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The decisions to deny Jehovah’s Witnesses state funding and registration are invalid. Vedtak om nekte Jehovas vitner statstilskudd og registrering er ugyldige Decision declaring invalid the denial of state subsidies and registration for Jehovah’s Witnesses Supreme Court judgment, 29 April 2026, HR‑2026‑1009‑A (Case no. 25‑089326SIV‑HRET), civil case, appeal from Borgarting Court of Appeal. The case concerns the validity of five administrative decisions denying state subsidies and one decision deregistering Jehovah’s Witnesses as a religious community, as well as the refusal to grant new registration. The State argued that the community’s practice of social shunning violates children’s rights and members’ right to freely withdraw, cf. the Religious Communities Act §6 and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) Article 9. The Supreme Court reviewed the organization and teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, including the practice of disfellowshipping and social shunning, and the legal framework under the Religious Communities Act and freedom of religion under the ECHR. The Court emphasized that the threshold for denying subsidies and registration is high, and that §6 must be interpreted in light of religious autonomy under ECHR Articles 9 and 11. Children’s rights The Court unanimously found that the State had not provided sufficient evidence that Jehovah’s Witnesses subject minors to psychological violence or negative social control of such severity that children’s legally protected rights are violated. It emphasized internal guidelines for handling minors, that family bonds are not broken, and that there was no documented actual extent of disfellowshipping of children. Right to free withdrawal The Court assessed whether social shunning of former members violates the right to free withdrawal. The Court found that Jehovah’s Witnesses meet the requirement of free and unconditional withdrawal under §2 of the Act. A majority of three judges held that the practice does not constitute undue pressure in violation of ECHR Article 9. They emphasized that the practice is rooted in doctrine, known to members upon joining, and does not involve direct pressure, coercion, or threats. Gjeldende side The practice does not apply to family members in the same household, and family bonds are not broken for relatives outside the household. The majority concluded that the conditions for denying subsidies and registration were not met. Dissent Two judges dissented regarding whether the practice exerts undue pressure on members wishing to leave. They emphasized potential loss of contact with family members, especially minors, and that the practice is a rule‑based sanction intended to be a felt consequence. Gjeldende side The minority therefore believed the conditions for denying subsidies and registration were met. They also found that the refusal to register constituted an interference with religious freedom under ECHR Article 9(1), but that the interference was justified. Gjeldende side Clarification The judgment clarifies the threshold for denying subsidies and registration of religious communities, and how the rules must be assessed in light of religious freedom under the ECHR.

Announcement LEGAL VICTORY | Jehovah’s Witnesses Win Landmark Supreme Court Case in Norway On April 30, 2026, the Supreme Court of Norway ruled that the government violated the religious freedom of Jehovah’s Witnesses when it deregistered our national legal entity in December 2022. Furthermore, the Court ruled that the government’s subsequent denial of State grants to Jehovah’s Witnesses was illegal. This positive decision resulted from the Court thoroughly reviewing our Bible-based beliefs and practices and determining that they are fully in harmony with Norwegian and international law. This ruling is final and cannot be appealed. As a united worldwide brotherhood, we rejoice at the Supreme Court’s decision and give all thanks to Jehovah.—Psalm 79:13.

I only just woke up. Should I watch the Update first? Oh my. Please tell me we can watch them. My plans for today have just gone out the window.

Just found out that 2 Apostles will be attending our Convention this year.

Jehovah wins again

My wife and I mostly stopped eating out and limit grocery stores. We cook everything at home from scratch now. Making even tomato paste and tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes. I mill our flour from when berries. We also no longer shop at stores. Mostly farmers markets, PickFresh app and suppliers in bulk. We are both now off all meds with better blood results and seasons of sickness are mostly gone. We take herbs and teas if we get sniffles. I’ve lost faith in the medical industry. Only see functional or integrative doctors now. It’s sad.

Beautiful video about our hope https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/LatestVideos/pub-jwbvod26_11_VIDEO

Why did you make mosquitoes?

When I saw the title of this thread I thought it was about Michael and Rev 12:7.

