I was in Zurich making my way home from a series of Jehovah’s Witness-related gatherings in Europe when I first heard news of the terrible events in Paris on January 7th.
On that awful day masked gunmen burst into the offices of the Charlie Hebdo French satirical newspaper and slaughtered 12 people in what appear to have been reprisals for the publishing of depictions of the prophet Muhammad.
A further five were killed in the days that followed as the suspects tried and failed to evade the authorities by taking hostages.
At this point you are probably wondering “yes, but what does this have to do with Jehovah’s Witnesses?”
Simply put, the events in Paris teach us two chilling lessons, (1) that religious bullies will always try to silence those who criticize them, just as Watchtower repeatedly tries to silence its critics through slander, misrepresentation and threats of ostracism, and (2) that society in general offers little or no protection against harmful cults, because it ultimately fails to recognize the immense threat posed by undue influence underpinned by religious dogma.
Silencing the critics
I was recently myself accused of trying to silence people when I made a stand against “aggressive activism” in a recent YouTube video and accompanying JWsurvey article. Those leveling this accusation at me seemed to confuse the offering of an honest opinion in a persuasive way with some form of censorship.
I can only hope such people have witnessed the chilling events in Paris and have found the opportunity to reflect on what genuine denial of the democratic right to free speech really looks like.
If I really wanted to set about silencing people who disagree with me, I could do far worse than to take a few pages from Watchtower’s book. A good start would be to get any websites taken down that use my material in a way that fails to serve my agenda, just as Watchtower did in January of 2013 when JWsurvey was taken offline for 24 hours for the heinous crime of making a secret elder’s letter on child abuse available.
I could also lobby YouTube to take down any videos from critics that happen to reproduce my words in a manner of which I disapprove, just as Watchtower did only last month when they had one of my videos removed from YouTube simply because it featured the un-embellished words of Tony Morris.
If I were feeling especially malicious, I might find a way of violating the basic human rights of my accusers by somehow coercing their family members to ostracize them – perhaps based on specious public claims about their mental state, just as Watchtower does through its shunning policy (so recently underscored in the following sickly piece of propaganda in the April 15th Watchtower)…
To download the full magazine, click here.
I do not suggest for one moment that Watchtower’s shunning policy is somehow on a par with violent Islamic extremism, but the truth is there are some very concerning parallels that must be addressed.
A common denominator
If there is one thing all cults are good at, it is silencing their critics and stripping them of their basic rights. Islam does this through overt threats of violence and slaughter toward any who oppose or insult its prophet and teachings, while other cults like Watchtower find more subtle, insidious means of gagging their opponents, as mentioned above.
At this point you might be screaming “but Islam isn’t a cult, it’s a religion of peace!” And I wouldn’t blame you for assimilating the default position of almost all politicians and journalists, who have a vested interest in keeping everyone happy by making appeasing “one size fits all” statements about a religion they apparently know nothing about.
But the simple truth is, the most cursory study of the Quran and its accompanying Hadith reveals a religion brimming with hatred and intolerance of any who refuse to subject themselves to it.
Non-believers (“infidels”) and apostates are not to be accommodated in any form other than as slaves. They are to be subjugated or destroyed, just as any who reject the message of Jehovah’s Witnesses can expect a feathery annihilation once Armageddon arrives and hungry birds summoned by angels begin to circle.
The only explanation I have so far heard from Muslim apologists is that the numerous incitements to jihad in Islamic texts are to be taken figuratively, or refer to some form of “inner jihad” – a battle within oneself. But this explanation, at least from the perspective of this jaded cult survivor, simply doesn’t cut it – especially when you consider that the earliest mass conversions made by followers of Muhammad during the birth of the religion in Arabia were made, not by administering hugs and being nice to people, but by the sword.
Knowing your enemy
Islam is not a religion of peace, just as Jehovah’s Witnesses is not a religion of love. To say otherwise is to disregard the written teachings and commands of either or both religions.
Yes, the majority of Muslims are peaceful, and we should be thankful that this is so. Civilization as we know it depends on this being the case. But the fact that the innate humanity of most Muslims can cause them to ignore or re-invent passages in their sacred texts that summon them to “make war on the infidels who dwell around you” (Quran 9:123) in no way lets their religion (specifically its holy book) off the hook.
By the same token I know for a fact that there are Jehovah’s Witnesses who refuse to shun their disfellowshipped family members (albeit secretly in many cases), but this does not represent a “get out of jail free” card for the Governing Body, or excuse them for their grotesquely immoral prohibitions on so much as emailing Witness family members who have left. (see w13 1/15 p.16 par.19)
As much as many refuse to accept it, the events in Paris were not the product of a few mindless psychopaths who would have found some other excuse to gun down cartoonists if they weren’t Muslims. We have all just witnessed the inevitable result of a lethal cocktail of harmful, absolutist ideology and traditions coupled with extremely potent and persuasive undue influence techniques – and not for the first time.
Unwilling to intervene
Once you allow yourself to fully grasp this realization there is something even more chilling to consider, and that is the total impotence of society in general to even recognize the problem, let alone deal with it.
Governments that mobilize and devote huge resources around a mantra as abstract as “the war on terror” without acknowledging their real enemy, Islamic fundamentalism, hardly seem equipped to grapple with the complexities of cult mind control and the damage it inflicts.
This is why authorities in countries that pride themselves on democracy and adherence to human rights flounder at almost every opportunity to deal appropriately with cults like Jehovah’s Witnesses when they mishandle child abuse, or tear families apart through mandated shunning.
