Great video and accurate review of what actually happened. My family were witnesses in Malawi at this time and often spoke about the brutality of the Banda regime, they fled the country after their livelihood being threatened not only for being witnesses but also for being white.I witnessed the impact on these poor brothers and sisters first hand as a child when a family that fled Malawi came to Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and worked as house and garden cleaners. The husband had deep scars all over the top of his head which had been incurred by terrible beatings. He had a much younger wife as his first wife had been killed by mobs of party card enforcers. I encountered the same neutrality issue pushed by this organisation a few years later in my life in South Africa (we had to flee Rhodesia due to affirmative action policies affected by father's employment) at the age of sixteen when called up for national service in the army. The government of the time offered alternative community service as an option but the organisation insisted that we refuse this as it represented a compromise of our neutrality, where does acting on your conscience apply here? In short the South African Witnesses initially received nine month Military Prison sentences in the 1970s which was extended to six year Civil Jail sentences by the time I had to face the issue in the mid 1980s. This had a big impact on my life and many other young brothers, I obviously refused the alternative military service and was sentenced to six years civil jail time at my court hearing. The judge refused to send me as an 18 year old with no previous criminal record to jail and changed the sentence to six years community service, I served three and a half years of the sentence ending in 1990 when Military conscription ended in South Africa. When I read what happened in Mexico in Crisis of Conscience I felt extremely betrayed by an organisation that had been part of my entire existence. This was one of the many things that got me thinking and recognising the hypocrisy and double standards of this organisation. Thanks for the work you do Lloyd, you are a great help to all of us out here. (Even in the far flung areas of the world with an internet connection).
I just found: Crisis of Conscience - Raymond Franz/Pod cast on Spotify. You can HEAR all 13 chapters. I listened to Chapter 6; Double Standards. What Knorr and Fred Franz ALLOWED Mexico j.w.'s to get away with is DETESTABLE and what all of you in Malawi was going through is UNSPEAKABLE :( I found all the scriptures about obeying Superior Authorities of the land(s) you live in. saul became Paul; Acts, when Paul and company went back to Jerusalem, they went to the Temple to do the Cleansing process before they went to see the Elders and Jesus' half brothers about CONCERNS of peoples they were preaching to. Paul and company FOLLOWED the Jewish laws while in their lands. I'm glad you SEEN their hypocrisy :) :)
@@Pitcher902 You came up on my site. I agree with all of these people. Have "you" read 2 Timothy chapter 4 ? ? About people liking their "ears" tickled. It was written between 64/65 A.D. by Paul before his martyrdom. "For a TIME will come when THEY will not endure "SOUND DOCTRINES"? ? but after their own lust they shall heap. My research has found the j.w.'s have taken doctrines from about every major "organized" religion. Do you know what "sound doctrines" Paul was talking about? ? I've read the book of Acts several times. . .all the angels helping humans. . .Holy Spirits helping people as Jesus promised he would send after he ascended. Genesis chapter 28, Jacob's Ladder, angels going up and down, from earth to heaven and heaven to earth. Internet states various numbers of angels bringing messages to humans. 273 times word angel mentioned in 34 books of the bible! Word angel mentioned in bible, 296 times! New Testament angels mentioned 182 times! Words; angel, cherubim, seraphim, 365 times in bible. Word, Holy Spirits mentioned 56 times in book of Acts! ! There is the SEPTUAGINT bible on-line that Jesus read from! The "parables" of the wheat being OVER SEWN/ CHOKED OUT by the weeds. . .was to happen after the apostles and Paul died? THEY DIDN'T leave "written" instructions? To me? There is no PROPER religious doctrines? ? When we got the internet in our area, I started RESEARCHING the Watchtower Society, because at age 5, I DIDN'T like those people! ! I was FORTUNEATE to be left a lone with a Circuit Overseer. I asked him so many QUESTIONS about the Elders and Families getting away with LIVING a DOUBLE STANDARD life, associating with "worldly people" more than with people in their congregations. They gambled, drank, celebrated X-mas and etc. I'm sure he LEFT the Watchtower Society shortly after OUR DISCUSSION. He NEVER mentioned Raymond Franz book that I found out, that came out when the Circuit Overseer and I had the GREAT discussion! ! He told me to take my boys and LEAVE the j.w.'s First thing that came up was Judge Joseph Rutherford! Pictures of Governing Body celebrating X-mas with gifts at meal tables! ! OHHH! ! The INFAMOUS ?conversations? letter(s) with HITLER while Rutherford was at the Societies property in Germany. ***(website) Did Judge Rutherford piss off Hitler (page 8) AND on-line THE DECLARATION OF FACTS TO HITLER--JUNE 25, 1933, Rutherford is a SELF PROCLAIMED SUPPORTER FOR HITLER! ! I had BAD FEELINGS about all those letters, the "fighting" in the publications sighted. After hearing internet recording; Crisis of Conscience--DOUBLE STANDARDS; I am "sooo sorry" to say this, Did Judge Rutherford make Hitler go "insane" and CAUSED World War II, killing all the peoples, Jewish, j.w.'s and etc. PAGE 8; quote; Hitler receives letter from Rutherford, threatening Hitler with words: "Jehovah will destroy you". My RESEARCH gets worse. 1929 the house Rutherford had built for his self--BETH-SARIM (House of Princes). web site: J W FILES LARGE LIST of PREDICTIONS, part 3; years 1925 to 1974 17-PAGES! ! First prediction IS about all the EARLY Princes being RESURRECTED in their biblical clothing to LIVE at Beth-Sarim. In Societies WILL, King David get TWO EXPENSIVE cadillas to DRIVE AROUND California. Part 4; years 1975 to 2000; 12 PAGES. I AGREE WITH YOU SAYING THE WATCHTOWER'S SOCIETIES ARE "IGNORANT", "UNCONSCIENCE" ! ! SORRY! I call it BALONEY, defined; foolish, deceptive talk, non-sense! ! Then, there's: WALTER F. SALTER, former Branch Manager in Canada, got Disfellowshipped for disagreeing with Rutherford EXPOSING Rutherford's, exclusive use of LUXUROUS & EXPENSIVE residences in Brooklyn, Staten Island, GERMANY, San Diego. 2 cadillacs, the purchases of Whiskey, Brandy, Beer and other Liquors and MORE! ! Then there is; (around)1939 disfellowship of lawyer OLIN R. MOYLE-open letter of resignation; EXPOSED Rutherford's behavior with members of WTS, his excessive & inappropriate around females. SORRY; I've likened the WTS--Rutherford and governing body as "Sodom and Gomorrah". I read the open articles in the publications and the law suits FLYING :( I wanted to read Raymond Franz's book, Crisis of Conscience, for years, no longer being published :( :( I was skimming the internet one day and FOUND a web site of Raymond's book, CRISIS and first thing I listen to was chapter DOUBLE STANDARDS and have been HORRIFIED every since? ? ! ! ! I QUIT RESEARCHING the WTS years ago after researching Salter and Moyle ! ! I GET TO "LISTEN" TO Raymond's book. "eye-OPENER".
Thank you for bringing attention to this. Any Witness kid in the 70’s remembers the constant reference to the brothers in Malawi. Only as adult did I learn the truth when I read CRISIS OF CONSCIENCE. Upon completing that chapter I put my face in my hands and wept. I wept for the human beings subjected to atrocities. I wept for the witnesses who will never know the truth. I wept for my family, as well, because they are lost to me forever over filthy lies. I hope this gets tons of views and I hope this helps open the eyes of some witnesses. Keep up this amazing, important work. Thank you again!
I just had to say, I am sorry for you and all your tears. I too was a 70s child in this terrible organization. Freedom from this High control group comes at such a devastating cost.
I feel the exact same way. Malawi is what I keep coming back to when my family INSISTS on arguing with me - and NONE OF THEM know the facts, because they have never read anything that is not pre-approved by the org. It's heart-wrenching stuff, it's utter racism (the brave simple non-American non-white brothers in foreign parts trope - how happy and braaaaaave they are even in their cross-border refugee camps!). People can believe whatever nonsense they want as long as it doesn't damage other people. Unfortunately JWs destroy their own families and their leadership destroy many more that they claim authority over - in extreme examples, Malawi and Mexico. These events are a matter of record and these scumbags pretend it was either a great victory or that it wasn't their fault.
Thank you Lloyd for covering such an upsetting and emotionally charged topic with such grace. This is absolutely disgusting, and to lay out the facts in such a calm, methodical manner must have been extremely difficult. As you said, this issue creates a rage when you understand the double standard. How can WT have the audacity to call itself “God’s chosen, true organization” with a miserable failure like this on its resume?? Absolutely sickening. Very well covered. So glad you brought the whitewashing of this issue in the recent convention video to light. One more thing that WT wants to sweep under the rug and put a positive spin on. Thank you for this video. Well done!!!!!
I remember back in 75 how many articles there were about Malawi and how we wrote letters and we're encouraged to write letters to the officials in Malawi the Watchtower have a huge campaign but what those poor people went through was horrible and they didn't have to suffer like that they were betrayed
dutchman logger I too remember this, & how shocking it was that these poor dear "friends" were treated so badly. Incredible cruelty...but from the organization that was supposed to love & protect them as much as from their persecutors.
And so the curtain has been pulled back. Thinking ability is held captive while we lived in a haze of policies and a belief system that hurts people. The celestial chariot is not moving the way it should- A belief in God, if we still believe, means he is all powerful and can give accurate light- especially these important issues.
The sad thing is the average jw could probably care less...as long as they personally weren't affected. Its only after you leave the watchtower that you develop a heart of sympathy for others.
