Jehovah's Witness FAQ

You may not have nor know anybody who has read Mr. Russell’s works but it seems the WTBTS has read his works or if they haven’t they hold the same views that he does. For example, the quote I sent you shows that Mr. Russell believes if you read the Bible by itself you will be in darkness. However, if you read his “Scripture Studies” you will have the truth. What does the WT say:

"From time to time, there have arisen from among the ranks of Jehovah's people those, who, like the original Satan, have adopted an independent, faultfinding attitude...They say that it is sufficient to read the Bible exclusively, either alone or in small groups at home. But, strangely, through such ‘Bible reading,' they have reverted right back to the apostate doctrines that commentaries by Christendom's clergy were teaching 100 years ago..." The Watchtower, August 15, 1981.

The above quote is saying you cannot read the Bible by itself or you will be in darkness. Sounds exactly like Mr. Russell.

In addition, the above WT quote is saying if you think independently, find fault with something the Watchtower says, then you are like Satan. Is this freedom of thought? Is this how Christ works in the church?

Also, what are the apostate doctrines spoken of in the above quote? Would that be the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the physical resurrection of Christ, all things the WT organization denies. So, if you read the Bible by itself, reading it for what it says, without the WT guiding you, you will adopt these doctrines. Interesting.

If reading the Bible all by itself causes you to be in darkness, how can you be in the ‘light’ according to the WT?

“the Bible is an organizational book . . . For this reason the Bible cannot be properly understood without Jehovah’s visible organization (WTBTS) in mind.” WT, Oct. 1, 1967, p. 587

“Jehovah caused the Bible to be written in such a way that you need his human channel (WTBTS) to understand it.” WT, Feb. 15, 1981, p. 17

The WT is saying that a JW cannot understand anything in the Bible without the WT telling him what it means. This seems to be exactly what Mr. Russell said in my original quote of him. The WT says that only the WT can properly interpret the Bible. It is saying that the Lord Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, cannot give a Christian a proper understanding of the Bible even though it is Jesus who opens the mind to understand Scripture (Luke 24:45). This effectively prevents the JW from thinking and interpreting the Bible for himself apart from the WT organization's guidance.

Another WT quote:

"Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible." The Watchtower, Oct. 1, 1967. p. 587.

The WT restricts its followers from looking at the Bible by itself without the guidance of the organization. This is not freedom to think for oneself and it is a sure way for the WT to keep the JW’s intellectually in line with WT teachings.

Another interesting WT quote: "The Vatican belittles Bible study by claiming it is the only organization authorized and qualified to interpret the Bible." The Watchtower, 7/1/1943, p. 201.

The funny thing is that is exactly what the WT does. It claims to be the only source of true spiritual knowledge. Fascinating.

The JW response to my response.

I would kindly request that you not contact me again.

CHOICE C: THE WATCHTOWER MAGAZINE said, “Do not study your Bible, for if you do, you will be in darkness in two years.”

The JW’s show they believe this even today, because a JW “Bible Study” is not a Bible study at all. What book of the Bible, from first verse to last verse, did you study when you first became a JW? In a JW “Bible Study” what book are they reading from first page to last? They are studying a WT book from cover to cover and using their Bible as a reference book--looking up a verse or maybe even part of a verse from time to time. Note, the WTBTS says (See Multiple-choice question for JW’s. Part 1) that you don’t even need your Bible for this kind of study. But I think they have the potential convert use their Bible to give them the false idea that they are indeed studying the Bible—when in fact they are just studying a WT publication. The JW’s do not want you to study the Bible alone, for if you do you will not believe their doctrines—you will believe the doctrines of the Bible.

A JW’s response to this question. “With regards to Charles Taze Russell (the quotation under choice “C”); I think he died long ago. So it’s not like we can ask him what exactly he meant, whether this or that. Sometimes people even change their mind over the years, or provide clarification. A dead person is left pretty helpless to any debates about what he meant or what he didn’t mean. Even the written word, can be misunderstood quite easily. I mean, look at all the legal documents/wills; which words are debated; and an outside judge might have to decide. How many times have judges miss judged. So the debate, died with Mr. Russell.”

