1.0 INTRODUCTION

We all know the story that Ray Franz tells and how Don Cameron and friends merely echo the story without ever taking time to even research it for themselves. Whatever anyone says negative about Jehovah’s Witnesses is always accepted by these apostapposers without question. Facts? Research? No way. Lets take the story and run with it. Lets throw out any and everything we hear and see what sticks. Truth is of no importance, only discrediting JWs is important.

Of course, they have as usual done this with the Mexico military identification card and JWs. Franz says it, and apostates everywhere like Don Cameron repeats it in their books or on their websites or on discussion boards never bothering to research anything about it. Well a little research reveals the truth that they have omitted.

Proof of what I write here is taken from many sites including these:

http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/research/ndp/ref/index_e.htm?docid=109&cid=0&sec=CH02

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Mexico

http://www.wri-irg.org/co/rtba/mexico.htm

http://nationalserviceact.org/20.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/military-service

I will put quotes from these sites in quotation marks.

1.0 REGISTRATION AND CONSCRIPTION

When a young Mexican approaches the age of 18 he must go register for conscription into the Mexican army. It is like registering for the draft in the U.S. This is the law. If he fails to do so, he breaks the law.

“Mexico’s Military Service Law states that all Mexican men should register for military service in the year in which they turn 18 years of age, and begin their one year of active military service, if applicable,”

“Penalties: Draft evasion and desertion are punishable under the Code of Military Justice.”

Notice that it is stated that young men ‘begin their one year of active military service, IF APPLICABLE’. This is because it is NOT APPLICABLE to most of these young men because the majority are not drafted for military service. There are about 1 million young men who are obligated to register each year. A ball is drawn to determine which ones will be drafted or conscripted into the military. “Although registration for national military service is universal for men, most men are not actually conscripted.” Only about 40,000 are drafted or conscripted and must complete military training on the weekends for one year. Then they are discharged and given their “marching papers” or National military Identification Card putting them in the first reserve.

“When a man has completed his term of duty as placed or on availability, a special page called the “discharge form” (hoja de liberación) is attached to his military identity card, which is then given back to him.”

2.0 EXEMPTION

What you might not know that apostates and opposers have conveniently left out is that about 96 percent of those registering are not conscripted or drafted into the army but still receive their ‘marching papers’. Most get a black ball which exempts them from military duty and they are given their ‘marching papers’ or military identification card putting them in the ‘first reserve’. This is called ‘serving on availability’ and requires no military training.

“Those who obtain a black ball in the draw shall fulfil their military service through availability, without having to present themselves physically for service.”

They are put in the same ‘first reserve’ that all Mexican men who register are placed in whether they perform active military duty or are exempt from active military duty. And what apostates do not tell you is that there are other ways to gain exemption then just getting a black ball. For example, if a person lives more than 20 killometers from the training facility he can apply for exemption and will likely receive it. He will be given his marching papers without performing military training.

“Those who live in a community classified as “remote” (lejana) are excluded from the lottery and serve on availability “

“Exemption is possible for medical reasons, for those living abroad and for those living more than 20 kilometers from the training centre boundaries.”

3.0 FIRST RESERVE

Exactly what does it mean to be in the ‘first reserve’? Does it mean a person is part of the Mexican army? That is what opposers would have you believe. But if that is the case then how can it be explained that the Mexico military is made up of only “200,000 active, and over 400,000 reservist” when 1 million register each year and are placed in the ‘first reserve’ after one year. There should actually be millions of young men who are Mexican army reservists. And yet, that is not the case. Why?

It is because those who are placed in the first reserve (which is all the Mexican young men whether exempt or conscripted for one year) are not in the military. They are in the ‘first reserve’ because they are in line to be the first ones conscripted in the army should the army be mobilized or go to war.

It is only those “Candidates who elect to stay in the military upon completion of their service obligation form the professional ranks of the Mexican Armed Forces.” It is no different from receiving a draft card in the U.S in the 1960s and early 1970s. All persons registering for the draft in the U.S. received such a card and were classified by the government.

