Abuse been kept silent by Jehovah’s Witnesses organisation

The Watchtower’s child abuse protocols read like a mashup of Scripture and corporate policy.
From a 1989 Watchtower letter to all U.S. elders describing the importance of secrecy:

“Often the peace, unity, and spiritual well-being of the congregation are at stake.
Improper use of the tongue by an elder can result in serious legal problems for the individual
the congregation, and even the Society.”

Every year in the United States, 60,000 children (aged 11 and younger) are sexually abused.
Every year, 321,500 (aged 12 and older) are sexually assaulted or raped.
80% of all those sexually abused under the age of 18 are abused by a parent or stepparent. (RAINN, 2019).

Normally believing people following Jesus should try to have an immaculate life, taking care of and protecting those around them.

From Jehovah’s Witnesses one would expect that they would show respect for men, women and children and would take care that those who do something atrocious against the Law of God would be punished and would be put out of the community. Often we hear about people have been disfellowshipped for matters which could be talked about and which are not so terrible as for the matters we came to hear about the last few weeks.

At the end of March a documentary was shown on the Flemish state television about reports of sexual abuse by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. At the edition of “Pano” on VRT Eén the documentary brought to light that the organisation had been covering up sexual abuse of minors via an internal ‘disciplinary’ system for years. That way, none of the claims were reported to the police. One of the witnesses, who has been an elder in the organisation, was very straightforward in the documentary, in calling it

“a paradise for paedophiles”.

The (protected and therefore made anonymous) elder made it clear the organisation had in March 1997 already sent a letter to each of its 10,883 U.S. congregations, and to many more congregations worldwide indicating for the dangers if some news about paedophile acts would come into the public. The organization was concerned about the legal risk posed by possible child molesters within its ranks. The letter laid out instructions on how to deal with a known predator:

Write a detailed report answering 12 questions — Was this a onetime occurrence, or did the accused have a history of child molestation? How is the accused viewed within the community? Does anyone else know about the abuse? — and mail it to Watchtower’s headquarters in a special blue envelope. Keep a copy of the report in your congregation’s confidential file, the instructions continued, and do not share it with anyone.

The man in charge for Belgium, Louis De Wit was not really willing to give a reasonable reply for what was going on behind the doors of this religious organisation.  He gave the impression he did not know about such “blue envelope”.

One would think Jehovah’s Witnesses disapprove of sexual abuse, and would do everything to react properly against such unwanted actions. When there were sent “blue envelopes” like many from different countries tell, are sent to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, they must have a large database of undocumented child molesters:

at least two decades’ worth of names and addresses —likely numbering in the tens of thousands — and detailed acts of alleged abuse, most of which have never been shared with law enforcement, all scanned and searchable in a Microsoft SharePoint file.

we known from more than one source.

In recent decades, much of the world’s attention to allegations of abuse has focused on the Catholic Church and other religious groups. Less notice has been paid to the abuse among the Jehovah’s Witnesses, though this Christian group with more than 8.5 million members was much spoken off at several fora and blogs of ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses, stating such and other problems in that organisation.

In the United States already millions of dollars have been paid over the years to keep it secret.

Because the church, and its community, is for many of those victims their life, it is even more difficult to cope with, because they also feel that they can give a negative impression over their religious group. Often they live in a certain way isolated of the outside world. They go to school but friendship with non-JW is not exactly recommended or encouraged. In several countries and several JW families kids aren’t allowed to play sports in school or participate in holiday observances in school.

When the abused persons tell others about what happened they are asked to keep it quiet or are treated as the trespasser and soon after talks with elders they become considered as a “reproofed” member of the congregation, being effectively shunned,  not permitted to speak unless spoken to. Often they even become forbidden from participating in church activities and as such having been made invisible in the eyes of the church.

Having had little contact with the outside world, staying with their own, save for going door-to-door to convince others that their religion was the one and true path to salvation in these, the final days of human history, they feel like betrayed and shut down by their own “family”. For the devout, disfellowshipping feels literally like a death sentence, because according to what they have learned one has to be a JW or to “belong to the Truth” to be able to enter the Kingdom of God.

Jehovah’s Witnesses call their version of excommunication disfellowshipping, a punishment by shunning to rid the faithful of bad associations with those who break the laws of God. Though this time not the abuser is disfellowshipped but the victim which makes she or he as expelled person cannot have any further contact with Witnesses, even polite acknowledgement on the street, until they take back the accusations or allegations and have proved ‘their repentance and willingness to return obediently’ to the organization.

Midway through the last century, the Watchtower took the power to judge and punish Witnesses away from the entire membership of congregations and gave it to the elders in each kingdom hall. The Watchtower also began to emphasize the importance of keeping the organization “spiritually clean.” By the early 1990s, roughly 40,000 Witnesses were disfellowshipped each year, according to Watchtower literature.

For decades, Jehovah’s Witnesses literature has described the importance of cutting off unrepentant sinners, even when they are family members. A 1988 Watchtower article traces the roots of the organization’s shunning policies to Deuteronomy, which says Israelite parents must bring rebellious children before the elders to be judged and executed

“to clear away what is bad from the midst of Israel.”

Israelite parents even participated in the execution of their own children to show their loyalty to God before family, the article states, because such demonstrations of devotion can be necessary to save one’s own life.

