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IS
RAPE FORNICATION
If The Woman Does Not Scream And Resist? B J Kotwall (Investigator 65, 1999 March) Deuteronomy 22 The Watchtower Society (WTS) has a fascination with sex and involves itself in every aspect of Jehovah's Witnesses' (JWs) lives. In the case of
rape and
fornication the WTS
gives conflicting advice to females. The WTS has used Deuteronomy
22:23-27
to suggest that a woman is guilty of fornication if she doesn't scream
when being raped:
If there is a
betrothed
virgin, and a man
meets her in the city and lies with her, then you shall bring them both
out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with
stones,
the young woman because she did not cry for help though she was in the
city, and the man because he violated his neighbour's wife...
Inconsistent Quotes To demonstrate the WTS's fickleness a "yes" or "no" is placed above each of the following quotes to answer the question: Is Rape Fornication if the Woman Does not Scream and Resist?
w1964 1/15
63-64
Questions from Readers
But suppose the man had a weapon and threatened to kill the girl if she failed to lie down with him? These scriptures (Deuteronomy 22:23-27) do not weaken the argument or alter the situation by citing any circumstance that would justify her in not screaming. It plainly says she should scream; hence, oppose the attack regardless of the circumstances... Thus if a Christian woman does not cry out and does not put forth every effort to flee, she would be viewed as consenting to the violation...for if she should submit to the man's passionate wishes she would not only be consenting to fornication or adultery, but be plagued by the shame... A Christian woman is entitled to fight for her virginity or marital fidelity to the death.
w1968 6/1 347
The
Christian's View of Self-Defense
An issue of integrity to Jehovah's laws is involved here. So by no means would it be proper quietly to submit to rape, as that would be consenting to fornication.
g1974 3/8 14
Faced with
the Threat of Rape
She told him that...if she did not scream she would ruin her relationship with Jehovah God and the Christian congregation; that then she would be disfellowshipped or excommunicated from it and that this would be worse than being killed as far as she was concerned.
g1980 7/8 5-6
The
Growing Terror of Rape
How Most Victims React. Often coupled with the fear is confusion and uncertainty. For example, a 19-year-old explained: "I never physically fought him off in any way, partly because I was frightened, mostly because in my naivete I thought a girl has to do what she's told... I was overwhelmingly confused and defenseless against the whole suddenness... She reacted as many others have under similar circumstances. Profound terror in the face of physical threats simply renders most women helpless.
w1980 10/15 7
Avoiding
the Tragedy of Rape
She told him that if he touched her she would scream as he had never heard anyone scream before. She explained that if she did not she would ruin her relationship with Jehovah God and the Christian congregation. A Christian woman is under obligation to resist, for the issue of obedience to God's law to "flee from fornication" is involved.
w1983 3/15 30
Honor
Godly Marriage!
What do we understand here by "fornication"? The Greek word in this text is porneia. A male or a female who is forcibly raped would not be guilty of porneia.
But the rapist is asking a person to break God's law by committing fornication. Under such circumstances a Christian is obligated to resist...
For the victim to be considered guilty of fornication there would need to be proof of willing consent.
Rape is defined as unlawful sexual intercourse without the woman's consent, effected by force, duress, intimidation, or deception as to the nature of the act. Insight
Volume 1
page 863 Fornication
I just reacted instantly erupting in a frenzy of yelling and clawing and kicking and biting... Because of
them [the
words in Deuteronomy
22], I had known exactly what to do. I screamed besides which I also
fought
back.
True, the woman has to respond according to her assessment of the danger to her life.
Myth: A rape victim bears part of the blame unless she actively resists... Fact: Rape
by
definition takes place when
force or the threat of force is used to gain sexual penetration, of any
kind whatsoever, against a person's will. It is the rapist's use of
force
against an unwilling victim that makes him a rapist. Thus, a rape
victim
is not guilty of fornication... When a woman is forced to submit to a
rapist
out of terror or disorientation, it does not mean that she consents to
the act. Consent is based on choice without threat and is active, not
passive.
Myth: Rape
is an act
of passion.
All We Say Comes From God Despite
inconsistencies in
doctrine and advice
the WTS says that input into their publications is from Jehovah
himself!
The
resolutions adopted
by conventions
of God's anointed people, booklets, magazines, and books published by
them
contain the message of God's truth and are from the almighty God,
Jehovah,
and provided by him through Jesus Christ and his underofficers...
Jehovah…provides all material for the purpose of preparing his fiery message… (The Watchtower 1938 May 1, p. 143) Jehovah
commissioned
this…class of servants
to speak to all the nations in His name.
He [God] has put
his word,
his message of
this hour, into the mouth of the spiritual remnant.
He [God] put his
"words",
his message, into
the mouth of his servants for them to proclaim earth wide.
We Hardly Ever admit Our Mistakes The WTS has not
admitted
their inconsistencies
on the subject of rape or published statistics on how many JW women
were
disfellowshipped because they did not fight the rapists to death or on
how many were hurt following WTS advice.
g = Awake!
https://ed5015.tripod.com/
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