ITNJ “Commissioner”: A woo-full “honor” bestowed upon Del Bigtree and Robert O. Young

As I approached today’s blog post, I was thinking of getting serious, of diving into a study that interested me and dissecting it. Then I realized: It’s Friday. What is my usual history on Fridays? Certainly not heavy-duty serious, science-heavy posts. I usually reserve those for other times in the week. No, my history on Fridays has generally included stuff like Your Friday Dose of Woo, in which I regularly dissected the most outrageously silly pseudoscience I regularly came across. After a while, I started to feel too constrained by having to find something ridiculous every Friday, and YFDoW entries became less and less common. That doesn’t mean that I’ve abandoned the feature entirely, although the last time I’ve done one was nearly six months ago. These days, I just do YFDoW as I come across suitable topics, which, as you see, can sometimes be a long time. Worse, given that I’ve been at this skeptical blogging thing now for nearly 15 years, sometimes I get to the point where I think I’ve seen every form of pseudoscience and quackery that that’s ever quacked, every conspiracy theory that’s ever been theorized, and every crank organization that’s ever cranked. This week I was wrong, though. Thanks to one of my readers, I became aware of the International Tribune for Natural Justice (ITNJ). Even better still, my discovery of this “Tribune” involved cranks who have been regularly featured in this blog, including rising antivax star Del Bigtree and über-quack Robert O. Young, he of the “pH Miracle Living” cure for everything.

What is the ITNJ? It’s described on its website thusly:

The ITNJ is the world’s first people-powered tribunal that operates independently of governments and corporations, and is therefore willing to issue rulings against those organizations based on Natural Law, where agents of governments and/or corporations have caused harm or loss to living men and women, and in this case, matters that relate to the weaponization of our biosphere and the existential ecocide and genocidal threat against humanity.

Take a look at an entry on the ITNJ website, Bigtree, Griffin, Grey, Michael and Young Sworn in as Commissioners:

Del Bigtree, G. Edward Griffin, Sue Grey, Dr Sandra Rose Michael and Dr Robert O. Young have been sworn in as Commissioners for the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Weaponisation of the Biosphere. The two-day seating to inaugurate the Judicial Inquiry into Weaponisation of the Biosphere (all living systems), was held in conjunction with a three-day World Health Sovereignty Summit moderated by Founder of the International Tribunal for Natural Justice (ITNJ) Sacha Stone, in Bali, Indonesia. The Summit itself was set within a week-long New Earth Festival, attended and officiated by Indonesian King of Kings Raja Samu Samu VI and multiple regional Kings, as well as dignitaries and multi-faith leaders from around the world. The five experts were confirmed by the Committee to Support the ITNJ, as Trustee Janie Rayne welcomed the new Commissioners. “We look forward to working with such a strong group of Commissioners. Each has a deep knowledge of specific problems and potential solutions to the ecocide and genocide being enacted on humanity, and are all leaders of health sovereignty within their own right,” said Mrs Rayne. The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Weaponisation of the Biosphere follows the successful and ongoing Inquiry into Human Trafficking and Child Sex Abuse, which the ITNJ aims to complete at the end of the year with a comprehensive Commission Report. This latest inquiry was launched in Ubud, Bali on the 23rd June 2019, where a dozen witnesses, scientists, and health experts gave testimony over the two-day seating into issues relating to the ‘Weaponization of the Biosphere’.

Whoa. “Weaponization of the biosphere”? What does that mean? If ITNJ means pollution and carbon emissions resulting in human-caused climate change, is that really “weaponization” more than simply humans being humans, as they’ve been since prehistoric times? Back then, even hunter-gatherer societies slaughtered huge numbers of animals and left their trash and remains everywhere without care. Back then, given that human numbers were relatively few , human ability to affect the biosphere was relatively minor, comparatively speaking. Now, with a much huger population, modern technology, and our love of fossil fuels, the human tendency to shit wherever humans live could well result in catastrophic climate warming that, at minimum, will result in massive disruption of civilization and, at worse, could endanger life on this planet.

Of course, if your choice of commissioners for this particular “commission” includes cranks like Del Bigtree and Robert O. Young, I’d guess that your approach to this particular problem is not what I’d call…scientific. Of course, I know who Del Bigtree and Robert O. Young are. For those not familiar with them (i.e., newbies to this blog), Del Bigtree produced Andrew Wakefield’s antivaccine conspiracy movie disguised as a documentary, VAXXED. He’s now part of the trio of most famous antivaxers that includes Andrew Wakefield and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and is now basically one of the most sought-after activists by antivaxers. Robert O. Young, on the other hand, is a quack whom I first wrote about a long, long time ago. His idea is that cancer, sepsis, indeed all disease, is due to “excess acid,” and his “cure” is his “pH Miracle Living” diet that’s supposed to be “alkaline.” Not noted in the ITNJ article is that Young was prosecuted for practicing medicine without a license, spent time in prison (well-deserved and too short a sentence, in my not-so-humble opinion) and lost a lawsuit by a former client of his who was enticed to follow his program and died of breast cancer as a result, with a judgment of $105 million.