From the way the organisation reactions we can have the impression those youngsters who say they are misused are rebellious children who themselves created such situations where the adult fell in their trap.
What is also so ‘funny” is that those people by others are called “man of God” and should receive full respect and as such nothing bad can or could be said about them.

The same as what seems to happen in many other countries (like the Netherlands) the organisation does not have any policies to prevent sexual abuse or report it to the police and even worse want to keep it silent, sometimes even giving the victims the idea that they are the cause or warning them that they may not let outsiders know about this.

Victims that quit the organisation are not only ignored completely but become disfellowshipped and considered outcast nobody of the JW (lower) members may have contact. Only elders are supposedly to have contact with them, but do not seem to do anything to help them really.

According to CIAOSN, an independent centre set up by Belgium’s Department of Justice to study sectarian organisations, there are similar findings in 12 other countries. The report concludes that the issues in all other countries are the same. Due to the strict hierarchy of the organisation, it’s very difficult to come forward, reports CIAOSN. Another issue that returns frequently in CIAOSN’s report is that victims have to give their statements about the abuse in the presence of their abusers. If the accused denies involvement, they’ll only further the investigation after two other witness statements. In all these 13 countries, there is not one woman involved in the internal disciplinary system.

Reclaimed Voices Belgium finds that it is noteworthy how many people that talk about the severe psychological damage that the exclusion by the community brings with it. They say

“In conversations we’ve had with victims so far, it seems that the trauma caused by the exclusion that follows when a victim speaks up about the abuse has an even bigger impact than the abuse itself.”

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Find also to read:

Over the past couple of years, Mark O’Donnell has been leaking stolen letters and other papers documenting instances of child abuse. (Lexey Swall)

1. A Secret Database of Child Abuse; A former Jehovah’s Witness is using stolen documents to expose allegations that the religion has kept hidden for decades.
2. Belgian Jehovah’s Witnesses sexual abuse scandal
3. Sexual or indecent assault in the Belgian Criminal Code
4. Let’s talk about it
5. Amendment to hide child sex abuse claims
6. Jehovah’s Witnesses use 1st Amendment to hide child sex abuse claims
7. Jehovah’s Witnesses cover up child sex abuse and oust a victim
8. ‘Punished’ for being sexually abused in York County: Jehovah’s Witnesses’ culture of cover-up
9. Jehovah’s Witness leader says child sex abuse claims are ‘lies’
10. She spoke about Jehovah’s Witness abuse, and her home was vandalized
11. Surviving
12. A Moment of Silence
13. Child abuse
14. Dear Dairy
15. Vatican removes Guam archbishop after conviction of sexual abuse
16. No Comment: Fordham’s Continued History of Silence on Sex Abuse Claims
17. George Pell: A Devil in the Disguise of a Saint – One of the worst immoral things/crimes I can think of is child abuse, physical or sexual.
18. Inerrantists are My Brothers and Sisters in Jesus—Not My Enemies
19. What Do the Church’s Victims Deserve?

Belgian Biblestudents website 2016 in review

First article for the 2005 November opening of the WordPress site of the Belgian Bible Students – Eerste artikel bij de opening in november 2005 van de WordPress site van de Belgische Bijbel Studenten

After our (real) start on WordPress in October 2010 we generated in the first two years not so many viewers, taking it until April 2012 before we really left MSM and Bijbelvorsers Blogspot (started in 2005) aside and started presenting ourself on this other platform. That step forwards on the Mount Everest brought us 3 200 views in 2012 with only 27 new posts.

In 2013 the amount of postings increased up to 87 new postings giving us 7 600 views. One year later there was a little dip with only 63 new postings getting 6 697 views from 4 666 visitors. It seemed we were not so much liked in that turbulent year, having only 19 likes and 19 comments.

2015 got us back on track after some difficult year, not to say the least. 7 683 views from 5 168 visitors where good for the 93 newly published articles.

After 4 247 home page views in 2015, that page could attract 4 285 views, bringing the total views for 2015 up to 8 922 for 5 821 visitors willing to give us 54 likes and 26 comments.

We are pleased we may have found 79 followers in the year 2016 and viewers from all over the world, having most coming from the United States of America 2 909, followed by the Netherlands with 1 213 views and 1 108 views from Belgium. Next comes Great Britain with 524 and France with 226 views, though it was a French article that got most of the views, namely ‘l’ Élection de Matthias’ with 446 views, getting its English version ‘The Election of the apostle Matthias’ 363 views.

Personal bible study (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In 2016 most energy went into the writing of the comparison of English Bible translations, with the series “Old and newer King James Versions and other translations”. With that series and the article From Bibles and other religious writings and those who witness for Jehovah we do hope English people who think the King James version is the only one true Bible Translation come to see that God always has protected His own Word and that as well in English as in other languages God provided serious good translations of His Divine Word.

Many people may confuse us with Jehovah’s Witnesses and be not pleased with their and our preaching. Therefore 2016 was also a year to reflect on the Witnessing of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, as well on our witnessing, plus on picturing the Governing body. We also gave the word to a former elder of that denomination.

