Inquisitor,
For almost 10 years, there was a huge problem that the WTS has, to this date, refused to admit candidly. They were an Associate member of the United Nations Department of Public Information.
Every other tidbit surrounding it—the raging "NGO" debate, the purpose of the membership ("library card" or "influencing government"), and any other factor that distracts from this basic reality that is easy to prove plays right into the hands of the Governing Body. The other issues are important, but they are of secondary importance. The nature of the relationship formed, i.e. "membership" versus "registration", is the first thing to establish—and by itself condemns them of gross wrongdoing.
Applying to become an Associate member of the UN/DPI (as opposed to the UN or the UN/ECOSOC) was the first gross wrong they committed in this matter, according to their own published standards.
Organized to Do Jehovah's Will (2005) p. 155, par. 2
Concerning those who renounced their Christian faith in his day, the apostle John wrote: “They went out from us, but they were not of our sort; for if they had been of our sort, they would have remained with us.” (1 John 2:19) For example, a person might renounce his place in the Christian congregation by his actions, such as by becoming part of a secular organization that has objectives contrary to the Bible and, hence, is under judgment by Jehovah God. (Isa. 2:4; Rev. 19:17-21) If a person who is a Christian chooses to join those who are disapproved by God, a brief announcement is made to the congregation, stating: “[Name of person] is no longer one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Such a person is treated in the same way as a disfellowshipped person. The presiding overseer should approve this announcement.
Both Isaiah 2:4 and Revelation 19:17-21 make perfectly clear that the primary application of this is toward political or governmental attachments. If we stick to the Associate membership issue, the only questions left are (1) is the UN/DPI a governmental organization with objectives contrary to the Bible and (2) is it under judgment by God?
If we get sidetracked into any other discussion we fall into arenas where semantics and debates over the meanings of words/business terms come into play. I think everyone who examines this issue (including myself) has found numerous personal reasons to consider the Society grossly hypocritical due to heavy involvement with policy makers. But those are largely interpretive (though valid) judgments. On the matter of their maintaining an Associate membership with the UN/DPI for almost 10 full years, there is hard fact and there is the fiction the Governing Body continues to spout as fact.
They voluntarily chose to join an organization that they teach has objectives contrary to the Bible and one which they proclaim worldwide to be under judgment by God. They are "inexcusable" for this, because they have judged thousands as undeserving of the Kingdom on the same basis. (Romans 2:1, 2) If they did so for a library card, so much the worse. For such a trifle, a "bowl of the red", they traded their heritage. (Genesis 25:27-34)
Respectfully,
AuldSoul
