The Watchtower Society strongly condemns the world and its commercial, political and religious systems. Described as part of Satan's system, these are said to be shortly devoted to destruction.

"False religion’s involvement in the affairs of the political nations will lead ultimately to her own devastation." Watchtower 1985 Mar 1 p.13

"Indeed, consider what the situation will be the day after God brings this system of things to its end. Satan, his demons, and his political, commercial, and religious systems will be gone - every one of them! Satan's entire propaganda apparatus will be gone too. Thus, after the great tribulation, there will never again be printed a single newspaper, magazine, book, booklet, or leaflet that supports this wicked world. There will be no corrupting influences broadcast from worldly television or radio stations. The entire poisonous environment of Satan's world will be cleared away in one mighty stroke!"" Watchtower 1993 Apr 1 pp.17-18


Witnesses are warned away from involvement in these systems. Voting, jury duty, working in the military or religious institutions or joining related clubs are either warned against as conscience matters or forbidden and reasons to be disfellowshipped. Something as simple as painting a Church roof as a contractor can be grounds for being disfellowshipped. In Malawi, thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses were tortured and killed because the Watchtower told them it was unchristian to hold a political card as required by the Malawian government. (Yearbook 1999 pp.149-223)

Despite its scathing attacks on other Religions for political involvement and the censoring of its followers, the Watchtower Society as an organization, has not held back from political involvement and lobbying when considered beneficial for its own means. This double standard has been a major source of stumbling for many followers. Since 2001, a number of people have left the Watchtower Society on learning of its application and involvement as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Associate Member of the United Nations Department of Public Information, as detailed at United Nations NGO.

The Watchtower is vague as to its definition of politics and where it draws the line between what involvement is or is not acceptable. In democratic countries there are three main political aspects:

>Executive - General administration of state bureaucracy
>Legislative - Create and maintain laws
>Judiciary - Court system for interpretation and application of the law

Whilst all three tiers are critical to the governing of a country, the Watchtower appears to be against the Executive aspect more-so than the Judiciary and Legislative functions. However, whilst against influencing the Executive function through the election of representatives, they have not shied away from political lobbying as a form of influence. The following information shows how the Watchtower Society is actively involved in political affairs, such as through lobbying and use of the Judiciary.

Judiciary Court Systems

The Watchtower Society is proud of its extensive use of the world's court systems, claiming it has benefited the preaching work and freedom of speech for people in general.

"Legal cases involving the Witnesses have numbered many thousands, and hundreds of these have been appealed to higher courts. This has had a profound effect on the law itself and has often fortified legal guarantees of basic freedoms for people in general. But this has not been the main objective of Jehovah's Witnesses. Their principal desire is to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God. Legal action that they take is not because they are social agitators or legal reformers. Their objective is to 'defend and legally establish the good news,' even as was true of the apostle Paul." Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom p. 678

Ironically, while using the world's courts to gain freedom of speech for the organization, the same cannot be said for its own members. Open disagreement with any doctrine of the Governing Body is grounds for removal from the Organization, with members strictly forbidden from speaking to such members.

It is interesting to examine the lengths Watchtower lawyers are prepared to go when using the Judiciary system for rights pertaining to the "Organization".

Jimmy Swaggart

In 1988, Jimmy Swaggart was taken to court in the case Swaggart Ministries v. California Board of Equalization. This regarded paying tax on profit derived from sales of religious material. See www.oyez.org/cases/1980-1989/1989/1989_88_1374/argument/ (6 Apr 2007)

Realising a ruling against Swaggart could result in the sale of Watchtower publications being taxed, the Watchtower Society filed a Brief of Amicus Curiae (friend of the court) for United States Supreme Court Docket # 88-1374. This was to show support for Jimmy Swaggart Ministries retaining tax exempt status. Other groups to similarly do so included International Society for Krishna Consciousness of California, Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and the Prison Fellowship. The Supreme Court ruled against Swaggart on January 17th, 1990, ordering him to pay back taxes.

With the decision going against Swaggart, the Watchtower Society initiated the 'voluntary donation' arrangement. A letter to elders in the United States was sent on February 21st 1990, changing the distribution of magazines to a donation arrangement, effective from March 1st 1990. This was rolled out to other countries over coming months. Information explaining the arrangement to congregations was provided in the Our Kingdom Ministry,1991 March pp.3,4 titled "Our Simplified Literature Distribution Arrangement". To ensure that the Watchtower would not be disadvantaged by the new arrangement, Witnesses were told to donate for the literature they pick up at the kingdom hall, and then also donate any money received from householders, something akin to double-dipping. A further letter to congregations followed January 24th 1991, with the following explanation for why the double donation was not to be considered donating twice.