Most Jehovah’s Witnesses consider the Watch Tower Society to be almost synonymous with “God’s organization.” As such, they are to be obedient to all instructions passed down from it as though they are receiving these words from Jehovah himself.
But at least one prominent Jehovah’s Witness now claims he does “not answer to Watchtower,” and has even declared that Watchtower “does not, and never has had, any authority over me.” Who is this bold man? None other than Governing Body member Gerrit Lösch!
Regular visitors to this site will recall the recent lawsuit in which Watchtower received a $13.5 million judgment for its part in the abuse suffered by Jose Lopez at the hands of Gonzalo Campos, who was allowed to molest multiple victims in San Diego in the 80s and 90s without the organization’s intervention.
One of the reasons why the lawsuit went so badly for Watchtower was due to its failure to comply with court orders requesting, among other things, the organization to produce the most senior Governing Body member, Gerrit Lösch, for a deposition.
When this and other reasonable requests of the court were flatly refused by Watchtower, they had restrictions placed on them barring them from responding to the evidence put forward by Irwin Zalkin on Lopez’s behalf.
Now, the personal “declaration” of Gerrit Lösch, in which he gives his reasons for refusing the court order, have been made available online. The signed three-page document is viewable below…
It is more than likely that Lösch’s comments about Watchtower were a means of distancing the Governing Body from Watchtower, and insulating Governing Body members against any court action incurred by the organization.
Even so, at best Lösch is splitting hairs by suggesting he is ONLY answerable to the Governing Body, of which he is a member. At worst, he is seriously misrepresenting his personal relationship with the organization, and that of Jehovah’s Witnesses in general.
One can only imagine what fate would befall an ordinary Jehovah’s Witness who stood up before a packed kingdom hall and uttered the words “I do not answer to Watchtower,” and “Watchtower does not have, and never has had, any authority over me.” Undoubtedly, the back room would beckon! And yet such an individual could point out that he is only repeating the words of an exemplary Governing Body member.
Lösch’s statements about his power over the organization are similarly evasive and disingenuous. While it may be true that he does not have “any authority as an individual to make or determine corporate policy for Watchtower,” the statement is worded in such a way as to distract from the fact that Lösch is very much a decision-maker for Watchtower provided these decisions are met with the approval of his fellow Governing Body members.
All things considered, sincere Jehovah’s Witnesses will be dismayed at the lengths one of their leaders (a member of their “highest ecclesiastical authority”) has gone to in order to avoid taking a stand in defense of the organization.
It was Jesus who purportedly said, “People will hand you over to local courts, and you will be beaten in synagogues and be put on the stand before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them” (Mark 13:9, New World Translation) – and yet rather than take his place on the stand to give a “witness,” Lösch has done everything in his power to distance himself from ‘God’s organization’ – denying almost any affiliation with Watchtower.
It is becoming increasingly apparent that, in order for a Jehovah’s Witness to respect the Governing Body members, and give them the reverence they crave, they must know as little as possible about their words and actions.
Further reading…
- Watchtower ordered to pay $13.5 million in sex abuse case as Gerrit Lösch fails to testify
- Link to court documents on Imgur
- License to harm: Predator Gonzalo Campos was allowed by elders to prey on children
- JWpodcast interview with Irwin Zalkin
- The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses – Explained
Related video…
@ Ola. You are exactly right. That is why that court wanted Losch to come to that trial and testify for the Society. That is why it doesn’t make any sense that he wouldn’t do it, claiming he doesn’t have anything to do with the Watchtower.
That money that he forfeited was contributed to build kingdom halls in Africa. He didn’t care at all about that money or else he’d gotten on a plane and did what the courts asked him to do to save that money for those kingdom hall projects, where it was meant to go. Losch is not the owner of some large business that he can just throw away $13.5 million dollars because he didn’t want to answer a summons to appear in court.
That money doesn’t belong to him and he had no right to give it away for nothing or for his own pleasure, anymore than he could have taken that money and bought a huge mansion for himself or a yacht for himself. It doesn’t belong to him. None of that money belongs to him. He’s a thief and a coward and a liar.
He should have done everything in his power to defend the Watchtower but he is a coward.
The reason he didn’t show up is because he can’t defend the Watchtower’s 2 witness rule and he can’t defend how anybody who has been abused in this religion is barred on threat of disfellowshipping, from reporting the abuse to the authorities, until the elders have determined that this Witness has been either convicted in their court of justice or exonerated in their court of justice.
