Everyone makes mistakes. The Bible characters certainly did. Think of the Apostle Peter, denying Jesus three times on the night of his arrest, his faith and courage failing him at the critical moment, leaving him a weeping, emotionally shattered wreck. (John 18:13-27)
Think of King David, sleeping with Bathsheba then panicking over the resulting pregnancy, so desperate to avoid scandal that he ultimately orchestrates events to get Bathsheba’s husband killed. (2 Samuel chapter 11)
Or think of Jonah, getting a commission from God to condemn the Ninevites, but instead running away in terror from that commission as fast as he can. (Jonah 1:3) After God readjusts Jonah’s thinking via the rather humiliating use of a whale’s digestive tract, Jonah finally gets his act together and goes forth to condemn the Ninavites. (Jonah 1:17-2:2)
Except the Ninivites promptly repent and God forgives them, so Jonah throws a hissy fit about how he will now look like a fool when all that fire and judgement he prophesied doesn’t show up on time. (Jonah 3:10) God rolls his eyes and has to school him again about not being a sulky little child, especially where people’s lives are concerned. (Jonah 4: 9-11)
Faithful men of old made some horrific mistakes, and Watchtower makes mistakes too. Think of prophecy.
“1914 will be the end of the world! Oh, that didn’t happen. Hmmm. We meant to say 1925, and Moses will be resurrected then as well! Huh, the world didn’t end and Moses is a no-show (but we can still use that lovely house we built for him). Wait right, 1975 will be the year it all ends! Oh…. well it’ll certainly come before the end of the 20th century!…huh…erm…before the generation that saw 1914 passes away? OH COME ON!”
Or think of medical advice.
For example, from 1921 to 1952, the Watchtower campaigned against vaccination, presenting it as unsuitable for Christians and nothing more than a malicious con on the part of the medical establishment.
During an era when mankind was poised to make great strides in eliminating diseases such as smallpox, Watchtower recklessly stood in the way, endangering not only the lives of its followers but of all those who came into contact with them. Only in the 1950’s did they start to reverse this position, apparently due to legal concerns more than anything else. It’s hard to argue that lives were not lost or ruined as a result.
What about organ transplants? From 1967 to 1980, the Watchtower considered transplants to be cannibalism, thus putting this life-saving and life-changing treatment out of the reach of its followers. This position was reversed after 13 years, but again it’s hard to argue that witnesses would not have suffered and even died as a result of this mistake
And how could we not mention child abuse? In Austraila alone, it was recently disclosed that over 1,006 alleged child abusers were known to Watchtower since the 1950’s as operating in their congregations. None of them were reported to the authorities.
None.
As a result of this inaction, Watchtower’s own internal records show that a significant number of these molesters continued to offend and re-offend with apparent impunity, and with no recourse available to the abuse survivors.
Of all their errors of judgement, this seems to be one of the gravest Watchtower has ever made.
So, just like the faithful men of old, Watchtower has made some terrible mistakes. There is, however, one significant difference between the faithful men of God in the bible, and Watchtower today.
In the bible, God’s people admitted their mistakes.
Peter, for example, is never recorded as having contested the accounts of his failure on the night of Jesus’ arrest. Rather, the bible narrative makes clear that he fully admitted his failures and did his best to atone for them.
Additionally, all in the congregations of the first century would be aware of Peter’s history. There was no whitewashing, no denial. Peter owned his mistake and learned from it, later being recorded as a courageous man who successfully stood firm in situations similar to the one in which he succumbed.
Likewise David, upon being confronted with the gravity of his sins, tore his garments apart and went into mourning.
If one assumes the bible as being the word of God and accepts the biblical narrative of who wrote what, then it was David himself who recorded the full depths of his mistakes in Psalm 51, acknowledging the full horror and human cost of his error. No excuses. No passing the buck. No editing of his personal history. David took it full on the chin, accepting whatever consequences God felt fitting.
Likewise, according to the religious text, Jonah himself is the author of the book that bares his name – even if most bible scholars consider the book allegorical. But assuming it is a historical account with Jonah as the writer, as befitting a humble man of God he did not attempt to whitewash his own history, or belittle his mistakes. Rather, he recorded them in excruciating detail, presenting a brutally honest chronicle of his worst failures that often cast him in a poor light.
Jonah didn’t care that it made him look bad. He knew that it was more important to acknowledge his serious mistakes, own them, and learn from them.
How does this compare to Watchtower? Let’s start with the succession of failed prophecies littering the feet of the Organization.
It has to be said, the founder of the religion, Charles Taze Russell, did occasionally admit that he’d blundered in this regard, although this didn’t stop him from setting new dates to replace the failed ones with seemingly endless enthusiasm and very little self reflection.
