WATCH TOWER

Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

February 7, 2002

Richard Greenberg

Dateline NBC

30 Rockefeller Plaza

New York , NY 10112

Dear Mr. Greenberg:

I am writing in response to your invitation for an on-camera interview on your upcoming Dateline NBC telecast. Thank you for the opportunity to participate; we appreciate your efforts to be fair and balanced As you know, we have endeavored to cooperate with you and your staff as you worked to put the program together.

Regarding you r r equest for a spokesperson, we recently brought it before the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, and they respectfully declined, as it would appear to pit brother against brother and this is not the Christian way to resolve differences. We do not feel that a nationwide television program is the f oru m in which to discuss differences in viewpoint between members of ou r r eligion. In this situation, you have related to as that your participants are primarily individuals who still regard themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses. We therefore do not view them as adversaries, but as individuals whose views and opinions should be heard within the framework of the congregation, or church, and not in front of a nationwide television audience. This would be in harmony with what the apostle Paul admonished, as recorded in the Bible at 1 Corinthians 1:10, "that you should all speak in agreement, and that there should not be divisions among you, bit that you be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought." Our Governing Body is willing to resolve differences of opinion within the framework of the congregation and according to Scriptural principles.

This is not to say that Jehovah's Witnesses are opposed to the idea of on-camera interviews in general; however, it is not felt appropriate in this circumstance. Again, we want to thank you for your invitation, and we ask that you understand ou r r easons for not accepting it.

Sincerely,

J. R Brown

Director

Office of Public Information

JR B:et

Office of Public Information   Phone: (718) 560-5600   Fax: (718) 560-5619