Marvel Prince you have put it well. they are made hardliners by people sitting in Pennsylvania who never leave the watchtower to visit or plead their case in trouble areas.
i wouldn't go as far to say they don't care. they just don't know and when they do find out would either see it the same way as a patriot sees being killed in war (an honor) or form rightful doubt
That letter from Brooklyn to the Mexican branch is probably the best piece of literature that Watchtower has ever written. It essentially says 'Let people do whatever their conscience allows them to do and stop pushing your personal opinions as official policies'. Too bad they did not have that vision for the whole brotherhood.
Lexar Drafting I judge Lloyd by his honesty and character, not on weather he believes in God or not. That’s the beautiful thing about being out of the JW cult, we can all agree to disagree and have different opinions and still Love one another.
If you’re a practicing Christian I’d imagine that one man (or woman) shouldn’t be in a position to judge another anyway. Isn’t that supposed to be God’s role? Just saying...😉
Just reacting to the word "judge" as it was written here. No offense meant, nor implied. I would like to ask, how does one know that Christianity itself is the "right path?" Not saying it is or isn't-I'd simply like to see the proof-other than: "because the Bible says so." @Lexar Drafting
Thank you, Lloyd, for this video. I remember reading in the WT and Awake about the atrocities committed by the totalitarian regime in Malawi. I wrote letters to government officials in Malawi. To think that Watchtower could be so duplicitous should not be surprising to me, since I left the organization twenty-eight years ago. But this is horrendous, that the governing body could have stood by and watched their brothers in Malawi suffer torture and death, while they simply sanctioned the payment of bribes in Mexico! I'm so glad that you have brought this out into the open, Lloyd. Thank you so much for your activism. Please keep it up.
Not only did governing body allow bribes to get Military Card! Mexico wouldn't allow religions to own land/buildings SO? Governing body told LIE after LIE that they weren't a religious organization / a Cultural org. registered with Mexico government as non-profit, civil association educational cultural org. NO bible meetings, NO bibles in public, NO prayer, NO songs, NO baptism, they stated j.w.'s gave them magazines FOR CULTURAL EDUCATION. Governing body did this BECAUSE they didn't want to lose CONTROL of their Properties in Mexico. DISGRACEFUL ! ! ! Everything was a SHAM/SCHEME/LIES for "money", "money", "money"
This is why I'm no longer involved. To much say one thing,do another. It's not fair JW's in Mexico could bribe, but in Malawi they couldn't. Those poor people we're murdered because of it. This is just a sad heartbreaking story and more people need to hear it. Thank you for what you do John cedars, you do like Raymond Franz. You bring attention to what is going on so we can be informed. Keep it up.
Thank you for mking this important video. I remember the hot, angry tears when I learned of this unforgivable betrayal. I still cry thinking about the absolutely pointless loss of human life and untold suffering.
Diarra Dunlap totally agree. It’s almost as if the then white leadership of JWs (Nathan Knott and Fred Franz) took for granted that Africa was steeped in barbarism so what else could you expect but rape and murder of JWs? Therefore, they were able to give totally different instructions to the Malawian brothers and sisters (compared to the falsified military documents in Mexico bring declared a conscience issue) that took no account of the specifics such as the party political card bring a universal requirement.
So disheartened.🤭😢Of all people they should have been allowed to at least save there children.Maybe it was more important for them to be viewed as martyrs. I just don’t understand the grip that man made religions have on humans.
This is a delicate subject which turned my stomach when I found out about it in CoC. You handled it well Lloyd and I hope more people find out about this hypocrisy because of this video.
Those horrific accounts of Malawi were read out aloud at Meetings when I was a child. What were the adults thinking? No wonder had a complete nervous breakdown aged 15 .....
I remember the 1968 Watchtower, and I was traumatized by it. Just another layer of fear added to the rest. At that time we were to suffer the great tribulation like everyone else, before God stepped in. Really scary stuff for a kid. No soft pedaling it either. They made it sound terrifying in order to keep everyone in line. I spent most of my life expecting to die at Armageddon because I just could feel as devoted to this as others were. You could never do enough to please this God, it seemed. He seemed capricious, inconsistent and unpredictable. Yet I was told he was a God of love and justice. Huh? They kept you in a perpetual state of self hatred, at least that was how I felt. Pure evil, what they do to their children, all lies.
@@wolfrem1991 Most know on some level it's horseshit and child abuse. The problem is it's very difficult to get someone to dismantle their life from a cul-de-sac after several decades and go start again. They just ignore the bad bits.
Meticulously put together thank you for explaining this situation so clearly Lloyd. I was 13 years old and going along to meetings at this particular time....I can remember even at that young age how horrific the persecution was...at the end of the book study the brother would say a prayer for those in Malawi. I had no idea as to the extent of this betrayal until today. Truly disgusted!
Lloyd in the USA all males at the age of 18 are required to sign up for the military draft (Selective Services Card) regardless of if you plan to go in the military or not. When you are signed up it allows you to be drafted into the military from the ages of 18 - 26 in times of need. These brothers still hold positions in the kingdom halls and even governing body member positions. I guess the stance is different when its your own back yard. All the Malawi brothers and sisters needed was a card just like USA citizens Selective Services Card. What a double standard that has cause so much pain and loss of life. This is truly upsetting and SHAMEFUL... Thank you Lloyd for another thought provoking video.
So much loss of life and suffering as a result of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society's irresponsible leadership. This is so awful and disgusting. I don't know how the Governing Body sleep at night.
Of all issues Ray Franz raised in his revealing insider’s account ‘Crisis of Conscience’, this was head and shoulders the most disturbing and utterly shocking. Thank you for covering it Lloyd and for the totally appropriate sensitive handling. The cavalier attitude in the organization’s letters to the Mexican branch on at least two occasions (1960 and 1969) show that JW organization literally had no conscience when it involved life and death in Malawi. I suspect that the largely American composition of the main organizational leaders at the time of the 1960s, (Knorr and Fred Franz (Ray’s uncle)) , would have been relatively insensitive towards barbarity in Africa and more attuned to the closer to home Mexican situation. Kind of out of sight, out of mind. But the subsequent “white washing” of their decision regarding the universal party political card cost untold numbers of lives. Sure, the Malawian military and government bears ultimate responsibility for the killings but JW organization made it clear to Malawian JWs they must not own or possess the cards.
Out of sight , out of mind Rody ? NO . . It was about 👉Lots of WTS PROPERTY 💸. . Which existed in Mexico . . as opposed to little or NOTHING 😒(but Black lives) to Lose in Africa ! 😡
Thank you Lloyd for shedding even more light on this topic that the Watchtower attempts to minimize or sweep under the rug altogether. I would venture to say 99% of current rank & file jws have no clue of this history of their org. As activist we must continue exposing the dealings of watchtower.
Lloyd, This video has left me numb! My heart goes out to these people who lost their lives in terrible circumstances. The double standard exhibited by the leaders of the wtbts is sickening and deceitful. Thank you for the exposure, and your fair and honest discussion. Living thru the wtbts display of non neutral activities with the United Nations in the 1990s makes this story even more reprehensible. How would they explain their non neutral activities to the faithful ones who were butchered in Malawi?
Quick story about this letter campaign, there was one also in early/mid 80's not sure time frame. But anyways I remember something about all this at the kingdom hall talk during the meeting of course. And they asked all in congregation to write a letter I was only 15-16 at the time and could care less about anybody in Africa (a young punk kid at the time with attitude). My father composes a letter basically for the whole family and then asked all of us to sign on bottom of page (one page letter) I remember this so well, why? Hahahah I refused to sign the letter, he was so pissed off he brought the strap and smacked me in front of my two sisters and mother. They could not understand why in the hell I would not sign the paper. You see I hated everything about the JW but could not say it out for fear. Yes I was trouble no doubt about that, but it gave me such joy knowing that I won't let my father have the power over me. He wanted me to sign that letter and for some reason I took the beating instead and loved it! I believe he either forged my signature or sent it without I never did ask. He's 84 now I should tell him about the Mexico/Malawi story while he is still alive. I do remember saying some kind of stupid response back at him saying something like "what if I ever want to travel there and do not want problems" you have to remember this is from a stupid kid. But my whole point was I wanted to take the power away from him by refusing to sign. And for whatever stupid reason today now I'm kind of glad I didn't. By the way my real name is not Doug
This was the thing that woke me up. It was as if someone snapped their finger and I realized that everything I believed about the organization was false. Thank you for focusing on this horror that never should have happened to those poor people!
This betrayal is sickening. When I told my Therapist of this story she literally cut our session short out of grief and outrage. Watchtower is blood guilty.
@Lloyd Great video with issues well explained. I agree JWorg did a terrible injustice to their members who suffered and died so brutally in Malawi. What a horrible betrayal! I think it's awful how the WT downplayed what really happened in Malawi. Folks at conventions would have been cheering for the video. Unfortunately, that wouldn't address the truly tragic reality. Besides that, Mexico got away from mistreatment by paying a small fee (Read: bribe) which is immoral according to the JW beliefs. Is it merely a case of double-standards? JWorg have their nerve talking about "conscience". It must be asked: Is it possibly a case of extreme racism? :/
YES! I thought the same thing, a case of racism! A husband & wife was missionaries in Africa and they LIED to get "pregnant" so they'd get to come back to U.S. He called the Blacks all kinds of racist names I never heard and they stated the watchtower would NEVER have a black person at Bethel/in any positions at New York City. The woman stated ALL Religions AGREE to never have any Black people in HIGH RANK positions in their religious org. This couple NEVER liked any ethnic group but Germans. Aren't all HUMANS made in God's image? ?
So what was watchtower getting by keeping the peace in Mexico? It had to be financial in some way. And also by keeping the persecution card up there the rank and file were kept distracted and in. There is a darker side where those lives in Malawi were deemed expendable for a financial and watchtower gain. Thankyou Lloyd a very difficult distasteful piece of history - giving the people involved the respect they deserve by shining a very bright light on the disgraceful double standards of the watchtower and their God.
