Morten Dahlin emphasizes that Jehovah’s Witnesses must behave properly and follow Danish law’
Ekstra Bladet uncovers the finances of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the people behind, the rules and the life of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
It comes after the organization presented their members in March with a number of new rules that have resulted in several former members being sought out and tried to get back to the faith community.
Read about the new rules here, and keep up with Ekstra Bladet coverage of the faith community at Ekstrabladet.dk.
A week ago, the church minister, Morten Dahlin, announced that the Church Ministry has begun a supervisory case against Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The inspection case is based on a number of critical conditions that Ekstra Bladet has revealed.
Until now, the Minister of the Church did not wish to appear for an interview, but on Tuesday on the opening day of the Danish Parliament, Ekstra Bladet caught the minister:
“The overhaul is underway, it’s underway and before it’s completed, I don’t have the opportunity to say much else. But as a recognized religious community, you have a special obligation to behave properly and treat your members with respect
Ekstra Bladet has been in contact with the Church Ministry’s press department, which states that Jehovah’s Witnesses have been asked to answer a number of questions by October 9. After that, different professionals will assess the further development of the case.
Mental violence
Psychologist Susanne Benderfeldt has stated to Ekstra Bladet that she believes that Jehovah’s Witnesses clearly expose their members to psychological violence, which is illegal in Denmark and thus inconsistent with being a recognized religious community.
For this announcement, Morten Dahlin had the following answer:
– You do not have to engage in psychological violence against your members, you have to behave properly, and you have to comply with Danish law. It has a special obligation to do so as a recognized religious community,” said Morten Dahlin.
Standstill for six months
In March this year, Morten Dahlin stated in a radio program that he would take a closer look at the requirements for being a recognized religious community for, among other things, Jehovah’s Witnesses. But for over six months nothing has happened.
– I think it is wrong to say that nothing has happened, because a supervisory case has been initiated, said the Minister of the Church, who has only created a supervisory case after Ekstra Bladet’s revelations.
Jehovah – what for something?
Ekstra Bladet tried in vain to get more politicians talking about the critical conditions in Jehovah’s Witnesses, but several did not know about the case.
The Danish People’s Party’s Mikkel Bjørn and Morten Messerschmidt, who otherwise tend to have a strong attitude towards Islamic religious movements, are not that familiar with what Jehovah’s Witnesses are as a religious community.
Messerschmidt, who is the Danish People’s Party’s new church spokesman, declined to respond as he did not know about the case, and from Mikkel Bjørn was the answer:
“I’m not so much into it, other than that I’ve read some headlines. Immediately I think it sounds like something has been going on that has not happened.
SF’s church spokesman, Theresa Berg Andersen, on the other hand, said that she believes that Jehovah’s Witnesses should be controlled more:
“SF strongly distances themselves from the revelations that have come forward. The church minister has finally set something in motion that will provide extra control of Jehovah’s Witnesses. There must be a great deal of attention on this, said the church spokesman.
The church spokesperson for the Liberal Party, Lars Christian Lilleholt, did not keep secret what he thinks about Ekstra Bladet’s revelations about Jehovah’s Witnesses.
It sounds awful, like a state within the state. It is very far from the humanitarian vision that I have. That’s why I’m very, very pleased that it’s being investigated.