The Primary Doctrine
A typical listing
of the basic beliefs of the Jehovah’s Witnesses (or their corporation, the
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society) is a laundry list of doctrinal matters:
they do not believe in the Trinity, or Hellfire, they do believe in the coming
destruction of wicked mankind, etc. (For
example see http://www.religionfacts.com/jehovahs_witnesses/beliefs.htm)
This author believes the central belief of the Witnesses, the core of their
religion, does not appear on such listings.
That belief is faith that the Governing Body of Jehovah’s
Witnesses is God’s representative on Earth, and holds final authority over His
people.
This chart, published in
the December 15, 1971 Watchtower, is a clear expression of how the Watchtower
Organization views itself.
God commands from the
top, Jesus heads the Christian Church, and appoints the “Faithful and Discreet
Slave,” of which the Governing Body is a part (now changed, see below)
The idea of a class of
people called the Faithful and Discreet Slave (F&DS) is a convenient
fiction for the Watchtower Society.
According to Watchtower doctrine, since Pentecost there have been
144,000 members of this class, selected and anointed by Jehovah to take charge
of all his Earthly possessions.
Currently there are about 8,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses claiming membership
in this class.
For decades the
Watchtower taught the primacy of the F&DS in the Earthly hierarchy of
Jehovah’s organization. The Governing
Body was their instrument or administrative committee. For example: “Today, that ‘slave’ is represented by the Governing Body of Jehovah's
Witnesses." (The Watchtower, May 1, 1992, pg. 31).
The members of the
Faithful and Discreet Slave Class have never met, or even communicated, as a
body. The Faithful and Discreet Slave
never appointed the members of the Governing Body. Until recently, the Watchtower did not want
to reveal the concentration of power in a small group of men, or in the early
days, one man. Therefore, it stated that Jehovah had given the F&DS class all
authority.
In the last few years,
the Watchtower has de-emphasized the authority of the Faithful and Discreet Slave.
Unfortunately, the change has served only to concentrate power in the hands of
Watchtower headquarters. For example the
June 15, 2009 Watchtower states:
“Christians who have
truly received this anointing do not demand special attention. They do not believe
that their being of the anointed gives them special insight beyond what even
some experienced members of the great crowd may have.”
In other words, only the
Governing Body, or its selected representatives, speak for God.
This idea came into full
force in the last few years. The April 15, 2013 Watchtower published this
illustration, erasing the Faithful and Discreet Slave. The Governing Body now
reports directly to God, who tells them what to tell everybody else.
Interestingly, Jesus does not appear in this illustration at all, unless He’s
one of the angels hovering on the margin. The July 2013 study edition of the
Watchtower Magazine makes it clear, the Governing Body and the Faithful and
Discreet Slave are one and the same. This change serves to place the Governing
Body as the sole representative of God on Earth.
Extent of the Governing Body’s authority
A few quotes from
Watchtower publications will serve to show how the Organization views itself.
Note: the following are
representative of a large body of information.
The Last Popes of the Watchtower, a compilation of statements
from Watchtower literature contains thirty pages of quotes on the subjects
“God’s Channel of Communication” “Jehovah’s Visible Organization” and
“Jehovah’s Prophet”. A few samples follow.
We must consider the
Watchtower Organization to understand the Bible:
“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.
For this reason the Bible cannot be properly understood without Jehovah’s
visible organization in mind.” The
Watchtower, October 1, 1967, p. 587
The Organization will
teach you everything you need to know:
“But in Jehovah's organization it is not necessary to spend a lot
of time and energy in research, for there are brothers in the organization who
are assigned to do that very thing, to help you who do not have so much time
for this, these preparing the good material in The Watchtower and other publications
of the Society.” Watchtower 1967 June 1
The Organization provides Salvation:
And while now the witness yet includes
the invitation to come to Jehovah's organization for salvation...”
Watchtower 1981 November 15 p.21
We must obey it:
“What, can we say, is the basic principle underlying the
movement of Jehovah's living organization? It can be expressed in
one word: OBEDIENCE.” Watchtower 1967 June 1
In 1985, the Watchtower
solidified its place in the believer’s life by changing the questions it asked
baptism candidates prior to immersion.
Baptism as a Jehovah’s Witness requires one to answer the following
question affirmatively.
“Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in
association with God's spirit-directed organization?”
We now ask this question:
Does this structure have any basis in Scripture?