I guess ITNJ didn’t get the memo:

Dr. Robert O. Young has served thousands of people around the world with leading-edge information, wisdom and extraordinary healing capabilities. Robert has born the brunt of a twisted health industry; its status quo maintained by the powers of the global pharmaceutical enterprise that has weaponised the combined organs of government, the executive, and the judiciary, to prevent doctors from healing people and curing disease. Dr. Young is widely recognized as one of the world’s top researchers and clinical scientists. He has devoted his life to researching the true causes of disease, developing something known as ‘the new biology’, helping people reverse any sickness or disease, and to balance their lives.

There are not enough facepalms for this, and it’s impossible to take ITNJ the least bit seriously if it can publish a paragraph like this. “Dr.” Robert O. Young is not a doctor. He’s a quack naturopath, and not even a “real” naturopath in that he got his degree through a correspondence school that’s now defunct. He is not “widely recognized as one of the world’s top researchers and clinical scientists” by anyone, not even the quacks who like him. His “discovery” of the “true causes of disease” is nothing more than a quack “One True Cause” delusion, and his “new biology” is only new because it rejects without evidence what scientists have learned about biology over the last couple of centuries. I mean, geez. The guy even denies that bacterial infection causes sepsis!

But who are the rest of these “commissioners” that the ITNJ announced? I hadn’t heard of G. Edward Griffin before, which is odd give that he appears to be pretty old and has obviously been around for a long time. It didn’t take long to discover that he appears to be an all-purpose conspiracy theorist dating back at least to the 1970s. His name shows approvingly on all sorts of conspiracy sites, and some of his books include: The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve, World without Cancer: The Story of Vitamin B-17 (that’s Laetrile, for those not familiar), The Discovery of Noah’s Ark, Moles in High Places, The Open Gates of Troy, No Place to Hide, The Capitalist Conspiracy, More Deadly than War, The Grand Design, The Great Prison Break, The Fearful Master: A Second Look at the United Nations, and This Is the John Birch Society: An Invitation to Membership. He also Freedom Force International, whose purpose is to “remove collectivists from control of the power centers of society and replace them with individualist.” Yep, with his decades-long history of conspiracy theories about the Fed, the U.N., Noah’s ark, Laetrile, and the like? He fits right in with Del Bigtree and Robert O. Young.

Sandra Rose Michael is a “holistic healer” whose work is clearly infused with woo. For instance, here she is described as “working extensively with top scientists, physicians, and world leaders in the research development and implementation of EESystem technology that effectively integrates bio-photonics, unified fields, quantum physics that you can feel and experience creating an enhanced energetic environment for profoundly optimized body-mind-spirit health.” Her claim to fame is the Bio-scaler EEsystem Technology, which is advertised as the “future of energy medicine” and asks “What if you could reverse dis-ease and aging while you sleep?” There’s so much woo on the EESystem website that it probably warrants its own post at some point.

Sue Grey is a bit odd. All I see searching for her is that she’s an environmental lawyer in New Zealand. I found a video in which she spouts exaggerated claims about medical cannabis and natural products. So, I’m guessing that she’s into serious woo. Yes, a little more searching revealed that she is. For instance, here’s a talk she gave at a Steiner School in which she spouted a number of fear mongering claims about wifi in school. OK, I understand now why she’s included in ITNJ’s list of new “commissioners.”

Amusingly, the ITNJ claims jurisdiction anywhere and everywhere:

The ITNJ exists outside and above the jurisdiction of any one nation or country by the authority of the People of the World. The sovereign People of the World are the source of authority. If the People weren’t sovereign, they would not be able to authorize a sovereign government, because you cannot delegate authorities you do not have. The People of any nation or country or territory have the right to delegate their authority to representatives they choose to run their government. Case in point: the government of the United States of America is allegedly founded and maintained by the consent of the governed. Just as the People can authorize their governments to act on their behalf, the People can authorize their Tribunal, the ITNJ, to act on their behalf, and delegate their sovereign authority to administer Natural Law. By their signatures ratifying the Treaty of the International Tribunal for Natural Justice, the People of the World mandate the establishment of the ITNJ and delegate to the officers of the ITNJ their authority to administer Natural Law for all the People of the World, in all the territory of the World.

Right. So a bunch of cranks decided to make up a “tribunal.” And, apparently, “The People” will enforce ITNJ’s rulings:

Enforcement is the first question many people ask, and the answer is: The People. Just as The People of the World are the authority behind this Tribunal, The People of the World are the authority behind enforcing the decisions of this Tribunal. The signatures on the ITNJ Treaty constitute the authority and jurisdiction for enforcement under International Law. The more people that sign the treaty, the more force it will have in law. From there, enforcement is an effort of momentum…building a body of willing individuals unified for the benefit of all.

