Prison Bonds
Having made so much capital out of the few years some of the members had spent in prison during the War years, up until 1919, the Society realized the publicity that could be achieved by clashing with the authorities. Coupled with the growing suspicion among outsiders that the Society was a moneymaking organization, they decided to embark on a campaign against the courts.
The Witnesses were supposed to individually obtain permits to sell their books, so they broke the law and sold them without the permits. Whenever a Witness was arrested for this offence, the Society would take up the case. They argued that book selling was a part of their worship and refused to comply. To obtain permits would classify them as commercial booksellers and incur a tax liability.
This publicly gave the impression that they were being persecuted for their religion. Public sympathy and interest helped to increase book sales. One of the techniques used was to swamp a city with Witnesses all selling books without permits. The number arrested would overfill the jails and cause uproar. The Society would pre-arrange for the press to be present at these publicity stunts.
To increase the impression of persecution they adopted the slogan, “Religion is a Snare and a Racket.” The anger this generated among some religious people led to mob violence. The Society’s law-breaking activity was highly organized and a special squad numbering 12,600 was formed. When the Witnesses were arrested, they would phone the nearest division who would go into action. The areas designated for these protests were called “Hot Spots.”
During 1936, 1,149 Witnesses were charged in court for disturbing the peace and selling books without a permit. Court case by court case, the issue was fought all the way up to the American Supreme Court. A few years later the Witnesses won the right to sell their books and literature without a licence, as part of their worship.
The Watchtower Society claimed that this was a miracle - which summed up the feelings of their critics.
Taken from the book, 'Opening the Door to Jehovah's Witnesses.' By Trevor Willis