I remember reading about this in crisis of conscience and as a newly awake person I couldn't accept it. It was a year or so later when I read it again I had to come to terms with what Watchtower had knowingly done. As a child we prayed for Malawi constantly and now I know those Witnesses were tortured and killed as a result of the group of old men in their ivory tower in New York. It's so disturbing.
I was a child of JWs in the 60 and 70s and remember how the persecution in Malawi was presented and used as an example of what we would one day face in the US. It terrified me. To learn that those poor brothers and sisters might have been spared all that is sickening.
Excellent video, as always. I realize, due to time constraints, you could not cover the third aspect of their double standard: At the same time as the atrocities in Malawi and the turning of a blind eye in Mexico, brothers in the U.S. were not allowed to accept civilian work assignments in lieu of being drafted into the military. Many young brothers were sent to prison because of this. To my thinking, that is comparable to the situation in Mexico, except the U.S. brothers were not illegally bribing anyone in order to avoid prison!
I still remember the letter writing campaign during a district convention for the Malawi JW’s. I was a very young child but also had to “write” my very own letter pleading for my JW brothers & sisters.
Definitely I agree with you, I live in El Salvador, Central America and I´m pretty sure JW´s here would love to see this. I will try to see how can I get translated into Spanish.
I can also contribute, at the moment I'm a PIMO at a Spanish congregation, I know im late to the party but unfortunately thats what its like in this organization
Hey Lloyd I kinda find that microphone annoying! You just don't seem comfortable talking into it, maybe it's the angle. Otherwise, another great video!
I think they toned down the whole Malawi incident to better tie it in with what's happening in Russia so as to have their "faith strengthened" but as you pointed out, Malawi was way more tragic then what watchtower is showing in the 2018 videos and doesn't even come close to what's happening in Russia. Thanks for tackling this topic!
On one hand WT was forbidden to have a political party card but on the other hand allowing to be a member of the reserve army. Such an horrendous hypocrisy! Thank you Lord for your video.
So you have never read where is says in the bible in daniel that he must serve the king of babyoon or where it says that we should obey the authorities, i assume. As long as thry do not serve in a tive duty even in the us you have to register at 18.
The real estate value in Mexico owned by WT far exceeded the real estate value of anything owned by WT in Malawi. The membership in Malawi seemingly were put on the scale of useful value and found to be expendable and usable as martyrs. Dead, burned, raped. mangled and disfigured martyrs generated future cash rewards. WT is a global tax free business machine that continually hones, modifys and adjusts its tactics so as to benefit the updated model and use its members as the currency to protract that new business model. WT in this regard is quite similar to the God they worship who uses human flesh and suffering to aggrandize, justify and purge himself of his rage. Jehovah can do as he pleases since he is a god worthy of fear. It is possible that WT is his organization since in most cases the M.O. of WT seems to fit the pattern of the end justifying the means. Isn't that really the theme in the Bible. Billions of human carcasses stacked like cordwood for the final purge of evil from the universe. A riddle indeed! You are cutting through the meat right to the bone on this one Lloyd. Great subject and as usual sound reasoning. "G.T.W.O.M.S"!
I remember the horrific stories being told in the congregation back in the 70’s. I had nightmares and was scared of persecution coming to my country. The stories told from the platform were always accompanied with a clear message: persecution will one day hit us, and we should be as loyal as our brs and srs in Malawi. Now I know the complete story, through CoC, I am even more disgusted. When I raise the topic with mother, who is a very devout sister, she looks at me like she sees water burning. With hollow eyes she will tell me that the organization is run by imperfect men. That’s it. They are imperfect, and jehovah will set it straight. Find it difficult to deal with that level of cognitive dissonance.
They flip-flop to suit themselves when it comes to politics and avoiding it, just look at the deal with the UN, all for "use of a library and to use photographs".....did they not think they could get the same books elsewhere or purchase the rights to use the pictures without joining the UN?! Double standards yet again! Great video Lloyd yet again.
Yes, that is the excuse they generated once they were found out. The UN has never required any type of membership to utilize their library. It has always been open to all. The society was agreeing to support the UN when they applied for and renewed their NGO membership each year. I was absolutely floored when I discovered their affiliation with the UN, having studied the revolution book.
Very powerful condemnation, Lloyd. Kind of surprising Jehovah’s word isn’t more consistent, eh? (Oh, it looked like there was a small problem w the autofocus on your camera. Kept snapping in and out of focus - very minor tho)
It's amazing how religious people say anything good is God's doing and anything bad is swept under the rug. He saved Lloyd and the other brother by having him continue to drive yet he allowed people to be killed and their houses burned...hmm makes sense.
This is indeed shocking information! As a young teenager I remember my mother praying after the family bible study for the people in Malawi. She would become so overcome with grief she often could not finish the prayer. Now I understand why.
Lloyd, thanks for this concise and very informative video. I'm a Mexican who has spent all his life in Mexico. I've never been a Jehovah Witness, but in different ocassions I've had a lot of conversations with them. When I read the Spanish translation of R Franz's book in the early 90s, I used to mention this horrible story to the JWs I met. They looked shocked, but not becuase of the story itself (after all, they knew the source was the apostete R. Franz so they felt they could discard it easily) but they looked shocked because it seems this (getting a Cartilla Militar) was something unconfrotable for them personally if they were men, not women. I'd like to know more details about what exactly happened (and probably still happens) in Mexico and the Cartilla Militar among JWs. Here in Mexico, when a male person turns 18, he must attend a special gathering where all the people from that generation wait to hear each one his name and then it is decided by drawing lots whether one has to "do military service" for a year or not. The great majority are not required to "do military service", they just need to go after that period of time (a year) to a Military office to have the Caritlla Militar stamped and signed. That was my case, and that's the way it worked in the early 80s. Maybe the details of the procedure have changed, but it must be essentialy the same thing. "Doing military service" (that's the Mexican expression) for a year means attending meetings in a military base once a week on Saturdays, having some kind of basic military training, but most of the time, these young people are required to do some kind of social service like teaching adults how to read and write. If a Mexican who is a male decides not to get his Cartilla Militar, he will have a lot of problems in order to get a job or go through a lot of governmental procedures, not just getting a passport. Everything is designed here so that things will be very difficult for you if you don't have this document. So I suspect that a lot of young JWs appply for this Cartilla and, if the lots say they have to "do military service", that's when they bribe a Military official in order to get their cartilla without having to "do the military service." If the lots say they don't have to "give military service", then they just have to go to a military office after a year and complete the procedure to have the stamp and the signature. This is what I THINK (I don't know for sure) happens among Mexican JW based on my knowledge of my own country. Do you know, Lloyd, if my suspicion happens to be correct? Have you received feedback from former JWs from Meixico?
I was involved in the letter-writing campaign to the Malawian Government in the 1970s. This betrayal and the betrayal by Rutherford when he wrote the "Declaration of Facts" letter aligning his ideology with the NAZIs is HEARTBREAKING. JWs suffered even more under Hitler after Rutherford was rejected by Him. Rutherford stepped up his rhetoric against him which led to the persecution and loss of life being magnified. JWs have suffered and died in a number of ways due to this dangerous cult. The Refusal of Blood transfusions, Rampant Child Sexual Abuse, Peer Pressure To Do More, Shunning, Depression and Suicides Speaks Volumes. Witnesses are so indoctrinated and stressed they cannot see the forest through the trees. And WT insists JWs Are A "Happy People"! 💔
John Cedars: Excellent video, Lloyd; however, there is a relevant fact which you overlooked mentioning. During the time of this gross double standard and up until 1989, Watchtower was recognized as an educational organization in Mexico-as opposed to a religious organization-because the Catholic Church was the only religion officially recognized by the Mexican government and thus the only religious organization which could own property. So, as always, Watchtower was more interested in protecting its financial interests than in protecting the lives and spiritual interests of its members.
I'm sorry you feel I've overlooked something. In making this video, I have simply stuck to the basic facts in the hopes that people can do their own research. As I mentioned in the video, my intention is to point people in the direction of this little-known (among JWs) issue so that they can learn the full extent of the betrayal.
@@LloydEvans I agree that the facts as you presented them stand on their own. I was merely adding some historical context which reveals Watchtower's true motivation for permitting the double standard. As always, Watchtower places its financial interests over the safety and spiritual well-being of its members. Another excellent video, Lloyd!
Roger Kirkpatrick I’ve noticed that sometimes Lloyd can be kind of defensive, when you point out something that you felt he should have included in one of his videos. I’m not sure why. The status of Jehovah’s Witnesses as an educational/cultural organization in Mexico for so many years is a fascinating story. For an organization that claims to be uncompromising in its stand for truth, how they handled the situation in Mexico was quite strange, though their reasons for doing so made sense. I had heard that they didn’t even open and close their meetings with song and prayer. Though I can see why Lloyd didn’t choose to share these facts in this video, perhaps we can encourage him to do a video on this subject in the future.
I have seen on this important video you have done. 11 people hit the unlike button😢 This makes me sad and angry that these people kan not see how cruel watchtower behaved towards humans lives which were in excruciating and painful treatment. How can people just luck empathy. Ceders thank you for this video. I sent this video to my brother in afrika. He called me and he was crying, he had pain in his heart and he is determined to research more about the watchtower. Thank you💕
I remember as a child hearing about this at the meetings, my parents writing letters and them having me pray for the brothers in Malawi. At that time I didn't understand what the real issue or scope of the situation just that they were being persecuted. When I read Crisis of Conscience, this particular section was so shocking I truly could not wrap my head around it. I wept for all those poor people and children who suffered and died needlessly and were sacrificial lambs to the false god of Watchtower. What is the difference between buying a stupid card or bribing a government official? It should be up to each individual as was stated to Mexico. In the Bible Abraham lied about Sarah being his wife to save their lives, the GB lied under oath at the ARC but you can't buy a card to save your life? This is truly criminal. Oh and that whole pile of crap about Jehovah saving one person and not the next....how can JW's not see through that?
