A new book is being released at the 2014 “Keep Seeking First God’s Kingdom” series of conventions. Entitled “God’s Kingdom Rules!,” it marks the centenary of 1914 with a heavily sanitized version of Jehovah’s Witness history over the past 100 years or more.
Prior to this release, “Jehovah’s Witnesses – Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom” was Watchtower’s primary authorized history book. Despite presenting a similarly white-washed perspective of Witness history, at least somewhere in its 750-pages there were hints at some of the skeletons from Watchtower’s past.
For example, page 76 featured a grey box on Beth Sarim, the “House of the Princes.” The fact that it was principally earmarked by Rutherford as a residence for the likes of Abraham, Joseph and David on their resurrection was relegated to a mere footnote – but at least something was there in print.
Every bit as wacky as Rutherford’s notions of bible characters suddenly emerging in suburban San Diego was Russell’s insistence that the Great Pyramid of Gizeh was “God’s Stone Witness.” So convinced was he that every inch in the internal chambers corresponded to years of bible history that he dedicated books, charts and magazine articles to this bizarre theory, which remained official Watchtower dogma until 1928.
The Proclaimers book didn’t explore the pyramid teaching at length, but it at least allowed it a grudging mention on page 201 – enough to provide a basis for further research for those so inclined.
The new God’s Kingdom Rules! book, on the other hand, dispenses with Beth Sarim entirely. And any clue that Russell once indulged in elaborate pyramid fantasies must now be deciphered from a sepia photo of a horsedrawn cart on page 19 with the “divine plan” chart discernible on its side.
Modern Witnesses are thus left with no hint of just how ludicrous the teachings of their prized organization’s former leaders actually were.
With this in mind, consider the following words of David Splane in his concluding talk at the 2014 East Rutherford International Convention in New Jersey…
As Splane acknowledged, there are many countries deprived of any reasonable grasp of Watchtower history because the Proclaimers book is only available in a limited number of languages.
Apparently Christ’s words at Matthew 19:26, “with God all things are possible,” do not stretch to translating a 750-page book into the tongues of all God’s people. Conveniently, the Governing Body would rather throw in the towel and instead release an entirely new, slimmer volume that just so happens to omit almost all unsavory aspects of the organization’s history.
This may not seem like such a big deal if you are reading this article from an English-speaking country. However, I happen to live in one of those countries where the Proclaimers book isn’t available in the local language – which in my case is Croatian.
I have experienced firsthand the frustration of trying to reason with indoctrinated relatives on basic flaws in Watchtower history to which they are completely oblivious because they have never been able to read the Proclaimers book.
Now my plight is made even worse, because my relatives will assume they know everything about Watchtower history thanks to this new book. In truth, they will know only what Watchtower has allowed them to know – with a dash of spin, trickery and willful omission thrown into the mix.
But all is not lost. An elder friend from the United States has gone to quite some expense to mail me my own personal copy of the God’s Kingdom Rules! book so that I can dissect it for myself. After going through it, I have found a number of areas that clearly demonstrate the flawed logic behind Watchtower theology and its omission or white-washing of historical details.
This article will attempt to summarize my findings as succinctly as possible. (Edit: and with a final word-count of over 6,000 words will clearly fail! My apologies!)
“Attractive publications” or style over substance?
As is increasingly becoming customary for Watchtower books, a letter from the Governing Body adorns the introductory pages.
Noteworthy in this latest letter is a paragraph that begins with the words: “With Jehovah’s blessing on the work, we are now able to publish our attractive Bible literature in more than 670 languages and to offer it to everyone without charge.” (page 3)
Firstly, as Splane admitted in the above video, not ALL Watchtower publications are available in 670 languages. It seems Jehovah’s organization will, to quote Splane, “never have the resources” to make certain books available in every tongue. Apparently spiritual food from the faithful slave doesn’t have a passport for certain language borders. So the writers have barely begun their 240-page ramble before foisting a clear exaggeration on the reader.
Secondly, my eyebrows were raised by the term “attractive literature” being coined by the Governing Body. Surely whether literature is visually appealing or not is irrelevant compared to whether it is truthful and informative. To my mind, this Freudian slip speaks volumes about Watchtower’s “style over substance” approach, where aesthetics are paramount and producing factual, honest information falls lower down the pecking order.
“Ample proof,” or ample exaggeration?
Of further interest is the certainty and frequency with which unsupportable claims are made throughout the publication.
Page 11 announces: “We have ample proof that Jesus’ prophecy [at Matthew 24 and 25] has been undergoing fulfillment since 1914.”
“Without question,” we are told on page 77, “the King has blessed the methods we have used to advertize the Kingdom.”
“Our legal victories prove that we walk in the sight of God and in company with Christ,” is the conclusion on page 145.
“All these theocratic schools are powerful proof that our King has fully equipped his followers to accomplish their ministry,” page 185 insists.
Page 208 asserts that the “scores of branch office buildings, hundreds of Assembly Halls, and tens of thousands of Kingdom Halls around the world provide tangible proof that God’s Kingdom is real and is now ruling.”
And page 235, in the final chapter, declares: “Each chapter of this book contains powerful evidence that Christ has brought his followers into a genuine spiritual paradise in this time of the end.”
When invoked for such ludicrous claims, words like “proof” and “evidence” quickly lose all meaning. If ministerial training programs, legal victories or an abundance of buildings are evidence that Jesus Christ is involved in the Watchtower organization, then the same must be said of Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, the Church of England, or almost any significant Christian denomination.
The propensity for exaggeration and outlandish claims in this publication knows almost no limits, and led to my reading it with an almost-constant smirk or face-palm. No opportunity for self-congratulation is bypassed.
Take for example page 78 where a footnote declares: “In the past decade alone, Jehovah’s people have produced more than 20 billion Bible-based publications. In addition, our Web site, jw.org, is now available to the more than 2.7 billion people worldwide who access the internet.”
And so, in the scramble for impressive stats, the web’s audience of 2.7 billion is annexed by Watchtower without hesitation for the purpose of “bigging up” its achievements. The fact that the likes of JWfacts.com, AAWA.co, JWstruggle.com and indeed this website could make exactly the same claim regarding the internet’s audience is an afterthought.
Then on page 83 a graph is shown in which Watchtower compares the publishing figures for its various publications with those of ‘the world’.
I let out an audible giggle when I glanced at the heading “other books” in which the Bible Teach book’s publication figure of over 201 million is held up against the more than 1 billion copies of Chairman Mao’s “little red book” (or “Quotations From Chairman Mao Tse-tung”).
The irony appears to be completely lost on Watchtower that it has now sunk to measuring its success in propaganda distribution against that of a communist dictator.
New light, and the Governing Body’s “humility”
When reading this book you also can’t help but notice the way key “new light” interpretations are rammed home for emphasis at every opportunity.
Page 12 gets the ball rolling with an image showing the “overlapping generations” teaching, which has been met with considerable derision by thinking Witnesses since its introduction in 2010.
As you may be aware, the “generation” that “will not pass away” referred to by Jesus at Matthew 24:3 has been conveniently sliced into two different groups, one of which lives on into our time. Why? Because the generation that witnessed the events of 1914 has, well, passed away.
