A “balanced view” of brothers…

[Friend of Peace]

Regarding our recent update about not giving undue praise to brothers who appears in dramas, experiences etc. I was a little confused when I came across the Watchtower, May 15th 1999 edition. On page 8, there’s a picture in the physical copy of magazine of the previous GB, including Gerrit Lösch, signing Bibles with their signature in to give away.
 

I don’t know how to scan the magazine page to put on here, but if anyone has it to put the picture on here that would be greatly appreciated.  
 

Would we say now that this an error in judgement on their part for doing that?

[trottigy]

25 years gives one a lot of hindsight. Things were a little different 25 years ago, eh.

 

I am happy to leave the past in the past. I hope Jehovah does the same for me. 

 

 

[davanz]

This reminds me of an occasion about 15 years ago at one of our Circuit Assemblies. A member of the Governing Body had come to deliver the Public Talk, etc. in place of the Circuit Overseer, for reasons I do not remember. After one of his talks, (not the Public Talk), during his conclusion, he announced that after the session he and his wife would be down on the auditorium floor near the stage for a while if anyone would like to come to greet them. At the time, I had, and still have, a negative view of this, as it came across as his considering himself a "celebrity" of sorts. But evidently, I was in the minority, as hundreds of our Brothers and Sisters were lined up crowding the stage area for quite a while.

[Tortuga]

1 hour ago, davanz said:

This reminds me of an occasion about 15 years ago at one of our Circuit Assemblies. A member of the Governing Body had come to deliver the Public Talk, etc. in place of the Circuit Overseer, for reasons I do not remember. After one of his talks, (not the Public Talk), during his conclusion, he announced that after the session he and his wife would be down on the auditorium floor near the stage for a while if anyone would like to come to greet them. At the time, I had, and still have, a negative view of this, as it came across as his considering himself a "celebrity" of sorts. But evidently, I was in the minority, as hundreds of our Brothers and Sisters were lined up crowding the stage area for quite a while.

We are family. Would you view the situation differently if it was a family gathering and he was an out-of-town relative that just arrived?

[BLEmom]

2 hours ago, davanz said:

This reminds me of an occasion about 15 years ago at one of our Circuit Assemblies. A member of the Governing Body had come to deliver the Public Talk, etc. in place of the Circuit Overseer, for reasons I do not remember. After one of his talks, (not the Public Talk), during his conclusion, he announced that after the session he and his wife would be down on the auditorium floor near the stage for a while if anyone would like to come to greet them. At the time, I had, and still have, a negative view of this, as it came across as his considering himself a "celebrity" of sorts. But evidently, I was in the minority, as hundreds of our Brothers and Sisters were lined up crowding the stage area for quite a while.

We’ve heard lots of visiting speakers on assembly programs say something similar. They wanted the friends to feel free to come say hello.
 

I’ve heard at times people can be too nervous and think everyone else is going to say hello and then it turns out hardly anyone says hello to them. 
 

Now if they said you can come greet us and kiss my ring…..different story 😂

[Sheep]

7 hours ago, trottigy said:

Things were a little different 25 years ago, eh.

4 hours ago, davanz said:

...hundreds of our Brothers and Sisters were lined up...

2 hours ago, BLEmom said:

They wanted the friends to feel free to come say hello.

 

Personally, I don't think the Governing Body would do the same today. The whole organization has grown up a lot since those days, and that includes the GB.

 

Oh yeah, and that photo from the 1999 Watchtower?

Spoiler

 

[Sheep]

Now, if only I could get Neeta and Jade out of my head...

[LeolaRootStew]

It says they were signing gift Bibles for public officials. I wonder if that changes the context a little.

[BLEmom]

By signing bibles….it doesn’t even mean they were just signing their names like celebrities or book writers do. They could have been putting in a simple message to encourage the officials to read the Bible.  Instead of a card with the Bible, they put a card like message on the blank first page. 
 

People used to gift others bibles back in the days we had to pay for them. They would put a text or loving message at the front. 

[Mike047]

Just imagine  what the problem could be when the faithful men and women of bible times come back. Will some of the brothers and sisters of today keep autograph books to get signatures of those ones? Will some say 'I got Moses' signature', and others say 'but I got Abel's signature', but others say 'well, I got David's signature'; or 'I got Esther's signature'. 

 

Does this sound like New World living?

[Sheep]

2 minutes ago, Mike047 said:

Just imagine  what the problem could be when the faithful men and women of bible times come back. Will some of the brothers and sisters of today keep autograph books to get signatures of those ones? Will some say 'I got Moses' signature', and others say 'but I got Abel's signature', but others say 'well, I got David's signature'; or 'I got Esther's signature'. 

 

Does this sound like New World living?

At least we won't be saying: "I got Adam's signature."

[Eejay]

On 1/17/2025 at 5:45 PM, Friend of Peace said:

GB, including Gerrit Lösch, signing Bibles with their signature in to give away.

 

On 1/17/2025 at 5:45 PM, Friend of Peace said:

Would we say now that this an error in judgement on their part for doing that

 

There could be a rather tragic misrepresentation of the Governing Body in 1998 if we were not to consider the context of what was going on here. This was an event in Cuba, a country which no member of the Governing Body had been able visit for over 30 years (1961). These Bibles, personally signed by GB members, were not part of a general autograph giveaway or self promotion excercise. These were personal tokens of appreciation given to government officials in recognition of their change of heart toward Jehovah's people after decades of misrepresentation and official persecution in that land. It was also an indication of the solidarity of the GB with the Christians in Cuba in their fight to maintain their integrity and for freedom of worship. This to me is an interesting reciprocation of the action Jesus encouraged at Matt.25:34-40.

