It seems new directions may be opening up for those who have been tricked by religion. Did you sell your home before 1975 to pioneer? Did you pioneer thinking the end would come within five years? Did you forgo a college education to preach? How much did it cost you? Did you lose money in a businnes deal with brothers and the elders told you to make peace with your brother? How about a family inheritance being donated to a religion that lied about the time of the end?
It might be open season soon if the courts continue to rule in this direction. How do you think WT lawyers will fare before a jury when it can be legally proven they have committed fraud by lying to their members in the pages of Watchtowers?
Quote:
"God's people have always been persecuted and right now is no different."
Yea, right, you know that can go both directions....
. http://www.canoe.ca/CNEWSWeirdNews0201/30_wom-ap.html
Women win cash for religious deception
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A jury awarded $290,000 to two women who said they were deceived by a fundamentalist church whose leaders promised to produce Jesus Christ in the flesh.
The True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of the Saints of the Last Days was ordered Monday to pay $270,000 to Kaziah Hancock and more than $20,000 to Cindy Stewart for fraud, breach of contract and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
As a condition of church membership, Hancock gave 67 acres of her farm and shares of water rights to the church for redistribution among members. Stewart contributed money from her retirement plan, attorney Don Redd said.
In return, church founder Jim Harmston promised payments on other property, membership in heaven's elite and the chance to meet Christ on earth, Redd said.
The eight-member jury threw out complaints of racketeering and unjust enrichment against the church and Harmston.
Harmston refused to comment and referred questions to his attorney, Mark Middlemas. Middlemas did not return calls Tuesday.
Harmston's wife, Elaine, told The Salt Lake Tribune that she was disappointed with the verdict, adding: "God's people have always been persecuted and right now is no different."