Dear Panel,

Thank you for the opportunity to raise some concerns on problems within the Watchtower Society, members known as Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs), in relation to religious freedom.

In 2009 my memoir ‘A Little Lower Than Angels’ (ISBN 978 1 906561 86 4) was published.
It shows life before JWs, during, and the repercussions of leaving.
I am 59 years old, born and raised in Australia, live in Melbourne.
In 2012 I attended a 3-day national Cult Information & Family Support conference in Brisbane at Parliament House precinct on Alice Street where psychologists from Australia, New Zealand and the USA specialising in cults spoke. Senator Nick Xenophon was a key speaker.
Over the last six years I have worked on a voluntary basis providing information and support to hundreds of Jehovah’s Witnesses who have left or are trying to leave the Watchtower Society.

QUESTION #5: The Watchtower organization states that through good works and sincere effort only 144,000 elite Jehovah’s Witnesses will go to heaven.The 144,000 are mentioned in two chapters in the Bible: Revelation 7 & 14. By looking at the verses it is obvious that the 144,000 are literal Jews of the ancient tribes with no Gentiles among them (7:4-8). Jehovah's Witnesses. Discuss anything Jehovah Witness, JW.org or WatchTower society related. 4,504,791 posts in 143,213 topics Friends. Discuss anything Jehovahs Witness or WatchTower society related and meet new friends. 4,148,410 posts in.

Following information will outline the extent of Watchtower’s high-demand doctrines, the mind-controlled hold over its members, and substantially higher than average incidences of mental illness and suicides.

1/ University education is dangerous
2/ Public Reproofs and Disfellowshipping (judicial committee hearings)
3/ Baptismal contract
4/ Children have no rights
5/ No blood transfusions

1/ UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IS DANGEROUS

The Watchtower Society actively discourages members from going getting university degrees.
In the 1970s when I was a teenager it was drummed into us: “No school age person will fulfil a career in the present world.” (In-house Watchtower Society paper, Kingdom Ministry, June 1969, page 3.) Jehovah’s Witnesses expected world wide destruction of Armageddon to arrive in 1975.
Kingdom Ministry May 1974, page 3 praised JWs who’d sold their homes and left full time employment so they could put in 100 hours per month in unpaid door-to-door preaching.
(One has to question how many ended up on welfare after their money ran out and the foundations of their faith collapsed, leaving them financially, mentally and emotionally destitute.)

Further proof of continuing stance against university education: Watchtower magazines 1/10/2005; 15/4/2008; 15/6/2012; Kingdom Ministry July 2011, page 2; Letter to Elders March 6, 2012.
These articles use language such as “Satan the master of deception,” “higher education often erodes faith in Jehovah,” “minds filled with propaganda,” “wastes valuable useful years.”

Of the tiny minority who do get the opportunity to get a university degree (like accounting which doesn’t involve the sciences), often these students are viewed as “spiritually weak” because they’re not devoting themselves to service to Jehovah.

Perhaps the true reason the Watchtower Society discourages its people from higher education is because this is where they will learn critical and independent thinking - which leads to questioning their own doctrines.

“No independent thinking” is allowed by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Qualified To Be Ministers book, page 156; Watchtower magazine 15/1/1983 warns that independent thinking is dangerous.

Any JW who dares to question or want to discuss the origins or validity of Watchtower Society doctrine will be quickly shut down with:

2/ PUBLIC REPROOFS & DISFELLOWSHIPPING

a) Mandatory Reporting/Spying

Jehovah’s Witnesses are required to dob on their JW comrades whenever ‘wrongdoing’ is suspected. Indeed, if any JW hears of or observes ‘wrongdoing’, even a spouse or close family member, and does not report to the Elders, the observer is considered just as culpable.
Transgressions range from cigarette smoking, habitual gambling including buying tattslotto tickets, giving to charities (because that’s giving to Satan’s world), habitual drunkenness, celebrating Christmas, birthdays, (not even allowed to say ‘Happy Birthday’) eating Easter eggs and hot-cross buns at Easter, socialising with non-JWs, going to nightclubs, choices of movies and music, joining any club outside the JW faith. Even gluttony is a disfellowshipping offence.
Sexual immorality is a class all of its own.

