JWs and National Oaths of Allegiance Expose' by Marvin Shilmer-Please Read

AndersonsInfo

The following three paragraphs are part of a startling new essay written by a well-respected poster on JWD. He spent much time and money to gather proof of duplicity on the part of Watch Tower leaders. Marvin Shilmer (not his real name) has given permission for me to put his entire essay on my website, www.watchtowerdocuments.com. Scroll down the home page almost to the end of the page and the link to Marvin's essay is the second from the bottom in the list of Watchtower related material. The title of the link is --"2008 Jehovah's Witnesses and National Oaths of Allegiance.pdf"
Barbara Anderson

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES AND NATIONAL OATHS OF ALLEGIANCE by Marvin Shilmer

Jehovah’s Witnesses are a religious group who look to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Inc. as one of its primary legal organizations; it’s their “voice.”[1] During the 1930s and 40s, Jehovah’s Witnesses were at the center of a stir over refusal to salute the flag of or pledge allegiance to the United States.[2] Since then, Jehovah's Witness leaders frequently steer their followers not to pledge allegiance to any government other than God’s Kingdom.[3], [4]

Jehovah’s Witnesses take this religious position seriously. In the 1930s and 40s, Jehovah’s Witnesses in the United States suffered terrible persecution for refusing to pledge allegiance to the United States.[5] During the 1960s and 70s, Jehovah’s Witnesses in the African nation of Malawi suffered horrendous persecution because “they owe allegiance only to Jehovah.”[6], [7] U.S. courts have upheld Jehovah’s Witnesses’ right to refuse to pledge allegiance. Furthermore, in recent years, courts have awarded damages to members in civil cases where Witnesses sued employers and potential employers over their refusal to sign oaths of allegiance because “their religion does not permit them to take an oath in which they must swear faith or allegiance to any entity other than God.”[8]

Despite the historical position demonstrated by members, and based on a thorough review of reference material, few realize that while Watch Tower leaders were publicly counseling followers not to take national oaths of allegiance, these same leaders were pledging allegiance to the U.S. government.[9]

PLEASE GO TO www.watchtowerdocuments.com TO READ SOME EYE-OPENING INFORMATION.

Tatiana

Thank you, Barbara. I will check this out and post it. Edited to add that I just read the entire PDF document, and this is powerful. Another blatant hypocrisy that needs to be exposed. I think I'll print out a bunch and place them under the wipers of cars at the KH.

yknot

Through my teary recollections of watching my peers suffer for the pledge. Feeling guilty for receiving hours of practice quoting legal gooblygop, that spared me similar daily tribulation.........my theocratic ~~training~~ programming is already side-stepping the whole revelation and dismissing it all as warfare by those 'entitled' to use such means.

Damn this indoctrination.

Damn them.

Mrs. Fiorini

Jesus said of the Pharisees, "They bind up heavy loads and put them upon the shoulders of men, but they themselves are not willing to budge them with their finger." Matthew 23:4.

I see no difference between pledging allegiance to the constitution and pledging allegiance to the flag. I wonder if this policy was started as another publicity stunt/ploy to gain attention, like when Rutherford instructed Witnesses to go into towns where they knew they would get arrested so they would have court cases.

It also reminds me of their stance on all things pagan. They say it's wrong to celebrate holidays because of their pagan roots, yet it's okay to wear wedding rings because no one remembers their pagan roots.

I think their policies are less about principles, and more about the perceived benefits to the organization of their various positions.

cabasilas

Thanks, Barbara (and Marvin), for this information!

Here is a clickable link to that document:

http://www.watchtowerdocuments.com/downloads/2008_Jehovahs_Witnesses_and_National_Oaths_of_Allegiance.pdf

Meeting Junkie No More

This is absolute dynamite...if I weren't mentally OUT of this organization by now, this would certainly do it for me, as I'm sure it would for thousands of Witnesses still trapped...any way this can be featured in a TIME article?

Edited to add: Thank you, thank you, Andersons Info for all your hard work and tireless efforts in exposing this duplicitous bunch for all to see...

sir82

Typical of the JW leadership. When it is convenient, split hairs and redefine terms to your advantage.

Regarding the oath that used to be required to passport applications:

When speaking specifically of this oath as found on passport applications, the religious literature of Jehovah’s
Witnesses speaks of this pledge of allegiance not as to the government or to the Constitution, but as an “[oath]
of allegiance to defend the Constitution.”
25

I.e., "if we don't come up with some sort of rationalization, no one (not our missionaries, not even me, the president) can get a passport. I know! We'll say that particular oath is to defend the Constitution, not allegiance to the country. Problem solved! Now what's for lunch?"

Same style of reasoning allows "pagan" wedding rings to be used, allows "anniversary parties" but not "birthday parties", allows "minor blood fractions" but not "major blood fractions", redefining a "lie" to be "not telling the truth to someone who deserves to know the truth", etc.

shadow

The essay would be stronger if it included all of the actual oaths referred to. What were the oaths in Malawi, Georgia and California?

It also doesn't include any reference to the g75 7/22 p. 27 article on "What Is the Bible’s View? The Taking of Oaths".

The last example cited for top WT officials is from 1971, why aren't there any that are more recent? Perhaps this should be included:

*** g72 10/8 p. 29 Watching the World ***

Passport Oath

? United States passport applicants will be interested in the following statement from the August 3, 1972, Postal Bulletin: “On the basis of recent court action and until further notice, the requirement that an oath of allegiance be sworn to or affirmed is no longer a part of the passport application process. Accordingly . . . any applicant who desires may strike the oath of allegiance from the application. Postal officials should, of course, continue to administer the oath as to the truth of the statements in the application and that the photograph is a likeness of all persons to be included in the passport.”

AWAKE&WATCHING

They never cease to amaze me. Thanks Marvin and Barbara.

purplesofa

Thanks,

My daughter was told not to say the pledge, It was no problem until after 9/11. Living close to a military base, alot of wives/husbands of military are employed in the community. One of my daughters teachers starting taking issue with her not saying the pledge. Sitting quietly was not an option anymore, she was to go out in the hall. I think the teacher thought this would upset my daughter and cause her to be disruptive. She tried to get her to say the pledge on day and my daughter still would not. The teacher told her ....."then you need to live in another country!"

An elder and I went to the school to have a conference with the principal. We ironed everything out, but it was like a marking for my daughter.

The higher ups don't mind the R&F doing their dirty work.

purps

JWs and National Oaths of Allegiance Expose' by Marvin Shilmer-Please Read

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