The latest August 15th Study Edition of the Watchtower includes a 4-page review from the annual meeting of the Watch Tower, Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.

Despite admitting uncertainty over God's backing, the Governing Body are forging ahead with a costly building project

An interesting insight was given into the Governing Body’s plans to build a new world headquarters complex in Warwick, upstate New York. It was particularly interesting to note the uncertainty shrouding these plans, and the Governing Body’s eagerness to proceed regardless – despite the supposed urgency of the times in which we are living.

After showing delegates a video of various Society-owned sites at Wallkill, Patterson, Warwick and Tuxedo, Governing Body member Guy Pierce spoke of plans to build a 248-acre property at Warwick, saying: “Although we are not yet certain of Jehovah’s will regarding Warwick, we are proceeding to develop the site with the intention of relocating the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses there.”

Guy Pierce confessed "we are not yet certain of Jehovah's will regarding Warwick"

Many Jehovah’s Witnesses who are familiar with the role and function of the Governing Body will doubtless be bewildered at the above comments. Though candid, their statements reveal a Governing Body that is willing to forge ahead with lengthy, elaborate and costly construction projects at a time of supposed urgency, despite admitting uncertainty over Jehovah’s will in this regard.

After outlining further plans to develop a 50-acre site for the “staging of machinery and building material,” Pierce revealed: “Once construction is permitted, we hope to complete the entire project within four years. Then our property in Brooklyn can be sold.” Ironically, a construction project is already underway for a new 300-room residence building at Walkill - scheduled for completion in 2014 – a year that will mark 100 years of the “short period of time” mentioned at Revelation 12:12.

And so, a four-year building project to build a new multi-million dollar world headquarters is also about to get underway, despite professed doubts over Jehovah’s backing, and the immense time and costs involved in the undertaking. Pierce acknowledged the irony of such a lengthy project being launched when the world is supposedly on the verge of Armageddon, saying: “Has the Governing Body changed its mind about the closeness of the great tribulation? Not at all. If the great tribulation interrupts our plans, that will be wonderful, absolutely wonderful!”

Regardless of the Governing Body’s assertion that it would welcome the interruption of the “Great Tribulation” during the course of its construction project, there is no denying that it will take enormous effort and resources for their plans to come to fruition at a time of supposed unprecedented urgency. For example, can you imagine all the volunteer hours required for construction of such a vast complex over a four-year period? Does the Governing Body not believe that the time and efforts of this vast volunteer workforce would be better spent in the preaching activity, given the supposed nearness of Armageddon?

The existing world headquarters in Brooklyn - a prime real estate asset that the Society seeks to liquidate during a slump in the property market

Moreover, what about the inevitable drain on donations during the construction phase before they sell the Brooklyn properties? Undoubtedly, they will recoup the money eventually. On the other hand, is it really wise to devote millions of dollars in donations for the worldwide work toward the building of a brand-new headquarters complex, when the Society already has perfectly adequate and functional headquarters in Brooklyn? Don’t forget, this is all happening at a time of significant economic uncertainty, when real estate prices are at record lows. Is this really the ideal time to sell such potentially lucrative property in Brooklyn? It’s no wonder that the Governing Body admits to being uncertain about “Jehovah’s will” concerning the project. What is remarkable is that they are forging ahead with the project regardless.

In reading the report from the annual meeting, I remembered Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins, which immediately follows his remarks about the faithful and discreet slave. The parable, found at Matthew 25:1-13, demonstrates the need to stay alert in waiting upon the master, and to not allow oneself to become preoccupied by material concerns. In the scripture, the five foolish virgins were denied a place at the marriage feast of the bridegroom, who tells them “I tell you the truth, I do not know you.” They squandered their places as guests at the proceedings by not bringing enough oil for their lanterns, and running off to buy more oil at the last moment.

