by PublishingCult 57 Replies latest jw friends
how would JW's view a situation in which, for example, the Pope met with corrupt politicians and publicly autographed Bibles for them as souvenirs?
Another good point. If this was any other religious group autographing Bibles, the Governing Body would be jumping all over them to discredit.
Ho. Lee. Shit.
If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it.
Good find.
How did they manage to legally go to Cuba in the first place? Wasn't it illegal for Americans unless you sneaked in by going to Mexico first?
The only other party like this to legally visit Cuba that I can recall was the Black Congressional Caucus, and they had permission from the Department of State.
Oh - and Michael Moore - to make his movie, which praised the Cuban Health Care System.
So, did they go the State Department and get special permission?
How did they manage to legally go to Cuba in the first place? Wasn't it illegal for Americans unless you sneaked in by going to Mexico first?
Americans can travel to Cuba legally if you are a Cuban American, politician, journalist or if you have a research project regarding Cuba. Others including students, religious groups, and humanitarians can apply for a license from the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
I have submitted a request to the OFAC as follows:
To Whom It May Concern,
From December 1 to 7, 1998, members of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Lloyd Barry, John Barr, and Gerrit Lösch, paid a visit to Cuba, and they were accompanied by 15 other delegates. The visitors were citizens of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Great Britain, Italy, New Zealand, and Puerto Rico, according to an article in the May 15, 1999 Watchtower Magazine published by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society.
I am writing you to respectfully request one copy each of any and all LICENSE APPLICATIONS FOR TRAVEL TO CUBA submitted by the members of this delegation, including all required attachments, specifically for Lloyd Barry, John Barr, and Gerrit Lösch, and copies of the licenses themselves for the purposes of research on this particular religious organization.
Please send to:
XXXXXXXX
Very interesting, PublishingCult.
Thanks for the thread.
EDIT to add:
U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Now, that is a new one to me - never heard of it. But there are probably thousands of U.S. federal beauracracies I have never heard of.
Some comments:
Cuba, a West Indian country
This is how Americans think of Cuba. Cubans themselves think of it as the larger of the Greater Antilles. You see, this is one of those moments when you realize that the GB has a worldview that's American only.
Citizens of Puerto Rico.
Yeah, right. Some Puerto Ricans wish they were citizens of their own island only. For the GB, however, these are American citizens. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I suppose this is a visit meant to make the life of Cuban Jehovah's witnesses easier, so hypocrysy from Castro and towards him would be only expected. Did you notice that the brothers didn't know Governing Body members and citizens of other countries would be arriving? Meaning, of course, the visit was fully controlled by Castro. Not a finger was moved there that Castro didn't want moved.
But what makes me very, very sad, is that Jehovah's witnesses there were truly the victims of the regime, more so than everyone else (except, perhaps, for dissenters like Armando Valladares, homosexuals, and people with AIDS). What makes me real sad is that these witnesses should know better. They have such a tyrant at home, that they should be able to recognize the wolves in suits. What kind of freedom will they get from this visit, I don't know.
This is a matter for deep personal reflection for me. How can it be that this organization becomes their vent to the outside world. Sad.
the GB has a worldview that's American only.
Watchtower centric, too. Sickening to watch the Governing Body show up there and act like they were the pope...what could Cuban officials possibly care over the fact that these guys signed bibles for them?
I suppose this is a visit meant to make the life of Cuban Jehovah's witnesses easier
I will submit the opinion that it was more of a photo-op for the GB to pose in the Watchtower, and for the general readership of the WT to see.
Did it actually make the lives of Cuban JWs easier? Is there a follow-up to indicate that?
In his book "Against all Hope", Cuban dissenter Armando Valladares wrote the following about a "Protestant preacher":
Everyone gave Gerardo the simple nickname of "The Brother of the Faith". A Protestant preacher, he had devoted his life to spreading the Word of God. His own self was his most beautiful preaching work. When he came to the La Cabaña prison, thousands of prisoners were crowded in those spaceless areas.... fear and death would be with us throughout the nights... because those were nights when prisoners were shot. We never knew whether we would ever see the fellow prisoner who said goodbye on his way to the courtrooms.... and in those moments of tremendous anguish, The Brother of the Faith would say that the prisoner in question had the privilege of having been called by God to his side. Many were the men he helped to face death with courage and serenity..."
On his release, many people came to Valladares's mind. Among them,
"...and, in the middle of that apocalyptic vision, of my terrible experiences, amidst the grayish smoke of gunpowder and the orgy of beatings and blood, prisoners shot dead, a starved, skeleton of a man, white hair, his blue eyes on fire and his heart full of love, raised his hands towards the invisible Heavens and asked for mercy for his executioners...
"Forgive them, O Lord, for they know not what they are doing...!", while a burst of machine-gun fire destroyed the chest of the Brother of the Faith..."
In memory of the Brother of the Faith, whoever he was.
I`m so Proud of my WBT$ GB Boy`s..
"Bible signing Show" in Cuba!..
Freddy re-Wrote the Bible and now it`s a Big Hit! "We love you Satan!"
...................... 
...OUTLAW
Outlaw! lol.
The ba ba ba bad ass is back.