You did a very well presentation of the hypocrisy concerning these two countries. It still sickens me I wrote letters to Malawi, never knowing what was happening down south. They talk about being in unity, but this proves just the opposite is in reality.
Thank you. I was appalled when I read this in crisis of conscience you have made people aware in a really sensitive way. Thank you so much for your work.
Thank you Lloyd for doing this video. I'm old enough to remember quite well the Malawi horrors. We were encouraged to write letters to the government. I did not fully understand the double standard until I read Raymond Franz's book. I was and still am outraged.
Yet it's amazing how that was Watchtower itself violating ALL those Scriptures such as John 6:14,15, John 15:18,19, John 17:14-16, John 18:36-37, Matthew 26:52, 53 and Isaiah 2:2-4 that were hammered and drilled into our brains at the Revelation Congregation book study or by the brochure "Will There Ever Be A World Without War" and the watchtower studies we constantly had on Neutrality. Even the "Reasoning From The Scriptures" book we used in field service had an ENTIRE SECTION talking about the life and death importance of not "compromising" "Christian" Neutrality! The Governing Body and Watchtower SOLD OUT!!!
i'm basically atheist these days, but i am often reminded of the scriptures which portrays Jesus as saying, “Woe to the world because of the stumbling blocks! Of course, it is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the man through whom the stumbling block comes." Watchtower has been dropping a LOT of blocks. The watchtower won't so much as possess a stone upon a stone before it's done.
In Brazil all males over 18 years of age have to sign up for military service, either to serve or to be in the reserve. All Brazilians have to be registered to vote and have a voting card.
Thanks for telling the story of the brutal persecution of witnesses in Malawi. I remember hearing about this as a child. They died over a piece of paper. Sickening and JW leadership is responsible for their role.
Hi Lloyd, I'm enjoying every bit of this video. How can I aquire a copy of those letters that you just read in this video from Mexico branch to the JW headquarters in NY? Because that was definitely a double standard to allow witnesses in Mexico to compromise their neutrality (in my opinion) for trivial reasons, when witnesses in Malawi needed that compromisation for the preservation of their lives. Can you please let me know how can I obtain a copy of those letters?
What watchtower did is shocking.Maybe you can help me understand a couple of things.If citizens were to buy a party card in Malawi,would they still have suffered because of their religious beliefs? Also,is it your belief that the governing body used these poor people to further their propaganda,proving to JWs that their members were being persecuted? In other words,did they purposely not allow them to purchase loyalty cards,knowing that their suffering would give them the ability to claim persecution?
I don't know if it was intentional for that purpose or not, but they surely milked the suffering of those poor people to the max. It was the topic of many talks over several years. I was scarred for life listening the graphic details of rape and murder from the platform in the meetings. I had constant nightmares and was sure it was only a matter of time when me and my family had to face the same kind of "test of your loyalty". No 5-year-old should ever be exposed to hearing such atrocities, so in a way I'm glad the WT didn't reveal the true horrors in Malawi in the convention.
I was a JW in Australia from the early '70s to the early '80s, and I remember the Malawi persecutions quite well.. even in the Watchtower, it was mentioned that all they had needed to do was buy the card, and they'd have been left alone, and they were praised for "standing firm" in their refusal to do so. The demonising of the religion as a whole by the govt there was purely a consequence of the entire group of JWs in Malawi refusing en mass to buy the cards. As to the motivations of the GB, who knows? The only person in any position to comment on that would be Ray Franz, who was a GB member at the time. I suggest you read his book, Crisis of Conscience, and see some of his interviews, and see what you think.
No can tell me that Watchtower is not a racist organization. The undercurrent of prejudice is very strong in that sickening organization. They used the brothers from Malawi as sitting ducks. Nothing Spiritual about that!
@@LloydEvans I didn't mean to speak for you, Lloyd, but hundreds of hours of watching your videos taught me you'd want it that way. Keep up the good work, please. I always tell people you're the Jedi Knight of ex-JWs. :) We love you.
Was emotionally caught up in Raymond Franz’ indignation in Crisis of Conscience on this horror and hypocrisy. What a good man he was. The GB didn’t seem to care one bit about the brothers and sisters in Malawi. 😡
When I read about this in “Crisis of Conscience” I cried for days. It affected me so badly, I literally couldn’t stop thinking about it! Thank u for covering this, as I hope some JWs come across it and look into the references. Also, didn’t Nathan Knorr sign the Pledge of Allegiance around this time too? Just another double standard of theirs!
I love irony, and you use it very gracefully in this video - considering that you have previously exposed this organization's thirst for martyrs - thank you lloyd
But the organization will tell you, these died faithful and so they’re in Jehovah’s memory and will be resurrected in the paradise, so it’s good! 👍 Sickening! 😭💔
What I don’t understand is, some before they were a Jehovah’s Witnesses served in the military and now they are receiving a pension from the government because of their past military service. So that’s OK for elders, one in particular that I know of who disfellowshipped me, receives a huge pension from the government from past military service and he lives a wealthy lifestyle 🙄 but we’re supposed to remain completely neutral? 🤔😡
Should I say trigger warning, for some people? I remember hearing in the meetings in the KH in the '70s about bicycle spokes being driven through the calves of the JWs in Malawi, then they were forced to run in the street. Maybe hearing about all of the savagery is why I can hear terrible things and not react in a way comparable to others who didn't have to hear the horrors as a 10 or 12-year-old. WYH were the JWs thinking, telling little kids about other JWs (or any one), being beaten,raped,tortured. Our parents didn't want us to watch any mild violence or hear any bad language on TV,, but yet we could hear worse at the kingdom Hall? Oh, yeah, create fear...then use it to control you! That is the JW way!
I remember participating in a letter writing campaign in the early '70s for Malawi and Mozambique. I also remember at an assembly during the same time (I was a child), the "brother" telling, in great detail, of some of the persecutions they were enduring. One was having a brick tied with a rope to man's "member" and make them run races for the amusement of the officials. This image haunted me for decades.
When I was a young child I remember hearing that the bros and sisters in Malawi had bicycle spokes pushed through their calves of their legs and made to run in the street. I don’t know if it was a yearbook or what but I was horrified as a child to hear such horrible atrocities just because of a 25 cent card
I wonder if the reason that Watchtower is playing down the percecution in Malawi in the 2018 videos is that it allows them to compare it to the persecution in Russia. This way, they can say "we were persecuted in Malawi, and now the same thing is happening in Russia", when in fact it's not the same thing. I think that even in Putin's Russia, there aren't mobs who burn down people's houses and beat pregnant women to death. The current persecution in Russia, while truly terrible because some people have been tortured by the state, is several orders of magnitude less severe than what happened in Malawi. But admitting this fact would not play into Watchtower's narrative of things getting worse and the world getting more evil as time goes on and this being another sign of the end times.
Thank you for speaking out about this atrocity. I had never heard of it before (maybe because I’ve never been a JW). I wonder if Watchtower has an answer for its discrepancy. The martyrs in Malawi deserve an answer to say the least.
Double standards, hypocrisy all the way. "A matter of conscience" is a phrase used when they to take themselves out of situations where they can be held responsible. I guess the Mexicans lives were more valuable than those in Malawi.
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Great video and accurate review of what actually happened. My family were witnesses in Malawi at this time and often spoke about the brutality of the Banda regime, they fled the country after their livelihood being threatened not only for being witnesses but also for being white.I witnessed the impact on these poor brothers and sisters first hand as a child when a family that fled Malawi came to Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and worked as house and garden cleaners. The husband had deep scars all over the top of his head which had been incurred by terrible beatings. He had a much younger wife as his first wife had been killed by mobs of party card enforcers. I encountered the same neutrality issue pushed by this organisation a few years later in my life in South Africa (we had to flee Rhodesia due to affirmative action policies affected by father's employment) at the age of sixteen when called up for national service in the army. The government of the time offered alternative community service as an option but the organisation insisted that we refuse this as it represented a compromise of our neutrality, where does acting on your conscience apply here? In short the South African Witnesses initially received nine month Military Prison sentences in the 1970s which was extended to six year Civil Jail sentences by the time I had to face the issue in the mid 1980s. This had a big impact on my life and many other young brothers, I obviously refused the alternative military service and was sentenced to six years civil jail time at my court hearing. The judge refused to send me as an 18 year old with no previous criminal record to jail and changed the sentence to six years community service, I served three and a half years of the sentence ending in 1990 when Military conscription ended in South Africa. When I read what happened in Mexico in Crisis of Conscience I felt extremely betrayed by an organisation that had been part of my entire existence. This was one of the many things that got me thinking and recognising the hypocrisy and double standards of this organisation. Thanks for the work you do Lloyd, you are a great help to all of us out here. (Even in the far flung areas of the world with an internet connection).
What you and the brothers went through is truly heart breaking. I feel horrible for what happened.
A powerful testimony. Thankyou.
