Hi All
My husband and I have shared a ton of info with a couple that we meet 2 years ago this month and they have tried to blow it off, but lately her husband has been approached by a number of the publishers and other elders who have expressed the same issues as we have, well anyway-- her husband could not take it anymore and he decided to write the Society a letter and let them know what was on his mind. She gave me a copy of the letter that he wrote and I asked her did she think that he would mind if I shared it with some of my friends on the Net
And at first he was concerned but then a few days later he told my husband that he changed his mind. He is at the point where he don?t care what they do to him. He is tired of being an elder and as he put it,
?If they are true brothers they will answer my letter in a brotherly way and if they are not- they can have their little position of elder back?
He is Pissed at what he has learned that they are doing- We told him that if we were to post his letter it could come back to bite him. He told my husband ?I don?t care, I just need to know is this the TRUTH OR NOT?
He told us do you remember what Jesus told Judas : ?DO WHAT YOU GOT TO DO AND GET IT DONE QUICKLY? and that is how he feels about whatever the Society does or does not do.
WELL HERE IS HIS LETTER HE WROTE
What do you think will happen to him???????
Sis In Distress
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Christian Congregation of Jehovah?s Witnesses
2821 Route 22
Patterson, NY 12563-2237
Dear Brothers
During the past year I have been approached privately by a number of sincere brothers and sisters about a number of disturbing issues that have taken place within the Organization. Therefore, I?m writing this letter with a heavy heart and even personal questions and issues of concern. Although the Faithful and Discreet Slave have cautioned the brothers about the need to be careful in the use of the internet (Nov 99 KM), many friends have come to have in their possession information about the Organization that have raised questions in their minds. The KM indicated that one of the dangers of the internet is that the information is ? generally not verifiable and may be untrue.? I?ve often pointed this out to the friends on many occasions, however, a number of them have taken advantage of obtaining further information by means of the Freedom of Information Act and other means such as search engines; therefore verifying that a number of things that were viewed as untrue, were in fact true.
In my desire to follow the counsel of Paul in Gal. 5:21 ?To make sure of all things?, I investigated to see if such information was true and to my surprise it was indeed true. What is most troubling to me and a number of other elders I have spoken to privately is what implications and ramifications this means for us as Jehovah God?s chosen people.
I have had the privilege of serving as an Elder, Bethelite and Pioneer over the years. In fact, I was raised from infancy in the Truth like Timothy as it were (1 Timothy 5:21). During that time as Jehovah?s people we had taken bold biblical positions that have oftentimes resulted in dear brothers putting their very lives on the line.
I was taken aback when it was presented to me that the Society was connected to the United Nations as a Non-Governmental Organization or NGO. While it is my understanding that the Society addressed this issue with a number of brothers by letter explaining the reason for becoming a member was to get a library card and to be recognized by the United Nations as a humanitarian organization.
I find it of great concern to know that the Society was ?REQUIRED? by the UN to do the following as taken from the UN Criteria guidelines for all NGOs:
The NGO must have the commitment and the means to conduct effective information programmes with its constituents and to a broader audience about UN activities by publishing newsletters, bulletins and pamphlets; organizing conferences, seminars and round tables; or enlisting the attention of the media ;
My dear Brothers, why would we as Jehovah?s people agree to allow the Wild Beast to use the pages of our publications to spew forth their propaganda?
A number of friends, long time elders and even a travelling brother with whom I have spoken to find it somewhat surprising that God?s Organization would allow the Wild Beast to use the columns of the magazines to put forth their message. I just don?t understand why.
When I see such requirements from the UN as below it pains my heart:
The NGO should have a satisfactory record of collaboration with UN Information Centres/Services or other parts of the UN System prior to association ;
When the friends approach me with such documentation it is very difficult to explain why we would have a ?record of collaboration with the UN?.
