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The Watchtower, Jehovah, and Vindication

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Today I would like to explore the topic of vindication from the view point of the Watchtower.  The Merriam Webster definition has this word being defined one of two ways:

  1. to show that (someone) should not be blamed for a crime, mistake, etc. : to show that (someone) is not guilty
  2. to show that (someone or something that has been criticized or doubted) is correct, true, or reasonable

Today I will focus on the second one since the Watchtower has tried to prove its teachings fit the second definition of being correct, true, and reasonable.  With this in mind, let’s look at this concept in Watchtower literature:

 

So, in similar attitude of mind, must we wait; for the servant is not above his Lord, and our rejoicing in view of the future will, if we have the mind of Christ, be not only because of our own prospective vindication and glory, but also in prospect of the vindication and glory of God and of our Lord Jesus, and of the prospective everlasting triumph of truth and righteousness.

Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.  March 1, 1892 Reprints p. 1375

This is a quote that I can’t really argue except that the initial focus is upon self.  They should have simply stated God and Jesus.  They would need no vindication if that was the case.  A question to ask is if they needed vindication, were they possibly being viewed as teaching things that were incorrect or untrue? 

And, like his heavenly Father, through it all he was cheered in consideration of that "due time," though then in the far distant future, when his character, and also the Father's character, would be fully vindicated and manifested to every creature in heaven and in earth. And still our blessed Lord Jesus and our adorable heavenly Father await with patience the grand consummation. So, in similar attitude of mind, we must wait; for the servant is not above his Lord, and our rejoicing in view of the future will, if we have the mind of Christ, be not only because of our own prospective vindication and glory, but also in prospect of the vindication and glory of God and of our Lord Jesus, and of the prospective everlasting triumph of truth and righteousness.

Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.  June 1, 1906 Reprints p. 3784

Here there is getting slightly worse since there is a surety of the Watchtowerites, then known as Bible Students being vindicated, yet it is mentioned in “prospect” of God and Jesus, seemingly make it seem like the outcome is uncertain.  Reading on, we are going to slightly transition to Rutherford prior to him taking over the organization:

"AN ECCLESIASTICAL BATTLE" BY

JUDGE J. F. RUTHERFORD.

DEAR MR. COWARD:--

I have to thank you for the copy of the vindication of Pastor Russell, which you were kind enough to send me, and which, I need hardly tell you, I read with interest, having, as you know, been to some extent prejudiced against your leader and his work.

Its perusal cannot fail to increase my interest in his writings, as each point raised by his champion carries conviction with it to any one who enters the jury box with an open mind, as, thanks to your interview, I was prepared to do.

Again thanking you, and with best wishes for yourself and work, I am

Yours faithfully, CHAS. A. SMITH.--West Indies.

The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.  January 15, 1916 Reprints p. 5842

What is interesting here is that if Russell was truly teaching everything in accordance with what the Bible actually stated, would he have been needed to be vindicated? Again, since the organization was not going to print anything negative at all, why was Russell not vindicated in court with various controversies such as the “miracle wheat” debacle?  When we have a shift over to Judge Rutherford, vindicating became even more important.

 

Prior to the coming of the Lord to his temple in 1918 the consecrated believed that God’s purpose was to save a few in heaven and to restore other obedient ones of mankind on earth. They were blind to the two opposing organizations, and particularly to the fact that the greatest of all doctrines is the vindication of God’s word and name by and through his kingdom.

The Watchtower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.  October 15, 1931 p. 310

 

This concept went even further from just making a mention of this conceptual word to being the title of a trilogy.  These books entitled Vindication (Parts I, II, III) were to expand upon the prophecy by Ezekiel in the book of the Bible containing the same name.  It is 47 pages and within the present day New World Translation is 71 pages in length has been expanded to:

Vindication Part I-337 pages

Vindication Part II-339 pages

Vindication Part III-348 pages

Total: 1024 pages

New World Translation: 1618 pages

Comparing the length, those books combined are 63% of the present day New World Translation.  With that in mind, let’s look at some of the statements set forth in these books that focused on Ezekiel.