Jesus' parable of the ten virgins highlighted the need for wisdom and prudence

On the one hand, the Governing Body tells us that the times are urgent, and that we are on the cusp of the “Great Tribulation.” On the other hand, they distract themselves with real estate transactions and lengthy building projects that drain both the time and resources of their flock. They unwittingly mimic the five foolish virgins by busying themselves with non-essential material concerns at a time of supposed urgency. After all, why exactly is a new world headquarters needed? Has Jehovah provided insufficiently with the existing facilities at Wallkill, Patterson and Brooklyn?

It’s difficult to look at these lavish plans and imagine behind them a group of men who are truly representative of the “faithful and discreet slave.” How can these men be entirely focused on “delivering food at the proper time” to a global brotherhood, when they are so easily distracted by needless projects that drain both time and donations?

While vast swathes of the Earth's surface are still under ban, the Society seem more concerned with lengthy construction projects

As I discussed in a recent article, a vast segment of the Earth’s population has never heard of Jehovah’s Witnesses. A closer inspection of the worldwide report indicates that 27% of the earth’s population in the so-called “30 Other Lands” is barely being reached with the good news at all. These banned countries form a gaping expanse that covers 17% of the earth’s land surface, stretching unbroken from Africa’s Atlantic coast right across to the Korean peninsula in the Pacific. If the Governing Body were truly serious about its self-proclaimed position as representatives of the Slave Class, would it not instead be devoting funds to find new ways of reaching people in these countries where the work is under ban with “food at the proper time”? Don’t the 1.9 billion people in these mostly Arab and communist countries deserve to have the kingdom message reach them before the end comes? Is building a new 100-hectare lakeside complex in upstate New York more important than their salvation?

I believe there is more to these plans than simply improving the Society’s headquarters facilities, which are already more than fit for their required purpose. It’s my understanding that the primary motivating factor behind the Governing Body’s plans is their urgent need to liquidate funds now tied up in the remaining property assets in Brooklyn. They would rather risk doing this in the short term even if this means selling property at a loss during a downturn in the real estate market. For some time now, the Watch Tower Society has been experiencing decline in income due to reduced growth in developing countries – their principal source of donations.

As a result, we are seeing a reduction in the monthly magazine printing commitments, the widespread closure of branches, and the selling-off of real estate (sometimes far below the asking price). It seems that in a further act of desperation, the Society is now “throwing the dice” with dedicated funds donated by well-meaning publishers, and then spending this money on lucrative property schemes. In this case, they are building a new headquarters complex in upstate New York. This allows them to finally sell off the last of the Brooklyn properties, which despite the deflated market values will still be worth substantially more than when first purchased. Even so, in these times of economic uncertainty, there can be no assurances.

This is happening at a time when Armageddon is supposedly almost upon us. During our recent District Convention, the speakers attempted to reinforce this belief by reminding us of the immense image in the book of Daniel. They told us that the stone has all but struck the feet of the statue, signifying the imminent arrival of God’s kingdom to rule over mankind. If this is truly the case, then why the frantic buying and selling of property?

Guy Pierce assured us that the Governing Body would still welcome an interruption of the “Great Tribulation” if it came during the building project. However, when he made this glib remark, he missed the point altogether, betraying his own arrogance and ignorance – and that of his colleagues.

The significance of our times supposedly requires us all to focus our efforts and resources on the preaching work in order to draw in the “Great Crowd” out of all nations. Whether the Governing Body feels that the arrival of the “Great Tribulation” in the midst of their construction plans would be “absolutely wonderful” is irrelevant in such a context. Given the urgency of these times, what should be of paramount importance is that they fulfill their duties towards the kingdom preaching work with full wisdom and discretion.

I find it interesting that in their apparent preoccupation with buying, selling and building property, they’ve forgotten their self-proclaimed commission. I am confident this will not go unnoticed.

The Menlo Park Kingdom Hall takeover scandal is like a movie monster that just won’t die.

Three former elders have filed Court cases in San Francisco Federal Court (dismissed), San Mateo Superior Court in Redwood City (dismissed), and earlier this year another case that is progressing in San Jose Federal Court. There was another filing in federal court on April, 2012 [Cobb & Cobb Sr. v. Chase Bank] that is still developing.

