News Bulletin: Watchtower again loses legal fight to stop UK Charity Commission Investigation

charity3Regular readers will recall that the UK Charity Commission is currently undertaking a statutory investigation of Watchtower’s UK arm, which is currently registered as a UK charity, and also of the New Moston Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, also registered as a UK charity.

The aim of the investigation is to uncover “how Watch Tower safeguards children and adults at risk.” The investigation comes as a response to an incident in the New Moston congregation, where former congregation elder and convicted sex offender Jonathan Rose was allowed to directly question his victims in a religious court, his victims being forced to attend as an apparent direct result of Watchtower policy.

Rather than co-operate with the investigation, which would have given a clear signal that Watchtower felt it had nothing to hide, the religious group has instead fought tooth and nail to get the investigation killed off, mounting multiple legal challenges in order to prevent the investigation from even taking place. We have reported on this investigation and Watchtower’s attempt to stop it on a number of occasions

Having failed its challenge at each and every juncture, Watchtower moved the process to the Court of Appeal. Here it again failed, but lastly made an application to the Supreme Court. This was apparently Watchtower’s final available legal move to stop the investigation.

However, it appears that this final attempt has also failed. Jonathan Sanders of the Charity Commission last week reported in a letter the following update:

We opened this inquiry in 2014. Watch Tower then initiated what turned out to be protracted litigation against us. We have robustly defended our position. We were right to open the inquiry. We have won our case in every court that has heard the matter, most recently in the Court of Appeal. Watch Tower then decided to try to appeal to the Supreme Court. I am pleased to tell you that I have learned today that the Supreme Court has rejected their application. This means that there are no more domestic routes of appeal open to Watch Tower. We are therefore going to be doing what we have been doing since 2014, which is continuing with our inquiries.

This is excellent news, as it means that the Commission will now be able to carry out a full enquiry, not only into the disturbing allegations concerning the New Moston congregation, but also of the wider conduct of Watchtower in the general area of child protection.

Given the disturbing findings of the 2015 Australian Royal Commission into the same area of Watchtower conduct, such an investigation clearly has no time to lose.

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138 thoughts on “News Bulletin: Watchtower again loses legal fight to stop UK Charity Commission Investigation

  • July 30, 2016 at 3:20 pm
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    Laugh for the day. Went outside to put something in the car… My daughter runs out from behind her vehicle… all stealth and is shout/whispering at me ‘Mom! Mom!’ I turn to see her gesturing like crazy for me to go back. I look at her puzzled… still gesturing ‘Witnesses knocking on doors!, get back inside!’… a year back we would have been the ones knocking on the doors… lol how times have changed….

    • July 31, 2016 at 6:57 am
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      Was it your plan to be “HBH”? LOL.
      Sometimes when I am home on a Saturday morning, my dog will start barking at something out on the street and I wonder “could it be”? So I’ll sneak a peek through the curtains. So far, though, I have never seen anyone going door to door in my neighborhood.

      WS

      • July 31, 2016 at 7:15 am
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        I used to leave the house on a Saturday morning just in case they ‘came a calling’. I don’t think they ever will now as after all the apostate talks etc I am probably classed as a… what was it ‘ dangerous rock under the water’? or something like that. I have told those who ask why I don’t attend that my conscience will no longer allow me to sit at the hall and condone what is going on in the Org. Funny enough no one has ever asked me what I mean….. hmm.

        I just found it so funny my daughter was in ‘Danger! JW alert’ mode.

        • July 31, 2016 at 8:52 am
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          @ Tara:

          I think you have your answer.

          To know the Truth about the Truth requires a certain amount of intelligence and more important responsibility. It takes some
          fortitude to leave something that is a lie and then reveal the lie to others.

          You have acted correctly. The ‘sheeple’, like in Jesus’ day, did not bother what the ‘parable’ meant but were satisfied with the story. That is why “no one has ever asked me what I mean”. To know the real TRUTH requires change and they do not have the fortitude to ask. They are comfortable believing the lie and don’t want their ‘little world of deceit and fairy tales disturbed. My mother-in-law, unfortunately, is one of those.

