by Fatfreek 15 Replies latest watchtower scandals
...announcement "SoandSo is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses"
Hmmm .... I've only seen references to this type of statement a few times, Blondie. When did this take affect? It appears, to this legal dummy, as a further leaning away from legal vulnerability. I could be wrong.
Fats
It took effect this spring with the release of the updated Organized book. I will see if I can find the thread on it unless someone else has it handier.
Blondie
It took effect this spring with the release of the updated Organized book
Thanks, Blondie.
It would be interesting to see some baptized witness who joins the military, then immediately pre-empts the elders with a formal letter to them -- verbiage something like this:
"You’ve heard by now that I’ve joined the military but if not, I wanted you to hear it firsthand from me. I am not, by that act, disassociating myself. Please be advised that I wish to continue my status as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses although I no longer subscribe to their stance, re defense of this great country of ours.
As you must surely realize any forthcoming announcement that I am no longer one of Jehovah’s Witnesses will be completely on your shoulders -- not mine. It would be your wish and not mine.
It could provide evidence to our government’s officials that you are cutting me off from spiritual fellowship to brothers and sisters that I love because of this decision of mine to join the military. They may look unkindly to any group that attempts to penalize me for such a patriotic act."
Dream on, Fats.
I know of one fellow who joined and took the DA. He got lucky and ended up posted to a nice job away from Vietnam playing war games. Later, he did his reinstatement time and is still in the borg. I think he may be an elder now, though I am not sure since he moved to another town about 200 miles away.
Forscher
Another question, how do we end up with JW doctors? My guess is that they are converts. I can't imagine how parents can justify the time and expense away from field service to support a child through a medical degree. Not to mention the regular ethical conflicts the adult child would encounter regarding blood transfusions
Good question as the PO's Daughter in the hall I grew up in was groomed to become an outright RN. But the ironic thing was they justified it all by saying that it was so she could go to Bethal, where she is today. Ironically her mom attended all of her classes with her at the various colleges she enrolled in, somehow they managed to get that to happen.
As for vietnam, during the war my father put down his gun because he started studying the bible and through his own understanding figured that you were not supposed to fight against your spiritual brothers, at the time he was a catholic. After he was discharged he started to study with his claims-to-be-but has a shady following of the borg supposedly annointed half brother.
-Riot
I'd ask Terry... I think he went to prison for refusing to enlist...- Preston
I think you mean "register". I did register. My name was called. I reported for my Armed Forces Medical Exam as ordered. However, I applied for and received my Conscientious Objector status (I.O.)
I was entitled by law to work in a hospital (and was so ordered) but, the congregation overseer and his assistant (they were not called Elders back then) informed me in no uncertain terms that I was to refuse the alternate service since I would be COMPROMISING and become the "property" of Satan's governmental demons who controlled the armed forces.
Pretty wacky, no? I went to trial over this. I was convicted and sentenced to what was called a "INDETERMINATE" sentence under the Youth Corrections Act. You see, I wasn't yet a legal adult. I was only 20 at the time.
What the Judge (Leo Brewster) told me at the time of sentencing was this. "If at any time you realize your mistake; send me word and I'll have you out of that prison and in uniform the very same day."
I assume other Brothers were given that same choice and they decided their lives were more wasted in confinement than in going off to Viet Nam.
Only one Brother left Seagoville (where I was) and went into the Army. It was considered quite an embarassment to the other Brothers inside at the time.
T.
