u/Ok_Technician8353

Eu estava pensando em uma coisa que achei incrivelmente irônica.

Por décadas, as Testemunhas de Jeová ensinaram que a fera representa os poderes políticos do mundo e que a prostituta montada na fera representa o império mundial da religião falsa.

Ok. Então vamos usar a interpretação deles mesmos por um momento.

A Noruega tomou medidas contra as Testemunhas de Jeová por causa das práticas relacionadas à desassociação/remoção e ao ostracismo, incluindo preocupações envolvendo menores e pessoas que deixam a religião. Isso afetou o registro da organização e o recebimento de recursos públicos.

A organização então lutou contra o governo nos tribunais.

Enquanto isso, de repente tivemos uma “nova luz” sobre como tratar os desassociados. Agora eles são “removidos da congregação”. Testemunhas podem cumprimentar certas pessoas removidas nas reuniões. Anciãos podem conversar com alguém mais de uma vez antes de removê-lo. Também houve mudanças envolvendo menores.

Só que...

Leia a Sentinela de 1º de agosto de 1974: “Como manter um conceito equilibrado para com os desassociados”.

Parte dessa “nova luz” parece estranhamente familiar.

E agora que as TJ venceram o processo na Noruega, as redes sociais/notícias da organização estão comemorando a vitória judicial, a recuperação dos subsídios governamentais, o pagamento dos valores que haviam sido retidos e o dinheiro concedido para cobrir custos jurídicos.

E isso me fez pensar:

Segundo a própria interpretação deles, esse não é exatamente o tipo de relação com a “fera” pelo qual eles passaram décadas criticando outras religiões?

O sistema político dá dinheiro à sua religião.

O sistema político tira o dinheiro.

Sua organização vai aos tribunais e luta contra o sistema político para conseguir o dinheiro de volta.

O sistema político decide a seu favor e devolve o dinheiro.

E sua organização comemora publicamente a vitória.

Então...

Se receber apoio financeiro do governo e buscar decisões favoráveis das autoridades políticas é evidência de que a “religião falsa” está montada na fera...

O que exatamente a Torre está fazendo nesse contexto?

Talvez a pergunta mais interessante não seja “Quem é a prostituta montada na fera?”

Talvez seja:

Por que essa definição deixa de valer justamente quando é a Torre de Vigia que está recebendo o dinheiro?

​

I've been thinking about something that I find incredibly ironic.

For decades, Jehovah's Witnesses have taught that the wild beast represents the world's political powers and that the prostitute riding the beast represents the world empire of false religion.

Okay. Let's use that interpretation for a minute.

Norway took action against Jehovah's Witnesses over their practices surrounding disfellowshipping/removal and shunning, including concerns involving minors and people who leave the religion. This affected their registration and government funding.

The organization fought the government through the courts.

Meanwhile, we suddenly got "new light" regarding disfellowshipped people. They're now "removed from the congregation." Witnesses may greet certain removed people at meetings. Elders may meet with someone more than once before removing them. There were also changes involving minors.

Except...

Go read the August 1, 1974 Watchtower, "Maintaining a Balanced Viewpoint Toward Disfellowshiped Ones."

Some of this "new light" looks remarkably familiar.

And now that Jehovah's Witnesses ultimately won their case in Norway, JW social media/news is celebrating the court victory, the restoration of government funding, reimbursement of withheld grants, and the money awarded for legal costs.

Which made me think:

According to their own interpretation, isn't this exactly the kind of relationship with the "wild beast" that they have spent decades criticizing other religions for having?

The political system gives your religion money.

The political system takes the money away.

Your organization goes to court and fights the political system to get the money back.

Then the political system rules in your favor and gives the money back.

And your organization publicly celebrates the victory.

So...

If receiving government support and seeking favorable treatment from political authorities is evidence that "false religion" is riding the wild beast...

What exactly are Jehovah's Witnesses doing here?

Maybe the most interesting question isn't "Who is the prostitute riding the wild beast?"

Maybe it's:

Why does the definition suddenly stop applying when Watchtower is the one collecting the money?

​

So, here's the thing. You read the Bible and find a bunch of women who weren't quiet or obedient.

Rachel sat on top of the stolen household idols, lied straight to her father's face, claiming she was on her period, and used that to her advantage.

Jael used feminine charm and then drove a tent peg through Sisera's head.

Abigail acted behind her husband's back.

Sarah gave Abraham orders.

Rahab took charge of her household and protected the spies.

Tamar slept with her father-in-law to preserve the family line.

Mary didn't consult her "head," Joseph, when the angel told her she would become pregnant. The Watchtower is always emphasizing that an engagement back then was as binding as marriage. And later she even told Jesus what to do at the wedding when the wine ran out.

And the list goes on...

Even everyone's favorite example of submission ("I will go with them") went behind Isaac's back after he became blind.

So what happens? The Watchtower is absolutely terrified of people reading the Bible with critical thinking and women becoming empowered. So they adapt the accounts and present these women as meek, submissive, and obedient.

That's why studying isn't encouraged. In fact, as a Watchtower article said not too long ago, women should "learn to read and write well," while men should develop reasoning ability so they can lead the family and get and keep a job.

P.S. I'm a single woman with a master's degree. In one of my last interactions with an elder, I rubbed it in his face that the way I was being treated was because I'm a woman and didn't have a man by my side. He went completely silent after I listed several reasons why I was more of a man than many of the men in that congregation. 🤡

Honestly, I don’t see it as a defeat.

The Borg mobilized and adjusted its beliefs to align with what would please the Norwegian government. They even had the nerve to present a Watchtower article showing the “changes” to disfellowshipping, removed content from the website, deleted videos—basically, they had to soften their stance and adapt in order to appeal.

So I ask: what kind of victory is that, given that they clearly submitted, at least partially, to the Norwegian government?

A real victory would have been maintaining an unchanged, unwavering position and still convincing the court without backing down.

That’s not what happened. 🤷🏼‍♀️