In Norway, there has been wide press coverage on the suicide of a young girl, who happened to be the dauther of a member of parliament. She allegedly committed suicide after receiving a very negative result on a personality test performed by the Scientology Church in Nice.
Yesterday, there was a tv programme featuring this topic. However, Jehovahs´s witnesses were given just as broad TV coverage, showing glimpses from an international assembly, an interview with an ex-JW and a telephone call from a viewer with a JW question..
What I did not like, however, was that JWs were portrayed as a money making machine. I do agree that this label might fit the Scientology church, but a lot of statements could be made about the JW, but I do not think money would be my first target.I would have stressed shunning, disfellowshipping etc etc.
Also featured in the programme was a newspaper article based on the infamous Watchtower article that one should hate the "apostate" ones with a perfect hatred.
In the beginning it was stated that the group with the highest suicide rate was Jehovahs witnesses.
In this country, JWs are partly financially supported by the state, whereas the Scientology church is denied such support, much to the dismay of that church.
JWs rank among the ten largest religios groups.