Awake! No.1 2023, A United Nations Advertisement?

by EasyPrompt 33 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Journeyman

  Yes, we know that. It's old news.

  They disaffiliated (or were removed - either way, the link was terminated) way back in 2001, as that letter itself clearly states. We're more than 20 years on from that.

  Not to mention, as I stated, if they were really keen to promote the UN, WHO, etc, why is the article so lukewarm, simply using those bodies to quote negative information?

  Here's what I mean. I count only one generally positive quote attributable to the UN. Most of the positive statements are from publications, not bodies like the UN or WHO.

  • However, according to the World Meteorological Organization, “only 0.5% of water on Earth is usable and available freshwater.” - Negative statement
  • In a 2021 report about water management, a United Nations source stated: “Globally, the current rate of progress needs to be doubled.” - Negative statement
  • “We have taken the ocean for granted,” stated UN Secretary-General António Guterres in 2022, “and today we face what I would call an ‘Ocean Emergency.’” - Negative statement
  • National Geographic reported that “the acidification [of the oceans] that has occurred so far is probably irreversible.” Sea creatures are “up against a global economy built on cheap fossil fuels. It’s not a fair fight.” - Negative statement
  • The book Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation explains that when a part of the sea is protected from human industry, “the innate regenerative capacity of oceans is allowed to operate unhindered.” - Positive statement
  • Researchers estimate that within about 100 years, the lands could naturally achieve a healthy diversity of trees and other forest life-forms, according to a study published in Science magazine.- Positive statement
  • Referring to the researchers in this study, National Geographic reports: “To their delight, they found tree-planting was unnecessary.” In just five years, the tested plots, without any tree-planting, “were full of native trees.”- Positive statement
  • As a result, according to a United Nations source, “global deforestation has slowed by more than 50 per cent” over the past 25 years. - Positive statement (the only one in the article attributed to UN or other such world agency)
  • “The rate of primary forest loss in the tropics has been stubbornly consistent over the last few years,” says a report published by the organization Global Forest Watch. - Negative statement
  • According to the “2020 World Air Quality Report,” more than 80 percent of participating countries reported having cleaner air shortly after the lockdown was implemented. - Positive statement - but this is not from the UN or WHO, it appears to be a report by IQAir, a private company
  • But more is needed, as is evident in a 2022 report compiled by international agencies, including the World Health Organization and the World Bank. - Negative statement
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  EasyPrompt

  https://independent.ng/world-youth-day-jehovahs-witnesses-offer-practical-help-to-youth-amidst-global-crisis/

  

  

  

  
  
  
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  EasyPrompt

  https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/Religion/Submissions/CSOs/63.the-european-association-of-jw.pdf

  
  
  
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  Listener

  They are showing them in good light by explaining what good they are doing. They are very much supporting them. There is no negativity against these organisations. Even lockdown was beneficial, they say.

  The only negativity they show is by saying that not enough is being done but that is absolutely no different to what these very organisations state also.

  In fact, they promote these organisations as being part of the solution rather than part of the problem. They explain it is only the abuse and exploitation that God will put to an end and that it is possible for the earth to rejuvenate with the right actions. That is what they explain these organisations are doing.

  The last part of the article states -

  God has designed the earth with built-in systems that can withstand the impact of sensible human activity. The Bible foretells that Jehovah God will, at his appointed time, put an end to the abuse and exploitation that has damaged our planet.​—Revelation 11:18

  It will be interesting to see if JWs are keeping up with Jehovah's chariot and embrace this support or work against their own organisation by pretending it doesn't exist.
  
  
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  EasyPrompt

  Here's an example of "negative" advertising. But it's still advertising.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3ksf3Oe8cU&t=1s
  
• 

  Journeyman

  Even lockdown was beneficial, they say.

  Er... so saying that levels of particulate pollution fell and air quality improved during lockdown, is promoting the UN? Nonsense.
  

  They explain it is only the abuse and exploitation that God will put to an end and that it is possible for the earth to rejuvenate with the right actions.

  Well yes, but then that's self-evident (the latter part of your statement in italics) - not necessarily to do with what any specific world body may or may not do.
  

  That is what they explain these organisations are doing.

  Stating that some organisation may be attempting to accomplish something is not promoting that organisation. Nowhere does the article imply support for these organisations or express that God (or any JWs) is or should be behind them. There's no over-arching love-in towards the UN or other world agencies here.