However as time went by and the leadership changed, this trait faded from Watchtower’s skill set. For example, the only acknowledgement of the 1975 debacle was a single published article that essentially threw the rank and file Witnesses under the bus for believing what they were told by Watchtower from the platform and in publications (never mind the fact that they are not allowed to dispute what they are told from the platform and in publications by Watchtower).
Since then, failed prophecies have not even been acknowledged as errors. They have instead been re-framed as “new understandings” or “new light.”
So the next time I leave home without my wallet, that’s not a mistake. That’s new light about the location of my wallet. And the next time I burn the toast it is not a mistake, just a new understanding about the desired status of the toast. I mean yes, I still had to eat carbonized bread for breakfast, and I’m standing at the bus stop with no money to pay the fare, but I didn’t make any mistakes, you see…
What about the other subjects? Issues where Watchtower mistakes have had a grave cost in physical and mental health? A cost in human lives? Issues such as banning vaccination and organ transplants? Or the covering up of numerous cases of child sexual abuse?
Watchtower has never apologized for these mistakes. Ever.
In fact, if you are a Jehovah’s Witness reading this, it might be the first you’ve even heard of some of these issues, so thoroughly has Watchtower whitewashed them from history and made sure that the congregation does not know.
Y’know, exactly the way Peter didn’t.
And the way David didn’t.
And the way Jonah didn’t.
I guess you can draw your own conclusions from that.
Does Watchtower follow the Civil Rights act of 1964?
As one company puts on their job information board, This company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.
The answer is that Watchtower discriminates on sexual orientation and gender identity.
I am utterly gutted at the findings of the Royal Commission…. A crisis of conscience indeed ….. For without the ‘Truth’ where do we go? Where is God’s organisation on earth? I have been advised to trust in Jehovah he will set matters straight, not to turn against the organisation into apostasy …… However the God I know and love also loves children and would not condone nor hide theses atrocities against anyone.
I am so filled with guilt because I am not attending meetings …. but I cannot walk out the door ….. I love Jehovah and I love his Bible and the promises he makes to us ….. BUT …… I am lost …..
@Karen,
Keep in mind that you don’t need to be a part of a large organization to serve God through Christ. Jesus said that ‘if just two or three are gathered in my name there I am with them.’
Russell didn’t believe that there should be any divisions among Christians. The various denominations (including the JWs) only serve to divide the true followers of Christ.
I highly recommend Ray Franz’s second book: In Search of Christian Freedom. He gives a very good perspective on how to serve God without the support of some large organization.
WS
The God of the Bible requests that you worship him in Truth and Spirit. There is no truth to the everchanging doctrines of the Watchtower publishing company and its stock. There is only one middle man between you and God, that is the Christ. Focus on him as Paul adviced the Colosseans when they were swamped by a plethora of opinions on doctrine.
Yes so true!! And yet they want un-questioning obedience!!
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society have become extreme and cult-like. If it really was Jehovah’s Organization this would not be happening!
Notice this quote from a recent 2013 Watchtower magazine:
“At that time, the life-saving direction that we receive from Jehovah’s organization may not appear practical from a human standpoint. All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not.” – (Watchtower 2013, 11/15, Pg. 20, Seven Shepherds, Eight Dukes—What They Mean for Us Today)
Here is another cult-like quote:
“We need to obey the faithful and discreet slave to have Jehovah’s approval.” – (Watchtower 2011, 7/15, Pg. 24, Simplified English Edition)
Requiring un-questioning obedience to 7 imperfect men (the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses) whether these instructions appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not, is extremism and is cult-like!
This is coming from the same Organization (The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society) that thought Armageddon was coming in 1914, then again in 1925, and then again in 1975.
This is especially disturbing and dangerous given the fact that they have not been right about anything yet. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society have a 100% failure rate in their predictions and/or interpretations for future events.
Sorry to say, but if you think anything they say now is going to happen or come true, then you are being gullible and naive!
This 1969 Awake magazine quote testifies to their failure rate:
“If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years.
Of the generation that observed the beginning of the “last days” in 1914, Jesus foretold: “This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.”-Matt. 24:34. Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in high school and thinking about a college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the way toward its finish, if not actually gone!” – (Awake, May 22, 1969, P. 14, What Future For The Young?)
(Psalm 146:3) “Do not put your trust in princes Nor in a son of man, who cannot bring salvation.”
@BeenMislead,
Excellent points! I think someone made this analogy on this site a while back: if instructions came from the GB that on a certain date every man, woman, and child was to take a little pill distributed to all the congregations, would you do so? That’s what unquestioning loyalty involves. Look at the followers of Jim Jones or Heaven’s Gate – they gave unquestioning loyalty and where did it get them? Solution: Don’t drink the kool-aid. Use your powers of reason that were endowed upon you by your Creator.
