WHAT DOES THE BIBLE Really TEACH? A WT book—Chapter 14-15 Part 2 "The WT's Low Opinion of Scripture and High Opinion of their own Writings"

DISCLAIMER--I will, by no means, exhaustively write about each and every error in each and every chapter of this book—that would require a book several times the size of this WT book. I will pick out a topic or two from each chapter to write about. Some will be a “mole hill” in the landscape of Bible doctrine and others will be a “Mt. Everest.”

In Part 1, I mentioned that the WTBTS has a low opinion of reading the Bible and the Bible alone in a group or by yourself. How do they suggest JW’s study the Bible?

“Heavy research is not necessary. The Watch Tower has done it for you. The most beneficial study you can do is to read The Watchtower or Awake! or a new book by the organization.” The Watchtower, June 1, 1967, p. 338

All this stems from the founder of the WTBTS, their first president, Charles Taze Russell. He wrote a series called “Studies 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.

Let me summarize this quote: Read ONLY the WT’s books and you will have the truth. Read ONLY the Bible and you will be in error. Obadiah 1:3 comes to mind, "The arrogance of your heart has deceived you.”

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

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

“An individual must have The Watchtower to understand the Bible.” 1983 Yearbook, p. 21

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 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.

“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? The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses are the sole interpreters of the Bible." (The Watchtower April 1, 1920, pp. 100-1)

The above quotes shows 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.

Next month: The importance of CONTEXT in properly interpreting the Bible and the WT's method to avoid CONTEXT. 

What Does the Bible Really Teach--A WT Book Chap. 14-15 Part 3 is here.