JW's on German national TV ARD

Sect or religion? Jehovah's Witnesses fight for acknowledgment

Sect or religion? Jehovah's Witnesses fight for acknowledgment as church for 13 years in Germany. For 13 years they argue by all instances about the equalization with the catholic and the Evangelist church. They are nearly at the goal. In few weeks the courts decide whether the Jehovah's Witnesses may levy church tax in the future and operate kindergartens. But the Jehovah's Witnesses are brought again and again with sexual abuse of children in connection. Are they nevertheless recognized? Marcus Weller shows the interior life of an organization, which shrinks from the public. We had already reported into contrasts on the Jehovah's Witnesses, on cases of child abuse. It was particularly heavy for the concerning to look for assistance because the members are not to call the lay courts. The community rejects the state as system Satans. But the material support by our State of, those would like it already, including all privileges. Now the court must decide whether the Jehovah's Witnesses are recognized as a body of public right. Then they might levy church tax and for their youth work would get them automatically money of the state, which they call nevertheless in their writings devil work. Michael Heine and Marcus Weller with rare views of the interior life of an organization, which shrinks from the public.

The world fall, the total destruction. The end of all disbelieving ones. Already soon it will so far be. In it the Jehovah's Witnesses believe. Only they will survive. For more than 100 years already they wait for the approaching end, because then the paradies follows it: No wrong, no diseases and eternal peace on ground connection - that is the promise. "it will wipe each tear off of its eyes and death will be no more." the strictly led organization counts 190,000 trailers - alone in Germany. Their members reject the lay order as system Satans, in addition also the state with all its institutions counts. Paradoxically: Nevertheless they fight before court for the acknowledgment by straight this state. They would be then the office churches on an equal footing. It does not concern here however faith contents. Crucial is only, as the organization deals with the rights of its members. The Kirchenrechtler Professor Ralf Abel was intensively occupied with the Jehovah's Witnesses: Professor Ralf Abel:
"the condition says one, in a general manner: everyone can do and leave which it wants, but: it must respect the rights other and it must the general order accept." To this different in the sense also the members of the organization belong to the condition. Particularly door-willing has heavy conditions with the witnesses. And who offends against the strict rules of the Jehovah's Witnesses, the separation from the own family and the social isolation risks. Because Jehova does not bear a contradiction. An amateur video shows now for the first time, what the witnesses of critics in the own rows hold: Amateur video:
"and there should be under the members of the large people quantity someone, which embodies a notorious spirit of a Noerglers or a know-it-all, someone means to have to transform the theokratische organization from down he should change if he liked to remain a far guest in tents." The court will also have itself to employ with how the Jehovah's Witnesses deal with their children: which role plays physical corporal punishment and in what respect a personality-disturbing bulkheading of the external world takes place. Professor Ralf Abel:
"with the respected rights the other one it depends naturally also on as one deals for example with the own protection-ordered. Thus for example with child under age as coined/shaped, some say possibly to be trained, like SE to ideas of the Jehovah's Witnesses be subjected." Already one year ago it reported CONTRASTE that the Jehovah's Witnesses in many cases hurt the rights of their children. An example under many: Ursel wagner was nine years old, when she was sexually abused by a Jehovah's Witness. Ursel wagner:
"there the brother came regularly to attendance and to my parents offered, hey, I brings the small one in the bed, I reads out to her still another history, makes it determines fun." Cornelia wagner:
"you must introduce yourselves, I stand and make my handle laundry, Mach mean washing-up and this young man are in the room of my daughter, read out to her stories and continue to abuse them a room." Ursels parents, even glaeubige Jehovah's Witnesses, contact - as prescribed - the religious community. But the oldest ones of the municipality require to regulate the thing internally: Cornelia wagner:
"I could not believe that, what these people of me to require now, what I do should, i.e. are silent." For Stefan Wolf [www.infolink-net.de] has this proceeding method. The former Jehovah's Witness documented numerous of such cases: Stefan wolf:
"the concerning have themselves to the elder turned, which were first question, give it to witnesses for it and the second action consisted of saying to the victim it is not or it is not about it to talk. It is tried in all rule to clarify the whole internally. If the author repents it, there were such cases also, then, okay, dear child, you is evenly said must forgive it, because Jehova also forgave it." Layman courts with the Jehovah's Witnesses. In the text book for the oldest ones "Pay attention..." is called it: Quotation: "certain disputes... should not become delivered before lay courts...." "... it lies with the elders to decide whether the statements are reliable" Wants to be called: Even if children are abused, the witnesses try to prevent Jehovas that the victims before lay courts look for assistance. The organization strives for it - as in this advertising video - to up-polish their image. Because with the acknowledgment as church it concerns also much money and power. So the Jehovah's Witnesses could among other things. Church tax to draw in leave, their youth work would be automatically eligible for promotion and they could own representatives into public committees e.g. broadcast councils send. They would have a national seal right. So they might authenticate officially for documents. Stefan wolf:
"if they absolutely and at very much expenditure this body status to attain want, conclude I from the fact that they have other motives, which do not have to do nothing at all with religion. And there only monetary reasons actually occur to me." The center of the Jehovah's Witnesses in the Taunus: KONTRASTE naturally asked for an interview . But the organization partitions itself and places unacceptable demands. In a letter not intended for the publication the "Glaeubigen" demands from the Taunus: Quotation: "the statements unabridged and ungeschnitten sent, without these are commentated." With such methods an independent reporting is to be prevented. Because into the public only that is to arrive, which in its magazines "being awake tower" and "awake" one announces. Freedom of religion against rights of the children. The higher administrative court Berlin will now finally have to clarify whether the Jehovah's Witnesses fulfill the criteria for the acknowledgment. If the organization should be once recognized only, you can be taken the body rights only with difficulty again - so it wants the law. original page: http://www.kontraste.de/0403/manuskripte/txt_jehova.html

video also available here: http://www.kontraste.de - click LETZTE SENDUNG and then under 5. Sekte oder Religion? Zeugen Jehovas kämpfen um Anerkennung als Kirche click this button

Leaders of the German Branch wrote a letter to the editors of KONTRASTE magazine and also published it on official german JW page:

http://www.zeugenjehovas.de/akt/pmg/2004/rbb1.pdf translation via altavista

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