At the very least such behavior should be met with the withdrawal of tax exempt and (it should go without saying) charitable status. If there is one area in which you CAN slap a cult’s wrist, it is on their balance sheet.
Instead, time and again intolerant organizations such as Watchtower are allowed to thrive as those in power look the other way, so terrified are political leaders of being perceived as (you guessed it)… intolerant.
It is for the same reason that bright young girls and boys continue to be radicalized into Islamic extremists: because governments refuse to accept the true, horrifying scope of religious indoctrination through undue influence.
Without even a willingness to address the problem of cult mind control (or whatever name you wish to assign it), there is little hope of authorities exploring means of inoculating young ones against these vile techniques, or reprimanding groups that utilize them to such deadly effect.
This merry-go-round of ignorance, ineptitude and injustice was one of the most depressing discoveries for me when I first awakened from cult indoctrination, and the events in Paris and the way they are being spun by the mainstream media are an unwelcome reminder of the broken world I live in – a world where the violent silencing of an opinion is followed by whining calls to “respect” the very thing responsible for pulling the trigger.
Related video…
***I understand many of you will object to the tone of this article by saying that it contravenes the religious neutrality policy of this website. However, I have never been against people holding their own private beliefs, merely against these being inflicted on others. I feel recent events are an important reminder of what happens when we allow people free license to bully and intimidate people whether for religious or political imperatives, and I wanted to use this opportunity to explain why it is that we live in a society where groups that engage in such behavior are allowed to thrive.***
First, tragic events in Paris and must express condolences for those impacted by the deaths. I think I heard one commentator put it best regarding the etiquette of having freedom of expression but also a responsibility and accountability for the tone used in attacking personal and religious beliefs. At some point, extreme caricatures and lampooning would equate to same measures taken in dehumanizing African Americans years ago and in the present by cultivating a climate of hate. Of course, when one side has already declared war, there’s a challenge to being diplomatic.
With JW’s this war was declared decades ago and continues as glowing embers buried under moderate talk at times, then bursting forth as new flames of hate-talk and dehumanizing epithets. JW’s are constantly in battle mode — theocratic war (jihad), and constantly grinding out new victims with assassinated character, beheading by removing ability to think independently and obliterating individuals’ relationships in much the same way a bomb blast obliterates precious family members in a jihad fought with bombs.
And, new ‘cells’ of these JW like-mindset are trained on the compound in Warwick to unleash their terrifying visions on the masses.
That new watchtower article on disfellowshipping is madness! I just finished Sam Harris’ book “waking up” and its amazing how people react to his views toward religion. So many people think religion is “off limits” and not allowed to be looked at objectively. Innocent people who die in the name of religion hold a special place in our hearts, as unbelievers.
John, when will we hear your comments on the latest JW Broadcasting video??? I can’t wait!
Oh don’t worry, it’s coming! ;)
Governments might be inept in dealing with cults, but banning/censoring all hateful speech is also a slippery slope. (Disclaimer: I’m not sure you intended to mean something like this). When is something hateful versus when is it parody? Etc. Plus, giving some people the power to censor others might lead into a different kind of Orwellian environment. Some politicians are using these events to increase their regulatory powers over the internet, while there is little to no proof that real terrorism acts are being prevented using that introspective power. (In some countries, no judge is necessary to perform tracing someone’s steps etc.) It’s a complex topic. I do agree the charitable status could be revoked though. Further education might be more worthwhile. But, sites like this one are doing exactly that, so that’s good!
Correct, I don’t think censorship is the answer – rather a more pragmatic approach to the way religions are financed.
a great comparison….for sure
Undue influence and many extremes it can lead to. Reason and logic does not work for those who reject it. A puppet likes his string until he escapes from them. I thought there were thoughts of Sam Harris in your commentary. Some vital truths that must be heard and many in humanity are not hearing it. The core of a many faiths is broken…..again, some strong warnings and made with the pen. The pen is mightier than the sword. Swing a sword cupped with crippling fear and with Gods blessing, that is a recipe for disaster.
If I have to be annihilated at some point, I would prefer a “feathery annihilation” as John mentions.
It is the softest way to go.
@ Cedars,
I don’t disagree with the points of your article. But what’s the final solution to the intolerance of Islam? Death to the wicked? Or if not, then what?
At least identifying the problem, as I’ve attempted in this article, would be a giant stride towards solving it. Governments can’t even bring themselves to that stage yet. But of course I would never condone violence or persecution of religious extremists, merely the stemming of the lifeblood of all organized religion – money. Just imagine what could be accomplished if governments finally realized that organized religion is a business, and that belief is a product, and taxed churches, synagogues and mosques accordingly, investing the proceeds in free university education and job creation. Civilization as we know it would bloom almost overnight.
The Watchtower is no different from these Islamic terrorists who inflict death on people who criticize their religious beliefs. The Watchtower more or less tells followers to view dissenters as dead, cutting them off from ‘life’ and their friends and family. I would definitely say those seven misled men in Brooklyn are terrorists by stealth. They in no way exercise religious tolerance to those who oppose them in any shape or form. Even Jesus tolerated the Pharisees by eating meals with them. Ray Franz was disfellowshipped for doing a similar thing, sharing a meal with an ‘apostate.’
Islam and Jehovah’s Witnesses are similar as to treatment of so-called apostates. Jehovah’s Witnesses are to view as “dead” anybody who is an “apostate” and in the Islam religion, the punishment for apostasy is actually to be killed for it.
