The Mormons have exactly the same policy. They will not announce who they are straight away either...
JW's not identifying themselves?
by DanielHaase 13 Replies latest jw friends
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abbagail
I was dumbfounded when we were instructed from the platform in a letter from HQ that we were not to identify ourselves as representatives of the "Watchtower Bible & Tract Society" or "Watchtower Society", for LEGAL reasons. In other words, the WTS didn't want any flak from the general public over being associated with Jehovah's Witnesses. What we were "encouraged" to do, if we felt it NECESSARY to identify ourselves to householders, was to say we were "from the ______ congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses". Another example of the WTS keeping itself at arm's length from the bodies of elders and congregations, for legal reasons.
Scully, about when did they announce that? I've been out since '90, and I don't remember an announcement to not identify ourselves for LEGAL reasons... Hmmmm... Mighty suspicious of 'em. I'd kinda take offense to that if I was still "in" - being disenfranchised like that from the Mother Org, as if "she" didn't care 'bout us anymore...
I did notice just last Fall, however, September I think, is when they changed all the mags (the fine print on the back covers and inside cover etc.) that intersted persons should contact Christian Cong of JW's (rather than Write to the WTS, as it used to say). I remember thinking/wondering, How Odd...?? Of course, several years before that I "discovered" in the DC list in the mags that they had bought the city auditorium in WPB, FL, and named it "Christian Convention Center of JWs."
Guess I don't know what to make of it all...
GRITS
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orangefatcat
I personaly feel that for years that the WTBS have been reluctent to use the name Jehovah's Witnesses. Isn't there a scripture that says if you become ashamed of me( JEHOVAH) I will be ashamed of you? For years the Society's policy and C.O &D.O. said we should not be hasty in telling people you are a JW. and WHY?? Beats me, couldn't figure it out especially if we are suppose to be proud to be called JW's .
Edited by - orangefatcat on 17 June 2002 14:44:58
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zev
as was mentioned, years ago on some service meeting part, it was "encouraged" that we steer away from announcing that we were jw's.
which for me was even better, i could just go on with my "presentation" (book publishing speel) without getting a kick in the @$$ and sent down the stairs, before i even finished the word "witnesses".
now a days, its a different story. one saturday a few weeks ago, i say them by the dozens working the streets around the city.
i grew a "pair" on the way back from my errand, and stopped the car on the side street they were working, and asked if they were "jehovahs". i knew they were, i see mormans and jw's all the time but none of them ever knock on our door. so to get the latest "good news" one must employ a little theocratic warfare. anyways, i could barely get a copy of the latest wt in english, everything current they had was spanish. bummer. i got some older stuff off of them, but hey, you had to be there and see me in action.
i can't wait till my next saturday off when its nice out. think i'll go jw hunting