by OUTLAW 28 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Jesika I felt the same way when I read about the Malawi/Mexico incidents in COC.
I wonder if it had been France, the UK or even the US instead of Malawi? Would headquarters have stood by and watched hundreds of Anglo JW's suffer over a 25c card? I think not.
Mak
Outlaw:
Here's an essay from the WT Observer you might find interesting. It's in the section "JW's and Society."
Mexico v Malawi - A Double Standard? Property v People? An allegation of 'double standards' has been made regarding the Watchtower Society's (WTS) past history in Malawi when contrasted with Mexico. A brief condensed summary (without copies of letters etc.) of the allegation follow.
Michael Fry
(For more documented information on the Mexican 'Cartilla' aspect - see Crisis of Concience - Commentary Press, Atlanta)
In Mexico it was the custom for the brothers to 'make a payment' ( bribe) to government officials in order to obtain a 'Identity Cartilla for Military Service'. This was normally obtained by carrying out military service training on a weekly basis for one year. Bribing officials and obtaining the Cartilla (or certificate) without completing the training, was an illegal, although quite common practice. The Cartilla is needed in order to obtain a passport. The Cartilla puts one effectively in the 'first reserves' of the military. The Mexican branch of the society had previously written to the headquarters in 1960, questioning whether the bribing of officials to obtain the Cartilla was acceptable. The reply was that it was and up to the conscience of the brothers themselves, and that the society should not be worried about it. The society need not get involved.
The reports in the magazines about the abuses in Malawi and the reason for them, caused the Mexican branch to again question headquarters about it in 1970. The reply was that 'there was nothing more to add', and that the Mexican branch were to leave things as they were. A brother in Mexico was free to pay a bribe and would not be punished by the society. (A non JW reader should note that this is not a case of 'general religious tolerance' - the society is quick to rule on a variety of other issues and penalties can be severe. For example - a JW who occasionally smoked or celebrated a birthday or Christmas, would be disfellowshiped (excommunicated) and other JWs including family would not be allowed to associate, with him or her) Consider the situation then:
La Torre del Vigia (Watchtower Society - Mexico)
Relatively recently, in the Watchtower of January 1st 1990, page 7, it was announced that the status of the organisation in Mexico had been changed in 1989.
The Yearbook 1990 page 10 also reported this change. It said 'On April 1st a change in the status and organisational procedures of JWs took place in Mexico: Prayer may now be freely offered at all congregation meetings, and the bible may be used in field service. A woman active in a Catholic Bible Study program said about the witnesses new religious freedom: 'If they left us speechless before, now that they are opening the bible at the doors, we are lost!' [emphasis added - note the inference of the word 'freedom']
(The undisputable fact is that Jehovah's Witnesses DID NOT use the NAME of Jehovah, nor Jesus, nor the Bible in their meetings or printed material. Here are two examples of INFORMADOR DE LA TORRE DEL VIGIA, from Kent" 1988 and . Note that Jesus is mentioned as: Maestro Principal and Gran Maestro. The Bible as Tradduccin. I'm not Spanish, so I don't know Superintendente Amoroso :-) But after their "freedom", after the law that denyed religious churches to own property was gone, they suddenly starts using Jehovah, Jesus and the Bible. The last example is from NUESTRO MINISTERIO DEL REINO .
(comments done by ))
The Awake 22 November 1993 p28 also had an item - 'Jehovah's Witnesses Given Legal Recognition in Mexico' that was also somewhat economical with the truth - Anyone reading it would get the CLEAR impression that the situation had previously been 'out of the witnesses hands' It said:
In 1917 the Mexican Laws of Reformation established full freedom of religion in Mexico. Probably due to extensive foreign mineral and oil land ownership, coupled with a past animosity between state and catholic church (prior to 1859 the catholic church held on third of all property and land) the ownership of mineral rights, property and land by foreign companies was curbed. Religious organisations, although free to worship, could not actually own property. The constitution meant that property was effectively held in custody by the state, but the religion was free to use this property for worship.
The very recent Yearbook of 1995 throws considerably more light on the subject skates round the obvious but uncomfortable conclusions. It has a section devoted to the history of JWs in Mexico. A few sentences, here and there, admit what the situation was. On June 15th 1943 the 'La Torre del Vigia' (Watchtower Society - Mexico) was registered in Mexico by the WTS headquarters as a CULTURAL organisation rather than a religious one. Therefore BIBLES were not used in preaching, SONGS were not sung at meetings and assemblies, and even PRAYERS were not offered publicly. Congregations were called 'Cultural Companies' Baptism was called 'performing the symbol' Surely the society hadn't decided to opt for land and property ownership rather than religious status, prayer, use of Bibles etc. What other reason was there? The 1995 Yearbook does not fully explain this. It does say (on the subject of no public prayer) that 'there is nothing to stop someone silently offering prayer to Jehovah' but how can this possibly be resolved with Daniel's example in Dan 6:6-28 where Daniel prayed publicly, despite the Kings decree, -and landed up in the lions den as a result? Yet the society opted for a 'no public prayer status' voluntarily!
