The Watchtower leadership is cautious in such matters because of the legal implications. For example, when a young JW joins the military the organization doesn't usually disfellowship the individual. But the action of this person will be interpreted as his desire to no longer be a part of "Jehovah's people." And he would be looked upon as one who "disassociated" himself. It may be similar with the person who chooses to vote. At the very least, he would be looked down upon as one who is very weak and unstable.
Posts by Pahpa
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10Anyone get disfellowshipped for voting?
by Olin Moyles Ghost inaccording to a questions from readers in the 11/1/1999 wt, voting in political elections is technically a matter of conscience.
of course, the article lays out numerous reasons why "mature christians" would choose not to vote.
nonetheless, the article concludes that it is up to an individual's conscience.
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Russell's motivation?
by Pahpa inwhat was the motivation for russell's move from pa. to n.y.?
reading the early history of the watchtower society, one gets the impression that russell wanted to get away from his problems with his wife and distance himself from the jurisdiction of the pa. courts.
in the watchtower version, jehovah directed him to brooklyn because of the proximity to n.y. city and its shipping and business advantages.
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Pahpa
Hillbilly
I have no doubt of the sincerity of Russell in his religious beliefs. But his deplorable actions against his wife were inexcusable for one who claimed to be a "Christian" leader of others. Maria was a difficult person from all reports. But Russell was under the obligation of showing her the dignity and support as a Christian husband regardless of the Victorian standards of the time.
The Watchtower has always presented a "white washed" version of its own history. I suspect this is the case with Russell's dealings with his wife. The timing of the divorce and the decision of the Pa. courts would seem to indicate more than a coincidence regarding his move to N.Y. And I'm wondering if anyone else entertain the same suspicions?
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Witness 007- Feel guilty for bringing a "Pioneer family" into the truth!!
by Witness 007 inmy 10 year pioneering did not have much fruitage.
[good]...studied with a few naughty witness boys...some later left.
one family came into the truth and parents and kid's are now pioneers.
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Pahpa
Witness 007
I used to worry about this same thing. When I left the organization, I did make an effort to contact those individuals that I may have influenced to become JWs. (Some have since left the organization.) But after giving it considerable thought I concluded that each adult individual is responsible for making his own decisions. We may have been influenced by certain people especially those who studied with us. But the actual decision to become a JW was our own. Likewise, our decision to leave the organization was also ours to make.
The scriptures are clear that God judges us each "according to our deeds." He certainly takes into consideration all circumstances. But in the end, we are responsible for what we do. Sadly, many JWs who may have offended God's laws may try to plea they were only "obeying the organization." But even the human courts do not recognize this defense. (Remember Nuremberg?)
Many of us have experience the cruel and unloving rules of the Watchtower Society. The leaders of the organization who make and enforce these are responsible. But each JW is also accountable for their own actions when they choose to put the laws of a human organization over those of God and Christ.
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Russell's motivation?
by Pahpa inwhat was the motivation for russell's move from pa. to n.y.?
reading the early history of the watchtower society, one gets the impression that russell wanted to get away from his problems with his wife and distance himself from the jurisdiction of the pa. courts.
in the watchtower version, jehovah directed him to brooklyn because of the proximity to n.y. city and its shipping and business advantages.
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Pahpa
What was the motivation for Russell's move from Pa. to N.Y.? Reading the early history of the Watchtower Society, one gets the impression that Russell wanted to get away from his problems with his wife and distance himself from the jurisdiction of the Pa. courts. In the Watchtower version, Jehovah directed him to Brooklyn because of the proximity to N.Y. City and its shipping and business advantages. But I get the feeling that it may have been more mundane. The Pa. courts favored Maria in her plea for more support. Russell was putting his assets into the corporation... possibly to hide them. Does anyone have any thoughts regarding these matters? (Has it been discussed before?)
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Babylon
by freydi inhow long will it take the wt, aka babylon iii, to be so forthcoming?
500 years?
rome unveils rare vatican documents .