4.0 THE NUMBER OF CONSCRIPTED JWS

The claim is made that so many Mexican brothers have paid a bribe to have an officer say that they performed military training and thus get their ‘marching papers’ and are thereby placed in the army. As we see from the above truths presented this is not the case since many brothers get legally exempted from military training. Consider the figures:

Approximately 1 in 200 people in Mexico are now witnesses. Of course it was a smaller ratio in the 1960s and 1970s but lets take the modern figures. If 1 million Mexicans register each year approximately 5000 would be JWs. But 96 percent would receive a black ball if they actually went thru with taking a chance on the drafting lottery system. This means there would only be about 200 JWs who were actually conscripted or drafted and were obligated to receive military training. They would then have a decision to make.

But consider that these figures are extremely high. In 1970 the ratio of JW to population in Mexico was about 1 in 1500. Since the population of Mexico was about half what it is now, this means that approximately 500,000 men would be required to register. Of these only 333 would be JWs. Since only about 4 percent of those registering are actually conscripted or drafted this mean that only about 13 JWs would be conscripted into the army, if they did not get exemption for various other reasons.

So as you see it is by no means as opposers like Ray Franz indicates. At most, it would be only a hand full of JWs each year who would be subject to active military training. In this Franz has made a glaring mistake. Franz states: “Publishers who wish to obtain a ‘cartilla’ go to one of the Draft Boards, to register to receive immediately their ‘cartilla’ but of course this is not complete, that is, it is not legalized. Then in order to legalize it they go to someone they know with influence or directly to an official. For this they have to pay a certain amount of money (according to what may be asked). In this way the publishers obtain their ‘cartilla’ or the majority of them that have it.”

No, the majority of JWs do not get the ‘cartilla’ or ‘marching papers’ or National military id card by ‘bribing’ officials. By far, the majority of JWs automatically receive the card by being exempt from active military duty. In fact, over 90 percent of Mexicans receive their card in this manner whether JWs or not.

5.0 THE MORDIDAS

If a JW is conscripted/drafted they have a decision to make if they want to continue to obey God rather than men. Either they would have to refuse to show up for the training which would be illegal. “All Mexican federal, state and municipal government employees are obliged to ensure that citizens with whom they have professional dealings have executed their military obligations, and in the event that they have not, must direct them to the relevant authorities…All persons who know about any violation of the Military Service Law are obliged to inform the authorities of the violation, or face up to 15 days’ detention.”

Or they could pay a mordidas and have an officer stamp their card showing that they had fulfilled the military training. Of course, technically speaking this would also be illegal even though paying a mordidas is a way of life in Mexico and an acceptable custom among the people there. Which should they do? Obviously they would have to decide themselves which avenue of ‘illegality’ they would opt for in order to be obeying God as ruler rather than man and not serve on active duty in the military. That is what the WTS stated in those letters if indeed they are not fakes.

If they chose to pay a mordidas would they be paying to become a part of the army as opposers would have you believe? NO, it is quite to the contrary. They are paying to be ‘discharged’ from active duty.

“When a man has completed his term of duty as placed (conscripted) or on availability, a special page called the “discharge form” (hoja de liberación) is attached to his military identity card, which is then given back to him”

6.0 LIES AND EXAGGERATIONS

What I find so amazing and incredibly hard to believe is that Franz, after looking into the matter in such detail, is so unaware that the ‘cartilla’ is in most cases obtained by being exempt from military duty rather than receiving military training or paying a mordidas to have their card stamped by an official. In fact, I would wonder how any single JW would ever be conscripted into the army since it is so simple to obtain legal exemption or at least deferment for a number of years without even going thru the lottery system at all.

It is also hard to believe that the Mexican branch when writing of elders or overseers having the card, did not explain that the card is automatically given even to those who are exempted from military service and that those elders or overseers may have received their card in that manner rather than ‘bribiing’ an official. In fact, it is most likely that those who have the card did indeed receive it as a result of their legally registering as required by law and being legally exempted from military duty. Of course, many others may have received the card even before becoming JWs and may have actually went thru the military training. Neither the Mexican branch nor theWT headquarters, according to Franz, even thinks about this at all, never bothering to even mention the possibility. There is indeed something fishy here.

