Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2002, Page 77
Watchtower applied the rule in this case, and openly lied about destroying the documents.
In Henricksen‘s words:
The fact that the JWs will tell lies if necessary—also in order to cover up
things that are embarrassing to them—has been shown by this ―file case‖
several times. At times the organization denied the existence of such files
when the newspapers reported it stolen. Jorgen Larsen and Erik Jorgensen
(both from the branch office in Holbaek) have spoken lies several times in
newspapers and on the news program of Denmark‘s channel 2. They denied
several facts that later became public knowledge (1993, p. 3).
Other dishonesty in this case includes the Watchtower claim that a file was kept for only five
years after a person is readmitted following their disfellowshipment. The Copenhagen
Politiken uncovered a document showing that ―several of the registered cases were more
than forty years old and were stamped ‗must not be destroyed‘‖ and also included cases in
which the expelled Witnesses had been readmitted (Henricksen, 1993, pp. 3-4). The
Watchtower further claimed that the number of cases in each local storage site is limited to
between 0 and ―maybe‖ 7 or 10. Henricksen‘s investigation concluded that local files on the
average contain far more cases than this.
Many other cases of lying have been well documented, but the above is a recent case that is
not related to church doctrine, but to secular law, and is evidently an example of direct lying
to government authorities in violation of the law. This well documented case cannot be
claimed to be due to a misunderstanding or poor communication.
Magnani also claims that the Watchtower uses the doctrine on their own members. An
example he gives is as follows:
When curious people examine the Watchtower‘s history, they find numerous
facts that the present day Society tries to cover up. For instance, Watchtower
leaders are very embarrassed that the Society‘s founder, Charles Taze Russell,
was nearly worshipped by Watchtower followers for many years. Since the
Watchtower believes that Russell taught many false doctrines, they go to
extremes to cover up his history. (R.T. p.47 Marcus Reyes. Case 6936-C,
Abilene, TX).
One example Magnani gives is as follows: They deny ever having written a biography of
Russell‘s life. In the Watchtower‘s history book, Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose,
Page 63, we read this question:
… is it true YOU HAVE NEVER published a biography of Pastor Russell?
The answer: THAT‘S RIGHT. Jehovah‘s Witnesses admire the qualities he
possessed as a man, but were we to give the honor and credit to Pastor
Russell, we would be saying that the works and successes were his.
This is a good example of the Watchtower‘s own use of Theocratic War
Strategy, NOT ONLY ON THE PUBLIC BUT ALSO ON JEHOVAH‘S WITNESSES
THEMSELVES. Because when we check the record we find that the
Watchtower DID publish the BIOGRAPHY OF PASTOR RUSSELL in three
successive years: 1925, 1926, and 1927! (R.T. p.47 Marcus Reyes, Case
6936-C, Abilene).
Lying In Court
The Watchtower has a long history of using the theocratic warfare doctrine in court–from
the first president, C.T. Russell, in his divorce testimony and elsewhere, to Fred Franz, a
Watchtower applied the rule in this case, and openly lied about destroying the documents.
In Henricksen‘s words:
The fact that the JWs will tell lies if necessary—also in order to cover up
things that are embarrassing to them—has been shown by this ―file case‖
several times. At times the organization denied the existence of such files
when the newspapers reported it stolen. Jorgen Larsen and Erik Jorgensen
(both from the branch office in Holbaek) have spoken lies several times in
newspapers and on the news program of Denmark‘s channel 2. They denied
several facts that later became public knowledge (1993, p. 3).
Other dishonesty in this case includes the Watchtower claim that a file was kept for only five
years after a person is readmitted following their disfellowshipment. The Copenhagen
Politiken uncovered a document showing that ―several of the registered cases were more
than forty years old and were stamped ‗must not be destroyed‘‖ and also included cases in
which the expelled Witnesses had been readmitted (Henricksen, 1993, pp. 3-4). The
Watchtower further claimed that the number of cases in each local storage site is limited to
between 0 and ―maybe‖ 7 or 10. Henricksen‘s investigation concluded that local files on the
average contain far more cases than this.
Many other cases of lying have been well documented, but the above is a recent case that is
not related to church doctrine, but to secular law, and is evidently an example of direct lying
to government authorities in violation of the law. This well documented case cannot be
claimed to be due to a misunderstanding or poor communication.
Magnani also claims that the Watchtower uses the doctrine on their own members. An
example he gives is as follows:
When curious people examine the Watchtower‘s history, they find numerous
facts that the present day Society tries to cover up. For instance, Watchtower
leaders are very embarrassed that the Society‘s founder, Charles Taze Russell,
was nearly worshipped by Watchtower followers for many years. Since the
Watchtower believes that Russell taught many false doctrines, they go to
extremes to cover up his history. (R.T. p.47 Marcus Reyes. Case 6936-C,
Abilene, TX).
One example Magnani gives is as follows: They deny ever having written a biography of
Russell‘s life. In the Watchtower‘s history book, Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose,
Page 63, we read this question:
… is it true YOU HAVE NEVER published a biography of Pastor Russell?
The answer: THAT‘S RIGHT. Jehovah‘s Witnesses admire the qualities he
possessed as a man, but were we to give the honor and credit to Pastor
Russell, we would be saying that the works and successes were his.
This is a good example of the Watchtower‘s own use of Theocratic War
Strategy, NOT ONLY ON THE PUBLIC BUT ALSO ON JEHOVAH‘S WITNESSES
THEMSELVES. Because when we check the record we find that the
Watchtower DID publish the BIOGRAPHY OF PASTOR RUSSELL in three
successive years: 1925, 1926, and 1927! (R.T. p.47 Marcus Reyes, Case
6936-C, Abilene).
Lying In Court
The Watchtower has a long history of using the theocratic warfare doctrine in court–from
the first president, C.T. Russell, in his divorce testimony and elsewhere, to Fred Franz, a