          • July 31, 2016 at 9:31 am
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            @Big B
            Similar to my earlier comment to Bad Penny: for all their “studying” they don’t actually learn anything, nor do they want to.

            To quote John Lennon: “Living is easy with eyes closed; Misunderstanding all you see”

            WS

        • July 31, 2016 at 9:27 am
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          “Danger JW Alert Mode” LOL
          That makes me think of the line from the Empire Strikes Back (which by the way was condemned as demonic by several devout Jdubs): “Imperial Troops have entered base! Imperial Troops have entered the [burst of static].”

          Just replace “Imperial” with “Jdub”

          WS

          • August 1, 2016 at 8:22 pm
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            I actually had ‘Danger Will Robinson’, in my head lol

        • July 31, 2016 at 10:29 am
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          Isn’t it amazing how they are so quick to say that they “miss seeing you at the hall”, or “so and so asked about you” but they never ask why you stopped going in the first place. I guess they just don’t want to know. The JW life plan – Dig hole in sand, insert head, wait for paradise.

          • August 1, 2016 at 8:01 am
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            @ free@last;

            Unfortunately, the paradise never comes. If they ( the Governing Body) had Jehovah’s infallible Holy Spirit they would have been correct in 1975 and we would be in the NEW SYSTEM 41 years this coming October!

            Can you imagine saying “this year will be October, 41 AA or NS (after Armageddon or New System). However, with cranium firmly planted in the sand (or behind) the ‘misguided, duped sheeple continue to be played in blissful ignorance. Truly a sad, pathetic lot indeed.

          • August 1, 2016 at 10:01 am
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            I’ll take the reply by Big B a step further.

            They would have never predicted or strongly implied that the end was coming if they had God’s holy spirit. They then fit the criteria in the Bible at Deuteronomy 18:22 of being false prophets and to not be afraid of them (…or what they say).

            They predicted the end in 1914, 1925, strongly implied with fancy words in 1975, predicted it would come before the end of the 20th century.

            However, I think they might of learned their lesson because there are no more predictions coming forth. They only now say “it is very close”, “we are living deep in the time of the end”, etc. However, the damage from the false predictions made in the 20th century has been done and those just simply can’t be erased.

          • August 1, 2016 at 10:43 am
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            To clarify my reply further. The scripture at Matthew 24:36 states that “No man knows the day or the hour …neither the son” So what makes any human think they can pinpoint when the end will happen when you consider that Jesus doesn’t even know. It is foolish and presumptuous for any human to try and determine these things.

          • August 1, 2016 at 7:49 pm
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            @FullyAwake
            As a religion that attracts adherents through fear of the end of the world, they need to keep promoting the end as imminent. However, they have learned that they do serious damage to their credibility by setting dates that go unfulfilled. So now it seems like they are in a five years cycle. So many of my JW relatives have told me “it has to be within the next 5 years.” They have been saying that since the year 2000, so we are now in the start of the 4th 5-year cycle since that time. And it will potentially continue in 5-year cycles indefinitiely. 100 years from now, if some remnant of this cult remains, they will be saying, “well certainly the end will come before 2120!”

            WS

          • August 2, 2016 at 7:50 am
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            Many I know were promoting 2014 as the end being 100 years since 1914. I told them nothing is going to happen and nothing did. Others have pointed to Revelation recently as indicating that the end must be really close. Again, I believe no one can correctly interpret the book of Revelation. The R&F keep fueling the fire because of the fact that the end being imminent has been so indoctrinated into them that they just must keep on speculating. You are correct Winston. The fear of the end of the world is what keeps this religion and other cults ticking.

          • August 3, 2016 at 9:12 pm
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            Our exact experience after our long exit…’don’t ask, and please don’t tell me…’

  • July 31, 2016 at 6:39 am
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    Thank you Average Joe for the link to the UK investigation. I have passed it along. Hope it opens some eyes!

    • July 31, 2016 at 7:31 am
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      You’re welcome mate. Hopefully they will have some updated news soon that we can share.

  • August 1, 2016 at 7:46 am
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    I am so excited at how God is cleaning house of religions that do not comply to his standards. The Catholic church and the Jehovah’s Witnesses religions have been involved in child sexual abuse cases for well over 50 years.