One web site ran by opposers makes the claim: “In Mexico, men who underwent military training for one year were eligible to obtain a Military Service Card (“Identity Cartilla for Military Service”).

As we see this site is perpetrating half truths, following the example of Ray Franz which is no doubt where their information originates. It is not just those who undergo military training that are ‘eligible’ to receive their ‘cartilla’. Even those exempt from military training receive it. In fact, every young Mexican man receives it whether by training militarily or by receiving an exemption from such training. But appostaposers want you to think that a young JW man goes out of his way in order to be eligible to get the ‘cartilla’, then bribes an official in order to get the benefits of the cartilla.

As usual, apostates have tried to hide the truth and have made great exaggerations in hopes of discrediting JWs. Truth once again takes a back seat to their agenda. This time, it appears to be one of the most hallowed leaders and heroes of apostates who is attempting to mislead, that being Raymond Franz.

Cameron quoted Franz book saying:“Almost any person, under any pretext, can avoid military service and pay an official to note down supposed attendance for the weekly instruction,(giving appearance of regular attendance)….”

The truth is that almost any person, not under pretext, can avoid military service without paying an official to get exemption from military training by drawing a black ball or by getting exemption due to reasons such as medical or living too far away. Persons can also get deferrment for 5 year periods because of being in school or supporting a family and other reasons.

Cameron writes that the Feb 4, 1960 letter (he dates it 1969) from the Mexico branch states:

“But here a brother who probably is a servant or circuit servant has his marching card which he uses now and then in such legal transactions but he has not marched.”

This is a very strange statement. Does the Mexican branch not know whether this brother is a circuit servant or servant in congregation or not? Is the branch aware that he could have obtained the card by legal exemption from the military service rather than ‘bribing’ an official? Is the branch aware that perhaps he could have obtained his card before he was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses? They do not appear to be aware of these facts, along with being unaware of his position in the organization.

Cameron says the letter in Franz’s book states: “It is and has been the custom among the brothers to pay this sum of money and secure their marching cards and many of them are now serving as circuit servants and congregation servants.”

Again, does the branch not realize that the card can be obtained without bribery and without the military training merely by getting exempt from military service? And that it could have been obtained before the brother was a JW? Is the branch calling this a ‘custom among the brothers’ when in 1960, statistically speaking, less than 10 brothers would have been drafted for the military training each year during that decade.

Cameron quotes from Franz’s book the Sept 5, 1969 letter written to the Mexico branch from the WTS as follows:

Dear Brothers,

We have your letter of August 27 in which you ask a question about brothers who had registered in Mexico and are now in the first reserve.

The letter that you quoted on February 4, 1960 covers the whole matter.

Interesting that the Aug 27, 1969 letter from the Mexican branch did not quote the Feb 4, 1960 letter because that was the letter that they themselves wrote according to Franz or Cameron and that letter contained no policy but rather only their question. It would have been the June 2, 1960 letter from the WTS to the Mexico branch, not the Feb 4, 1960 letter that the Mexico branch quoted from.

You see according to Cameron quoting Franz it goes like this:

Feb 4, 1960: Branch writes WTS with question.

June 2, 1960: WTS answers.

Aug 27, 1969: Branch writes again to WTS.

Sept 5, 1969: WT answers and refers to wrong letter dated Feb 4, 1960. The branch really quoted the June 2, 1960 letter.

WT mistake or Ray Franz/Don Cameron mistake?

Diogenes Wrote:

What some are calling a bribe is not really considered a bribe (mordida) in Mexico. It is just the way of doing business.

This commentary sort of explains it:

http://www.cjjohns.com/lawpowerandjustice/commentaries/mordida.html

also this blog:

http://businesssob.blogspot.com/2007/03/corruption-bribes-mordidas-tips-doing.html

“Want your tourist card stamped? You pay the mordida. Want the dates on your tourist card extended? You pay the mordida. Want your car registered? You pay the mordida.

And, there’s no point in protesting it. The question is not whether you’ll pay. The question is how much.”

