Custody Issues Need Serious Answers

There is a lot to say regarding a parent that gets involved in a custody battle with Jehovah's Witnesses. The religion keeps fourteen lawyers on staff with a vow of poverty to coach members into misleading the court as to the real belief and practices that children will be required to follow as active members. While religion is always a sticky subject before a judge the facts must answer to what is in the best interests of the child. JWs doctrine require that the child isolate themselves from society, alienate themselves from the non witness parent, and in the event of emergency choose death before accepting a blood transfusion. Would you want your child in this environment? To show the court how this happens and why will often result in a favorable judgment for the non witness parent. The key is to break down the facts as to what is expected of the child and what they will be required to practice as a church going member. Example? Five meetings a week, preparation for those meetings, door to door sales each week of church literature, no socialization with any child outside the religion, no holidays, no higher education, no school activities, absolute belief that all mankind will be destroyed by God (including non JW family) at any minute with the only exception being JWs.

The child becomes withdrawn from emotional attachment to non JW family members as they are taught since they are going to be killed by God it is better not to get too close to them. This is often stated by members to children. Does this foster normal family interaction? Children are torn between two worlds as a simple choice of life or death depending on whether they choose to follow church doctrine or try to have normal relations with both parents. Helping the court to understand this can be accomplished by carefully prepared depositions that help explain how the indoctrination works as well as showing previous court rulings that show "best interests" cannot be dictated by a religion. While this may seem to be a daunting task if it is approached in a methodical way the judge will have a simple decision to make with the evidence at hand. We hope this information is helpful to explaining the difficult position of many parents when faced with these issues on custody matters.

JWCC