These court cases all center around four Menlo Park elders that the Watchtower Society removed and replaced in the summer of 2010. Three of the elders decided to challenge their replacement as officers of the non-profit corporation that owned and managed the land, building, and financial assets connected to the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall.

Over the past two years, Ex-JW.com has provided our readers with ongoing articles and PDF copies of most relevant court documents. This post presents the transcript of the state case heard in the Superior Court of San Mateo County, California on February 22, 2012. The original transcript is quite lengthy, so it’s been broken into seven parts for ease of reading and downloading. Below the link to each section there is an abbreviated synopsis for quick reference.

Those close to the case suggest that our readers give special attention to section 6 below. Defendant Ernest Brede, the current COBOE at Menlo Park, describes events during and after the takeover, and testifies under oath that the existing board of directors was never officially voted out of office. Instead, as directed by a Watchtower Society attorney, a new corporation was simply formed to replace the existing corporation. That is a clear violation of California corporation law.

As you read the full transcript of this case, you may notice that while the court gave the appearance of being fair, the judge sustained practically every objection made by the Watchtower’s attorneys - even to the point of designating printed and signed letters and publications issued by the Watchtower as being “hearsay.” While it often seems that the judge would give Jason Cobb a little slack (he was appearing “pro per” and had not been given time to fully prepare for that day’s trial), he tended to rule for the defense on most critical issues as they came up.

It’s interesting to note that the Watchtower seems to have changed its official position about what kind of religion it really is. For decades the Society has criticized the Catholic and Orthodox churches, and most mainstream Protestant denominations, for being “hierarchies.” Instead of being ruled from the top down by a pope or archbishop, Jehovah’s Witnesses have traditionally presented themselves as groups of Bible students meeting together in small groups, directed in an ecclesiastical “theocratic arrangement.” Watchtower publications still promote the idea that appointments of local elders and special pioneers are directed by holy spirit, not from direct orders by branch office managers.

Watchtower attorney Calvin Rouse destroys that claim forever as officially recorded on pages 4 and 5 (segment 1). Rouse states emphatically, “We are a hierarchical religion just like the Catholic Church.” What follows is even more enlightening.

Thank you, Brother Rouse, for finally clearing up that long-standing misunderstanding on our part. Until now, we thought Jehovah’s Witnesses were part of a “theocratic organization” and that “Jehovah hated evil hierarchies” like the Catholic Church. We were taught and constantly reminded that those false religions were “a snare and a racket.” Now we find out that we aren’t really any different, but are “just like them.”

Jehovah must have changed His mind – again.

[All segments are PDFs. Click on segment title to read or download.]

San Mateo Court Trial Testimony – Segment 1

San Mateo Court Trial Testimony – Segment 2

San Mateo Court Trial Testimony – Segment 3

San Mateo Court Trial Testimony – Segment 4

San Mateo Court Trial Testimony – Segment 5

San Mateo Court Trial Testimony – Segment 6

San Mateo Court Trial Testimony – Segment 7

Court Trial Testimony – Full Version

Kelly promised a sequel to his 2008 autobiography, Growing Up in Mama’s Club, a vivid description of the first twenty years of his life as a reluctant Jehovah’s Witness. Ghosts covers the next forty-plus years, starting with his last few weeks in New York as a Bethel volunteer.

Readers of Growing up in Mama’s Club were almost unanimous in their praise for its honesty and revealing recollections of “Dickie’s” early life. On the other hand, most agreed that he left them wanting more; they wanted more stories about his life during and after his months at Bethel. They wanted him to share more insider secrets about the leaders of the Watchtower Society, and how he survived after leaving the organization. For many readers it seemed that he’d ended his book prematurely, leaving them hanging. Everyone wanted to know what happened to “Dickie”?

Kelly dedicates Ghosts (as he did his first book) to his late sister, Marilyn. While their lives took much different paths, she also suffered the after-effects of her Jehovah’s Witness childhood. Kelly describes the events that finally led to her life ending tragically and needlessly.

Kelly uses a running theme about how ever-present “ghosts” hang around to affect your thinking, your decisions, and your relationships for years after you leave a cult religion. Kelly admits that residue from these “ghosts” still affect the lives of many of his family members and even his own to some extent.

