Have you ever wondered....

by Hecklerboy 10 Replies latest jw friends

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  Hecklerboy

  With all the attention on terrorism in the world today and with the goverment cracking down on some anti-goverment groups. Will the witnesses be next on the list of groups to be watched by the goverment? Maybe even taking action against them. I mean with all the anti-goverment sentiment in their publications (ie. showing the destruction of the UN and world goverments) I guess I'm suprised the goverment hasn't taken action already. Of course if the goverment did take action against them it would just prove in their own mind they are the chosen ones.

  Which makes me wonder about another thing. When are you not considered a JW. I haven't attend a meeting in over 8 years, but I'm not DF'd or DA'd. Do you have to disassociate yourself to be removed from their files or is there a time limit?
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  IT Support

  Hecklerboy

  When are you not considered a JW. I haven't attend a meeting in over 8 years, but I'm not DF'd or DA'd. Do you have to disassociate yourself to be removed from their files or is there a time limit?

  Sorry, WT is a bit like getting cold sores--once they get into you, you never get rid of them.

  Bethel even keeps--or, at least, used to keep--disfellowshipping records years after the person has died!
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  FairMind

  HecklerBoy, you are toast if the government goes after JWs! They'll have to get everybody ever associated with the WTS in order to assure that the plague is stamped out.
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  New Worldly Translation

  You're absolutely right that JW's would see an attack by the government on them as proof they are chosen by God. I think most governments don't really know about the vitriol towards them in the societies publications. When the UN was told about the WBTS being an NGO but also believing they were a beast in revelation they were very surprised (and puzzled no doubt). The US & UK governments especially are very keen on implementing anti-terrorism laws and some of the articles in the watchtower if read in a certain way could be construed as threatening or even advocating anti-government behaviour. I'm not fully up to speed on current thinking of the WBTS (cos it changes as much as the weather) but they used to expect politics to turn on false religious institutions first and then turn on the JW's at the time of the end.

  My mum told me in the 1950's and early 60's JW's were even more conscious of impending persecution from the government. She said after the group study they used to practice hiding the study books in places like inside my nan's piano in case they were raided. Some people also bought reversible coats, sunglasses, hats etc so that if they were spotted in field service by the police they could pop round a corner and do a quick change like a cold war spy. I seem to recall being told they piloted a scheme whereby the meetings would be at different peoples houses every week so that the govn't couldn't easily trace where they were gathering. They were also told that if they were tortured they mustn't spill the beans and tell the authorities where the elders lived or where the meetings were being held. Maybe they were in a particularly paranoid cong. but it would be interesting to know if anyone else has memories of similar things.
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  Freedom Fighter

  What intrigues me about all this is that the JWs seem to think they are such an important 'force' in opposition to established governments. Has it not dawned on them that they are a small ineffectual cult not even worth noticing? They really exaggerate their own importance right enough.

  FF
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  Robert K Stock

  The Branch Davidians in Waco were an Adventist cousin of the Watchtower. They taught that one day the government would attack them and it did.

  In the Watchtower's case they do not have to worry. Jehovah's Witnesses are not the controversial, in your face, stick it to the man, outfit they may have been when Rutherford had his boys cracking heads with lead tipped canes in the 1930's.

  As long as the FDS tells the rank and file to pay their taxes and obey the laws of the country, the government will let these sleeping dogs lie.
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  freedom96

  It has been 9 years since I have been to a meeting.

  Who knows if they still have records of me. They barely knew me in that hall anyways.
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  CinemaBlend

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  Will the witnesses be next on the list of groups to be watched by the goverment?
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  There's nothing they'd love better.
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  Hecklerboy

  Maybe someone should send their congressman or woman a copy of their literature showing the capitol being destroyed. That would get some attention. Then again, I don't want my poor old mom to be rounded up by the goverment.

  Why do they make serving God so complicated?
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  cindykp

  If you show no interest in going back, they have to leave you alone. They cant come looking for your just to find out if your doing wrong. But, if you show any interest at all when they come a knocking, look out. I did that 2 weeks ago after being inactive for 15 years, and now Im going to be disfellowshipped.