June 14, 2000 Philip Brumley, Esq., General Counsel for the Jehovah’s Witnesses, appeared before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on International Relations.
Subject: Treatment of Religious Minorities in Western Europe.
Some of the tidbits of this article, revealing the recent trend towards telling Jehovah's Witnesses that they can "vote" deceptively while they don't even believe in voting, and that they can "take a blood transfusion without fearing being excommunicated" is simply politics. The Watchtower does not want to be taxed more, and do not want the European governments to think that they are "anti-state" or even not in support of the state and its government, and so is willing to cover up the real truth in order to keep what land, finances and meeting halls they have. Below are a couple of segments of the article, revealing how much these factors play into the whole scheme.
FRANCE
The Conseil d’Etat refused to allow one of Jehovah’s Witnesses to leave a portion of her estate to the Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses in France because the court did not agree with our doctrinal rejection of blood transfusions and refusal to participate in military service. The fact that there are 3,000 French doctors who are willing to operate without blood completely eviscerates the first basis for the court’s ruling. The passing of a law on alternative non-military service in France that provides a conscientiously acceptable method for young Jehovah’s Witnesses to render ‘Caesar his due’ does away with the other reason for the Court’s refusal to recognize the legitimacy of the faith of Jehovah’s Witnesses in France.
GERMANY
The Federal Administrative Court made a decision that has far-reaching consequences for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany. They reversed two lower court decisions and refused recognition to Jehovah’s Witnesses as a "public law" corporation. Jehovah’s Witnesses had fulfilled all designated requirements, but the State introduced a new element when considering our application. It was decided that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not have the degree of loyalty required by the German State to extend favorable-status treatment. This decision is based on the fact that historically Jehovah’s Witnesses refrain from participation in political elections or holding political office.