Here are the facts.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Mexico

“According to the CIA World Fact book, Mexico’s available military manpower is 20,000,000 (males age 18-49, 2005 est.), with 19,058,337 males fit for military service, and 1,063,233 males annually reaching military service age. …Currently, Mexico’s armed forces number some 620,400, including the reserves.”

Clearly the Mexico Military Reserve is vastly different from the ‘first reserve’ since there is only about 400,000 in the Military Reserve but 20 million who are fit for military service with the ‘cartilla’ id card.

People with the id card are not in the Mexican Military Reserve.

One opposer wrote:

But again, the issue that us ‘bad guys’ see is not whether or not the brothers obtained the “cartilla” illegally but rather that the Society’s President told them that was OK with God’s organization (and therefore with God) if they obtained it illegally.

They had no choice in doing something illegal if they were going to continue to serve God. The fact is that they would either have to disobey God and obey the government by serving or obey God and do something illegal according to the government. Either they would have had to refuse to report for active duty or pay a mordidas and be ‘discharged’ by the Mexican official in charge. The WTS could not make that decision for them as to which illegal activity they would engage in to obey God as ruler rather than men and rightfully so.

The actual facts seem to be at odds with what Franz has published in his book.

I suppose we must conclude either one of the two:

1. The Mexican branch was ill informed about the laws of Mexico and how the ‘cartilla’ is obtained.

Or perhaps

2. Ray Franz embellished.

We must also conclude either one of the two:

1. The WTS and branch made mistakes in the writing of their letters (The WTS even referred to the wrong letter).

Or perhaps

2. Ray Franz embellished.

Also consider this: There were 500,000 Mexican men reaching the age of 18 in 1970. There is no possible way that each man could have been conscripted or drafted into the army. The Mexican army did not have enough personnel to train 500,000 men in 1970. By far, the majority were exempted from active military duty. The exemption clause was in effect since the Mexican military laws were established in 1942.

Suggestion for those who believe everything apostates tell them:

Do some research and quit accepting what anyone says who merely wishes to discredit JWs. Do some thinking and quit letting apostates think for you. Get a mind of your own use a little honesty in your reasoning.

One opposer wrote:

“Refuse to serve in the Mexican Army Reserve even if it meant going to jail. In this way they would not have to do anything illegal.”

Wrong. The reason they go to jail is because they are doing something illegal. Refusing to serve was one of the choices I gave when I said not show up for military duty.

A person has two choices, both of which are illegal.

1. Not show up for military duty (which could lead to jail time.)

2. Pay mordidas to an officer who has the authoritiy to discharge you from the military.

The WTS left it up to each person’s own conscience which ‘illegal’ act they would engage in. How could they make such a decision for them?

One opposer wrote:

“You made it appear that the Mexican government was pretty aggressive in inforcing its policy that practically forced the Witnesses to have to cheat and lie in order to avoid the wrath of the authorities. But that Branch Office document paints quite a different picture…

“Although the laws on military service are very specific, generally they are not enforced strictly. If a publisher, upon arriving at military age, does not present himself voluntarily before a draft board, they do not call him to do so.” “

I did not say one way or another how much the law was enforced. But it is really immaterial. Whether it is strictly enforced or not, it is still illegal according to Mexican law. and isn’t that the point trying to be made by opposers.

If that reasoning is going to be used by opposers then we can also use the same reasoning for paying a mordidas since this is the way business is conducted in Mexico, and since paying a mordidas is an accepted custom and such ‘illegal’ activity is not punished by the law. Even more so then, a mordidas could be paid with no repercussions.

If an official with authority to discharge you from the army said he would discharge you for 100 pesos wouldn’t you do it? Then throw in the fact that paying a mordidas is an acceptable way to conduct business in Mexico.

The bottom line is that the WTS had no right to decide if brothers should engage in the ‘illegal’ act of paying a mordidas (which is viewed as an acceptable way to conduct business in Mexico) or the illegal act of dodging the draft to evade military service. Any brother drafted had to do one or the other or else serve in the military and disobey God.

Gareth Wrote:

The point of principle is that one must obey God rather than men.

So when the men’s law requires that you disobey God then you must break the men’s law right?

Now in MEXICO there is a CHOICE as to how one will break the men’s law in order to obey God.