I just found: Crisis of Conscience - Raymond Franz/Pod cast on Spotify. You can HEAR all 13 chapters. I listened to Chapter 6; Double Standards. What Knorr and Fred Franz ALLOWED Mexico j.w.'s to get away with is DETESTABLE and what all of you in Malawi was going through is UNSPEAKABLE :( I found all the scriptures about obeying Superior Authorities of the land(s) you live in. saul became Paul; Acts, when Paul and company went back to Jerusalem, they went to the Temple to do the Cleansing process before they went to see the Elders and Jesus' half brothers about CONCERNS of peoples they were preaching to. Paul and company FOLLOWED the Jewish laws while in their lands. I'm glad you SEEN their hypocrisy :) :)
Fulfillment of Matthew 24:09-13
@@Pitcher902 You came up on my site. I agree with all of these people. Have "you" read 2 Timothy chapter 4 ? ? About people liking their "ears" tickled. It was written between 64/65 A.D. by Paul before his martyrdom. "For a TIME will come when THEY will not endure "SOUND DOCTRINES"? ? but after their own lust they shall heap. My research has found the j.w.'s have taken doctrines from about every major "organized" religion. Do you know what "sound doctrines" Paul was talking about? ? I've read the book of Acts several times. . .all the angels helping humans. . .Holy Spirits helping people as Jesus promised he would send after he ascended. Genesis chapter 28, Jacob's Ladder, angels going up and down, from earth to heaven and heaven to earth. Internet states various numbers of angels bringing messages to humans. 273 times word angel mentioned in 34 books of the bible! Word angel mentioned in bible, 296 times! New Testament angels mentioned 182 times! Words; angel, cherubim, seraphim, 365 times in bible. Word, Holy Spirits mentioned 56 times in book of Acts! ! There is the SEPTUAGINT bible on-line that Jesus read from! The "parables" of the wheat being OVER SEWN/ CHOKED OUT by the weeds. . .was to happen after the apostles and Paul died? THEY DIDN'T leave "written" instructions? To me? There is no PROPER religious doctrines? ?
When we got the internet in our area, I started RESEARCHING the Watchtower Society, because at age 5, I DIDN'T like those people! ! I was FORTUNEATE to be left a lone with a Circuit Overseer. I asked him so many QUESTIONS about the Elders and Families getting away with LIVING a DOUBLE STANDARD life, associating with "worldly people" more than with people in their congregations. They gambled, drank, celebrated X-mas and etc. I'm sure he LEFT the Watchtower Society shortly after OUR DISCUSSION. He NEVER mentioned Raymond Franz book that I found out, that came out when the Circuit Overseer and I had the GREAT discussion! ! He told me to take my boys and LEAVE the j.w.'s First thing that came up was Judge Joseph Rutherford! Pictures of Governing Body celebrating X-mas with gifts at meal tables! !
OHHH! ! The INFAMOUS ?conversations? letter(s) with HITLER while Rutherford was at the Societies property in Germany. ***(website) Did Judge Rutherford piss off Hitler (page 8) AND on-line THE DECLARATION OF FACTS TO HITLER--JUNE 25, 1933, Rutherford is a SELF PROCLAIMED SUPPORTER FOR HITLER! ! I had BAD FEELINGS about all those letters, the "fighting" in the publications sighted. After hearing internet recording; Crisis of Conscience--DOUBLE STANDARDS; I am "sooo sorry" to say this, Did Judge Rutherford make Hitler go "insane" and CAUSED World War II, killing all the peoples, Jewish, j.w.'s and etc. PAGE 8; quote; Hitler receives letter from Rutherford, threatening Hitler with words: "Jehovah will destroy you".
My RESEARCH gets worse. 1929 the house Rutherford had built for his self--BETH-SARIM (House of Princes). web site: J W FILES LARGE LIST of PREDICTIONS, part 3; years 1925 to 1974 17-PAGES! ! First prediction IS about all the EARLY Princes being RESURRECTED in their biblical clothing to LIVE at Beth-Sarim. In Societies WILL, King David get TWO EXPENSIVE cadillas to DRIVE AROUND California. Part 4; years 1975 to 2000; 12 PAGES. I AGREE WITH YOU SAYING THE WATCHTOWER'S SOCIETIES ARE "IGNORANT", "UNCONSCIENCE" ! ! SORRY! I call it BALONEY, defined; foolish, deceptive talk, non-sense! !
Then, there's: WALTER F. SALTER, former Branch Manager in Canada, got Disfellowshipped for disagreeing with Rutherford EXPOSING Rutherford's, exclusive use of LUXUROUS & EXPENSIVE residences in Brooklyn, Staten Island, GERMANY, San Diego. 2 cadillacs, the purchases of Whiskey, Brandy, Beer and other Liquors and MORE! !
Then there is; (around)1939 disfellowship of lawyer OLIN R. MOYLE-open letter of resignation; EXPOSED Rutherford's behavior with members of WTS, his excessive & inappropriate around females. SORRY; I've likened the WTS--Rutherford and governing body as "Sodom and Gomorrah". I read the open articles in the publications and the law suits FLYING :(
I wanted to read Raymond Franz's book, Crisis of Conscience, for years, no longer being published :( :( I was skimming the internet one day and FOUND a web site of Raymond's book, CRISIS and first thing I listen to was chapter DOUBLE STANDARDS and have been HORRIFIED every since? ? ! ! ! I QUIT RESEARCHING the WTS years ago after researching Salter and Moyle ! ! I GET TO "LISTEN" TO Raymond's book. "eye-OPENER".
Thank you for bringing attention to this. Any Witness kid in the 70’s remembers the constant reference to the brothers in Malawi. Only as adult did I learn the truth when I read CRISIS OF CONSCIENCE. Upon completing that chapter I put my face in my hands and wept. I wept for the human beings subjected to atrocities. I wept for the witnesses who will never know the truth. I wept for my family, as well, because they are lost to me forever over filthy lies. I hope this gets tons of views and I hope this helps open the eyes of some witnesses. Keep up this amazing, important work. Thank you again!
I just had to say, I am sorry for you and all your tears. I too was a 70s child in this terrible organization. Freedom from this High control group comes at such a devastating cost.
Heartbreaking. All of the suffering brought upon these people. I share your grief and ever flowing tears.
I feel the exact same way. Malawi is what I keep coming back to when my family INSISTS on arguing with me - and NONE OF THEM know the facts, because they have never read anything that is not pre-approved by the org. It's heart-wrenching stuff, it's utter racism (the brave simple non-American non-white brothers in foreign parts trope - how happy and braaaaaave they are even in their cross-border refugee camps!).
People can believe whatever nonsense they want as long as it doesn't damage other people. Unfortunately JWs destroy their own families and their leadership destroy many more that they claim authority over - in extreme examples, Malawi and Mexico.
These events are a matter of record and these scumbags pretend it was either a great victory or that it wasn't their fault.
Thank you Lloyd for covering such an upsetting and emotionally charged topic with such grace. This is absolutely disgusting, and to lay out the facts in such a calm, methodical manner must have been extremely difficult. As you said, this issue creates a rage when you understand the double standard. How can WT have the audacity to call itself “God’s chosen, true organization” with a miserable failure like this on its resume?? Absolutely sickening. Very well covered. So glad you brought the whitewashing of this issue in the recent convention video to light. One more thing that WT wants to sweep under the rug and put a positive spin on. Thank you for this video. Well done!!!!!
I remember being upset about our brothers and sisters were treated were all lies
So true
Elzevier Javier Garcia wow, what a strange comment. That doesn’t even make sense. You hang in there.
I sobbed for WEEKS when I read this part in Ray’s book! It was part of my waking up 3 years ago.
I remember back in 75 how many articles there were about Malawi and how we wrote letters and we're encouraged to write letters to the officials in Malawi the Watchtower have a huge campaign but what those poor people went through was horrible and they didn't have to suffer like that they were betrayed
dutchman logger I too remember this, & how shocking it was that these poor dear "friends" were treated so badly. Incredible cruelty...but from the organization that was supposed to love & protect them as much as from their persecutors.
I enjoy your channel as well.
And so the curtain has been pulled back. Thinking ability is held captive while we lived in a haze of policies and a belief system that hurts people. The celestial chariot is not moving the way it should- A belief in God, if we still believe, means he is all powerful and can give accurate light- especially these important issues.
Very sad
like the Pharisees, the Governing body have placed burden upon the shoulders of men..
The sad thing is the average jw could probably care less...as long as they personally weren't affected. Its only after you leave the watchtower that you develop a heart of sympathy for others.
Marvel Prince you have put it well. they are made hardliners by people sitting in Pennsylvania who never leave the watchtower to visit or plead their case in trouble areas.
I finally really despise them, and my brother is an elder in Spain. Shame on them all !
Absolutely true
i wouldn't go as far to say they don't care. they just don't know and when they do find out would either see it the same way as a patriot sees being killed in war (an honor) or form rightful doubt
That letter from Brooklyn to the Mexican branch is probably the best piece of literature that Watchtower has ever written. It essentially says 'Let people do whatever their conscience allows them to do and stop pushing your personal opinions as official policies'. Too bad they did not have that vision for the whole brotherhood.
Amen 🙏
Raymond Franz would be so very proud of you. You are a very good man like him. 💔
Lexar Drafting I judge Lloyd by his honesty and character, not on weather he believes in God or not. That’s the beautiful thing about being out of the JW cult, we can all agree to disagree and have different opinions and still Love one another.
If you’re a practicing Christian I’d imagine that one man (or woman) shouldn’t be in a position to judge another anyway. Isn’t that supposed to be God’s role? Just saying...😉
Just reacting to the word "judge" as it was written here. No offense meant, nor implied. I would like to ask, how does one know that Christianity itself is the "right path?" Not saying it is or isn't-I'd simply like to see the proof-other than: "because the Bible says so." @Lexar Drafting
Thank you, Lloyd, for this video. I remember reading in the WT and Awake about the atrocities committed by the totalitarian regime in Malawi. I wrote letters to government officials in Malawi. To think that Watchtower could be so duplicitous should not be surprising to me, since I left the organization twenty-eight years ago. But this is horrendous, that the governing body could have stood by and watched their brothers in Malawi suffer torture and death, while they simply sanctioned the payment of bribes in Mexico! I'm so glad that you have brought this out into the open, Lloyd. Thank you so much for your activism. Please keep it up.
