Suggestions for JW-themed university project: Part One [HISTORY]

by honorsthesis 11 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  honorsthesis

  Hello community,

  I am a senior undergraduate student from the University of Florida. I am in the midst of writing and formatting my senior honors thesis. My topic is to uncloak the political personality of Jehovah's Witnesses. So there is no confusion, I am indeed a practising Jehovah's Witness, yet of course acadmeic integrity requires me to be unbiased in my findings, analysis and interpretations. I will be posting this in [parts] and or [sections]. Once I am done with a particular portion of my paper, I will repost with another topic of interest.

  CAVEAT:

  I have posted on here before, and have been side-tracked by a litany of accustations from posters that I am not who I say I am. If you would like to serious offer some feedback or advice on my project, yet are hesitant for any of a number of reasons, I am more than willing to allow you to vet my credentials. If you do so inquire, I simply ask the vetting be mutual. This requirement will ensure I will not have to cater to frivolous requests. Do not ask me to publicly post sensitive information or personal identifersors. I simply will not do it.

  That being said, I am open to all recommendations, feedback or advice! If you think a particular article or topic would be relevant to my research, please enlighten me! If you think something must absolutely be included in any serious research paper about JW's---inform me! I have found so many on this site to be very intelligent and informed of many of the WT's past and current dealings. It is fascinating!

  After my introduction, I must educate my audience on the Witnesses. Therefore, a historical analysis is absolutely required.

  So lets begin here: HISTORY OF THE JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

  I am excited to hear your comments!!
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  Band on the Run

  Here we go again.......! Please see earlier thread revealing poster is an active Witness yet a treasurer for the Republican Club at Univ. of Fla. It is my personal belief that he wants to engage in witty (so he thinks) repatree. If I were he, I'd write my thesis and pay attention to my other courses, too. wikipedia exists.
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  serenitynow!

  Therefore, a historical analysis is absolutely required.

  You're going to use a discussion board as the reference work for your thesis?
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  honorsthesis

  I always feel like I am being clear, but I guess I am not.

  I am looking for potential suggestions. I am simply using this board as a networking tool of information. I use many outlets for advice in researching. Perhaps some may suggest I take a look at particular book, site, journal they think might be on interest and relevant to my topic. I do not want to leave any stone unturned. The only reason I have elected to utilize this thread, is because I have met a lot of very sophisticated and experienced individuals with a wealth of information on JW's. I have also met a lot of political professors who can offer valuable insight.

  I am very serious about my project, it's Friday night and I am inside reading and taking notes on a book on religion and politics!

  Nobody pay attention to Band. I will not provide him with my credentials because all he does is insult and disparage my school and its integrity. Therefore, he throws a hissy-fit and attempts to stifle the usefulness of my thread.
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  Band on the Run

  Yes, don't pay attention to Band. Isn't that a Witness statement in its character? If anyone has time to waste, please search for my posts. This is the last item will post in this thread. My belief is that honorsthesis has some character problems but it is not my business. People can make up their own minds.
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  wasblind

  Are you kiddin' ?

  you are a practicing JW, and you did not recieve the new DVD,

  that was given out ? Didn't you go to the convention last summer ?

  the DVD supposedly tells the history of the JW's, and your here

  askin' us to tell you about the history? you want to here our comments ? Then you say:

  " If you would like to serious offer some feedback or advice on my project, yet are hesitant for any of a number of reasons, I am more than willing to allow you to vet my credentials. If you do so inquire, I simply ask the vetting be mutual."

  You sound crazy as Hell , you sound like one of those out of touch brooklyn Bozo's

  Apostates Unite !!!!!! we got a new troll on board
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  wasblind

  " If you think something must absolutely be included in any serious research paper about JW's---inform me!"

  Yea I got a little somethin' fo ya,

  How bout askin' has anybody ever seen a false prophet

  and then tell 'em they lookin' at one, and don't forget to point

  to yourself

  and then go down the list of allllll the things the have predicted that didn't come true
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  serenitynow!

  You sound crazy as Hell , you sound like one of those out of touch brooklyn Bozo's

  I just about choked laughing!
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  Leolaia

  Well, I'm sure you're familiar with Penton's Apocalypse Delayed and Tony Wills' A People For His Name (if not, these are important historical overviews). Penton's Jehovah's Witnesses and the Third Reich: Sectarian Politics Under Persecution also has an important chapter "Rutherford's New Nation" which lays out some of Rutherford's political thinking. You should read some of the original publications to get a sense of the history, particularly Golden Age. Rutherford was most definitely not apolitical but was strongly anti-fascist (see the 1938 booklet Face the Facts and the 1939 booklet Fascism or Freedom) and appealed frequently to American ideals of liberty and freedom, and had no hesitation in supporting a bill in Congress (H.R. 7986) that specifically was written to protect his rights under the FCC. He was also very interested in Fifth Columnism and anti-Catholic conspiracy theories; he would quote from obscure anarchist publications and he somehow got involved in the Bonus Army/Business Plot affair with an apparent tipoff of a fascist overthrow of the government (see the 1933 booklet The Crisis). J. Edgar Hoover had standing orders for Rutherford to be detained in case of national emergency.

  Here is an interesting statement of Rutherford's views:

  *** g38 11/16 p. 17-19 Counsel by J. F. RUTHERFORD ***

  In opposition to the Kingdom the Devil has brought forth the corporate state or totalitarian government ruled by visible and arbitrary men with the Roman Catholic Hierarchy as its spiritual overlord working hand in glove with such men as Mussolini and Hitler. The ambition of this crowd is to rule the world. As I stated in London on September the 11th, this combine will get possession of England. Since then the facts show that it is already an almost accomplished thing.

  There is a determined effort on the part of the same crowd to grab control of America and rule it, change the Constitution or abolish it entirely, and take away all the liberties of the people. The ROMAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY, therefore, is in fact a political institution bent on taking away the liberties of the people and ruling arbitrarily. This operation they are carrying on under the cloak of religion because the people have been led to beliee all these years that religion and Christianity are one and the same.... Knowing the facts which I do and failing to speak of them, I would be a traitor to the American people and an unfaithful servant of the Lord. My purpose in calling attention to the derelictions of the Catholic organization is this: that the people may get their eyes open to the fact that their liberties are at stake, and not only that, but, following in the course that the Hierarchy is leading them, they are headed for certain destruction.

  Within a few years Fascism and the Roman Catholic Hierarchy together will absolutely control America, dictate its policies, so amend the Constitution that it is worthless to the people, regiment the people and take away practically all their liberties, particularly liberty of speech, liberty of the press, and liberty of worship, exactly as it has been done in Germany. If the American people awaken too late to save themselves from this disaster, it will not be because I have refrained from doing what is within my feeble power to accomplish, namely, to give the warning.
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  GLTirebiter

  References on Watchtower history and doctrines:

  • Catholic point of view
  • Non-denominational Christian point of view