedars. He’ll use what he learns from those comments to improve his questions and the survey processes in time for the 2012 survey.

There is a blog feature that will be used more often in the future. But for now, Cedars is just interested in getting your opinions and comments. His ultimate plan is to package up the results after the New Year and then make them available online to news organizations and study groups. He also plans to send a formal package to the Watchtower Society’s Governing Body.

While any changes by the Watchtower’s leaders are unlikely, Cedars expresses his hope that maybe someone at a high level within the organization will review the survey and try to learn something from those results.

But I have to give them credit for the strength of their survival instincts. So far Watchtower strategy has worked.

During August and September I was in direct contact with people very close to the Menlo Park court cases. My contacts DID NOT INCLUDE THE PLAINTIFFS or any of the former elders. That’s right – there are actually two court cases going on involving individuals connected to that scandal. The first is the ongoing case filed last summer in Federal District Court in San Francisco by two former elders, Jon Cobb Sr. and Walter Arlen St. Clair. There is also a second case in San Mateo County Superior Court filed by Jason Cobb, the former COBOE and CEO of the Menlo Park Hall’s non-profit corporation.

At the end of this article you will find links to copies of court documents that will bring you up to date on much of the case. You’ll find that they tell parts of the story, often in great detail. But what I now find more interesting are the back stories – great little tidbits that will probably never be reported or detailed in any of the official court documents.

I found that one thing is consistent whether you read the official court records or if you hear tales told through the local gossip grapevine: The Watchtower is taking this case very seriously and seems worried that the real truth about what has happened in Menlo Park may actually get wider publicity. I’m told that the defendants try to look confident and in control while at the Kingdom Hall, but everyone close to them knows they are worried about their future – even if the plaintiffs are only marginally successful in their lawsuit.

In the meatime, “The Truth” [Watchtower] is fighting every possibility that the real truth will eventually get out and be reported by a major news outlet.

While this reporter was in the Menlo Park and Redwood City area, I met with a couple of anonymous contacts and took phone calls from two others who are still afraid to meet with me personally. I noticed that no matter which side they take in this battle, their stories remain consistent with one theme: The Watchtower Society really screwed up!  They sent the wrong people to do their dirty work. Instead of a weak-willed, kool-aid drinking, self-important group of sheepish elders – they found they were facing some brothers who were willing to stand up for what they know is right, in spite of the overwhelming odds against them.

To fight this battle, the Watchtower and their legal team are doing their very best to manipulate the system any way they can. At the moment they allegedly continue to ignore subpoenas for bank records and corporate documents that are critical to getting to the truth of these cases before the courts.

Take just a moment and consider this: Can anyone believe that a God of love, justice, and righteousness would permit His “earthly representatives” to use the same legal tactics that criminals have employed? Has this “organized religion” decided to follow the examples of “organized crime”? As always, I’ll let my readers view the documents and then decide for themselves.

For example: One of the main players in this drama, Circuit Overseer Paul G. Koehler Jr. is apparently someone who likes to be in the spotlight. He got his wish. There are many reports of his heavy-handed approach toward subordinates and his reputation as a “take-charge” and “take-no-prisoners” style manager.

One early report (as documented in court filings) tells of Koehler’s attempt to intimidate Jason Cobb, former COBOE at Menlo Park. In one case, he allegedly put his hands on Cobb and pushed him – an aggressive and clearly illegal act. Some witnesses to the altercation reported that Koehler often bragged about “his service as a military officer.” Evidently, Koehler felt this gave him some special privilege to lay his hands on another person without permission.

Several questions have been raised about Mr. Koehler’s qualifications as a circuit overseer. Is his approach to dealing with people appropriate for someone who is supposed to be a “loving shepherd” of a large group of Christians? Or does he act like a military officer who demands absolute obedience and immediate action on the part of his subordinates?  And what are the facts about his self-professed military background?

It has been alleged by several of the brothers close to the events in Menlo Park that Koehler has on several occasions referred to his past experience as a “military officer.” At times he has allegedly mentioned his time as a “Navy SEAL.”  Another witness alleges that when challenged about his claim that he was once a “SEAL,” Koehler allegedly replied that he never claimed to have been a “SEAL,” but rather a “Navy Seabee.”

