The charity Commission has refused charity status to another religion in the recent past

by Truthexplorer 7 Replies latest social current

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  Truthexplorer

  Thought this was interesting. See link below

  http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/charity-commission-reasons-refusing-charitable-status-plymouth-brethren-included-doctrine-separation/governance/article/1165267

  In 2012, the charity commission refused charitable status to the Plymouth bretheren for a number of reasons. Some of these reasons included the 'practice' of ,'shutting up' and 'withdrawal'.

  Given what can happen (ie exclusive bretheren losing charitable status) and the fact that Watchtower have pissed off the cc by going to great lengths- fighting tooth and nail- to prevent their investigations into WT policies on handling child abuse cases, domestic violence and shunning here in the uk; even taking their case to the supreme court, yet lost! WT lawyers and branch committee members must be getting pretty nervous knowing they have to face a tenacious charity commission who will go through everything with a fine tooth comb.
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  Brokeback Watchtower

  Here's a quote from the replies found when I clicked your link.

  The Commission has done nothing wrong. Parliament (as it is constitutionally entitled to do) has changed the law which the Commission has to follow. The revised law clearly states that it is no longer automatically the case that religious activity alone can be considered charitable - there must also be Public Benefit from those activities.

  Looks like a loss of status in the UK for the WT is assured. WT message of doom and isolation from the world that is soon to be destroyed according to their message as well as shunning members oughta cost them big time.

  Their treatment of members who have devoted themselves to slave labor for the corporation and then let go without any warning and give them nothing substantial to live on and help them get back on their feet financially should be reviewed too, and a good look at what is happening in Spain and WT will definitely help the Judges to see how utterly worthless this corporation is as far as public benefit is concerned.
  
  
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  Mephis

  The difference in this case was that the application for charitable status was initially rejected. It wasn't removing charitable status from them. In the end, the brethren congregation concerned got their status in return for a few minor amendments to making information on their meetings available to the public and in promises to make sure teens leaving the group would not be left destitute by their shunning practices.

  There's a very, very long way before the WBTS has its charitable status revoked here in Britain. At any point the WBTS can new light some understanding that having an effective child safeguarding policy isn't a breach of their religious freedoms. They already rationalise reporting laws in that way, while fighting tooth and nail against reporting where the laws are not specific enough or do not exist.
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  Brokeback Watchtower

  I'm glad the GB are going to have to face some wake up calls for their bad behavior. I wonder what the Legal department at Bethel will have to educate the GB on in order to get thru to these GB jerkoffs to start straightening out their act before they sink the whole corporation due to their shear stupidity.
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  Vidiot

  Mephis - "There's a very, very long way before the WBTS has its charitable status revoked here in Britain..."

  Oh, I don't think it'll be that long.
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  Mephis

  The commission has a number of powers over charities, so it's more likely we'll see those used first to put effective safeguarding policies into place rather than the commission opening a nasty political row over religious charities. Trustees, under British law, have a duty to the charity's interests over any religious ideology and that would seem a much easier (and already proven) way to achieve the fundamental aim of ensuring adequate policies are in place to protect children and vulnerable adults.
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  Truthexplorer

  Anything that will improve WT policies such as safeguarding is a step in the right direction
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  Vidiot

  In a way, if/when the WTS loses its charity status, it'll serve 'em right...

  ...not only for the (highly justifiable) reasons they lose it, but also for originally compromising their vaunted "no-part-of-this-world" principles in striving to obtain tax-exempt status in the first place. :smirk: