Judge J.F. Rutherford created many oddball ideas in his tenure as Society President. None was nuttier than his polemical rant,
RELIGION is a SNARE and a RACKET 1939 2.0 MB
http://www.jwbrothers.org/videos/715/
Because of his unnecessarily poisonous attack on every denomination except his own, he had thrown many draft-age young Bible Students and later Jehovah's Witnesses under the bus.
When, in WWI, the brothers sought exemptions on religious conscience grounds, they could not convince local draft boards they had any formal religion or coherent beliefs because Pastor Russell had been totally against ORGANIZATION.
There was no formal statement of orthodoxy and all I.B.S.A. (International Bible Students Association) members were democratic in believing whatever they damned well pleased!
later, in 1929, Romans 13.1 was flipped into an inside out excuse for refusing civilian service.
Jehovah’s Witnesses stood aloof by claiming they were not a religion; just a bible society and they further decried their label as pacifist because they were total advocates of War of the great day of God the Almighty.
In 1937 in the book Enemies, J.F. Rutherford painted all religions with the same broad brush.
“ Strange as it may seem, the two
words "Christian" and "religion" are diametrically
opposed one to the other. ”
The greatest racket ever invented and practiced
is that of religion.
Clearly this was a tactical mistake that could cost the Society three kinds of important exemptions.
- Religious exemption in time of war for their ministers whether full or part-time.
- Tax exemption for their corporation
- Real estate exemption for their property holdings (including Kingdom Halls)
A reversal of position was vitally necessary.
President Rutherford died in 1942. Now it would no directly embarrass the man if exemptions were sought.
To avoid loss of exemption it had become necessary to finesse the absolute statements of President Rutherford when applying for the above exemptions although none of it was made public until 1950 in a book written by the former Vice-President of the Society and Attorney, Hayden C. Covington. In his book, “Defending and legally establishing the Good News”:
“The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Inc., is incorporated under the laws of the State of New York for charitable, religious, and scientific purposes.
The unincorporated bodies of persons known as Jehovah’s witnesses hold in common certain religious tenets and beliefs and recognize as their terrestrial governing organization the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Inc.
By their adherence to the organization of this religious corporation, the unincorporated body of Jehovah's Witnesses are considered to constitute a recognized religious sect.”
--Vol.II Opinion No.14, National Headquarters, Selective Service System, November 2, 1942.
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, in Hull v Stalter, 151F. 2d 633 (1945), said:
“The fact is, they have been recognized by the Selective Service System as a religious organization and are entitled to the same treatment as the members of any other religious organization...”
What can we conclude from the above?
1. Jehovah's Witnesses were and are a RELIGION while claiming they weren't just for the sake of polemic.
2.Jehovah's Witnesses were demanding draft exemptions while claiming to NOT be Pacifist.
3.Brothers weren't allowed to take alternate community service to avoid prison so a ridiculous reason was hatched.
Pretending there was no Superior Authority other than Jehovah and Jesus to be subjected to, the Society twisted scripture for their own purposes. But, not to worry! They twisted it back in 1962!
4. Few JW's noticed they had actually become a "religion" because the "technicality" was buried in Covington's legal booklet.
It should further not surprise anybody that as early as 1934, the Society's corporations sought Tax Exemption as
charitable and benevolent societies.
"By orders of the commissioner of Internal Revenue, United States Treasurey Department, under dates of November 9, 1934, March 22, 1935, April 24, 1935, April 23, 1938, September 1, 1942, and June 17, 1946, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Inc. (a New Yourk corporation) and Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (a Pennsylvania corporation), were held to be entitled to exemption from the making of income tax returns under the Federal Internal Revenue Act because such societies were charitable corporations engaged in religious activity.
...have been declared exempt also from the payment of taxes on real estate owned and used by the for carrying out the chartered purposes of the societies because such societies are benevolent and engaged in religious activity."