So what were you, Mr. Koehler? Were you a SEAL? A Seabee? We’re you ever an officer? Just which branch of the United States military did you serve in? And when did you serve?

Having heard so many claims about Koehler’s military background, individuals close to the plaintiffs finally decided to investigate further to find out the truth about this self-proclaimed warrior.  Their inquiries with the Navy and Marines were at first unsuccessful – but not because those service branches refused to reply. It was because they could find no records of a “Paul G. Koehler Jr.” within their files.

OK – perhaps Brother Koehler was in some super-secret military force and his records are sealed? While possible, that does not appear to be the case. According to the military records departments, they would still have a record of his enlistment, service dates, and ranks held – even if he was assigned to some secret special services group.

In any case, those close to the plaintiffs have in their possession documented proof from military archivists that no records of “Koehler, Paul George” exists in their veterans’ files.

Recently, Brother Koehler was reassigned to the Napa Circuit and no longer lives in the little house next door to the Redwood City Kingdom Hall. It has been reported that he may soon be getting a visit from representatives of the federal government. Maybe they, like us, would like to find out exactly which branch of the service he was in. I’m sure it’s only because they want to correct their records and just need a little more information from him to clear things up.

In addition to Mr. Koehler’s involvement, it also happens that a certain sister might be working as a court clerk. It’s alleged that this JW court clerk has involved herself in the case and apparently has rejected certain processes and subpoenas submitted by the plaintiff, Jason Cobb. I’m sure the officials of the court would love to know if that is a fact. All officers of the court are supposed to be “neutral parties” to a case – and if not, are supposed to recuse themselves, and that includes clerical employees and anyone else in control of files and documents.  The courts appear to have been weak in supervising this aspect of their duties.

It is clear to me after reviewing the documents and talking to many who are close to the case, that the Watchtower will use any means available to them to hide the facts and to thwart justice if it protects their interests. For the Society’s officers and the Governing Body it’s not about “truth” or fair play. It’s all about money and property, not about Christian love and preaching “the good news of the Kingdom.”

The Watchtower Society has always been a publishing corporation first and a religion second. Now that they find it more difficult to make huge amounts of money printing magazines, books, and Bibles, they’ve decided to become real estate barons. They hide behind their religious facade, not only to maintain their tax-free status – but also to make it difficult for state and federal governments to look into their books and how they spend their money.

No matter how everything eventually turns out, the former elders of the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall have exposed a small chunk of the rotten truth about “The Truth.”

The leaders of the Watchtower Society have become the modern anti-type of the scribes and Pharisees. They have become the modern money-changers like those that Jesus threw out of the temple…

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” – Matt 23:27-29

Original Motion

Dispositive Motion

Relief Motion

Cobb / Meet and Confer 06292011

Plaintiffs Request for Bank Records 080911

Plaintiffs Draft Order Bank 81411

Military Document Request (reply)

Thanks to their mostly tax-free status as a “non-profit religious organization,” the officers of the Watchtower’s various corporations can sell properties they bought at fire-sale prices and then sell them off for huge profits – and keep the bulk of the money with minimal or no tax consequences.

The Watchtower Society sells its Brooklyn properties…
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJTqyMKNvyA&feature=related

It’s good to be a religion. We should all call ourselves “a religion.” The advantages are far too many to list here, but the evidence is clear that the Watchtower Society has educated itself on how to manipulate its assets for the greatest gain.

The Watchtower is not just making money on the properties it owns in Brooklyn. It’s also profiting from properties it does not own, and in some cases has never spent a dime for, throughout North America. Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls, bought and paid for over the years by local Jehovah’s Witnesses, are being taken over in a land grab not seen since the forced mass migrations of American Native Indians in the late 1800s.

The sheep-like Jehovah’s Witnesses do not even realize how they are being sheared. Older Witnesses are encouraged (and often bullied) to designate the Society as a primary beneficiary in their wills. The Watchtower inherits their personal and real estate properties upon their death – not their own family members and other rightful heirs. In fact, Witnesses leaving properties and investments to their children is often considered a lack of faith – a “slight against Jehovah himself.” Many families have been left penniless, helplessly watching their inheritances signed away forever to become part of the Watchtower’s immense wealth.