 

Vindication-Part I:

The year 1922 was manifestly God’s due time to begin to make known his judgments against the nations of Christendom and to pronounce his judgment by and through his anointed people. It was in that same year, to wit, 1922, that the commandment came from the temple of God to his angels to begin the pouring out of the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth, and God’s covenant people in convention assembled at Cedar Point participated in that work.

Vindication-Part I.  1931.  p. 55

Can anyone find where in Ezekiel that this prophecy exists?  I’m unable to find it. 

Particularly from and after 1922 God’s covenant people have assaulted “organized Christianity” with the weapons of truth provided by the Lord, and have continued so to do with zeal and vigor.

Vindication-Part I.  1931.  p. 56

The “weapons of truth” that were in use at this time have all been discarded or deemphasized such as the King James Version.   

The Prophet Nahum, prophesying concerning the preparation of God’s organization to make assault upon the enemy, says: “He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face.” (Nah. 2: 1)

Vindication-Part I.  1931. p. 98

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has long claimed that it is “God’s organization.  When it comes to the assault, why is it that Jehovah has not allowed the Jehovah’s Witnesses to make a significant dent given that the organization is still outnumbered when you look at the size of Christianity? 

 

Vindication-Part II

This prophecy therefore points in time to the period following 1918, when the Lord came to the temple and inaugurated the day of vindication upon “Christendom” so called.

Vindication-Part II.  1932.   p. 24

 

We have yet another time based prophecy pointing to a specific year, can this be validated in Scripture?

 

Satan, therefore, is the creator of the wicked system of commerce that oppresses humankind, and he has practiced this from the beginning of man.

Vindication-Part II.  1932. p. 95

 

This is interesting that commerce is an invention of Satan.  The present day Watchtower is a massive real estate company.  Are they willing to admit that they are part of Satan’s system? 

 

The Lord Jesus, the great Judge at the temple, began his judgment work in 1918, and the latter part of the sixteenth verse shows that because of the condition existing in the house of God judgment was necessary.

Vindication-Part II.  1932.  p. 234

 

Again, mention of 1918 yet I am unable to find it spelled out in the Bible.

 

“Organized Christianity,” so called, falsely takes the name of Christ and then devours up men and oppresses mankind.

Vindication-Part II.  1932.  p. 263

 

This is a most interesting quote.  The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society calls itself “God’s organization.”  Based upon this statement by Rutherford, this must mean the organization and those who follow it falsely take Christ’s name. 

 

It is the name of Jehovah God that must be vindicated. That is the important issue.

Vindication-Part II.  1932.  p. 266

 

Here we finally have a focus on Jehovah. 

 

Vindication-Part III

Satan is assembling his forces for Armageddon, and these forces are under the immediate command of his field marshal Gog.

Vindication-Part III.  1932.  p. 11

 

This statement is from 1932.  How long does Satan need to assemble his forces considering one can fly around the globe in a day or two? 

This warning is given by carrying the message of truth to the people and calling upon the people to take their stand upon the side of the Lord or upon the side of the Devil. This was particularly begun on the 26th of July, 1931.

Vindication-Part III.  1932.  p. 87, 88

 

Why did taking a stand have to wait until that particular date? 

Since the coming of the Lord to his temple, in 1918, the faithful ones have received the approval of the Lord, evidenced by the robe of righteousness, and have been clothed with the garments of salvation, which identifies them as members of Jehovah’s organization. They have entered into the joy of the Lord and delight to have some part in the vindication of Jehovah’s holy name.

Vindication-Part III.  1932.  p. 125, 126

 

We finally have some focus on the name Jehovah and vindicating His name. 

These angels are invisible to human eyes and are there to carry out the orders of the Lord. No doubt they first hear the instruction which the Lord issues to his remnant and then these invisible messengers pass such instruction on to the remnant. The facts show that the angels of the Lord with him at his temple have been thus rendering sacred service unto the remnant since 1919.

Vindication-Part III.  1932.  p.250

 

This is a most interesting statement. Let’s contrast this with Galatians 1:8 (New World Translation)-However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond the good news we declared to you, let him be accursed.