You can! If you want to haha

Here are the changes and you'll see below why that legal terms showed up. 1. Update date changed Old: The Terms were updated March 23, 2023. New: The Terms were updated August 1, 2025. 2. A new “Designated Countries” category was added Old: There was no special category for users in the European Union, European Economic Area, or Switzerland. New: A new sentence was added saying that, where specifically stated later, special rules apply to individuals who habitually reside in the EU, EEA, or Switzerland. These are now called “Designated Countries.” What changed: The newer Terms now create a separate legal category for certain European and Swiss users. This affects later sections about liability and governing law. 3. The way users accept future changes was changed Old: If the Terms were modified, revised, or terminated, the user’s continued use or access counted as acceptance of the changes. New: The user must be given notice of any material change when they next start the Application. If the user does not accept the revised or modified Terms, they will not be allowed to continue using the Application. What changed: The old version relied on continued use as acceptance. The new version requires notice of material changes and makes continued use depend on accepting the revised Terms. 4. The reverse-engineering exception was narrowed Old: Reverse engineering, decompiling, modifying, adapting, translating, or disassembling the Application was prohibited, except where the restriction was prohibited by applicable law or allowed by open-source license terms. New: The exception was shortened. It now mainly says the restriction does not apply to the extent permitted by the licensing terms governing open-source components included in the Application. What changed: The older version had broader exception wording. The newer version removes the broader “prohibited by applicable law” wording from that clause and keeps the open-source licensing exception. 5. The intellectual-property violation example was changed Old: The Terms prohibited using the Application or its content to violate or encourage violation of others’ legal rights, including infringement or misappropriation of intellectual property rights “in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.” New: The same basic restriction remains, but the specific reference to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act was removed. It now simply refers to infringement or misappropriation of intellectual property rights of others. What changed: The new wording is less tied to one specific U.S. law. It is broader and more general. 6. The warranty disclaimer opening was changed Old: The warranty disclaimer said the Application is provided “as is,” “as available,” and with all faults, and then added “to the maximum extent permitted by law” before disclaiming warranties. New: The phrase “to the maximum extent permitted by law” was removed from the opening of the warranty disclaimer. The disclaimer itself remains very broad. What changed: The wording was adjusted, but the Terms still strongly disclaim warranties, representations, and conditions. 7. The limitation-of-liability opening was changed Old: The limitation-of-liability section began with “to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.” New: That phrase was removed from the opening of the limitation-of-liability section. What changed: The newer version simplifies the opening wording, likely because it now adds specific exceptions for Designated Countries later in the same section. 8. The liability cap was increased Old: The total liability of the Watchtower parties, and the user’s exclusive remedy, was limited to $10. New: The total liability cap is now $1,000 USD. What changed: This is a major change. The maximum stated liability increased from $10 to $1,000 USD. 9. A new liability exception was added for Designated Countries Old: There was no special exception for EU, EEA, or Switzerland users in the liability section. New: If the user lives in the Designated Countries, the limitation of liability does not apply to damages directly caused by Watchtower’s gross negligence or willful misconduct, or to damages involving life, body, or health. What changed: The newer Terms add stronger protection for users in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland in serious liability situations. 10. Some detailed legal-theory wording was removed from the liability section Old: The liability section said the limitation applied whether the claim was based on contract, warranty, tort, negligence, product liability, strict liability, fault, breach of warranty, breach of contract, or other legal theories, even if Watchtower had been advised of the possibility of damages. New: That long explanatory sentence is no longer included in the same form. The newer section still excludes special, incidental, indirect, consequential, and punitive damages, but the detailed list of legal theories was removed. What changed: The newer liability section is shorter and less detailed in that part, while adding the new Designated Countries exception. 11. The indemnity wording was simplified Old: The user had to indemnify, defend, and hold Watchtower harmless from “threatened or actual claims, actions, suits, and demands.” New: The wording now says “claims, actions, suits, and demands.” The words “threatened or actual” were removed. What changed: The basic indemnity obligation remains, but the wording is shorter. 12. The governing-law section was changed for Designated Countries Old: The Terms were governed by New York law, excluding New York’s choice-of-law principles. There was no special option for users in the EU, EEA, or Switzerland. New: The Terms still generally use New York law, but users in the Designated Countries may also choose the governing law and courts of their country of residence for disputes related to the Terms. What changed: The newer version gives EU, EEA, and Switzerland users an additional legal option tied to their own country of residence. 13. The invalid-provision clause was changed Old: If part of the Agreement was void, invalid, unenforceable, or illegal, the court could modify that provision so it would most closely resemble Watchtower’s intent. The rest of the Agreement would continue. New: The court-modification wording was removed. The newer version simply says that if any provision is void, invalid, unenforceable, or illegal, all other provisions continue in full force and effect. What changed: The newer version no longer says a court should rewrite an invalid provision to match Watchtower’s intent. It only says the rest of the Terms remain effective.