Jehovah’s Witnesses may not physically kill somebody they shun for apostasy, but the affect on the disfellowshipped person can cause so much pain, that many will end their lives themselves so the result is the same. What is the difference???
Jehovah’s Witnesses come off as innocent as doves but in reality, they are as deadly as serpents in the way they treat even their own family members when it comes to loyalty to the religion. They are no different in their extreme beliefs as any other extreme religion.
The people who belong to these extreme religions all think that they are the only ones that God is approving of and as long as they think that God is backing them, they can justify any violence against other humans as “God ordained”.
The Hebrew scriptures of the Bible, justify violence against other humans. The Greek scriptures don’t. I would say that the Jehovah’s Witness religion goes along more with the Hebrew God than the Christian scriptures.
The first Watchtower magazines were called “Zion’s Watchtower”. Does that tell you anything about the origins of the Watchtower????
When George Bush, Jr. invented the “war on terror”, he couldn’t identify fundamentalism because he was a part of it on the so-called “Christian” side. His “faith based initiative” clearly violated our country’s separation of church and state, thereby sending us into a war between fundamentalists, which we, in the US, had to fund with our tax dollars. Now the public wonders what has happened. The genie is out of Pandora’s box, to mix metaphors…..
There hasn’t been a solution to this problem. It has waxed and waned for centuries….unique to our generation is the technology that exacerbates the problem.
Am disappointed that you have used this horrific incident to advance your arguments and have incited others in the comments above to do the same. My parents’ lives were destroyed by war and at least no JWs were among those who harmed them. JWs will never take up murderous weapons – it is not in their fundamentalist DNA. Granted the rhetoric of their leadership at times is disgraceful but rank and file JWs are effecting a revolution internally by simply doing as the majority of RCs do ( eg with birth control) by ignoring their self appointed leaders.
I think this is a low and nasty article which does not advance the cause of serious and fair Watchtower criticism- Steve Louis
I made it clear in my article that Watchtower’s shunning policy is not on a par with violent Islamic extremism, but that comparisons must nevertheless be drawn in that both belief systems urge the silencing of critics. Is there anything specific in my article that is incorrect, or are you just annoyed that I have pointed to the elephant in the room?
I am sorry, but if such a simple and mindless reasoning can drive a parent to let their own child die (by refusing blood), then I have no choice but to conclude that the only thing separating a JW from a weapon (to kill someone you see as an enemy) is new light. The new light isn’t there because JW are not a political force like Islam is.
Religious indoctrination and bigotry are powerful tools. You will never have true freedom of speech while there is religious intolerance. Jehovah’s witnesses are a classic example of this, it goes something like this, We speak for God therefore if you speak against us, you speak against God and therefore we have the right to condemn you.
I honestly believe that somewhere in time there will be another religious war, not a war between religion’s but between the state and
religion’s. How many people have died in the name of religion through the centuries?, it is so depressing, same old religious conflict same old indoctrination and intolerance, just a different century.
Doesn’t matter what JWs do in private. As long as they give money to the WT, they keep it alive and support its policy. An internal revolution is wishful thinking.
The only way to stop the WT, is to cut off its funding.
Former British Labour politician Tony Benn once said, “I have all the time in the world for those who die for their faith. I have no time at all for those who kill for their doctrine.” This is a time for vigilance, not knee-jerk reaction.
Can you be more specific as to what form “vigilance” should take? I assume you’re not simply suggesting we should be vigilant against terror attacks without addressing the root cause?
It isn’t an accident that Jehovah’s Witnesses behave as innocents. It is very important to the “look” of the religion for the followers to appear as law-abiding. It is very important for the “look” of the religion that Witnesses dress nicely also. It is very important for the “look” of the religion that their names can’t be showing up in newspapers as wife beaters and child molesters too.
They can’t be drawing attention to the religion and so that is why all the articles about the rank and file being “obedient” to the elders and Governing Body. That is why they appear as innocent as doves to the public. That is why, when it comes to Jehovah’s Witnesses, they are under the radar. Make no mistake about it. All of Jehovah’s Witnesses are being played for fools and don’t even know it.
Does it strike anybody as odd, that with all the acts of killing by extreme cults in the world, that the Watchtower doesn’t run any articles on how to not be indoctrinated by them? Instead they run articles that are meaningless. Maybe that is because if they ran articles about how to recognize extreme cults, people would put two and two together????
I read an interesting article after the Paris atrocities. The gist of it was that the god of the universe who created all things wouldn’t really be interested in a small group of cartoonists and satirists who draw pictures of a man. That god has much more important things to take care of. So, why some people feel that god is so offended by this to the extent that he wants them killed is beyond rational thinking.
The god that JWs worship is no different. He has stated thru JWs that he will annihilate 99.9% of people, simply because they don’t worship him.
You can keep both kinds of god, thank you.
I have a wonderful life without having to worship a deity.
I just listened to the whole Sam Harris video above and I take back what I said about the Greek Scriptures not being violent. I was thinking of Jesus’ teaching but Mr. Harris is right. Even in Jesus teachings, there is violence and especially is the book of Revelation, violent.
Very interesting too is Mr. Harris’ comment about the person’s religious beliefs next door being more dangerous than a child molester, when it comes to your kids.
Lloyd, I am very glad you ran this article in comparing cults. I have for a very long time drawn the same conclusions.
Hitchens said it best – religion poisons everything.
Islam-governed states bring so much repression and hardship to so many people in the world today, all under the idea of “My invisible space buddy told an illiterate desert-dweller 1400 years ago something, so you should obey it.”
