Hi.
I just found a danish article in "jyllands posten" (yea, the ones who printed drawings of muhammed once)
I hope that my translation is ok, otherwise, please tell me if there is somewhere you dont understand it.
Jehovahs Witnesses to be investigated
Members are encouraged by the leaders, to cease contact with those leaving the society.
The management of jehovahs witnesses constantly encourage and guide the 14.500 members in Denmark, to break contact with individuals who leave the religion.
This is what the support group for formers jehovahs witnesses is accusing of.
Experienced it
»It is not merely a claim from our side. As former jehovahs witnesses we have experienced it from inside – and seen what happens when you break out« Says the support group's chairman Poul Dal.
He is a former »elder« in Jehovah's witnesses, as the forerunners of the religion are called. Poul Dal refers to the July edition of the religion's magazine "the watchtower", where the apostates are descriped as "mentally ill"
»Jehovahs Witnesses is a very conceit society. a lot of the members end up married to each other, and a lot being related to each other. That is why it has tremendous consequenses for the individual, who chooses to leave the society. You cant just leave Jehovah's witnesses and join the danish church or another religion. You will be shunned, and your friends, acquaintances and family within the society will be told to avoid contact with you« he says.
Spokesperson denies
The spokesperson for jehovah's witnesses in Denmark, Erik Jørgesen, denies that apostate members are considered mentally ill.
»But in the perspective of following the correct teachings, they have a sick perception of things. And the bible clearly shows, how we should view apostates.« Says Erik Jørgensen
Jehovah's witnesses have been preaching in Denmark since the 1890's, but were not accepted as a religion before 1970.
That happened in connection with the introduction of a new marriage legislation, where Jehovah's Witness were allowed to administer weddings.
Meanwhile Jehovah's witnesses - quite surprisingly - were accepted as a religious society, and achieved a number of tax advantages. Today we have a special guidance for approval of religious societies, where a number of criteria must be met. In these guidelines it is stated (among other things) that it is regarded a prerequisite, that approved religions like the general society, respect human rights, especially freedom of religion and belief, including the right to change religion, or to choose to not associate with a religion.
»Jehovah's witnesses does not meet these requirements« is the opinion of Poul Dal, head of support group for former Jehovah's witnesses.
Political processing
Spokesperson of churches Per Bisgaard, is going to present the case to the legal comittee, and the church comittee. While "de radikales" spokesperson of churches Bente Dahl because of the accusations, have raised a question regarding paragraph 20, to the minister of justice Lars Barfoed.
Bente Dahl requests an answer to, whether there is enough documentation, to prove that jehovah's witnesses today meets the current requirements, as an approved religious society.
(this is where it gets real interesting)
»As politicians, we are not to mendle with peoples private, social relations. But if the leaders of a religious society recommends, that its members should avoid contact and association with persons, who leave the society, we have a serious problem« Bente Dahl states.
The minister of justice Lars Barfoed do not wish to comment the case, before he have given an answer to the parliament.
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Does this mean that Denmark is going to be an even more harder place for the WTB? It is not an easy country to run a religion in. It is also often regarded as the most difficult country to preach in, as people generally dont care about religion.