 

Remember the quote where I said it was the “greatest doctrine?”  Let’s see how the Watchtower kicked this out:

Similarly, for a long time, Witnesses spoke of the vindication of Jehovah’s name. But had Satan called Jehovah’s name into question? For that matter, had any of Satan’s agents done so, as if Jehovah did not have a right to that name? No, not at all. It was not the name of Jehovah that was challenged and that needed to be vindicated. That is why the Watch Tower Society’s recent publications do not speak of Jehovah’s name as being vindicated. They speak of Jehovah’s sovereignty as being vindicated and of his name as being sanctified. This is in keeping with what Jesus told us to pray: “Let your name be sanctified.” (Matthew 6:9) Time and again, Jehovah said that he was going to sanctify his name, which the Israelites had not challenged but had profaned.—Ezekiel 20:9, 14, 22; 36:23.

Interestingly, in 1971, the book “The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah”—How? made this distinction: “Jesus Christ fights . . . for the vindication of Jehovah’s universal Sovereignty and for the glorification of Jehovah’s name.” (Pages 364-5) In 1973, God’s Kingdom of a Thousand Years Has Approached said: “The coming ‘great tribulation’ is the time for Almighty God Jehovah to vindicate his universal sovereignty and to sanctify his worthy name.” (Page 409) Then, in 1975, Man’s Salvation Out Of World Distress at Hand! stated: “The greatest event of universal history will then have been accomplished, the vindication of Jehovah’s universal sovereignty and the sanctification of his sacred name.”—Page 281.

How blessed Jehovah’s people are to be basking in all this spiritual light!

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. May 15, 1995 p. 25, 26

 

So what we have is an organization that had it’s people in spiritual darkness until this statement came out just over 20 years ago.  Jehovah’s name as I feel didn’t need to be vindicated as He said in I Corinthians 1:25 (New World Translation) Because a foolish thing of God is wiser than men, and a weak thing of God is stronger than men.

 

Looking very little at the organization, remember there were two definitions of “vindication?”  The first one again said: to show that (someone) should not be blamed for a crime, mistake, etc. : to show that (someone) is not guilty

So that leads in part to how will this organization vindicate it’s name and reputation?  I contend it never has completely been clean and open, nor will it.  Since it most likely will never do so, will you remain part of this organization that purports itself to be the chosen channel?  If not, the first step is to perform the sinner’s prayer. 

 

Once that is done the next practical step is to remove yourself from the local Kingdom Hall and find yourself a good bible believing fellowship.  if you have any questions, feel free to contact me. 

Seeing Jehovah

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Today, I would like to cover what should be a simple topic and that is seeing Jehovah.  However, as you know, nothing is ever easy when we add in Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.  Let’s dig right in. 

 

Let’s look at things from Charles Taze Russell’s perspective:

Thus also it will be in the Millennial day, when the complete Christ--the Priest --is revealed; he will be revealed only to those that look for him, and only those shall see him. They will see him, not by physical sight, but as we now see all spiritual things--Jesus, the Father, the prize, etc.--by the eye of faith. Men will not see the Christ by physical sight, for the same reason that they will never see Jehovah; because on a different plane of being-- one spirit, the other flesh. But we (the little flock) shall see him as he is, for we shall be like him.--`1 John 3:2`.

Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.  September 1890 Reprints p. 1237

 

However, twenty years later in 1910 we have the proverbial “new light”:

From that same moment he was the Lamb of God slain --his life given up to the doing of the Father's will. We looked at the picture of this given in the book of Revelation. There we saw Jehovah upon his throne with a scroll in his hand, written in the inside and on the outside, and sealed with seven seals. No one had yet been found worthy to execute or even to be made acquainted with the Divine Purposes.

The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.  July 1, 1910 Reprints p. 4641

 

So here, the fascination with the book of Revelation comes into play as it often does with this organization that doesn’t have a correct foundational understanding of the first 65 books of the bible, how can they properly understand the last one?  Regardless, we have one instance of seeing Jehovah. 

 

Let’s bring it much closer to present day and set conditions as to who won’t be able to see with the following:

 

Consequently, when those nations will have destroyed Babylon the Great and then threateningly turn against these called, chosen and faithful anointed ones, they will be taking ungodly action against “ambassadors for Christ,” against citizens of God’s city, “the heavenly Jerusalem.” In fighting against these whom they can see in their midst, they will be fighting against the Lamb Jesus Christ, the King of kings, even though they cannot see him nor see Jehovah God.