What about evidence that Jesus had two groups in mind when speaking to his disciples? Apparently none is needed. Simply switch off your critical thinking faculties and embrace the notion that the “two groups form one generation because their lives as anointed Christians overlapped for a time.”
The latest interpretation of the “faithful slave” teaching is similarly aired in this book, although far more frequently. Page 23 reminds us that, in 1919, Jesus “appointed the ‘faithful and discreet slave’, a small group of anointed men who would take the lead among his people.”
“Especially from that time onward,” we are assured on pages 61 and 62, “that slave began dispensing spiritual food – by means of convention discourses and printed publications – that repeatedly emphasized the responsibility of all Christians to have a personal share in preaching.”
A brief disclaimer regarding the false pronouncements and doctrinal U-turns made by this “slave” features on page 37, but like many things in this book it is heavily spun to make the organization appear saint-like.
“As Chapters 4 and 5 of this book will show, over the past 100 years, God’s people have had to adjust their understanding on a number of occasions. Does that fact mean that they do not have Jehovah’s backing? On the contrary! He supports them. Why? Because those who fear Jehovah have displayed two qualities that he loves – faith and humility. (Heb. 11:6; Jas. 4:6) Jehovah’s servants have faith that all the promises in God’s Word will come true. They show humility when they admit that they misunderstood exactly how those promises would be fulfilled.” – God’s Kingdom Rules, page 37.
“Humility” is an attribute notably absent in the Governing Body’s brutal policy of disfellowshipping any who voice disagreement with their transient “understandings” of scripture, and severing such ones from their families.
If the Governing Body were to publish their “understandings” on a take-it-or-leave-it basis, that would be one thing. The above professions of humility might then hold some water.
But the simple truth is that a person who stands up and voices an understanding of scripture that does not accord with their contemporary teachings is punished in the worst possible means – by family estrangement, including demonization as a “mentally-diseased” apostate.
To illustrate just how crazy this policy is: a publisher could have insisted in 2011 that the Governing Body alone are the “faithful slave,” and not the broader 144,000 spirit-anointed ones, and he would need to be disfellowshipped by his elders on grounds of apostasy. Refuse to make the exact same acknowledgement when pressed on the matter only two years later, and another person meets the same fate.
Such willingness on the part of the Governing Body to mete out punishments for refusing to yield to their latest doctrinal whims renders any professions of humility not only laughable but deeply insulting to those like myself who are victims of their delusional arrogance.
It also renders entirely hypocritical the accounts related on pages 147 and 153 where Watchtower boasts of successfully appealing to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for the “freedom of thought, conscience, and religion” of its affiliates.
Anyone familiar with Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights will note that, in addition to guaranteeing freedom of religious observance, it also protects the “freedom of thought, conscience, and religion” of anyone who decides to “change his religion or belief” – something you are not allowed to do as a Witness without facing the prospect of permanent family ostracism. (For more information, see this video.)
But as objectionable as Watchtower’s claims regarding new light are, there are some notable areas in this new book where the teaching is demonstrably ludicrous. Hopefully an overview of these may be of use to those seeking ways of reasoning with indoctrinated relatives.
Organizational refinements – finite or indefinite?
One confusing element of the ‘new light’ surrounding the faithful slave is the notion that Christ visited Earth in 1914 and oversaw a cleansing of the early Bible Students over the period to 1919. This teaching is spelled out on page 100…
“From 1914 to early 1919, the Refiner, Jehovah, allowed his people to go through various trials and hardships that served to refine and cleanse them. Happily, those anointed ones emerged from the fiery tests in a cleaner condition, eager to show their support for the Messianic King!” – God’s Kingdom Rules!, page 100
With such a specific period, and with five years for God and Christ to work with, you would assume all the required cleaning would be complete by the 1919 passed. But that is not what we see in the very next paragraph.
“Was that the end of the refining and cleaning for God’s people? No. Throughout the last days, Jehovah by means of the Messianic King has continued to help his followers be clean so that they might remain in the spiritual temple.” – God’s Kingdom Rules!, page 101
It shouldn’t be too hard to see the problem here. If God’s people were indeed cleansed between 1914 and 1919, why have they required decades upon decades of cleansing since that period? Is the cleansing period finite, or indefinite? The Governing Body doesn’t seem to want to make up its mind, and won’t even recognize the need to.
Allow me to illustrate how ludicrous this teaching is.
Last month my wife and I hired a local laborer to install drywall in our bathroom. The laborer told us the job would be done in 2 to 3 days. He turned up with some colleagues and, sure enough, after 2 to 3 days the work was done to our satisfaction and we paid him. He did not cover only one or two walls with drywall and then say, “You can pay me now and I will do the remaining walls progressively over the next few years.” Had he told us that, we would have refused to pay until the work was finished.
For some reason, Watchtower refuses to explain why Christ’s cleansing work is both for a 5-year period and ongoing, or why an Almighty God requires a century or more to whip his one true religion into shape.
The only hint of an explanation is offered on page 108, where we are told that continual refinement is needed because “Satan never stops trying to draw [Christ’s followers] back into the mire of immorality.” But morals are one thing, organizational refinements are another. Take, for example, the elder arrangement.
Going backwards to go forwards
Page 119 discusses organizational refinements regarding elders by referring to Isaiah 60:17: “Instead of the copper I will bring in gold, and instead of the iron I will bring in silver, instead of the wood, copper, and instead of the stones, iron; and I will appoint peace as your overseers and righteousness as your task assigners.”
Notice the very next paragraph after this scripture is quoted (bold is mine)…
“Isaiah’s prophecy states that one material would be replaced by another. But note that the replacements are changes, not from bad to good, but from good to better. Replacing copper with gold is an improvement, and the same is true of the other materials here mentioned. Thus, with this word picture, Jehovah foretold that the condition of his people would improve step-by-step.” – God’s Kingdom Rules, page 119
The message here couldn’t be clearer. Organizational adjustments only go in one direction, and that is forwards – not backwards.
With this in mind, consider what the same chapter reveals regarding the elder arrangement in the preceding paragraphs…
“[The November 15, 1895 Watch Tower] announced a far reaching change. It directed that starting immediately, “in every company, elders be chosen” to ‘take the oversight of the flock’.”- God’s Kingdom Rules, pp.118-119
And so, under Russell’s direction, an arrangement was brought in whereby there would be bodies of elders rather than a single leader for each “company,” or congregation.
But Rutherford was to have other ideas, as revealed by Ray Franz in his book Crisis of Conscience (bold is mine)…
“The Scriptural arrangement of bodies of elders had been summarily ended in 1932 by Judge Rutherford due to a lack of cooperation on the part of some elders with the Society’s programs and policies. His position as President gave Rutherford the necessary authority to take such a stand and all congregations were invited to vote for the disbanding of bodies of elders and their replacement by a Society-appointed ‘Service Director.’ For the next forty years there were no bodies of elders in the congregations. That is why the New World Translation of the Bible published by the Society in the 1950s regularly used the rendering ‘older men’ rather than ‘elders,’ a then officially discredited term.” – Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz, pp.26-27
This version of events corresponds precisely with the narrative presented in the new God’s Kingdom Rules! book, where it says…
“From 1932 to 1972, congregation oversight had been carried out mainly by one brother. Until 1936, such an appointed brother was called the service director. Thereafter, the name was changed to company servant, then to congregation servant, and finally to congregation overseer. Those appointed brothers cared zealously for the spiritual welfare of the flock. The congregation overseer usually made decisions for the congregation without consulting other servants in the congregation.” – God’s Kingdom Rules, pp.122
Hopefully by now you have spotted the problem, which is as-good-as admitted in this new book. The organization went from having a ‘theocratic’ elder arrangement under Russell, to a non-theocratic “congregation servant” arrangement under Rutherford, and then back to the original elder arrangement under Knorr.