WS
Let’s try again. I think this comment got caught in the filters because I momentarily lost my wifi connection.
@BeenMislead,
Excellent points! I think someone made this analogy on this site a while back: if instructions came from the GB that on a certain date every man, woman, and child was to take a little pill distributed to all the congregations, would you do so? That’s what unquestioning loyalty involves. Look at the followers of Jim Jones or Heaven’s Gate – they gave unquestioning loyalty and where did it get them? Solution: Don’t drink the kool-aid. Use your powers of reason that were endowed upon you by your Creator.
WS
I am prepared to use the above quotes if asked about my loyalty to the FDS. I will follow it up by asking if they are prepared to drink the kool aid. Are they prepared to forcibly make children and old ones drink it. You see, if absolute obedience means just that, then they would have to say yes. At that point I would smile and say ‘I rest my case, I am done’.
I never knew the society bad mouthed vacinations. That’s interesting. People listen and obey. Awful.
I am always concerned over the use of the term “spirit directed”, what does that mean? Put simply,the WT uses it to imply (by innuendo, subterfuge, suggestion) that somehow they are enveloped by the HS. There exists no proof that any one has God’s spirit (power) to do anything, with one exception-: the Bible itself. As someone once said to me, “captured HS on the printed page”. I think that is correct and the Bible does exert power (Heb4:12) if you let it.
I think the WTS has back away from the claim of spirit appointed men, these days, since it has become patently false and unprovable, more than that, some of their appointments have proved that HS had nothing to do with it.
What the WTS has done is hijack the consciences of people with claims of being spirit directed. As one sister put it regarding the WT mag, “this is so good that we don’t even have to think for ourselves, the GB does that for us.” I nearly walked outside that day so that I wouldn’t say something offensive.
So what does all this mean? The 1940 WT spoke about ALL religion as coming from the devil, Satan, so why would Jehovah give religion, ANY religion, his spirit in the form of power? Watchtower 1940 pages 104-105, 125
Therefore if religion is an invention of Satan, would Jehovah give the Israelites (or anyone else) LAWS of Governance, or a religion to live by? Did Christ come to fulfil LAW or fulfil religion? Did Christ leave us with religion or just two LAWS and ask that worship be done in spirit and truth? Did the Aaronic priesthood teach the LAW or religion to people? Some people argue that because animal sacrifices were involved then wasn’t that religious? One answer is that the animals were prescribed as atonement for sins, which means that by LAW they had to pay a fine because of their sinful imperfections (which has put us all under a death penalty). Israel was always referred to as the “Nation of” implying Governance, not religion.
So in some ways, even though Russell had a lot of ideas that can be described as “unusual” ( I am trying to be kind) it was his thinking, as I understand it, not to become a religion, but always remain a Society. That is, a free association of people but without domination of another’s conscience.
It was Rutherford that went down the path of religion because he saw benefits that flowed from Govt. He switched to the dark side the day that happened (my allusion to Star Wars) and it looks like they joined Babylon TG?
@enuffsenuff,
They engage in doublespeak when they say they are not inspired but are spirit-directed.
They are not inspired when one of their many predictions fail or they have to change their stand on some teaching. But they claim spirit direction when they want the rank and file to blindly accept their latest psycho-babble.
WS
“‘This is so good we don’t even have to think for ourselves.'”
LMAO
Talk about a Fool’s Paradise!
enuffsenuff, you speak so much sense. I would have walked out too if I had heard some sister come out with that wayout thought. Actually, it was no thought as she was ascribing all her thought to the Watchtower. Oh my goodness. Surely someone corrected her, but probably not, because they were all so asleep, most agreed with her. the GB would have loved that comment.
The society used to speak a lot about atonement and as I recall, it was heavily embedded in much of the literature. And that atonement was that John outlined in 1John2:2 when he said “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” He was the reason why we didn’t need to make a fire and sacrifice a cow or a sheep. We didn’t need to because the sacrificial lamb Jesus Christ paid that price for us forever. Shows how strictly legal God is.
Instead of a whole bunch of laws, Jesus gave us the two to love God and love our neighbour as ourself. Not easy to do but oh so simple. With these basic laws, how refreshing and nonburdensome would life be. And of course we have the Bible and that is where the Holy Spirit comes from I am sure. If we drift away from it or keep inventing our own spin on stuff that is controversial then is the Holy Spirit going to bless us? If it is not inline with it how can it? If the GB had any Holy Spirit then they would admit their mistakes. This would be the honest thing to do, otherwise it is a lie.