 

In 1962 the government of Cuba cut off the importation of Bible literature by Jehovah’s Witnesses. The State decreed that such publications were “harmful, reactionary and pro-imperialist". Persecution intensified and in 1965 there was an attack against Jehovah's Witnesses, paticularly against youths of military conscription age. Hundreds were interned in concentration camps, enduring intense privations, desperate conditions some singled for physical torture.
 

In 1968, governmental persecution intensified, harnessing media outlets to defame Jehovah's Witnesses as assassins, subversives, and fanatics. Employment discrimination was common , and Witness parents were systematically attacked as the government passed  new laws imposing prison sentences on any father, mother or teacher who would instruct children in what was called “a lack of respect for patriotic organizations or symbols"
Children making a stand on flag-saluting ceremonies in school were bullied and reported to the authorities resulting in their parents receiving sentences of three to six months in jail. Brothers homes were invaded by officials, they were looted of valuables, planted with incriminating items such as weapons and drugs. This treatment continued for decades.

 

By 1995, more tolerant attitudes prevailed and Cuban witnesses were again able to meet together more freely, share the good news, print magazines, although not yet officially recognised. With permission to gather in groups of 150, they were able to hold many, many sessions of the "Godly Fear" Districy Convention, and the conduct of the friends at these gatherings greatly impressed the authorities , and of course gave the lie to prior false accusations of anti-social behaviour. By 1996 the report of field service in Cuba got its own line back in the Annual Yearbook listing where it had been pooled in the other (persecuted) lands slot since 1967. Trawl the 60s yearbooks for detail on the treatment received by faithful Christians in Cuba.
 

So, the 1998 action of the GB members visiting Cuba in doing their best to acknowledge and encourage the continuance of enlightened and favourable treatment of Jehovah's people is commendable and in harmony with the spirit of the apostle Pauls urging at 1Tim.2:1-2:

 

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made concerning all sorts of men, concerning kings and all those who are in high positions, so that we may go on leading a calm and quiet life with complete godly devotion and seriousness."

 

Edited January 18 by Eejay

[Tortuga]

On 1/17/2025 at 9:45 AM, Friend of Peace said:

Regarding our recent update about not giving undue praise to brothers who appears in dramas, experiences etc. I was a little confused when I came across the Watchtower, May 15th 1999 edition. On page 8, there’s a picture in the physical copy of magazine of the previous GB, including Gerrit Lösch, signing Bibles with their signature in to give away.

How did you happen to be reading a physical copy of the 5/15/99 WT? 

All of our bound volumes are packed away, I haven't seen a magazine that old in years! 

[BlaqueCalalilly]

On 1/18/2025 at 5:09 PM, Eejay said:

 

 

There could be a rather tragic misrepresentation of the Governing Body in 1998 if we were not to consider the context of what was going on here. This was an event in Cuba, a country which no member of the Governing Body had been able visit for over 30 years (1961). These Bibles, personally signed by GB members, were not part of a general autograph giveaway or self promotion excercise. These were personal tokens of appreciation given to government officials in recognition of their change of heart toward Jehovah's people after decades of misrepresentation and official persecution in that land. It was also an indication of the solidarity of the GB with the Christians in Cuba in their fight to maintain their integrity and for freedom of worship. This to me is an interesting reciprocation of the action Jesus encouraged at Matt.25:34-40.

 

In 1962 the government of Cuba cut off the importation of Bible literature by Jehovah’s Witnesses. The State decreed that such publications were “harmful, reactionary and pro-imperialist". Persecution intensified and in 1965 there was an attack against Jehovah's Witnesses, paticularly against youths of military conscription age. Hundreds were interned in concentration camps, enduring intense privations, desperate conditions some singled for physical torture.
 

In 1968, governmental persecution intensified, harnessing media outlets to defame Jehovah's Witnesses as assassins, subversives, and fanatics. Employment discrimination was common , and Witness parents were systematically attacked as the government passed  new laws imposing prison sentences on any father, mother or teacher who would instruct children in what was called “a lack of respect for patriotic organizations or symbols"
Children making a stand on flag-saluting ceremonies in school were bullied and reported to the authorities resulting in their parents receiving sentences of three to six months in jail. Brothers homes were invaded by officials, they were looted of valuables, planted with incriminating items such as weapons and drugs. This treatment continued for decades.

 

By 1995, more tolerant attitudes prevailed and Cuban witnesses were again able to meet together more freely, share the good news, print magazines, although not yet officially recognised. With permission to gather in groups of 150, they were able to hold many, many sessions of the "Godly Fear" Districy Convention, and the conduct of the friends at these gatherings greatly impressed the authorities , and of course gave the lie to prior false accusations of anti-social behaviour. By 1996 the report of field service in Cuba got its own line back in the Annual Yearbook listing where it had been pooled in the other (persecuted) lands slot since 1967. Trawl the 60s yearbooks for detail on the treatment received by faithful Christians in Cuba.
 

So, the 1998 action of the GB members visiting Cuba in doing their best to acknowledge and encourage the continuance of enlightened and favourable treatment of Jehovah's people is commendable and in harmony with the spirit of the apostle Pauls urging at 1Tim.2:1-2:

 

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made concerning all sorts of men, concerning kings and all those who are in high positions, so that we may go on leading a calm and quiet life with complete godly devotion and seriousness."

 

Thank you for the context....