I had previously posted about an old Bible student who had located me after 10 years and said she had been 're-activated' last year.
I wrote a very gentle e-mail back about the UN scandal and implied I was faded. She kindly thought she would ask the CO his thoughts.( I was hoping she might do her own research!)
Here's todays e-mail;
Hi, we have the Circuit Overseer at the moment and he has explained to me what is going on concerning the Society and the UN. The Watchtower Society is not associated in any way with the UN. Anything to the contrary will be coming from apostates.
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>Apparently in the early '90's the Society had become a member of the UN Library as a Non Govermental organisation but the UN changed it's Charter so that only representatives of Governments could be members of any of it's departments so the Watchtower withdrew membership. The Society sent a letter to all CO's when the apostate sites started alleging that it was consorting with the Wild Beast. My CO said if you want to see a copy of this letter to ask the Elders to get in touch with the CO for your congregation with the request.
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>At the time the Society was a member of the Library they didn't realise it was an issue as I am a member of the Waipa Library but I don't have anything to do with the Council that runs it in day to day politics.
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>I hope this is a satisfactory explanation but I urge you to ask to see the letter anyway if it will put your mind at ease.
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>Would like to hear what you think, Love XXXXXXX.
And my reply;
I wrote a letter last year, (but never sent it!) to the Branch outlining my concerns. I thought you might like to have a read and if you could show it to the DO without naming me I'd be really pleased.
14th November, 2006
Dear Brothers,
A few years ago now my mum separated (temporarily) from my father and came to live with my wife and I and our two children. We had a small house and were struggling to earn a living, get to meetings and field service etc.along with mum being quite upset. After a short while, she decided to get a little flat of her own to take some of the pressure off us. So she briefly rented an emergency room at the YWCA.
We were quite relieved, but after a couple of days we had a visit from our Presiding Overseer who counselled us on the inappropriateness of letting my mother being looked after by Babylon the Great. We explained that it was just a room for a few weeks and there was no interfaith or anything like that.
He then showed the correctness of his counsel by directing us to Questions From Readers in the Watchtower of Jan. 1st 1979 concerning membership of the YMCA. It said, in part;
“In joining the YMCA as a member a person accepts or endorses the general objectives and principles of the organization. He is not simply paying for something he receives such as when buying things being sold to the public at a store. (Compare 1 Corinthians 8:10; 10:25.) Nor is his membership merely an entry pass, as when a person buys a theater ticket. Membership means that one has become an integral part of this organization founded with definite religious objectives, including the promotion of interfaith. Hence, for one of Jehovahs Witnesses to become a member of such a so-called “Christian” association would amount to apostasy.
“Some individuals have on occasion not become members but have paid a one time admission fee, viewing this as simply paying for a commercial service available. Even in this regard it is wise to consider whether this course will adversely affect the consciences of others. 1 Cor. 8:11-13.”
So it was clear to us that we couldn't condone mum being there, especially as anyone connected in some way with Babylon the Great was in line for destruction.
Mum has died now. She hoped Armageddon would get here a bit sooner than now but she'll get resurrected very soon.
But, about a year ago, while doing some research, something shocked me.
I read an article by the reputable Guardian newspaper in the UK that reported in their October 15, 2001 issue that The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society had been a member of the United Nations as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) since 1991!
Within days of this being revealed to the world the Society asked to resign from the UN.
Paul Hoeffel, Chief of the NGO section of the United Nations wrote an open letter which said in part;
“Recently the NGO section has been receiving numerous enquiries regarding the association of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York with the Department of Public Information (DPI). This organization applied for association with DPI in 1991 and was granted association in 1992. By accepting association with DPI, the organization agreed to meet criteria for association, including support and respect of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and commitment and means to conduct effective information programmes with its constituents and to a broader audience about UN activities.”
How could Jehovahs organization be linked, in any way, with Babylon in clear conscience for ten years?
Why did it take an exposure by a worldly newspaper to cause the Society to resign?