Christianity is no better in this regard – they are only less violent now because they’ve lost so much support in the past 500 years. Christianity also did not spread with hugs, but rather the sword. Just because they’re in a less powerful and therefore more contrite state now doesn’t mean there is reason to forget their heinous crimes.
The sickest part of this is despite damning practices to it’s own people (dictating blood decisions, shunning decisions, etc) JW’s very rarely make the connect that their religion is also toxic. They’ve also robbed spirituality from their members by making them submit to a humanly body for direction, rather than their members develop their own morality.
Religion poisons everything.
A good point. I am simply mindful of Jesus’ words ‘Watch out for false prophets” (Matthew 7:15). It is falsehood that is the root cause.
The whole world is built on systems of belief, whether political or religious. All consider themselves to be “the best way”.
Those beliefs can become intolerant, it may start with belittling and can in some case’s lead to strapping an explosive device to a child’s chest and detonating it in a market place. I honestly believe the solution lies with those within their own communities to advocate tolerance. With tolerance we would have no wars.
The Jehovah’s witness leadership are without doubt a religiously intolerant society. They, like most others, believe that they are the true way, that they are in the truth.
Dispite Jehovah’s witnesses clearly having taught what was false they produced a brochure entitled ” the end of false religion is near”. It is an extremely potent piece of propaganda and intolerance at its worst.
Hopefully, each of us within our own belief system can plead for tolerance and understanding, education is the way for us all to go.
Dedicated to all those who have lost their lives in France, John Lennon, imagine.
Je suis Charlie est une incantation luciférienne. Charlie est le diminutif de Charles. Charles = celui qui règne sur terre…http://www.signification-prenom.net/signification_des_prenoms/prenom_CHARLES.html
Je suis Charlie = je suis celui qui règne sur terre ….
Qui règne sur terre ?
autre question : à qui profite le crime ?
Couldn’t possibly leave out the Governing body, I’m nice like that, holy smoke iron maiden.
If a silver bullet can be found, this is surely it. Great article Cedars.
@Steve, you are wrong about it not being in JW’s DNA, not to fight in wars. It’s a disfellowshipping matter if they join the army. It is the same as not taking blood. It’s not in their DNA to refuse blood, anymore than it’s in their DNA to forgo college or protect pedophiles. They follow the orders from the Governing Body or they are kicked out and disfellowshipped. There are many JW’s who were in armies and killed people before they became a JW. It’s not in their DNA. That is about the only good thing about being a JW though. They are mandated not to fight in armies.
But when they let a child die for want of blood and shun their own children or mothers or fathers or brothers or sisters, simply by questioning the Society, then you are talking about a dangerous mind control cult.
If people believe it when the Society says that a green Bible is black, you are under dangerous mind control and are capable of doing almost anything that would be against your conscience normally.
I don’t think defining one good attribute of the org. is justification for allowing them to be evil in all other aspects. Hitler loved dogs.
This is a good article. Having awakened myself from deep indoctrination, I agree with the sentiments. Personally I think there are two things necessary to truly combat such indoctrination that is due to undue influence. First, education is a must. It is hard to fool people with fallacious arguments when they can recognize fallacies and think for themselves. It is also hard to lie about your past when people have full access to all of the information for themselves.
Second is mental health. Mentally healthy people are far less susceptible to indoctrination by undue influence. Often times those who are recruited are at a low point emotionally in their life for some reason. With emotional health and the resilience it affords, people could deal in a healthy way with those lows and avoid coming under the influence of a cult.
An aggravating factor is poverty. Poverty is accompanied by both a lack of educational opportunities and a lack of tools and support to maintain mental health. Thus you often see extremism at its most extreme in impoverished areas.
My belief is that to some extent this applies to all cults, though not every aspect applies to every member. Born-ins for example are in a somewhat different category that has more to do with being force fed the cult version of reality and cult fears from day 1.
I think governments lack the ability to deal with the situation because they and their entire population lack a true understanding of what a cult is and what it does. It isn’t easy to understand without having been in a cult, and the vast majority of people will never be in one. So informing the public is a difficult task when they are largely not interested in learning about things they most likely consider to be foolishness on the part of foolish people.
So here is the task, informing a public that is largely unaware of why cults and extremists exist and how they work, with the added challenge that the public isn’t really interested in knowing. If we can figure out how to do that, then governments can begin to equip themselves to deal with these problems. Until that happens, the cycle will continue to repeat itself.
Je suis (French) “I Am” “I Am” Christ. YOU are the “Christ”. YOU are Your Own Savior. No one with the Made Up Name “Jesus Christ” is coming on a Cloud to Save You. Yeshua Ben Yoseph, the Man in the Biblical Story tried that 2000 Years ago by kicking the shit out of the Bankers and they Nailed Him to a Roman Cross. Every “Christian” in the World has been HAD by the Vatican Cult of Saturn (Satans Urn), including ALL Protestants, who are controlled by the “Society of Jesus” ie: the Jesuits in order to establish their “New World Order”, propagated by the Jehovah’s Witness Cult, which was established by the Jesuit J.F. Rutherford when he Illegally and unLawfully took over the W.T. Society in 1917. It’s ALL centered in the Vatican and financed by the Bankers in “The City”, “The Square Mile” or “Baby London” aka Babylon, Financial Capitol of the World using the Legal Name Fraud (“Mark of the Beast”) by imprinting your Sole (Soul) print on your Live Certificate of Birth and copyrighting it, Making You a Legally Bonded Slave to the Church and State. Read Revelation 13:17 about the NAME, YOUR Name. “6” symbolizes the material world. 6×3 or “666” is for emphasis. The Vatican Legally OWNS Your Soul and the Crown in London (Babylon) Legally OWNS your Body. This CAN and WILL be PROVEN in a True Court of LAW…
@E3 – I agree with your comments.