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Pahpa
freydi
Thanks for sharing this information. It was very interesting. The Catholic church was devious in its Inquisitional system. Although it appointed the Inquisitors from its own ranks it never sullied its own hands with the actual torture and executions. It passed that responsibility over to the "secular powers" who willingly carried it out so as to win the favor of the church. In this way, the church could maintain a certain "deniability" that shed blood. However, by being an accessory before and after the fact it could not escape its full culpability for the guilt of this horrendous crime against humanity. It took the church hundreds of years to finally admit its part. Many have concluded "too little, too late."
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Interesting info on N.H. Barbour
by cabasilas ini don't know if this has been mentioned here before or not.
if so, please ignore.
this looks like it contains an interesting amount of info on n.h. barbour:.
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Pahpa
The article was very interesting. The thing that impressed was the fact that all these men were so sure of their interpretation of prophecy that there was little room for doubt. Many made the same mistake as Russell. Instead of saying "I was wrong" they continued to justify their positions with further errors. The "invisible presence" teaching is the ultimate "cop-out" since nothing can be proved. The event was "heavenly" and "invisible." By citing world conditions as "evidence" is a very shaky foundation since all these men believed that enough proof was evident in their own day to convince them they were right. Now, people look back to those times as "the good old days."
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Glaring contradiction between 1995 new light and Society's authority as FDS
by yaddayadda inin the 15 october 1995 watchtower the society brought out 'new light' that although christ sat down as king in 1914, but he did not sit down on his 'glorious throne' mentioned at matt 25: 31 in that year.
i cant understand why the society bothered to make this change in 1995?
this change was in some ways more damaging to them than the generation change, because the society essentially sawed off the branch they were sitting on by announcing this 1995 new light.
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Pahpa
One has to wonder if this won't lead up eventually to a major change in the whole dating system of the Watchtower. As noted, the date of 1914, although important historically, doesn't seem to be as important prophetically. And the interpretation has shifted over the years. To Russell and early Bible Students it was to be the "end." But to Rutherford and JWs it suddenly became "the beginning of the end." Now we see the shifting of the interpretation of the events described by Jesus. The "generation" is no longer people of the 1914 generation. The separation of the "sheep and goats" is now a future event even as is the coming of Jesus with the angels to rule.
Time has been the dilemma of the Watchtower Society. Nothing it has predicted has come true. So, it is struggling to come up with alternate ideas that can explain away its own failures.
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Is it proper for men to tip their hats to women?
by ThomasCovenant inapologies if you all have read this before.. watchtower 1952 15th april pages 254-256. it is the woman that is commanded to show respect and recognition of the mans position of headship, and women who rebel at it are not so much rebelling against men as they are against god.gen.
3:16; 1 cor.
11:2-10; eph.
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Pahpa
It just represents the length of ridiculousness that the Watchtower went to in trying to keep women conscious of their positions in the Watchtower organization. Both Russell and Rutherford had unhappy marriages. Rutherford often made disparaging remarks about female members of the Watchtower. And the attitude remained for many years in spite of the fact that women carried on the bulk of the witnessing work and were generous contributors to the Watchtower Society.
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Club Meeting, America the Beautiful and the Pledge of Allegiance.....
by AK - Jeff inall in one night.. per some good advice a few weeks back from this board, i have attended my first 'service club' meeting of my life.
carmel had suggested to try kiwanis international - and so i did.
the introduction began to break jwism's from the get-go [precisely where i am at in my paradigm].
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Pahpa
I still think that the question of Christian neutrality in these situations is a valid one. Can Christians pledge allegiance to a country in good conscience? Doesn't a Christian's allegiance belong to God?
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Did the early Christians teach some "wrong teachings"?
by booker-t ini was talking to my "devout" jw's mom when she called and invited me to the memorial.
i love my mom dearly but i have told her a hundred times that i will not go back to the wt.
she kept on and on about how it is the truth and that jehovah is revealing new things to the jw's because he wants his organization to be as close to perfect as possible.
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Pahpa
If only JWs would use the same tolerant attitude toward members of other churches, we probably could accept your mother's explanation. But the fact is that JWs feel they alone have "the truth" to the exclusion of all other Christian groups. And the severe consequences of a JW who questions or expresses doubts about a Watchtower interpretation of scripture illustrates just how intolerant the organization really is.
Your mother is trying to rationalize an irrational situation.