Another great article! Thank you!
@ Man from the lion’s pit
Good point about individuals and entities who cannot self-analyze or self-critique, being headed for Oblivion.
It is also a trait of psychopaths, sociopaths, and Narcissists.
If a man who builds a house on the sand is asking for trouble, what about a watchtower built on sand??!
Without their Watchtower, the Armies of Darkness will be blind.
I was just thinking of how the human race has historically turned to religion as a source of comfort and security. After all, here we are on this tiny speck of dust, spinning aimlessly through the incomprehensibly vast Universe. It can be daunting, even terrifying. But what level of security has organized religion provided through the eons? Well, religion has been the cause of many, many wars, genocides, abuses, mutilations, murders, deaths, assassinations, physical traumas, psychological traumas, emotional traumas, family breakups, suppressions of Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Thought, Freedom of the Press, Freedom of Association, Freedom of Movement, suppression of healthy sexual expression, countless incidences of religious persecution on an organizational and personal level, greed, more greed, and, yes, even more greed, and the actions taken to satisfy said greed. Have I forgotten anything? And btw, no one can use the “guns don’t kill people; people kill people” argument. These are not just the acts of individuals. They are premeditated, institutionalized acts, “justified” by religious doctrine and dogma. (btw guns don’t kill people; bullets kill people)
Conclusion: If that’s the kind of “security” organized religion provides, I prefer to go it alone, Thank you very much.
If you are a passenger in a cab and the driver ignores your instructions, is in fact going to drive over a high cliff…then you notice the posted sign.. “obey any instructions (you) may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not”…
What does one do? …..
Jump out of the cab!…it may hurt a bit, perhaps even a broken bone or two…..
However, what if your wife and infant children are in the back seat and cannot see what is happening?
What does one do?……
Shoot the cab driver…..(metaphorically speaking)….. in the head….
I like your metaphor. ;)
‘Better to enter the Kingdom of Freedom with a broken bone or two, than be pitched with bones intact into the Pit of Slavery and Submission.’
A nicely put article. Any JW reading it can or should grasp the point. I love the illustrations of new light, (Wallet, toast. Bus fare). Such things are easily to the point and do not overcomplicate matters.
Hi everyone. I’ve been visiting this site for a very long time but this is my first comment.
I would like to thank Lloyd for his hard work and research, all who contribute excellent articles and the thought provoking comments posted.
I am an ex-JW (D/A’d) with some family still in, thankfully not immediate family. Since leaving NOT ONE PERSON has ever tried to get me back into the cult – probably because, at the time, I gave solid logical reasons that could not be argued with and were not reasons to warrant me being D/F’d.
I fully agree that no apologies are ever given for wrong doing or wrong teachings on the part of JW’s. They think they are NEVER wrong but the huge problem of covering up child sexual abuse I find disgustingly sickening and stomach churning. It took a few years for me to realise that I had had some very, separate, uncomfortable minutes with a Brother Feeler and Brother Fondler. Thank goodness it was only minutes.
There are many good JW’s out there, and good elders as evidenced by comments from them on this site, and for them I do have respect. However, and unfortunately, I do feel the majority of elders, who sit on committes and have the arrogant presumption that they are fit to judge others, sometimes with catastrophic results, fall into 2 categories – 1) Those with some intelligence, which surely would make them know it is all SO wrong. Maybe they feel trapped and stay for fear of shunning. 2) Those who are ill educated and extremely deluded but love their elevated congregational status and go about with an air of unfounded arrogant superiority.
I think though that most of us here feel the GB are ultimately responsible for all the wrongs. Who do they think they are? An ounce of intelligence between the lot of them surely means they know they are not directed by some holy spirit. Has anyone else noticed what awful public speakers they all are? Did the TMS not teach them anything?
I hope I’m not going too far off topic here, but last week I came across an article in the May 15th 2015 study edition of Watchtower, ‘Remembering my first love for Jehovah’ as told by Anthony Morris 111. BTW, doesn’t that mean he must have/had 2 blood relatives with exactly the same name, including middle names, to use the 111 after his name to differentiate one from the other? And does he really need the 111 living in his little Bethel bubble of lies and deceit, or is it a matter of wanting some kind of mis-placed status?