We looked how not only human teaching or human doctrines defiled God’s Word in certain Bible translations and certain Christian denominations, but how 2016 was also the year such human thinking has brought secularism to be very dangerous for freedom of religion and freedom of thought and played with morals and values, (in particular the French values)but that human teachings shall pass away. Though there shall always exist people who shall try to do their utmost best to worship the Only One True God in the best way to please that Host of host.
Concerning that worship we ave our view on Christian worship music and on the lifting of hands at a service, towards the Most High. In a Dutch article we also tackled this subject at From Guestwriters. (Zingen over moeilijkheden en lijden ook noodzakelijk in kerkgemeenschap)

In 2016 also at Stepping Toes we looked at the Bible how it tells us how from nothing and chaos came order, just by the impeccable Word, the Voice in the Void, which brought everything into being but would be also the essential guide for mankind. (Word-Verbum-Logos-Ereyga) and at From Guestwriters we talked about that masterly copied and reproduced Word to feed the minds, to bring the most important translation…

In April we also looked at Stepping Toes at a nice resume of what we have to remember to do and what we should not or may not do, in the article Displeasures and Actions of the Almighty God.

In 2016 we also started to present writings which are from guest-speakers, so that other voices could be presented and gave you some other or equal insight.
As such you may find writings presented by Guestspeaker, presenting also different Guest-writers or re-blogged articles, and Relating to God who shall offer specific articles about our relation to the Most High.

Now we have put the first 5 years on WordPress behind us and look forward to the coming next five years in which we shall continue to present the Nazarene Commentary, looking at that very important Nazarene teacher who was born 2020 years ago, and who should receive our full attention, him being the Way to God.

We do hope you may accompany us on our further road-trip looking forward to the return of our master and our intentions to live according God’s Wishes so that we all can enter the Kingdom of God as loving brothers and sisters in Christ.

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Preceding

2010 – 2014 in review

Belgian Bible Students review of 2015

From Bibles and other religious writings and those who witness for Jehovah

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Additional reading

1. At the closing hours of 2016 #1 Looking down at terror
2. At the closing hours of 2016 #2 Low but also highlights
3. From Guestwriters 2016 in review

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Other reviews for 2016

1. 2016 highlights 
2. 2016 in Review
3. 2016 in Review (by Conor)
4. 2016 in Review …..
5. Looking Back at 2016…
6. 2016: A Series of Unfortunate Revelations
7. So That Was 2016..Year in Review
8. Year In Review – 2016
9. 2016: The Big Review
10. My Year in Review: 2016
11. Build and Believe
12. (One Year Blogiversy and 100 followers special) 2016 in review and looking into the future
13. My One Word for 2017: Onward
14. How 2016 Measured Up . . . for Prayer
15. Change (a reflection on 2016)
16. Most popular posts of 2016
17. Thank you 2016

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The Truth About the Watchtower Judicial Committee Process, as Told By a Former Elder

On JWVictim.Org, a site from a woman who simply fade from the religion and from the view of the elders and even of her own family, just stopping going to meetings and out in their preaching work for weeks, which turned into months, which turned into years. As an “inactive” nobody seemed to have reach out to help her. As an invisible she went back two or three times, but each time she returned, she could so easily see the hypocrisy, failed predictions, abuses, and so many other disturbing aspects of the religion, that after some time she was able to break away from the religion, mentally and emotionally and started a blog in the hopes of waking up others to its danger. She chose the URL “JWvictims” because that’s what she wanted to concentrate on; the victimization that happens in this religion.

“Spike Raynor” is the pen name of a former elder of the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses, for almost 10 years, who has his own YouTube page for more insights on the Watchtower practices and policies. We are pleased to hear form him more about such a judicial committee whose results can cause all of JW their friends and family to shun the person in question.

He himself sat on several judicial committees and was more than once involved in disfellowshipping people, resulting in their friends and family shunning them until they changed their “sinful course.”

In sharing his experience and knowledge to help right the wrongs that he did as an agent of what he now realizes to be a rather malicious publishing company he lifts up the veil for the unknown to non Jehovah’s Witnesses.

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To remember

Watchtower has created a rules-based religion

break one of their rules [breaking rules of a sexual nature (sex outside of marriage)] = invite you to such a judicial committee

secret book titled, “Shepherd the Flock of God” = regular Jehovah’s Witnesses not allowed to see

 

basic Star Chamber trial > elders= prosecutors + judges

accused = considered guilty > faces them alone = no support + no representative >> exception of minor children can have parents present + married women can have husbands present

Nobody ever invited to a judicial committee unless elders have some sort of proof or reason to believe the individual is guilty => to determine the appropriate punishment.

 

1. individual reproved privately
2. public reproof => congregation will severely limit any association with someone who has been reproved =  “disfellowshipping light.”
3. disfellowshipping => friends and family will begin to shun until (or if) reinstated. The fourth, which is almost unheard of, is that the committee realizes that no offence worthy of disfellowshipping is committed, and the judicial committee is cancelled.

times when a sin is considered to be so serious that a plea of repentance won’t be accepted

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Preceding articles

A Society pleading poverty

Male domination and tyranny giving opportunities to defile the Name of God

Belonging to or being judged by

Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses preach?

Oklahoma City Regional Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Random Observations From My Most Recent JW Convention Experience

You Are The Truth

Jehovah’s Witnesses Circuit Assembly and a Pillar to freedom

Jesus’ footstep followers, irrespective of sectarian lines

Authority from the One God to one mediator between God and men

The Picture of the Governing Body

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• Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses preach?
• Random Observations From My Most Recent JW Convention Experience

Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses preach?