As one elder stated to me: ?We disfellowshipped persons for signing up with the YMCA just to use the pool, so why would the Society do this?? As Jehovah?s people we have scripturally been able to condemn the religions of Babylon the Great for doing this very thing: ?collaborating with the UN.? The question that was raised to me was:
?Are we as Jehovah?s people compromising in view of our many years of neutrality that many brothers have died for?? And I could not answer that question in view of our stated position as pointed out in the w66 6/1 p. 346 Can You Avoid the Mark of the Beast:
?There is no middle ground. Jehovah?s witnesses know this, and they know that they must keep their spirituality at a high level by watching their course of action every day. From 1919 onward they have refused to join in this international worship of the political State and the League of Nations and its successor the United Nations?
For many years the Society has been clear about not getting the mark of the wild beast either in our hand or in our forehead according to Rev 13:16, yet many dear friends have posed the question to me about the Society.
One dear sister who is a pillar in the congregation pointed out to me the June 1, 1991 article: "Their Refuge-A Lie!" where y ou brothers pointed out scripturally that Christendom had turn to the UN for help instead of waiting on Jehovah. The article asked the question:
How extensive is her involvement with this organization??
and the Society?s reply was and I quote:
?A recent book gives an idea when it states: ?No less than twenty-four Catholic organizations are represented at the UN?
Well what I found shocking is that these were NGOs the same as the Society. When I went to the United Nations website to see the listing of all it?s NGO?s the Society was listed right along with dozens and dozens of other religions looking to the UN for some type of help. To see longtime Writing Dept member Brother Ciro Aulicino and deceased Governing Body member Lloyd Barry listed as the ones who signed the application ? was shocking to say the least.
My dear Brothers please understand that I am in no way trying to question you, but it is very difficult as an Elder to have publishers present this type of clear documentation on our positions on matters from our very own publications and then try to explain it away in a satisfactory way. While it is easy to just tell the publishers to spend more time in service and meeting attendance, it in no way addresses the valid issues raised they have raised. So while many will not ask about these issues anymore it has not addressed them at all.
I hope you brothers understand why I am so concerned. To read how the Wild Beast is asking of the following of Jehovah?s Organization is something of a concern for many.
The NGO should provide an audited annual financial statement, conducted by a qualified, independent accountant ;
One longtime elder and I discussed this issue at length. Once again I was asked a question that I could not answer. On the congregational level and the circuit level an accounting of all monies are publicly presented for all to hear, yet in all my years in the Truth I had to admit to him that we have never seen the District Conventions accounting given or the Society?s accounting given for all the funds sent in along with wills, stocks, bonds, property and etc. When he asked me: ?Why has the Society never shown us their financial statements, yet they are showing the Wild Beast??
I could not honestly give a satisfactory answer to him or myself, other than we just need to trust that you brothers are using the monies for Kingdom interest. Matt 24:14
It is such questions as these that challenge many of us as we try to deal with pressures from this Old System.
You brothers will not believe how many of the dear friends (including elders) in the field are trying to cope with the ramifications of our new understanding on the ?Generation? teaching of Jesus? words in Matt 24:34.
This has in effect produced for many literally a crisis of conscience. While publicly many friends appear to have accepted the new explanations, but in private conversations the ramifications are noticeable, especially in the area of their zeal for Theocratic activities. So many of the friends including elders, merely perform their duties in a perfunctory manner.
I write this letter expressing my concern about these issues with full confidence that this letter will remain in private confidentiality between the Society and myself and not the Body of Elders.
I thank you in advance for giving me a listening ear- for I prayerfully contemplated as to whether to send this letter to you or not, but I felt that you brothers needed to know what the concerns are here in the field. May Jehovah continue to help you men to shoulder the responsibilities of providing the needed food at the proper time.
Matt 24: 44-45.
Your Brother
XXXXXXXX
PS:
Enclosed is an entire outline and instructions that I found posted on the internet. This is the type of documentation that I mentioned that is available at the fingertips of the publishers today.