About Brandon Harper Expertise I was raised as one of Jehovah's Witnesses and was baptized for 21 years. I was a 4th generation Jehovah's Witness both paternally and maternally and am qualified to answer many questions regarding doctrine, doctrinal changes, historical basis for various doctrines, as well as offer rebuttal responses from the perspective of a former Jehovah's Witness. I can also answer questions from the perspective of an ardent Jehovah's Witness.
Experience I am 33 years old, became a publisher and gave my first public talk at age 4, was baptized at age 12, became an inactive publisher at age 32, and disassociated myself at age 33. My father has served as a congregation servant/elder continuously from the age of 17 on. Of my 9 uncles, 6 are elders. Of my 9 aunts, four are regular pioneers. My father is the presiding overseer of a congregation. When I began seriously investigating this religion I had to prepare for conversations with a very large extended family steeped in the history and doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses. I have thoroughly studied many Watchtower Society publications that most Jehovah's Witnesses have never even read, if they have heard of them at all, seeking the origins of various doctrinal points. I knew I would need to have this knowledge to discuss the issues in detail with my family when I decided to disassociate myself.
Education/Credentials I read every Watchtower and Awake! magazine from at least age 8 through age 32. According to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society I have the equivalent of several four-year degrees (Reference available on request). I would hope that education would qualify me as an expert.
Question Hi, I was reading your response from jun 30. I have a followup question about this topic.
When was this membership revealed? How long was it kept in secretcy before it came to the light? and who would bring this to the light and for what reason? Only the governing body knew about this and kept it from everybody else before it was revealed?
Answer Luis,
This is a very good set of followup questions.
You asked: "When was this membership revealed?"
Stephen Bates, religious affairs correspondent for The Guardian (a UK paper) wrote an article appearing in the October 8, 2001 issue of the Guardian entitled "Jehovah's Witnesses link to UN queried".
You asked: "How long was it kept in secretcy before it came to the light?"
From February 1992 until this issue of The Guardian was distributed very few people knew of this link between the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. and the "UN".
I put the UN in quotes there because Mr. Bates actually did get some of his facts incorrect. The Watchtower Society joined the United Nations Department of Public Information as an Associate member, but never joined the UN. Since the Watchtower Society is not classified as a governmental organization it cannot join the UN.
You asked: "Who would bring this to the light and for what reason?"
Mr. Bates (mentioned previously) was contacted by certain former Jehovah's Witnesses who learned of the relationship. Apparently their desire was to serve as "whistleblowers" on a voluntary governmental attachment that violated the published standards of the Watchtower Society and the guidelines of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Key to understnding why this might be viewed as whistleblowing is recognizing that Jehovah's Witnesses have decried the UN as "the disgusting thing that causes desolation" spoken of by Daniel and Jesus, as well as "the image of the wild beast" described in Revelation which is due to experience God's judgment. Also, in a resolution passed by convention goers in 1963 (published in Watchtower, November 15 "The Resolution") Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide promised to keep free from any attachments to this entity.
The official (published) stance of Jehovah's Witnesses toward voluntary involvement with political elements is clearly set forth in the books "Organized to Accomplish Our Ministry" (1983) and "Organized to Do Jehovah's Will" (2005).
"Organized to Do Jehovah's Will" (2005) p. 155, par. 2
Concerning those who renounced their Christian faith in his day, the apostle John wrote: “They went out from us, but they were not of our sort; for if they had been of our sort, they would have remained with us.” (1 John 2:19) For example, a person might renounce his place in the Christian congregation by his actions, such as by becoming part of a secular organization that has objectives contrary to the Bible and, hence, is under judgment by Jehovah God. (Isa. 2:4; Rev. 19:17-21) If a person who is a Christian chooses to join those who are disapproved by God, a brief announcement is made to the congregation, stating: “[Name of person] is no longer one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Such a person is treated in the same way as a disfellowshipped person. The presiding overseer should approve this announcement.
(see also "Organized to Accomplish Our Ministry" p. 151, par. 1)
Since there is no question that Jehovah's Witnesses view both the United Nations and the United Nations Department of Public Information as organizations "under judgment by Jehovah God", some apparently felt that the voluntary Associate membership represented gross hypocrisy since during the same ten-year period other Jehovah's Witnesses were announced as disassociated for unrepentantly joining the YMCA so they could use the gym or swimming pool.
You asked: "Only the governing body knew about this and kept it from everybody else before it was revealed?"
I am not terribly sure what your question is here, but I will take a stab at answering it. There were AT LEAST some in the writing department who knew about the membership. Specifically, Ciro Aulicino used the UN/DPI credentials regularly. There may have been others not of the Governing Body who were also aware of the membership.
However, neither the Governing Body, nor the Service Desk, nor the Writing Department, nor Legal Services disclosed this membership publicly to the publishers in the various congregations. In fact, as of the date of this writing such notification of this ten-year long membership has not YET been forthcoming.
Letters on this issue I wrote to the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses (the new name for the spiritual portion of the headquarters organization) were responded to with very erroneous admission of a registration with the UN/DPI, a nonchalant downplaying of the atrocious nature they elsewhere ascribe to the UN, and caution to avoid being stumbled by Satan. This, despite the fact that there never has been a registrant/registrar relationship available between a Non-Governmental Organization such as the Watchtower Society and the UN/DPI.
An Associate membership is quite different from a registration. Either the UN is in direct competition with God's government, is the image of the wild beast, is under judgment by Jehovah God, and is the disgusting thing that causes desolation or it is not. As far as I know, Satan did not join the UN/DPI for ten-years as an Associate member, and if I found out Satan did that I doubt I would be troubled by it at all.
I have studied the issue out thoroughly and attempted lengthy correspondence with the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, but came to the conclusion that they do not wish to "right the wrong" and candidly admit the nature of the relationship or the fact that such a relationship was gross wrongdoing according to their own published standards for Christians.
I hope this has answered your concerns satisfactorily.