Typical preaching work of Jehovah’s Witnesses Português: Trabalho de pregação típico das Testemunhas de Jeová (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It sounds so strange “trying to get her hours in as it was the end of service year.” Jesus asked us to go out into the fields, into the world and to preach the gospel. That bringing Good News did not have to tear us down or exhausts us so much that it would become a burden. Christ came to this earth to liberate us from the chains of this world. That means also taking away our bondage with worldly organisations.

Where do JW get it from that in a certain year a regular pioneer would need to put in a total of 840 hours? In this world were every body has to work hard for a living those 70 hours a month look quite a lot. though it might depend how you look on it; Does it conclude all sorts of preaching? One can witness all day around at work, on the streets, in public transport … there are so many occasions that one can occasionally talk about God and His system.

What is the use of JW’s who would falsify their hours just too keep the elders off their backs. And would they not consider that lying or being untruthful? Not telling the truth is considered a lie and as such also a sin, according to the Bible. But when many people would do such a thing this would give a false picture to the elders and the organisation. Because then they would have the impression that what they ask is possible to do by the majority.

Chart of active Jehovah’s Witnesses by year. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Just imagine if a quarter of a congregation of say a hundred members are giving in fake hours, how much of that yearly report is pure fiction? Are they faking their hours out of malice? No, its out of fear because they don’t want the elders to start boring their eyes into them wondering what is wrong.”

It is totally wrong to think

” You cannot be a Witness and not preach pretty much,”

Preaching and witnessing have nothing to do with quantity but all with quality of talking about God, His commandments, His promises and His sent one, the salvation which is hanging above our head, not by the amount of hours we spend knocking at doors, but by the way we behave and treat others and keep to God’s commandments.

When people do have to bring in a report every month to prove their ‘field service’ it looks more like they do not trust their congregation of being devout witnesses. No where in the Scriptures is indicated that elders should monitor the ‘spiritual health’ of the flock in such a way. Never has Jesus done such a thing.

When it is out of fear that Jehovah’s Witnesses go out to witness

because they don’t want the elders to start boring their eyes into them wondering what is wrong.

than their motivation is wrong and than all what they are doing is to no avail, because God only wants us to honour Him out of love for Him and not out of love for man or fear for man. We never should fear man, but fear more God.

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Preceding articles:

Oklahoma City Regional Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Random Observations From My Most Recent JW Convention Experience

You Are The Truth

Jehovah’s Witnesses Circuit Assembly and a Pillar to freedom

Jesus’ footstep followers, irrespective of sectarian lines

Authority from the One God to one mediator between God and men

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• InfoWars Says Christian Street Preachers Are ‘Radical Extremists’ Who Make Christianity Look Bad
• 1,200 Jehovah’s Witnesses clean arena before convention
• CESNUR 2016 Conference in Korea, with presentations by Introvigne, Kim (UTS’91), and Fefferman (UTS’86)
• Gen Con set to get underway in Indy
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• Soviet Witnesses
• Jehovah’s Witnesses Shunning ex-members adverse effects on family relationships

We Chose Freedom

I’m not looking for the usual answer  that they will probably repeat to you verbatim. “Because Jesus did”, or “we are only following Jesus’s example”.

Let me tell you a little memory of mine about a Jehovah’s Witness regular pioneer. I will call her R in my story, she was a friend of mine, in fact she was one of the first friends I made in the congregation when I was still ‘in’. She regular pioneered for years straight out of high school, she  worked part time in order to make sure she could still be in full-time service. Her one ambition (if I may say so) is that she wanted to go to Bethel. At that time the South African Bethel hardly ever took in single sisters, so she did finally get in by marrying a bethelite. Roughly seven years later she left bethel with her husband and is…

View original post 630 more words

Jehovah’s Witnesses Circuit Assembly and a Pillar to freedom

A Mother and daughter

An other strange story which caught our attention. Again somebody who went to meet other Jehovah’s Witnesses, to attend the Jehovah’s Witnesses Circuit Assembly. This time that person could be a Jehovah’s Witness herself but did not like it so much, so why did she go in the first place.

She wrote

Between my being confined to the Jehovah’s Witness “way of life” and my parents being… the way they are, it makes it a challenge to maneuver things in order to spend those days with him as much as possible. {My Mother, the Bully}

She seems to be a daughter of a homemaker, a dedicated worker, a good JW, sensible, practical, giving, and responsible. She is a creator, artistic, free-minded, quite rebellious, self-focused according to her own saying {My Mother, the Bully}. Whilst her mother is repressed, self-disciplined, and morally bound she finds herself to be fluid, experimental, and abstract.

Could these things be at the root of a kind of jealousy? {My Mother, the Bully}

she wonders and let her thoughts linger

Does my reaching for more freedom trigger insecurities in her about her complete lack of it? {My Mother, the Bully}

Instability and felt mislead

Last April she felt like she exploded in anger and frustration towards “The Org”,

“telling M that I felt as if I had a “tiny elder in my head, screaming scriptures at me.” {Two Pillars of Freedom}

In this world everybody needs , and most of all youngsters are seeking some kind of stability when it comes to their spiritual beliefs or non beliefs and want to build up a spiritual life full of spiritual well-being. For many it may take years to find a place in the world of atheists and believers. Lots of people have to go on a calvary route to find their way to a belief, believing in God or not believing in a god or the God.

