YAWEHLAND - Imagine a country where Jehovah's Witnesses are the majority
by EdenOne 41 Replies latest jw friends
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EdenOne
What about men wearing pink shirts? Will it be allowed?
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Simon
Seriously, some of these claims are fanciful. There is a very good precedent of a small but high-control, very JW-like religion having 'control' of a place and that is in Utah with the Mormons where they make up +60% of the population.
There are no suicide bombings or any of the other things being declared here, other religions freely practice etc...
Like the Mormons, JWs are a high-control group but they do not enforce these controls through violence. They have rules and want people to stick to them but it's largely voluntary. Trying to make out they are the Taliban is silly and undermine legitimate claims against things they do wrong.
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suavojr
Well said Simon
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EdenOne
That's a reasonable analogy, Simon. However, under the surface, it's not so simple.
Let's not forget a key difference: Mormonism has a very different eschatology than that of the Jehovah's Witnesses. They ultimately believe in salvation for everyone, whereas JW's believe the greatest part of mankind deserves and will be subject to eternal destruction in a violent Armageddon. This simple difference leads to completely different attitudes towards non-adherents. The Witnesses see them either as potential "sheep-like" converts, or else, dead-men walking on the brink of Armageddon. The Mormons promote social works to benefit the poor and reach out for those in need. They get involved in their community and politics, whereas the Jehovah's Witnesses as a group feel they don't need to endorse nor get involved in anything that benefits others except the preaching work.
It's no wonder that, speculatively, life under a Jehovah's Witnesses' rule would be closer to a dystopian society than an utopian paradise on earth. As we all know, that 'paradise' would only come after all non-believers would be wiped out from the scenario. If Jehovah's Witnesses would ever be dominant over a territory, they would be extremely intolerant to all who think differently.
Eden
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undercover witness
Hello. May I take this further down the line to the day when, post apocalypse, Christians become the only human force on earth. Were it left to humans only then possibly a great deal of speculation here would prove correct. We'd truly be sailing right up shit street without a paddle or rudder.
So I'm very curious about the mechanisms that could be used to bring out paradise in real effect. I wonder how homelessness and sickness, etc, etc could be done away with?
However, Eden, if the Governing Body were to hold true to their word then were they to become the majority and the government of Cyprus they would have to leave the EU as all nations are erroneous. Therefore they would have to leave Cyprus on the same basis. They would have to hand Cyprus back to the Creator 'coz it's His really.
This leaves one humourous concept which probably gets me barred fom Kingdom Halls everywhere: What the heck are they doing in any country if they don't like nations? Maybe the Governing Body could join NASA and set their sights further afield? Oh no, there's a flaw in this plan. Man is gonna live on earth forever.
Perhaps they need to start digging, eh?
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undercover witness
Hey Eden, you is doomed. -
zeb
.. a damn good reason for me to stay in Australia -
Village Idiot
Simon:
"Like the Mormons, JWs are a high-control group but they do not enforce these controls through violence. They have rules and want people to stick to them but it's largely voluntary."
The only reason Jehovah's Witnesses don't resort to violence is because they have no sovereign territory they can call their own. I was told that by an elder at my disfellowshipping trial "If you were in Israel you would be stoned. "I've also read the same thing in a Watchtower magazine which said that the only reason they didn't execute some of their members is because the laws of the land will not allow them.
Once these authoritarian religions gain complete control of a geographical area their laws go into effect.
By the way, some Mormons did execute their own apostates in the 19th century under a doctrine that was called blood atonement.
Another example of religions executing people were the Puritans who persecuted and executed Quakers (with whom they had doctrinal differences).
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LisaRose
I would imagine it would be much like Bethel. A rigid hierarchy based strictly on seniority and who you know. You would be assigned a job, you would have no choice. You would be paid virtually nothing, live in a dorm style room, and eat whatever cheap food was served to you. You medical needs would be paid for, as long as you don't need anything more than an office visit, no hospitalization, scans, surgery or cancer treatment.
You would have no free speech, no civil rights, no legal recourse if another Witness stole from you (can't bring reproach!). If you are a woman you will be a second class citizen, no positions of responsibility. No matter what your age or abilities you would be considered less than a sixteen year old baptized brother. Is your husband beating you? Too bad, he is your husband and head of the family. We're you raped? Too bad, you should have fought harder and you probably brought it on yourself anyway.
Your entertainment would be severely restricted, your quarters will be regularly searched for contraband. Television would consist of g rated movies and old episodes of Matlock. Reading any non Watchtower literature would be discouraged if not banned.
At any time you could be disfellowshipped over anything three elders agree on, there will be no recourse and no appeal. You would lose your job, your housing and all your family and acquaintances. You would have no choice but to leave your country or live as an outcast, with no means of support.
It would be a paradise for child molesters, no police or justice system to worry about. As pedophilia is often swept under the rug they would be free to molest anyone they want, especially if they were an elder or related to one. Who would dare to complain if the elders refuse to do anything?
No thank you.