are they Pinko Commies?

by james_woods 6 Replies latest jw friends

  • james_woods
    james_woods

    I was just reading the post of LDH on that thread about "class" warfare. It made me think of something because she mentioned "socialism". Way back when (60s & 70s) this was a very common objection out in the field service. It seemed with cold war going and maybe some carryover from McCarthy and Nixon, a lot of people thought the JWs were commies. I know the American Legion and VFW orgs were considered some of our greatest enemies. The Legion once actually broke up an assembly in Duncan, Okla. and caused a massive riot.

    You know, there were actually some points behind this - wouldn''t go to armed services, were expected to be sort of "worker masses" with no education, had to tow the party line and go to indoctrination meetings, and so on. Even had "political officers" and at least one collective farm and many collective factories. Brother and Sister analogue of Comrade and Citizen? Also clearly advocate overthrow of all governments - but supposedly by God. And, of course, the class structure. I think that while publicly denouncing communism/socialism/marxism they actually practice many features of it.

    This anti-commie hate talk was still pretty common at the time I left in about 1980. Just wondered from some who are around now if this label has died out in today's changed political climate.

    Anybody else still ever get called a commie?

    James

  • FairMind
    FairMind

    My father, who was career military, said that JWs were on the congressional list of subversive organizations as a fifth column group (I think this meant affiliated with communists). The truth though (IMO) is that the WTS is fascist or Nazi in nature. All JWs are expected to function as private enterprises with the common good of the organization as a whole being their goal. This means they have freedom of choice as to how and what they provide the organization but providing the organization with its’ needs is number one priority.

  • G Money
    G Money

    I use it at times for hippies...

    Pinko commie liberal socialist agitators!!!

  • james_woods
    james_woods

    FairMind trumps my point. For sure right now they are a lot more totalitarian than anything utopian. Even though the new earth idea is sort of a utopian dream.

    But, I have always felt that where Russell was kind of like Lenin (maybe of good intent, but misled) but Rutherford then has to be just like Joseph Stalin. Take over without remorse! Purge out opposition! Funny how all the commie governments claim to be good but end up with a Fidel Castro dictator.

    No, they were not and are not now commies. But they sure are totalitarians.

    James

  • G Money
    G Money

    I don´t think communism in its pure form exists. It becomes more of an oligarchy. Cuba could work but everyone points at it and says, see, communism doesn´t work. I´d say that would be a fair statement if there was no trade embargo. All things equal, many Cubans overall have it better than many poor latin countries.

  • William Penwell
    William Penwell

    All labels.... Is China still classified as communist? If so they are beating the crap economically out of the US.

    Will

  • Gretchen956
    Gretchen956
    I use it at times for hippies...
    Pinko commie liberal socialist agitators!!!

    Ahhh... that would be me.

    Sherry

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