by fokyc 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
How's this then:
http://www.progressiveu.org/161523-racism-in-the-jehovah-witness-watchtower
"Watchtower society members claim to be different and better than the worldly people that they refer to as “bird food”. Society members refer to non-Witnesses as bird food because they look forward to the time when the birds will feast on the flesh of dead non-Witnesses after Armageddon. Is the Watchtower Society really morally superior and separate from the rest of American society?"
fokyc
Greetings fokyc,
Not only American Society, even the whole world in their pea-brained mentality
Dismembered
The Watchtower Society makes much of its integrated organization. But those of us who are old enough remember the times when the Society segregated blacks from whites under the guise of "obeying Ceasar." In the south, paraticularly, congregations were separate. At assemblies the attendees were divided. It was only after the Civil Rights movement assured equal rights for all that the Watchtower began to integrate. The Watchtower was a follower, not a leader, in these matters.
...the times when the Society segregated blacks from whites under the guise of "obeying Ceasar.
Segregation still lives on in dubdom; the "Spanish" congregations are Exhibit A.
Guess what? I was just about to reply to this by saying that this is one of the few things that the JW got right - i.e. that they are not in fact prejudiced.
That comment about the spanish congregations made me realize that this is not the case. The WTS is grossly prejudicial in many ways.
a. The subtle segregational notion of having "black" and "hispanic" congregations. They even used to have "spanish language" conventions in Oklahoma City, for crying out loud. What for? All these hispanic witnesses could speak perfectly good English, and would have benefitted from being in association with the "white" brothers and sisters. Now I have heard that there is a vietnamese congregation in Oklahoma City - the caucs call it the "Viet Cong". I kid you not. I am sorry, but these newcomers to america need to have help integrating into society, not to be isolated from it. My GF is Vietnamese (a college graduate and an EPA scientist) and she is offended when witnesses try to come by and talk to her in vietnamese (and, she says - not even very good vietnamese....)!
b. The gross treatment of women as second class humans. This is taught as a doctrinal foundation, unless you happen to be in a really small congregation where some of the sisters have to substitute for minesterial servants (but not appointed as such, of course).
c. The sacchirine-sweet BS of providing a "token" black, oriental, or such in all the lily-white new world pictures in the literature.
d. That total crap of having the "international" assemblies and putting a few ringers into the crowd in their "bright native costumes".
e. Malawi. I will say it again - Malawi.
f. The absolute USA-WASP rule of who gets to be on the "governing body". Really a diverse egocentric bunch of geezers, right? As if God could only pick his chosen ones mainly from the Eastern United States, but later let a second class grouping come in from the uncivilized world.
It makes you sick when you really think about it.
*** w52 2/1 pp. 94-95 Questions from Readers***
If the Watchtower Society is free from racial prejudice, why does it tolerate segregation at its assemblies in certain sections of country? Is this not a course of compromise?—F. C., Wisconsin.
Why do we tolerate the segregation laws and policies of certain governments and organizations of this world? Because Jehovah has not commissioned us to convert the world, which is wicked beyond recovery and hence will be destroyed. Jehovah has commissioned us to preach the gospel. Now what should we do? Drop preaching to fight racial issues? We never have separate meetings and baptisms when we can have them together. But when impossible, shall we have separate meetings and baptisms, or none at all? Shall we serve spiritual food to all, even if separately, or serve it to none? Shall we provide baptism for all, even if separately, or provide it for none? Should we buck Caesar’s segregation laws, when they do not force us to violate God’s laws? God does not forbid separate assembly and baptism, and he commands assembly and baptism. (Matt. 28:19; Heb. 10:25) So should we disobey God to fight a racial issue? To buck the segregation laws would bring on disruption of the witness work, halting of it, mob violence, and possible loss of life. Only laws prohibiting gospel-preaching will we buck at that price. (WTS version of separate but equal)
Some may argue segregation is prohibited by God, citing Galatians 3:28 (NW): "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor freeman, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in union with Christ Jesus." That Paul spoke in a spiritual sense and not in a literal, physical sense is obvious, since actually there were male and female, slave and free, Jew and Greek. Because of the existence of Jew and Greek he specially accommodated himself and his preaching to such classes. (1 Cor. 9:19-22) His recognition of slave and freeman we will consider in more detail, since it bears directly on segregation. How so? Because segregation is rooted in slavery, is the outgrowth and hangover of slavery. Segregation, the stain left by slavery, is a lesser evil than slavery. So if the Bible does not instruct Christians to fight slavery it would not sanction them to battle the lesser evil of segregation, at the expense of gospel-preaching.
Even within the Christian congregation Paul did not protest the slavery of his time. Onesimus was Philemon’s slave, and both were Christians. (Philem. 10-16) Paul wrote Timothy, who pictured the society of witnesses today: "Let as many as are slaves under a yoke keep on considering their owners worthy of full honor." Why? "That the name of God and the teaching may never be spoken of injuriously." Kingdom preaching and Jehovah’s vindication are the issues to keep foremost, not creature equality and racial issues. "Moreover, let those having believing owners not look down on them, because they are brothers. On the contrary, let them the more readily be slaves, because those receiving the benefit of their good service are believers and beloved." (1 Tim. 6:1, 2, NW) Here again note that the slavery of those times existed even within the Christian congregation.
