In this chapter "3W" presents his best defense and for that I applaud him. He addresses the most popular argument about the WBTS being hypocritical for joining the DPI. This argument is based on an article in the 1979 Watchtower January 1st pg. 30-31 and it says in part:
For a reminder of how the WBTS views anyone that joins an organization, whose objective is contrary to the Bible (1983 Organized to Accomplish Our Ministry pg. 151) CLICK HERE.
In joining the YMCA as a member a person accepts or endorses the general objectives and principles of the organization. He is not simply paying for something he receives, such as when buying things being sold to the public at a store. (Compare 1 Corinthians 8:10; 10:25.) Nor is his membership merely an entry pass, as when a person buys a theater ticket. Membership means that one has become an integral part of this organization...Many have compared this reasoning and applied it to the UN/WBTS association. The answer from "3W" on this is Is this a fair point? Not really, no. First of all, when you become a member of the YMCA — an interfaith “Christian” group — you are recognized as being “integral” to that organization, a little like when you get baptized and become part of Jehovah's Witnesses. Yes it's true that the two scenarios are slightly different, since one is in the political arena and the other is a religious institution. My question is this. Does the WBTS allow Jehovah's Witnesses to join a YMCA gym just for the use of their facilities, the same as what they did to use the DPI's facilities? After all, joining a YMCA gym itself is NOT joining the YMCA the same as joining the DPI is not joining the United Nations.
For a reminder of how the WBTS views anyone that joins an organization, whose objective is contrary to the Bible (1983 Organized to Accomplish Our Ministry pg. 151) CLICK HERE.
Actually, I thought 3W was being very sneaky here in focusing on the YMCA argument alone. While, as you note, there are some slight differences (the YMCA is religious while the UN is political), there are a lot of valid similarities in the two scenarios. 3W says you become an "integral" part of the YMCA if you join. He says so, because he is simply repeating the claim that the Watchtower made that this was the case. Further the claim could similarly be made that be joining the UN's DPI you become and "integral" part of the UN. 3W would insist otherwise, but then I could insist you don't really become integral to the YMCA if you join - if your intention is only to make use of some of their facilities (just as the Watchtower claimed). Both are just opinions and you can't have it both ways.
ReplyDeleteWhat 3w doesn't mention is the Malawi situation, which IMO is much closer to the UN scandal. There JWs were required by the WTBTS to undergo rape, torture and murder, rather than accept a party card in a one party state. Yet, the WTBTS is innocent when it voluntarily SEEKS membership and affiliation with the 'Beast' UN and agrees to work to support it and it's aims? I don't think so.
This is a closer parallel IMO and highlights the Society's hypocrisy and bloodguilt all the more. Yet 3W cleverly avoids this, and sticks to talk of the YMCA.