How, precisely, does this clear flip-flop show organizational refinements only going “from good to better” as page 119 explained?
Misrepresenting history
Related to this issue is the way Watchtower seems perfectly content to re-write its history in such a way as to claim for itself the contributions made by a man it ousted and condemned as an “apostate.”
In Crisis of Conscience, Ray Franz explains meticulously how he was asked by Nathan Knorr, not by any “Governing Body” (for the Governing Body arrangement only formally began in 1971) to do research on a new book Aid to Bible Understanding under the supervision of Karl Adams, who was neither a Governing Body member nor, indeed, of the anointed.
Two of the subjects assigned to Franz were “older man [elder]” and “overseer.” It was his research that would prompt the changes to the elder arrangement that were previously mentioned.
But notice how the God’s Kingdom Rules! book describes the above episode…
“From 1964 to 1971, the governing body supervised an extensive Bible study project that examined, among many other subjects, how the first-century Christian congregation functioned. As to organizational structure, it was learned that the oversight of congregations in the first century was carried out by a body of elders instead of just by one elder, or overseer.” – God’s Kingdom Rules, pp.120
Thus Watchtower not only writes Ray Franz out of history – it also takes the credit for his contribution, which it accepts as an organizational improvement.
Further attempts to rewrite history or gloss over unflattering details can be seen on the following pages…
- Page 14 – It is mentioned that Henry Grew, George Stetson, and George Storrs “had a profound impact on C.T. Russell and his close associates,” but no mention is made of Nelson Barbour, who had a major influence on Russell’s fascination with date-setting, or William Miller (the founder of adventism on which Russell’s teachings were loosely based) who receives at least some mention in the Proclaimers book.
- Pages 22 and 23 – The death of Russell is mentioned, but the leadership coup in which Rutherford swept to power (by effectively tearing up Russell’s will and scuppering what would have been something much closer to a “governing body” arrangement of shared power as early as 1917) receives no acknowledgment. Instead, an “outbreak of apostasy” is blamed on “creature worship” of Russell and a bitter resistance of “efforts to move forward.” (For more information on this period in Watchtower’s history, read this article under the heading “A Questionable Character.”)
- Page 23 – Pre-1914 expectations are characterized thus: “They thought that in 1914, Christ would take his anointed bride class to heaven to rule with him there.” No mention is made of the fact that this ‘rapture’ had also been the expectation for 1878 when Russell and Barbour were working together, or that Russell expected 1914 to mark the END of Armageddon. (For more information, click here) Mention is also made of Rutherford being “unjustly sentenced” in 1918, without any explanation of what prompted his incarceration. Likely his publication of fiercely political anti-war material in pages 247 to 253 of The Finished Mystery would be a little much for the average Witness to stomach.
- Page 62 – The Golden Age magazine (forerunner to the Awake!) is referred to as “directing people to the Kingdom as mankind’s only hope.” Some who are more familiar with actual Golden Age articles may struggle with this premise, particularly after reading that black people were considered a “race of servants,” that the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin is the “work of Satan” (see here), or that “in the future man will get his food directly from the sun.” (The Golden Age 1927 Oct 5 p.10)
- Page 70 – The Photodrama of Creation is acclaimed as having been shown in “packed auditoriums” during 1914. No mention is made that in one of these auditoriums in New York black audience members were segregated. (see here)
- Page 72 – We are reminded that “an estimated 50,000 people heard [Rutherford’s] talk ‘Millions Now Living Will Never Die'” in 1922. Some would argue that this achievement is rather overshadowed by the sad irony that most if not all of those 50,000 are likely now deceased, as will be a significant remainder of the immortal “millions” alluded to by Rutherford.
Rare honesty and some helpful features
Some rare honesty IS to be found on page 50 regarding pre-1914 expectations of Russell…
“As we saw in Chapter 2 of this book, the Bible Students spent decades pointing out that the year 1914 would be significant in fulfilling Bible prophecy. However, at that time they believed that Christ’s presence had begun in 1874, that he had begun to rule in heaven in 1878, and that the Kingdom would not be fully set up until October 1914. The harvest would extend from 1874 to 1914 and would culminate in the gathering of the anointed to heaven.” – God’s Kingdom Rules, page 50
But like most hiccups in Watchtower’s history this is blamed on ‘increasing light’, with a bizarre choice of scripture used to support the idea of God’s people being “blessed with more and more flashes of spiritual light.”
“Light has flashed up for the righteous and rejoicing for those upright in heart.” – Psalm 97:11, New World Translation
It seems that almost any scripture in the Bible featuring the word “light” can now be used to justify the increased light doctrine.
All that aside, the uncharacteristic honesty on this page regarding pre-1914 expectations is refreshing, and may prove to be a useful tool for those who seek to better inform their indoctrinated relatives about Watchtower’s history.
Other parts of the book that might be helpful when reasoning with believing loved ones include…
- Page 63 – A photograph is shown of the landmark 1922 “Advertize, advertize, advertize!” convention at Cedar Point, Ohio. Look carefully and you will notice American flags draped prominently to the left and right of the stage, and hanging either side of the “ADV” on the stage itself. Not only is the nationalism among “God’s people” at that time worthy of note, it is also interesting to compare the scene with how it is depicted in Watchtower’s 2010 DVD “Faith In Action – Part 1.” In the digital re-enactment, the flags either side of the stage are removed and replaced with rectangular wooden boards. (For more information, click here)
- Page 74 – A strange confession is made, namely that Watchtower was forced to retreat from using commercial radio stations to publish its message during the 1930’s due to “opposition” to this method. Precisely what form did this opposition take? Who instigated it? And why wasn’t God’s backing enough to help the organization overcome it? We are not told.
- Page 114 – As this website has already stated, it wasn’t until 1952 that the disfellowshipping procedure was implemented by Watchtower. Only 5 years previously the practice of excommunication, admitted by Watchtower as being equal to disfellowshipping (w96 4/15 p.15 par.18), was blasted in a 1947 Awake! article as being a “weapon” that is “altogether foreign to Bible teachings.” (Awake! scans: Page 1 | Page 2) Page 114 admits to the 1952 date for when the practice was fully introduced – 33 years after Christ supposedly chose the organization. It would not be until 1981 that the rules were further changed to make it impossible to disassociate as a Witness without being punished, but curiously this isn’t mentioned.