Personal bible study essential part for coming to the truth (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For us serious bible students it surprises us that this girl, though when grown up in a JW family came to believe she is been completely misled about the Bible, and that she feels she is never really been taught about God. Not being JW, not knowing their exact ways of teaching in the church community, we only can see what they let the outside world to be known. From their public publications we can only get the impression they do everything to get others to know God. All their teaching seems very God centred when you leave out the misleading teachings of their organisation and the position of the 144 000.

A bait to trap many

We are aware of the danger where the writer finds her possible anger and disappointment. It is true that

The Organization could’ve used any bait to trap the masses. Organizations do it every day. Cults appeal to people’s desires for all kinds of things – this one appealed to the desire to understand the Bible & know “the truth” about God.

and then she gets to the core of the big problem (we think)

The Bible is only the bait for them, a secondary issue – The Organization is the primary concern: gaining and keeping peoples’ complete unquestioning obedience. If they can use the Bible in order to accomplish that, so be it. {Two Pillars of Freedom}

That last bit is naturally a serious accusation. But we fear that what we said already to so many people that those questions in their magazine and the way how they treat verses can be sometimes dubious and often smell to brainwashing (mind control)or indoctrination, the organisation having thought control over all its members.

Reminding who is the Way

Too many JW, like lots of so called Christians do forget that Jesus told he is the Way to God. The Bible also tells us that this sent one from God has become the high priest and the one mediator between God and man. This last saying excludes all human organisations as a necessity to link to God. Jesus (rabbi Jeshua) is our link to the Only One True God of Israel.
We do not need ordained priests, ministers or organisations to dictate what the Words of God say and to dictate what we do have to do or may not do, and control us. Guidance belongs to the Word of God itself. God did not provide such a difficult word to understand for mankind, which would exclude all uneducated people (Bété people or ‘bast shoes‘). No, all people, those who have been to school but also who have not been to school, should be able to understand God’s Word.

The bible does not speak about One and only one organisation that He would take, but He gives an indication by His only begotten son that there may be many different groups and organisations, all part of the Body of Christ and necessary for that Body of Christ. Many people think religion is wrong and endangers man, because than man would control them, but than they have chosen the wrong religion, because in the religious ways of the True God there is no man who should be in control of others, all man should give themselves into the hands of God, the Divine Creator, Who is not a man but a Spirit.

As people we can give ourselves to Christ, willing to be under his guidance. That is our choice and makes us to become Christians or ‘being Christian‘, it is following Christ Jesus.

Jehovah for millennia not using an organisation

Since the early Christians continually there were people who stayed truthful to Christ Jesus his teaching, no matter of the false teachers and churches coming into being. even when the pressure from the Roman empire became so great that lots of Christians chose to agree with Greco-Roman teaching of a three-headed god and chose to accept the Trinity. Though the Roman Catholic Church came into existence and later got many schisms, several God faithfully abiding continued their life of worship of the One and Only One True God. There was no world wide organisation at all to lead God’s People, like there was also no such organisation before the birth of Jesus. The shepherding of God’s People was done by individual men and women, who were chosen by God Himself (the nevim or prophets) or went for God, allowed by God to live and preach. The words given to mankind for enabling to find eternal life was not provided by man or a human organisation, but by God Himself. No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

The JW Organisation claims erroneous that Charles Taze Russell is their founder. But he never claimed to be a prophet nor wanted a human directive organisation. He, like many  Biblestudents, very well knew that the gathering of people is done by God Himself and that The Word is a quality or aspect of God Himself.

As Facts About Jehovah’s Witnesses writes

Watchtower makes the claim that “Jehovah has always guided his servants in an organized way.” (You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth p.192) If that is the case, how were they guided and organised during the dark ages? What group represented God’s organization immediately prior to the formation of the Watchtower Society in the 1884 by Charles Russell, and why didn’t Russell just follow them? {Does Jehovah require an Organization?}

Does Jehovah require an Organization?

Watch Tower headquarters in Columbia Heights, Brooklyn.

When the Jehovah’s Witnesses Watchtower Bible and tract Society in Brooklyn with their different corporations [Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Religious Order of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Kingdom Support Services, International Bible Students Association (IBSA), Associação Torre de Vigia de Bíblias e Tratados (Brazil), Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses of East Africa, Los Testigos de Jehová en México, Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus (Germany), Watchtower Bible & Tract Society Of Australia, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada, European Association of Jehovah’s Christian Witnesses (EAJCW)] would be the sole organisation under the direction of God and when it is changing so many times of its teachings, would this mean that God is not giving the full truth to His own chosen ones or that God is not sure what He can give them for information?

How can it be than when the organisation is God’s only instrument that members of it dispose one of their very important main writers like Raymond Franz, former member of the Governing Body? Does that mean that God first tells others a person is one of the 144 000 but then takes somebody else in his place and get rid of him after he has been used to produce an enormous amount of good literature? He was one of the researchers who created Aid to Bible Understanding, the first doctrinal and biblical encyclopedia of Jehovah’s Witnesses, published in full in 1971.

When the leaders of the Watchtower Society, the Governing Body, say themselves that they are appointed by Christ and the only means by which he directs his true followers today, how can they than demand certain people from the board to resign?

They themselves write

“Consider, too, the fact that Jehovah’s organization alone, in all the earth, is directed by God’s holy spirit or active force. (Zech. 4:6) Only this organization functions for Jehovah’s purpose and to his praise. To it alone God’s Sacred Word, the Bible, is not a sealed book.” Watchtower 1973 Jul 1 p.402

Saying this they also give the impression the bible is not yet complete or is not able to give full biblical Wisdom to mankind, without that body of God, their organisation.