“About Mr. Russell’s reference works; I personally don’t know any Witness of Jehovah God who has studied any of his works. Have not even seen the reference work you make reference to. So any debate on that, is dead too. I can’t respond.”

Whose there?

Why it is a Jehovah’s Witness—right on time for his divinely scheduled appointment to hear God’s truth? I say a quick prayer as I answer the door, “May I not get in the way of your Word—may the seed fall on fertile soil.”

JW: “Good morning!

He hands me a WT pamphlet and continues—

“I wonder if I could ask you a question? “

He doesn’t wait for an answer but launches into his question.

“Can God lie?”

Me: “It is impossible for God to lie.”

JW: “That’s right.”

He then took me to Titus, and after a bit of looking found the verse he wanted—Titus 1:1-2:

JW: “Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God’s chosen ones and the accurate knowledge of the truth which accords with godly devotion upon the basis of a hope of the everlasting life which God, who cannot lie, promised before times long lasting,”

JW: “Now in Revelation—“

I interrupted my Witness friend and stated:

Me: “Is your point that when we read the Bible we can be confident that what we read is the truth, in contrast to reading something written by man which can contain error.”

JW: “Yes.

I took his pamphlet and turned to the back page.

Me: “I see that you offer a free home Bible study. What book would we be studying if I requested such a study?

With a large smile the JW reaches into his bag and pulls out a small booklet from the WT.

JW: “I have the book you would study right here” and hands me a copy.

Me: “I requested a Bible study. I thought we would study a book from the Old or New Testament. I thought that we would study God’s word, where God cannot lie—but you are going to have me study a man-made book which can contain error.”

JW: “This book is based on the Bible.”

Me: “And does not contain error.”

JW: “That’s right.”

I look at the book’s Table of Contents—find the Chapter on Jesus (Chapter 4)—and have the JW turn to that page. He reads the first paragraph and then reads John 1:1-2:

JW: “In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. This one was in [the] beginning with God”

“You see the Word is with God, therefore, he cannot be that God. That is why he is referred to as “a god.” He is not the Almighty God—just a Mighty God and is called such in Isaiah.”

Me: “Where did this “Mighty God” come from?

JW: “He was Jehovah God’s first and greatest creation.”

Me: “Are you familiar with Isaiah 43:10?”

I knew he would be very familiar with this verse since the WT points to this verse as the place where JW’s get their name. However, JW’s read Isaiah 43:10a and skip 43:10b for good reason. I asked the JW to read.

JW: “You are my witnesses,” is the utterance of Jehovah, “even my servant whom I have chosen, on order that you may know and have faith in me.”

Me: “Please read the rest of 43:10.”

JW: “and that you may understand that I am the same One. Before me there was no God formed, and after me there continued to be none.”

Me: “The Bible tells us that there was no God formed before or after the God of the Bible. Therefore, this book (I then hold up the WT booklet) written by men is in direct contradiction to what the Bible states.”

JW: “I am not here to argue. Do you want the book?”

Me: “I am willing to accept your booklet if you will accept my pamphlet.” I turn to get a pamphlet I have on a small desk near the door. I also have a pamphlet for Mormons.

JW: “I do not accept literature.”

I hand back his booklet and off he goes. Again stating, “I don’t want to argue—Good day.”

Me: Silently to myself: “Lord I pray I did not get in the way of your word and may the seed fall on fertile soil.”

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

Who said, “Do not study your Bible, for if you do, you will be in darkness in two years.”

CHOICE A: Was it God? Of course not, because the Bible says, in Deuteronomy 6:5-9, “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

God is commanding us to teach ourselves and our children His Word, so that it penetrates our hearts, minds and will—that is, every aspect of who we are. And then, we are to write it down and bind it to all our daily aspects of life.

Also at 2 Timothy 3:14-17, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Paul tells us to heed God’s Word. Here is the call to scrutinize, understand, and then apply Scripture. This passage is not an instruction to give the Bible the occasional “once over.” It is the clear, uncompromising call to continue in our studies constantly and passionately.