- Page 130-131 – A two-page section focuses attention on the Governing Body, who are depicted seated around a large conference table with a map of the world in the background. The photograph has a rather phoney feel about it, because rather than looking directly into the camera the group of men are posing while involved in a discussion. The six Governing Body “committees” are listed, including the Coordinator’s committee, whose remit includes “use of the media when it is necessary to convey an accurate picture of our beliefs.” Precisely how is it possible to “use” the media if the media is under Satan’s control? (w97 4/1 p.17 par.16)
Misrepresenting the present… and future
As you’ve probably surmised by this point, God’s Kingdom Rules! is just as much about the present and future of the Witnesses as it is about their past. And as you might expect, the writers are just as prone to exaggeration and drawing mistaken conclusions when discussing the modern organization.
Here are a few examples…
Preaching
Though Jehovah’s Witnesses are spread throughout an impressive number of countries, they cannot be truly said to be present “earth wide,” yet this is precisely how page 67 characterizes their preaching work.
As has already been revealed by a bethel representative, there are at least three countries (with a total population of some 65 million people) where Jehovah’s Witnesses are not present at all due to safety fears. (see this video, time marker 03:20) A Somali, Afghan or North Korean would give you a very strange look if you tried to tell him or her that the Witnesses are everywhere in the world.
It is also inadvisable to suggest that numerical increase is evidence of divine favor and blessing, yet the book falls into this trap repeatedly. On page 89 we are told that “Jehovah’s spirit and the power of his Word” are responsible for the “great world-wide harvest.” And on page 96 Keith Gaydon, a circuit overseer from Britain, suggests the increase in his country from 1948 to the present would be “impossible” by human power.
It should go without saying that if you are going to attribute growth in numbers in your own religion to divine backing, you also need to make the same claim regarding the growth and prosperity of other denominations.
Contributions
In light of the increasing use of credit cards by Watchtower and the recent changes in the way kingdom hall construction is financed, page 100 makes for a humorous read when it reviews Christ’s brusque treatment of the temple money changers. His views on money and worship were made abundantly clear according to the account found in Matthew 21.
94 pages later we are reminded of Charles Taze Russell’s approach to funding his efforts. “I am telling you the plain truth,” Russell reportedly tells a skeptical inquirer, “They [interested ones] do ask me this very question, ‘How can I get a little money into this cause?’ When one gets a blessing and has any means, he wants to use it for the Lord. If he has no means, why should we prod him for it?”
It should go without saying that the recent developments with regards to pledged donations by each congregation, as determined on the basis of “confidential surveys,” bear the distinct feel of “prodding.” No doubt this prodding will intensify if congregations fail to send through to Watchtower the fixed amounts they have been forced to pledge.
Many like myself see Watchtower’s increasing eagerness to solicit funds as indicative that all is not well with the organization’s finances – but this is not something they seem likely to admit any time soon. 130 years after Russell claimed Watchtower would “never beg nor petition men for support,” the writers of this new book bullishly insist the organization is “still going strong.” (pages 195, 196)
For those unfortunate enough to feel compelled to ease the financial worries that Watchtower apparently does not have, a chart is prepared on page 200 entitled “Where Do Our Donations Go?” Needless to say, child abuse lawsuit settlements and other legal expenses connected with the organization’s defense of its out-dated and grossly negligent policies in that area are notable by their absence.
Child abuse
Considering the growing media attention surrounding Jehovah’s Witnesses and child abuse, you would assume that the matter was worthy of at least some mention in a book that sets out to cover Watchtower’s past and present. Instead we get a short paragraph on page 117 that says the following…
“Jesus also wants children to be protected from harm. As this morally degraded world has sunk deeper into depravity, the plague of child abuse has become more prevalent. Therefore, clear and direct material has been published to help parents keep their children safe from this vicious practice.” – God’s Kingdom Rules!, page 117
It is not enough for a religious organization with millions of members to simply “publish material.” It must enact policies that treat child abuse as the heinous crime that it is, and urge the deferring of all reported instances to the police accordingly. Instead, Watchtower orders elders to dabble in these complex matters and insists on all reported cases being managed by the branch office.
This has resulted in the organization defending itself in lawsuits where the authorities have been kept out of the picture altogether, with the abuse covered up. Unsurprisingly, none of this gets even the slightest mention in this new book.
As examples of the “clear and direct material” published by the organization, the children’s book Learn From the Great Teacher and the October 2007 Awake! are listed in a footnote. Both offer only preventative advice to parents and children. Certainly neither urge parents to go to the police whenever abuse is uncovered.
When will Watchtower realize that teaching children to say, “Stop that! I’m going to tell on you!” isn’t enough to keep them out of harm’s way?
Inactive ones
Worthy of a mention on page 128 is a box entitled “Fruitful Weekly Visits.” It tells of how elders in a US congregation have made a concerted effort to visit the 30 inactive ones in their territory. Inactive ones are told of how “the congregation has not forgotten the fine work the person did in behalf of Jehovah’s Kingdom.”
The elders in question, and indeed the organization, seem oblivious to the fact that becoming inactive is now the only option available to Witnesses who wish to leave their religion while keeping family ties. Far from being “lost sheep” as they are here characterized, many inactive ones are simply victims of a cruel cult who have awakened from their indoctrination and want their personal beliefs to be respected.
Blood transfusions
Pages 161 to 164 offer three experiences from Japan, Argentina and Canada of Witnesses who have legally defended their right to refuse blood. Conveniently, two of these experiences have “recovered fully” or are in “good health.” The third person mentioned died a month after appearing in court in an ultimately successful attempt to sue her doctor and hospital for a forced transfusion.
Predictably, no mention is made of the exact number of Witnesses, including children, who have died out of mistaken allegiance to Watchtower’s obscene and immoral blood teaching. Neither is any credit given to the various doctors and judges who have intervened to save countless children whose lives have been imperiled by their indoctrinated Witness parents.
Child custody
As with defenses over blood treatment, pages 164 to 166 provide examples of Witness parents who have successfully defeated unbelieving former spouses in legal battles over child custody.
“Some allege that being raised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses is harmful,” the reader is told with an air of disbelief. We are then regaled with some resounding victories against parents who tried to argue that 24/7 indoctrination and refusal of certain medical treatments might not be in their child’s best interests.
What the book neglects to point out is that Watchtower issues a special pack to assist lawyers in getting custody for Witness clients. Among its advice can be found the following…
Likely the above material didn’t make the final cut for the God’s Kingdom Rules! book because most Witnesses won’t want to see evidence of “God’s organization” encouraging young people to knowingly misrepresent their beliefs and aspirations.
Branch reductions
It has been intriguing to observe the reduction in the number of Watchtower branches over the past few years, resulting in a huge decrease in the organization’s global footprint. Coupled with the slashing of printing operations, it would seem to represent clear evidence of Watchtower’s financial woes, especially since the organization used to pride itself in the opening up of branches in new territories.
It certainly seems inconceivable that a Watchtower organization flushed with money would be closing branches down rather than setting up new ones.
In their attempts to downplay the “consolidation,” Watchtower has previously offered the rather fanciful retort that the branch reductions are “proof” that Jesus is “breaking down human barriers.” (w12 12/15 p.28 par.18)
Sticking with a slightly more down-to-earth explanation, the new book broaches the subject in a box on page 205 by suggesting that the downsizing has been caused by “improvements in communications and printing technology.”