Strangely, and disturbingly, child sex abuse is not viewed as important or as serious as adultery or bestiality. In the Elders’ Manual Shepherd The Flock Of God, child sex abuse comes under the heading of Brazen Conduct.
The reality of this point has been demonstrated numerous times when the pedophile has been supported in court by the Elders, while the victim is abandoned, branded as a troublemaker who has brought shame on the reputation of the Watchtower Society. “Bringing shame on Jehovah’s good name,” is a phrase common to JWs especially with regard to victims of child sex abuse who decide to speak up.
Pedophiles are routinely pardoned by the Elders whilst the victim is branded a traitor.

Make no mistake. Regardless of the Royal Commission’s requests to the Watchtower Society to drop its requirement to have two witnesses to establish wrongdoing, they will not change, because biblical scriptures supersede any world governments.

b) The Judicial Committee/interrogation and consequences

(I have been subject to a judicial committee hearing, and two private reproofs, and put on Probation.)

A judicial committee hearing comprises of at least three Elders where the wrongdoer has either volunteered a confession, or has been reported by other JW/s.
Elders have the right to inquire into a person’s private life in minute detail. The majority of judicial committee hearings relate to sexual wrongdoings. For a woman this often results in her feeling emotionally raped by the judicial committee elders.

Sometimes (depending on the extent of the wrongdoer’s repentant attitude) an announcement is made to the congregation that so-and-so has been put on Probation.
This is known as a Public Reproof. JWs are still allowed to associate with the transgressor, but are on guard that so-and-so is not in good spiritual condition.

If a wrongdoer does not cease and desist from wrongdoing they will be disfellowshipped. Announcement is made to the congregation stating so-and-so has been disfellowshipped.
From that time on, no one is allowed to be friends with him/her. In many instances not even a greeting is allowed. (I have experienced this.)

Aside from the humiliation, being disfellowshipped is for most a most lonely and isolating time for the individual. Many don’t have social skills to effectively live ‘in the world’ on their own.

c) Processes toward ‘reinstatement’.

If the wrongdoer expresses repentance a period of at least three months is required - often 6-12 months, sometimes longer - until the judicial committee are satisfied the wrongdoer’s 'heart condition” is back in good order.
Meanwhile the disfellowshipped person has to attend all congregation services but has to sit at the rear of the hall separate from everyone else; he/she must not make eye contact with anyone, and must leave as soon as the service is over; and meet regularly with the committee so they can monitor your attitude and determine whether you’re truly repentant.
Only when the elders are satisfied of a sufficiently repentant attitude will they revoke your disfellowshipped status. (Shepherd The Flock Of God, pages 89-122)
Announcement is then made to the congregation that so-and-so is now reinstated into the congregation.

However having the label of having been disfellowshipped hangs over a person’s head for the rest of their lives while they remain a practicing Jehovah’s Witness. They are viewed at best with condescending pity, at worst with suspicion.
Some move interstate to try to start again hoping the rumour mill won’t reach that far and no one will find out about their past.

Even JWs who have faded off the scene for a few years without any apparent wrongdoing and start going back to congregation services are to be questioned by the Elders for approval back into the congregation. (Shepherd The Flock Of God, page 73)

The most serious crime in the eyes of the Watchtower Society and its members is apostasy - voicing an opinion that differs from anything the Watchtower Society teaches.
Apostasy is viewed as far worse than being a pedophile, a rapist, wife basher or murderer.

So instead of the right to go direct to your God for forgiveness - your fate, your recognition as a decent human being, has to be decided by a panel of Jehovah’s Witness ministers.

3/ BAPTISM - CONTRACT OF UNQUESTIONING OBEDIENCE

Eighty questions are studied and answered in order to qualify for baptism. Baptism locks a person into a contract of one-hundred percent unquestioning obedience to the Watchtower Society.
Some children as young as 9 are entering this contract. Many end up on Probation, given a Public Reproof, or Disfellowshipped by the time they’re 16 years of age. The pressure is enormous.

