What's your verdict?

by ozziepost 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  ozziepost

  On the WTS' website is a report of a court case in Armenia. Notice the points emphasised by me in red. What do you think? Is the WTS telling the truth about their beliefs and practices?:

  When his turn came, Brother Margaryan testified that minor children who attend meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses do so with their parents' permission. He also explained that military service is a personal decision. The prosecutor's cross-examination continued for several days. Brother Margaryan, using the Bible, calmly answered questions about his beliefs, while the prosecutor checked the Scripture references in his own Bible.
  		On September 18, 2001, the judge pronounced Margaryan "not guilty," stating that there "was no element of crime" in his activity. A telling report on the case appeared in the Associated Press. It read: "A leader of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Armenia was acquitted today on charges of proselytizing and of forcing young people to evade military service. After a two-month trial, the Court said there was insufficient evidence against the leader, Levon Markarian [Lyova Margaryan].
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  FirstInLine

  I think he is certainly guilty of forcing young people to avoid military service. He is also guilty of purjery. He states that the bible shows military service to be a matter of concience (which it is) diverting the attention from the fact that his teachings are not such. He is staunchly opposed to anyone living by what he has just claimed in court.

  Of course if the prosecutor was more than a half/wit he could have gotten the charge to stick.
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  Black Sheep

  He also explained that military service is a personal decision.

  This is either an outright lie or a poorly disguised deception. Your choice. Either way it is not the truth.
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  talesin

  "Theocratic Warfare"

  ie, "Justification for Lying"

  tal
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  cruzanheart

  Yes, military service is a "personal decision" just like adultery is a personal decision -- if you do either, though, you will get DF'd, but, hey, that's YOUR personal decision, right?

  Nina
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  minimus

  WHATEVER we do, it becomes a "personal decision". And yes, "minor children attend with their parent's permission". If the parents tell their minor children they can't go to a meeting, then they are not given permission to go. If a minor asks their parent if they can go with them to the meeting () then yes, "minor children attend with their parent's permission".......So the verdict is, I ask better questions.
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  Elsewhere

  That's like a cop testifying that murder is a "personal decision"... however if you do it you WILL be prosecuted for it.
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  itsallgoodnow

  I wish all these things really were a personal decision, and that I wouldn't have to answer to them for it. It sounds a little like they left some of the questioning out of the article. Why wasn't he asked what would happen to children if they didn't go to the meetings or people who joined the military?
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  grows1

  I wonder if the Armenians know about the JW who was recently DF'ed because he was in the Coast Guard Reserves and was recently called to active duty?