Anyway, back to his article. I could spend hours going through his story sentence by sentence but a few points really stood out for me. 1) He speaks with great pride about the “privilege it was for me to be taught by that anointed brother who had personally known Charles T. Russell!” If Russell were still alive today, holding on to his original beliefs, and AM 111 with his beliefs, which one would be D/F’d for Apostacy? 2) He married Susan and they have 2 sons and “because they made the truth their own, they make Susan and me look good”. Oh my, he is so full of self admiration! BTW, will those 2 sons be amongst the Bethelites kicked to the kerb to save some money? 3) Regarding his preaching work, he “even placed tracts with men in the restrooms”. Really, REally, REAlly, REALly, REALLy, REALLY?! I have 3 sons and I asked them how they would respond if approached by some religious zealot in a public toilet. Due ro respecting the comment posting guidelines I am unable to say what their responses were!
No doubt the R and F who read the article thought it wonderful, touching, uplifting and blah blah blah, which shows how blinded such ones are as are those responsible are for actually allowing it to be printed! Please, please don’t let this encourage their young ones to go preaching from public toilet to public toilet.
I apologise for the lengthy post but thank you to those who read it.
Some really interesting points there Openmind. T3 gets my goat with his presumptuous use of III, his personal views on ‘tight pants’… I for one have made great effort in wearing yoga pants and leggings as much as possible since his silly comments. I would also deem it an invasion of privacy if someone offered me a tract whilst I was on the loo. Ugh, these men make me want to puke.
Yesterday I handed over a bag of beautifully wrapped Christmas gifts to my daughter in law and it felt good. I have listened to Christmas carols and cried like a baby. Maybe some of it is pagan but it makes me think of Jesus and I feel humble. Beats the hell out of sitting in a KH with the rest of the bobble heads nodding in agreement as the Kool aid is poured.
Thanks Tara – I too just love my skinny jeans! Merry Christmas to you and yours! What fun we’ll all have!
I agree, that 99.9% of WT “speakers” are awful, and BORING.
As for handing out tracts in men’s washrooms…….CREEPY. Who knows, perhaps that’s where the obsession with tight pants all began. ‘Then is Finished the Mystery of the Tight Pants!’ :)
@anonymous4. They were passing out tracts in the toilet? Wow! Well, isn’t Wallkill near “Flushing NY? lol
Having not been near the literature for a while, I am out of touch with these recent articles. My impression from what I have seen of Tony Tight Pants is that I would not have liked him to have been my teacher if I was a child at school. He has a rather scarey look. You are right though, these GB members seem to lack good public speaking ability. I wonder why they picked now to publish such an article.
A few of the GB members have done life stories – Jackson did one in the August WT. I sometimes go online just to read various mags, it makes me cringe but can also be a great laugh. The Kingdom Ministry used to be hilarious with instructions on how to get folk hooked when going door to door.
Maybe AMIII just got the concept of public speaking all so wrong in his early enthusiasm!!!
I was shunt in 1984,for the simple reason,i was no longer attending church for merely a month and a half.So they kicked me out,not for,committing any fornication,adultery,murder,blaspheming,stealing or any wrong doing of what so ever.But,yet,i was brought up in this world ,this cult,thinking that God only,will judge me and no one else,,,,to my big surprise,,,,tadaa,,,i was not good enough for their cult.I have kept record of all speach,and talks i have done for them,,all the research i did for my speeches,i was really devoted in this thing,not that i had a choice,but,anyway.I had that big 5 on 1 talk when i was booted out,mind you,i more or less booted myself out,why ?? Cause i`ve always had issues growing up,myself and 2 sisters,we would always get a beating,with a hockey stick,by my aunt,my father was smart enough not to join the cult.Yep,my father got divorced so my aunt,his sister took care of us.She was a nun pretty well all her life,then turned jw in 1964.So you can imagine how cranky them old ladies get,alone all her life,then raising 3 kids.So,yes,we were beating up many times,she broke 3 hockey sticks on my back,4 operations on my ears because she would lift me off the ground by my ears,of course,i was little though,lol .Anyway,we got beaten so bad,and not allowed to say a word about any of this to our father,to jw friends,not allowed to play with nobody but our kins,at school.Anyways,she died in a car accident on our way to a Quebec international assembly.A year later is when i started to open my eyes,and realize,that was not any Gods way or wanting his children to grow up as what myself and 2 sisters have been through.IT WAS HELL !!!! So,when it came time to shun me,NOT one elder believed any words i had told them.They called me a liar,it was wrong to lie ??!!! So,now,i literally had no one to turn to,no one to recite the life i was living,so what do i do? they won`t believe me,who will.So,i pretty well didn`t want no more part of any of them.The sad part,is my younger sister,had just got out of the cult in 1986,and later died in a car crash a year later,so that was the only one year we cherished together.We loved each other more than when we were in the cult,always spending time together,hugged,held hands etc etc,lived the true brother sister life,we were so happy to have that closeness together.Sadly,only for 1 year.Then,there`s that other sister,that has still never spoken a word to me since 1983,but yet,will go door to door,and talk to who knows who,???? child molesters,murderers,woman beaters,list goes on and on.So,they`re trying to preach us,that is Gods way to do things on this earth??? I don`t think we have the same God ????? God said to forgive and forget a thousand times for our mistakes,God said to love one another til death,God said,thou shalt not judge,They,the jw,are not acting upon what they are preaching.at all,at all…!!!!!????? Thank you for reading my friends,i still have very much of that nice,kind,giving personality,and still can recite some bible chapter and verses.Not being in their cult made me a better man,and believe more in God now than when it was forced upon me.Excuse my writting,for i am french,i done my best.. :) :)
By the way,i feel so sad not having my older sister with me anymore,or ever will,she is way too far gone.She was so brainwashed,it`s sad.How do they expect us to go back,if none of them will talk you in,not that i would,but it could mean a little discussion here and there with my sis.lol There you go,,,,another proof that they don`t love you unless you adore THEIR God,another act against God`s will .