The Society’s leaders are clearly on a mission to build as many new Kingdom Halls as possible to increase their property portfolios. Why? Pure profit with little or no risk.

They order local congregations to help build new Halls, sign over the old paid-for and now abandoned properties to the Society (for later sale), and then pay off the mortgages for the new buildings. After the new buildings are up and paid for (net cost to the Society = zero dollars), the Society “inherits” the buildings and starts the process over again.

Rank and file Jehovah’s Witnesses have been through this process for well over thirty years – and still don’t understand the Society’s con game. With few exceptions (read our Menlo Park Kingdom Hall stories here on Ex-JW.com), they unanimously approve any and all building projects and property sales recommended by the Society’s Regional Building Committees. Then they donate more money and their own free labor to build new properties that will be added to the Watchtower’s burgeoning portfolio.

Remember – all these properties become part of the Watchtower Society’s real estate portfolio. They are tax-free when they are acquired, tax-free while owned, and tax-free when sold.

It’s a fact: It’s very, very good to be a religion…

On another subject entirely, check out Kurt Prochnow’s excellent comment on our most recent Menlo Park Kingdom Hall article. He provides two excellent links to sources that discuss how to identify real Navy SEALs versus wannabees or fakes. Thanks, Kurt!

The editor is taking a short vacation, but when he gets back there should be some late breaking news about developments at Menlo Park. This story is entering a new phase, and many questions should soon be answered about who is actually telling the truth and who is using “theocratic strategy” (i.e., lying). It’s been a year since this story broke and it continues to develop in ways never imagined by the editor or even by some of the participants.

Anyone with inside news or comments about what is happening at Menlo Park or any other ongoing scandals involving the Watchtower society is encouraged to contact the editor at scandals@ex-jw.com. Your personal information, if any, will be guarded and not revealed under any circumstance. Feel free to use a pseudonym and a throw-away email address. The editor is interested in what you know, not who you are. Ex-JW.com is after the truth – not exposing anyone.

• Why must the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall bank records be marked “Confidential” and hidden from public review?
• Did Don Adams come to the SF Bay area to visit kin? Or was it to lay out a new MPKH “war strategy”?
• What do some of the original members of the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall think – one year after the merger with Redwood City?
• A SEAL, or not a SEAL? Questions raised about Circuit Overseer Paul G. Koehler’s credibility.

You want to look at my bank statements? Sure! Go ahead. You’ll see a lot more money going out than coming in. You’ll see a few checks written, lots of ATM activity, and the names of my creditors and clients. You’ll see where I shop, how many times I buy gas, and a few online purchases from Amazon.com for books and software. So go ahead! Look! I have nothing to hide.

Most Americans, after thinking about it, would probably agree that their bank statements hold few secrets. Of course, they reserve the right to protect their privacy, and if it’s none of your business then you have no good reason to look at their finances. Yeah, they might be embarrassed about how little money they actually have in their accounts, but would have to admit that no real secrets about their private lives would be apparent from just a look at their checking and savings accounts.

Let me ask you: What would you expect to see on the bank statements of a Kingdom Hall? A couple of utility bills, some cleaning supplies, and bathroom paper products? Payments to the Watchtower Society for literature and other materials? Donations forwarded to the Watchtower Society for insurance, circuit and district assemblies, building funds, and “the worldwide missionary work”? All those things should be expected and are unlikely to raise any eyebrows. The Hall’s bank accounts should balance fairly close to what the COBOE reported in the congregation’s monthly financial reports.

So what possible reason would there be to keep a Kingdom Hall’s bank statements “confidential”? What could be on those statements that the elders wouldn’t want anyone to see? Why wouldn’t any group of congregation elders simply say, “There they are! Take a look. Nothing to see here folks. Just some donations coming in, and a few bills paid out. Simple. Straightforward. Just numbers. Nothing to hide.”

