by Aussie Oz 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Doesn't that sound suss to you?
My boy is currently working as a builders labourer for a JW...
told me on the weekend that he is off to build a hanger on an airforce base with his JW boss who got thr contract to build it.
i remarked that that sounded a bit suspect...
he said, 'yeah, i thought so too'...
oz
I have sub-contractors that are JWs and they bid Church repairs for us all the time............. O Da pain for a Buck$
hey designs...
they would find this interesting to get around then:
watchtower 1964 11/15
Questions From Readers
Is it proper for a dedicated Christian witness of Jehovah to work in the employ of one of the religious organizations of Christendom or any other part of Babylon the Great?
In determining the answer to this, it is good to keep in mind the clear-cut command that Jehovah issues to his people concerning the entire world empire of false religion. That religious empire is called Babylon the Great because it is far greater in scope than ancient Babylon but it bears all the earmarks of that ancient seat of worship in opposition to Jehovah. Concerning it, Revelation 18:4, 5 urges: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues. For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind.”
Now, how could a dedicated Christian witness of Jehovah conscientiously work for an organization, the whole operation of which is in opposition to Jehovah God? Jehovah God says that, from his standpoint, these false religious systems have a record of sin that has massed together clear up to heaven. They have lied about God, turned the people away from his loving provisions for life and, instead, blessed the nations in their slaughter of the inhabitants of the earth. Who wants the work of his hands to contribute to the operation of such a God-dishonoring empire?
If a person who professes to be a dedicated Christian witness of Jehovah were to accept a job in the direct employ of such a religious organization, he would, in actuality, become a part of that organization. If the one who did that knew what such a thing meant and did it anyway, what could we conclude but that he was an apostate and should be disfellowshiped from the Christian congregation? However, it might occur that one works for a worldly commercial employer, and that employer may regularly handle work on church properties. Now, it is true that one doing such work is actually in the employ of a commercial firm, but in accepting work of that type as a regular thing he shows that he is not a mature Christian, and so, while he might be permitted to report as a publisher of the Kingdom, he could not be a servant who is looked to by the rest of the congregation as an example to imitate. If the commercial firm only occasionally handles a job for a church, which is true in many lines of work, one would not be disqualified as a servant in the congregation for accepting such employment, unless it became a cause of stumbling to others in the congregation. Even here, however, he may be able to arrange with his employer to assign him to other jobs, or he may, for reasons of conscience, prefer to look for employment that has no business contacts at all with false religious organizations.—1 Pet. 3:16.
Certainly, though, no Christian witness of Jehovah, knowing what the Bible says about the record of Babylon the Great, would himself personally contract for work, either as a regular thing or as an incidental job, with a false religious organization. And if there is anyone who has done so, without realizing the seriousness of the situation, to maintain a clean conscience before God and a right standing with his organization, he should correct the situation just as soon as possible.—2 Cor. 6:16, 17.
Though it is true that at times it is difficult to find employment in this old system of things, and one may feel pressed from an economic standpoint, if we are faithful to Jehovah God we can be assured that he will continue to answer our prayers and bless our efforts to obtain “our bread for the day according to the day’s requirement.”—Luke 11:3; Matt. 6:25-34; Ps. 37:25.
marking, hoping for a response from resident jw's on this one.
I thought I remembered reading in one of Ray Franz' books that some witnesses were pressured to give up repair or delivery contracts that included military bases. I may be mistaken, I'll have to go check.
Personally, I have performed architectural services for many churches and synagogues at my place of employment. The very first one was really really hard for me. I didn't think much of it until I had to draw details of the steeple and cross atop a church we were designing. I thought I would be in all kinds of trouble, so I kept really quiet about it. Attending design meetings with the pastor were tough too.
I had a very good friend in my old cong that was a union electrician. He was working on a church and basically had no choice but to support his family as he was laid off for many months. Well someone squeeled on him and the brothers took away his prayer and commenting until he was done with the job.
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, I knew several witnesses who had aerospace jobs that involved civilian work on military aircraft.
They were not DFd or dissasociated for this, but they were highly pressured to change their employment. They were not allowed to be a servant, or an assistant, or have any other priviledges in the congregation while holding these jobs. Interestingly, I never saw anything in writing on this, but it was the definate policy of the time.
Note that this was in contrast to people like tobacco farmers who were flat-out told to sell the farm (or grow something else and go broke on it) - or, be unconditionally disfellowshipped.
The witness leadership (the society) was careful to avoid a direct confrontation with the U.S. over military issues. JW young men facing the draft were always lectured to say to the authorities that it was entirely their own decision, not the society, to refuse military or CO non-military service.
I believe that the WTBTS still held a complex over the fact that Rutherford and others went to Federal prison at the time of WW1 over sedition issues.
There is a more recent QFR on this issue.
There is a more recent QFR on this issue.
and?
sorry, I'm at work and cannot access the CD.
