April 2017 Study Watchtower encourages you to defy The Society !

by BluesBrother 37 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  darkspilver

  Cool, that's interesting - also interesting to note that the April 2017 article misses out the last sentence from the original life story...

  Watchtower 1 November 1991 - Jehovah Is My God, in Whom I Will Trust AS TOLD BY WILLI DIEHL
  

  Graduation of the eighth class of Gilead was February 9, 1947, and suspense ran high. Where would we be sent? For me, “the measuring lines” fell on the Society’s newly opened printery at Wiesbaden, Germany. (Psalm 16:6) I returned to Bern to apply for necessary papers, but the U.S. occupation forces in Germany were permitting entry only to persons who had lived there before the war. Since I had not, I needed a new assignment from Brooklyn headquarters. It turned out to be circuit work in Switzerland, which I accepted with full trust in Jehovah. But while awaiting this assignment, I was asked one day to show the Bethel premises to three visiting sisters. One of them was a pioneer named Marthe Mehl.

  In May 1949, I informed headquarters in Bern that I planned to marry Marthe and that we desired to remain in full-time service. The reaction? No privileges other than regular pioneering. This we started in Biel, following our wedding in June 1949. I was not permitted to give talks, nor could we look for accommodations for delegates to a forthcoming assembly, even though we had been recommended by our circuit overseer for this privilege. Many no longer greeted us, treating us like disfellowshipped persons, even though we were pioneers.

  We knew, however, that getting married was not unscriptural, so we took refuge in prayer and put our trust in Jehovah. Actually, this treatment did not reflect the Society’s view. It was simply a result of the misapplication of organizational guidelines.
  
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  btlc

  Thx for sharing! A fine example, I collected a few more from recent WT editions, it shows how an arbitrary rules governing lives of rank and file members:

  Melba Barry: In 1940, Lloyd’s mother visited Australia, and Lloyd told her that we were thinking of marriage. She advised him against it because the end of the system of things seemed imminent. (Matthew 24:3-14) He also mentioned his intentions to his buddies, but each time, they talked him out of getting married. Finally, one day in February 1942, Lloyd quietly took me—along with four Witnesses who had been sworn to secrecy—to the registry office, and we got married. There was no provision then in Australia for Jehovah’s Witnesses to perform marriages. (w 01.04.2001 pg 26)

  Robert Nisbet: In 1950, George and I were invited to attend the 16th class of Gilead. It was here that I first met Jean Hyde, a fine Australian sister who was assigned to missionary work in Japan after we both graduated. Singleness was still very much in vogue at that time, so our friendship did not then develop any further. (w 01.04.2003 pg 30)

  Audrey Hyde: Since the 1920’s, Bethelites who desired to marry had been required to leave Bethel and serve Kingdom interests elsewhere. But in the early 1950’s, a few couples who had served at Bethel for some time were allowed to marry and stay. So when Nathan H. Knorr, who at the time was taking the lead in the worldwide Kingdom work, showed an interest in me, I thought, ‘Now, here is someone who will stay!’ (w 01.07.2004 pg 26)

  So, when the big kahuna decided to not take the Revelation 14:4 literally, marriage suddenly become popular:

  My life as a traveling minister was soon to change after I met Karin, a wonderful young woman. Both of us were invited to attend the international convention at Yankee Stadium, New York City, in July 1953. There, between sessions on Monday the 20th, Milton Henschel performed our wedding. (w 01.12.2007 pg 16)
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  FedUpJW

  So what is the lesson? Follow your conscience not the rules.....

  It may appear so, however the following statement is their get out of jail free card.

  Would I patiently wait on Jehovah, or would I be inclined to take matters into my own hands?’

  Today that same brother, under the same situation, would be summarily executed (DF'd) for not 'waiting on Jehovah' and having taken matters into his own hands by marrying.