Losch can’t defend that and so that is why he weaseled out of going to California to defend the Society.
I came across this quote which I think every sincere JW should be made aware of and so I share it with you now. “The members of the Governing Body decided, many years ago, that they were to go to heaven the instant they died, to be rewarded with, not just everlasting life immediately, but also immortality. No more testing, no chance of death or failing but guaranteed positions as kings and priests in heaven. To a casual observer, it could appear that the membership on the whole have drawn a short straw” Trevor Willis ‘Opening the Door to Jehovah’s Witnesses’ p.119 (Pinpoint Publications 2001).
Ola and Caroline,
I entreat you to consider the victims in this case. Campos was allowed free access to his victims, in the full knowledge of the Elders. They KNEW he was a child rapist.
Have either of you researched the child protection policy of the WTBTS? If not, then why are you bothering to offer your ignorant opinions?
I’m sorry, but people like you disgust me. How dare you criticise people who are trying to protect children from the child rapists that your revolting religion protects!
Gerrit Losch’s refusal to testify is an act of cowardice and cruelty, and I hope he spends a long time in jail, along with the other members of the governing body.
Please, do your research and then come and help us protect children and young people in your religion.
Sadly, if either of you have children, then they are at a higher risk of abuse than those outside your religion. I really hope that your children are not raped. I’m doing all I can to change the policies. Are you two?
Peace be with you,
Excelsior!
A whole new low. Sickening, to say the least. Cedars, love your writing and insights.
Lloyd, I watched your latest video last night and it made me realize just how big a deal it is, that signed letter to the courts from Losch where he said that he didn’t answer to the Watchtower.
When I first saw this story on jwsurvey, I told my husband about it and his answer for it was “it wasn’t the Society’s fault. It was the fault of those elders and the guy that molested those children. That’s who they should be going after.”
That is the same excuse you will get from all the rest who are still brainwashed also.
Okay, so they are right. The elders were at fault for assigning Campos to study with the boy when they knew he was a child molester and it was the fault of Campos who was the molester. But if it wasn’t the fault of the Society, then why didn’t the Society (Losch) show up in that court room to defend the Society and tell the court that it wasn’t their fault????? Why did Losch jump through hoops Not to DEFEND the Society?????
That $13.5 million dollars was meant for the worldwide work, not to pay off child abuse cases and to protect the Society from culpability.
If the Society was not at fault in these cases, they would logically jump through hoops to defend the Society, not jump through hoops not to defend the Society. Obviously, the answer is that they can’t defend the Society and this signed document of Losch proves it.
I printed out the document and I will carry it with me from now on and forever and if anybody again asks me why I am not at the meetings, I will show them that signed document and ask them “why are you going”???
That signed document of Losch, should be the ticket for every one of Jehovah’s Witnesses to jump off the side of the boat and escape.
All we have to do is show our friends and relatives that document and when they say “no it wasn’t the Society’s fault and they should be going after the molester” then come back with “then why didn’t the Society show up in that courtroom and tell them that, if that’s true?”
Mr. Zalkin put the Society between a rock and a hard place. If Losch showed up to point the finger of blame at the elders, all the elders had to do was pull out their Shepard the Flock book and point the finger right back at the Society so the Society decided to lie and take the coward’s way out.
All those who have violated “human beings” under the age of 16 years, should be accountable for there crimes”. Regardless of title held at the KH. They will have there day in court.
Wild animals of the forest “protect there own” they would have a field day at the KH.
My heart and prayers go out to All the victims.
How much longer will Jehovah hold back his blaze and anger, only time will tell…….
“…at best Lösch is splitting hairs by suggesting he is ONLY answerable to the Governing Body, of which he is a member. At worst, he is seriously misrepresenting his personal relationship with the organization…”
That’s cheating.
And if you have to cheat to defend your beliefs…
…your beliefs don’t deserve to be defended.
If WT has 5,000 +- lawsuits for voilateing “human beings,” under the age of 16 years this is an act of crime. Someone has to be accountable for the crime or injustice imposed involuntary or duress against another “human being”.
My heart and prayers go out to All the victims.
* * * Only an example: if the average settlement is $15.0 million X 5,000 = $75. billion.
