JWS Claim Literature is “Secret”
Jehovah’s Witnesses Sue, Claim Their Widely Distributed Literature is “Secret”
The Canadian branch of the religious sect Watchtower Bible and Tract Society and leader of Jehovah’s Witnesses, has filed a $100,000 lawsuit against the creator of http://quotes.watchtower.ca/ web site, claiming their own Watchtower articles are “embarrassing” to the Watchtower itself. “As a result of his activities, the Plaintiffs [Watchtower Society] have suffered and will continue to suffer damages, including but not limited to loss of reputation and goodwill.
The lawsuit comes as a surprise to many as all of Watchtower’s texts are faithfully reprinted without commentary or criticism. The creator of Quotes web site stated “Yes, this is pretty amazing. “Confidential information”, indeed! I don’t recall it being labeled as such when I was delivering it to strangers homes!” Quotes is an ex-Jehovah witness.
The site itself is a great resource, and I am particularly fond of the footer:
This site is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by:
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania,
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.,
International Bible Students Association (I.B.S.A.),
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Britain,
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada,
Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
Religious Order of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
Kingdom Support Services, Inc.,
Watchtower Export Services & Trading (West) Ltd.,
Watchtower Enterprises Limited,
Watchtower Enterprises, L.L.C.,
Watchtower Associates, Ltd.,
Watchtower Foundation, Inc.,
Watch Tower Convention,
Watchtower (U K) Ltd.,
Watchtower Ltd.,
or any other Watch Tower Society affiliate, division, corporation, or entity.
okay, I guess they’re weirder than I thought…
This is a marvelous admission. The Elite of the JW Society would keep the truth from both Outsiders and subservient members of lower Rank or Status. Thus they prove that they exist in lies and are a society of lies.
In Canada a slander or liable suit is trickier for the Defence than in the United States. In Canada, the plaintiff does not have to prove the statements made were false, simply that they caused damage. So our laws are more similar to Britian in this instance.
It could be the case that a person may make a statement online or in a publication that is absolutely true, but Canadian courts might find it to be slander and libelous— simply if it could be proven that making the statement caused some kind of “damages.
In the case of the Watchtower Society they might try to prove that the statement being presented would cause people to withdraw charitable donations or quit membership. In this they have a very weak case even with Canadian law, because all the Defence has to prove is that the information was already in the public domain by the Watchtower Society’s own publications which are available for display.
I find it interesting that even though I am now in my 40’s and left the J.W.’s as a teenager that I find the name of my cousin on this website. Only proving the impact that this religion had on both are lifes. Hi Graig.