    The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Australia) has found a plethora of criminal behavior in the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Catholic church. In the next few months, hopefully, a new Inquiry will be made in the United Kingdom called the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

    I look forward to the YouTube videos and the professional analysis of the various cases of child sexual abuse in the Jehovah’s Witnesses religion and the Catholic Church.

    The IICSA has a great YouTube channel at IICSA YouTube

    • August 1, 2016 at 1:40 pm
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      Thank you for the link, Doc Obvious, and, as opposed to some people who state that the subject of child sexual abuse and subsequent cover-ups have been “milked to death”, and their dearest wish being that that was the case, the subject is only just gaining traction. Perhaps they know that and are fearful for their immoral lifestyles which they willingly prioritize over the rape of children. True, the public have become slightly immune to hearing about such matters, but the authorities haven’t.

      Anybody involved in the process of exposing these criminals deserves full support and anybody attempting to hinder that process or attempting to somehow normalize such behavior only exposes themselves for who and what they truly are.

      Thank you JW Survey and JW Facts.

      • August 1, 2016 at 4:24 pm
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        You’re welcome, Outandabout.

        These religious groups are given way too much freedom and have absolute power. None of Jesus Christ’s apostles were lawyers and more than likely would not have been. Jesus took care of people. Period. These religions who have internal legal departments should be a sign. They do not just use their legal departments for actual religious freedoms, they use them for any occasion. Really, people should be aware of these lawsuits, Inquiries, and Commissions that pertain to their religions instead of being blind to the fact. Usually these religion’s leaders hide behind their lawyers and let the lawyers to mop up the mess. Watchtower running away from their issues and blaming victims is outrageous. Indecorous behavior by a religious institution. It is truly sickening.

        • August 1, 2016 at 5:42 pm
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          @Doc,
          The problem is that any entity today that wants to own assets or to even function needs to have legal counsel. Even the non profit professional society I belong to has legal counsel. It’s simply not practical for a non profit to exist in this day and age without some form of legal cousel.

          Of course, i think organized religion in general is or can be dangerous. I just don’t think the fact that whether or not they seek legal aid either through an external service or an internal department is a good indicator as to an organization’s motives. I will agree that the JW org’s use of an internal legal team and the legal systems is counterintuitive to its mandates against higher education and the worldly systems in general. Ever notice that when the legal system rules in their favor it is divine intervention, but when it rules against them it is Satanic persecution? So who really is in control here? Is I the devil’s system or God’s?

          WS

          • August 2, 2016 at 6:33 am
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            Here is my question. How many lawyers you know work for under $500 USD a month? This is the amount of money Watchtower’s lawyers make. Lawyers have been around even before Jesus was born on the earth. When Jesus was before the government and his life was on the line, don’t you think he would have needed a lawyer? Jesus handled the matter himself. I believe Watchtower uses the judicial system as a toy. Common people today do not have the luxury of using the judicial system like Watchtower. I do agree with your questions at the end. Everybody loves the judicial system when it goes along with their philosophy. They demonize it when it does not. When the tables are turned, we see the real Watchtower. In addition, the publisher money that is being spent on this legal issue that is not related to their “preaching work” is also of issue. They should be going outside their legal department and finding lawyers to represent them. I do not like when common people have to pay for other company’s bad policies and to continue to pay to a never ending criminal case.

      • August 1, 2016 at 4:33 pm
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        I’m sorry, one more item. I think the communities that the Jehovah’s Witnesses do their activity is without constraint and shows a lack of disinterest in CSA. Until CSA happens to their child, then it becomes an issue. Years ago, neighbors were more close knit. They would talk to each other. Child Sexual Abuse was not tolerated in their neighborhood or community. Neighbors would block the Witnesses if they knew that some of them were pedophiles. They would tell them to go away or face mob activity. I do believe that the latest Watchtower Supreme Court case needs to go back and reverse their terrible decision with this new line of evidence.