One local paper (NY) has WT (all) assets at $2. billion. Ouch.
What options do (WT) they have? How do you see this play out?
This whole thing sickens me…my mother molested a 15yr old years ago. We (all those in ‘the truth’) were told not to call police…not to tell others in the congs. what was going on, or WE would be df’d for slander. She left NY with him and they returned on his 18th birthday so they could marry. GO FIGURE! Anyway, they are still married, and he is now an elder…(jehovah forgave them) But the wreckage left in this wake are many…my brothers and sisters and myself I might add are all messed up in the head. Those still in, are the worst in my opinion…they are so self-righteous it is alarming that one could think so highly of one’s self when as Christians we are to be humble. But I can’t fault them, being that way seems to me a protection…although I never held that thought about myself. I never felt worthy…a cult tool to keep you in. It’s frightening that people will stick by this ludicrous society…satan has perfected his mind control on them and it is thorough. I just keep thinking about what Jesus said about his sheep knowing his voice. It is what keeps me away after being in for 53yrs since I was 3…the gb thinking it will go to heaven really is disturbing that they are making this decision and not God…but I doubt the members will even pick up on this…it is a sad statement on the control these men in Brooklyn NY have…and satan has on them. So sad.
What he meant to say…..
Gerrit Losch: “I do not answer to Watchtower; Watchtower answers to me!”
This is a top down organization after all…
I was thinking the exact same thing. Technically, none of the Governing Body answers to the Watchtower, since they ARE the Watchtower, or at least, they shape all rules, regulations and policies. I also noticed that he denied being a ‘board member’ or ’employee’ of the Organization, which again, is technically true, since they’re all supposed to be volunteers.
However, this is nothing more than a play on words and it’s a shame that Gerrit Lösch was not sentenced to 10 years in prison for not showing up in court. In my opinion they should lose their charitable status until they start complying with the laws of the land. They’d get ‘new light’ on the subject pretty quick.
Does this mean i can grow a beard,since,i don’t answer to Watchtower?
My mother in law during his life, fought fervently to bring people to JW (house preaching at home). Today, is a home of the 3rd Age, and for 07 years, never seen there, a stupor of JW or WT or Tvgia, to wonder, how many hours does a month, or you need diapers or have other needs, perhaps esperitual up, nothing. As had legs to walk from house to house, they said her sister was very spiritual s. Today, no one seeks to know it. My mother, constantly giving, or deposited in the box and contributions paid once € 700 / dollars, the chairs of a hall of Albufeira, Algarve. I’ve never been caught by WT, because me and my wife, we are smart, never let it be manipuados by the mind control.
Well lets see, lazarus gave jesus up to the people who killed him……and peter denied jesus 3 times that same night.
Lösch denied the watchtower in plain view of the world.
Governing body pretty much giving up children to pedophiles, so long as Watchtowers name is not stained…
James Broughton.Excelsior & Willows.Your comments above are Brilliant & the Logic of your reasoning is Perfect.Pity the Governing Body can’t use Logic.!!
And the same goes for many of the other comments!
Hello guys. Can you tell me if you know/you know almost all!!/ how much money Society already paid to victims of such ” sexual” abuse so far???
Any proven data???
Lösch is a loser.
The GB guys talk tough, but they are clearly cowardly wimps as this maneuver proves.
Whaddya expect? It’s a cult!
I have been reading a lot of material this past few days …mind blown!!! I was disfellowshipped for 10 years because I was in a relationship..3 months ago I prayed to Jehovah. I asked Him for forgiveness and went to the elders.I was reinstated 10 days ago…wow. It was as if nothing changed except that everyone is using tablets…what a great provision indeed!!. I never would have heard about this sexual abuse scandal …nor would I have been introduced to our loving governing body…I feel so stupid… And scared. What am I supposed to do now? I can’t believe anything the Wt has written. Is it ALL lies?… Somebody please help me
I know unfortunately I am seeing your message a great many months later and I hope you have found a better place. Please feel free to email me at: zmmuzbqj@imgof.com (temporary email address) if I can help you work through anything though.
Rank and file have to defend the WT every day of their lives. They have to make opportunities to bring it up and discuss and defend it. He should have to do it even more so as a leader of all JWs!!! Ahh maybe he is being Peter-esque in that he is denying his place in the Organisation 3 times, although it was slightly more than 3 times he denied the WT