How the Organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses is Violating your Human Rights!
In my last article, I discussed just a handful of ways that the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses is being hypocritical in both its actions and doctrinal matters, but the hypocrisy of the Watchtower (the leadership of the Jehovah’s Witnesses religion) has no match in hypocrisy when it comes to their rules about excommunication which they call disfellowshipping.
Not only do they openly lie to the public at large as you will see in details in this article, but they are violating the human rights of their members and ex-members as well.
In this article, I am going to show you, with articles from the Watchtower itself, that they are telling one thing to the public (people who are not Jehovah’s Witnesses) and something totally different to actual members, Jehovah’s Witnesses.
By comparing what the Watchtower itself has written in its magazines and books and what the human rights law states you will be able to clearly see that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (the best known official name of the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses) is violating your human rights as a member of the religion as an ex-member as well.
To start, let’s see what the Watchtower (short for the Jehovah’s Witnesses organization leadership) used to say about excommunication in the past, which will help you to see how their ideas on the subject have drastically changed over the years.
What the Watchtower Used to Say about Excommunication in the Past
The Watchtower magazine of November 15, 1974, says this: It is just to hate the evil committed by a disfellowshipped fellow worshiper, but not to hate the person or to treat them in an unloving manner. Each family will decide to what extent it will freely attend to its members (other than minor children) who are disfellowshipped and who do not live under its roof. It is not for the elders to decide.
Interestingly, statements like this are one of the reasons the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is not making its old literature available online anymore, because in many cases it completely contradicts what they are doing in the present time.
Here is what the Watchtower of April 1, 1920, says about someone who would decide to leave the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses: We would not refuse to treat someone as a brother because he would not believe that the society is the channel of communication of the lord (…) If others see things differently it is their privilege. There must be total freedom.
A far cry from what is true today, and unless you’d read this in a Watchtower magazine you would never believe that we are speaking of the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Here is what the Awake magazine of January 8, 1947, says about excommunication: The Encyclopaedia Britannica says that papal excommunication is not without pagan influence, its variations cannot be adequately explained without reference to similar non-Christian excommunications. The superstitious Greeks believed that when an excommunicated person died, the Devil entered her body. Then, when the pretensions of the hierarchy increased, the weapon of excommunication became an instrument by which the clergy devised a combination of ecclesiastical power and profane tyranny without historical precedent.
The Watchtower society would never dare to print this in their modern literature, yet these words that were written by the same organization in 1947 would condemn what the leadership is doing today by forcing their members to shun anyone who leaves the religion for any reason, even if it’s a parent, a child or a sibling.
A Change of Heart and Rules
As if stricken with some kind of amnesia about what used to be true to them, the Watchtower changed its mind and rules in 1981 and completely modified its interpretation of excommunication and how excommunicated members should be treated.
Here is what we read in the Watchtower of December 15, 1981, on page 22.
In order to preserve its development, the organization will modify its interpretation of the principle of excommunication to counter the devastating effects of the departure. Following a doctrinal disagreement of a senior member of the Watchtower, from that date, those who left the organization purely and simply had to be regarded as ex-communicated, that is to say faulty, with which the followers should have no contact with.
This decision was actually taken after one of the governing body members, Ray Franz, saw the hypocrisy of his religion and decided to leave his role as a leader before shortly thereafter being disfellowshipped (excommunicated) for having been seen eating with an active Jehovah’s Witness.
It’s interesting to note that Ray Franz had not committed a single sin, not even for Jehovah’s Witnesses standards back then. He simply had come to a disagreement in doctrinal matters and methods employed by the governing body which he belonged to, and decided to resign.
When he was disfellowshipped for eating with an ex-Jehovah’s Witness who happened to also be his employer he was in fact disfellowshipped for no valid reason.
Since then, however, any Jehovah’s Witness that would openly disagree with the Watchtower teachings would be, like Ray Franz, disfellowshipped.
You see, in Jehovah’s Witnesses world, you have more chance to be disfellowshipped if you disagree with the teaching of the organization than if you are a known pedophile. As scary as this may sound, it,s the truth.
Double Standard
It’s amazing that an organization that says and believes to be the most honest organization under the sun has actually a double standard. One for non-Jehovah’s Witnesses and one for Jehovah’s Witnesses themselves.
Let’s see how…
In the Awake of July 2009 page 9, which is a magazine for everyone, the Watchtower organization writes: No one should be forced to worship in a way that he finds unacceptable or be made to choose between his beliefs and his family.
So, obviously here, the Watchtower is telling to non-Jehovah’s Witnesses that everyone is free to believe what they want and there is no problem whatsoever if they share or not the same beliefs as the rest of their Jehovah’s Witness family.
But now, what is the Watchtower organization going to tell his Jehovah’s Witnesses members?