  God has designed the earth with built-in systems that can withstand the impact of sensible human activity. The Bible foretells that Jehovah God will, at his appointed time, put an end to the abuse and exploitation that has damaged our planet.​ -Revelation 11:18

  This interpretation of Rev 11:18 goes back to at least the Revelation Climax book 1970s, interpreting "ruining the earth" to mean ecological damage. It's not a new teaching, and as far as I'm aware, most JWs accept it already. It's debatable, and most scholars tend to apply it to God repairing moral and spiritual corruption rather than pollution and the like, but the JW teaching isn't, and has never been, that it will come about by human organisations.

  This Awake is just another example of the org using cut-and-paste quotes from secular organisations and publications to back up their teaching that the world is going to pieces, and then follow up with the usual selected bible verses to provide the "solutions". They've often used the old "people are trying their best and have achieved some good but..." line of argument in those articles, and they do it again here. That's not an endorsement.

  Because it's the Awake, it's geared more to the 'secular' reader so it's lighter on explicit doctrine, but bear in mind it's being offered after they'll have been offering their WT on God's Kingdom for two months, so they're still promoting the "human governments won't achieve this" aspect.

  As I said earlier, the only difference is they are more evasive now about the fact they do not support the world's governments - think of the Australian Royal Commission, for example - whereas they used to be more outspoken. This largely seems to be because they fear losing things like their tax-exempt status and having their assets taken away. Not how a courageous organisation representing God should be, of course, but not proof they support UN, just an indication they're trying to avoid direct confrontation (despite still teaching in a more lowkey way that it is coming!)
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  EasyPrompt

  You don't think that promoting "International Youth Day" is supporting the United Nations? When I watched one of Robert Hendriks' videos about the organization, he said that the Memorial of Christ's Death "is the only holiday Jehovah's Witnesses celebrate." You don't think putting a big "JW ORG" logo in the lighter blue color of the UN logo at the top of the "World Youth Day" article is advertising anything to do with the Jehovah's Witnesses relationship with the United Nations? Okay. 🙄

  
  

  The WTBT$ got caught with their hand in the cookie jar some couple decades ago when the Guardian and others reported on their "illicit relationship" with the UN. They got caught, but they didn't "repent" of that relationship. They've been continuing the "affair" all these years. If you want to believe that they're some "chaste" organization, you're entitled to that opinion.

  
  

  The JWBorg is still fornicating with the UN the same as before. They're just trying not to get caught by the people who donate money and slave labor. The Awake No. 1, 2023 is a way they can show their lover a little leg from across the room. The WTBT$ thinks if they "give it up" to the UN a little then the UN will help with WTBT$ interests in various court cases and other financially tasty ways.
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  EasyPrompt

  https://www.osce.org/partnerships

  
  

  https://www.osce.org/partnerships/111489

  
  

  https://www.osce.org/odihr/431066

  
  

  "The OSCE maintains regular co-operation with a large number of international, regional and sub-regional organizations.

  Among its key partner organizations are the United Nations, the European Union, the Council of Europe, and NATO."

  
  

  "The OSCE Secretariat is responsible for sustaining the relationships with its peers and organizes regular bilateral and multilateral meetings at the level of headquarters, in order to build synergies and draw on the strengths and comparative advantages of each organization. As a regional arrangement under Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter, the OSCE supports the United Nations with maintaining peace and security at the regional level. It also serves as a forum for co-operation with regional and sub-regional organizations and initiatives in the OSCE area."

  
  

  "To address the potential spillover of security threats between the OSCE area and neighbouring regions, the Organization also works with regional organizations from outside the OSCE area. The goal is to share experience and best practices in early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management, post-conflict rehabilitation, promotion of human rights and democratic elections."

  
  

  "Only registered representatives of participating States, Partners for Co-operation, OSCE Institutions, NGOs, think tanks or others can submit documents to the ODIHR Documents Distribution System for distribution during the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting. ODIHR bears no responsibility for the content of such documents received for distribution, and circulates them without altering their content. The distribution by the ODIHR Documents Distribution System of documents received does not imply any endorsement by ODIHR and is without prejudice to OSCE decisions, as set out in documents agreed by OSCE participating States."

  
  

  The European Association of Jehovah's Witnesses is a currently registered member of the OSCE.

  
  

  
  
• 

  BoogerMan

  I am very distrustful of anything with the word 'world' in its title:

  World Economic Forum, World Bank, World Health Organization, World Federation of United Nations Associations, New World Translation.
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  EasyPrompt

  😆