All Nations Collide.  1971 p. 25

 

Will all who truly have pure hearts literally see God face to face? No, only those will to whom these ‘beatitudes’ or happinesses have primary application. These are Jesus’ anointed footstep followers, to whom it is written: “Beloved ones, now we are children of God, but as yet it has not been made manifest what we shall be. We do know that whenever he is made manifest we shall be like him, because we shall see him [God] just as he is.” (1 John 3:2) How will this be possible? Because they will possess incorruptible, immortal spirit bodies, being sharers of the divine nature. Concerning them it is written: “For this which is corruptible must put on incorruption, and this which is mortal must put on immortality.” And again, “He has freely given us the precious and very grand promises, that through these you may become sharers in divine nature.”—1 Cor. 15:53; 2 Pet. 1:4.

Awake!  August 22, 1971 p. 28

 

Do you really believe in Jehovah God?— Is he a real Person to you?—

It is true that we cannot see Jehovah. This is because he is a Spirit. He has a body that is invisible to our eyes. But he is a real Person, and he can see us.

Greatest Teacher.  1971.  p. 116-117

 

So who will see Jehovah?

So here is what we have.  The two class system has again shown itself.  Only those 144,000 anointed footstep followers are the only ones able to see Jehovah.  What happens to the great crowd here?  They are completely left out.  Also, we have more validation that the Greek Scriptures do not completely apply to you since you are not part of the new covenant.  Moving along we will see the following:

NO ONE living now or who has lived on earth in the past has ever seen God with his literal eyes. Jehovah is too glorious for frail humans to endure the sight of him. However, his invisibility should not cause us to cast doubt on his existence, nor does it make it impossible for us to “see” him as a Person with the eyes of faith.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.  February 1, 1976 p. 80

 

Notice how no one has seen God with “literal eyes.”  We are going to come back to it later. 

A heavenly assembly took place in the latter part of the tenth century before our Common Era. The Israelite prophet Micaiah had a vision of it. Describing it, Micaiah said to two allied kings, Ahab and Jehoshaphat: “Hear the word of Jehovah: I certainly see Jehovah sitting upon his throne and all the army of the heavens standing by him, to his right and to his left. And Jehovah proceeded to say, ‘Who will fool Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And this one began to say something like this, while that one was saying something like that. Finally a spirit came out and stood before Jehovah and said, ‘I myself shall fool him.’”—1 Kings 22:19-21.

Holy Spirit-The Force Behind the Coming New World Order.  1976. p. 23

 

The pure in heart who accepted Jesus as Messiah and listened to him gained deep insight into God’s personality. By exercising faith in Jesus’ sin-atoning sacrifice they gained forgiveness of sins and a relationship with God and were able to render acceptable worship before his throne. (Eph. 1:7) Seeing God in this sense will reach its pinnacle for spirit-anointed Christians when they get to heaven, for there they will actually see God and Christ.—1 John 3:2; 2 Cor. 1:21, 22.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.  March 1, 1978 p. 4, 5

 

With this quote we have further reinforcement that only the anointed are allowed to see Jehovah.  Further, we have to ask yet another question, is there a difference in exercising faith to gain forgiveness between the great crowd and the anointed?  If so, what is the scriptural difference in this?   However, what we have are those who are in spiritual bodies and perhaps with the Watchtower’s methodology, this is how they can see Jehovah-on the spiritual plane only. 

So, too, those called to be joint heirs with Christ in the heavens, in due time, see Jehovah God.—1Jo 3:1-3.

Insight on the Scriptures-Volume I.  1988.  p. 801

 

Yet another case of further reinforcement that seeing Jehovah is reserved for a select group.

So can Jehovah be or not be seen? We get this answer below in the form of a question:

 

16, 17. (a) Why can we not see Jehovah, and why should that not surprise us? (b) In what sense is Jehovah more real than anything we can see or touch?

Draw Close to Jehovah.  2014. p. 15

 

Now let’s look at scripture since the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has nothing but Bible based: For this let’s first look back to an account in Genesis. 

