It's amazing that people don't seem to notice a bad situation until
people are dead or injured. It's kinda like putting the traffic lights on
the bad intersection AFTER there was a fatal accident. We are appalled when
we see cults like the Heavens Gate people end up dead in essence dying for a
cause that seems absolutely ridiculous.
The Heavens Gate Cult felt they were justified in what they did and thats
their right.
But what about the thousands of people who have died in the WT organization(
Jehovah's Witnesses)
over the last fifty years for their crazy stands on their medical\religious
views.
Just because the WT organization is not in the news every day does not mean
the problem does not exist. The subtleness of the situation makes it even
more of a crime.
The medical viewpoints of the WT organization are just as bizzare as the
Heavens Gates Cult but since the news sources don't see a obvious body count
they stay away from them. Hopefully this situation that took place in San
Diego will peak peoples interest up on the dangers of cults
Jehovah's Witnesses have been behaving like the Heavens Gates people for
years, it's a shame the right people haven't noticed.
Since its beginning, the Watchtower Society locally known as Jehovah's
Witnesses has issued several policies
regarding certain established medical treatments. In the 1930's, the
Watchtower Society began attacking the issue of smallpox vaccinations. In
the May 1, 1929 issue of the magazine, The Golden Age, the Watchtower
stated, "Thinking people would rather have smallpox than vaccination,
because the latter sows seeds of syphilis, cancers, eczema, erysipelas,
scrofula, consumption, even leprosy and many other loathsome affections.
Hence the practice of vaccinations is a crime, an outrage, and a delusion"
(p. 502).
Several years later, Witnesses were told that vaccinations were against
God's law. This was based on their interpretation of Genesis 9:4, "You
shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, the blood."
As one can imagine, this policy caused quite a problem for Witnesses who
needed vaccinations to enter school or to enter the country. In order to
circumvent this problem, the Witnesses would simply have a Jehovah's
Witness doctor give them a certificate without ever having the
vaccinations. In some cases, doctors would even simulate vaccinations on
children by the use of acid (Witnesses of Jehovah, p.178).
However, in 1952, the Watchtower reversed its policy by stating that, "The
matter of vaccinations is one for the individual that has to face it to
decide for himself" (The Watchtower, Dec. 15, 1952, p.764).
For the next several years, all was fairly quiet on the medical front for
Witnesses until 1967. In that year, Witnesses were told that organ
transplants were a form of cannibalism!
In the November 15, 1967 Watchtower, Witnesses were told that those who
submit to organ transplants were "...living off the flesh of another human.
That is cannibalism... Jehovah God did not grant permission for humans to
try to perpetrate their lives by cannibalistically taking into their bodies
human flesh, whether chewed or in the form of whole organs or body parts
taken from others" (pp. 702-704).
Nevertheless, this policy, too, was reversed. In the March 25, 1980 issue
of the Watchtower, they stated, "It may be argued, too, that organ
transplants are different from cannibalism since the 'donor' is not killed
to supply food..., there is no Biblical command pointedly forbidding the
taking in of other human tissue" (p.31). The article concluded by stating
that it was a matter of individual conscience.
Once again, "God" had changed his mind, but at what price? How many
Witnesses lives were destroyed between 1967 and 1980 because of a ruling by
an autocratic body of men?
Presently, the same tragedy is happening all over again as Witnesses are
constantly being admonished to refuse blood transfusions. Will the
Governing Body once again reverse the policy? Will "God" once again change
his mind?
Probably, but only after hundreds, if not thousands, of Witnesses lose
their lives.
This information comes from a religion that years ago said this about the
medical profession.
"We do well to bear in mind that among the drugs, serums, vaccines, surgical
operations, etc., of the medical profession, there is nothing of value save
an occasional surgical procedure. . . . Readers of The Golden Age_ know the
unpleasant truth about the clergy; they should also know the truth about
the medical profession, which sprang from the same demon worshipping shamans
(doctor priests) as did the 'doctors of divinity.'" - The Watchtower
Society's magazine _The Golden Age_ (now _Awake!_) Aug 5, 1931 pp. 727-728.
|
|
|