Kelly and his wife, Helen, are retired and live near Tucson, Arizona. They write, travel, and enjoy regular visits with family and a multitude of friends. He looks forward to reading your comments and reviews.

Cedars is most noted for his “Global Survey of Jehovah’s Witnesses”  – hosted and maintained at JWSurvey.org. Along with his “Global Surveys” (and occasional “Mini-Surveys”) that ask for opinions on  Jehovah’s Witnesses’ beliefs and practices, Cedars also presents his own thoughts and commentary on a broader range of issues in his “Cedars’ Blog.”

His most recent posting, “Under the microscope – the Watchtower’s claims to divine direction (part 1),” analyzes the Watchtower’s assertion that it is the only religious organization on earth that receives special treatment and direct guidance from Jehovah God.  The first article examines the claim that Jehovah’s Witnesses can prove their blessed situation because of their continued annual membership growth throughout the world. Cedars checks the facts to verify that the Watchtower’s teaching is not only correct, but credible. Considering the  hours that Jehovah’s Witnesses claim to spend in the worldwide preaching work, do actual performance results prove they have a special gift from God?

In future articles, Cedars will check the Watchtower’s other major claims “proving their unique selection” by God  to be his earthly organization.

Cedars is hoping that his readers will share their comments about the articles based on their own knowledge and experiences as Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Click here to go to JWSurvey.org or click on the link in our sidebar. Feel free to take one or more of the surveys while you’re there.

Two different court documents form the basis of Jason Cobb’s testimony covered in this article. Both are long and detailed, but always engaging. Many active and former Jehovah’s Witnesses will be shocked as they read about the events that have taken place in the once peaceful little Kingdom Hall located halfway between San Jose and San Francisco.

Amazingly, after two years this case is still in the courts and the players on both sides are still in the game. This battle could go on for many years.

I leave it to our readers to judge for themselves as to who wears the “black hats” in this case. Was the Watchtower Society behind a scheme to grab ownership of a valuable piece of real estate worth an estimated $2.5 million? What was behind the assignments of Paul Koehler and Steve Misterfield to that circuit? Who was it that generated the publisher transfer request for a sister who did not want to move from Menlo Park (where she lived) to Santa Rosa (where she worked) – in direct violation of the Watchtower’s own guidance?

Ex-JW.com will continue to report on this amazing story for as long as it lasts. No matter who wins or loses, the facts and details of this story will continue to reveal new information about what the Watchtower Society is willing to do to extend its control over its followers.

As editor, all I can say is “follow the money.” Who stands to make millions of dollars when the dust settles? Who has the most to lose?

As with the previous article in this series, I’ve created short synopsis for each segment of the court documents to act as an index. After you’ve read all of Mr. Cobb’s depositions and statements, feel free to comment on this entire series of articles, on the case itself, and the actions of all the people involved – including the Watchtower Society and its leaders.

[All segments are PDFs. Click on segment title to read or download.]

Plaintiffs’ Deposition of Jason Cobb – Segment 1

Plaintiffs’ Deposition of Jason Cobb – Segment 2

Plaintiffs’ Deposition of Jason Cobb – Segment 3

Plaintiffs’ Deposition of Jason Cobb – Segment 4

Plaintiffs’ Deposition of Jason Cobb – Segment 5

Plaintiffs’ Deposition of Jason Cobb – Exhibits 4-6

Plaintiffs’ Deposition of Jason Cobb – Exhibits 8-10

Jason Cobb’s Declaration to the Federal Court

Jason Cobb’s Declaration (Exhibits)

Editor’s Introduction:
Even though this letter has appeared on other websites by now, Mr. Sullivan was kind enough to let me to publish and share his excellent thought-provoking “open letter” with our readers. He brings up issues that should concern all Jehovah’s Witnesses, but especially those honest-hearted Jehovah’s Witnesses who must carry the burden of serving as elders in their local Kingdom Hall.

Read more at Rory’s website A Carpenter from Nazareth.