CHOICE B: WAS IT THE DEVIL. Could very well be. James 1:21 tells us, “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” The devil doesn’t want us to be saved, and to prevent that he would not want us to receive the word (the Bible) which is able to save. So we could easily see the devil saying, “do not study your Bible.”

CHOICE C: THE WATCHTOWER MAGAZINE. Charles Taze Russell, the first President of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, wrote a series of books called Study in Scriptures. About these “Studies” the Watchtower states, “Furthermore, not only do we find that people cannot see the divine plan in studying the Bible by itself, but we see, also, that if anyone lays the 'Scripture Studies' aside, even after he has used them, after he has become familiar with them, after he has read them for ten years - if he then lays them aside and ignores them and goes to the Bible alone, though he has understood his Bible for ten years, our experience shows that within two years he goes into darkness. On the other hand, if he had merely read the 'Scripture Studies' with their references, and had not read a page of the Bible, as such, he would be in the light at the end of the two years, because he would have the light of the Scriptures." (Zion’s Watchtower—later renamed The Watchtower Sep 15, 1910, p. 298.

Let me summarize the above quote, read only the Bible and you will be in error, however, read only the WT studies and you will be in the truth.

While I was doing research on my March, 2011 post, I ran across a WT lie. My handy thesaurus says a lie could also be described as an untruth, falsehood, fib, invention, propaganda, tall tale or exaggeration. After reading this blog, you decide—did the WT lie? and if so WHY?

Let me quote from the WT’s own “Aid to Bible Understanding,” (1971 edition, pg. 1060) under the word LIE. “The opposite of truth. Lying generally involves saying something false to a person who is entitled to know the truth and doing so with the intent to deceive or to injure him or another person.”

The WT talks about the first lie by Satan in the garden and then says, “All other malicious lies uttered since that time have likewise been a reflection of selfishness and wrong desire. Lies have been told to escape deserved punishment, to profit at the expense of others and to gain or maintain certain advantages, material rewards or the praise of men.

Especially serious have been the religious lies, as they have endangered the future life of persons deceived by them.”

From the WT’s own book I would say that a lie is . . . well . . . a lie—a falsehood, an untruth. Why would the WT do such a thing? Again the “Aid” book states correctly—"material rewards and/or the praise of men." Check out for yourselves the holdings of the WTBTS and if you are or were a JW, you know how the elders, overseers, etc. are admired and as my handy thesaurus states, "adored, venerated, revered, exalted, put on a pedestal."

On to the lie.

My March, 2011 post centered on the topic, “Is God the author of the WT?” The WT answer—Yes and No.

First NO.

“We have not the gift of prophecy.” (The Watchtower , January 1883, page 425)

“Nor would we have our writings reverenced or regarded as infallible.” (The Watchtower , December 15, 1896, page 306)

Then YES.

"The Watchtower is a magazine without equal on earth because God is the author." (The Watchtower, April 15, 1943)

“Nothing is interpreted but the interpretation comes from God and is then published.” (The Watchtower, July 1, 1943 pp. 202-203)

"God uses The Watchtower to communicate to his people; IT DOES NOT CONSIST OF MEN’S OPINIONS." (The Watchtower, January 1, 1942, page 5)

The WT even said that if you don’t believe God is the author, don’t read the WT.

“Those who are convinced that The Watchtower is publishing the opinion or expression of a man should not waste time in looking at it at all,” (The Watchtower, Jan. 1, 1942, p. 5)

Now a flip-flop, back to NO.

"True, the brothers preparing these publications are not infallible. Their writings are not inspired as are those of Paul and the other Bible writers." (Watchtower, Feb 15, 1981, page 19)

"The Governing Body consists of a group of anointed Christian men ... They are not inspired of God and hence are not infallible." (Jehovah's Witnesses Unitedly Doing God's Will Worldwide brochure [1986], 26)

"Those who make up the one true Christian organization today do not have angelic revelations or divine inspiration" (Jehova's Witnesses Proclaimers of God's Kingdom [1993], 708)

Finally,THE BIG LIE. In 1954 the WT said:

"... Because it [Watch Tower Society] is not infallible and has never claimed to be, from time to time corrections are necessary." (Watchtower Oct 15, 1954, 638)

Oops! “never claimed to be.” I guess they just forgot about the teachings of the ‘40’s where they said,”

"The Watchtower is a magazine without equal on earth because God is the author." (The Watchtower, April 15, 1943)

One last quote from the WT:

“It is a serious matter to represent God and Christ in one way, then find that our understanding was in error, and then after that, to go back to the very teachings that, by years of study, we had thoroughly determined to be in error. Christians cannot be vacillating—“wishy-washy”—about such teachings. What confidence can one put in the sincerity or judgment of such persons?” (The Watchtower, May 15, 1976, page 298)

Now you decide, Did the Watchtower lie and Why?

The Majors

While JW’s spend much time and effort preaching about smoking, Santa Claus and using the name Jehovah, they do not wish to discuss Major doctrines required for salvation. I have asked this JW to comment on the question at John 6:28, “What must we do to do the works God requires?"

How did Jesus answer? Go door-to-door? No, going door-to-door is good but not the works that God requires? Did Jesus say, “have the name Jehovah or Yahweh in the name of your organization?” No again. Did Jesus say, “don’t’ celebrate holidays, refuse blood transfusions, say Santa doesn’t exist. No, No and No. Back to John 6:29, Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

This then (believe in the one he has sent) is very important. Don’t’ do this and nothing else matters since Jesus didn’t give us a second or third or fourth work that God requires.

And what does it mean to “believe in the one he has sent.” At John 5:22-23 Jesus says, “For the father judges no one at all, but he has committed all the judging to the Son, in order that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. He that does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”

What does John 5:23 teach? The WT would have you believe that the word ‘just as’ implies giving some honor but not equal honor—equal honor as that given to the Father.

But if you have a KIT (The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures) use it to look up John 5:23. I am using the Purple Covered KIT (checked out at the Local Library.)

Look on the Greek side of John 5:23 and look at the Greek word translated ‘according as.’ It looks like this: kaqwñv Look up this word and its root word kaq in the KIT.

II Cor. 11:12 – “Now what I am doing I will still do, that I may cut off the pretext from those who are wanting a pretext for being found (kaqwñv) equal to us in the office of which they boast.”

The Greek word kaqwñv is translated on the English side of the KIT as equal. At John 5:23, let us put in this alternative meaning. John 5:23 now reads: “in order that all may honor the Son equally as they honor the Father. He that does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.”

Can the WT say that they honor the Son and the Father equally. The WT says the Father is Almighty God. Is the son? Does the WT honor the Son by calling him Almighty? The Father is from everlasting to everlasting. Is the Son? WT doctrine states NO. The father is Almighty, the son only mighty. The father is eternal, the son was created by the father and therefore had a beginning and is not eternal.

Look for root word kaq at Acts 27:25. On the English side it is translated exactly. Look for the root word again at 2 Cor. 3:18, again it is translated exactly. Let us put in this alternative meaning. John 5:23 now reads: “in order that all may honor the Son exactly as they honor the Father. He that does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.”

Does the WT honor the Son exactly the way they honor the Father? If they do not, they are not honoring the Father who sent Jesus and they are violating John 5:23 and John 6:28 for if they believed in the Jesus of the Bible they would honor him exactly as they honor the Father.

No where in the Bible does the word kaqwñv or its root word kaq mean anything other than total equality.

The WT has changed the meaning of John 5:22-23. John tells us to honor the Son “just as”, “equally to,” or “exactly” as we honor the Father. There are no qualifications, no limitations on the honor that is to go to the Son. Name a way that you honor the Father and you should honor the Son exactly the same way. If the Father is worthy of prayer, according to John 5 you need to honor the Son by praying to him. The WT says that the Father is Almighty. If you do not acknowledge that the son is also Almighty, you have violated John 5:23 and thus you are not honoring the Father who sent Jesus. Again, check out kaqwñv and kaq. Look up their meaning as used in the New Testament. They mean “equal” or “exactly” even in the WT’s own KIT.

My last question, are you going to continue to follow a man made organization, or submit to the Word of God.