Posted by OneGlove [OneGlove] on November 12, 1999 at 17:43:46 {CkRQXOxAaIddh6ih/xtgVOGhhkwG5g}:
11-12-99 AP Bulletin (Associated Press)
Late Friday afternoon, anti-trust officials with the Justice Department announced that they would shortly be pressing charges against the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. The Bible and Tract Society, best known for its magazine Watchtower and close association with the evangelical religious movement Jehovah’s Witnesses, has long claimed to have a “monopoly” on Bible truth. “This is a clear violation of the anti-trust statutes,” said the Justice Department Spokesperson. “It only hurts consumers.”
Justice officials cite several instances of monopolistic practices involving the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, among them their unique stands on blood and the year 1914. The Bible and Tract Society is the sole supplier of these interpretations of Bible Scripture. “That in itself would be legal,” said one lawyer involved in the case “but they are trying to bundle everything together. It threatens consumer choice.”
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has been quick to respond. In a short statement immediately following the Justice Department’s announcement they call the charges “ludicrous.” And the spokesman continues “some brothers have been overzealous in their private interpretations of Acts 15:29 and others have even created elaborate chronologies based on Daniel. But, of course, the Society has never officially endorsed any of these teachings.” Their official public relations internet cite reveals that the Witnesses have now backtracked on their claim to be a mainstream religion. In an online article it states “the Justice Department’s charges are based on the idea that Jehovah’s Witnesses are a large influential religion. On the contrary, observers are unanimous in awarding us cult status.”
Still, marketplace analysts believe that the case will go forward. While the final outcome is impossible to predict, they suggest as a possible scenario some sort of corporate break-up. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society could be divided into several smaller companies that would compete with each other. Each company might retain the trademark’s of the larger corporation. Jehovah’s Spectators, Jehovah’s Onlookers, and Jehovah’s Observers, could all offer competing Bible Truths. While the Federal Government says this will protect consumer choice, long time Watchtower critics are skeptical about whether it will bring any real improvement.