Editor’s Comments to All Elders:

I urge you to reconsider every decision you make while shepherding your flock, especially those involving discipline. Yes – you may have power over the baptized members of your Kingdom Hall, but that does not mean you always have to use it. 

A loaded gun hurts no one until someone pulls the trigger.

A hug is always better than a slap.

Don’t say “I want to help you” to a troubled brother or sister unless you mean it.

Don’t forget that Jesus taught and practiced mercy and forgiveness from the beginning of his ministry, even until the end as he forgave the thief next to him just before dying. Jesus never disfellowshipped anyone, not even Judas.

Never allow yourself to get caught in the same trap and find yourself using the same excuse that Nazi military officers used after the war (you can add your own German accent):

“We were only following orders…”

Wanting to stay an active Jehovah’s Witness in good standing, Jason tried to keep a low profile as he continued to attend meetings and field service. But he also worked on the sidelines in support of his father and Arlen St. Clair as they fought to restore their reputations within the congregation.

In spite of his efforts, he soon found himself drawn into the battle. It was obvious that there was far more going on behind the scenes during the takeover of his Kingdom Hall. This was turning out to be more complicated than just a simple merger with the Redwood City congregation. Even though he was still confused about the real reasons for his dismissal as Coordinator of the Board of Elders (CoBOE), he knew that something was just not right about how the takeover was being handled.

As an elder, he’d served the congregation as an officer of the non-profit corporation holding the title to Kingdom Hall and the land it sat on. As a corporate officer, he and other elders were responsible for the maintenance of the building and protecting the monetary assets of the congregation. At regular intervals, he and the other officers would report to the members of the congregation on the status of bank accounts, the overall condition of the Kingdom Hall, and other corporate business.

Within weeks after his father and St. Clair filed the federal lawsuit, Jason Cobb had to begin a fight to save his own reputation. This forced him to file police reports and a parallel lawsuit in the California state courts.

That’s a little background to get you started. But I’m going to let Jason Cobb tell his side of the story in his own way. You get to read the transcripts of both of his depositions as a witness in the federal court case. I urge you to get comfortable, enlarge the documents on your computer screen (for most web browsers use “Ctrl +”), and settle in for a fascinating read. I’ll try to make it easier for you by putting the documents and exhibits in sequence when possible as the story progresses.

Please note: For this article I am using the official transcripts exactly as they were filed in federal court. The attorney for the defendants, Anthony V. Smith, Esq. (also a Jehovah’s Witness elder and representing the Watchtower Society’s interests) ordered these transcripts to be recorded and prepared by a licensed court stenographer.

Please note the following two items: Each document page is made up of four pages of the official transcript, making the text smaller than usual and maybe a bit difficult to read and follow.

Read the pages starting at the left top – then left bottom, right top, right bottom. On the first page (right top) you’ll see an index to external documents and exhibits along with the pages where they are “marked,” but they don’t actually appear as part of the transcript. Exhibits were not included as part of this deposition filing. When available, I will try to include the equivalent documents from other official court sources as they appear in the story. Many documents mentioned in this deposition will also be included in the next article in this series, “Menlo Park: Elder Tells All -3.”

I strongly urge you to read this slowly and in segments. It’s long and exhausting as most significant and memorable court cases often are. (Do you still remember the O. J. Simpson trial? If so, why?)

I hope you’ll find the record of this battle of wits between Jason Cobb and the defense attorney, Anthony V. Smith engaging, enraging, and enlightening. Please feel free to share your comments about this amazing story with our readers.

[All segments are PDFs. Click on segment title to read or download.]

Defense Deposition of Jason Cobb – Segment 1

Defense Deposition of Jason Cobb – Segment 2

Defense Deposition of Jason Cobb – Segment 3

Defense Deposition of Jason Cobb – Segment 4

Since then a concurrent civil case filed in Superior Court at the state level by former elder and COBOE Jason Cobb has also been dismissed.