Education is a powerful tool – and thus the powers that be within the witness religion urge the young people not to go to university – they do not want the rank and file to question or think for themselves.
Good mental health is a powerful tool.
Poverty, in many cases may lead an individual to extremism.
When you have a group of people who have low education, who suffer from mental health issues and are impoverished, this could be a recipe for disaster. In general these people are much more susceptible to mind control.
The witness religion has many people who fit this mould and unfortunately so many of these individuals do not recognize that they are being highly controlled and in many cases they do not have the tools to extract themselves from this very dangerous, high control religion.
@E. I look around at my Kingdom Hall and many other Kingdom Halls and I see some very highly educated and supposedly very smart people and they have been taken in by the Society, as well as those not educated.
If I looked around at my hall and saw only poor and uneducated people, I wouldn’t give it as much credence and I think that holds true of a lot of people. It’s the highly educated that we see in the rank and file is what made us think “it must be the truth because we look at all these college educated people who are sitting here in this Kingdom Hall and think how could these really smart people be deceived if it wasn’t the truth?” Mr. Harris alluded to that in the above video and there is a lot of truth to that thinking.
@Shanti. I hope you didn’t take my comment to say that there is any excuse for the Watchtower because they have only one good thing about them. There is a reason for Witnesses not being allowed to join the armies and that is only to draw attention to themselves and set them apart, so to speak. It isn’t for any good reason. When it comes to neutrality, they aren’t neutral at all. You can see that with them joining with the United Nations.
@E
I am a well educated former witness and for many years I questioned the doctrines and rules and got no real answers and I did see through all of the hypocrisy that is the witness religion, but there were two reasons why I stayed in for as long as I did:
1. I did not want to lose my family – my immediate family are all witnesses – some very hardcore
2. I did not want to lose my friends and my social connections – most of my friends were witnesses.
So even though you look around and see well educated witnesses who are still in, many of them are not staying in because they agree with the religion or its ever changing “light”. I am still in contact with many of my educated friends who are still witnesses and even though they are still in, many have “checked out” and stay in only because of family/friends or other personal reasons.
@Steve, whose words are these:
*** w57 4/15 p. 256 Announcements ***
THE USE OF THEOCRATIC WAR STRATEGY
In time of war great effort is made to keep one’s movements or plans from the enemy. To keep the enemy in the dark and divert him from gaining knowledge, war strategy is used. Soldiers for Christ in dealing with enemies of God, who hate truth and want to stop others from learning it, wisely use theocratic war strategy, not to hurt or harm, but to keep the “wolves” from hindering efforts to aid sheeplike people who are hungering for knowledge of truth and righteousness. On meeting “wolves” Christians will use strategy, being wise as serpents yet innocent as doves, in accord with Jesus’ direction at Matthew 10:16. Throughout May, just as in April, Jehovah’s witnesses will continue to seek sheeplike persons by calling from house to house. The May offer will be two Bible study aid books and two booklets on a contribution of $1. All participating in the work during April will want to continue in May and the coming months, honoring Jehovah and aiding other sheep while time permits.
The Quran does not actually direct Muslims to make war in any fashion. I’ve made a fairly deep study of the book, and the problem we have in western culture affects both the bible and the Quran. You have to consider the cultural and historical context. When Mohammed said those things about making war, or even the comment to, “kill them wherever you find them” it was not direction to start a fight it was direction to defend yourself in the face of an enemy.
Any translation of the Quran that is changing words to encourage a first strike is incorrect, and it won’t even make contextual sense with the various other chapters where Islam is strictly forbidden to be violent.
The historical context of Muhammad is a time when he and his followers were being persecuted both by Judiasm and Christianity and the religio was quite small. They made pilgrammages to the holy land during which a group they had a treaty of peace with would attack them. After quite some time of this going on Muhammed basically said the treaty was nullified by their actions and IF ATTACKED while on pilgrammage they (Muslim travellers) were allowed to fight to defend themselves and their families. Hence it says, “kill them wherever you find them” where, “them” have already violated a treaty of peace and attacked you first.
Even in this circumstance the subsequent comments made in the Quran demonstrate they were to avoid at all costs being unnecessarily violent if they didn’t have to take a life. They were still to avoid the conflict if possible.
I disagree wholeheartedly with the comment that Islam is not a religion of peace. You can say jw aren’t a religion of love because they are a denomination not representative of Christianity. But to compare an entire religion to a Christian DENOMINATION is not a proper simile. Isis, yes; alqueda, yes; but just as many Christians would not consider Jehovahs witnesses true Christians, MOST of Islam does not consider the radicals true Muslims.
Your trouble in making these claims excusing Islam as a “religion of peace” is that I’m not stupid.
Here are some quotes about those who fail to embrace Islam from the book you would have us believe promotes peace and tolerance…
“It is the same whether or not you forewarn them [the unbelievers], they will have no faith” (2:6).
“God will mock them and keep them long in sin, blundering blindly along” (2:15).
A fire “whose fuel is men and stones” awaits them (2:24).
They will be “rewarded with disgrace in this world and with grievous punishment on the Day of Resurrection” (2:85).
“God’s curse be upon the infidels!” (2:89).