But that’s not the case in Menlo Park. The attorney for the defense is trying to make sure that no one outside of court will ever see any of the Menlo Park bank statements. In fact, he wants to make sure that if any bank statements are entered into evidence as part of court documents (most become public domain after they are assigned a case number), that those will be forever hidden from public review, marked “Confidential,” and then removed from the public case files.

One more time: What’s on those bank statements that the defense is afraid to show us? My guess is that if we saw them, certain irregularities would pop right off the pages and give us reason to ask for plausible explanations. Read the court documents below and decide for yourself if there is a legitimate reason the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall’s bank statements should not be publicly available as part of normal court filings?

What is known is that the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall not only has business checking and savings accounts that have existed for several years, but also other bank accounts that were set up since the merger in July, 2010. There are seven checking and two savings accounts in at least two different banks, Wells Fargo and Chase.

The Menlo Park Police Department also wants to see those bank statements and account documents because both sides have filed reports that accuse certain people with embezzlement, fraud, and forgery. The defense seems to want to exclude the police. But why? If the statements will clear these alleged criminal charges, let the police look at them. Will the authorities ever see those bank records?

Again, I ask, why not? What is hidden within those documents that would embarrass anyone connected to those accounts? Why so many bank accounts?

I urge the judge in this case to check all the bank documents closely and listen to the charges by both sides and decide if those charges have merit. There shouldn’t be anything on those account records that would have any items that would bring shame upon the congregation. If there is, those responsible should be held accountable and punished.

A high-ranking visitor

While news about Menlo Park from Ex-JW.com has been a bit limited in recent weeks, several news worthy events have taken place in that little California community. Even with all the chatter on JW discussion websites and forums, only a few confirmed reports about the “theocratic warfare” taking place there have managed to leak out.

But the facts are very clear: Things are heating up within that little Kingdom Hall backed up against the southbound lanes of the Bayshore Freeway. A few dozen miles north, within the U.S. Federal District Court in downtown San Francisco, clerks are busy stamping, filing, and sorting new documents about this unusual case nearly every week.

Obviously, the events in Menlo Park have gotten the attention of the leaders of the Watchtower as well. It was reported that within the past few weeks that Don Alden Adams, the current president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania (the principal corporation of Jehovah’s Witnesses), made a trip out to the San Francisco Bay area “to visit friends and relatives.” During his visit it was reported that he met with some of the brothers named as defendants and their attorney, Anthony V. Smith. After Adams returned to New York, one of the defendants apparently bragged that his legal team had “a two million dollar war chest.”

A new contact

The call came late one afternoon. I didn’t know this person and had never spoken to her before. Her voice was both firm and unsettled as she said, “You don’t know me, but I know who you are. Someone gave me your phone number and said it was safe to call you. So I am going to take a chance because there are some things I think you might want to know.”

She went on to say that she knew about the court case connected with the takeover of the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall in July, 2010 and had been to that Hall many times over the past year. “I’ve heard so many things that I don’t know what to believe any more. There’s gossip about every little thing going on, but one thing I know is things aren’t right and someone is lying.”

When I asked her to explain her charges, she responded,”I don’t want to say it is a ‘black and white thing,’ but sometimes it sure seems that way. The Redwood City brothers just came in and didn’t even try to blend in. They just took over. They act like all of us who were there when they came over don’t count for anything.”

She went on to explain why she was calling me. She described the mood in the Kingdom Hall as one of division, and that a lot of the original members “feel left out and ignored. They think we are all behind Brother Jason [Cobb] and Brother Jon [Cobb]. We don’t really know all the facts, so we just keep our heads down and our mouths shut hoping this all passes very soon.” After I asked her what her feelings were about the new members of the congregation, she responded, “They might as well have stayed in Redwood City. They’re not any closer to us [original members] then they were then.”

While she was very friendly and I could tell she wanted to offer more of her insight, it was also clear that she was afraid to completely open up to me – as is the case with most of my anonymous contacts. One thing she did confirm: local Witnesses know that the rest of the world is closely watching Menlo Park, and there are others like her within that Kingdom Hall who want the truth to get out. She told me that some still aren’t sure if they can trust me completely, but they do know who I am, and they are sharing my cell number and email with each other. Her last comment was, “Somebody messed up and they lied about it. Now they’re trying to make it sound like it’s no big thing. We all want to know what they’re trying to hide and why.”