“However, the Governing Body are appointed through the holy spirit under the direction of Jehovah God and Jesus Christ.” Watchtower 1990 Mar 15 p.18

 

When that Governing Body is appointed by God through His Holy Spirit how can it than be, when led by His Spirit, that there have been taken place so many disputes and that such dismissals occurred?

Would the organisation be the only means God can have contact with people nowadays? According to us that would place man above the Power of God, Him being not able to call people for Himself and to give them wisdom. As in the precious centuries it is still God Who calls people and gives insight to those who are willing to open their heart to Him, whatever there being The Organisation, a organisation or no organisation at all near to them.

Witnessing for Jehovah

A Jehovah’s Witness distributing literature at Marble Arch tube station in London

We are sure the Jehovah’s Witnesses may be part of that Body of Christ, members of people under Christ witnessing for Jehovah. But in many other denominations or churches you may find also people witnessing for this One and the Same God.

Strangely enough the organisation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses does not believe that individual people are able to bring men and women to God without their organisation. They consider themselves the only righteous way to God. This dismisses totally the position of Christ Jesus, who according to the Bible is the Way to God.

Key factor to being a Witness

According to us the key factor to being a Witness for Jehovah is to stand up for Him and not for one or another earthly organisation and when the Jehovah’s Witnesses Organisation would be a Godly organisation why did so many teachings changed and why did so many prophesies by them did not come through? Were people not warned for those who prophesied and whose prophesies did not come through? are we not told that such people could be false teachers?

We kindly ask our readers and all people walking around this earth to know that Jehovah’s Witnesses are not the only ones witnessing for Jehovah God.

It is belonging to the “Organization” that distinguishes one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and makes them feel solely worthy of salvation, but Jesus died for all people and God’s grace is given to all living souls.

Requirements for Salvation

The way the WBTS presents itself to mankind gives the impression that membership of their organization is essential for salvation. If this would be so, why were we not told by God Himself or by His son?

The word “organization” never appears in the Bible, yet organization appears 16,789 times on the 2006 Watchtower Library CD. This is because belonging to an organization is not a Scriptural requirement, but rather a common concept amongst high control groups as a technique of building a member’s high degree of conviction and uniformity. {Does Jehovah require an Organization?}

Though the Watchtower claims that belonging to an organization is essential for salvation.

“To receive everlasting life in the earthly Paradise we must identify that organization and serve God as part of it.” Watchtower 1983 Feb 15 p.12

When you read the whole bible, the Hebrew and Messianic books, nowhere shall you find an indication of God going to provide a worldwide organisation other than the theocratic government of rabbi Jeshua from the new world’s capital Jerusalem.

It is not stated in either the Old or New Testaments that membership of an organization is a requirement of eternal salvation. The Scriptures repeatedly state that it is faith in Jesus and the Father that results in everlasting life. Instead we are told of salvation by the blood of Christ. It is not by keeping to certain rituals or organisations that we can receive salvation. We do not need to be a soldier of a worldly organisation but should be soldiers for Christ by whom salvation comes to us.

2 You, therefore, my child,+ keep on acquiring power in the undeserved kindness that is in Christ Jesus; 2 and the things you heard from me that were supported by many witnesses,+ these things entrust to faithful men, who, in turn, will be adequately qualified to teach others. 3 As a fine soldier+ of Christ Jesus, take your part in suffering adversity.+ 4 No man serving as a soldier involves himself* in the commercial businesses* of life, in order to gain the approval of the one who enrolled him as a soldier. 5 And even in the games, anyone who competes is not crowned unless he has competed according to the rules.+ 6 The hardworking farmer must be the first to partake of the fruits. 7 Give constant thought to what I am saying; the Lord will give you understanding* in all things. …  10 For this reason I go on enduring all things for the sake of the chosen ones,+ so that they too may obtain the salvation that is through Christ Jesus, along with everlasting glory {2 Timothy 2:2-7, 10)

• • 2 Timothy 2:10 Kingdom Interlinear

  • 10 διὰ through τοῦτο this πάντα all (things) ὑπομένω I am enduring διὰ through τοὺς the ἐκλεκτούς, chosen (ones), ἵνα in order that καὶ also αὐτοὶ they σωτηρίας of salvation τύχωσιν they might obtain τῆς of the (one) ἐν in Χριστῷ Christ Ἰησοῦ Jesus μετὰ with δόξης glory αἰωνίου. everlasting.

Faith in the sent one from God

It is by faith in the sent one from God, rabbi Jeshua, the Kristos or Christ Jesus, we may have the opportunity not to become destroyed but to have everlasting life. We all should all remember that everything which is of the earth is earthly, and speaks of the earth: he that comes from heaven, the sent one from God, is above all. Him being above any organisation is the one we could and should follow, as brothers and sisters in him who has eternal life.