Raised by a Nun-turned-JW. Man, it MUST have been Hell! My sympathies. And sorry for the loss of your sister. I am happy you escaped the Borg.
P.S.: Interesting that you were DF’d in 1984. Don’t know if you’ve heard of the novel ‘1984’ by George Orwell, but the parallels between The Watchtower Society and the Totalitarian Society in the novel are eye-opening. BTW there is a good synopsis of the story on Wikipedia.
Interesting idea in this thread : Find a KH where u r not known and partake at Memorial. I’m in!
Should the JWs even be commemorating the memorial of Christ’s death?
1Corinthians 11:25-26:
“In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death UNTIL HE COMES.”
The JWs teach that Jesus has already come – he began ruling as king of god’s kingdom in 1914, so the JWs should have ceased commemorating Christ’s death in 1914.
Also, if according to JW theology, Jesus will rule for 1000 years, then since Jesus began ruling in 1914 wouldn’t that mean that 101 years out of his 1000- year reign have already elapsed? (that is, 101 years from 1914 to 2015).
There would now only be 899 years of Christ 1000-year reign remaining as of 2015.
http://mmoutreachinc.com/jehovahs_witnesses/1914.html
“Find a kh where u r not known & partake at memorial.” — Hey, great way to be popular!
Why is Watchtower Babble and Tract Society so fixated on construction and asking for money from their publisher ranks? The publishers are not a commercial banker and should not be burdened with such materialistic endeavors. Publishers should not be distracted by Watchtower’s insistance of their physical pursuits or their expanding real estate portfolio.
Jesus did not say “Go therefore and build me a resort near the lake”. He was focused on preaching work. Not construction. Furthermore, Jesus was not burdened with physical things of the world and did not own a house, a bed, or a tent. He owned nothing.
New York City is the most distracted city in the world. Jesus Christ, if he were alive today, would not even go near that city. New York City is the home for Wall Street and greedy businessmen the world over. Also, the famous New York Stock Exchange is located in Manhattan, New York City. Remember this is where the World Trade Center was located. Big Business indeed!
Actually Jesus Christ would have warned people to stay away from a city like that. It is too dangerous for Christians to be in. Way too many distractions. This is a place where physical men live.
True Christian should keep their eye simple, just like Jesus Christ. Taking care of their neighbors and helping their neighbors. Is it any wonder why religious leaders who live in New York City would be asking for your “valuable things”?
Excellent points.
Imagine a center for “pure worship” being located in the middle of, say, Babylon, or Sodom & Gomorrah. lol
Pondering how congregations have become so polarized, with just a small minority of servants and pioneers making up a core of those marching to the GB beat. They carry the banners of loyalty and superiority while ‘goose stepping’ over the average publisher or struggling ones. Something about the music? Didn’t you hate it when they changed the words or tunes around on the old songs? Did you notice how the majority of new songs/lyrics are themed to ‘loyalty’ and the ‘faithful slave’? Did you notice how the ‘core’ shouts out these new songs with no regard to any real musical beauty?
@RetiredLE
100% agree on the music. It totally lost all meaning for me. It was shortly after that switch over that my awakening began. I wonder if there was a connection.
WS
“Before we begin the meeting….Oh, isn’t this a PART of the meeting….anyway”… I’ve taken the liberty to change around the lyrics of the Beatles, Eleanor Rigby, as new song #144,000 – “Publisher Rigby – All the Lonely Sheeple”
Ah, look at all the lonely Sheeple.
Ah, look at all the lonely Sheeple.
Publisher Rigby, ponders the ‘new light’ where ‘old light’ had been.
Lives in a dream.
Waits for the Kingdom, trudging along, all alone, door to door.
Who is it for?