Why do so few of the brothers I've spoken to know anything about this? One brother I spoke to just said “Oh , it's the apostates making trouble”! But the information is printed on the official UN website and is easily found!
This is how I feel;
It is like finding out from a complete stranger that my wife has been having an affair with my sworn enemy for ten years and when confronted about it she minimises the whole thing and tells me it meant nothing to her! I'm horrified!
I'm a brother in good standing, but it's clear to me now that I can't ask these questions openly without being labelled as 'weak'. Nor can I stand by and see the Organization I've worked so hard for prostitute themselves to Gods enemy and then try to hide it or minimize it. The Faithful and Discreet Slave must answer the congregation.
If I had this sort of secret life for ten years and been unrepentant I would have been disfellowshipped.
As you can tell XXXXXXX, I'm pretty hot about this thing and I've done hours and hours of research. I even have the original letters and documents from the UN and Paul Hoeffel on disc. (I just don't know how to send them to you in an e-mail!!)
The Circuit Overseer you spoke to needs to know some clear facts though, and this may sound very tough, but he is badly informed or he is hazy about what went on:
The Watchtower Society has publicly acknowledged that they were a member of the UN NGO for 10 years. They say the criteria for being a member changed at some point and they could no longer be associated. NOT TRUE. Paul Hoeffels open letter declares that the criteria has never changed from that day to this. Furthermore, the Society were required to reapply every year. They had to SUPPORT and UPHOLD the principles of the UN charter.
They claim membership was simply to gain access to the UN library. NOT SO. The library is available openly to anyone with a security clearance, including you or me, and there are depositories all around the world! There was just no reason to be a secret member of the UN just to get a 'library card'.
I have several unpalatable theories as to why Gods Organization would be doing this, but it's only guesswork on my part.
I found this in the Watchtower and thought it was fitting;
Watchtower Sept 15th 1981 pg. 23 says "A person might renounce his place in the Christian congregation by his actions, such as becoming part of an organisation whose objective is contrary to the Bible, and hence is under judgement by Jehovah God. (Compare Rev 19:17-21; Isaiah 2:4) So if one who was a Christian chose to join those who are disapproved of God, it would be fitting for the congregation to acknowledge by a brief announcement that he had disassociated himself and is no longer one of Jehovah’s Witnesses."
So please XXXXXXX, don't put yourself in a position where you may get yourself in trouble but if you can get anyone to investigate this carefully I'd be really pleased.
But in view of my study I am afraid that the Organization I'm a member of has put me on the wrong side of Jehovah. I just feel sick and lied to.
Love as always, Pete and XXXXXXX.
Old Bible Student Hunts Me Down part 2
by bigmouth 5 Replies latest jw friends
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bigmouth
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bigmouth
< href="http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/129438/2293313/post.ashx#2293313">http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/129438/2293313/post.ashx#2293313</a>
Hmmm, I thought I'd try and make the last post clickable. Looks like I'll have to get the family computer geek to help me. -
greendawn
That's the problem for the WTS they would expel members for associating with orgs far less important than the UN, so they are being double faced to say the least. At the end of the day they serve their own interests and the Malawi/Mexico issue is far more poignant in showing how ruthless they can be.
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Chameleon
you need an a before the href in your tag.
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bigmouth
Thanks Chameleon, you can be my new family computer geek!
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willyloman
I don't know if there is another single issue that so well illustrates how the WTS willingly lies or resorts to half-truths to cover their butts.
Every time someone asks a CO or other WT representative about the UN thing, they come away with a slightly different but always fuzzy explanation about library cards, followed by admonition to turn a deaf ear to apostate rumors.
There is no question the WTS applied to be an NGO while fully aware there were requirements that they support the UN's goals and objectives. All you have to do is read the various Awake! articles that came out after they joined to see that the Society was generating magazine articles to submit in support of their membership, some of which are actually listed in the UN files as items provided by the WTS to show it was fulflilling its NGO obligations.