The principle is NOT to deliberately hurt yourself as much as possible to make a point that you are obeying God. It is merely to obey God.

Take Malawi for instance. Do they have an option as to how they obey God and avoid joining the party?

No. They have NO OPTIONS.

What about other conscription countries? Do they have an option as to how they can obey God and avoid serving in the Army? Maybe the ONLY way to obey God is to break the law by non attendance rather than payment.

But I seems from the information so far that the principle to avoid serving in the military or a political party is being upheld in every case.

However on an individual basis SOME people are lucky enough to have a CHOICE as to how they follow the principle in obedience to God. Others do not.

Ray Franz MUST have known this.

That makes him a liar.

It would be inhuman to force Mexicans to suffer simply because Malawians are suffering. So clearly the GB has lovingly done its best for everyone respecting their individual circumstances.

Kudos for 3W for exposing the hypocrisy.

Gareth Continued:

The bottom line is that a JW would HAVE to break the law to avoid serving in the Army. They had one of two ways to do it. Refuse to turn up, or pay a bribe. Both illegal.

All the GB did was leavi it up to the individual to decide how he would break man’s law to uphold God’s law.

Respecting documents we have no idea how many OTHER documents there might exists between the GB and Mexico branch. Also we do not know what information individuals might have presented verbally over the phone or upon returning from Mexico to the GB.

Nor do we know to what extent the GB examined Mexican Law for themselves respecting the situation.

Franz’ letters could just be a tiny part of the WHOLE story.

Like I said right at the beginning, we only had Ray Franz’ side. Not the whole story.

Now, thanks to 3W we have rather more information. But still not the WHOLE story.

However it seems pretty clear that the situation is NOTHING like the dishonest presentation it has thus far received.

Desert Butler Wrote:

It by no means looks likely that everyone with a Cartilla is counted as an army reserve by the military. That would mean there would be 1,000,000 Mexican reserves. We know that is not true.

Also Mexican law suggests that those on the reserve list are NOT considered part of the Army unless they are called up (mobilised).

Also consider the situation of someone who leaves the professional army. They remain in the reserves for a number of years after they leave (in the UK). But these people are STILL able to become JWs. They are civilians despite being listed as military reserves.

Those in Mexico also are considered civilians, not soldiers.

The fact is they simply appear on a military list. They are not part of an army unit. They are not IN a Reserve Army because there is no such battalion.

Actually there would be 20 million in the Mexican Army Reserve since there are 1 million each year registering for the draft. This is according to Wikipedia quoting another reliable source. But he Mexican Army Reserve reports that there are only about 400,000. What happened to the other 19,600,000 reservists? Why are they not counted as being in the army reserve?

In 1970 the ratio of JW to population in Mexico was about 1 in 1500. Since the population of Mexico was about half what it is now, this means that approximately 500,000 men would be required to register. Of these only 333 would be JWs. Since only about 4 percent of those registering are actually conscripted or drafted this mean that only about 13 JWs would be conscripted into the army, if they did not get exemption for various other reasons.

That was in 1970. In about 1960 there would have only been about 5. And it would have slowly increased thru the decade until 1970, reaching around 13 at the turn of the decade (statistically speaking). So thru all the 60s there may have been 70 publishers that were drafted and thats if none of them applied for exemption for various reasons. The figure would actually be even lower.

So as you see it is by no means as opposers like Ray Franz indicates. At most, it would be only a hand full of JWs each year who would be subject to active military training. In this Franz has made a glaring mistake.

Franz says that the Mexico branch said: “Publishers who wish to obtain a ‘cartilla’ go to one of the Draft Boards, to register to receive immediately their ‘cartilla’ but of course this is not complete, that is, it is not legalized. Then in order to legalize it they go to someone they know with influence or directly to an official. For this they have to pay a certain amount of money (according to what may be asked). In this way the publishers obtain their ‘cartilla’ or the majority of them that have it.”

No, the majority of JWs do not get the ‘cartilla’ or ‘marching papers’ or National military id card by ‘bribing’ officials. By far, the majority of JWs automatically receive the card by being exempt from active military duty. In fact, over 90 percent of Mexicans receive their card in this manner whether JWs or not.

