https://youtu.be/TRt197Bko98?si=l_5WnlaSm-AaxLH1
Once upon a time, the Watchtower had no qualms about making its stance on homosexuality crystal clear. Back in the 1970s, they didn't just oppose it—they called it "detestable." No sugarcoating, no careful wording, just good old-fashioned fire and brimstone. In a 1970 issue of *The Watchtower*, they put it bluntly:
> "Yes, even if homosexuality be legalized, even if it becomes ever so popular, even if the whole world becomes like Sodom and Gomorrah, yet for Christians the truth of God’s Word still stands—homosexuality is something detestable, both to Jehovah God and moral man."
Subtle, wasn’t it? You could almost hear the righteous indignation dripping from the page. Back then, the message was loud and clear: homosexuality was bad, God hated it, and that was that.
Fast-forward a few decades, and suddenly, the Watchtower started getting a little... shall we say, diplomatic? By the 1990s and 2000s, the rhetoric had undergone a curious transformation. The doctrine hadn’t changed—oh no, absolutely not—but the wording? Now, that was another matter. The fire-and-brimstone approach was quietly swapped for something a bit more palatable. Take this gem from a 2016 *Awake!* magazine:
> "Although the Bible condemns homosexual acts, it does not encourage prejudice, hate crimes, or any other kind of mistreatment of homosexuals."
Ah, how the times had changed! No longer were they thumping the Bible with quite the same gusto. Instead of hammering home the old "homosexuality is detestable" mantra, they now preferred a softer touch, something that wouldn't send the modern, more progressive world into an uproar. After all, hate speech laws are a real thing now, and the Watchtower is nothing if not mindful of its public image.
But the cherry on top? Their newfound love for the Golden Rule:
> "Jehovah’s Witnesses strive to follow the Golden Rule by treating others the way they themselves would like to be treated."
A touching sentiment, really. Almost makes you forget that not too long ago, they were happy to declare that homosexuals were bound for fiery destruction. Now, it's all about "respect" and "treating others kindly"—not because they’ve suddenly developed a newfound compassion, mind you, but because, well... the governments are watching. And if there’s one thing the Watchtower understands, it’s money.
You see, they’re not daft. In a world where LGBTQ rights are enshrined in law, where inclusivity is the golden standard, and where spewing outright condemnation could land you in legal or financial hot water, it simply wouldn’t do to be too explicit. So, out went the verses about "men lying with men" and all that jazz—at least in public materials. Because, let’s be honest, if they were to air those on JW Broadcasting or splash them across *The Watchtower* today, it wouldn’t take long before the lawsuits came knocking and their tax-exempt status started looking rather precarious.
So here we are. The doctrine hasn’t changed, but the message? That’s been polished to a fine corporate sheen. They still believe the same things, of course, but they’ve learned the art of saying it without actually saying it. After all, it’s much easier to appear loving and inclusive when you carefully curate your wording, isn’t it?
This is exactly what they used to condemn in so-called "false religion"—Babylon the Great. They accused mainstream churches of compromising with the world, watering down their message to stay in favor with the authorities. And yet, here they are, doing the very same thing. They still believe homosexuality is wrong, but they’ve switched from shouting about Sodom and Gomorrah to vague messages of "respect" and "love." They won’t dare put the clear-cut Bible verses in their public materials anymore—because talking the talk is easy, but walking the walk? That could cost them.
At the end of the day, the Watchtower is no different from the religions they claimed to be separate from. They claim to be fearless preachers of truth, but when money and legal trouble are on the line, they soften their tone just like Babylon the Great. The only difference? They still pretend they haven’t changed at all.