'Operation Spotlight': This is how former members mobilize against Jehovah's Witnesses

In their years of existence, the Jehovah's Witnesses, "Christian religious organization," have been at the center of social controversies. The main debate over all these years is whether they are a legitimate religion.

To date, the religious confession has lost almost all the lawsuits it has filed against its former members. A large group of former Jehovah's Witnesses has created 'Operation Spotlight.'

This is a movement - already present in 50 countries - that seeks to investigate Jehovah's Witnesses. From this organization, letters have been sent to various political figures in the US. "It is necessary to investigate this group that is causing so much harm in the world. They divide families, can cause deaths by not accepting transfusions, and cover up alleged cases of child sexual abuse," they state from the movement.

One of the creators of this movement is the witness who is present as a victim in a case against Jehovah's Witnesses in Australia. This case involves the alleged cover-up by Jehovah's Witnesses of more than 1,000 cases of sexual abuse over 60 years.

It should be noted that in countries like Singapore, Jehovah's Witnesses are banned and considered illegal. Additionally, in 2017 Vladimir Putin did the same in Russia. Elcierredigital.com has been able to contact Juan Antonio Paneque, ambassador of 'Operation Spotlight' in Spain.

What is 'Operation Spotlight'

Specifically, from 'Operation Spotlight,' letters are being sent to President Donald Trump and US senators. The reason is that "there is the headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses," which is the Watchtower and is in New York. "It's useless to cut off a tentacle of the octopus; the most important thing is the head," Paneque metaphorically refers.

Anecdotally, Paneque recalls an event that occurred in the Watchtower society. "In 1926, Rutherford II, one of its presidents, ordered the construction of a palace called Beth Sarim in San Diego (California). The intention was to house the resurrection of Abraham, Moses, and Jacob, but since it didn't happen, he moved into the palace," Paneque recounts.

Although the 'Operation' began a few months ago, the directors are already receiving responses from some US senators. Paneque points out that "they are showing interest in helping us manifest the great injustice that is being done because we are losing families."

"We decided to create this movement now because we were fed up, and now we have the internet as a means of dissemination. It allows us to communicate with all countries. Our intention is to make known all the injustices within the Witnesses, which in this case are harmful," continues the ambassador of 'Operation Spotlight' in Spain.

"Our ultimate goal is not the illegality of Jehovah's Witnesses, but for them to adapt to the current social times. That is, to end ostracism, the cover-up of alleged abuses, and deaths due to religious belief, in conclusion, to stop harming humanity and loosen the measures," adds Paneque.

The letter to Donald Trump

Elcierredigital.com has had access to the letter sent from 'Operation Spotlight' to Donald Trump. "The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society operates at the forefront of a global network that strictly enforces anti-secular policies worldwide. Some of these policies undermine governmental sovereignty by effectively replacing a country's judicial system with its own internal mechanisms," the letter reads.

"In cases of child sexual abuse (CSA), the Jehovah's Witnesses organization creates, supervises, and enforces rules that strip victims of their rights. These policies protect abusers, silence victims, and replace legal processes with internal judicial procedures that defy US laws," the letter continues.

"Given the seriousness, I respectfully urge your administration to initiate a formal federal investigation into the policies and practices of Jehovah's Witnesses. Specifically regarding CSA cover-ups, obstruction of justice, misuse of tax-exempt charitable status, suppression of voting rights, and coercive shunning practices," the letter adds.

They also respectfully request:

"1. The Department of Justice investigates Jehovah's Witnesses for CSA cover-up and obstruction of justice.

2. The Internal Revenue Service reviews and revokes the 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status of the Watchtower if it doesn't meet the standards of charitable organizations.

3. Authorize the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to assess the psychological and social harm caused by coercive shunning practices.

4. A public hearing like those held in Australia and the United Kingdom."

Account of a former Jehovah's Witness

It is relevant to gather the experience of Juan Antonio Paneque as a Jehovah's Witness. "I became a traveling overseer, one of the main positions of Jehovah's Witnesses. However, I decided to leave them. I was also an elder and part of the committee," he explains.

"My parents, when I left the Witnesses, told me they wished I had died before leaving the Witnesses. Neither they nor my sister ever spoke to me again in my life," Juan Antonio Paneque recounts.

The ambassador of 'Operation Spotlight' continues narrating why he left Jehovah's Witnesses. "I began to be aware of the ostracism and disappointments that existed. The turning point was a study I conducted to convert a homosexual person," he notes.

"A traveling overseer came and told me, you have to stop studying with this gay person because he is not taking steps to repent. I had no choice but to obey because in the hierarchical scale he was my superior. When I stopped the study, the homosexual person committed suicide," Paneque explains.

Today, Paneque has a goddaughter who has a baby just two years old. "When she left Jehovah's Witnesses, her parents stopped talking to her. In fact, they haven't even bothered to meet their granddaughter," Paneque indicates.

Much has been said about the alleged sexual abuses supposedly covered up by Jehovah's Witnesses. Regarding this, Paneque recounts: "A sister came and told me that another brother had touched her breasts and vagina. I had to adhere to the rules and ask her if there were witnesses. But how is someone going to do that in front of witnesses? Well, I had no choice but to consider her a liar."

For a case to be effective, the rules state that there must be two or more witnesses. "The reality is that at the slightest hint, the police should be called. Another concerning issue is blood. There was a lady who let her husband die, who was not a Jehovah's Witness, by not giving him blood," Paneque observes.

"When my father died, he was an elder, a higher rank, and when he was buried, there were about 400 people. Not one of them offered me condolences. My parents sold the house and left everything because according to the Witnesses, the end of the world was coming. For things like this, former Witnesses are very damaged; we have lost families," concludes the ambassador of 'Operation Spotlight' in Spain.

Elcierredigital.com has tried to contact Jehovah's Witnesses for the preparation of this article. After the publication of the report, the lawyer of the religious organization has sent a letter that we reproduce in this link.