Public Prayer is a primary part of worship for JWs everywhere else. So what changed in April 1989? Surely it had nothing to do with something as worldly as property ownership in 'this doomed old system of things?' The 1995 Yearbook (page 233) says that ' In 1988 after meetings with government representatives (who?) it was concluded that the organisation should operate as a religion even if it meant that meeting places would become federal property '. At last? Well, not quite. A number of pages later (Page 249-50) the Yearbook also says '..Carlos Salinas de Gortari began his term of presidency of the republic in December 1988 - one could see that there would be a change in policy regarding religion and a re-approachment with the Vatican'. Hmm. NB: By 1992 the actual constitution itself had been amended. Religions could own their own land and property. Parochial schools were OK's etc. etc. A timely coincidence?
All this may give a little human insight into why their were double standards applied between Malawi and Mexico. But it does not explain, excuse or justify it. The questions it raises are quite simple. 1.Firstly, Is this all true? Or is it all lies? Did the society's headquarters not object to brothers in Mexico illegally bribing officials in order to obtain a certificate which placed them in the military reserves, whilst at the same time knowing of the brutality, rape, torture and murder going on in Malawi from 1964 - 1975 and later? If so, what was the difference and where is it's precedence or justification in the Bible? 2. Was a 'cultural' rather than religious organisation set up in Mexico, [denying the use of Bibles to preach, public prayer etc] s imply so that land and property could be owned? Or what were the other reason(s)? Was this 'cultural status' and it's voluntary nature fully explained in any publications (outside Mexico) prior to those mentioned here? Why was the change made in 1989? What prompted it, and was any land or property lost as a result? 3. Is there a double standard in all this? If so, is anyone humbly sorry? -enough to apologise and set things right? Surviving relatives of victims in Malawi would be an appropriate place to start. JW publications take every opportunity to rake over any and all unsavoury aspects of all other religions. They claim to be God's sole visible organisation on earth today. If so, there must be a simple explanation. (If there is, then |I cant find it, amd letters to the Society on the matter go unanswered)
Expatbrit
DungBeetle/Jesica/Makena1/expatbrit,thanks guys,you all brought good comments and info,much appreciated...OUTLAW
What is the source for this info, other than coc?
In the COC Ray shows copies of documents to the branch office in Mexico appoving the bribe to the Mexican officals...I remember reading an article in the awake where it said in some counties it is a custom to pay a bribe, and so in that case it was OK. ....Oh! How they wiggle themselves to look good! But Malawi JWs on the other hand would be disfellowshipped for paying 25 cents legally to the Malawi government.
BTTT
I thought this was bad policy for other reasons. The WT in the past has told it's publishers to not participate in certain actions, mainly because it may make the Govts look at 'dubs sideways. Things like sitting together in a KH when the land has a policy of seperating the races. Or an interracial marraige. Why, oh why, would they suddenly make a shift when it came down to peoples lives?
and this is the org that frequently bashes the Cathloic church and other orgs.!
This is the org that made no effort to evacuate/repatriate jw out of Nazi held lands in WW2 prior to the US entering the war. They could have been evacuated out via neutral countries ie Switzerland, Sweden et al.
Read the book "While Six Million Died". It doesnt mention witnesses as such but gives a very clear picture of the political situation in the US and what could have been achieved.
I often wondered why the society never attempted to get the JW out of Nazi lands because those bastards in bethel being nice and safe in America wanted martyrs in Europe then they could scream so self righteously....persecution!
I also didnt know they used the services of 'Amnesty' and the like either while forbidding their members (sorry, those on 'their personal mission') to be members or take part in the activities of Amnesty.
Pass me a bucket I am going to vomit!
I remember this event back when it happened, the WTS HQ used this event as a propaganda tool to show how vigilantly faithful the JWS were in Malawi.
Again exploiting people's deaths to show yes we are god's chosen organization or we wouldn't be persecuted like we are.
Satan and his wicked system of things is thwarting his powers over god's chosen ones.
Satan knows he has little time left before his destruction, so he's trying his best stop the preaching of the new earthly
kingdom to come.
To this day, this disasterous decision on the part of the Watchtower that lead to the untold suffering and great inhumanity to the humble village people Malawi continues to hurt me very much. What hurts me even more is that, the Watchtowr never admitted its mistake and apologised to the government of Malawi for misleading its citizens. To me, its evidently and clearly show that this indirect cruelty is the Wachtower's modern day 'inquisition' on par with the Roman Catholic church during the end of the 12th century under Pope Lucius III. Please, what do you think after reading this thread?
Scott77