“They have incurred God’s most inexorable wrath. An ignominious punishment awaits [them]” (2:90).
“God is the enemy of the unbelievers” (2:98).
“The unbelievers among the People of the Book [Christians and Jews], and the pagans, resent that any blessing should have been sent down to you from your Lord” (2:105).
“They shall be held up to shame in this world and sternly punished in the hereafter” (2:114).
“Those to whom We [God] have given the Book, and who read it as it ought to be read, truly believe in it; those that deny it shall assuredly be lost” (2:122).
“[We] shall let them live awhile, and then shall drag them to the scourge of the Fire. Evil shall be their fate” (2:126).
“The East and the West are God’s. He guides whom He will to a straight path” (2:142).
“Do not say that those slain in the cause of God are dead. They are alive, but you are not aware of them” (2:154).
“But the infidels who die unbelievers shall incur the curse of God, the angels, and all men. Under it they shall remain for ever; their punishment shall not be lightened, nor shall they be reprieved” (2:162). “They shall sigh with remorse, but shall never come out of the Fire” (2:168).
“The unbelievers are like beasts which, call out to them as one may, can hear nothing but a shout and a cry. Deaf, dumb, and blind, they understand nothing” (2:172).
“Theirs shall be a woeful punishment” (2:175).
“How steadfastly they seek the Fire! That is because God has revealed the Book with truth; those that disagree about it are in extreme schism” (2:176).
“Slay them wherever you find them. Drive them out of the places from which they drove you. Idolatry is worse than carnage. . . . if they attack you put them to the sword. Thus shall the unbelievers be rewarded: but if they desist, God is forgiving and merciful. Fight against them until idolatry is no more and God’s religion reigns supreme. But if they desist, fight none except the evil-doers”(2:190–93).
“Fighting is obligatory for you, much as you dislike it. But you may hate a thing although it is good for you, and love a thing although it is bad for you. God knows, but you know not” (2:216).
“They will not cease to fight against you until they force you to renounce your faith—if they are able. But whoever of you recants and dies an unbeliever, his works shall come to nothing in this world and in the world to come. Such men shall be the tenants of Hell, wherein they shall abide forever. Those that have embraced the Faith, and those that have fled their land and fought for the cause of God, may hope for God’s mercy” (2:217–18).
“God does not guide the evil-doers” (2:258).
“God does not guide the unbelievers” (2:264).
“The evil-doers shall have none to help them” (2:270).
“God gives guidance to whom He will” (2:272).
“Those that deny God’s revelations shall be sternly punished; God is mighty and capable of revenge” (3:5).
“As for the unbelievers, neither their riches nor their children will in the least save them from God’s judgment. They shall become fuel for the Fire” (3:10).
“Say to the unbelievers: ‘You shall be overthrown and driven into Hell—an evil resting place!’” (3:12).
“The only true faith in God’s sight is Islam. . . . He that denies God’s revelations should know that swift is God’s reckoning” (3:19).
“Let the believers not make friends with infidels in preference to the faithful—he that does this has nothing to hope for from God—except in self-defense” (3:28).
“Believers, do not make friends with any but your own people. They will spare no pains to corrupt you. They desire nothing but your ruin. Their hatred is evident from what they utter with their mouths, but greater is the hatred which their breasts conceal” (3:118).
“If you have suffered a defeat, so did the enemy. We alternate these vicissitudes among mankind so that God may know the true believers and choose martyrs from among you (God does not love the evil-doers); and that God may test the faithful and annihilate the infidels” (3:140).
“Believers, if you yield to the infidels they will drag you back to unbelief and you will return headlong to perdition. . . . We will put terror into the hearts of the unbelievers. . . . The Fire shall be their home” (3:149–51).
“Believers, do not follow the example of the infidels, who say of their brothers when they meet death abroad or in battle: ‘Had they stayed with us they would not have died, nor would they have been killed.’ God will cause them to regret their words. . . . If you should die or be slain in the cause of God, God’s forgiveness and His mercy would surely be better than all the riches they amass” (3:156).
“Never think that those who were slain in the cause of God are dead. They are alive, and well provided for by their Lord; pleased with His gifts and rejoicing that those they left behind, who have not yet joined them, have nothing to fear or to regret; rejoicing in God’s grace and bounty. God will not deny the faithful their reward” (3:169).
“Let not the unbelievers think that We prolong their days for their own good. We give them respite only so that they may commit more grievous sins. Shameful punishment awaits them” (3:178).
“Those that suffered persecution for My sake and fought and were slain: I shall forgive them their sins and admit them to gardens watered by running streams, as a reward from God; God holds the richest recompense. Do not be deceived by the fortunes of the unbelievers in the land. Their prosperity is brief. Hell shall be their home, a dismal resting place” (3:195–96).
“God has cursed them in their unbelief” (4:46).
“God will not forgive those who serve other gods besides Him; but He will forgive whom He will for other sins. He that serves other gods besides God is guilty of a heinous sin. . . . Consider those to whom a portion of the Scriptures was given. They believe in idols and false gods and say of the infidels: ‘These are better guided than the believers’” (4:50–51).
“Those that deny Our revelation We will burn in fire. No sooner will their skins be consumed than We shall give them other skins, so that they may truly taste the scourge. God is mighty and wise” (4:55–56).
“Believers, do not seek the friendship of the infidels and those who were given the Book before you, who have made of your religion a jest and a pastime” (5:57).
“That which is revealed to you from your Lord will surely increase the wickedness and unbelief of many among them. We have stirred among them enmity and hatred, which will endure till the Day of Resurrection” (5:65).
