by allyouneedislove 32 Replies latest watchtower bible
Would you prefer this wording?
Paul, I think it was a "hit and run"! I wouldn't worry about changing anything. Anybody who truly understands what it means to be a Witness knows exactly what you mean in the wording of your articles.
Cedars
I wish to second Cedars vote of confidence, I think at present Paul's site is the best resource on the net for anyone, JW or not, wishing to gain knowledge about the WT.
Well done Paul ! keep up the good work, you are saving lives.
The WTBTS's claims that no one is forced to do anything is completely dishonest and just plain wrong.
First, True Believers really believe that being disobedient to the "direction" from the "Faithful and Discreet Slave" is tantamount to disobeying Jehovah. So there are the dual forces of:
Second, if those perceived future "Blessings/Curses" aren't enough to keep the average JW in line, then there is the more immediate and highly coercive force which is the very real threat of being disfellowshipped and shunned by all your friends and family, (Another Stick).
Again, anybody that claims that obedience to WTBTS doctrines, teachings and policies is completely voluntary is either dishonest or deluded, maybe both.
At the end of the day the malawians had no real choice... be persecuted and even die now for loyalty to 'Jehovah's organisation' or be damned forever... what kind of choice is it?
The mexicans were left to feel it was 'up to their conscience'.
Back in the days of Malawi/Mexico scandal that we look back at, people have to remember that there was no internet and you couldn't find out what witnesses in other countries were doing or allowed to do.
Malawi witnesses understood that being neutral and honest meant not buying a party card which to them meant they would prove disloyal to Jehovah and his organization. You didn't see Watchtower have articles stating that Mexican witnesses could bribe military officials to obtain a military card nor did watchtower print stories that they weren't a religious organization in Mexico because it benefited them more to be known as a cultural organization. Since there were stories (I don't remember if there were printed articles) about Malawi witnesses suffering for the party card may be why Mexican witnesses were having troubled conscience because deep inside they knew bribing was illegal even though culturally acceptable and that's why they wrote to society inquiring about that practice.
GB could have advised Malawi witnesses that it was up to their conscience but GB chose not to. While it was up to American witnesses' conscience to sign the oath of allegiance when applying for passports, it was up to Mexican witnesses to bribe officials to get a military card. Jwfacts is right about stating the the blood guilt falls on the hands of GB members since they were the ones that allowed Malawi witness persecution while due to double standards and hypocrisy!
What holds witnesses back is not physical force but their belief system in following what wts tells them to which often equals to being held back physically in fear of dying at Armageddon or displeasing God and that's also the reason why majority of witnesses won't talk to df/da or even inactive witnesses because they follow the GB leaders' "command."
My goal was not to discredit Mr. Grundy, it was only to point out what I consider a fallacy. No matter how you try to spin it, the atrocities committed against JWs in Malawi were "due" to the wicked persons who attacked them. Mr. Grudy has a lot of informative content on his site. However, he really should correct these statements, if not only to keep the conversation logical. Furthermore, just because someone does not agree with something you say regarding the JWs does not mean they are a JW themselves or are JW defenders.
Sorry for the small type.
interesting, so the jw apologist ingnores everyones posts, and just repeats his same arguments, that have been shown to be faulty. the jury is in, you are a troll.
No matter how you try to spin it, the atrocities committed against JWs in Malawi were "due" to the wicked persons who attacked them.
If a person is pushed into a lion's den, is it only the lions to blame when that person is eaten?