What the future holds
Not content with spinning and misrepresenting the organization’s past and present, the future of Jehovah’s Witnesses is also made the subject of the writer’s overactive imagination.
A very sombre-looking chart on pages 224 and 225 confidently predicts events leading up to Armageddon, including an attack on religion by the United Nations, Watchtower’s former bosom buddy. The chain of events climaxes with Armageddon, when “Jehovah sends his King to defend all loyal ones.”
To drive home the ‘reality’ of this future development, a rather psychedelic image appears on page 229 showing a giant Jesus (with a striking resemblance to Kenny Rogers) descending from the heavens, bow in hand, ready to do some unspeakable things to a group of flailing soldiers.
A similar image is shown earlier on in the book on page 20 when giant Jesus is shown appearing invisibly (if that makes any sense) in 1914. But that was 100 years ago, and on page 229 it seems he has unfinished business to attend to.
Once the utter annihilation of all non-Witnesses is complete, the stage is set for the numerous promises surrounding the paradise to come to fruition. These promises are neatly detailed for us in the final chapter.
In reference to one such promise, the resurrection, page 221 has this to say…
“You pluck a luscious apple from the branch. You take in its aroma before adding it to the growing mound in the basket. You have been working for hours, but you feel fine and ready for a bit of work. Your mother is at a tree nearby, happily working and chatting with other family members and friends who are helping with the harvest. She looks so young – the way you remember her when you were just a child all those years ago. It is hard to believe that you saw her grow old in the world that is now long gone. You saw her waste away with illness, you held her hand as she breathed her last, and you wept at her graveside. Yet, here she is, along with so many others, alive and healthy again! Such days will come; we know it.” – God’s Kingdom Rules!, page 221
As someone who DID see his mother “waste away with illness” and DID hold her hand “as she breathed her last” but has since woken up from his indoctrination, I can now look upon the above words and see them for what they are: utterly distasteful and abhorrent propaganda aimed at hijacking the grieving process, and the memory of dead loved ones, for the furtherance of a cruel cult.
Clinging to 1914
Without question the most notable feature of this book is the way it stubbornly clings to 1914 throughout, even though the passage of time has unmistakeably revealed this relic of a doctrine to be deeply flawed.
In pinning everything on this increasingly discredited teaching, the God’s Kingdom Rules! book commits the same mistake as the latest “Silver Sword” edition of the New World Translation – it gives itself a very brief shelf-life.
Banging on about 1914 may seem prudent to most Witnesses on the centenary of that year. But as more decades roll by, this book (along with all other books that point to 1914) will become just as embarrassing to Watchtower as the dusty old works of Russell that tout years like 1874 and 1878 as having biblical significance.
The Governing Body desperately needs to divorce itself from this teaching before they are exposed as fools in their own lifetimes (especially in the case of the relatively young Sanderson), but their inability to do so indicates to my mind that they are just as delusional as most of their followers.
It is not that they lack creativity, this they have clearly demonstrated in some of their outrageous teachings and policy changes in recent years. It is simply that they are dyed-in-the-wool Witnesses, and 1914 is in their DNA.
How the fact that they are so chained to such an obviously flawed date will play out in the decades to come remains to be seen, but don’t expect any radical deviations in understanding any time soon. Not if this book is anything to go by.
Related video…
Splane’s face looks glum and depressed. Hm, I wonder why………
Excellent review of the new publication Cedars. I’ll wait for the movie version.
The Governing Body doesn’t miss a trick, re-writing their own history.
Sorry about your Mom Cedars. I was also holding my mother’s hand when she breathed her last breath, after suffering for years. I remember she was so worried I was going to die during Armageddon. She was unconscious, so I don’t know whether she heard me, but I told her not to worry about me, that I now had a closer relationship with God than ever before. You are right, they try to use your grief against you with the threat that you’ll never see them again, unless you stay in the “truth”.
You obviously put a lot of time and effort in this review, Cedars, thank you for labor of love.
wow , thanks, mr C , now i have marginal notes all over my copy. :)
i have yet to go get my proclaimers book to do cross references. i thought gee, they are recycling book titles too, recall , babylon the great has fallen Gods kingdom rules. But what happened to Jesus kingdom? I thought he was at the right hand of God? omg Im so confused.
Id think that any person would wonder why they need to reinforce their claim of being a true religion, by printing up a book that is little more than a bragfest, and tada, look mom a new Bible!
While I will never read this book, just as I will never again read any other WTBTS publication, Cedars you are going to need some petrol in the tank to keep this up.
Cause’ “brother” they ain’t stoppin’.
I check the site daily and I find your analysis spot on. Please keep it up. I’ll continue to be enlightened and comforted by the content. Having said that I’ll take your word on the propagandic book review. I’m too busy reading Hitchens.
Your site helps beat back the fears instilled in me since birth and keep the little watchtower “demons” at bay. I just hope you can keep it up without ending up feeling like you are beating a dead (yet unimpressively burning) bush.
By the way, if you turn that picture of “big Jesus” upside down, does it not appear sinister in some way?
“Cedars you are going to need some petrol in the tank to keep this up.” – haha, don’t I know it!
This article was quite an undertaking, but I felt duty-bound to write it – partly because my elder friend went to so much trouble to mail me a copy, and partly because deception on this scale needs some form of rebuttal.
Thankfully not everything Watchtower says or does requires a 6,000 word commentary! Pointing and laughing will often suffice.
I just received the Spanish version of this book last Sunday at a convention held in san Diego. I must say that the governing body member who gave the talk to introduce this book offered no reason as to why there is a need to come out with a new history book for those of us that have access to the proclaimers book. Needles to say, I squirmed in my seat when I heard this announcement
Great review and I agree with most of it with minor exception, but most points are are a fair critique and worthy of analysis. The matter of blood is a personal matter and is not really open to criticism as it is a viewpoint matter, each to his/her own choice, and the acceptance that the Gentile years did not end in 1914. Again that may well be described as a personal view. Regarding the “generation” of 1914. There are about one and half million people (1,500,000) still alive around the world at this moment who were born in or prior to 1914. At least 5000 centenarians+ in the country that I live. Cedars cites the mistaken view of the WT, that “this generation” Jesus spoke of were the anointed. If you read the three gospel writers (Matthew, Mark and Luke) none of them indicate that it applied to any one special group. They simply say “this generation”, which clearly included all those living at that time.That makes the concept of the “overlap” a fiction and a nonsense.
Cedars main point, and it is well made, is that the new book makes serious omissions. It does seem clear that it is an attempt to whitewash the truth.
Thanks Justasec!
I’ll let your comment on refusing blood transfusions being a “personal view” stand on its own merits.