“We cannot expect God to reward us with everlasting life if we do not sign up to work for him.” Watchtower magazine 1/11/78, page 15.
“All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not.” Watchtower 15/11/2013

In 2016 the Remain Loyal worldwide convention series video has JWs geared up for the great war of worldwide destruction and persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses by governments and the general community. The video depicts a small group of JWs hiding out in a windowless basement. Outside shouting and general havoc can be heard. A frantic knock at the door. Everyone in the basement stares at each other. One senior man goes to the door and knocks twice (appears to be a secret signal). There’s a reply of one knock. So he opens the door. It’s one of their own who looks furtive, “They’re searching every house,” he informs the group. The senior man calmly says it’s to be expected that there will be “an attack on God’s people.” www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cgkt-3AUbE (hopefully it’s still available).

4/ RIGHTS OF CHILDREN NON-EXISTENT

Children cannot question any beliefs of the Watchtower Society. They are forced to attend congregational services, forced to do home bible study, and forced to engage in door-to-door preaching. Non compliance results in withdrawal of love in most cases; in some cases the literal rod of discipline.
Children cannot choose a different path in life. They are not free to choose the career of their choice or attend university especially if it involves the sciences because this requires learning critical thinking skills.

If a teenager announces they are gay or in crisis as to their sexual identity, extreme pressure is put on them to conform to being ‘straight’. To not conform means facing expulsion from their social and family structure; love and support withdrawn.
Once they turn 18 they face the distinct prospect of being evicted from the family home.

5/ NO BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS

Any Jehovah’s Witness who accepts a blood transfusion faces a judicial committee with the prospect of either a Public Repoof, Probation, or in the case of not being repentant, disfellowshipping.
In fact whenever a JW is admitted to a hospital with the prospect of medical staff insisting upon a blood transfusion, an appointed Elder designated specifically to deal with this issue will visit the patient to make sure they don’t agree to a transfusion.

* * * * *

In summary I hope this helps demonstrate some of the constant negative pressures which create traumatic dysfunction in lives of many Jehovah’s Witnesses, often placing a burden on the wider community.

Author and Radio National broadcaster Philip Adams in his book Adams Versus God quoted medical journals and studies showing Jehovah’s Witnesses have a higher incidence than the general population in paranoid schizophrenia and admissions to psychiatric hospitals over a variety of mental disorders.

Religious Studies expert Martin Katchen whose PhD was on ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses at Sydney University (1992-98) found many ex-Witnesses were abused and had dissociative identity disorders. He found children of brainwashing via thought reforming religious movements often exhibited traumatic dissociation. Particularly those born and raised like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, showed psychosomatic symptoms, suicidal depression, and cutting. (His thesis can be purchased from Sydney University)

Considering the extent of under-educated (prone to periods on welfare) and prevalence of mental illness (also a drain on the public purse via sickness benefits) among the Jehovah’s Witnesses - due, I put to you, as a consequence of unhealthy, negative, toxic doctrines forced upon them; also their disdain towards legal and governmental statutes that conflict with Watchtower doctrines - I urge you to make a thorough investigation on the validity of the matters here stated.

Freedom of religion at what cost?

Controversies and misunderstandings affect common perceptions of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Are the following statements fact or fiction? Read on to learn more about the myths and realities regarding Witnesses, their practices and beliefs.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are a sect and not a valid religion.

Jehovah's Witnesses have a 130-year history, are in 230 lands and have seven million members. The dictionary definition of sect is “a small group that has broken away from an established Church.” Jehovah's Witnesses are not small, nor have they broken away from another religion. “Sect” is often used as code to negatively imply the Witnesses are a cult. But Jehovah's Witnesses do not fit the definition of a cult, either.

Jehovah's Witnesses shun members who leave the faith.