Not only did governing body allow bribes to get Military Card! Mexico wouldn't allow religions to own land/buildings SO? Governing body told LIE after LIE that they weren't a religious organization / a Cultural org. registered with Mexico government as non-profit, civil association educational cultural org. NO bible meetings, NO bibles in public, NO prayer, NO songs, NO baptism, they stated j.w.'s gave them magazines FOR CULTURAL EDUCATION. Governing body did this BECAUSE they didn't want to lose CONTROL of their Properties in Mexico. DISGRACEFUL ! ! ! Everything was a SHAM/SCHEME/LIES for "money", "money", "money"
This is why I'm no longer involved. To much say one thing,do another. It's not fair JW's in Mexico could bribe, but in Malawi they couldn't. Those poor people we're murdered because of it. This is just a sad heartbreaking story and more people need to hear it. Thank you for what you do John cedars, you do like Raymond Franz. You bring attention to what is going on so we can be informed. Keep it up.
Thank you for mking this important video.
I remember the hot, angry tears when I learned of this unforgivable betrayal.
I still cry thinking about the absolutely pointless loss of human life and untold suffering.
I am crying with you
Lloyd, I suspect racialism was involved in this double standard by the Watchtower.
That's what I thought as well.
I thought that too! Do you think it plays into eugenics? Watchtower appears to be part of the political/commerical system.
Diarra Dunlap totally agree. It’s almost as if the then white leadership of JWs (Nathan Knott and Fred Franz) took for granted that Africa was steeped in barbarism so what else could you expect but rape and murder of JWs? Therefore, they were able to give totally different instructions to the Malawian brothers and sisters (compared to the falsified military documents in Mexico bring declared a conscience issue) that took no account of the specifics such as the party political card bring a universal requirement.
True. It was my first thought as well. Racism.
So disheartened.🤭😢Of all people they should have been allowed to at least save there children.Maybe it was more important for them to be viewed as martyrs. I just don’t understand the grip that man made religions have on humans.
This is a delicate subject which turned my stomach when I found out about it in CoC. You handled it well Lloyd and I hope more people find out about this hypocrisy because of this video.
Those horrific accounts of Malawi were read out aloud at Meetings when I was a child. What were the adults thinking? No wonder had a complete nervous breakdown aged 15 .....
Yes, there were very graphic and in detail descriptions of rape and murder. I will never forget the nightmares I had after meetings at the age of 5.
I read this in Crisis of Conscience. I was disgusted then, and I am disgusted now.
I remember the 1968 Watchtower, and I was traumatized by it. Just another layer of fear added to the rest. At that time we were to suffer the great tribulation like everyone else, before God stepped in. Really scary stuff for a kid. No soft pedaling it either. They made it sound terrifying in order to keep everyone in line. I spent most of my life expecting to die at Armageddon because I just could feel as devoted to this as others were. You could never do enough to please this God, it seemed. He seemed capricious, inconsistent and unpredictable. Yet I was told he was a God of love and justice. Huh? They kept you in a perpetual state of self hatred, at least that was how I felt. Pure evil, what they do to their children, all lies.
not lies for them
@@wolfrem1991 Most know on some level it's horseshit and child abuse. The problem is it's very difficult to get someone to dismantle their life from a cul-de-sac after several decades and go start again. They just ignore the bad bits.
Meticulously put together thank you for explaining this situation so clearly Lloyd. I was 13 years old and going along to meetings at this particular time....I can remember even at that young age how horrific the persecution was...at the end of the book study the brother would say a prayer for those in Malawi. I had no idea as to the extent of this betrayal until today. Truly disgusted!
Lloyd in the USA all males at the age of 18 are required to sign up for the military draft (Selective Services Card) regardless of if you plan to go in the military or not. When you are signed up it allows you to be drafted into the military from the ages of 18 - 26 in times of need. These brothers still hold positions in the kingdom halls and even governing body member positions. I guess the stance is different when its your own back yard. All the Malawi brothers and sisters needed was a card just like USA citizens Selective Services Card. What a double standard that has cause so much pain and loss of life. This is truly upsetting and SHAMEFUL... Thank you Lloyd for another thought provoking video.
So much loss of life and suffering as a result of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society's irresponsible leadership. This is so awful and disgusting. I don't know how the Governing Body sleep at night.
Of all issues Ray Franz raised in his revealing insider’s account ‘Crisis of Conscience’, this was head and shoulders the most disturbing and utterly shocking.
Thank you for covering it Lloyd and for the totally appropriate sensitive handling.
The cavalier attitude in the organization’s letters to the Mexican branch on at least two occasions (1960 and 1969) show that JW organization literally had no conscience when it involved life and death in Malawi.
I suspect that the largely American composition of the main organizational leaders at the time of the 1960s, (Knorr and Fred Franz (Ray’s uncle)) , would have been relatively insensitive towards barbarity in Africa and more attuned to the closer to home Mexican situation. Kind of out of sight, out of mind. But the subsequent “white washing” of their decision regarding the universal party political card cost untold numbers of lives. Sure, the Malawian military and government bears ultimate responsibility for the killings but JW organization made it clear to Malawian JWs they must not own or possess the cards.
Out of sight , out of mind
Rody ? NO . . It was about 👉Lots of WTS PROPERTY 💸. . Which existed in Mexico . . as opposed to little or NOTHING 😒(but Black lives) to Lose in
Africa ! 😡
Hey Lloyd you should make a video about Raymond Franz that would be cool.
I agree, it would be good to learn more about how he ended up leaving after being on the governing body etc
Check out the videos on David and Vivian Aspinall. They have many where they talk on Raymond Franz- very interesting videos
Have you seen this?
www.commentarypress.com/
In Tribute to Cynthia and Raymond Franz
I still have a picture floating around with me and him
Thank you Lloyd for shedding even more light on this topic that the Watchtower attempts to minimize or sweep under the rug altogether. I would venture to say 99% of current rank & file jws have no clue of this history of their org. As activist we must continue exposing the dealings of watchtower.
Lloyd,
This video has left me numb! My heart goes out to these people who lost their lives in terrible circumstances. The double standard exhibited by the leaders of the wtbts is sickening and deceitful. Thank you for the exposure, and your fair and honest discussion. Living thru the wtbts display of non neutral activities with the United Nations in the 1990s makes this story even more reprehensible. How would they explain their non neutral activities to the faithful ones who were butchered in Malawi?
Quick story about this letter campaign, there was one also in early/mid 80's not sure time frame. But anyways I remember something about all this at the kingdom hall talk during the meeting of course. And they asked all in congregation to write a letter I was only 15-16 at the time and could care less about anybody in Africa (a young punk kid at the time with attitude). My father composes a letter basically for the whole family and then asked all of us to sign on bottom of page (one page letter) I remember this so well, why? Hahahah I refused to sign the letter, he was so pissed off he brought the strap and smacked me in front of my two sisters and mother. They could not understand why in the hell I would not sign the paper. You see I hated everything about the JW but could not say it out for fear. Yes I was trouble no doubt about that, but it gave me such joy knowing that I won't let my father have the power over me. He wanted me to sign that letter and for some reason I took the beating instead and loved it! I believe he either forged my signature or sent it without I never did ask. He's 84 now I should tell him about the Mexico/Malawi story while he is still alive. I do remember saying some kind of stupid response back at him saying something like "what if I ever want to travel there and do not want problems" you have to remember this is from a stupid kid. But my whole point was I wanted to take the power away from him by refusing to sign. And for whatever stupid reason today now I'm kind of glad I didn't.
By the way my real name is not Doug
ill be your Doug... The Hangover
I was (and still am) speechless when I read about the Society's stance on the persecution in Malawi. Speechless!
This was the thing that woke me up. It was as if someone snapped their finger and I realized that everything I believed about the organization was false. Thank you for focusing on this horror that never should have happened to those poor people!
This betrayal is sickening. When I told my Therapist of this story she literally cut our session short out of grief and outrage. Watchtower is blood guilty.
@Lloyd Great video with issues well explained. I agree JWorg did a terrible injustice to their members who suffered and died so brutally in Malawi. What a horrible betrayal! I think it's awful how the WT downplayed what really happened in Malawi. Folks at conventions would have been cheering for the video. Unfortunately, that wouldn't address the truly tragic reality.
Besides that, Mexico got away from mistreatment by paying a small fee (Read: bribe) which is immoral according to the JW beliefs.
Is it merely a case of double-standards?
JWorg have their nerve talking about "conscience".
It must be asked: Is it possibly a case of extreme racism? :/
YES! I thought the same thing, a case of racism! A husband & wife was missionaries in Africa and they LIED to get "pregnant" so they'd get to come back to U.S. He called the Blacks all kinds of racist names I never heard and they stated the watchtower would NEVER have a black person at Bethel/in any positions at New York City. The woman stated ALL Religions AGREE to never have any Black people in HIGH RANK positions in their religious org. This couple NEVER liked any ethnic group but Germans. Aren't all HUMANS made in God's image? ?
So what was watchtower getting by keeping the peace in Mexico? It had to be financial in some way. And also by keeping the persecution card up there the rank and file were kept distracted and in. There is a darker side where those lives in Malawi were deemed expendable for a financial and watchtower gain. Thankyou Lloyd a very difficult distasteful piece of history - giving the people involved the respect they deserve by shining a very bright light on the disgraceful double standards of the watchtower and their God.
I remember reading about this in crisis of conscience and as a newly awake person I couldn't accept it. It was a year or so later when I read it again I had to come to terms with what Watchtower had knowingly done. As a child we prayed for Malawi constantly and now I know those Witnesses were tortured and killed as a result of the group of old men in their ivory tower in New York. It's so disturbing.
I was a child of JWs in the 60 and 70s and remember how the persecution in Malawi was presented and used as an example of what we would one day face in the US. It terrified me. To learn that those poor brothers and sisters might have been spared all that is sickening.
