Pope Condemns Weapons Industry and Those Who Make Weapons

by fulltimestudent 7 Replies latest social current

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  fulltimestudent

  The (almost) pacificism of the JWs was one of the things that attracted me to the witnesses when young. I wondered today, when I read this headline:

  Pope Francis suggests those in weapons industry can't call themselves Christian
  
  At rally of young people in Turin, Francis issues his toughest condemnation to date of the weapons industry, criticising investors as well as workers
  People who manufacture weapons or invest in weapons industries are hypocrites if they call themselves Christian, Pope Francis said on Sunday.
  Link: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/22/pope-francis-says-those-in-weapons-industry-cant-call-themselves-christian

  if I should become a Catholic?
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  kaik

  Many weapons have civilian use and dual usage within every day life. Think of satellite communications, fuel, aerospace industries, aircraft, etc. During the flooding or disaster like Katrina, National Guards or other military units are the only one capable to deliver necessary supplies and start doing search and rescue mission. When bridges are swept in 60 miles stretch of the coast or major waterway, everyone is glad for the military pontoons, until all the infrastructure could be restored.
  
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  Driving Force

  I was in the military myself until I studied with JWs, then I left. Their position on neutrality attracted me and was one of the reasons I became a JW. But oh how disappointed I was and disgusted when I found out about the UN NGO association, and I have read reports that the Watchtower own a significant amount of shares in a company manufacturing the drive for a drone used in warfare.
  

  
  The JW doctrine led me to believe the Catholics are misguided and under the influence of Satan, how misleading this was. Certainly I am now convinced the Catholic religion is more Christian than JWs. Consider shunning, blood issue, deliberate misleading of its members, lying to its members, etc,; the list is considerable.
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  punkofnice

  Good job the WBT$ doesn't let on about it's Randcam/Rand Corp connections.
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  snare&racket

  So RAND CAM was a silent engine developed by NAVY money for military hardware.

  in 2000 the website for the engine displayed lots of pictures of the navy and had a 'military applications' page. Oddly now it's all gone....

  here is who owned it, straight from the U.S. gov security and exchange commission......

  (p.s. If you get bored search for 'Watchtower' on the page)

  http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/922330/000106299302000371/form10k.txt
  
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  clarity

  Geez thought I'd never find it! lol

  "Rand Cam Engine Corp. is a privately held company whose stock is reportedly
  owned 50% by The Watchtower Society, a religious organization, 34% by James
  McCann and the balance by several other shareholders. Mr. McCann has indicated
  that he donated the shares held by The Watchtower Society to that organization
  but has retained a voting proxy for those shares. Accordingly, in Notes (3) and
  (4) above, beneficial ownership of the 5,073,200 shares registered in the name
  of Rand Energy Group Inc. has been attributed to The Watchtower Society and Mr.
  McCann.""

  There is much more but anything wt makes me sick!
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  punkofnice

  There was the argument that the WBT$ was given the shares in Rand Corp as a gift. If this is so, it's no excuse. Why didn't they refuse them on the grounds that they were associated with warfare?

  Would the WBT$ allow a JW to have shares in such a company?

  Don't get me started on the Philip Morris tobacco company and Watchtower.
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  galaxie

  It's a smokin'gun!!