Jehovah's Witnesses shun (or 'disfellowship') as many as 30,000 members each year who refuse to live by the religion's moral tenets. A baptized Witness who insistently promotes dissenting theological views can also be ousted from the congregation, as can anyone habitually fraternizing with the dissenter. Members who leave or 'disassociate' from the faith by formally renouncing it are also subject to shunning. Witnesses say they shun with the intent to motivate erring members to restore their relationship with God and to preserve the moral environment of the congregation. Witnesses communicate with shunned family members who live in the same home and can choose to communicate important family matters with those outside the home. Shunned members are invited to attend meetings but are not to interact with congregation members. They are welcomed back in to the fold upon 'repentance.' Many shunned members eventually return to the faith. Many other baptized members decide to leave the congregation and Witness life by quietly ceasing their activities and becoming 'inactive.' The congregation does not shun inactive individuals for the life they lead if they no longer identify themselves publicly as Witnesses or participate in the door-to-door ministry.

Jehovah's Witnesses forbid blood transfusions.

Witnesses believe that blood is sacred and should only be used as God designates, based on an interpretation of Biblical texts that prohibit the taking of blood into the body for the purpose of sustaining the body’s functions. This prohibition against whole blood still stands, although new technology that utilizes fractions of blood is now considered a matter of personal conscience among individual Witnesses, as are organ transplants which contain residual blood.

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in drinking and dancing.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are not against parties, music, dancing and drinking of alcohol, as long as they are done in moderation. Witnesses are cautious about their entertainment choices, avoiding R-rated movies and music with immoral lyrics. They dance, but discourage sexually suggestive moves. Witnesses are expected to avoid recreational drug use, citing the scripture that says “let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit.” There is no restriction on caffeine and Witnesses can drink alcohol in moderation.

Jehovah's Witnesses made many erroneous predictions that the world was ending by a certain time, which financially ruined the lives of members who never sought college education or careers.

Over the course of the Witnesses' 130-year history, there have been periods of Armageddon predictions. Witnesses felt their belief in the imminent end of this world and the start of God's Kingdom was not compatible with the need for a higher education leading to a lucrative career in a doomed, manmade system.

Also, the preaching work of Witnesses did not require a college degree, therefore the pursuit of higher education was discouraged. But in 1995, the Witnesses officially ended their belief that tied the coming of Armageddon to the lifespan of anyone alive today, saying instead it is coming 'soon.' Since then, more young Witnesses began to attend college classes and many still do. Recently, Witnesses have been strongly encouraged to replace higher education goals with ministry work. Witnesses whose circumstances allow are encouraged to do full-time ministry; about ten percent do so.

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not permit divorce.

Monogamy between one man and one woman and sex only within marriage are requirements in the Witness religion. But Witnesses do permit divorce in certain cases, believing that the only valid ground for divorce and remarriage is adultery.

Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse to celebrate birthdays and Christmas.

Witnesses refrain from religious holiday celebrations, including Christmas and Easter. Their main objection toward holiday celebrations is the non-biblical origin of traditions and rituals associated with them. Many holidays were incorporated into Christian practice by the Roman emperor Constantine as a political gesture. Witnesses also refuse to celebrate birthdays and other popular holidays like Halloween, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in organ transplants.

Jehovah’s Witnesses considered organ transplants to be unscriptural until 1980, when the decision to accept an organ was re-defined as an individual’s choice. The organ unquestionably contains blood, which is why some Witnesses will refuse it. But other Witnesses rationalize that the intent is to receive the organ, not the residual blood that remains in it.

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Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in heaven.

Witnesses do not aspire to receive a heavenly calling, preferring to live forever on Earth. They believe that God will reward the righteous with eternal life on Earth as perfect humans. Witnesses do believe that heaven exists as the invisible dwelling place of God, Jesus, the angels and a chosen group of 144,000 “anointed” humans.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are politically neutral.

As subjects of God’s government, Jehovah’s Witnesses give God’s laws priority. For this reason, they do not take sides in political issues or military conflicts, nor can they give total allegiance to Earthly governments. Witnesses do not vote or run for political office because they believe it is futile to put faith in humans to fix the world’s problems.

Learn more about the beliefs, practices and history of Jehovah's Witnesses>>

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