Afterward, Jehovah appeared to him among the big trees of Mamʹre while he was sitting at the entrance of the tent during the hottest part of the day.  He looked up and saw three men standing some distance from him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, and he bowed down to the ground.  Then he said: “Jehovah, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant.  Please, let a little water be brought and have your feet washed; then recline under the tree.  Seeing that you have come here to your servant, let me bring a piece of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. Then you may go on your way.” At this they said: “All right. You may do as you have spoken.”

Genesis 18:1-5 New World Translation

 

The person whom Jehovah appeared to is Abraham.  What we have here is very interesting.  Jehovah appeared as three men.  Remember Deuteronomy 6:4 which says, “Listen, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah” (New World Translation).  Abraham bowed to all three and collectively addressed them all at the same time.  Let’s contrast this with the earlier statement:

 

NO ONE living now or who has lived on earth in the past has ever seen God with his literal eyes.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.  February 1, 1976

 

So which is correct, the statement within the Watchtower magazine or the New World Translation?  Let’s read on a bit and let’s reiterate from Isaiah 6:1:

 

In the year that King Uz·ziʹah died, I saw Jehovah sitting on a lofty and elevated throne, and the skirts of his robe filled the temple. 

 New World Translation

We have here is a vision that Isaiah had.  Regardless, let’s look at what the words of Jesus are found in John 1:18:

No man has seen God at any time; the only-begotten god who is at the Father’s side is the one who has explained Him.

New World Translation

So now we are left in a conundrum.  The Watchtower under Russell said you couldn’t, yet in Knorr’s era it was reported you could.  Biblically speaking, Jehovah appeared, was seen, and yet Abraham lived.  Then Jesus himself said no one has seen the Father at any time. 

So we are left with this, who was seen?  If one could not have seen the Father, the next logical person would be Jesus.  Being one who fully believes that Jesus is fully God yet also fully man who did these people see?  It was called a Christophany-a visible manifestation of a pre-incarnate Jesus Christ.  This is part of what is considered to be a theophany as defined here.  That is the most logical conclusion.  If you want to know more, feel free to contact me at watchtowerofjehovahswitness@mail.com on this website. 

Wrapping everything up, what will you go with?  The Watchtower has said various things at various points within its history.  Ultimately, according to the Watchtower Society quotes above, you have the best chance of seeing Jehovah if and only if you are of the anointed even though there have been times where you haven’t been able to.  Or you can listen to the bible.  What will you decide?

The Watchtower’s Light Bearers

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Who is your light bearer?  Is it you?  If you are a Jehovah’s Witness, you are taught to believe that your organization alone is the source of light that Jehovah uses.  Therefore all others are in darkness.  As long as you are in the organization, you are in the light.  Therefore you as a member of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, you are a light bearer. 

 

So who is it?  Let’s look and see what the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has to say:

Each one of the Lord's servants is represented as a light bearer, and instructed to let his light so shine before men that they, seeing his good works, may glorify the Father in heaven.

Zion’s Watchtower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.  April 15, 1904 Reprints p. 3354

 

So we start off pretty good.  The organization which was loosely affiliated and bound together by Zion’s Watchtower and Herald of Christ’s Presence focused on glorifying the Father.  

 

He (Peter) was here pointing them to the time when the great Light-bearer, Christ Jesus, should return and make glad their hearts. 

The Golden Age.  September 22, 1926 p. 821

 

(Peter “The Rock” inserted)

 

So it’s not too bad here because the Bible Students as they were still known did precisely what Jesus did. 

 

Both were following the Latin Vulgate translation, which uses Lucifer, meaning “Light Bearer.” Lucifer, however, is not the name of the king of Babylon. Lucifer, as a name, was applied to Satan the Devil by early uninspired religious writers of our Common Era.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.  July 1, 1965 p. 406, 407

 

The many references to Jesus’ ‘coming or being sent forth into the world’ evidently do not refer primarily, if at all, to his human birth but more reasonably apply to his going out among mankind, publicly carrying out his assigned ministry from and after his baptism and anointing, acting as a light bearer to the world of mankind.