14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,+ so the Son of man must be lifted up,+ 15 so that everyone believing in him may have everlasting life.+

16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son,+ so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.+ 17 For God did not send his Son into the world for him to judge the world, but for the world to be saved through him.+ 18 Whoever exercises faith in him is not to be judged.+ Whoever does not exercise faith has been judged already, because he has not exercised faith in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.+

31 The one who comes from above+ is over all others. The one who is from the earth is from the earth and speaks of things of the earth. The one who comes from heaven is over all others.+ 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard,+ but no man accepts his witness.+ 33 Whoever has accepted his witness has put his seal to it* that God is true.+ 34 For the one whom God sent speaks the sayings of God,+ for He does not give the spirit sparingly.* 35 The Father loves the Son+ and has given all things into his hand.+ 36 The one who exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life;+ the one who disobeys the Son will not see life,+ but the wrath of God remains upon him.+ {John 3:14-18, 31-36}

Connection with the son of God

Let us be sure to come to Jesus first, because not an organisation here on earth would be our gateway, but because Jesus is the door to the Kingdom of God.

44 How can you believe, when you are accepting glory from one another and you are not seeking the glory that is from the only God?+ {John 5:44}

7 So Jesus said again: “Most truly I say to you, I am the door for the sheep.+ 8 All those who have come in place of me are thieves and plunderers; but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved, and that one will go in and out and find pasturage.+ {John 10:7-9}

3 This means everlasting life,+ their coming to know you,* the only true God,+ and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.+ {John 17:3}

Living under Christ Jesus

Those who want to have everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of the Only True God, them having regret of what they have done wrong and asking for forgiveness, wanting to live under Christ, the one whom Jehovah sent forth and who belongs to God.

16 Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple+ and that the spirit of God dwells in you?+ 17 If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for the temple of God is holy, and you are that temple.+

18 Let no one deceive himself: If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this system of things,* let him become a fool, so that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it is written: “He catches the wise in their own cunning.”+ 20 And again: “Jehovah* knows that the reasonings of the wise men are futile.”+ 21 So let no one boast in men; for all things belong to you, 22 whether Paul or A·polʹlos or Ceʹphas*+ or the world or life or death or things now here or things to come, all things belong to you; 23 in turn you belong to Christ;+ Christ, in turn, belongs to God. {1 Corinthians 3:16-23}

The Organisation playing the mediator of man and God, man and Christ

As the female writer of ‘Finding the truth: In recovery from Jehovah’s Witnesses & alcoholism‘ at last came to see, when she sees a

WT quote in direct opposition:

“The other sheep should never forget that their salvation depends on their active support of Christ’s anointed “brothers” still on earth.” WT March 15 2012 pg. 20 {Two Pillars of Freedom}

She concludes

Check and mate. It seems so obvious, so simple. The Org has taken it upon themselves to become the mediator of man and God, man and Christ; completely ignoring what the Bible has to say on the matter and making themselves Lords over man. {Two Pillars of Freedom}

There are more things, of course, that have been giving me evidence that The Org is not God’s ‘spirit-directed organization,’ but these two points seem to be building some kind of foundation in my mind. They seem to be the things that come closest to unraveling the whole thing; the answers to the tiny screaming elder in my head. I’ll keep building more until I can silence him completely, or maybe one day oust him permanently. {Two Pillars of Freedom}

We only can hope more people shall come to see the twists in their teachings and their focus on the organisation instead of focussing more on the works of Jesus and his heavenly Father.

+

Preceding articles

Oklahoma City Regional Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses

An atheist writer meeting Jehovah’s witnesses far from home

Politics and power first priority #1

Charles Taze Russell and what he started

Was Russell and Rutherford “Illuminati”?

A Society pleading poverty

Following articles:

Jesus’ footstep followers, irrespective of sectarian lines

Authority from the one God to one mediator between God and men

++

Additional reading

1. Religious Practices around the world
2. Religions and Mainliners
3. Denominationalism exists because?
4. Silence, devotion, Salafists, quietists, weaponry, bombings, books, writers and terrorists
5. Why is it that Christians don’t understand Muslims and Muslims do not understand Christians?
6. Responses to Radical Muslims and Radical Christians
7. Finding and Understanding Words and Meanings
8. Some one or something to fear #3 Cases, folks and outing
9. Subcutaneous power for humanity 5 Loneliness, Virtual and real friends
10. In a world which knows no peace sharing blessed hope
11. How long to wait before bringing religiousness and spirituality in practice
12. Breaking up with a cult
13. Christianity without the Trinity
14. Writers needed to preach to non-believers
15. Catholicism, Anabaptism and Crisis of Christianity
16. Those who call the Christadelphians a cult
17. A man from the North wanting to have control in Belgium
18. Quibbling siblings united or allied children of an organisation or a church
19. On the Affirmation of Scripture
20. Not many coming out with their community name
21. To remove the whitewash of the Jehovah Witnesses as being the only true Bible Students and Bible Researchers
22. Around C.T.Russell
23. Russell himself never claimed to be a prophet.
24. Misunderstandings concerning C.T. Russell
25. Surprising figures about Jehovah Witnesses
26. Russell and his beliefs
27. Biblestudents & T.C.Russell
28. Bijbelonderzoekers en Russelism / Bible researchers and Russelism
29. Charles Taze Russell never claimed to have found a new religion, or a new church.
30. A visible organisation on earth
31. When not seeing or not finding a biblically sound church
32. When seeing a biblically sound church
33. Ecclesia to exist, grow and communities to have people communicating with each other
34. The Big conversation Why it matters
35. Soviet Witnesses
36. Date Setting
37. A British judge rules that mother can’t indoctrinate son with religion
38. Retrieving some older articles previously placed on Multiply
39. Bringing Good News into the world
40. Deaf helped in their ability to progress in this community
41. Jehovah’s Witnesses not only group that preach the good news
42. Russia’s battle against the Jehovah’s Witnesses
43. Jehovah’s Witnesses Shunning ex-members adverse effects on family relationships
44. Disappointed expectations
45. Getting out of the dark corners of this world
46. Saved through grace not through keeping rituals
47. Actions to be a reflection of openness of heart
48. Sealed in their foreheads
49. Solution for Willing hearts filled with gifts
50. The Bride New Jerusalem
51. Looking for something or for the Truth and what it might be and self-awareness
52. Lovers of God, seekers and lovers of truth
53. The one who set the standard
54. Revelation 1:8 – Who is Speaking?
55. Follower of Jesus part of a cult or a Christian
56. A small company of Jesus’ footstep follower
57. The longer you wait
58. Preaching Christ Is Not Enough

