*** Watchtower January 15th 1964 Issue, Pages 63-64 ***
Questions from Readers
According to the Bible at Deuteronomy 22:23-27, an Israelite engaged girl threatened with rape was required to scream. What is the position of a Christian woman today if faced with a similar situation? Is she to scream even if an attacker threatens her life with a weapon?-M. U., United States.
According to God's law an Israelite girl(ENGAGED VIRGIN GIRL not just a girl! ) was under obligation to scream:NWT "In case there happened to be a virgin girl engaged to a man, and a man actually found her in the city and lay down with her, you must also bring them both out to the gate of that city and pelt them with stones, and they must die, the girl for the reason that she did not scream in the city, and the man for the reason that he humiliated the wife of his fellow man." If, however, the attack took place in a field and the woman screamed and thus tried to get away from the attacker, she was not to be stoned, since she was overpowered and there was no one to rescue her.-Deut. 22:23-27. NWT
Deut 22: 23 “In case there happened to be a virgin girl engaged(not single) to a man, and a man actually found her in the city and lay down with her, 24 YOU must also bring them both out to the gate of that city and pelt them with stones, and they must die, the girl for the reason that she did not scream in the city, and the man for the reason that he humiliated the wife of his fellowman. So you must clear away what is evil from your midst. (Engaged woman were considered married woman) vs single!
25 “If, however, it is in the field that the man found the girl who was engaged, and the man grabbed hold of her and lay down with her, the man who lay down with her must also die by himself, 26 and to the girl you must do nothing. The girl has no sin deserving of death, because just as when a man rises up against his fellowman and indeed murders him, even a soul, so it is with this case. 27 For it was in the field that he found her. The girl who was engaged screamed, but there was no one to rescue her.
WTBTS Crazy understanding of the above scriptures Isearlites life style! But suppose the man had a weapon and threatened to kill the girl if she failed to lie down with him? These scriptures do not weaken the argument or alter the situation by citing any circumstance that would justify her in not screaming. It plainly says she should scream; hence, oppose the attack regardless of the circumstances.If she was overpowered and perhaps knocked unconscious and violated before help came in answer to her screams, she could not be held accountable. The thought of the scriptures apparently is that the girl's screaming, by attracting neighborhood attention, would frighten off her assailant and would save her, even though he threatened her life for not quietly complying with his wishes and passionate desires. (Not a disfellowshipping offense because no one would be able to hear her in her house compared to a homeless tent city)
Such Scriptural precedents are applicable to Christians, who are under command, "Flee from fornication." (1 Cor. 6:18) Thus if a Christian woman does not cry out and does not put forth every effort to flee, she would be viewed as consenting to the violation. Wrong! read the scripture! and laugh.
Betrothed (Engaged) vs. Unbethrothed! (Single)
WTBTS has the following understanding of scripture wrong! "For the victim(single or married) to be considered guilty of fornication(single person) there would need to be proof of willing consent. Apparently the requirement of Deuteronomy 22:25-27 for the woman(single or married) to resist by screaming would clear her from any suspicion of such consent on her part." Abuse of scriptures because in Deut 22:28 the bible does not say if the single woman screamed or not!
The above comments according to the WTBTS victim committing fornication, however that scripture is talking about a betrothed woman who in the OT would be considered as good as married and it was an insult on her betrothed. What about a woman who is not betrothed and she does not scream?
NWT
Deut 22: 28 “In case a man finds a girl, a virgin who has not been engaged(single), and he actually seizes her and lies down with her, and they have been found out, 29 the man who lay down with her must also give the girl’s father fifty silver shekels, and she will become his wife due to the fact that he humiliated her. He will not be allowed to divorce her all his days.
The above says nothing about screaming! There no stoning! WTBTS congregations would call it disfellowshipping offense if a women does not scream!
Also, WTBTS applied 1 Coth 6:18 which does not work because it is referring to prostitutes and not an engaged virgin or single virgin!
16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." [b] 17 But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. 18 Flee from fornication. Every other sin that a man may commit is outside his body, but he that practices fornication is sinning against his own body. (Sin against his own body)
Like a unbrothred virgin girl in Deuto is practicing fornication and is the town Prostitute! It does not work!
Disfellowshipping does not work for victims! YOU can not apply Deuto single virgin girl laws to Corinth PROSTITUE who is practicing fornication!
That is right WTBTS an engaged girl was required to scream, however an unbetrothed girl was not! HE would be married to her for life for humilating her! The two would marry! She was not disfellowshipped,stoned,or put out for fornication. Stoning applied to a betrothed woman who consented or did not scream.
It is just more WTBTS abuse of scriptures to find reason to control and throw people out of the congregations.
To answer WTBTS question What is the position of a Christian woman today if faced with a similar situation?
Deut22:29 She is not guilty of fornication because she was humilated, 29 he has violated her. Did the single woman scream?Maybe or maybe not, it is not mentioned.
Gentile laws over ride Mosiac laws! thank goodness because who would want to marry a scum of the earth!