In an unexpected move, on March 19, 2012 Jason Cobb and his father, Jonathan Cobb Sr., filed a new and expanded federal lawsuit in San Jose, California. Even though they know that their lives as Jehovah’s Witnesses may be nearing an end, they remain convinced that they must expose the facts about the allegedly illegal steps the Watchtower has been willing to take to seize control of the Kingdom Hall where they once served as elders. They refuse to give up the fight in spite of the fact that their reputations as faithful and dedicated Jehovah’s Witnesses have been under constant attack and many of their lifelong Witness friends have apparently abandoned them.

Several weeks ago a person claiming to be a current member of the Menlo Park congregation contacted me. “This Kingdom Hall has changed so much in the last year,” she said, “it’s like we’re all living in some kind of nightmare, but not quite. I don’t think the brothers and sisters feel safe here anymore.  We know things aren’t right the way they are now, but what can we do? Where can we go? We just want things to be the way they were before the Redwood City elders took over. A lot of us would go to another Kingdom Hall if we could, but we feel trapped.” When I asked if the original Menlo Park members support the Cobbs, she replied, “Deep down, I guess many of us do. We thought they were good brothers. But we really don’t know what is truth and what is lies. I know we’re not supposed to,  but some of us have read your website, and what you say about what is going on sounds right. But how do we know if we can trust you? We don’t know you. We really don’t know what the truth is.”

To our readers: We can not judge whether the Watchtower Society, the local Regional Building Committee, or the defendants in this case have actually done anything wrong. The charges made in both the old and new lawsuits by the deposed former elders have not been confirmed by any court as of this date. Remember that people, and even corporations, “are innocent until proven guilty.” All we can do is compare how the Watchtower’s representatives have acted in their takeover of Menlo Park to  what the Society has done to other Kingdom Halls throughout North America.

We invite our readers who are still faithful and active Jehovah’s Witnesses to comment on this case and our next few articles. All we can do is to ask active JWs to honestly look at what has happened to their own Kingdom Halls and assembly halls. Do you really understand how the Watchtower has become more like the Catholic Church? Do you realize that local Kingdom Halls originally built, paid for, and maintained by local members have become part of the Watchtower Society’s real estate holdings now worth billions of dollars – without any compensation to local congregations?

It is clear that the odds are still overwhelming against the former Menlo Park elders succeeding in their lawsuits. We’d love to see one or more competent attorneys step in to represent them and even those odds by presenting their case before the courts. It appears that their new lawsuit includes a request for monetary damages should they win their case (a “defect” in their original lawsuit, according to Judge James’ dismissal order). Qualified attorneys might be more interested in stepping in and helping out the plaintiffs if there is a possibility that they might be paid for their time and legal ability.

Let’s hope that both sides have a “fair day in court.” Maybe at some future date the Cobbs and Walter Arlen St. Clair can once again be accepted into the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses as members in good standing. We hope that all involved, including the other members of the congregation at Menlo Park, can experience a true healing and the joy of fellowship that they once had.

The next series of articles will try to bring this case up to date. We’ll also try to stay on top of the newest federal lawsuit and post PDFs of those court filings as they become available.

We are going to let the former COBOE (primary elder) of the Menlo Park Kingdom Hall tell his own story. In part 2 of this series, Jason Cobb, called as a witness, gives his deposition on October 11, 2011 to the attorney representing the defendants in the original lawsuit.  Although he is not a plaintiff in the case, he is very much a part of it because of his primary leadership role within the Kingdom Hall. The mood is dark, awkward, and very confrontational as Brother Cobb gives as good as he takes and refuses to allow the defense attorney, Anthony Smith, to bully him.

In part 3, Brother Jason Cobb gives his deposition to the plaintiffs. Representing that side of the case and asking the questions is Jason’s father, Jonathan Cobb Sr. As expected, the mood is entirely different and the questions are more accommodating.  The payoff for the readers of Ex-JW.com is that you get the full back story – all the details – about what really happened in Menlo Park that eventually led up to the entire body of elders being removed, the takeover by the Redwood City elders, and the decision by two of the former elders to file a lawsuit in federal court.

