Police inquiry over Jehovah's Witness magazine 'mentally diseased' article - Telegraph
The Jehovah's Witnesses have published a statement that former members are "mentally diseased", and in some countries this may constitute a violation of religious hatred laws.
To read the original magazine, click here. Download the study version of the 7/15/11 issue.
Here is a direct copy and paste from that issue:
"'Apostasy' is a standing away from true worship, a falling away, defection, rebellion, abandonment."
The definition of an 'apostate' is anyone who abandons a set of beliefs. And then:
"Well, apostates are 'mentally diseased,' and they seek to infect others with their disloyal teachings. (1 Tim. 6:3, 4) Jehovah, the Great Physician, tells us to avoid contact with them."
Calling God "The Great Physician" underscores the disease analogy.
This is not the first time this church has called former members diseased. In fact, not only have they been labeled with frightening diseases, they have been called demon possessed.
In fact, the church in 1909 clearly stated apostates were all former members, and all of them were stricken with rabies, mental illness and are Satanic. (Remember, this church teaches they have always been the source of truth and the truth does not change, so this old teaching is still valid.*)
The Watch Tower of October 1, 1909 states:
“All who cut loose from the Society and its work ... these manifest anger, malice, hatred, strife, ‘works of the flesh and of the devil’ such as we have never known worldly people to exhibit. They seem inoculated with madness, Satanic hydrophobia[rabies].”
Click the link at the top of this post to read the news story about the police inquiry into this suspected violation of religious hate laws.
What do you think? Please take our poll at the top left of this blog, and post a comment below.
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*"...this one supreme, almighty God. His religion is one of right belief and is harmonious in all its expressions...The true religion of the one God does not disagree with itself, deny itself or get divided with itself. If it had internal disagreement, contradiction and disunity, it could never stand; it could not be simple truth; it would disagree with the scientific laws of the universe; it could not triumph in the long-drawn-out conflict between true religion and false. But true religion must triumph, because truth cannot be destroyed. That is why, despite all the many false religions in the world, the true religion has lived through till this day..."--Watchtower 11/15/1963
A secular site promoting use of evidence-based prevention methods to reduce cult victimization
Years ago my Mom accused me of doing bad things. When I asked her to tell me what they were she snarkily replied "I don't know! I just know you do them!" This accusation without evidence not only cut me to my core it also showed me that her way of thinking had changed over the years towards me. To this day I still don't know what bad things I was being accused of.
ReplyDeleteJehovah's Witnesses are indoctrinated to believe that they are the only true religion, are God's Chosen, and all others are 'bad'. They live in a constant state of paranoia about demons and evil 'worldly' people, events, and items. Both my parents suffered from depression and dementia. I think if anything, this 'religion' creates mentally ill people, and not the other way around.
Thank you for posting this. I'm glad that the hateful speech of the Watchtower Society is being exposed.
ReplyDeleteApparently this post has contributed to a bit of controversy!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jw-archive.org/2011/09/laying-to-rest-mental-disease-nonsense.html