Yes, I'm sure any of you that know about the Jehovah's Witnesses have also heard about their being an associate NGO with the United Nations. Former members point at this as a major scandal that was exposed, and shows the hypocrisy of the Watchtower Society. Current members argue that the claims are false, and even though they were an associate NGO of the United Nations, they did nothing wrong. I think it's time to review the argument, and set forth the facts. Then you, the reader, can decide.
Let's begin with what the WTS was writing about the U.N. in their literature.
"No, the UN is not a blessing, even though the religious clergy of
Christendom and the rabbis of Jewry pray heaven’s blessing upon that
organization. It is really “the image of the wild beast,” the visible
political, commercial organization of “the god of this system of
things,” Satan the Devil. So the UN will soon be destroyed along with
that beastly organization." Watchtower 1984 Sep 15 p.15
The "mark" of the beast would identify the one having it as belonging to that "wild beast," giving it full support. Ellicott's Bible Commentary notes that the mark 'surely means the acquiescence to the principals of this tyrannical world-power.'
In
modern times, the Christain body, known world wide as Jehovah's
Witnesses, has experienced from the "wild beast" the same things as
first-century Christians. Take the African county of Malawi, for
example. There all citizens have been required to become members of the
country's only existing political party, the "Malawi Congress Party." A
membership card costing about twenty-five cents (U.S.) identifies the bearer as 'acquiescing to the principals of the ruling political party,' . . .
As
Jehovah's Witnesses they value their relationship to God and Christ
above everything else. Were they to identify themselves as giving
unquestioning support to any politcal arrangement, they would be
acting contrary to the Bible's teaching that all human governmental
systems exist by God's toleration only until such time as he chooses to
replace them by his kingdom in the hands of Jesus Christ. (Dan. 2:44;
7:13, 14) Jehovah's Witnesses have promised to give unqualified
allegiance exclusively to God and Christ. Any act on their part
that would indicate otherwise, therefore, would be an act of disloyalty.
Such an act would be taking away from God and Christ their rightful due
and would be worship fo the "wild beast."
No matter how insignificant the act required may seem, a Christian's engaging in such worship would mean his being disloyal to God and Christ. Watchtower 1976 10/15 632-6
"If Christendom had sought peace with Jehovah's King, Jesus Christ, then
she would have avoided the coming flash flood. - Compare Luke 19:42-44.
However, she has not done so. Instead, in her quest for peace and
security, she insinuates herself into the favor of the political leaders
of the nations this despite the Bible's warning that friendship with
the world is enmity with God. (James 4:4) Moreover, in 1919 she strongly
advocated the League of Nations as man's best hope for peace. Since
1945 she has put her hope in the United Nations. (Compare Revelation
17:3, 11.) How extensive is her involvement with this organization?
A recent book gives an idea when it states: "No less than
twenty-four Catholic organizations are represented at the UN. Several of
the world's religious leaders have visited the international
organization. Most memorable were the visits of His Holiness Pope Paul
VI during the General Assembly in 1965 and of Pope John Paul II in 1979.
Many religions have special invocations, prayers, hymns and services
for the United Nations. The most important examples are those of the
Catholic, the Unitarian-Universalist, the Baptist and the Bahai
faiths."" Watchtower 1991 Jun 1 p.17
"Such dwellers on earth wondered admiringly at the revived scarlet wild
beast. Much reliance was placed in its ability to be a power for world
peace and security. Great expectations were held out for it, and it was
given designations that were really blasphemous from the standpoint of
the Holy Bible. How so? In that to this wild beast powers were ascribed
and tasks were assigned that really belong to Gods kingdom and its
Messiah or its Christ. Back in 1919 the scarlet League of Nations had
been seriously called the political expression of the Kingdom of God on
earth. And now the United Nations, the successor of that League, has
been called the best means for peace, yes, even more than that, the last
hope for peace. So today we can see in actuality what the apostle John
saw in symbol, that that scarlet-colored wild beast is full of
blasphemous names. Those expressions of admiration for it turn false
religionists, not to the worship of Jehovah God the Creator, but to
idolatry of a man-made creation, the worship of a political image, the
worship of an international organization for world peace and security.
