By Hans Christian Bergsjo
Thursday February 13, 2025
TRIAL Jehovah’s Witnesses vs the State Borgarting Court of Appeal
Thursday is the second to last day of the trial between Jehovah’s Witnesses and the state
Jehovah’s Witnesses attorney Anders Stray Ryssdal continued his argument reiterating that neither psychological violence nor negative social control are legal terms.
Regardless the state has not proven the existence of any form of negative social control within Jehovah’s Witnesses.
They have only demonstrated a Bible based social distancing Ryssdal said on Thursday.
Photo Bjorn Olav Hammerstad
He also repeated that no other country except Russia has gone as far as Norway in discriminating against religious communities.
Facing Opposition
Later on Thursday government attorney Liv Inger Gjone Gabrielsen began her argument. She represents the state on behalf of the Ministry of Children and Families.
Gabrielsen made it clear that the state does not view religious freedom as a problem contrary to Ryssdals claims on Wednesday.
Jehovah’s Witnesses lawyer criticizes weak evidence
Scant proof from hostile witnesses targeting an entire religious community
Religious freedom is something the state values highly and it extends far. But the rights a religious community has because of it are not unlimited.
The Case
In January 2022 the County Governor of Oslo and Viken decided that Jehovah’s Witnesses would no longer receive state funding. In December 2022 they were also denied official registration as a religious community. The Ministry of Children and Families supported these decisions.
The reason for these rulings is the claim that Jehovah’s Witnesses practice of exclusion expelling members violates children’s rights particularly their right to protection from psychological violence.
Jehovah’s Witnesses lost the case in district court in January 2024. The ruling was appealed and is now being heard in the Borgarting Court of Appeal.
A key argument from Gabrielsen was that the state is not taking action against individual members but rather the religious community as a whole. She questioned whether individual religious freedom and children’s rights should take precedence over religious freedom when these rights conflict.
Former Jehovah’s Witness in court
I was torn between suicide and leaving the faith
There is a limit to what religious communities can do. This is an attempt to balance the rights of individuals and religious groups she said regarding the decisions to revoke Jehovah’s Witnesses state funding and registration.
The State Maintains Its Position
Gabrielsen also emphasized that the case is not about adults being excluded. It is about children.
She upheld several key points
Jehovah’s Witnesses hinder their members from leaving the faith. The state argues this is due to the social consequences of leaving.
The state believes that children may face isolation if they break religious rules. They may also have to appear before judicial committees where elders decide on exclusion.
The state argues that there is legal basis in the Religious Communities Act to deny state funding and registration.
STANDS FIRM
Photo Bjorn Olav Hammerstad
Liv Inger Gjone Gabrielsen government attorney representing the state in the case against Jehovah’s Witnesses upholds the decision to deny funding and registration for the religious community.
Pointing to Violations
The government attorney also made it clear that there is sufficient legal basis to deny funding and registration. She thoroughly reviewed relevant sections of the Religious Communities Act.
Jehovah’s Witnesses fighting for many peoples rights
The law states that religious and belief communities can be denied registration based on several conditions. Gabrielsen argues that Jehovah’s Witnesses violate children’s rights and that systematic persistent or intentional violations occur.
How Jehovah’s Witnesses Can Be Denied Funding
There is a legal foundation for denying funding.
According to Section 4 third paragraph of the Religious Communities Act
A religious or belief community may be denied registration or its registration may be revoked if one or more of the conditions for denying funding in Section 6 are met
Section 6 first paragraph states
If a religious or belief community or individuals acting on behalf of the community violate children’s rights the community may be denied funding or have its funding reduced
Tomorrow Friday is the final day of the trial. The state will continue its argument.
Dagen reports daily from the trial.
2 replies on “Jehovah’s Witnesses Practice of Exclusion Constitutes a Serious Violation of Others Rights”
Jerome – your channel is one of my favorites, you put so much logical development into it. (an old term from our TMS!), and it has truly helped me in my waking up process. You are correct – this JW vs Norway case is all about the $$. It was interesting that the state was questioning the funding going to building kingdom halls in other countries, vs helping people in Norway. WT should not only lose their funding, but they are truly NOT a charitable organization. When natural disasters strike, for the most part, they only help rebuild their kingdom halls, to maintain their RE investments. You do not see them on the local news, as with other churches, helping ALL victims with water, food and supplies. You can look at the news section of their website for confirmation of this. You also do not see them feeding the poor, or donating to homeless shelters. Their (current $60 billion) funds go to building bigger HQ resorts, for the main purpose of recruiting more members. So, besides defunding, should governments also start issuing property taxes, since they are really not charitable organizations?
One would think being a charitable organization would be a requirement to obtaining charitable status. Watchtower appears to present a contradiction. On the one hand they proclaim that out of obedience to Jesus, they are no part of the world. (John 17:14) On the other hand they demand tax exempt status, legal vindication and financial support from the world.