  One must not be mislead, there is NOTHING that any member of the JDubs can do without incurring the wrath of G.O.D. (guardians of doctrine) unless they have approval from G.O.D. (guardians of doctrine) first! And may God have mercy on your soul if they change their minds about what is approved conduct for the sheeple THIS week!
  
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  krismalone

  During the self proclaimed Judge Rutherfords reign of terror marriage and having children were seen as being selfish, lacking faith and weak spiritually. Although not disfellowshipping offense, but loss of privileges and emotional distress would be the end result. SALVATION p.325 said single christians should not marry and married couples should not bear children "according to the scriptures". EVIL BASTARDS! Read 1 timothy 4:1-5 where demons would inspire false teachings including forbidding marriage.

  Just like today marrying an unbeliever, going to college is not a df offense but is looked upon in a very bad light and as spiritually weak, so was marriage and childbearing. Many oldtimers still hold this view albeit privately.

  Both Russel and Rutherford had failed marriages and wanted others to be miserable as well.
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  darkspilver

  Has anyone heard of anyone else losing privileges because of getting married?

  It's possible - basic principle is they both have to apply 'again' and they may not be accepted.

  Hence the Branch Organization Manual states:

  Missionaries
  

  Marriage: If a single field missionary becomes engaged to be married, he or she should inform the branch office right away. If the field missionary indicates that he or she wishes to continue in the missionary work along with his or her prospective mate, the branch should immediately request a confidential Personal Qualifications Report (S-326) from the missionary's body of elders and one from his or her circuit overseer.

  If the prospective mate lives in the branch territory, the branch may send him or her a Questionnaire for Prospective Field Missionary (S-214} to fill out. In addition, the prospective mate's body of elders and circuit overseer should be asked to complete separate Personal Qualifications Reports (S-326). The Branch Committee will review the missionary's qualifications and those of his or her prospective mate, taking into consideration the reputation and the physical health and stamina of each one. Whether favourable or otherwise, all the reports (translated into English) along with the Branch Committee's recommendation and the prospective mate's S-214 questionnaire should be submitted to the Service Committee, which will make the final decision.

  If the prospective mate does not live in the branch territory, the Branch Committee should submit the S-326 reports for the missionary to the Service Committee along with its recommendation based on the Branch Committee's knowledge of the missionary. In turn, the Service Committee will obtain the needed reports from the prospective mate's branch office. In all cases, the Service Committee will make the final decision as to whether someone continues as a field missionary following his or her marriage.
  

  Similiar principle for Special Pioneers, Circuit Overseers and Bethelites
  

  Interestingly for Special Pioneers and Circuit Overseer there are additional requirements...
  

  The prospective mate should be at least 21 years old, baptized three years or longer, in full-time service for at least two years, in good health, and able to maintain an active schedule. If there is a great difference in age between the two who are planning to marry, the Branch Committee should consider carefully whether this would cause negative talk or be a stumbling block to others.
  
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  Crazyguy

  Another thing about this story that seems odd is him talking about being treated as if disfellowshiped. Didn't that print an Awake in 1947 that said disfellowshipping was wrong? I smell a rat.
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  btlc

  Good point, Crazyguy, disfellowshipping started in 1952, Willi mixed something...
  
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  tepidpoultry

  "simply a result of the misapplication of the organizational guidelines"

  Meaning: WE WERE PERFECT WE DO NOT APOLOGIZE FOR ANYTHING,

  Indeed a poor workman who blames his tools!

  More accurately a matter of throwing the scapegoat (the Branch) under the bus!

  Truth was this was a long standing mandate from "The Good and

  Righteous Judge"

  Who famously abandoned his own wife and son, the family no one knew about,

  The founder of Jehovah' Witnesses, serving Jehovah the founder of all

  families

  Who left His name people to the instruction and care of this man!

  And now The Wicked Judge was dead!

  :0)
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  tepidpoultry

  
  
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  tepidpoultry

  @crazyguy I think he meant how someone TODAY might view a

  disfellowshipped person

  :0)