Paul also wrote: "In whatever state each one was called, let him remain in it. Were you called a slave? Do not let it worry you; but if you can also become free, rather seize the opportunity." If Paul could say this regarding slavery, how much more so can it be said to those discriminated against by segregation laws: "Do not let it worry you." It is no cause for Christian concern or anxiety. But if the Lord’s people are in locations where they are free of segregation laws or policies, they rejoice in the greater freedom and delight to be together in assembly. All are slaves of Christ, as Paul goes on to show: "Anyone in the Lord that was called a slave is the Lord’s freedman: likewise he that was called a free man is a slave of Christ." (1 Cor. 7:20-24, NW) Surprisingly, some colored brothers have strenuously objected to this, protesting as offensive the use of the word "slave" in the NewWorldTranslation. Any who do not wish to be Christ’s slave, whether white or black, can cease such service at any time; but they will be slaves nonetheless, only slaves of Satan and sin. (Rom. 6:16-23, NW) Those who magnify human importance soon hide from their view the really vital issues.
Jehovah is no respecter of persons. Neither are his people. But the world in which we live is. Whites are prejudiced against colored, colored are prejudiced against whites. In some colored communities after nightfall a white person would enter at the risk of his very life. To justify this on the grounds that the whites started the discrimination is not Scriptural. (Rom. 12:17) Now, where the danger is extreme should white persons enter these hostile communities and suffer beating and possibly death to prove they have a democratic right to be there? Should a white witness endanger his life to attend a meeting of colored witnesses in such places, or stay overnight with his colored brothers there, just to prove his democratic right to do so?
Many colored persons practice color-prejudice against their own people. Lighter-colored Negroes will shun the darker ones. Some from the Western Hemisphere look down upon the very dark ones from Africa. In South Africa, whites discriminate against the mixed coloreds, the mixed coloreds against the native blacks, the native blacks against the Indian coolies, and in their native India the Indians discriminate against the no caste or outcasts. Who is innocent to throw the first stone? Can we not see that all classes of the human race are evil, that if we start reforming we shall be lost in an impossible task, with endless discriminations and many varieties or injustices to beat down, which crusading social and political organizations of this world have hopelessly fought for years? For us to become like them would be to fail with them, consume our time in such reforms, lose out as Jehovah’s witnesses, and please only the Devil.
So let us please God by preaching the gospel despite the undesirable conditions the Devil’s world may make for us. Let us not be sidetracked by Satan and caught in a subtle snare camouflaged in lofty motives and ideals. Can we not wait upon Jehovah to avenge the wrongs we suffer now? Really, our colored brothers have great cause for rejoicing. Their race is meek and teachable, and from it comes a high percentage of the theocratic increase. What if the worldly wise and powerful and noble look down on them as foolish and weak and ignoble, not on an equality with self-exalted whites? It is to God’s ultimate honor, for he confounds the wise of this world by choosing those the world considers foolish and weak and ignoble. Let us boast in Jehovah and in our equality in his sight, rather than wanting to boast in equality in the world’s sight. (1 Cor. 1:26-31, NW) In due time the exalted ones will be humbled, and the humble ones will be exalted. (Matt. 23:12) All of us await this vindication from God, which will come in his due time. Until then, as Paul advised concerning slavery we advise concerning its lingering trace, segregation: "Do not let it worry you." (1 Cor. 7:21, NW) When possible we will meet together, when not possible we will meet separately; but in either event we are always united in spirit, brothers equal in our own sight, in Christ’s sight, and in God’s sight.
Blondie rightly highlights this piece of witnoid excrement:
To buck the segregation laws would bring on disruption of the witness work, halting of it, mob violence, and possible loss of life. Only laws prohibiting gospel-preaching will we buck at that price. (WTS version of separate but equal)
But, did you ever wsee them hesitate to cause mob violence, get people thrown into jail for military avoidance, and cost people their very lives whenever it seemed to suit their selfish purposes?
Didn't think so. That is the "theocratic strategy" of using the "christian conscience" only when you want to.
Blondie - A perfect example of why the society STOPS printing older literature and counsels us NOT to look at it. I would love to see this article discussed at a KH TODAY.
Talk about a mass exidos of all black members! Can you imagine Al Sharpton getting a hold of this! WOW. It's one thing to confront racial bias in today's congregations (and yes it's there) - this actually condones racial discrimination - for the greater good! Unfreakinbelievable!
Check out this tale of three elders in the congregation I attend,
Elder 1- Is a married Bethelitte who has taken an interest in a divorced mother of two. He regularly goes to her house alone to visit her and "encourage" her. He makes comments about her body and clothing that are out of line to all who have heard them. Several dubs have complained to the p.o. about this situation, but the brother remained and elder and recently moved to a foreign language cong.
Elder 2- Is a single brother who has taken to flirting with a sister who is seperated from her husband but unable to scripturally divorce. He drives her and her alone, home after meetings and they exchange phonecalls in the wee hours of the morning. Complaints about this elder have fallen on deaf ears also and he remains in his position.
Elder 3- Is a widowed brother who took a trip out of the country for a few weeks. When he returned(I guess due to a troubled conscience), he told the elder body that while he was away he stayed at the house of a female friend that he had known since childhood. He insisted that nothing improper took place but that he knew that what he had done was a serious error in judgement. He was deleted in two weeks!!!
My point? Which elder do you think was Black?
ec
Reading this I remembered something funny, in my parents cong. they would pair up with blacks or hispanic sisters and brothers with the whites in order for them to go door to door in poor and bad neighborhoods.