Excellent video, as always. I realize, due to time constraints, you could not cover the third aspect of their double standard: At the same time as the atrocities in Malawi and the turning of a blind eye in Mexico, brothers in the U.S. were not allowed to accept civilian work assignments in lieu of being drafted into the military. Many young brothers were sent to prison because of this. To my thinking, that is comparable to the situation in Mexico, except the U.S. brothers were not illegally bribing anyone in order to avoid prison!
I still remember the letter writing campaign during a district convention for the Malawi JW’s. I was a very young child but also had to “write” my very own letter pleading for my JW brothers & sisters.
OMG, this needs to be translated into Spanish! The Spanish JWs are waking up!
Definitely I agree with you, I live in El Salvador, Central America and I´m pretty sure JW´s here would love to see this. I will try to see how can I get translated into Spanish.
I can also contribute, at the moment I'm a PIMO at a Spanish congregation, I know im late to the party but unfortunately thats what its like in this organization
Hey Lloyd I kinda find that microphone annoying! You just don't seem comfortable talking into it, maybe it's the angle. Otherwise, another great video!
I think they toned down the whole Malawi incident to better tie it in with what's happening in Russia so as to have their "faith strengthened" but as you pointed out, Malawi was way more tragic then what watchtower is showing in the 2018 videos and doesn't even come close to what's happening in Russia. Thanks for tackling this topic!
On one hand WT was forbidden to have a political party card but on the other hand allowing to be a member of the reserve army. Such an horrendous hypocrisy! Thank you Lord for your video.
So you have never read where is says in the bible in daniel that he must serve the king of babyoon or where it says that we should obey the authorities, i assume. As long as thry do not serve in a tive duty even in the us you have to register at 18.
Was just trying to explain this to another ex JW on the weekend! Well done Lloyd
The real estate value in Mexico owned by WT far exceeded the real estate value of anything owned by WT in Malawi. The membership in Malawi seemingly were put on the scale of useful value and found to be expendable and usable as martyrs. Dead, burned, raped. mangled and disfigured martyrs generated future cash rewards. WT is a global tax free business machine that continually hones, modifys and adjusts its tactics so as to benefit the updated model and use its members as the currency to protract that new business model. WT in this regard is quite similar to the God they worship who uses human flesh and suffering to aggrandize, justify and purge himself of his rage. Jehovah can do as he pleases since he is a god worthy of fear. It is possible that WT is his organization since in most cases the M.O. of WT seems to fit the pattern of the end justifying the means. Isn't that really the theme in the Bible. Billions of human carcasses stacked like cordwood for the final purge of evil from the universe. A riddle indeed!
You are cutting through the meat right to the bone on this one Lloyd. Great subject and as usual sound reasoning. "G.T.W.O.M.S"!
I remember the horrific stories being told in the congregation back in the 70’s. I had nightmares and was scared of persecution coming to my country. The stories told from the platform were always accompanied with a clear message: persecution will one day hit us, and we should be as loyal as our brs and srs in Malawi. Now I know the complete story, through CoC, I am even more disgusted. When I raise the topic with mother, who is a very devout sister, she looks at me like she sees water burning. With hollow eyes she will tell me that the organization is run by imperfect men. That’s it. They are imperfect, and jehovah will set it straight. Find it difficult to deal with that level of cognitive dissonance.
They flip-flop to suit themselves when it comes to politics and avoiding it, just look at the deal with the UN, all for "use of a library and to use photographs".....did they not think they could get the same books elsewhere or purchase the rights to use the pictures without joining the UN?! Double standards yet again!
Great video Lloyd yet again.
Yes, that is the excuse they generated once they were found out. The UN has never required any type of membership to utilize their library. It has always been open to all. The society was agreeing to support the UN when they applied for and renewed their NGO membership each year. I was absolutely floored when I discovered their affiliation with the UN, having studied the revolution book.
Very powerful condemnation, Lloyd. Kind of surprising Jehovah’s word isn’t more consistent, eh? (Oh, it looked like there was a small problem w the autofocus on your camera. Kept snapping in and out of focus - very minor tho)
It's amazing how religious people say anything good is God's doing and anything bad is swept under the rug. He saved Lloyd and the other brother by having him continue to drive yet he allowed people to be killed and their houses burned...hmm makes sense.
8
I've been questioning for a while now, but this completely snapped me out.
This is so horrific and despicable - thank you for shedding light on this!
This is indeed shocking information! As a young teenager I remember my mother praying after the family bible study for the people in Malawi. She would become so overcome with grief she often could not finish the prayer. Now I understand why.
Thank you. I'm sharing this to Facebook if that's ok.
Do it. Lloyd absolutely supports it. I already shared on my FB.
Lloyd, thanks for this concise and very informative video. I'm a Mexican who has spent all his life in Mexico. I've never been a Jehovah Witness, but in different ocassions I've had a lot of conversations with them. When I read the Spanish translation of R Franz's book in the early 90s, I used to mention this horrible story to the JWs I met. They looked shocked, but not becuase of the story itself (after all, they knew the source was the apostete R. Franz so they felt they could discard it easily) but they looked shocked because it seems this (getting a Cartilla Militar) was something unconfrotable for them personally if they were men, not women.
I'd like to know more details about what exactly happened (and probably still happens) in Mexico and the Cartilla Militar among JWs. Here in Mexico, when a male person turns 18, he must attend a special gathering where all the people from that generation wait to hear each one his name and then it is decided by drawing lots whether one has to "do military service" for a year or not. The great majority are not required to "do military service", they just need to go after that period of time (a year) to a Military office to have the Caritlla Militar stamped and signed. That was my case, and that's the way it worked in the early 80s. Maybe the details of the procedure have changed, but it must be essentialy the same thing. "Doing military service" (that's the Mexican expression) for a year means attending meetings in a military base once a week on Saturdays, having some kind of basic military training, but most of the time, these young people are required to do some kind of social service like teaching adults how to read and write.
If a Mexican who is a male decides not to get his Cartilla Militar, he will have a lot of problems in order to get a job or go through a lot of governmental procedures, not just getting a passport. Everything is designed here so that things will be very difficult for you if you don't have this document. So I suspect that a lot of young JWs appply for this Cartilla and, if the lots say they have to "do military service", that's when they bribe a Military official in order to get their cartilla without having to "do the military service." If the lots say they don't have to "give military service", then they just have to go to a military office after a year and complete the procedure to have the stamp and the signature. This is what I THINK (I don't know for sure) happens among Mexican JW based on my knowledge of my own country. Do you know, Lloyd, if my suspicion happens to be correct? Have you received feedback from former JWs from Meixico?
Thank you, Lloyd. I was in for 4 years and just could not handle some of the bilge.
I was involved in the letter-writing campaign to the Malawian Government in the 1970s. This betrayal and the betrayal by Rutherford when he wrote the "Declaration of Facts" letter aligning his ideology with the NAZIs is HEARTBREAKING. JWs suffered even more under Hitler after Rutherford was rejected by Him. Rutherford stepped up his rhetoric against him which led to the persecution and loss of life being magnified. JWs have suffered and died in a number of ways due to this dangerous cult. The Refusal of Blood transfusions, Rampant Child Sexual Abuse, Peer Pressure To Do More, Shunning, Depression and Suicides Speaks Volumes. Witnesses are so indoctrinated and stressed they cannot see the forest through the trees.
And WT insists JWs Are A "Happy People"! 💔
John Cedars: Excellent video, Lloyd; however, there is a relevant fact which you overlooked mentioning. During the time of this gross double standard and up until 1989, Watchtower was recognized as an educational organization in Mexico-as opposed to a religious organization-because the Catholic Church was the only religion officially recognized by the Mexican government and thus the only religious organization which could own property. So, as always, Watchtower was more interested in protecting its financial interests than in protecting the lives and spiritual interests of its members.
I'm sorry you feel I've overlooked something. In making this video, I have simply stuck to the basic facts in the hopes that people can do their own research. As I mentioned in the video, my intention is to point people in the direction of this little-known (among JWs) issue so that they can learn the full extent of the betrayal.
@@LloydEvans I agree that the facts as you presented them stand on their own. I was merely adding some historical context which reveals Watchtower's true motivation for permitting the double standard. As always, Watchtower places its financial interests over the safety and spiritual well-being of its members. Another excellent video, Lloyd!
Roger Kirkpatrick I’ve noticed that sometimes Lloyd can be kind of defensive, when you point out something that you felt he should have included in one of his videos. I’m not sure why. The status of Jehovah’s Witnesses as an educational/cultural organization in Mexico for so many years is a fascinating story. For an organization that claims to be uncompromising in its stand for truth, how they handled the situation in Mexico was quite strange, though their reasons for doing so made sense. I had heard that they didn’t even open and close their meetings with song and prayer. Though I can see why Lloyd didn’t choose to share these facts in this video, perhaps we can encourage him to do a video on this subject in the future.
I wish this great video of yours could be translated to Spanish and uploaded as well. I'm sure it would help so much more jws wake up.
I have seen on this important video you have done. 11 people hit the unlike button😢 This makes me sad and angry that these people kan not see how cruel watchtower behaved towards humans lives which were in excruciating and painful treatment. How can people just luck empathy. Ceders thank you for this video. I sent this video to my brother in afrika. He called me and he was crying, he had pain in his heart and he is determined to research more about the watchtower. Thank you💕
FrEEdOm72 good you sent this to Africa as many in Africa are taken advantage of by these 8 CONMEN in New York! Let's hope more in Africa wake up.
So happy to see you have 42k subscribers 😀
In case you're all wondering, the dictator of Malawi at that time was an elder of the Church of Scotland.
One of your best Lloyd. Fantastically articulated. Great thought process and development. Thank you.
I remember as a child hearing about this at the meetings, my parents writing letters and them having me pray for the brothers in Malawi. At that time I didn't understand what the real issue or scope of the situation just that they were being persecuted.