Insight on the Scriptures-Volume II.  1988 p. 1208

 

1992 “Light Bearers” District Convention

Jesus said his followers would be “the light of the world.” (Matt. 5:14) In contrast, the world’s spiritual and moral darkness grows greater with each passing day. (Isa. 60:2; Rom. 1:21) Our responsibility as light bearers takes on greater meaning as we approach the end of this system. Recognizing the vital role we play, it is with eager anticipation that we look forward to attending the 1992 “Light Bearers” District Convention.

Kingdom Ministry.  May 1992 p. 3

 

Those not yet pioneering were urged to consider their situation. Perhaps they too could arrange their affairs to let their light shine in the full-time service.

 

Being a light bearer often involves sacrifices, and this was highlighted in the following talk, “Serving Jehovah With a Self-Sacrificing Spirit.”

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.  January 15, 1993 p. 15, 16

 

“You Are the Light of the World”

11 At Matthew 5:14, Jesus told his disciples: “You are the light of the world.” They were to follow in his footsteps.

THE STORY OF GEORGE YOUNG AS TOLD BY RUTH YOUNG NICHOLSON

“Why, then, this silence in our pulpits? . . . What kind of men should we be if we kept silent after we had proved these things whereof I write to be true? Let us not keep the people in ignorance, but let us proclaim the truth in no apologetic or hidden manner.”

THESE words were part of Father’s 33-page letter requesting the removal of his name from the church registry. The year was 1913. From that time forward, he embarked on an event-filled life that led him to serve as a light bearer to many nations. (Philippians 2:15)

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.  July 1, 2000 p. 22

 

 

And as you continue to build good qualities in imitation of your beloved Father, you will be blessed with a great privilege. In a bedarkened world alienated from God, you will be a light bearer. (Matthew 5:1, 2, 14) You will help to spread abroad in the earth some reflections of Jehovah’s glorious personality. What an honor!

Draw Close To Jehovah.  2014. p. 317

 

So again, we go from an angel being the primary light bearer to the average Jehovah's Witness. 

 

Is there a consistency between the light bearers?  Looking at things biblically aside from the changes of the organization made regarding adding characters and words to verses about the diety of Jesus.  Let’s consider the words and actions of Jesus.  How many of the things pertaining to those two aspects have been changed when it comes to him?  To my knowledge, there have been none.  Therefore, we have a consistency in the narrative in the bible regarding Jesus.

 

Let’s look at Lucifer himself.  We have consistency with him.  Looking at John 8:44 it says the following (New World Translation), You are from your father the Devil, and you wish to do the desires of your father. That one was a murderer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of the lie.

This verse references “the truth” which in John 14:6 identifies properly with Jesus. 

The lies of Satan fall broadly into one of these three categories with these biblical examples:

Temptation: Genesis 3:4-At this the serpent said to the woman: “You certainly will not die. (New World Translation)

Intimidation: I Peter 5:8-Keep your senses, be watchful! Your adversary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone. (New World Translation)

Lying: Acts 5:3-But Peter said: “An·a·niʹas, why has Satan emboldened you to lie to the holy spirit and secretly hold back some of the price of the field? (New World Translation)

 

Let’s see how this is similar to the present day light bearers being the modern Witnesses and see how they compare to the organization.

 

Is is possible  that when a Witness engages a possible householder about life on a “paradise Earth,” are you tempting the person at the prospect of a better life that they can possibly receive at some point in the future?     

When it comes to life within the hall itself, have you considered the ties that certain terms are utilized to keep you in “line” as the saying goes?  Let’s look at this:

 

Approved association with Jehovah’s Witnesses requires accepting the entire range of the true teachings of the Bible, including those Scriptural beliefs that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses. What do such beliefs include?

That the great issue before humankind is the rightfulness of Jehovah’s sovereignty, which is why he has allowed wickedness so long. (Ezekiel 25:17) That Jesus Christ had a prehuman existence and is subordinate to his heavenly Father. (John 14:28) That there is a “faithful and discreet slave” upon earth today ‘entrusted with all of Jesus’ earthly interests,’ which slave is associated with the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Matthew 24:45-47) That 1914 marked the end of the Gentile Times and the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the heavens, as well as the time for Christ’s foretold presence. (Luke 21:7-24; Revelation 11:15–12:10) That only 144,000 Christians will receive the heavenly reward. (Revelation 14:1, 3) That Armageddon, referring to the battle of the great day of God the Almighty, is near. (Revelation 16:14, 16; 19:11-21) That it will be followed by Christ’s Millennial Reign, which will restore an earth-wide paradise. That the first to enjoy it will be the present “great crowd” of Jesus’ “other sheep.”—John 10:16; Revelation 7:9-17; 21:3, 4.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.  April, 1, 1986 p. 31

 

What happens when you question something publicly?  Would there be the “mini inquisition” called the judicial committee happen in short order?   