All the lonely Sheeple where do they all come from?
All the ‘thrown about’ Sheeple where do they all belong?
Elder McKenzie, reading the words of a LETTER that no one can hear.
No one comes near.
Look at him working, writing the LOCAL NEEDS for those who aren’t there.
What does he care.
All the lonely Sheeple where do they all come from?
All the ‘thrown about’ Sheeple where do they all belong?
Ah, look at all the lonely Sheeple.
Ah, look at all the lonely Sheeple.
‘Irregular’ Rigby, died with no ‘time’ but was buried as ‘ONE’ all the same.
Nobody came.
Elder McKenzie, shaking his head as he bleeds for the ‘SLAVE’.
No one is saved.
All the lonely Sheeple where do they all come from?
All the ‘thrown about’ Sheeple where do they all belong?
APPLAUSE
-Put it on the Top Ten!
RetiredLE – very creative lyrics!
WS
Speaking of Rat-holes like New York City, we are still expected to believe that we are living in the most enlightened period in all of human existence. Mostly because we are so technologically advanced. Unfortunately, what most of the droning, eDevice-obsessed masses don’t realize is that Technology does NOT = Enlightenment. Technological advancement = TECHnical advancement, which is a product of the BRAIN, not the MIND, or soul. That is why I don’t pay much attention to the babbling monkeys on the Television anymore.
DiiffiCULT to realise there’s ‘two Suns in the sunset”.
So I was walking around the assembly hall wondering is it just me?
@minion
excellent summary especially points 6 to 9
the child molestation claims are stacking up so they will be begging for more money as the society can not raid the congregation funds any more they have already plundered those assets to help pay all the out of court settlements.
The following article in yesterdays daily mail sums up the sick approach JWs take with child abusers this creep got his kicks out of strangling fellow witnesses children while sexually abusing them and yes the parents of the victim meekly complied as usual with requests to keep all in house, no doubt another out of court settlement in the wings…!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3377449/Jehovah-s-Witness-strangled-girls-young-six-sexual-thrills-finally-jailed-congregation-covered-crimes-20-years.html
cant find Minion posts seems like half the comments on the board have gone!!
I have been trying to access this site for days but until tonight have had no success. I just watched this video on Youtube and thought it might be of interest to all of you. It is about a letter that went out to elders to destroy evidence. I just sent it to the ARC.
Oh sorry forgot to put the link on. Here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vabrD9wUuZ0
…PURE EVIL…
Thanx for sharing that. Quite an eye-opener.
If this letter is in fact true, we are ‘Witnessing’ an historic moment.
The initial and correct reaction to this directive is one of disgust. It will no doubt motivate anyone with a claim or possible claim against WB&TS to seek an immediate cease and desist order.
This, in of itself, will bring a flood of incredible negative media attention.
However, look at it from the viewpoint of a Legal Counselor or Prosecutor. (Thinking on the shameful conduct of those Elders, Overseers and GB Member at the ARC Hearings).
Prosecutor ask;
“Mr Elder So and So, is not true that ALL of my clients allegations are true and correct?”
Elder So and So responds;
“I wouldn’t know, I can’t remember and I’ve destroyed those notes and files ……….”
Prosecutor asks;
“And why did you do so?”
” And who ordered you to destroy those notes and files?”
As you can imagine, from that point forward a Counselor or Prosecutor will ‘eat alive’ any chance for a defense. Anything and everything that a is charged will be substantiated, in the minds of a Jury, as ‘truth’. BECAUSE the Elders destroyed the ‘incriminating evidence’, whether it was in fact incriminating or not!
There will be billboard and t.v. ads (like you see against pharmaceutical companies) everywhere. The legitimate cases will be won and the ‘ambulance chasers’ will lap up the blood. Everyone will want a shot at
that “Billion Dollar Big Apple”.
WB&TS just brought the rope to their own hanging….
But this is where they will come to a quandary: Do they tell the truth and say who asked about who told them to destroy the notes? Or, do they tell a lie and say that they never received the directive? Either way, they are screwed.
They are screwed if they destroyed the notes after getting the directive and admitting it as having a share in destroying evidence. Or, if they lied about it, then they will be lying after swearing on the Bible before God which is perjury and will have just committed a terrible sin before God and a crime before the state.
It is all so sick. There are no get out of gaol free cards left for the Watchtower to be handed. At least that is how I see it.
“Now is the Time” to retire as an Elder to avoid personal civil liability and/or criminal action.
If not, you are very likely to devastatingly understand…” All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not.”
WB&TS does not have your back.
My blood ran cold with this one. I would indeed like to see proof of the letter – I noticed the URL link is to Mike and Kim. Lloyd do we have confirmation via you that this is real? If the letter is genuine then it should be posted to the police in all countries.
