'Change at a Dizzy Pace in Jehovah's Witness



During the past couple of years, Jehovah Witness has had several dramatic changes and challenges. It has also started reinventing itself into a new money making machine.

It has been rocked by sexual scandal. A huge case made national headlines. It was black balled by the Norwegian government. Norway, like much of Europe, collects money people voluntarily pay to denominations and passes it to those denominations. There are 20 some in the country if memory serves.

The faith has had a rock solid policy that Jehovah requires shunning of any family member that leaves the faith. Thousands of families have been destroyed by this. The Norwegian government decided this was a form of discrimination and denied collection of funds. The faith quickly reverses its stand on shunning while appealing the ruling. It eventually was reinstated but the retained the new attitude toward shunning. Now, those who spent decades in isolation from their families are bitter for their lost family lives. 

The Jehovahs had a strict dress and grooming codes. No beards for men, no slacks for women. Dresses were below the knee. These codes have now been tossed. 

Along with this has been a fire sales of Jehovah Witness churches. They have been selling them rapidly. Some have significant membership but JW is kicking them out and selling. It bought some pricy real estate in NYC and is building a state of the art video production facility. Apparently a few male executives will run a broadcast enterprise and enrich themselves accordingly.

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