The Watchtower's Cult of Irresponsibility

by expatbrit 5 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  expatbrit

  One of the things I've had emphasized to me over the past couple of weeks is how irresponsible the Watchtower leadership is. Not only that, but they are clinging to that irresponsibility tenaciously, because they realise that once the secular world (or worse, rank and file JW's) begins to hold them responsible for the things they say and do, they are finished.

  To illustrate: suppose I get up in a crowded cinema and shout "FIRE!" Even though there appears to be no fire, I explain that the fire is hidden under the floor and in the roof and only I have seen it. Suppose I also tell people that unless they leave the cinema NOW, they will shortly die horribly. And I tell them that there is only one way to go to get out.

  Some people are convinced, and follow my directions, only to be injured because I've sent them the wrong way into a dangerous basement full of pitfalls.

  Now, would I be justified in saying to investigators "well, it was their own personal choice that they followed my advice and went that way! I'm not responsible for their personal choices!"

  I doubt that anyone would allow me the luxury of escaping responsibility for my actions and words. And rightly so.

  Why then, should Watchtower (or any other religion or group) be allowed this level of irresponsibility? The Watchtower tell people that the world is going to end, but that only they have the accurate knowledge of it. They tell people that unless they follow Watchtower directions NOW, they will shortly die horribly.

  Some people are convinced and follow the Watchtower. And some of these are injured by doing so. They are injured by Watchtower's flawed directions on handling child abuse. They are injured and killed by Watchtower's ever changing blood doctrine. They are injured and killed because of Watchtower "changing understanding" on organ transplants. They are injured (and sometimes kill themselves) because of Watchtower doctrine on shunning. They suffer and die now because Watchtower has convinced them that they must obey or die "shortly."

  How can Watchtower possibly be justified in saying that these people made their own personal choices and that they are not responsible?

  Watchtower is a cult of irresponsibility. The Governing Body wish to be able to say and do whatever they wish and be completely uncaring of the results upon people's lives. The want all the power, but none of the responsibility.

  And they have got away with it for so long! But finally, we see responsibility catching up with them. We see all of the pain and hurt they have caused reaching such proportions that they can no longer crush the sufferers back down into silence.

  Watchtower, you WILL be held responsible for what you do! No matter how long it takes, how many court cases, media expose's and governmental investigations, you WILL be held responsible. Your cult of irresponsibility is dying.

  Expatbrit

  Edited by - expatbrit on 24 September 2002 17:26:16
• 

  RunningMan

  The Watchtower's irresponsibility would clearly not be tolerated if it were a business. They have lied, erred, and mislead people, resulting in their harm, abuse, and even death. If they were anything other than a religion, they would have been sued and prosecuted out of existance long ago.

  They have hidden behind the shield of "religious freedom" for their entire lives. And, they may even continue to get away with their irresponsibility in the future.

  To use your illustration, if you belonged to the "Church of the Fire Yellers", you may be able to escape liability - if you are slippery enough, and are willing to spend enough on legal fees.

  "Damn their oily hides" - Monty Burns
• 

  Beans

  Ex:

  The want all the power, but none of the responsibility. That is such a true statement!

  Let the hate flow through you!

  Beans

  Canadian Overbeer
• 

  Celia

  Great comparison Expat !
• 

  cellomould

  You are saying what should be said...

  ...isn't it disgusting that so many things described in the public WT literature which are termed 'matters of conscience' are in reality 'disassociating offenses'? For example, a JW who accepts a whole blood transfusion is considered, by his actions, to have disassociated himself.

  As if the WT gb didn't make the rules!... "He is not disfellowshipped and shunned...he disassociates himself by his actions...(and then he is still shunned, but shhhhhh! don't tell that to the media)."

  The onus is on you, peon. You must allow your conscience to be molded into Jehovah's conscience. We will tell you how to do this. Don't forget only we have Jehovah's telephone number...he doesn't do conference calls with more than 12 people.

  My father has been experiencing an ordeal because of a similar issue. It stinks to high heaven!

  cellmould
• 

  refiners fire

  Maybe they really are the true servants of the Biblical God. They want the power and Authority, but when things go wrong it is the individual followers fault. All power structures are the same. I guess I will just have to declare myself a perpetual "resistor'of all forms of such things, which I consider an evil.