  • August 2, 2016 at 6:50 pm
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    The latest John Cedars video of the Watchtower letter about Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is absolutely horrific. The statement that stands out in my mind is the following: “4. The Scriptures place the responsibility on parents for teaching and protecting their children (Eph. 6:4). The scripture in Ephesians makes no reference to “protecting children”. This is made up by Watchtower. So, in other words, Watchtower does not want to be responsible and deflects all responsibility to parents regarding protecting children. Watchtower is under no obligation to protect children. If your child gets sexually abuse it is the parents fault for not doing enough. However, Watchtower will only assist in giving you parents information on how to leave Child Sexual Abuse in Jehovah’s hands. Just keep drinking the Kool-Aid and things will hopefully turn out better for you. Oh, and please parents if the abuser is an elder, do not tell the authorities that he is a person taking the lead and is under the jurisdiction of Watchtower. That would be bad. And, as Lloyd Evans reiterates in his commentary regarding the latest letter, the references do not tell parents or encourage parents to go to the police. I am getting off my soap box.

    • August 3, 2016 at 10:45 am
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      Hi Doc, now you’re off your soap box please allow me to jump on. That letter has also made me absolutely furious! The 2 scriptures cited at the beginning, Deuteronomy 23:17, 18 and Galations 5:19-21 are ridiculous to be used in relation to CSA.
      While I’m here letting off steam – what do any of you think of the latest, as usual awful, August JW broadcast? I got fed up trying to keep count of how many times the words ‘loyal’ and ‘loyalty’ were used. If any of you have the patience to count please let us know on here. Thanks in advance!

  • August 3, 2016 at 2:13 pm
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    They are simply losing their foothold in worldly support!

    Kurt Hennig – (1 Corinthians 1:27, Isaiah 49:26, 50:4)

    “What is a “FAITHFUL and WISE or DISCRETE Slave or Servant?” as found in (Matthew 24:45-47) and what does the question mean?”
    http://www.watchtowercriminals.blogspot.com

  • August 3, 2016 at 2:41 pm
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    It was difficult to keep track of the number of times
    loyal & loyalty were used, sometimes they were used
    More than once in a single sentence.

    I counted they were repeated 76 times, plus the word
    disloyal used twice.

    Shameless brain washing that’s apparent to all but those
    still mesmerised.

  • August 3, 2016 at 2:45 pm
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    Even if WT bring their child abuse policy up to an acceptable level, it’s too much too little too late to let them and the abusers they so lovingly shield off the hook. Were the Nazi crimes forgotten and forgiven after the war? The Balkans, etc?
    Never forget that this is a 21st century cult of martyrdom. People are expected to die and actually do. Can it be any worse? It’s a sickness through and through and all cleverly disguised as something lovely.

    I wonder when the watchtower is going to shun itself, using their own guidelines to do that;

    Apostasy
    False worship
    Fornication
    Fraud
    Gambling (stock market)
    Greediness
    Idolatry
    Loose conduct
    Lying
    Non neutral activities
    Porneia
    Slander
    Smoking or selling tobacco
    Stealing
    Violation of secular law
    Wilful non support of family.

    And probably Spiritism now that the latest child abuse letter to Elders suggests the use of a therapist as an option for the abused. There’s no limit to their deceit. Whatever it takes to survive. Evil doings.

  • August 4, 2016 at 1:15 pm
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    So, if you were having a heart attack in a store and no one but a Jehovah’s Witness was around to get help or call the authorities, your hope is that the Jehovah’s Witness would not start preaching to you but would rather seek help from the authorities or store management.

    Your odds of surviving a heart attack are greater in this situation if the individual that is helping you is in a religion besides the Jehovah’s Witnesses or an atheist.

    How sad.

  • August 10, 2016 at 5:16 am
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    Just briefly read through the appeal that the WTS UK made and apart from all the legal speak, I don’t see why they view page 1, point 6, section 3 as being impossible to implement:
    “(3) the Commission is acting unlawfully in proposing that the Appellants’ Safeguarding Policy include a condition that any Elder running a Bible class must be cleared through an appropriate checking system similar to the Disclosure and Barring Service which is unlawful and/or impossible for the Appellants to implement;”

    I think that not only is it a good idea to use screening checks before appointing elders and servants (as such individuals, at least elders, are recognised as ministers by the state), but I think that those with nothing to hide, like me, would gladly submit to such a background check.

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