Jehovah's Witnesses Lose Religious Community Status in Norway

Although removing the group's registration doesn't ban Jevovah's Witnesses outright, the sect has lost its right to state subsidies and to ratify marriages.

Norwegian Jehovah's Witnesses have lost their status as a religious community, as the country's authorities have withdrawn their registration.

The State Administrator made its decision because of the coercion practiced by Jehovah's Witnesses against community members who break religious rules. The State Administrator argued that this violates members' rights to free expression and freedom of religion. Furthermore, the government body argued that Jehovah's Witnesses violate the rights of children by encouraging members to isolate youngsters who don’t follow the religious community's rules.

The State Administrator asked whether Jehovah’s Witnesses wanted to change their practices so that they would not lose their registration, but they indicated that they will not change.

The loss of registration as a religious community does not ban the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses outright. However, although they can continue to practice their religion, they would no longer be able to receive state subsidies or ratify marriages.

The State Administrator had already cut grants for Jehovah's Witnesses, for which the sect said it intended to sue.

Norway has a national Church, but no longer a national religion. Instead, religion is supported by taxpayers: the more members a congregation (or humanist organization) has, the more money it receives. This has led to scandals, including the Catholic Church of Norway defrauding the state of millions of kroner in support by registering thousands of foreigners without permission.

Groups that receive state subsidies have to abide by certain rules. Among others, they can’t force people to remain members, coerce them into lifelong commitment or ban interaction with non-members.

Headquartered in Warwick, in the state of New York, Jehovah's Witnesses are a restorationist apocalyptic non-trinitarian offshoot from mainstream Christianity with numerous sect-like traits such as harsh discipline and the desire to exclude themselves from society. They believe that the destruction of the present world system by Armageddon is imminent, and that the establishment of God's kingdom over the Earth is the only solution for all problems faced by humanity. However, they are best known for their practice of door-to-door preaching, avid distribution of literature and films, as well as refusing military service and blood transfusions.

The group has been active since the 1870s, yet its worldwide fellowship is a matter of debate. Officially it claims 8.5 million worshipers.

Its religious activities are banned in some countries including Russia, China, and Vietnam and restricted in numerous Muslim-majority countries.