An opposer wrote:

“Where did you get your statistics? How many Witnesses were reported in the 1960 Yearbook of JWs? How many were males and of military age? According to the Proclaimers book, page 470 there were some 80,481 Witnesses in Mexico by 1975. It would seem to me that a considerable number of these would have been male and of military age rather than the few that you allege.”

In 1960 there were about 20,000 publishers in Mexico. Statistically speaking under 200 would have been around 18 years old. Since only about 4 percent of those 18 year olds in Mexico are conscripted that would mean that about 8 JWs would have been conscripted and that’s if they did not get exemption by other means such living too far from the training center.

I arrive at this figure because presently Mexico’s population is over 100 million and only 1 million are 18 years old. Thats a little less than 1 percent. 1 percent of 20,000 is 200.

Here is something else to think about.

The military draft laws were instituted in 1942. The first letter from the Mexican branch is dated 1960. That is 18 years later. So the first young men who came up for drafting in 1942, would at the time of the letter in 1960, have been only 36 years old.

According to Franz’s photocopy the 1960 letter states: “It is and has been the custom among the brothers to pay this sum of money and secure their marching cards and many of them are now serving as circuit servants and congregation servants.”

My question: How many 36 year old circuit overseers have you ever known?

And did you know that there were less than 1000 publishers in Mexico in 1942? That would mean about ten 18 year olds statistically speaking. And there is a good chance that none would have been drafted. In 1950 there were about 8000 publishers. That would mean 80 that were 18 years old. And that would mean about 3 drafted if we just go by statistics.

The chances are very good that no JW, who was over 30 years old in 1960, was even conscripted or drafted for military training when he was 18 years old and a JW at that age if these figures are correct.

Do you know any 30 year old circuit overseers?

Can anyone show where I am wrong?

FH Chandler Wrote:

They didn’t need the authorization of the President of the WTS to break a law that ran contrary to the “holy” scriptures.

The “god” of the bible already gave them that authority.

It was also “illegal” for people under Nebuchadnezzar’s regime to not engage in idol worship. Would you have condemned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as well?

Mexico wasn’t a state that recognized “conscientious objectors.” That makes it very hard for those who have a legitimate reason to not take part in dictatorial compulsory military service to avoid it WITHOUT breaking the law.

You seem to have a problem with these actions because they were “illegal.”

Ok, fine.

As a “christian” you should be well aware of the fact that the bible, although telling “christians” to be in subjection to the “superior” authorities, does not make that command absolute- you know full well that “god” only expects “christians” to be in subjection where Caesar’s law doesn’t conflict with “god’s.”

Opposer wrote:

“But what if some elders, circuit and district overseers and Bethelites in the UK bribed government officials to have them falsify a document that said they had successfully completed a year of basic training and were then enrolled in the UK Army Reserve?

Is there a difference?”

First off, this has never been proven since the card can easily be obtained by exemption which would include over 90 percent of those holding the card and actually doing the training before becoming a JW. So just because a brother has the card does not mean he engaged in illegal activity.

Can Cameron or Franz actually show us one single CO or DO who obtained the card by bribery? Even the ‘letter’ from the Mexican branch said ‘probably’.

2ndly, if they did give a mordidas to get ‘discharged’ from military duty then that was the illegal means they chose to keep from serving in the army, since they had to choose one illegal means or another in order to obey God rather than men. Cameron and Franz wants you to believe that they paid a mordidas to get into the army. It would have been just the opposite as the facts show. It was to be discharged from the army. The WTS had no right in telling the brothers which ‘illegal’ means they would choose in order to keep from serving in the military.

An opposer wrote:

“This was done with the blessing of the branch and of headquarters.”

Yet another misleading statement. The WTS did not ‘bless’ this action in the letters that Franz shows. They merely left it up to the conscience of each one to decide what ‘illegal’ action he would take to avoid military duty.

The Sept 5, 1969 letter that Franz shows says:

“The Society has always said that people should comply with the law and if this individual has done what you have described in your letter land it does not hurt his conscience then we leave the matter just as it is. There is no reason for us to decide another man’s conscience, nor to get into an argument or controversy over the matter. If the individuals are not compromising in the sense of taking up arms, and what they are doing continues to allow them to beat their swords into pruning shears, then the decision rests with them.”