In the study edition of the Watchtower magazine of November 2014 which is for Jehovah’s Witnesses only, we read: Are you proving yourself holy by not associating with family members or others who are disfellowshipped?
Do you see the discrepancy here?
Do you hear the double standard?
There is more…
We can read on the JW.org website which is for the public at large, the following:
What of a man who is disfellowshipped but whose wife and children are still Jehovah’s Witnesses? The religious ties he had with his family change, but blood ties remain. The marriage relationship and normal family affections and dealings continue.
Here it seems that they are purposely taking the ONLY case scenario where shunning would be impossible because they are talking about a father living with his family and thus could not possibly be shunned under his own roof by his own spouse and minor children.
Don’t be fooled though, they didn’t take this particular case by chance, but by convenience.
Now, what about other family members who wouldn’t live under the same roof as the disfellowshipped person, what are they told to do?
In the book “Keep yourselves in God’s Love,” which is a book for Jehovah’s Witnesses members, on pages 208 and 209 we read: Do not look for excuses to associate with a disfellowshipped family member, for example, through email.
Faithful members of the Christian family do not look for excuses to associate with an excommunicated relative who does not live in the home. On the contrary, by faithfulness to Jehovah and his organization, they support the Biblical disposition of excommunication. Their faithful attitude is in the interest of the sinner and it can help him to benefit from the discipline inflicted upon him.
So here, amazingly, what didn’t apply to a disfellowshipped family member living in the home does apply to a disfellowshipped family member NOT living in the home, namely being shunned.
So, according to the Watchtower organization those blood ties that existed when the person lived in the home, do not exist anymore when the person lives outside of the home.
In other words, if you have a son or daughter who lives in the home you have feelings (blood ties) for them, but once they leave the family home you don’t have feelings for them anymore?
This only shows how heartless and stupid the people who decided to write such things are. And it also show the painful double standard of an organization that has nothing holy as they pretend to be.
More Lies to the Public
On the Watchtower website JW.org under the section “Frequently asked question” you can read the question: Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Pressure People to Change Religion?
Here is what they answer: No, we do not (…) Pressuring people to change religion is wrong (…) Jesus never pressured people to accept his teachings. He knew that relatively few would respond to his message (…) Jesus taught his followers not to push others to change their beliefs (…) Conversions made under compulsion are meaningless, since God only accepts worship that comes from the heart.
To the question: Does a person have the right to change religions?
Here is what the Watchtower organization answers: Yes, the Bible shows that people have the right to change their religion. It records many who chose not to follow the form of religion practiced by their relatives and who, of their own free will, decided to worship the true God (…) The Bible even acknowledges a person’s right to make the unwise decision to abandon the worship approved by God.
They even go so far as mentioning the United Nations (which by the way they were secretly members to for almost 10 years) by saying: The right to change religions is supported by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which the United Nations has called “the foundation of international human rights law.”
To the question: Does religious conversion dishonor family traditions or customs?
Here is what the Watchtower organization answers on their website: The Bible encourages respect for all, regardless of their religion. In addition, Jehovah’s Witnesses obey the Bible’s command to honor their parents, even if they have different beliefs.
So, here the non-Jehovah’s Witness reader would understand again that everyone is free to do whatever they want without being affected in any way for believing or not believing, for being an active Jehovah’s Witness or for choosing to leave the religion.
The problem with that it’s that it’s a huge lie.
And in its extreme nonsense world of contradictions, the Watchtower proves it to you with their own words.
Watchtower study edition of January 15, 2013 (for Jehovah’s Witnesses only) says this:
Really, what your beloved family member needs to see is your resolute stance to put Jehovah above everything else — including the family bond (…) Do not look for excuses to associate with a disfellowshipped family member, for example, through e-mail.
Watchtower study edition of October 2014 (for Jehovah’s Witnesses only) says this:
When a family member is disfellowshipped or he disassociates himself from the congregation, it can feel like the stab of a sword. How can you cope with the pain that this brings?
Respect the discipline of Jehovah. This arrangement can bring the best long-term outcome for all, including the wrongdoer, even though the immediate effect is painful (…) despite our pain of heart, we must avoid normal contact with a disfellowshipped family member by telephone, text messages, letters, e-mails, or social media.
Very different from what they are telling the public, isn’t it? As a matter of fact, it’s a perfect contradiction that only shows the liars that they are.
To the people outside of the religion, the Watchtower organization wants them to believe that people are free to do as they wish, and as long as they are not baptized Jehovah’s Witnesses that’s what they would most likely believe.
But the truth is that once you are a baptized Jehovah’s Witness you can say goodbye to any family and friends that you have in this organization.
Either you come back or you’ll never see or speak to them again.
You are as if you were dead to them, and unfortunately they become dead to you too, that’s why ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses have now a special memorial day on July 26 where they “officially” mourned their family members and friends who are still in the Watchtower organization and forbade to ever see or speak to.