“God does not guide the unbelievers” (5:67).
“That which is revealed to you from your Lord will surely increase the wickedness and unbelief of many among them. But do not grieve for the unbelievers” (5:69).
“You see many among them making friends with unbelievers. Evil is that to which their souls prompt them. They have incurred the wrath of God and shall endure eternal torment. . . . You will find that the most implacable of men in their enmity to the faithful are the Jews and the pagans, and that the nearest in affection to them are those who say: ‘We are Christians’” (5:80–82).
“[T]hose that disbelieve and deny Our revelations shall become the inmates of Hell” (5:86).
“[T]hey deny the truth when it is declared to them: but they shall learn the consequences of their scorn” (6:5).
“We had made them more powerful in the land than yourselves [the Meccans], sent down for them abundant water from the sky and gave them rivers that rolled at their feet. Yet because they sinned We destroyed them all and raised up other generations after them. If We sent down to you a Book inscribed on real parchment and they touched it with their own hands, the unbelievers would still assert: ‘This is but plain sorcery.’ They ask: ‘Why has no angel been sent down to him [Muhammad]?’ If We had sent down an angel, their fate would have been sealed and they would have never been reprieved” (6:5–8).
“Who is more wicked than the man who invents falsehoods about God or denies His revelations?” (6:21).
“Some of them listen to you. But We have cast veils over their hearts and made them hard of hearing lest they understand your words. They will believe in none of Our signs, even if they see them one and all. When they come to argue with you the unbelievers say: ‘This is nothing but old fictitious tales.’ They forbid it and depart from it. They ruin none but themselves, though they do not perceive it. If you could see them when they are set before the Fire! They will say: ‘Would that we could return! Then we would not deny the revelations of our Lord and would be true believers’ (6:23–27).
“But if they were sent back, they would return to that which they have been forbidden. They are liars all” (6:29).
“Had God pleased He would have given them guidance, one and all” (6:35).
“Deaf and dumb are those that deny Our revelations: they blunder about in darkness. God confounds whom He will, and guides to a straight path whom He pleases.” (6:39)
“[T]heir hearts were hardened, and Satan made their deeds seem fair to them. And when they had clean forgotten Our admonition We granted them all that they desired; but just as they were rejoicing in what they were given, We suddenly smote them and they were plunged into utter despair. Thus were the evil-doers annihilated. Praise be to God, Lord of the Universe!” (6:43–45).
“[T]hose that deny Our revelations shall be punished for their misdeeds” (6:49).
“Such are those that are damned by their own sins. They shall drink scalding water and be sternly punished for their unbelief” (6:70).
“Could you but see the wrongdoers when death overwhelms them! With hands out-stretched, the angels will say: ‘Yield up your souls. You shall be rewarded with the scourge of shame this day, for you have said of God what is untrue and scorned His revelations” (6:93).
“Avoid the pagans. Had God pleased, they would not have worshipped idols. . . . We will turn away their hearts and eyes from the Truth since they refused to believe in it at first. We will let them blunder about in their wrongdoing. If We sent the angels down to them, and caused the dead to speak to them, . . . and ranged all things in front of them, they would still not believe, unless God willed otherwise. . . . Thus have We assigned for every prophet an enemy: the devils among men and jinn, who inspire each other with vain and varnished false- hoods. But had your Lord pleased, they would not have done so. Therefore leave them to their own inventions, so that the hearts of those who have no faith in the life to come may be inclined to what they say and, being pleased, persist in their sinful ways” (6:107–12).
“The devils will teach their votaries to argue with you. If you obey them you shall yourselves become idolaters. . . . God will humiliate the transgressors and mete out to them a grievous punishment for their scheming” (6:121–25).
“If God wills to guide a man, He opens his bosom to Islam. But if he pleases to confound him, He makes his bosom small and narrow as though he were climbing up to heaven. Thus shall God lay the scourge on the unbelievers” (6:125).
Sam Harris says it well in the above video, “The mainstream doctrine of Islam contains this notion of martyrdom and jihad. It contains this imperative to convert, subjugate or kill infidels. Anyone who says it doesn’t has not read the Quran, has not read the Hadith, or is lying about them.”
& E3 and Rob. You both make very valid points ! The greatest increase of JWs are in many countries where the JWs are not as well educated & cannot easily afford computers to link to the Internet I.e Third World countries such as Philipines(130,000 JW)Mexico(829,000 Jw) Nigeria(362,000 JW) Zambia (178,000)etc Look at 2015! Yearbook for increase . It is quite frightening how the GB preys on those living subsistence lives who are desperate for something better.When Berlin Wall came down the numbers who were living in poor conditions in Russia , East Germany,Romania,Bulgaria,Yugoslavia were ripe for indoctrination BUT once baptised they were trapped for fear of losing family even though later they became WISED up about the history of the organisation.It was too late because of fear of Disfellowshipping !!
To be honest, this article presented, is not suported by statistics, and recognised authorities when you are pretending to explain these acts, as the result of undue influence..Every expert in these matters can tell you, that there are a lot of other factors involved before you are vulnerable to illegitimate undue influence..these other factors,(being rejected, searching an identity, and not being accepted in the society).. Can make some very vulnerable to these propaganda..
A recent study suggest that these illegitimate undue influence starts in prisons, in this enviroment, you are isolated from the society, and brainwash can have his full effect..