When I read Crisis of Conscience, this particular section was so shocking I truly could not wrap my head around it. I wept for all those poor people and children who suffered and died needlessly and were sacrificial lambs to the false god of Watchtower. What is the difference between buying a stupid card or bribing a government official? It should be up to each individual as was stated to Mexico. In the Bible Abraham lied about Sarah being his wife to save their lives, the GB lied under oath at the ARC but you can't buy a card to save your life? This is truly criminal.
Oh and that whole pile of crap about Jehovah saving one person and not the next....how can JW's not see through that?
Masterful reporting/research Lloyd, hard to watch but compelling. You have a gift, thanks for sharing it.
You did a very well presentation of the hypocrisy concerning these two countries. It still sickens me I wrote letters to Malawi, never knowing what was happening down south. They talk about being in unity, but this proves just the opposite is in reality.
Thank you. I was appalled when I read this in crisis of conscience you have made people aware in a really sensitive way. Thank you so much for your work.
Thank you Lloyd for doing this video. I'm old enough to remember quite well the Malawi horrors. We were encouraged to write letters to the government. I did not fully understand the double standard until I read Raymond Franz's book. I was and still am outraged.
The witnesses here in Mexico were/are proud that they were able to get that cartilla , for them it was a provision from Jehovah
Yet it's amazing how that was Watchtower itself violating ALL those Scriptures such as John 6:14,15, John 15:18,19, John 17:14-16, John 18:36-37, Matthew 26:52, 53 and Isaiah 2:2-4 that were hammered and drilled into our brains at the Revelation Congregation book study or by the brochure "Will There Ever Be A World Without War" and the watchtower studies we constantly had on Neutrality. Even the "Reasoning From The Scriptures" book we used in field service had an ENTIRE SECTION talking about the life and death importance of not "compromising" "Christian" Neutrality! The Governing Body and Watchtower SOLD OUT!!!
And where was Jehovah's provision for the brothers and sisters in Malawi?
i'm basically atheist these days, but i am often reminded of the scriptures which portrays Jesus as saying, “Woe to the world because of the stumbling blocks! Of course, it is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the man through whom the stumbling block comes." Watchtower has been dropping a LOT of blocks. The watchtower won't so much as possess a stone upon a stone before it's done.
In Brazil all males over 18 years of age have to sign up for military service, either to serve or to be in the reserve.
All Brazilians have to be registered to vote and have a voting card.
Thanks Lloyd. Again a well researched and informative video. The light is getting brighter.
Thanks for telling the story of the brutal persecution of witnesses in Malawi. I remember hearing about this as a child. They died over a piece of paper. Sickening and JW leadership is responsible for their role.
Hi Lloyd, I'm enjoying every bit of this video. How can I aquire a copy of those letters that you just read in this video from Mexico branch to the JW headquarters in NY? Because that was definitely a double standard to allow witnesses in Mexico to compromise their neutrality (in my opinion) for trivial reasons, when witnesses in Malawi needed that compromisation for the preservation of their lives. Can you please let me know how can I obtain a copy of those letters?
This is incredibly insightful information. Kudos for the episode!
What watchtower did is shocking.Maybe you can help me understand a couple of things.If citizens were to buy a party card in Malawi,would they still have suffered because of their religious beliefs? Also,is it your belief that the governing body used these poor people to further their propaganda,proving to JWs that their members were being persecuted? In other words,did they purposely not allow them to purchase loyalty cards,knowing that their suffering would give them the ability to claim persecution?
I don't know if it was intentional for that purpose or not, but they surely milked the suffering of those poor people to the max. It was the topic of many talks over several years. I was scarred for life listening the graphic details of rape and murder from the platform in the meetings. I had constant nightmares and was sure it was only a matter of time when me and my family had to face the same kind of "test of your loyalty". No 5-year-old should ever be exposed to hearing such atrocities, so in a way I'm glad the WT didn't reveal the true horrors in Malawi in the convention.
I was a JW in Australia from the early '70s to the early '80s, and I remember the Malawi persecutions quite well.. even in the Watchtower, it was mentioned that all they had needed to do was buy the card, and they'd have been left alone, and they were praised for "standing firm" in their refusal to do so. The demonising of the religion as a whole by the govt there was purely a consequence of the entire group of JWs in Malawi refusing en mass to buy the cards. As to the motivations of the GB, who knows? The only person in any position to comment on that would be Ray Franz, who was a GB member at the time. I suggest you read his book, Crisis of Conscience, and see some of his interviews, and see what you think.
They don't want you to know what will happen to you when you die for Jehovah.
People would think twice when they say they will die under persecution.
dear Lloyd you did the topic absolute justice, very journalistic /investigative approach and tone. Thank you so much indeed
I recall this entire Malawi era very well.
This video has been really instrumental in my waking up. I appreciate that the material was actually taken from the society's publication itself.
Another great price of work
I just finished reading this in crisis of continuous. I am thoroughly disgusted.
No can tell me that Watchtower is not a racist organization. The undercurrent of prejudice is very strong in that sickening organization. They used the brothers from Malawi as sitting ducks. Nothing Spiritual about that!
That is so disgusting and reproachable on the part of the Watchtower Society.
Can I share this video or any videos of yours on facebook?
Of course. That's why they're posted.
He'd be most appreciative, I'm sure.
I just shared it on my own Facebook.
You don't have to ask! Share away! :)
@@LloydEvans I didn't mean to speak for you, Lloyd, but hundreds of hours of watching your videos taught me you'd want it that way.
Keep up the good work, please. I always tell people you're the Jedi Knight of ex-JWs. :) We love you.
Wow! I have been gone for so long I had no idea. Thanks for sharing.
This is terrible. Just when I thought I couldn't get more disgusted by Watchtower's actions.
I REALISE NOW...
WT ARE LITERALLY RULED BY THE DEVIL!!!
JESUS IS NOWHERE AMONGST THEM!!
this is very informative,as for me-I will never allow those fools to enter my yard...EVER! thanx for shedding light
Thanks for making this video and bringing this to light. You are a good man and its great someone stands up for the truth.
Was emotionally caught up in Raymond Franz’ indignation in Crisis of Conscience on this horror and hypocrisy. What a good man he was. The GB didn’t seem to care one bit about the brothers and sisters in Malawi. 😡
Excellent research as always Lloyd
When I read about this in “Crisis of Conscience” I cried for days. It affected me so badly, I literally couldn’t stop thinking about it!
Thank u for covering this, as I hope some JWs come across it and look into the references.
Also, didn’t Nathan Knorr sign the Pledge of Allegiance around this time too? Just another double standard of theirs!
I love irony, and you use it very gracefully in this video - considering that you have previously exposed this organization's thirst for martyrs - thank you lloyd
I never got around writing the letter to Russia.
Lol me neither... Thank goodness for us both!!
But the organization will tell you, these died faithful and so they’re in Jehovah’s memory and will be resurrected in the paradise, so it’s good! 👍
Sickening! 😭💔
What I don’t understand is, some before they were a Jehovah’s Witnesses served in the military and now they are receiving a pension from the government because of their past military service. So that’s OK for elders, one in particular that I know of who disfellowshipped me, receives a huge pension from the government from past military service and he lives a wealthy lifestyle 🙄 but we’re supposed to remain completely neutral? 🤔😡
Should I say trigger warning, for some people?
I remember hearing in the meetings in the KH in the '70s about bicycle spokes being driven through the calves of the JWs in Malawi, then they were forced to run in the street. Maybe hearing about all of the savagery is why I can hear terrible things and not react in a way comparable to others who didn't have to hear the horrors as a 10 or 12-year-old. WYH were the JWs thinking, telling little kids about other JWs (or any one), being beaten,raped,tortured. Our parents didn't want us to watch any mild violence or hear any bad language on TV,, but yet we could hear worse at the kingdom Hall? Oh, yeah, create fear...then use it to control you! That is the JW way!
Thank you Lloyd! I think this video finally did it for me.
Love your videos
I remember participating in a letter writing campaign in the early '70s for Malawi and Mozambique. I also remember at an assembly during the same time (I was a child), the "brother" telling, in great detail, of some of the persecutions they were enduring. One was having a brick tied with a rope to man's "member" and make them run races for the amusement of the officials. This image haunted me for decades.
When I was a young child I remember hearing that the bros and sisters in Malawi had bicycle spokes pushed through their calves of their legs and made to run in the street. I don’t know if it was a yearbook or what but I was horrified as a child to hear such horrible atrocities just because of a 25 cent card
I wonder if the reason that Watchtower is playing down the percecution in Malawi in the 2018 videos is that it allows them to compare it to the persecution in Russia. This way, they can say "we were persecuted in Malawi, and now the same thing is happening in Russia", when in fact it's not the same thing. I think that even in Putin's Russia, there aren't mobs who burn down people's houses and beat pregnant women to death. The current persecution in Russia, while truly terrible because some people have been tortured by the state, is several orders of magnitude less severe than what happened in Malawi. But admitting this fact would not play into Watchtower's narrative of things getting worse and the world getting more evil as time goes on and this being another sign of the end times.
My stomache hurts and twisted to learn this information how very very upsetting. Thank you for sharing your information.
Thank you for speaking out about this atrocity. I had never heard of it before (maybe because I’ve never been a JW). I wonder if Watchtower has an answer for its discrepancy.
The martyrs in Malawi deserve an answer to say the least.
Double standards, hypocrisy all the way. "A matter of conscience" is a phrase used when they to take themselves out of situations where they can be held responsible. I guess the Mexicans lives were more valuable than those in Malawi.
Thank you so much Lloyd. We need this kind of video to show to people who the watchtower really is.
This makes me so mad, angry, appalled, sickened, outraged and shocked on this. I’m speechless. 🤬
“We cannot decide the lives of everyone in the world.”
Only when it doesn’t benefit them of course.