Greece Safeguards the Right of Assembling
By “Awake!” correspondent in Greece
TRUE Christianity is not new to Crete, the fifth-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. The apostle Paul, over nineteen hundred years ago, left his fellow worker Titus there to handle problems and to make appointments of elders in the Christian congregations located in various cities on the island. This was no easy task, for the ancient Cretans had a very bad reputation. Even one of their own prophets, evidently Epimenides of the sixth century B.C.E. said: “Cretans are always liars, injurious wild beasts, unemployed gluttons.”—Titus 1:10-12.
Nevertheless, true Christianity had a wholesome effect upon those Cretans who embraced it. The apostle Paul expected that Titus would be able to find among them men who were of blameless reputation. Instructing his fellow worker as to what to look for in one that could be entrusted with responsibility, Paul wrote: “An overseer [or elder] must be free from accusation as God’s steward, not self-willed, not prone to wrath, not a drunken brawler, not a smiter, not greedy of dishonest gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness, sound in mind, righteous, loyal, self-controlled.”—Titus 1:7, 8.
Clergy Attitude
Have the religious leaders in Crete complied with the lofty requirements that Titus looked for in men who could be entrusted with congregation responsibility? The conduct of these religious leaders in connection with a peaceful assembly of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses speaks for itself.
This convention, was scheduled for July 29 to August 1, 1976, in the Ergoteles Stadium at Heraklion, a seaport on the north shore of east central Crete. The assembly program was to be devoted to Bible-based discourses, dramas and skits that developed the theme “Sacred Service.” Strong encouragement would be given throughout the program for all to conform ever closer to Scriptural requirements as parents, marriage mates, children and neighbors. Truly, four days of wholesome Biblical discussion about serving the Most High should have been welcomed by God-fearing persons. The Orthodox clergy in Crete, however, did not feel that way about it.
When preparations for the assembly started at the rented stadium in the middle of July, pressure came from religious circles to get the administration board of the Ergoteles Stadium to break the contract. Such an act would hardly be expected from men who should be examples in righteousness, loyalty and blameless conduct. Commendably, the members of the stadium’s board did not yield to clergy influence but honored their word and their signature affixed to the lease.
The religious leaders next tried to get the local Cretan authorities and the government authorities of Athens to cancel the assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Priests of Heraklion and its suburbs sent the following protest to the city’s prefect, to the public prosecutor and to the gendarmerie governor: “We have the honor to let you know that the priests of the city and suburbs of Heraklion, having convened today, July 16, at 9 a.m. in the Sacred Archbishopric of Crete because of the congress to be held in our city on July 29 to August 1 by the Millennialists or Jehovah’s Witnesses, enemies of our faith and native country, agents of international Zionism, have expressed their indignation at the unacceptable festive manifestations of this scandalous Hebrew-instigated congress, aimed at converting believers, and we also convey our parishioners’ strong protestation. . . . We ask you, therefore, to do whatever is necessary to have this provocative congress canceled; in case the congress takes place, we bear no responsibility for whatever may occur.”
As the time for the assembly to begin drew closer, the clergy and certain members of their flocks continued and intensified their protests. On July 26, for instance, some 5,000 people threatened to destroy the Ergoteles Stadium. But their efforts were thwarted by the police. An Athens newspaper carried the story under the headline “5000 Men Went to ‘Burn’ the Stadium in Heraklion.” Along with the article appeared a picture of clergymen standing outside the stadium.
Despite continued opposition to the assembly, it began on July 29 as scheduled. The police were present to deal with any disturbers who might seek to disrupt the peace of the assembly. All went well the first day until the convention delegates began to leave. Fanatical mobsters threw stones at the cars, causing serious damage to vehicles and injuring conventioners. Police efforts and the orders of the city’s public prosecutor for the rioters to move away did not stop the clergy-incited crowds from continuing to hurl stones.
This mob action was in violation of the decree issued by the chief of the Heraklion gendarmerie. That decree read in part: “We forbid any public gathering in the open or any march of protest by citizens opposing Millennialists [Jehovah’s Witnesses] and aiming at frustrating their congress or causing acts of impropriety against them.” Though violators could be subject to as much as five years’ imprisonment and, in some cases, up to twenty years, the clergy and many fanatical members of their flocks flagrantly disregarded the law. They acted contrary to the Biblical command: “Let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities,” that is, the governments.—Rom. 13:1.
On the morning of the second day of the assembly, the Watch Tower Society’s representative, accompanied by two lawyers from Athens, went to the city’s public prosecutor and reported what had taken place. He assured them that steps had been taken to prevent a recurrence of the previous day’s improprieties.
Effect of Clergy Opposition
With the exception of some sporadic shouts and fireworks launched from the streets surrounding the stadium, there were no further noteworthy incidents during the remainder of the assembly. On account of the campaign of intolerance promoted by the clergy, the convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses became known, not only in the whole of Crete, but also throughout Greece. This was because the actions of the clergy were given extensive publicity in the newspapers of Heraklion and Athens.
The publicity revealed that the religious leaders had resorted to lying misrepresentation. Instead of being like the Christians whom Titus appointed as elders, clergymen in Crete conducted themselves as did the ancient Cretans who were censured by one of their own prophets. A case in point was the clergy’s trying to link Jehovah’s Witnesses with Zionism. The newspaper Patris of Heraklion printed a cable message from the Central Israelite Council of Athens that showed up the falsity of the clergy’s claim. The message stated: “With reference to the convened congress of Millennialists, we strongly protest the intolerable attempt to mix up the Jewish religion and Zionism. Millennialism has no relation whatever to Judaism or Zionism, as is known and accepted world wide.”
To their credit, the majority of Heraklion’s polite and hospitable inhabitants were not in sympathy with the lawless conduct of the intolerant clergy and those whom they incited to mob action. Many expressions of disapproval were heard. One shopkeeper remarked to the Witnesses: “I congratulate you for your unblamable attitude.”
The lying propaganda and lawless actions of the clergy thus provided opportunity for people to see for themselves where real Christianity is practiced. The religious leaders certainly failed to measure up to the Biblical requirements for elders. Instead of maintaining irreprehensible conduct, they behaved in a most reproachful way and incited others to commit lawless deeds. But, happily, their intolerance was thwarted, as the governmental authorities had the courage to stand up for right principle and did not allow themselves to be intimidated by threats and mob action.
Regarding the intolerant clergy of Crete, it may well be asked, Could one expect to receive sound Christian teaching from such blameworthy men? Rather, would it not be among those who peacefully assembled to hear about sacred service to God that we should expect to learn the teachings of first-century Christianity?