I missed these elements in your Article..Its so sad that the one who claims that the Watch Tower are ommiting things in their writings, and use only things to support their ideas, is doing the same thing..
very bad for someone who pretend to be very accurate..when writing articles..
And however I know you will certainly defend yourself, but those individuals who are using their brains can see a a self made article ,but with a lack of accuracy, and without professional research..
I fail to see how I am “omitting things” in this article simply because I have not satisfied your personal demand for statistics and “recognised authorities.” In the absence of any coherent argument against anything that I’ve written, I’ll assume this is just hot air on your part because you don’t like the idea that I’m right.
First of all, great article, Cedars. Not an easy topic to cover and there seems to be a lot of interesting perspectives from the posts (and the media). Hopefully this can get discussions going which is always a good thing…
Just want to follow up with a quick story which may or may not be relevant. A few years ago I asked my mother the following question:
“If Jehovah (through his ‘Organization’) asked you to kill me (‘Old-Testament-style’) would you do it?”
Her answer was “yes”. My mother is a JW (anointed…go figure) and I have been out of the JWs for over 25 years (DF’d…atheist/agnostic). Now, I do not believe that my mother was born a psychopath, which is nice, but it makes one appreciate the power of “undue influence”. I would say this would necessarily have to be the response from any JW that does not want to go against the “Organization” and be labeled an “apostate”.
Some may say that this is not a fair question and that such question is irrelevant/academic because “…it just could not happen…Jehovah (through his ‘Organization’) would never ask me to kill…” And, as others have already pointed, it is very unlikely that the “Organization” would sanction direct violence in the future. I have to agree. But that is only due to the benefits of modernity and a more evolved society.
So, for any JW that is out there, here is a “thought experiment”. I want you to ask yourself one thing – “Where would you draw the line?” In other words, “is there ANYTHING the ‘Organization’ could ask you to do that you would not do?” If you come up with something then, congratulations, you are now an ‘apostate’ and thank you for taking a brave new step. If you do not come up with something, then you have to acknowledge that you have handed over your capacity for reasoning and thought to the “Organization”. And, if you are comfortable with that please note that this is no different than what is demanded by many religious and political groups. Don’t be so surprised when some group “does not draw a line”.
@Rich, you have a point about greater Islam and Christianity. We cannot make an assumption that all are like the radicals. It’s the power hungry that will twist and distort these religions to gain political and monetary power over others. The Pharisees did it in the biblical days. So called “Christian” kings and leaders in the middle ages did so. Fundamentalist Islamic clerics do it today in the Middle East. These types of leaders manipulate people not because they are swell people, but because they are power hungry and want to retain it. Many political leaders have always used religion to manipulate and control the masses. Sound’s familiar? I believe this is what Cedars is pointing out.
It wouldn’t surprise me in the least that the GB would condone stoning if it were a legal recourse for them to do so. The GB and JW elders like their power and will hold on to it at any cost. The recent article on shunning is a classic example of the power lust being alive and well. They knit together a collage of bible passages to support their redefinition of “Loving”. They twist the word “Loving” into a hate-filled cruelty called disfellowshipping, so that these bully boys can retain their power and control over the masses. Similarities between radical religious leaders and WTS are striking. Remember, the GB claims to be the ones to direct digging our graves after the mythological Armegeddon.
I hope to see the digging the WTS grave.
Searcher – “We cannot make an assumption that all are like the radicals.” – I believe I’ve stated very clearly in my article that the majority of muslims are peaceful, and that we should be thankful for this, but that this does not let Islam itself off the hook.
” It’s the power hungry that will twist and distort these religions to gain political and monetary power over others…. I believe this is what Cedars is pointing out.” – No, with all due respect, that’s not my point at all. If anything, Islam is being distorted by the majority of Muslims into a less violent version of what it truly is. Whereas Watchtower is a harmful cult that takes a mostly harmless book and twists it into something extremely damaging, Islam as prescribed by the Quran is an inherently violent, intolerant religion that has been had to be twisted by the modern world into something far more benign than its writings dictate. Read the quotes I have posted in response to “Rich” if you need examples of this.
@anonymous, I was a college educated indoctrinated JW who was not poor. I said that not all of the above applies to all members. I was a virtual born-in, and was in deep for decades. However, for educated ones, I think the mental health issue is a bigger factor for those who are recruited. Education and mental health are not synonymous. Poverty is not a necessary part of the equation, but it can be an aggravating factor in lack of education and lack of mental health. But mental health and education can also be aggravating factors for poverty. Of the factors, I believe that mental health issues, perhaps even just being on a low period in life, not necessarily having a serious mental condition, is one of the biggest factors. Why do you think so many people who are recruited have stories of having lost someone, or of having some other traumatic thing that happened to them? That causes a low ebb for many people in their mental health, like a cold causes a low in your physical health.
There is no one smoking bullet that covers everyone who is in and I am not trying to blanket everyone under one description, but I do believe there are major factors that put people in a position to be recruited, and then to stay in. If you address the major factors, you can greatly affect the probability of people succumbing to undue influence. Basically, how do you get the most return on your effort? Go after the big stuff.
@rob, I completely agree with you. I imagine a good number of people are in that situation, which is why it is called a cult. No easy or respectable way out. As I stated above, I was not trying to make a blanket statement, I was just commenting on what seem to be the big factors in causing someone to come under the undue influence and possible ways to combat it. In my line of work, when you have a problem to solve, you hit the low hanging fruit, or the biggest contributors to the issue, then deal with the other stuff. I’m just trying to apply that here. But, this isn’t my line of work, so I’m just voicing an opinion.