Hi sandy, welcome to the board.  You might want to read Crisis of Conscience by former Governing Body member and Senior Writing Dept writer (Author of Aid Book), Disfellowshipped, ...long huh? ...Ray Franz.  You can find a direct link to his website here.  He explains many of the details surrounding the Mexico/Malawi issue from a first hand perspective...

http://www.commentarypress.com/booklist-eng.html

Sincerely,

District Overbeer

Hey Sandy,

I've read about this experience in Crisis of Conscience.  If it were a lie, don't you think that the WTBTS would have sued Ray Franz for falsifying documents (there are pictures of actual documents in his book) since the WTBTS has tried to sue anyone who would try and tarnish their right to freedom of worship?

I do remember writing letters to the Malawi government politely requesting that they stop beating, raping & killing Jehovah's Witnesses because the witnesses wouldn't buy a $.25 political card.  It was deemed necessary to remain "completely neutral" with their lives.

Do you remember when (around 92-94) the Watchtower has articles about our Mexican brothers giving such open praise and able to bring their Bibles & songbooks to their meeting place........even openly calling them Kingdom Halls NOW?    Why couldn't they do this openly before?  We were led to believe that JW's were being persecuted by the Mexican government.

But noooooooooooo, Jehovah's Witnesses couldn't call their meeting place a Kingdom Hall & sing songs to God there because then they'd have to pay taxes on it.  So it was called a social building.....and the WTBTS didn't have to pay taxes.  Then the Mexican government changed their laws.......and Voila!......the WTBTS now had Mexican Kingdom Halls!

The Mexican government wasn't persecuting anyone.  They just wanted the WTBTS to pay taxes....just like other religions.

Nice to meet you - hope you stick around.  Nice place.

waiting

Amazing... they persecuted their own members so they could save a buck.

Really shows you where their priorities are.

Sandy,

One of the worst parts of this mess was that the brothers most stricken by a guilty conscience over this were the brothers in leadership positions in Mexico -- even the Branch Overseer of Mexico. He even gave a talk for all Bethelites when I was there on how the work was progressing in Mexico under the guise of social and educational programs. He didn't say anything about the contradiction during the talk, but he definitely brought up the comparison again to Malawi when doublechecking the GBs current stand on the issue. Ray Franz exposure of this travesty drove the GB to immediately redouble their efforts to get the JWs legalized as a real religion, ASAP.

In fact, I know of a brother who was at Bethel 25 years ago, (one of few with a college degree back then) who has remained a JW all these years, and has also studied sociology. He was in a Mexican border congregation until just a few months ago. As recently as last year, he asked JRBrown about the possibility of working on a book that discussed the great work JWs have done in the country with respect to increased literacy. He got no response on that issue, but suddenly was just disfellowshipped in the last two months for insubordination to the elders. That was the real charge against him, although on paper it was "causing divisions" or something like that. The charges were so ludicrous and trumped up that he is appealing. I can't say for sure that JRBrown is afraid of dredging up this old history, and I don't think this brother would have a clue about that Mexico-Malawi comparison as a possible motive. 

Gamaliel

P.S.  Sandy, I believe I have given enough information so that any WTS representatives could easily identify the brother I speak of, so I feel obligated to add the following here in the same post. I hope you don't mind. You may safely ignore the following:

To JR, if you're "listening:" At the risk of sounding haughty, as an outsider, I wanted to defend the work and intentions of this brother. From what I have known of this brother in the past, and after speaking with a relative of his, I would think the Service Department would prefer to consider granting his requested appeal and see what might be possible to do, so that no further obstacles or burdens be added that would keep this brother from continuing his good standing in the congregation. His desire to come back, his quiet nature, and the permission he requested of you speak to his loyalty. Also, the type of questioning and authoritarian attitude he evidently received from the local elders has the potential of becoming no small scandal in itself. If he later wishes to leave the Organization based on this type of treatment, many would think of it as due to a "stumbling block" brought on by the circumstances and personality of his particular, current Judicial Committee. Many would no doubt think it unjust to permit the stigma and/or shunning that a disfellowshipping can carry with it. I believe this to be the feeling of several who are currently aware of this case in his own and nearby congregations.

Thanks for your serious consideration of his request. 

I met JR several times when I worked at Brooklyn in 1999. He is a nice guy and a good stock-broker for the missionaries :)). I don't think as far as I could see at that time that he really has any influence he is more told what to say.

You might find this thread interesting

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/11/43573/1.ashx

 

Hello,

if I'm not mistaken, the problem in Mexico was that the government didn't allow religious organizations to OWN property. Can you imagine the society surrendering their belongings, in order for the brothers to excersice their religious primary right which is PUBLIC PRAYER????

That's just to show you the GB is not God's channel, otherwise Why would God NOT allow "his" people to pray to him, or sing to him????? Like Franz said in his book, even prophet Daniel risked his very own life in order to pray. Are the GB less than Daniel ???? If anything, they should have MORE understanding.

No doubt about it, we've been lied to.