As to this comment: “Regarding the ‘generation’ of 1914. There are about one and half million people (1,500,000) still alive around the world at this moment who were born in or prior to 1914.” – Obviously the Watchtower’s generation teaching involves people being both alive AND cognizant of events during 1914. Simply having a birth date of 1914 or earlier isn’t enough.
forgot to mention yes jesus looks awful white and western and did you notice the photo on page 173? none of them look too happy huh? rather disturbing if i may say.
i couldnt see the flags on page 63, you must have used a magnifier glass! page 142 has a heading we must obey God rather than men, yet no jw can see how the Org doesnt practice what it preaches. my mother insists that God was organized and ‘we have to be organized’ she doesnt get it.
on a side note,
I met Ray franz when i was young,very briefly, he was in the pittsburgh area for some assembly we attended.I was born in 1962, in pittsburgh, so i was actually with my mother at the first congregation in allegheny county in pittsburghs north side, and the thing is, it was in and ‘upper room’! it was creepy for a child.
According to the proclaimers book it wasn’t until 1942 that 1914 became the official date for Christ’s 2nd presence.
Previous to 1942 the official date for Christ’s 2nd presence was 1874. Fact.
So my question is this, how would they get a preaching work underway in 1919 if at the time they were unaware of their 1919 appointment & even of Christ’s 1914 presence?
No Jehovah’s witness can deny that the Greek scriptures were written for & apply’s to, primarily, the Christian congregation.
Paul said, & therefore apply’s to the congregation, that a deluding influence regarding a false parousia would infiltrate the Christian congregation as a test of our love of truth. 2 Thess 2 in context.
No other religion teaches or has taught a parousia.
If you look at the context of the ‘good news’ you will see that it is preached before nation rises against nation.
Wake up Jehovah’s witnesses you’ve been duped into believing a falsehood, which if you don’t accept, you’ll be disfellowedshipped. . Fact.
Isn’t it remarkable that the last people on the face of this planet expecting the return of Christ are Jehovah’s witnesses. Then many will be stumbled. Sad really.
Great article Cedars & just a warm thanks for the previous artical & posts.
John it would seem that watchtower believe the bigger the lie the more that believe. And boy have they excelled with this latest work of fiction. The Brooklyn 7 could never be accused of being modest. Their propaganda and self praise will go unnoticed by most of the foot soldiers. Moving the goalpost is one thing but it is well out of the playing field. Rules? they make them up as they go along. We should not be surprised they certainly are consistent. The over lapping generations is slyly introduced as fact. Unfortunately the Brooklyn dodgers have a captive audience in the real sense. And we know there is no get out of gaol free card in the 7 jokers deck.
My last comment is not intended to preach ( lol can’t spell the other word) just to get Jehovah’s witnesses to think. Regards.x
Playing up the “new light” bs, is probably a forerunner to pave the way for them to publish the “new scrolls” that they will probably have to “discover”, or , be the ones who are “divinely inspired” to write, to keep the ball rolling. I have no doubt that they would sink that low. I mean, lets face it, with all those “spirit anointed” people running the show, its only a matter of time before they “channel” a completely new “holy” book and slap the word “truth” on it. It will probably be done by “automatic writing” which is how some channellers/mediums do the deed. Maybe they already do, it would certainly explain why their publications are so full of crap. A quote from wikipedia :
“Channeling can be seen as the modern form of the old mediumship, where the “channel” (or channeller) allegedly receives messages from “teaching-spirit”, an “Ascended Master”, from God, or from an angelic entity, but essentially through the filter of his own waking consciousness (or “Higher Self”)”
Allegedly, is a really good word, don’t you think?
I think it’s rather ironic, that a book that is supposedly channeled by spirit, (namely the bible) actually forbids the practice that it supposedly owes it’s existence to.
Cedars – as expected, you have produced an excellent overview of another weak effort on the Watchtower’s part to hide the facts about their history and motivations. In case others have not noticed, each year seems to bring several subtle but significant moves away from their past, by either misreporting the facts or simply ignoring them. The sad fact is that Jehovah’s Witnesses will themselves accept what is written in this book as if it was well-researched and encyclopedic. You can actually get better and more extensive information about the Watchtower and its former leaders from Wikipedia. Anyone wanting to learn the truth about the early years of the Watchtower and the facts about Russell, Rutherford and others can go to JWfacts.com and Barbara Anderson’s WatchtowerDocuments.org and her extensive collection of original material covering nearly 150 years of their history. And by the way, notice the change in recent years as Jesus and Jehovah look more like twins than Father and Son in Watchtower illustrations. Anyone ever wonder how all those big white horses seem to survive in heaven? Why does Jesus have to come down and hack, slash and burn the wicked (even their “evil” little children), when all Jehovah would have to do is simply give them heart attacks or suck the air out of their lungs and end their lives quick and clean?
Do not fool yourself! Jehovah does not change but his mind and thinking change…
God’s (Jehovah’s) kingdom rules!!!! I think we are lucky the world is not UNIPOLAR. Satan’s kingdom rules, too. For the last four years, I have realized there is no stupid god except Jehovah! All Jehovah’s Witness history is about blood and sperm, a god fighting his son (Satan) or their sons Jesus and Satan fighting or planning fighting in the future (Harmageddon) when Jesus will crush Satan’s skull.
What is more stupid and painful, is that even this god’s grandchildren are unwillingly engaged in the most stupid war!! Satan’s children (John 8:44) vs Jesus’ brothers (not children)!!
Jehovah + Jesus + Angels +JWs vs Satan + Demons (young brother of Jesus according to Gen 6:2-6) + Unbelivers (non JWs)!!
hak, have you read ‘God is not great’ by christopher hitchens? [apparently religion is founded on blood and sperm] good read, but you have to get past his
temperment. but still even for athiest belief, when feeling lonely depressed and have no one to talk to, how does an athiest get by in life without a way to vent anger and sadness when no human is availiable? I always relied on prayer , or i guess talking to myself, to cope. just sayin.
Parousia nowhere else? In the Church of England liturgy ‘Christ wil come again’ is regularly chanted by entire congregations.
If you do a google or YouTube search for anything JWish, there will be a mass of stuff by exJWs and only a couple of useless bits by the JW establishment.
They are clearly peddling the line that, for an accurate assessment of anything you must go to the source, not to blind and prejudiced outsiders.
I have pointed the absurdity of this on some comments sections after JW Convention articles. Would Honda be the right source for an objective assessment of a Honda car? Are students the best qualified people to mark their own exam papers? Are the accused the best equipped to decide whether they are guilty or not guilty? Should not doctors and nurses inspect their own hospitals and teachers inspect their own schools?
Hopefully there are more and more JWs defying their divinely appointed bosses and reading ex JW blogs and watching ex JW vids.
That way they may discover the awfulness of their current, boss issued and written, official history.
Great reasoning Rowland!
Really. There’s nothing worse than vanity & arrogance.
It’s like watching a beautiful woman chewing gum and saying. . What’s up doc? Ahh,let me write my own history:-)
About the picture, white horse and ‘Jesus’ with bow, that is actually the anti-christ, Jesus has a sword. Just thought I’d mention that.
Hi Jeannie i have just checked that and your right!!….very interesting..thanks for pointing that out.
Cedars, you are a legend. Great article and review mate
Great work John, the time and effort you put into this and other articles is highly appreciated.
After reading this article, I hope JWs make a house built on the sand! Any wind from “apostates” shakes the house and I a eager to see the time it will completely collapse!