Seen enough?
Well, here is one more cherry on top of the cake proof of the double standard of the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
In the book “Shepherd the Flock of God”, book which is reserved for the elders in the congregation and book which most rank and file Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t even know exists, says this:
Here is a screenshot.
These are called threats. Threats to human rights. In other words, it’s against the law.
Do you now see how the Watchtower organization has a double tongue and a double standard?
On one hand they want the public at large to believe that there is total freedom to believe what they teach and become a member or to leave the movement, but on the other hand, as far as Jehovah’s Witnesses are concerned they are not only encouraged to leave behind their family members who are no longer Jehovah’s Witnesses, but even threaten to do so if they want to remain in good standing in the religion and enjoy privileges in the congregation.
If a member would openly contest the disfellowshipping of his family member he or she could be disfellowshipped as well.
And that, dear Jehovah’s Witness or ex-Jehovah’s Witness reader, it’s a direct violation of your human rights.
So let’s see what those human rights have to say, and let’s compare them with your rights as a Jehovah’s Witness or ex-Jehovah’s Witness.
How Human Rights compare with the Organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Let’s see how the human rights contradicts the rights that you have as a Jehovah’s Witness or ex-Jehovah’s Witness.
As you can read for yourself here, you are supposed to have rights of freedom when it comes to your religion. But in the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ world such freedom is taken away from you since you are forced to forsake your family if you want to remain in good standing and be eligible to privileges in your religion.
The Jehovah’s Witness who decides to leave or is disfellowshipped from the religion is completely exiled by his whole social network, including his family. I haven’t seen my family in over a decade now, and I am just one case among thousands of ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses who are being shunned by their family members for years and years.
The Watchtower interferes with the privacy and family matters of an individual who has left the organization and those who are related to them still in the religion by commending them to shun their own flesh and blood.
Freedom of thought and conscience doesn’t exist among Jehovah’s Witnesses whether they are in good standing inside the religion or whether they decided to leave for whatever reasons, as you were able to see over and over in this article.
The Watchtower organization, on the other hand, gives itself the right to manifest their religious beliefs and to teach them the world over openly in countries that allow them to do so, and secretly in lands that don’t allow Jehovah’s Witnesses to preach their doctrines.
Here are few articles of the European Convention of Human Rights that will show you more of the double standard of the Watchtower organization.
The freedom to leave the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses comes with a price. This price is to leave behind everyone you’ve ever known since most Jehovah’s Witnesses social network starts and ends with Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Sadly it’s because of this that some disfellowshipped Jehovah’s Witnesses have committed suicide. Because of the severe exile, they were subjected to.
The discrimination is severe among Jehovah’s Witnesses. Some members who have left have reported serious threats from religion members and even family members.
In a documentary that I have shared in my YouTube channel a few months ago, a Jehovah’s Witness mother threatened her own son to stop speaking to his disfellowshipped aunt (his mother’s own sister) if he wanted to keep her (his mother) in his life.
The young man had no choice but severed his family ties with his aunt which he was very close to, in order to remain on good term with his mother.
This is just one example of the discrimination and tyranny that the organization leaders promotes among the members. The religion is full of examples of this kind.
The 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State
There is a Law that was created for the purpose of separation of religion and state/government in France which is known as (La Loi du 9 Decembre 1905) The December 9, 1905 Law which states in its Article 31:
The penalty for fines provided for contraventions of the 5th class and imprisonment for six days to two months or one of those two sentences only to those who, by means of violence, or threats against an individual, or by making him or her fear its use, or to expose its person, family or have determined to exercise or refrain from worship, to join or cease to be part of a religious association, contribute to or refrain from contributing to the cost of worship.
This French law clearly stipulates that a religious leadership that would act as Jehovah’s Witnesses leadership does is punishable from a fine to two months of imprisonment.
For Jehovah’s Witnesses in France, since the law is on their side in this regard, and if based on this part of the law they are able to prove that the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses is breaking such law at their expense they could sue and win their case against the Watchtower.
Conclusion
The more I research the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the more dirt I am able to dig out. With my articles and YouTube channel, it’s my hope to do my humble part in helping Jehovah’s Witnesses and non-Jehovah’s Witnesses to learn the truth about this organization.
Thankfully, I am not the only one. More and more ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses are actively speaking out against the Watchtower.
In my case, it’s because of my brother shunning me for over 10 years that I started researching this ex-religion of mine and began to speak and write against it.
So in the end, the Watchtower is shooting itself in the foot as people are less and less willing to endure the violence of being exiled by their own family without doing anything.
Ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses are fighting back and the huge event they are preparing which will take place near the new Watchtower headquarters in Warwick, NY on November 4th and 5th is a demonstration of that fact.
Silent no more.
Check my video about the negative effects of ostracism
Sylviane Nuccio