Well, sister, so do the readers of Ex-JW.com and many other Jehovah’s Witness forums, blogs, and websites!

[Anyone wishing to contact the Editor about Menlo Park or other similar cases in North America, can email him at MPKH@ex-jw.com. Anonymity is assured and all correspondence will be held in strictest confidence.]

What was Paul Koehler’s USN rank and unit?

Circuit Overseer and apparent local mastermind behind the Menlo Park scandal, Paul G. Koehler, may have to respond to inquiries about his oft-mentioned past military service and rank. The question is whether his claims of being a member of the elite Navy SEALs is based on fact, or just a figment of his imagination?

It is understood that Jehovah’s Witnesses, as a general policy, do not serve in the military of any country. Certain countries do require all able bodied men (and some require women, as well) to dedicate one or more years in either military or other public service assignments. It’s just like paying taxes and is considered the duty of every citizen.

For those who became Jehovah’s Witnesses after they served in the military, their time in service is not held against them, because it “came before they found the Truth.” As a result, many current Jehovah’s Witnesses do have a record of honorable, and in some cases, heroic, military service – and they should not be ashamed of that service to their country.

For many Americans, the recent military engagement by the US Navy SEALs that resulted in the death of the world’s number one terrorist leader, Osama bin Laden, was something to cheer. Although most of the members of that now famed team will remain anonymous for the foreseeable future, they are still held in high regard for their extreme bravery and professionalism. For anyone able to say they were actually a member of a SEAL team at any time in their lives has to bring them a feeling of pride.

Mr. Koehler has allegedly claimed to have been a Navy SEAL and an officer during his years in the military. If this is true, we salute him and thank him for his service to our country. He can be justifiably proud and we honor his service.

However, certain persons and plaintiffs’ legal advisor, John Steele, have allegedly claimed that he (Koehler) never served in that capacity, and that his claim to have been in such an elite fighting unit is baseless. The plaintiffs have made this issue public and mention it several times within court documents. (See court document 63, page 1. Link below.)

This could pose a serious problem for Mr. Koehler. In the United States, claiming to be a former member of an elite military unit (Green Berets, Rangers, Special Ops, SEALs, etc.) or the winner of a combat medal (purple heart, Navy Cross, Congressional Medal of Honor) could result in severe penalties and even imprisonment.

The “Stolen Valor Act of 2005″ addresses the unauthorized wearing of any military decorations and medals. It makes it a federal misdemeanor offense to falsely represent oneself as having received any U.S. military decoration or medal. Defendants may be imprisoned for up to six months, unless the decoration lied about was the Medal of Honor, in which case imprisonment could be up to one year. There are addition statutes that cover lying about one’s military service. There are current court challenges testing the constitutionality of these laws under the Freedom of Speech amendment, but as of this date the Stolen Valor Act is still in effect.

Mr. Koehler has allegedly used references to his “military experience” to justify some of his tactics in dealing with rank and file Jehovah’s Witnesses. That is a misuse of authority whether he actually has that experience or not. If it turns out that Mr. Koehler has misrepresented himself, then we would expect the upper levels of the Watchtower Society at either Branch or HQ levels to take action and remove him from positions of authority.

Links to Recent Court Documents

Case3:10-cv-03907-MEJ Document 63 (PDF)

Case3:10-cv-03907-MEJ Document 71 (PDF)

Case3:10-cv-03907-MEJ Document 72 (PDF)

Case3:10-cv-03907-MEJ Document 73 -main (PDF)

Case3:10-cv-03907-MEJ Document 73-1 (PDF)

Case3:10-cv-03907-MEJ Document 73-2 (PDF)

Case3:10-cv-03907-MEJ Document 73-3 (PDF)

Case3:10-cv-03907-MEJ Document 73-4 (PDF)

Case3:10-cv-03907-MEJ Document 73-5 (PDF)

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