Christian freedom, isn’t that what opposers claim JWs do not have? Then they argue the exact opposite when the situation calls for it. Opposers argue out of both sides of their mouth. It’s just like Opposer’s seat of the pants anti-JW theology. Whatever JWs say or do, take the opposite view and develop your own seat of the pants theology based on that.

An opposer wrote:

“Yet the brothers in Malawi had to suffer the consequences of not being able to carry a similar card, which was required for everybody.”

In other words buying a card with Hitler’s picture on it, and wearing that card on the front of your shirt saying a person belongs to the ruthless murdering Nazi party which is basically the same as belonging to the Malawi Congress party is just like a card saying you have complied with the law of the land and have been discharged from military duty? That is what the Malawi card essentially consisted of.

The problem is that it was not the Feb 4, 1960 letter that the Mexico branch quoted. It was the June 2, 1960 letter that they quoted. Look at it again.

In the June 2 1960 letter the WTS wrote:

June 2, 1960

TO: Mexico Branch Office

(Page Two)

“As to those who are relieved of military training by a money transaction with the officials who are involved therewith, this is on a par with what is done in other Latin American countries where brothers have paid for their relief through some military official in order to retain their freedom for theocratic activities.

…..

“Should a military emergency arise and confront these brothers with their marching card it would oblige them to make a decision by which they could not extricate themselves by a money payment and their mettle would be tested and they would have to demonstrate outright where they stand and prove that they are in favor of Christian neutrality in a determinative test.

Then the Mexico branch quotes that June 2, 1960 letter in their Aug 27, 1969 letter.

In the Aug 27 1969 letter the Mexico branch wrote:

August 27, 1969

TO: President Knorr

…Does this change the policy set out in your letter of June 2, 1960 page two which answered our letter mentioned above. Your letter said this:

‘As to those who are relieved of military training by a money transaction with the officials who are involved therewith, this is on a par with what is done in other Latin American countries where brothers have paid for their relief through some military official in order to retain their freedom for theocratic activities.

…..

‘Should a military emergency arise and confront these brothers with their marching card it would oblige them to make a decision by which they could not extricate themselves by a money payment and their mettle would be tested and they would have to demonstrate outright where they stand and prove that they are in favor of Christian neutrality in a determinative test.’

The September 5, 1969 letter from the WTS then answers and refers to the Mexico branch’s quoting of the Feb 4, 1960 letter. But the Mexico branch never quoted the Feb 4, 1960 letter. They quoted the June 2, 1960 letter because that was the letter that set forth the policy.

In the Sept 5 1969 letter the WTS wrote:

September 5, 1969

TO: Mexico Branch Office

Dear Brothers,

“We have your letter of August 27 in which you ask a question about brothers who had registered in Mexico and are now ion the first reserve.

“The letter that you quoted on February 4, 1960 covers the whole matter.”

But it was not the Feb 4, 1960 letter that was quoted by the Mexico branch that covered the whole matter. It was the June 2, 1960 letter.

Whoever wrote, copied, fabricated, or doctored the letter made a mistake.

It is a definite fact that the letters that Franz publishes in his book contains a noticeable mistake, a mistake that one person like myself easily picked up on.

Was it a mistake by the WTS or was the letter doctored or fabricated and the doctorer or fabricator made a mistake?

One opposer points out that the WTS could have made a mistake just as he did. But consider: The WTS is not one person. Articles and letters are not written by one person and then published. There are those who read and reread and proof read and proof read again what is written to make sure there are no mistakes. Thats why mistakes in the grammar of WT articles are very rare.

And yet, when ONE man writes, fabricates, or doctors a letter he might easily make a mistake since there is not a staff there to examine, read, reread, proof read, proof read again and again what he has written. Can you imagine a whole staff of proof readers missing the mistake? I didn’t miss it and I am not a whole staff of proof readers. I’m one person.

STRS didn’t write this post, but I agree with it 100% and am willing to defend all the points made in this post.