How about the proverbial “intimidation?”  I don’t mean the legal term, I’m referring to accounts when a young child has to face their accuser in the midst of a judicial hearing in the “back room.”  Have you as a Witness considered the ramifications of spying?  I would like to present an account by former Governing Body member Raymond Franz and an account he wrote of In Search of Christian Freedom, pages 380-383:

In the “Cradle of Democracy”

Perhaps nothing illustrates more clearly the extremes to which the zeal to spy out and deal summarily with any disagreement or disaffection can go than what happened in Athens, Greece, the land called “the cradle of democracy.”

In 1986, the branch office of the Watch Tower Society, located in the Athens area, began applying intense pressure on Witnesses who gave any indication of not being in total agreement with organizational teachings and policies. The number of those disfellowshiped evidently reached more than a hundred. In an interest to maintain spirituality, these persons began gathering together for Bible reading and discussion in private homes. The Greek branch office, however, manifested an extreme concern to seek out and take action against any doing so. This in time introduced some remarkable measures and led to a court case described in the Athens newspaper shown on the following page.

On Tuesday, April 6, 1987, a group of about 50 persons gathered at the home of Nick and Eftihia Bozartzis for Bible discussion. From his balcony Nick noticed two men standing across the street watching the individuals entering his home, some of whom had not formally withdrawn from the organization. Recognizing one of the two observers as a Witness, he went down to speak to them, but as soon as he appeared on the street level they literally ran off. Within days, three of those attending the gathering were disfellowshiped by elders in judicial hearings.

On Friday, others normally went to the home of Voula Kalokerinou, a former Witness, but since they planned to gather for the celebration of the Lord’s evening meal on Sunday, their gathering on Friday, April 9, was canceled. That Friday evening, however, Voula noticed a car with five persons inside parked across the road from her house, and the car and its occupants remained there for hours. The next evening the same.

One might think that to assign any sinister motive to such circumstances, viewing them as evidence of “spying” designed to identify “defectors” and supply grounds for judicial action against them, would be the product of imagination, even manifest a degree of paranoia. Later events demonstrated otherwise.

The following Sunday, April 11, a number of persons went to Voula’s home to commemorate the death of God’s Son on behalf of all mankind. She noticed an unfamiliar car parked across the road on one corner and a van parked on the other corner. The rear window of the van was covered over with paper but with a hole cut in the center of the covering material. The occupants of the car crossed over to the van several times, talking with those inside it. Voula asked one of those who had come to her home to find out why the cars were parked there. When he approached the car, those inside quickly drove off. He then went to the rear of the van and looked in through the hole of the material covering the rear win- dow. Inside he saw video camera equipment being used by two Witnesses, an elder named Nikolas Antoniou, and a member of the Athens Watch Tower branch office staff, Dimetre Zerdes. A number of others from Voula’s home came over to the van and a policeman stationed at the nearby Italian Embassy also appeared to find out what the problem was. The Witnesses in the van managed to drive through the surrounding group and drove to a nearby park where they began quickly unloading their video equipment. They were interrupted by the arrival of two police cars and were arrested on charges of invasion of privacy. The video equipment was confiscated. The film in it showed Mrs. Kalokerinou’s home and zoom shots of the front entrance with closeups of all those entering.

Before the district attorney, the two men stated that they were only there to film a relative of Dimetre Zerdes, the Watch Tower branch office member. His cousin, Eftihia Bozartzis, mentioned earlier, had disassociated herself two years before. As a “loyal” Witness, branch office member Dimitre should have had no interest in her, certainly should not have had any reason for wanting to film her secretively two years after her disassociation.