As editor of Ex-JW.com, I hope that you will not only be enlightened, but entertained as you read these transcripts. When I first read these transcripts, it was like sitting at the back of a courtroom during a high-profile criminal case. In any case, I hope you will share your comments and opinions, no matter whose side you choose to take. I guarantee that you will get an education about what really goes on behind the scenes when the Watchtower Society begins to throw its weight around.  You’ll see how corporate and personal politics can create turmoil and disruption within a quiet and rather nondescript little suburban Kingdom Hall.

Enjoy…

Plaintiffs’ Request for Reconsideration of Dismissal of the Original Federal Lawsuit [PDF]
3:10-cv-03907-MEJ-138

Organizers are asking that anyone wanting to speak out against the Watchtower’s unscriptural and illegal teachings to join them. Show up in front of the Society’s UK Headquarters building the evening of the Jehovah’s Witness Memorial Celebration, Thursday, April 5th at 7:00 PM.

IBSA House

The Ridgeway

Mill Hill

London, NW7 1RN

The Memorial Celebration will officially begin sometime after sundown and last about 90 minutes. Protest organizers would like volunteers to show up as early as possible. “The public needs to understand that the Watchtower Society is hiding the truth and lying about Jehovah’s Witnesses’ unfair and illegal practices within local Kingdom Halls in the UK and the rest of the world.”

Everyone joining the peaceful protest should prepare their own signs or banners and  print some leaflets to hand out to passersby. “We need to show those on the outside what is really going on within this dangerous cult,” states an organizer. “Please bring the coolest banners you can make and any leaflets you can print out.”

The organizers emphasize that their purpose is to educate the public using a forceful, but totally non-violent approach, and that personal and property rights will be respected at all times.

Background: The Reasons for the UK Protest

Shunning Former Members

Jehovah’s Witnesses continue to enforce heavy penalties against former members who have left the religion on their own or have been disfellowshipped (excommunicated) for sinful acts or “apostacy.” Even former Witnesses who did not “commit a sin,” but simply disagreed with doctrine or just wanted to leave the religion are completely shunned and ignored by their JW family members and friends.

“These are ridiculous rules and such harsh treatment should be banned – especially when it involves parents, children, and siblings,” says one organizer. “It violates our freedoms to freely associate and destroys family relationships. No religion should be allowed to do that here in Britain or anywhere in the world.”

The “Two Witness Rule”

The “Two Witness Rule” refers to a Watchtower Society guideline enforced by local elders when dealing with anyone in the organization accused of sexual abuse – especially against children. This guideline effectively prevents Witness elders from taking any disciplinary action unless a second witness exists and is willing to testify. Elders are powerless under the “Two Witness Rule” to act (including involving the police) even against those who admit to molestation or other sexual violations.

This illogical practice has gone on for nearly fifty years. It allows JWs guilty of serious sexual crimes to get away without any disciplinary or legal action being taken against them. The Watchtower still discourages its members from involving local civil authorities, police, or psychiatric specialists in these cases.

Organizers of the protest explain that the “Two Witness Rule” is ridiculous because pedophiles, rapists, and wife abusers don’t invite other witnesses to watch them commit their crimes. Pedophiles commit these types of sexual and traumatizing crimes  in private. When only the victim can testify about what happened, Jehovah’s Witness elders won’t do anything directly and won’t take any disciplinary action – unless the perpetrator decides to confess to the crime. If the victim complains to the authorities, then the elders can actually punish the victims (often a child and/or parent) for “bringing shame upon Jehovah’s name.” There have been reports of victims of sexual abuse being disfellowshipped for reporting the crime, while the abuser or pedophile gets off with a warning or minimal punishment. Some accused pedophiles continue to serve as elders in their congregations.

As a result, the Watchtower Society has faced serious legal problems for its apparent protection of pedophiles. Major legal cases are taking place in the United States and Australia that are not only damaging the public’s perception of the organization, but are forcing the Watchtower Society to pay out huge legal settlements. Protestors in London want to make sure that British citizens understand that the same problems also exist in the UK.

