by designs 11 Replies latest social entertainment
Our town is hosting a International Indie Film Festival this week and today they are featuring Leopold Engleitner's story of being a Witness in the concentration camps of Buchenwald, Niederhagen, and Ravensbruck. He weighed 63 lbs. when he was freed. He is now 108 years of age.
'Ladder In The Lion's Den'
What a guy I love hearing about his story!
108 wow.
It's odd that even though JW's believe Satan was behind Hitler, they also beleive any JW who would have given in under torture or threat of torture by this Satan "possessed" man, would suffer the same punishment from God... that of everlasting cutting off. This old man, had he signed that document, would have been viewed as someone who failed Jehovah and would have felt shame for the rest of his life even though Hitler and his gang were the ones who were the problem. All those that did die in concentration camps 70+ years ago have, along with Hitler, been dead all these years. Most of what they thought was the "truth" has been changed, Armegeddon still hasn't arrived...what was the point of all this supposed loyalty?
I think with Leopold and others who were pacifists during the war that is something they can hold onto with a measure of pride. If they thought not killing honored their God and that was a little make-believe well they still had some good come from the hardship.
I thought they were sent to the camps for simply being JW's, Jews or gay rather than for not joining the military.
Is he still a witness? elder?
xwz- The JWs were not joining the military of any of the countries so its sort of both.
lama- Not sure, it seems as though he is in fairly good health. In an old congregation i was in some of the really old elders stayed Elders but didn't have much in the way of assignments.
it is a wonderful fitting story. 108 years!! proves the truism that the less you eat, the longer you will live.!* down to 63 pounds! if you were a survivor and lucky, the camp was a safer place# than many other areas in that terrible time and theater.
His name also is in keeping with the topic, LEO-pold engLEITnER (the Lion*** Narrow Ladd*er) in his native tongue.
Doctrine variations had some influence on the victimes, but many were carried through by the sheer force of their right stand against the monstrous astrocities of hitler's and stalin's hordes.
was there not a story of a sister in eastern Europe that preached the "Kingdom Good news" for 15 + years before ever seeing a bible?
Wt elders are mostly managers, many not elders in the true sense of the word, Br. EngLeitner of course truly is, a leitner, a "guide" in german not a ver-fuehrer like hitler, or other inflated egos of that ilk.
* as the story goes, IF A&E would have restricted their diet, we would all live longer.
# what was the survival ratio of JW in Europe 1933-1945 33 000+ members; 2000+ killed a casuality rate of 10%? many segments of the poulation faced far greater risks, even anihilation. so the bible gives protection of sorts, for believers and survivors.
let us applaud a life well lived.
Br. Engleitner. for the german speakers: how is Iaiah 40:31 the appropriate text fulfilled as indicated by his name en-GLEITEN-er?
exwhyzee said: I thought they were sent to the camps for simply being JW's, Jews or gay rather than for not joining the military.
Jehovah's Witnesses became a target of Hitler directly because of the actions of Rutherford. Rutherford tried to curry favor with Hitler and pretend the WT was a friend of the Nazi government. When Hitler didn't buy into the charade, Rutherford went on the warpath and made himself, the WT, and by extension, all Jehovah's Witnesses an enemy of Hitler. They were imprisoned primarily because the Nazi government saw the Watchtower Society as a subversive cult, dangerous to the German people.
Unfortunately, while Rutherford lived the high life in Brooklyn, the innocent JWs in Germany paid the real price for his arrogance and duplicity.
The "Proclaimers" book, page 661, has a copy of the form Jehovah's Witnesses could sign to avoid being imprisoned:
I, _____ , born on ______ in ______ declare the following:
1. I recognized that the International Bible Students Association spreads out erroneous teachings, and pursues anti-state goals under the cloak of its religious activity
2. For this reason I disassociated myself fully and completely of this organization and I also released myself psychologically off this cult.
3. Thus I guarantee that I will never ever activate for the IBSA. I will denounce any person who approaches me with the heresies of the Bibelforscher or by any means let me know they are Bibelforscher. I will submit to the nearest police station any piece of Bibelforscher literature sent to me.
4. I will henceforth obey the laws of the state, especially in case of wars I will defend my motherland with the weapon in hand and I will submit myself in the ranks of the people's association.
5. I have been informed that I will face arrest again if I revoke today's declaration.
Place, date, signature
The WT falsely claims that the Nazis demanded that JWs had to renounce Jehovah as their god. This is a patently false assertion. It involved resignation from being committed to the teachings of the Watch Tower Society.
Surely,
::The WT falsely claims that the Nazis demanded that JWs had to renounce Jehovah as their god. This is a patently false assertion. It involved resignation from being committed to the teachings of the Watch Tower Society.::
The leader of this cult equate renounce the organization=renoucing Jehovah. This is so very common in their thinking and estimation of things.