I could tell it took considerable time and effort. Again, great job. One sad thing is my relatives have actually listened to me long enough to hear these facts and they simply don’t care. Their brainwashing has led them to believe anything that they are told by WT and their cognitive dissonance solidifies their resolve. It’s difficult for me to imagine that I was once so strongly and blindly allegiant.
It appears JW critics are as lost as JWs. None of them can figure out the real story of the organizational development, in my opinion.
Bethel is successful at subverting both groups.
Who says there needs to be a “real story?” By all means enlighten us if you have evidence to share.
I think it was Henry Ford who said “History is bunk”, Well
as far as watchtowers history goes that statement is true
and you’ve done a thorough job proving it, Enjoyed reading
your review Cedars, One contributor to the site seems to
think the generation teaching is still alive because there’s
a million and a half centenarians still above ground, Surely
this is wishful thinking, The context of Matt,24-25 shows
that cognisant adults are being addressed, Not babies in
arms.
Two years ago the oldest man in Britain died aged 112, and
just a few weeks ago the oldest man in the USA died aged
111, they’d be barely weened in 1914, let alone looking for
signs in the Sun, Moon, and stars, : let the Bible interpret
Itself without imposing your own or someone else’s ideas
upon it, Overlapping generations indeed, Not trying to be
disrespectful, But it’s ludicrous.
O well lets have a dig at the communist …nothing to do with the cold war lol..but what a way to compare it,to a Political Communist book!!!!!,,whats all that about lmao,,get PUTIN on the Gb..sorry Ceders but this has tickled me very much..but good review..on a book which i see is more totalitarian that that red book…
I still say sock it to everyone. The whole world of religion is corrupt. We who have a better program need to get together and organize a campaign wherein we can tell it the right way. Any any methods we employ now will be truth. No adjustments in the future. Otherwise, we will be as guilty as the ones we criticize. We make a plan, work the plan, and no changes no matter what. Just like the big corporations. Stick to the original. Like the first Model T. never change it. Keep making them. A good car. Forget all these modern sports cars. The Model T was the first truth, stay with it, and never change no matter what. If someone with a better idea comes along, don’t listen to them. Far be it for God to make adjustments in his truth. None of the Israelites were Christians. Noah wasn’t even a Christian. Yet they were God’s people. Mix them with the Christians and now what do we have? All God’s people. Go figure. So, we who have better ideas and answers, let’s get off our tails and show everyone the right way to run the world of spirituality. Sitting back and jacking our jaws instead of our legs is cowardice. I’m all for this. Let’s show ’em what’s up. God will probably use us as willing subjects. Or reject us as pizza packer lazy cowards who don’t know anything at all. Bottom line: Who cares how this thing has been run? It might be God’s trick to check out loyal ones. We need to get up early at sunrise and try to distinguish what we see in the dim light and write our conclusions down and stick with those conclusions no matter what. When the sun comes up bright and shiny and reveals our conclusions as wrong, don’t give in and say the light of truth got brighter. Stick with the old truth at sunrise in the dim light and insist we will never change our conclusions at sun up. How dare the sun get brighter and reveal things as they really are! Never change. So, whatcha think? Are you with me? Let’s get organized and show the world that we know best. Get rid of that diet Coke and bag of chips and get off the couch and turn off the retarded television and reveal our wisdom to the world. We have something better to offer? Good! Let’s offer it.
“So, we who have better ideas and answers, let’s get off our tails and show everyone the right way to run the world of spirituality. Sitting back and jacking our jaws instead of our legs is cowardice. I’m all for this. Let’s show ’em what’s up. God will probably use us as willing subjects.”
Big Jim, your comment presumes (a) that God exists, and (b) that it is the duty of those who expose flaws in a false religion to identify an acceptable alternative belief system.
Whose “responsibility” was it to set up a true religion during the dark ages, when the Catholic church held sway? What is so important about this time period compared with then?
There are three possibilities, (1) that all religions are true, (2) that one religion is true, or (3) that all religions are false. If the third option is the only reasonable inference, it is not the responsibility of me or anyone else to cook up a “true” religion to fill some imaginary void.
In the new book Gods kingdom rules. On page 199 paragraph 18 . It states “funds are used to make interest-free loans and as these loans are repaid still more loans can be made to assist other congregations” . As of approximately 2 months ago wasn’t the repayment of loans officially done away with ? So they made the new loan arrangement so quickly and abruptly the information coming out in the book is outdated and incorrect ? Seems like a major financial situation abruptly changed behind the scenes
The thing that really gets me about the cleansing and appointing e.g 1914
-1919 is why would Jesus and by extension Jehovah want to appoint a organization who’s leader at time was basically a right SOB. Let’s examine Rutherford for a moment to find out the man he was:
*Raging alcoholic who was generally both physically and verbally abusive.
*Engaged in illegal activity e.g smuggling alcohol into the USA during the years of prohibition.
*Was a womanizer e.g an a joining room to one of his mistresses.
*Some of his outlandish claims caused the majority of the witnesses at the time to walk out on him.
*When taken to task and held accountable for his behaviour instead of humbly accepting the criticism. He was later sued for defamation and slander by one of his accusers.
Yes these are just a few of the spiritual qualities of Guy who is been held up as playing a part in Bible prophecy. Personally I think some of his ideas can be put down to the blurry haze of alcohol and sadly are still been believed today. The true nature of the man can be attested to that only 4 people could be bothered to turn up to his funeral, and there is also a lot of speculation as to his grave site e.g buried underneath the garage in beth sarim.
Great post and observations. One of the best so far this year.
@Rowland – all Christianity has believe that Christ will come again. Parousia is the word, but mistranslated as “presence” (an invisible arrival) but not Russell discovery, but by “first-day” adventists. More of what the JW history books leave out is Russell’s extensive studies in the scriptures with first-day adventist ‘pioneers’ and their first-degree-of-separation mentors. Storrs & Stetson influenced Russell on the concept of an invisible “parousia” (among many other beliefs)–a concept driving several camps including Jonas Wendell’s and those of Storrs (Life and Advent Union) and those soon-to-form what would be Advent Christian Church.
When Barbour’s publication also wrote about this invisible presence, Russell seized the opportunity to become a co-editor of “Herald of the Morning”, then when they split, Russell founded his own publishing corporation with steel and manufacturing magnate Conley as its President (who also had the first “Bethel”).
SO, also conveniently left out of this version of Watchtower’s history is early belief and acceptance of the Rapture (which seeds most of evangelical Christian ministry today), early belief (and hence patriotism) in Christian Zionism (restoration of Jews to Jerusalem and Judea required to fulfill Bible prophecy–similar messages found in some evangelical church groups today), that in order to believe in 1874 as the “parousia” Russell (and Rutherford) also accepted 1799 as the start of the “last days”.
For further research, I suggest finding another revealing publication, “The Harp of God” [in circulation up to and through the 1940’s–years after being “anointed” and cleaned-up…] which highlights such suspect dates as 1799 (p. 235, para 395), 1874, etc as ‘pivotal’ and ‘key’. Oh, by the way kiddies, the longer title of this book is: “The Harp of God: Proof Conclusive That Millions Now Living Will Never Die,” by Judge J.F. Rutherford. (available here http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12868/12868-h/12868-h.htm and here https://archive.org/details/TheHarpOfGodByJ.f.Rutherford).
