Calvin Rouse describes himself as "general counsel for the National Organization of Jehovah's Witnesses out of Brooklyn, New York."
While representing one of the defendants during a trial held in San Mateo County Court in Redwood City, California, on February 22, 2012, Rouse made this amazing statement:
"Ordinarily, I wouldn't be here, but this is one our 13,000 congregations in the United States. We are a heirarchial religion structured just like the Catholic Church..."
After making that amazing admission, he then goes on to almost brag about that fact:
"And when the order from the Pope comes down defrocking a priest and kicking him out, he no longer has any say in any matter in the local parish priest...in the parish."
"We brought our organizational bylaws book, our rule book here, and we are prepared to present witnesses that this is a hierarchial organization. It is governed from the top down..."
So the matter is settled. After all these years, the Watchtower finally comes right out in court and under oath, one of their own attorneys clearly states that they are just like the Catholic Church. Whatever goes on, even at the local levels, is completely controlled by the headquarters in New York state.
So all those times they said that they were not responsible for what happened in local congregations - the Watchtower leaders and legal representatives were lying. They knew that they were lying and they did that under oath too.
You can read this amazing statement and even more surprising information on my latest post at Ex-JW.com:
Menlo Park Kingdom Hall: The State Lawsuit
Article includes PDF segments of the entire trial transcript (except for one page that was left out by the court reporter).
Feel free to comment. Second federal court case continues in San Jose, California. I'll publish more on that as it becomes available.
JV