Rev. 17:3." Watchtower 1963 Nov 15 p.697
The wild beast that you saw was, but is not, and yet is about to
ascend out of the abyss, and it is to go off into destruction. And when
they see how the wild beast was, but is not, and yet will be present,
those who dwell on the earth will wonder admiringly, but their names have not been written upon the scroll of life from the foundation of the world." Revelation 17:8 NWT
"We cannot but admire the high principles embodied in the proposed League of Nations, formulated undoubtedly by those who have no knowledge of the great plan of God. This fact makes all the more wonderful the ideals which they express. Watchtower February 15, 1919 p. 51
The "mark" of the beast would identify the one having it as belonging to that "wild beast," giving it full support. Ellicott's Bible Commentary notes that the mark 'surely means the acquiescence to the principals of this tyrannical world-power.' Watchtower October 15, 1976 p. 632
STRONG words from the Watchtower Society about the U.N. Obviously then, from what was stated, any witness would want to have nothing to do with the U.N. Even a 25 cent membership card would show disloyalty to God. Ah, but they even go a step further.
"The Bible condemns things such as stealing, idolatry and the misuse of
blood, so a Christian could hardly engage in work where he directly
promoted such things. Would doing the work so closely link a person with a condemned practice that he would be a clear accomplice?
Even a janitor or a receptionist at a blood bank or a plant
making only weapons of war is directly linked with work contrary to Gods
Word."
Watchtower 1982 Jul 15 Box on p.26 Employment Factors to Consider
Is it true that for religious reasons Jehovah's Witnesses may not become members of the YMCA (Young Mens Christian Association)?
Yes, that is so. We have long recognized that the YMCA, though not
being a church as such, is definitely aligned with the religious
organizations of Christendom in efforts to promote interfaith.
…
In joining the YMCA as a member a person accepts or endorses the
general objectives and principles of the organization. … Membership
means that one has become an integral part of this organization founded
with definite religious objectives, including the promotion of
interfaith. Hence, for one of Jehovah's Witnesses to become a member of
such a so-called Christian association would amount to apostasy." Watchtower 1979 Jan 1 pp.30-31 Questions from Readers
Don't engage in working or becoming a member of any group that aligns themselves with something contrary to God. By doing so, you could be committing an act that amounts to Apostasy.
So it is pretty clear that the Watchtower Society wants their members to avoid worldly governments at all costs. Don't work for them, don't support their principals, don't align yourselves with them, or you could face excommunication.
With such a harsh stand on the U.N., I'm sure it came as quite a shock to many members when news came out about the Watchtower's United Nations Association. The Guardian newspaper revealed the link between the two in October of 2001. Days later, the Watchtower disaffiliated themselves from the United Nations. There were swarms of requests as to why they were there, if it was even true, requests to see evidence.
The WTS responded with this letter.
http://www.jwfacts.com/images/UNeldersletter.jpg
It is a very dishonest letter, to say the least. They did not need to join the U.N. to gain access to their library. In fact, their are over four hundred U.N. libraries worldwide that can be accessed by anyone. Also, there have been no changes to the requirement for NGO's being required to agree to "support" the ideals of the United Nations.
There have been attempts by other jw supporters to "explain away" the reasons why they were there. But those claims are misinformed individuals who did not research properly. For example, one person states that there are two types of NGO's. The DPI (Department of Public Information), and the ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council). And that the DPI division does not fall under the same criteria as the ECOSOC division. In other words, a DPI-NGO does not need to support the U.N. to be an associate. Obviously this person did not read the criteria requirements needed to be accepted as a DPI-NGO. You can read about it here: http://outreach.un.org/ngorelations/membership/
So many questions arise then from the Watchtower's involvement with the U.N.
1. If they truly did not realize that they didn't need to join the U.N. in order to access their library, why did they remain there for nine more years, filing annual applications?
2. If their only reason for being there was to gain access to the U.N. library, why did they abandon their position once news of their involvement became public?
3. Why would having library access be acceptable to them when holding rank and file members to strict avoidance, no matter how insignificant, and then threaten them with excommunication should they do so?
4. Finally, if it was not wrong for them to be there, why did nobody know about it?
It makes one wonder if they even care that many of their members were tortured, raped, imprisoned, and even killed, for holding up their end, for following the guidance of the Watchtower Society, only to see that the ones they were following decided to take a hypocritical stand, and then use the "library card" excuse. If you can be excommunicated in Malawi for purchasing a 25 cent membership card, the same punishment should happen for a library card. What is very revealing is going back and reading those articles about strict avoidance from any world government, since God's Kingdom is going to be replacing all world governments. No part of the world.....well.....except for a library card.