I was reading about this online yesterday, and I noticed this: When it came to children's rights, the Supreme Court unanimously concluded that the State had not presented sufficient evidence that Jehovah's Witnesses in practice subject minor members to psychological violence or negative social control of such a severity that children's legally protected rights are violated. The court emphasized the internal guidelines for handling minors, that family ties are not broken, and that there was no documented actual extent of exclusions of children. Furthermore, the Supreme Court considered whether the practice of social exclusion of former members violates the members' right to free withdrawal. The court held that Jehovah's Witnesses meet the requirement of free and unconditional withdrawal under Section 2 of the Religious Communities Act. The majority of three judges found that the practice of exclusion does not constitute undue pressure against members in violation of Article 9 of the ECHR. Among other things, it emphasized that the practice is rooted in the teachings of the religious community, is known to the members when they join, and does not involve direct pressure, coercion or threats. The practice of exclusion does not apply to family members in the same household. Family ties are not broken for family members outside the household. The majority subsequently found that the conditions for refusing state subsidies and registration under Section 6 of the Religious Communities Act were not met. The decisions to refuse funding and deregistration could therefore not be upheld. I liked the point that "it is known to members when they join". You can't pretend that your being removed from the congregation was a surprise.

Satan gave a talk…..

Now? The date of Armageddon In Paradise? What is your fondest memory of me?

Yaaaay!!! Thank you Jehovah🤗

I have an unwanted vision of you sat in the bathroom eating chocolate … 😂

I really would like to stop watching bad news. In my city, some can still afford to eat out even though its expensive. Life goes on. But Im afraid on our health care system, its too bad. Im protecting my health at all cost.

I think your desire to help is a good one. That is exactly the kind of concern Jehovah wants us to have for one another. “Let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to us in the faith.” — Galatians 6:10 But good motives still need caution. If we only know someone online, even on a forum like this, we may not really know their full situation. We may not know if the need is genuine, whether others are already helping, or whether their local elders are aware of the need. That does not mean we ignore suffering. It means we try to help wisely. If we personally know someone and can clearly see the need, that is different. But knowing someone only online is not a safe basis for sending money. So yes, the desire to help is right. We just want our compassion to be guided by wisdom.

We don't have to feel guilty for watching them before our assigned convention.

It say the decision is 'Final' and cannot be appealed.

Satan and The Angel Gabriel were at the one I went to last year.

Well, dear friends, during the dark days to come, keep your hope strong. Keep your courage alive. Do not lose sight of the reality of the beautiful promises that are ahead of you. And just as you are seeing unmistakable fulfillment of Jehovah’s promises right now, you will see unmistakable fulfillment of Jehovah’s promises for the future. And think about the joy that you will have when all creation in heaven and on earth are finally united in pure worship and when that river is a torrent. Yes, you can be certain it will be more wonderful than you could ever have imagined! source: https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/LatestVideos/pub-jwbvod26_11_VIDEO

I don't care where we discuss the videos, but I wonder why it would have a 'spoiler' title. They are publicly released videos on JW.ORG and JW Library available to everyone in the entire world, in almost 300 languages (plus the enhanced versions with descriptions). There is no secret, there is not clicking a box or anything. They are just as public as a Monthly Broadcast video. Why is that a 'spoiler'? If you personally did not want to watch a Broadcast (maybe waiting for a family member to get home from a trip?), would you expect the rest of the world to keep it a secret with you, or would you just not watch it or discuss it until that time? Are old habits limiting discussion of a marvelous provision of God?

I used AI to put myself in ancient Jerusalem and it did a pretty good job except gave me a few more wrinkles than I really have...lol

I'll ask him.. How are you holding up Father, how do you cope with all this madness without losing your Joy?

I watched this many times.. i cant get enough of it.

I don’t care about the biscuits and flour, but may God be with you especially when the rats try to get your choco powder. KILL THEM ALL!!!

My wife ask if she could have a little peace ane quiet while she cooked dinner. So I took the batteries out of the smoke alarm and that's how it all started!

If you end up sending someone money, I recommend trying to keep it in private DMs so it doesn't encourage others to join the community and scam people.

I actually saw the movie yesterday and throughly enjoyed it. We grew up listening to Michael and the Jackson 5. We also listened to the Osmond's! I saw nothing wrong in watching the movie and I try to be very unbiased with entertainers and what they do in their leisure time, listening to Michael was no different than me listening to Elton John, and he’s openly gay, or Johnny Cash who’s songs centered around drinking, cheating and adultery.

We have been instructed not to send money or supplies on an individual basis. the recommendation was to send the contribution to the World Wide Work through JW.ORG and allow the organization to direct the funds to the appropriate spot. Obviously, if you have a relative that you wish to give a gift to, that is up to you. But to donate a sum of money to a troubled area is not advised. *** mwb23 March p. 3 How to Help After a Disaster *** "The brothers appointed by the branch can determine how much money and how many volunteers will be needed in the relief effort. They can also get acquainted with the local officials, who can often help us to expedite our relief efforts. So individuals should not take the initiative to collect funds, send relief supplies, or travel to the affected area unless they are asked to do so."

