Hello,
It has been noticed that when theological issues develop regarding WTS policy over certain matters, such as the WTS present affiliation with the UN as a NGO, defenders of the WTS policy often miss the spirit of what is truly happening and thus miss a wonderful opportunity to examine their own faith and motives, and perhaps to catch a glimpse of the soft underbelly of the WTS and what it truly stands for.
For example, it is quite obvious that the WTS has violated the spirit of its own long held denigration of the UN, politics and involvement in the social affairs of the ‘World’ by taking advantage of the protection and programs offered by the UN to its NGO’s. To ‘theocratically’ allow this affiliation, it is certain that scriptures would have been searched and discussed by the then GB, a vote taken and the decision sanctioned. Scriptures such as; ‘make friends for yourselves with the unrighteous riches’, ‘defending and legally establishing the Good News’, etc., would no doubt have been heavily relied upon in the decision-making process.
The temptation by some, seems to be to defend the position of the WTS in this affair, by allowing that they actually fall short of aligning themselves with the UN, as the paperwork that they have signed actually does not state that they are members or part of the UN, but merely approved associates with it, of one sort or the other. Clearly a legalistic defense that in my opinion, proves that it is quite easy to be as ‘cautious as serpents’ but very hard to be ‘as innocent as doves’.
The WTS claim to recognize the superiority of living a life based on principle and not legalism where a persons religion is concerned, but also consistently falls short of living by the edicts of their own counsel. In short, they become victims of their own standards. Take for example the following quotations from the Watchtower of Sept. 1st 1996 entitled ‘The Law Before Christ’.
The leaders of Judaism failed to understand that the battle against corruption is fought in the heart and not on the pages of law books.they then paint a clear picture of what some see as the failings of the WTS itself:
The Jewish religious leaders had the great privilege of teaching the people so as to promote and inspire such love. Why did they fail to do so? Evidently they lacked faith. ……..If they had had faith in the power of Jehovah’s spirit to work in the hearts of faithful humans, they would not have felt a need to take rigid control of the lives of others. Lacking faith, they did not impart faith; they burdened the people with man-made commandments.then, as if being directly dictated by your common or garden ‘apostate’, they continue
Those Jewish leaders did not promote love. Their traditions produced a religion obsessed with externals, with mechanical obedience for the sake of appearances—a fertile breeding ground for hypocrisy. Their regulations produced countless reasons for judging others.
There is no doubt that some good has come to some people in unfortunate circumstances due to the WTS affiliation as an NGO with the UN and I heartily celebrate this success, long may it live. The UN and its affiliate NGO’s do a great work on behalf of us all and have saved the lives of millions of people since their inception. But that is hardly the point at issue
The WTS is clearly deliberately and hypocritically in breach of the spirit of its own policies regarding the UN, its affiliation with social movements and its neutrality to the affairs of the ‘world’. It behaves in ways it does not allow its adherents to behave and as such has no grounds at all, to criticize the leaders of C1st for missing the spirit of the Law.
A long winded post but if you have, thank you for reading it - HS