Jehovah’s Witnesses: I’ve Got Some “New Light” For You!
First of all, let me just say that I don’t endorse homosexuality, nor am I against it. I tolerate it just as I tolerate plaid shirts, women wearing sweat pants in Walmart, sleeved tattoos, purple hair, and nose rings. It doesn’t affect me and therefore I choose to live and let live. I’m not for or against gay marriage. I believe that everyone has the right to be who they are without any interference from me. What people choose to do with other consenting adults without violating anyone’s human rights is absolutely NONE of my business.
That out of the way, let’s move forward.
I’m always looking down the road a bit to try to figure out what might happen with our friends at the Watchtower.
Because of current trends and events, I’m going to make a shocking statement.
Within the next ten years the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society will come out with “new light” about homosexuality and declare that it is a “conscience matter”.
The alternative is a total public relations nightmare. As gays and lesbians become more widely accepted by the mainstream, the Watchtower’s strict rules and attacks on homosexuality will isolate them even more than their archaic views regarding blood transfusions.
This will open them up to severe criticism, much like the State of Indiana recently, and create a media circus that their leaders simply won’t be able to handle.
Gays and lesbians are already a protected class in twenty-two states plus D.C. and Puerto Rico. If the Watchtower continues it’s bias against the people of this class by shunning or openly disfellowshipping, they very well could be sued for human rights violations in civil court and possibly brought up on criminal charges.
As we’ve already seen, there are a host of lawsuits, many that have already been settled, against the Watchtower for pedophilia, negligence and human rights abuses.
Other countries are even more openly accepting of the LGBT community which would indicate, at least to me, that the Watchtower is in for some major trouble in its attempt to operate in more liberal countries that recognize and aggressively protect the rights of gays and lesbians.
What lies down the road is utter financial ruin unless the “boys in Brooklyn” change their stance.
Many other previously closed minded and bigoted religions have opened their doors to the LGBT community. Even Pope Francis has made some headlines with his shocking statements about gays and lesbians and recently lunched with gay and transgender inmates indicating that he and the Catholic church are slowly but surely becoming more accepting of the LGBT community. I believe this is a direct result of the power of public opinion.
Things will eventually get to a point where the Watchtower’s policy of shunning and behavior modification will be completely unenforceable and their manipulation of their members will be subject to monetary damages in the millions of dollars as well as criminal prosecution at the highest level.
When the seven old men get hit with these new lawsuits and a few large payouts are ordered, it will result in a lot of “new light” flashing forth in a very short period of time.
I’ll bring the popcorn!
Doug Shields
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