Now, where did I leave my Syrup of ipecac?
@chatpal, sounds like some of my earliest memories of JW meeting halls which turns out were Masonic Lodges/Halls being rented, or generously given as use to JW/Bible Students. Although JW’s couldn’t join Masons and remain JW, I remember a symbiotic relationship between the groups.
Terrific article John, the time and effort you put in to research and write these is highly appreciated.
On your comment to Big Jim that “either all religions are true, one is true or none is true”, it occurred to me that if you imagine groups comparable to the governing body existing in biblical times, enthusiastically disseminating their various delusions and half truths far and wide, it’s easy to see where a lot of the crazy crap that’s written in the bible comes from.
Big Jim, my problem isn’t the light getting brighter but a religion misquoting the Bible and resources to make up a religion and then making all of us believe it too.
I think it was Henry Ford who said “History is bunk”, Well
as far as watchtower history goes you proved that with your
review, Cedars, A contributor to the site, Justasec, thinks
the generation game is still in play because there’s a million
and a half centenarians still above ground, Not meaning any disrespect but this has to be wishful thinking.
The context of Matt, 24-25, shows Jesus audience to be
cognisant adults, Two years ago the oldest man in Britain
died aged 112, and it was recently reported the oldest man
In America died aged 111, In 1914 they would be barely
weened let alone looking for signs in the Sun, Moon, and Stars, And didn’t Rutherfords famous slogan promise it
would be millions “plural” that would gain eternal youth on
paradise earth.
Cedars,
Great response to Big Jim! You took the words out of my mouth!
The most telling part of his argument was to continue with one course, EVEN IF IT IS WRONG!
As a student and admirer of science, that appals me. It is the complete opposite of the scientific method!!
Big Jim, if we followed your frankly baffling argument, science would still believe that the eye shoots out invisible light (as Jesus believed??). We would have no electronic devices with which to express our opinions on the worldwide web. All of the modern conveniences and medical treatments would not exist, as we would be sticking to whatever the original opinion was, regardless of any evidence to the contrary.
I agree with Cedars. It is not, repeat NOT our responsibility to present a “true Christian church”. I most certainly want no part in such an endeavour.
Join us, Big Jim, in a secular, broad based coalition of right minded people. Join us in making public knowledge the crimes of domestic abuse and child abuse coverips in the WTBTS.
From my reading of the Gospels, we all must have an individual relationship with God, through Jesus Christ. It is an individual relationship, using the life of Christ as a moral guide. I wish you all success with this worthy cause.
Folks, the 1914 fallacy has been exposed in so many ways!
First, there is this insistence on 607, which has been shown to be wrong.
Second, there is debate about Matthew 24 applying beyond the sack of Jerusalem. And in any case, the message has not been preached to the entire earth yet. Not by a long way!
Third, there is debate about what the Kingdom of God is. There is no consensus on this point between the many Christian sects.
If the history of Jehovah’s Witnesses has taught us anything, it is that assigning one’s morality to anyone is foolish and dangerous. We must all be our own moral arbiters, with the Civil Law of the land having precedence.
Peace be with you
Excelsior!
some JW real history…
http://hourglass2.com/historical/the-list/List7_01.htm
http://hourglass2.com/historical/the-list/List7_09.htm
‘It seems Jehovah’s organization will, to quote Splane, “never have the resources” to make certain books available in every tongue.’
yes, well, discouraging college education does that..
=======
Speaking of shooting fish in a barrel,
‘The latest interpretation of the “faithful slave” teaching is similarly aired in this book, although far more frequently. Page 23 reminds us that, in 1919, Jesus “appointed the ‘faithful and discreet slave’, a small group of anointed men who would take the lead among his people.”’
Too easy… 1919-1933, god’s anointed celebrated birthday parties, bought war bonds, held a big Christmas dinner at Bethel each year, and boldly advertised the Cross & Crown on its flagship publications, the Watchtower.
=============
‘They show humility when they admit that they misunderstood exactly how those promises would be fulfilled.” ‘ – in reality, humility when they show it was the flock’s running ahead of Jehovah that caused these misunderstandings.
===================
‘“From 1964 to 1971, the governing body supervised an extensive Bible study project that examined, among many other subjects, how the first-century Christian congregation functioned. As to organizational structure, it was learned that the oversight of congregations in the first century was carried out by a body of elders instead of just by one elder, or overseer.” – God’s Kingdom Rules, pp.120’
More sleight of hand, by subtle change to introduce governing body prior to 1971, the younger set will doggedly argue that apostates are slandering the Org by distorting facts. By estimating the average JW isn’t going to have the time, energy or will to research George Storrs, Henry Grew or Stetson, and truncating William Miller, the JW’s hope to sever ties to adventist roots and sordid time-setting. To the untrained observer, it may seem “God’s Kingdom Rules!” is an exclamation of victory, but on closer examine, it would seem this is a play-book (a rules book) of how the Watchtower game is played, and more bluntly, how the flock now needs to vocalize and narrate Watchtower history. No Russell emphasis. No Rutherford emphasis.
===================
the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin is the “work of Satan”
This underscores the effectiveness (in the past with absence of Internet) of Watchtower in causing the “younger” flock to overlook history. In this case Harriet Beecher Stowe, being an offspring of Rev. Stowe, whose parsonage Russell bought to establish Bethel residences is overlooked. Also overlooked would be the strong abolitionist stance of the early trailblazers guiding Russell’s and most “core” doctrines of the Watchtower.
oh dear now i have to get post its, ive run out of room for margin notes on page 23!
your sense of humor makes my day. per your above post, yes, those grandios carpeted buildings.
i remember as a child going to a place called soldiers and sailers hall? somewhere around the pa pittsburgh area. been dragged around so much by my oversocial mom that id not be lieing when i said ive gone to 7 different jw congregations in my lifetime ! and i only wish there was a way to find anyone i known from my past that have left for these reasons, as its obvious you cant make true freinds in the org, but maybe we can outside it.
John Cedars, reading horrid Watchtower propaganda bs so we don’t have to.
Epic and fascinating post, thank you for taking the time and effort to do this.
The thing that really gets me about the cleansing and appointing e.g 1914
-1919 is why would Jesus and by extension Jehovah want to appoint a organization who’s leader at time was basically a right SOB. Let’s examine Rutherford for a moment to find out the man he was:
*Raging alcoholic who was generally both physically and verbally abusive.
*Breaking the law by smuggling alcohol into the USA during the years of prohibition.
*Was a womanizer e.g an a joining room to one of his mistresses.
*Some of his outlandish claims caused the majority of the witnesses at the time to walk out on him.
*When taken to task and held accountable for his behaviour instead of humbly accepting the criticism. He was later sued for defamation and slander by one of his accusers.
Yes these are just a few of the spiritual qualities of Guy who is been held up as playing a part in Bible prophecy. Personally I think some of his ideas can be put down to the blurry haze of alcohol and sadly are still been believed today. The true nature of the man can be attested to that only 4 people could be bothered to turn up to his funeral, and there is also a lot of speculation as to his grave site e.g buried underneath the garage in beth sarim.
My small children want to know Jesus ‘horsies’ name? : /