I found the issue, so I didn’t need to contact support after all, but I’m happy to share the cause in case others run into the same problem. Under Duties the first box was empty. I do not know why, this happened after all these updates. So i choosed all meetings and now it works. It must be a bug because now when i picked the all meetings option there is not way of choosing blank again. There is only All meetings, midweek and weekend as option... But now we know...

A media interviewer was asking this to random people, "If you had the chance to ask God any question and get the answer immediately, what would you ask Him?" What question would you ask? While you meditate and consider this question, I want to share with you the interview with 1 young man who gave what I consider the best one:

How much longer?

There are four narrators one for each gospel.

What's going on? I see Ep4, 5 and 6 are now online...? How did I miss the 'Have you been to a Convention?' firewall?

Jehovahs Witnesses won victory over the government in the Norwegian Supreme Court.

I guess Gabriel didn’t fight with Satan just as Michael didn’t. 😆🤪😉

and Android too

James, thank you for sharing your experience. We feel your pain as many of us have faced similar issues. But you understand that there isn't anything we can do about it other than listening, right? It would be a good idea to send those screenshots and explanations to the developers so that they can fix whatever is not working well.

Thursday, April 30 Jehovah . . . forgives your sin. You will not die.—2 Sam. 12:13. What do we know about Jehovah’s mercy? How has he demonstrated that he “does not desire anyone to be destroyed”? (2 Pet. 3:9) Consider his mercy toward some who committed serious sins. King David got involved in a series of gross sins, including adultery and murder. Yet, David repented, so Jehovah mercifully forgave him. (2 Sam. 12:1-12) King Manasseh was profoundly wicked for much of his life. Even in that extreme case, however, Jehovah responded favorably to that man’s repentance and found a basis for extending mercy and forgiveness. (2 Chron. 33:9-16) These examples remind us that Jehovah shows mercy whenever he sees that there is a basis for doing so. He will resurrect such individuals because they realized that they had committed terrible sins and they repented. w24.05 4 ¶12

I keep thinking about this. How dark? For how long? On the upside ~ The dark days may wake people up. We should see an increase of Bible studies and meeting attendance. I still think the GT will begin while Trump is president. 2 years 5 months remain.

Eating all that chocolate makes him go to the bathroom... It's a vicious cycle

I watched it twice. Awesome video

A sister in my group went to see a very close friend at the hospital, before the final moment. She was told "Thank you for teaching me the Truth, let's meet again". Very emotional... and beautiful !

Just for Richard

Wednesday, April 29 Thinking ability will keep watch over you, and discernment will safeguard you.—Prov. 2:11. Every day we need to make decisions. Some are relatively easy to make, such as what to have for breakfast or when to go to bed. Other matters are more difficult to decide. They may affect our health, our happiness, our loved ones, or our worship. We want our decisions to benefit us and our family. Above all, we hope that our decisions will please Jehovah. (Rom. 12:1, 2) An important step toward making a good decision is to get the facts. Why is this important? Imagine that a patient consults a doctor regarding a serious medical problem. Would the doctor make a decision about a course of treatment without first examining the patient or asking him questions? Certainly not. You too will make better decisions if you first consider the facts that have a bearing on the situation at hand. w25.01 14 ¶1-3

Tuesday, April 28 Now that we have moved beyond the primary doctrine about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying a foundation again.—Heb. 6:1. Jehovah does not expect us to grow to maturity on our own. Those who serve as shepherds and teachers in the Christian congregation are prepared to help us in becoming “full-grown” in a spiritual sense, “attaining the measure of stature that belongs to the fullness of the Christ.” (Eph. 4:11-13) Jehovah also provides his holy spirit to help us have “the mind of Christ.” (1 Cor. 2:14-16) Further, God inspired the writing of the four Gospels to show us how Jesus thought, spoke, and acted during his earthly ministry. By imitating Jesus’ way of thinking and acting, you can reach your goal of Christian maturity. But in order to advance to maturity, we must also move “beyond the primary doctrine about the Christ,” that is, basic Christian teachings. w24.04 4-5 ¶11-12

I don't know if he worked with his mother in the ministry. But, his brother-in-law, Nate Brown, was an elder in my congregation in the early '80's. Nate did get Michael out in service. There's a story that a young woman wearing a Michael Jackson tee-shirt answered the door but wasn't interested ! Nate (Nathaniel) was married to the first-born daughter, Rebbie (Ree-Bee) and they were pioneers in Tennessee. He supported his family as a driving instructor. When Michael's career caught fire, they came back to So. California. I remember one Circuit Assembly that Michael attended at the Woodland Hills Assembly Hall (20600 Ventura Blvd.) He was easy to see in the red shirt !

Director has cut the scenes from the final version where Michael was going out preaching with mom Katherine