Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2002, Page 79
Answer: I will answer that yes, unhesitatingly.
Prosecutor: Do you call that religion?
Answer: It certainly is.
Prosecutor: Do you call it Christianity?
Answer: I certainly do.
(Douglas Walsh v. The Right Honorable James Latham Clyde Scottish Court of Sessions,
November, 1954, p.347-348, Cross Examination of Fred Franz also see entire testimony for
other examples).
The Preparing for Child Custody Booklet
Watchtower legal battles have ―become so common [that] they offer its followers a
pamphlet entitled ‗Preparing for Child Custody Cases‘ (Montgomery, 1992, p. 14)‖ intended
for Witnesses facing court custody battles. The booklet, which openly advocates deception
and advises Witnesses to deceive the court, was
… designed for their internal use in helping their members prepare to discuss
custody matters in divorce hearings [and] encourages Witness children, under
oath, to present a distorted view of the opportunities that a Witness child has
to assume a place in the larger world. An example of this is the comment in
this publication that Witness children could become journalists (a vocation
requiring a college degree), when attending college is at best strongly
discouraged, and at worst condemned by the Witnesses as a vehicle by which
Witness children can lose their faith and be subjected to immoral association
(Duron, 1991, p. 18).
Court testimony states:
Watchtower attorney Wah also stated under oath that she assisted the Society
in writing the booklet Preparing for Child Custody Cases in about 1986, and
admitted the booklet was produced because of a growing concern about
articles published in the social science and psychological literature by
Watchtower critics that were detrimental to the Society‘s interests. (Hetrick v.
Hetrick, Blair Court Common Pleas No 2240 CP 1991 p. 259, Wah
testimony)..
The Watchtower legal department is now to be contacted by the congregation elders in all
custody and other cases involving individual Witnesses and religion (Confidential
Watchtower letters dated 1989, 1991). Not uncommonly, even if the Witness hires a
secular attorney, the Watchtower Society will provide extensive free-of-charge legal services
and assistance by the Watchtower legal staff (see Watch Tower, Our Kingdom Ministry, Aug.
1992, Vol. 35, No. 8, p. 7 and Feb, 1996 p. 3). Because several of the Watchtower‘s full-
time attorneys focus on defending Witnesses in custody cases, they have developed an
enormous amount of experience and expertise in this area, and they know how to deal with
the courts to their advantage.
Walker (1990) concludes from his study of the custody booklet and the Watchtower's letters
relating to this issue that the Watchtower advises Witnesses to paint a decidedly untrue
picture in court to the extent that they are in certain situations ―to say in court the exact
opposite of what they would normally say in a Kingdom Hall‖ (p. 7). An example is the
Watchtower booklet, School and Jehovah’s Witnesses, and official teachings that for years
have openly condemned involvement of Witness children in organized sports and all after
school activities, hobbies, and higher education, concluding that this time should be used
principally to pursue Watchtower interests. The Watchtower, though, instructs Witnesses to
Answer: I will answer that yes, unhesitatingly.
Prosecutor: Do you call that religion?
Answer: It certainly is.
Prosecutor: Do you call it Christianity?
Answer: I certainly do.
(Douglas Walsh v. The Right Honorable James Latham Clyde Scottish Court of Sessions,
November, 1954, p.347-348, Cross Examination of Fred Franz also see entire testimony for
other examples).
The Preparing for Child Custody Booklet
Watchtower legal battles have ―become so common [that] they offer its followers a
pamphlet entitled ‗Preparing for Child Custody Cases‘ (Montgomery, 1992, p. 14)‖ intended
for Witnesses facing court custody battles. The booklet, which openly advocates deception
and advises Witnesses to deceive the court, was
… designed for their internal use in helping their members prepare to discuss
custody matters in divorce hearings [and] encourages Witness children, under
oath, to present a distorted view of the opportunities that a Witness child has
to assume a place in the larger world. An example of this is the comment in
this publication that Witness children could become journalists (a vocation
requiring a college degree), when attending college is at best strongly
discouraged, and at worst condemned by the Witnesses as a vehicle by which
Witness children can lose their faith and be subjected to immoral association
(Duron, 1991, p. 18).
Court testimony states:
Watchtower attorney Wah also stated under oath that she assisted the Society
in writing the booklet Preparing for Child Custody Cases in about 1986, and
admitted the booklet was produced because of a growing concern about
articles published in the social science and psychological literature by
Watchtower critics that were detrimental to the Society‘s interests. (Hetrick v.
Hetrick, Blair Court Common Pleas No 2240 CP 1991 p. 259, Wah
testimony)..
The Watchtower legal department is now to be contacted by the congregation elders in all
custody and other cases involving individual Witnesses and religion (Confidential
Watchtower letters dated 1989, 1991). Not uncommonly, even if the Witness hires a
secular attorney, the Watchtower Society will provide extensive free-of-charge legal services
and assistance by the Watchtower legal staff (see Watch Tower, Our Kingdom Ministry, Aug.
1992, Vol. 35, No. 8, p. 7 and Feb, 1996 p. 3). Because several of the Watchtower‘s full-
time attorneys focus on defending Witnesses in custody cases, they have developed an
enormous amount of experience and expertise in this area, and they know how to deal with
the courts to their advantage.
Walker (1990) concludes from his study of the custody booklet and the Watchtower's letters
relating to this issue that the Watchtower advises Witnesses to paint a decidedly untrue
picture in court to the extent that they are in certain situations ―to say in court the exact
opposite of what they would normally say in a Kingdom Hall‖ (p. 7). An example is the
Watchtower booklet, School and Jehovah’s Witnesses, and official teachings that for years
have openly condemned involvement of Witness children in organized sports and all after
school activities, hobbies, and higher education, concluding that this time should be used
principally to pursue Watchtower interests. The Watchtower, though, instructs Witnesses to