The case eventually came to trial. In his presentation at the close of the trial, the district attorney, Mr. Kontaxis, stated:

I don’t think there is any Christian organization that tells its members to tell lies, but when the defendant and his organization does so, I would want them to accept the responsibility and say, “Yes, we did spy.” And if an organization did such a thing then how can it expect others to follow it? They had and used special equipment with witnesses seeing them filming, and yet the defendant comes along and says he didn’t do it to spy but just to film. All this doesn’t honor either the defendant or the organization to which he belongs.

We are all free to belong to any organization we want, but we are also free to leave that organization and do whatever we want within the bounds of the law. . . . Does a person’s leaving, abandoning this organization give it the right to follow and spy on its members? One is protected by law against cassettes, tape recorders, filming, when such are used to pry into one’s personal life and personality. This comes under CONFIDENTIALITY and is protected by it in such cases, and that includes one’s private convictions. This is very serious. Obviously the defendants were trying to cryptograph the private life of the plaintiffs by using video equipment, and this purposely, not by chance.

The Watch Tower Society, by teaching it is the “ark,” and that one must enter it to be saved, by teaching it is God’s channel, creates tremendous dependency on its members and thus [they] are directed to do everything to threaten and trample all that we call human rights.

In the course of the trial, one of the judges asked the Witness elder, the owner of the van, how long he and the other Witness had been stationed in the van that day. The answer was, six hours. When asked if the windows of the van were clear, the elder said, No, that the back window was covered with paper with a hole in the center through which they had done filming with the video cassette camera. He claimed that all this was solely to film his companion’s relative. The confiscated film showed zoom shots of many persons at the house’s front entrance and on its balcony. But the relative did not appear anywhere on the film. Actually she could not have appeared for the simple reason that she was never at the gathering! The court rendered a guilty verdict in the case.

Ironically, the following year, the Awake! magazine carried an article decrying the intolerance of Greek Orthodox Church officials, expressed in pressuring officials of a sports stadium to cancel their contract with Jehovah’s Witnesses, who were to hold an assembly in the stadium.The article rightly condemned this unjust treatment of “peaceful and lawabiding Christians,” pointing to the Greek constitutional guarantees of freedom of worship and religious conscience, and citing a court ruling that “the freedom of expressing one’s religious beliefs is more especially safeguarded by . . . the Treaty of Rome dated April 11, 1950, ‘on the protection of human rights.’” After saying that “the freedom of the Greek people once again has been trampled on because of the Dark Ages mentality of the clergy,” the article added, “How sad to see such a flouting of democracy in ‘the cradle of democracy.’”

Ray Franz

Why would members in “God’s chosen channel of communication” resort to the operation that resembles actions suited for a spy film?  Does this count as intimidation? 

That also leads into lying. How often are you 100% upfront with not only the Witnesses at the local kingdom hall but completely honest in your dealings with people at the door?  Let’s look at the theocratic war strategy from former Witness, Dr. Jerry Bergman:  http://www.witforjesus.org/downloads/english/pdfs/jehovahs-witness/spying/bergman-pp29-31.pdf 

This extends into the New World Translation itself since those at the top deceive and you deceive.  Let’s look at Hebrews 1:8 from the New World Translation and the King James Version.

New World Translation: But about the Son, he says: “God is your throne forever and ever, and the scepter of your Kingdom is the scepter of uprightness.

King James Version:  But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

This verse is the hardest one for Unitarians (those who believe that Jehovah alone is God) to deal with so to make it easier for the Jehovah’s Witnesses to digest this, they simply rewrite the verse.  Since Jehovah is the author of the bible, why would he have allowed a glaring mistake to happen like this and wait until 1950 for the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society to correct a major flaw like this?  

There are many more cases but I will submit to you a title Preparing for Child Custody Cases. 

The table of contents contains a list of possible questions for the Witness parent, child, elder, and non-Witness parent involved.  It gives instruction on how to answer as well. 

Does the Watchtower fit an organization that intimidates?  Here’s an article: https://jwvictims.org/2015/11/21/do-jehovahs-witnesses-actually-fit-the-psychological-definition-of-bullies/

 

So what kind of light bearer are you?  Are you one that can just speak like Jesus and not have to change anything or are you the light bearer that has a bible in one hand and various types of publications in another depending on the situation?  Will you consider leaving the organization today?