Yes, I’m sure that governments of the world give the ITNJ’s rulings all the consideration that they deserve. Personally, I like one of the rulings here in which the ITNJ stated that it gave the party ruled against until October 12, 2016 to comply with its order, and “the applicant has not done so.”

If you want a real laugh, take a look at the Treaty of the International Tribunal for Natural Justice and the ITNJ Constitution.

For example:

Having awakened to the truth that since the moment of our birth We have been contracted to corporate institutions which by their very nature serve neither people nor planet, and in hereby revoking in earnest all such contracts which have blinded, encumbered, and sought to separate us from our most noble expression, We now claim a rightful place in this world which the Supreme Creator within has provided for us all, as equals amongst all, and will take such action as to ensure the restoration of truth and justice for all people of the world.

We have met with such a truth, as We have come to know it, understand it, and embrace it, and now choose to be ruled by it for the rest of our days.

We, according to the solemn duty as aforesaid, and per the dictate of conscience, ratify the present treaty with the earnest intention that truth and reason be restored to the delivery of justice in the world.

And so, recognising that in Truth:

i. Law in its purest form requires nothing more or less than that we each do no harm.

ii. Harm in any form is only ever caused by natural persons, regardless of whether or not the natural person may claim to be operating under corporate dictate, colour of law, or otherwise.

iii. Harm in any form is only ever capable of being suffered by natural persons, regardless of whether or not the harm suffered may have been so suffered through a natural person’s artificial externalities.

iv. Neither corporate immunity, nor colour of right, can indemnify a natural person for harm caused to another.

v. No natural person is bound by the unlawful ruling of a de facto court where they are not a consenting party with full knowledge of the manner in which their consent is given.

We the natural men and women of the world, pursuant to the ultimate goal of realising equal rights and dignity for each member of the human family,

HEREBY MANDATE the International Tribunal for Natural Justice.

All nice words, but rather delusional. After all, forming a court and a tribunal is all very well and nice, as is hearing cases and making rulings, but without any real power or enforcement mechanism, who cares? Also, if an entity like ITNJ thinks that people like Del Bigtree, Robert O. Young, Sandra Rose Michael, and G. Edward Griffin are serious experts in anything, then the only reaction is to laugh at its arrogance and embrace of quackery, antivaccine pseudoscience, and conspiracy theories.

It’s worse than that, though. The ITNJ is truly a “tribunal” created by a bunch of “natural health” grifters and worse, founded by someone named Sacha Stone, whose website is chock full of every major conspiracy theory you can think of: deep state, 5G, satanic groups, crop circles, and more. As discussed here, principle of “natural justice” proclaims that it will “impart knowledge to any guilty party to address the cause of the harm itself” and only take a “force of action” when the guilty party refuses to “acknowledge the truth” but all without harming the guilty party:

No arbitrary penalties, prison sentences, fines, or sanctions will be imposed on any guilty party. Natural Justice is based on the premise of honor and trust, as such a harm incurred by one cannot be corrected by incurring harm back on them; ‘an eye for an eye’. The cause of harm is incomplete knowledge and/or an unwillingness to honor the rights of others, as such the solution must be an attempt to offer the truth to such individuals, an establishment of trust.

Yeah, I get why grifters would like that.

Hilariously, certain cranks and quacks think that this is a big deal:

Meanwhile, Sue Grey refers to Del Bigtree as “inspirational,” which tells you all you need to know about her:

Great. Bigtree’s making friends and winning allies in New Zealand now.

This is perhaps the most hilarious one of all, in which Sacha Stone exults about Del Bigtree giving “expert testimony” to the ITNJ:

There’s more, though. Bigtree and Young appear to have gone to a “New Earth Festival” om Bali in late June in conjunction with their “testimony” to the ITNJ and being named ITNJ commissioners and then went back to Indonesia last week for an award. Here’s a post from a week ago.

Here Young is in Bali:

I really hope that that dog in the lower righthand corner is OK and just sleeping rather than dead.

And here’s a post from a couple of days prior:

And here’s a post of Young being “sworn in” as an ITNJ Commissioner:

Interestingly, I dont see Del Bigtree in these photos. I also don’t see any mention on Del Bigtree’s Facebook page or other social media of the “honor” that he received a month ago, that of being named an ITNJ Commissioner. Maybe he mentioned it on his Highwire video podcast, but I’m not going to wade through hours of his ranting to find out. I do find it rather telling, though, that Bigtree, who is most definitely normally not one to be silent about any honors he receives, no matter where they come from, has, as far as I can tell, remained silent (at least in public) about having been named a Commissioner for the ITNJ.

Of course, there’s a question that I can’t help but wonder about here: Who’s paying for this all? Del Bigtree’s existing funding source has been outed, and it costs a lot of money to travel to Bali and Indonesia. Is the reason that Bigtree is remaining silent about this honor is so that he realizes that association with ITNJ doesn’t help his credibility any? That’s never stopped him before. Maybe he’s found a new wealthy rube to support his antivaccine activism. If so, that could be very bad news indeed.