Their research showed them that the two witness rule doesn't always apply. Older publications gave them something to think about!
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The Watchtower Society encourages Jehovah's Witnesses to read,
examine, and learn from their older publications.
Examples:
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Watchtower/1999/10/1/pg.23
"One day in about October 1941, while I was witnessing in the
marketplace, someone spoke about a Witness of Jehovah who lived in a
nearby town. He was a former policeman named Christos Triantafillou. I
went to see him and learned that he had been a Witness since 1932. How
happy I was when he provided me with many older Watch Tower
publications! These really helped me make spiritual progress."
Scan: Takes a few seconds See green underlining.
https://www.docdroid.net/A45eVTY/1999-the-watchtower-599.pdf
Watchtower/1957/5/15/pg.313, par. 8/
"8 Do you dig out older publications to expand and deepen your
knowledge on subjects about which questions arise? Have you really
studied these earlier publications? When a brother gives a talk, can
you, to impress the information upon your mind further, identify the
particular publication from which his points were taken?"
Scan: See green underlining.
https://www.docdroid.net/HEGxhn4/1957-the-watchtower-313.pdf
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Jehovah's Witnesses in good standing are following these instructions
and finding out more than what they bargained for.
One JW who contacted us described an older publication that threw out
the two witness rule if a person felt they needed protection or felt
threatened. He said the publication described a sister who "felt" she
needed protection and called police on a fellow believer!
Reviewing that statement again: the sister only "felt" as though she
needed protection and called police. The police were called on
nothing more than scared feelings!
This sister was not being physically abused like the children of JW's are today.
There were no witnesses to verify if she was actually in any danger,
yet in her mind, she felt she needed protection and called police on a
fellow believer. Was she reproved for calling the police? No. Did
she lose any privileges for calling the police on a fellow member?
No. Was she disfellowshiped for calling the police or talking to
others about the incident? No.
The 1906 Watchtower/June/15/pg's. 220-222/ informs us, that calling
the police on another person in the organization if we feel we need
protection is justified. And no mention is made of needing two
witnesses to do so.
Surely, in the case of an abused child when life is at risk a JW
parent should have the same rights as Pastor Russell's sister.
Margaret M. Land had nothing more than a "feeling" or "worry" and was
able to call police on her own relative and member of the
organization.
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Watchtower 1906/June/15/pg's. 220-222, Reprint pg. 3315
"This was in the beginning of 1903, and led me to conclude that my
endeavor to help my wife was being taken advantage of by the adversary
as a means to do injury to the Truth to which I have consecrated life
and all. I concluded that assistance from me must stop, and put my
sister in charge of the residence, reserving however a room for Mrs.
Russell and arrange for her boarding. The result was a commotion,
Mrs. Russell, her relatives and roomers, created such a disturbance
that my sister was obliged to call for the protection of the police,
while Mrs. Russell and her friends misrepresented matters through the
public press to the extent of their ability."
Scan: Takes a few seconds. See red arrow bottom left.
https://www.docdroid.net/pvTTPsW/watchtower-1906-122.pdf
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Russell's sister was able to call the police when she felt she needed
protection, and yet when this case went to court, her complaint was
thrown out because she had no witnesses and she had to pay court
costs. If she had two witnesses she probably would have won the case.
"Undoubtedly at the instruction of Charles Taze Russell, Margaret Land
immediately filed legal charges against both Maria Russell and Emma
Russell for "forcible entry and detainer". Margaret Land also filed
the same charge against one of Maria's boarders whom had also gained
entry to his room through a window in order to remove his personal
property. Outcome of that case unknown. However, on Wednesday, the two
court cases against Maria and Emma were dismissed by the magistrate's
court, with court costs assigned to Margaret Land."
http://jwdivorces.bravehost.com/decisions/ctrdivorce.html
Why aren't Jehovah's Witnesses given the same rights when they feel
their child needs protection? The Russell's and Margaret Land called
police whenever they felt like it, and they did so against a fellow
believer. I don't recall Charles, Maria, or Margaret ever being
disfellowshiped for apostasy and most of their fighting was over
material things.
MARGARET M. LAND v. MARIA F. RUSSELL and MARGARET M. LAND v. EMMA H. RUSSELL.
At around 3:00 P.M., Monday, March 16, 1903, Pastor Charles Taze
Russell called at the local police precinct and requested police
assistance to evict Maria Russell and her six tenants from Russell's
apartment house on Cedar Avenue that Maria had been "occupying" for
nearly four years. The police refused to get involved at that point.
Accompanied by 4 males and 2 females from the Bible House, Russell
arrived at the home of Maria Russell and attempted to gain entry.
However, Maria locked the doors and refused to let in Russell and his
Bible House bullies. Taze called the police, while Maria called her
attorney, whom instructed Maria to maintain her resistance. The
responding police officers attempted to bluff Maria into unlocking the
doors, but Maria stood her ground. After the police left, Taze broke a
ground floor side window in an attempt to get in, and reportedly cut
his arm sufficiently that it had to be bandaged. Taze and his Bible
House Bethelite bullies eventually gained entry and began evicting
Maria's boarders and/or their personal property. Russell and his thugs
brought along their own personal property, which they placed inside
the rental rooms of the large residence. Maria Russell summoned the
police for their help, but the responding two male officers refused to
stop CTR
http://jwdivorces.bravehost.com/decisions/ctrdivorce.html
That is a lot of calls to the police accusing another person and sometimes without
two witnesses, to the point that at times the police didn't even want
to get involved. This mess certainly brought an abundance of reproach
on Jehovah's name.
When the higher-ups can call the police whenever they see fit, then
certainly to protect the life of a child or loved one, Jehovah's
Witnesses should be able to do the same thing without any punishments
at all.
The JW's who spoke with me read their older publications and they
certainly got more than what they bargained for.
Atlantis!