France fines Watchtower Millions

by JAVA 22 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  bluesapphire

  Haha. This is so funny. This was the issue I was researching on the internet that led me to Freeminds that lead me to AJWRB that lead me to FREEDOM!

  I LOVE THIS ISSUE!!
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  chasson

  Hi SixofNine

  Has anyone read exactly how the French court decided the difference between a religion and a sect?

  In fact, in the law, there are no difference between religion and cult. The word "cult" is only a simplification.

  Now, you have a new law to restrict liberty of groups which have been comdamned two times in court, and a new definition of "subjection's state" (mind control)in the law...

  The french's commission in 1995 has made a list of religious group that did not respect the law or who troubled public's order and JWs were in this list because the ban of blood's transfusion but now this list is obsolete.

  Now, JW are not considered as a VERY dangerous cult, the french's mils considered them as a cult which we can talk and negociate, the problem's that the Mils underline is still the ban of blood's transfusion and the unkindly treatment of "apostate"..

  Bye

  Charles
• 

  chasson

  Hi scully,

  There is some obscure French law about the publication and distribution of literature as being a commercial venture rather than a religious one. Therein lies the "sect" label for JWs in France.

  Not exactly Scully, you have in France, several way to record your association.

  First, you can record your association under the 1901's law. You declare that your association is a non profit's association. This is the most common way to build an association and a lot of cultural and sport's association are declared under this law and a lot of religious's association too.

  Second, if your association has uniquely the purpose of worship, that it is only designed to maintain a place of worship, you can declared your association under the 1905's law, BUT this is not because you are DECLARED under the 1905's law that you are RECOGNISED as a 1905's association by the government.

  When you are RECOGNISED by the government as a 1905's association, you can be exempted of certain tax as the local taxes and the taxes on free gift or testimonial's gift.

  To be recognised as a 1905's association you must not trouble the public's order. In 1985, the French's high court, the States Counsil has found that the french's JW:

  1/ Trouble the public's order because the ban of blood transfusion
  2/ Even if they didn't trouble the public's order, a 1905's association is not concerned by publishing thousand of books and booklet. A 1905's association is an association for maintaining place of worship or for example a monastery, not to distributed all over the country thousand of book. Remember at this time, the books were not free, and the States's counsil has considered this as commercial's activity that don't qualify the french's association to be recognised as 1905's association.

  So, because the french's association is not a 1905's association, they must payed all the taxes as a 1901's association, because when you are not recognises as a 1905's association, you are in fact a 1901's association.

  Bye

  Charles