I feel sick. This is disgusting but as it has been said. They bring the rope to their own hanging. God works in mysterious ways.
when posting on threads on the friday column the thread just randomly changes from the current day to one that is several days old
I replied to a comment posted on a thread a couple of hours ago and my post came up on a totally different thread to the one I was reading.
Is there a reason for this?
Something fishy is up with the site. Comments are disappearing. I think the dark side has something to do with it.
Maybe it’s just New Year’s Reboot.
HAPPY 2016!!!!!!!!!!!!
:) :) :)
PS
Not pushing anything here, but if u want some good New Year’s laughs, check out Louis CK on YouTube. The man is a genius! :)
I kept getting a message that the server was down through most of the day today. I was wondering whether the Watchtower had issued another cease and desist interruption like it did a couple years ago.
WS
Just looking at some of the bizarre comments on some of the pages makes me think that JW Survey may have been subject to a hacker attempt.
WS
I am not sure if this comment will be posted up.. but, I managed to retrieve the site by google and searching under John Cedars…. so much useful and inspiring stuff here… it is easy to sort the “wheat and chaff” and invaluable to all who have been disillusioned. Bon courage, John!
Nothing would surprise me. I have no doubt that there are powers that do not want this site to continue because it is stirring the pot too much and causing so many to open up their eyes. I do believe that God’s Spirit is absolutely much stronger than anything that could be thrown at it to block it. Keep up the good work Cedars in exposing the Watchtower for what it is.
Happy New Year.
Based on the names of most of the recent commentors I am going to have to say that this site is definitely under attack from someone.
I’m being moderated…. how exciting :) thats ok. if we are being infiltrated it’s because someone thinks we are worthy of it :)
@Tara,
Not sure if this is what you are suggesting, but it is unlikely the infiltration is from the Watchtower Org or one of those aggressive apostate sites. The current methods seem more along the lines of those low class hackers who see sites with a fair amount of traffic as opportunity to infect others’ computers and get personal information in order to try to make illegal profit from it.
If is was Watchtower or another site the message/method would be different.
WS
@Dblaron42,
I agree, there a number of suspicious links associated with some of the new comments – I believe one was asking for credit card info.
To All,
Be careful not to click those strange links as they could lead to viruses or malware. Most likely some hackers (or a malicious program) have found a way past the site’s filters for comments (or the filter recently changed and is no longer functioning on par with the previous one). So far the site seems otherwise stable. Keep on eye out for suspicious email traffic – an actual security breach could potentially lead to hackers getting emails or something similar.
WS
The Bible says that you will know the tree by the fruit it bears….
Well, when we honestly and candidly examine the Jehovah’s Witness/Watchtower Bible and Tract Societie’s fruits, we can not pardon or excuse them any longer. The scriptures have clearly and always advised that man is fallible and that none are good except our heavenly father.
The fact that the Bible at no point prophecies about a “Governing Body” or a future body of Christians that would be known as “Jehovah’s Witnesses”, we have to be courageous enough to face the facts and their record of unacceptable service. With almost 20 false prophecies (including prophecies leading up to and after the failed predictions) over 20 changed teachings and understandings of Bible Doctrines and Bible verses, a wealth of child molestation cover-ups, a wealth of “Red Flag” activities, like when they were cold busted for joining the United Nations and got rid of their membership only after getting cold busted and later issuing a statement that they “didn’t know that they were a member”. Folks, its time to stop acting like we don’t see what is going on and time to stop condoning their “bad fruits.”
On the same token, as if the list above isn’t incriminating enough, the recent accounts that have become public of high ranking “Masons” that Charles Taz Russell was indeed a 33rd Degree Mason and that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society was funded by Zionist Jews (Satanists) and J.P. Morgan Chase among, among many other elite Satanist who had a common goal of creating a one world religion that would distort Christ’s “grace” and “importance”….. the Jehovah’s Witnesses need to leave the organization asap, welcome back all those who have been disfellowshipped, make peace with their families and others who accept the Bible, Christ and his Father.
In closing, I always knew that the day would come when we would have to leave the kingdom hall because it would be HIGHJACKED by Satan…and here we are! May the Most High bless all of you in your struggle to leave the Non-Profit Organization run by imperfect men who were never prophesied about in the Bible;)
@Absolute Truth
I agree with your assessment of the fruits of the Watchtower Society, their failed prophecies, changing doctrines, and the lack of legitimate support for their movement in scripture.
However, I’d like to know what your sources are for the claim that Russell was a Mason and that JP Morgan was a Satanist and involved in the early establishment of the Society.
WS