+++

Further related articles

1. Celebrating Christendom’s Demise?
2. Nineteenth Century Protestant Doctrines of the Trinity
3. “Should You Believe in the Trinity?”
4. Why I Am a Christian.
5. Christ didn’t come to help us, He came to Include us
6. Change Your Village
7. Pouring Into Others
8. Who Are Jehovah’s Witnesses?
9. “Ye Are My Witnesses, Saith Jehovah Baldwin: Arkansas Man Arrested For Firing Shots At Jehovah’s Witnesses Who Approached Him On His Lawn
10. Rosary No More!! Why I Stopped Praying The Rosary!! (Testimony of a Former Roman Catholic)
11. The Semiology of Jehovah’s Witnesses
12. Prophecy, power and weakness
13. Serena Williams and Jehovah’s Witnesses
14. A Hymn From Christendom in July 2016 JW Broadcasting?
15. Is it blind faith, or tradition?
16. The Decision
17. I Am Not A Victim
18. Jehovah’s witnesses
19. It is not a trip at all
20. Day in the life..
21. Why Do Some JWs Live A Lie?
22. Do people get a second chance?
23. Why do EX – Jehovahs Witnesses struggle to find a church?
24. Conditional Love
25. Sheep and Wolves
26. Warning: You Might Get Kicked Out of the Kingdom Hall by a Donkey
27. What to do with Jehovah’s Witnesses?
28. Exodus Chapter 8
29. Witness to Jehovahs like Frank & Joe Hardy
30. Jehovah’s (False) Witnesses
31. Trust issues…and then some
32. Charles Taze Russell – “Don’t read your Bible”
33. Watchtower Study June 5, 2016—Being Faithful Leads to God’s Approval
34. Finding the Way
35. World’s Fastest Growing Religion?
36. A fallen Prince
37. Prince found ’real happiness’ as Jehovah’s Witness, talking about Bible, longtime friend and bassist says
38. A Different Sort of Church History 1
39. Who were the Arians and what did they believe?
40. Two Pillars of Freedom
41. Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses preach?
42. Two Classes Of Christians?
43. Are Jehovah’s Witnesses Christian?
44. My first false baptism
45. You are Welcome to be Unwelcome….
46. The Sting of Slavery
47. Jehovah’s Witness Convention 2016—A Weekend of Robbery and Manipulation
48. Review of talk at “Remain loyal to Jehovah” 2016 convention of Jehovahs Witnesses
49. Jehovah’s Witness Convention 2016—Maintain Loyalty Symposium
50. On False Prophets and False Accusers
51. Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Worship of Jesus
52. Growing up a Jehovah’s Witness—Anxiety at a Young Age
53. Sgt. Robert Wilson III Ceremony for Valor Showcases Watchtower Hypocrisy
54. Late Prince honored by Jehovah’s Witnesses
55. The Picture of the Governing Body
56. Witnessing to JW’s Enhances Witnessing to Others
57. Is Watchtower Running out of Money?
58. How Jehovah’s Witnesses Think
59. Dating A Jehovah’s Witness
60. Reminder for uncertain times: “Heeding advance warning can save your life!”
61. Numbers in Scripture
62. The Mark in the Forehead
63. Who Do You Say Jesus Is?
64. Religion Roundup
65. #Islam & Muslim’s and the #Murder of a #Catholic so called #Priest in #France. More lying #Propaganda for the deceived Catholic’s. They actually think that they are being persecuted for their belief’s, but actually, it is simply the #Ignorance of #Islam. — Boot The Door And Shout Through The Crack
66. In the dust of the Rabbi- Day 67
67. Spiritual Sobriety: Stumbling Back to Faith When Good Religion Goes Bad
68. On the Russian evangelism law
69. Is doctrine important? What’s the danger in deviating from sound doctrine?
70. Religions are Cults: I Refuse to Let Another Man Control my Life
71. Suspected Cult Leader Disguised as Anti-Cult “Expert”
72. Dangerous Cult: House Of Yahweh
73. Goin’ Through The Gate
74. Why you wouldn’t want to be a Jim Jones liberal
75. Reclaiming the Church of God
76. The Master Manipulator
77. Ungracious “Grace” Leaders
78. Bunkeroos vs. Scientologists
79. Scientology Floggers
80. China, Cults, And Persecution (oh my!)
81. Beware of Shincheonji!!
82. Video on the Shincheonji Cult!
83. Is Young Life a cult?
84. The recons flee defeated on Christology

+++

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