Dated April 2, 2012, the letter states that elders will make an official announcement about the contents of the letter after the Watchtower Study during that week. Insiders leaked copies of the letter in several languages, allowing several Jehovah’s Witness discussion forums and websites to publish excerpts and PDF versions of the original letter to their readers on March 24.

The letter describes how the Watchtower Society plans to expand its use of the Internet in the next few months. The organization plans to combine its three official websites under the JW.org banner and then deactivate Watchtower.org and JW-media.org domains. The letter states, “The redesigned jw.org Web site is planned for release around the beginning of June 2012. It will paint an appealing picture of our preaching work, branch offices, Kingdom Halls, and conventions…Selected features from our magazines that can be presented more effectively on the Web site will now be published only on jw.org…In addition, a series of online articles available only on the Web site will present concise, clear answers to questions about the Bible and Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

Emphasizing and expanding its Internet presence is a major change in direction for the Governing Body and the Society. Historically opposed to the Internet since the “world-wide web (WWW)” first appeared in the late 1980s, the Watchtower has  written many articles warning its members against using MySpace.com, Facebook, Twitter, and other social websites. Personal computer use and accessing the Internet has been a frequent subject at assemblies and conventions for several years. Convention speakers have warned Jehovah’s Witnesses about visiting “apostate” websites and forums that might expose the Watchtower’s past errors, false prophecies, and embarrassing leadership. In fact, many local congregations have taken a hard-line against the Internet. Some Jehovah’s Witnesses have been reprimanded or disfellowshipped for discovering facts about the Society on the Internet and then making the mistake of bringing their questions to local elders or writing letters to headquarters. The Governing Body has labeled any online resources that discuss Watchtower history and teachings not owned by the Society as “apostate sites” - even if former Jehovah’s Witnesses do not run them.

Even though current versions are hardly more than pamphlets, the letter states that starting with the January 2013 issues, both the Awake! and public editions of the Watchtower shrink from 32 to 16 pages. The Watchtower places the blame for this change on their difficulty of “acquiring paper and equipment for printing.” One benefit mentioned in the same paragraph is an expanded worldwide readership. “Since each issue will contain less material, it may be possible for more translation teams to be able to translate every issue of the Awake! and the public edition of the Watchtower, thus increasing the number of languages in which they are available.”

The “study edition” of the Watchtower will continue as a 32-page magazine. Because this “private” version is limited for distribution only to active Witnesses and their families, there are rumors that the Our Kingdom Ministry may discontinue as a separate publication in the future and its essential articles included within the “study” Watchtower.

Some critics explain the Watchtower’s change of heart on the subject of the Internet in purely economic terms: (1)The business side of the Watchtower Society has finally realized that the Internet is the only low-cost method to get the “good news of Jehovah’s Kingdom” out to the farthest reaches of the globe. (2) They’ve also discovered that delivering the message is far cheaper when a few Bethel volunteers send it out electronically – compared to expensive paper, ink, and postage required for magazine distribution.

How JWs will distribute printed literature locally has not been clearly defined in this letter. There is a possibility that local Kingdom Halls will eventually have to use local computers and printers to make copies they’ll need for local door-to-door witnessing.

In spite of its apparent change of policy, the Society’s leaders may not want to acknowledge that many active Jehovah’s Witnesses have been extensively “preaching and teaching” on the Internet for many years. You can find JWs commenting on many non-approved websites (even those strongly opposed to the Society) and starting their own discussion threads on sites like Yahoo!Answers. As a rule, these Witnesses are easy to spot because of their heavy use of “JW Truth-speak” – since most quote directly from Watchtower publications and tend to use a lot of Watchtower lingo and phraseology unknown to the public.

It should also be noted that the letter states that this new information “should be kept strictly confidential  among the elders until the letter is read…” Even though ”the cat is out of the bag,” Jehovah’s Witnesses won’t officially hear about these changes until after the Watchtower study on Sunday, April 8th – unless they’ve heard everything through local gossip or have been on websites like this one. In fact, some lower level elders and ministerial servants aren’t supposed to hear the announcement until it is publicly presented to the rank and file publishers in their own Kingdom Hall.

Read “The Letter” for yourself…