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Doctrine changes · Claim record

In February 1974 the congregation newsletter Kingdom Ministry extended the tobacco ruling to employment: farmers, shopkeepers, salesmen and factory workers whose living came from tobacco were given a period such as three months to find other work, failing which the congregation was to expel them.

Claim ID claim-doctrine-tobacco-employment-1974Concerns February 1974Explicit statement
Explicit statement · February 1974 Verified

In February 1974 the congregation newsletter Kingdom Ministry extended the tobacco ruling to employment: farmers, shopkeepers, salesmen and factory workers whose living came from tobacco were given a period such as three months to find other work, failing which the congregation was to expel them. Kingdom Ministry, February 1974

The organisation’s position or later explanation: The same article says that ‘the light of truth is shining brighter’ and that members have always been ready to give up employment found to be out of harmony with the Scriptures, ‘even though it may have meant some personal financial loss’.

Show the evidence (1 source)
Primary JW publication Verified

Kingdom Ministry, “Harmonizing Our Employment with ‘Love of Neighbor’”

February 1974 · p.4 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“If a dedicated, baptized Christian finds himself working in such an objectionable type of employment, he should arrange within a reasonable time, perhaps three months, to find other employment that would not be out of harmony with the requirements of the Scriptures for Christian living. On the other hand, if after such time period he would decide to remain in the objectionable employment, it would be necessary for the congregation to take action and expel the individual from the congregation.”

The congregation newsletter extends the 1973 tobacco ruling to employment: tobacco farmers, shop owners who stock tobacco, salesmen and factory workers are given about three months to change their work. It sets out how tobacco allotments, tenancies, partnerships and signed contracts are to be handled, and says growing tobacco ‘is as objectionable as using tobacco personally’.

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Article opened on the Watchtower Online Library on 19 September 2026 and read in full. The quoted paragraph sits between the page 4 and page 5 markers, so the page is 4; the article runs pp. 3-6.

Corroborated by. src-chg-p-jv-1993-ch13-tobacco

Notes. The same article lists gambling, producing idolatrous objects, work contrary to Isaiah 2:4, producing Christmas goods and employment by ‘Babylon the Great’ as other kinds of work that could lead to removal from the congregation.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-chg-p-km-1974-02-employment-tobacco

Claim page

A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-doctrine-tobacco-employment-1974/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.