The Watchtower booklet
“Should You Believe in the
Trinity” makes this statement in support of its claim the Trinity is a false doctrine. “The New Encyclopedia Britannica observes: ‘Neither the word Trinity nor the explicit doctrine appears in the New Testament.’” (page 6)
Trinity” makes this statement in support of its claim the Trinity is a false doctrine. “The New Encyclopedia Britannica observes: ‘Neither the word Trinity nor the explicit doctrine appears in the New Testament.’” (page 6)
A keyword search on www.biblegateway.com reveals the terms
“Governing Body” and “Organization” do not appear once in twenty-five different
English language translations of the Bible.
More significantly, the terms do not appear in the Watchtower’s own New
World Translation.
Do Jehovah’s Witnesses
accept that their central doctrine has no basis in scripture? Obviously not.
The Watchtower cites the
Jerusalem council described in the fifteenth chapter of Acts as evidence for a
first century Governing Body. According
to the Watchtower, when a controversy over circumcision of gentile converts
arose, the council decided on the correct course of action.
In fact, exactly the
opposite happened. Paul and Barnabas
reported their preaching tour and explained that uncircumcised gentiles
received the Holy Spirit. Clearly, God
did not require circumcision of Christians, as taught by Jewish Christians in
Jerusalem. The elders in Jerusalem
recognized this and changed their teaching accordingly.
In modern terms, this is
equivalent to a pair of circuit overseers reporting an error to the Governing
Body – and having the correction accepted.
No other Biblical
references to any council in Jerusalem or anywhere else exist, no other central
body exercised authority over the Church.
The meeting the Watchtower uses to justify the Governing Body’s
existence was a one-off to decide this particular issue, not a pattern for the
future.
Additionally, the Bible
describes qualifications for episkopoi (Elders) and diakonoi (Ministerial
Servants) at 1 Timothy 3:1-12. The Bible
contains no similar qualifications for members of a Governing Body, or a means
for selecting them. Although the New Testament
instructs Elders and Ministers in church administration, we find no instructions
for a Governing Body.
Given the importance of
the Governing Body – we can’t understand scripture, or achieve salvation
without obeying its every dictate – one reasonably expects some instructions on
its functions. The Bible maintains similar silence regarding a “Faithful and
Discreet Slave.”
Abuse of scriptural support
Close examination of the
Watchtower’s use of scripture to support its position reveals a disturbing
trend.
I cannot find a scriptural
source for the Watchtower’s assertion that we can’t understand the Bible without
the Watchtower. The Watchtower justifies
this with circular reasoning: God is organized, therefore we are His
organization; supporting this view by applying scriptures about God and Jesus
to itself.
A favorite verse about
obedience is Acts 5:29 in which Peter tells the Jewish leaders “We must obey
God as ruler rather than men.” Watchtower
literature turns this verse on its head, Jehovah’s Witnesses must obey a group
of men, the Governing Body, over the dictates of their own consciences, or
personal understanding of Scripture. The Watchtower Organization turns a
scripture about obeying God into a commandment to obey the Watchtower.
The Bible is clear that
salvation proceeds from faith, not membership in an Organization. (Romans 10:9,13 Ephesians 2:5,8) Yet the Watchtower insists
that only by following the Watchtower can one be saved.
The Bible explicitly
shows that God will be our teacher: “But the
Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26
Another
favorite scripture of the Watchtower’s is John 6:68. For example: "Furthermore,
suppose a person was to separate himself from Jehovah's people. Where
could he go? Is he not faced with the same issue that confronted Jesus"
apostles when he asked them if they also wanted to leave him? The apostle Peter
rightly replied: ‘Lord, whom shall we go away to? You have sayings of
everlasting life.’" John 6:68
Watchtower 1988
March 15
Although Peter speaks of
Jesus, the Watchtower cites this verse as a demand for loyalty to an Earthly
organization.
For millions of
Jehovah’s Witnesses who do not profess to be of the anointed “Faithful and
Discreet Slave” Jesus is NOT their mediator.
“So in this strict Biblical
sense Jesus is the "mediator" only for anointed Christians…The
"great crowd" of "other sheep" that is forming today is not
in that new covenant. However, by their associating with the "little
flock" of those yet in that covenant they come under benefits that flow
from that new covenant.” Watchtower 1979
April 1 p.31 Questions from Readers
The examples above are a
small sample of the numerous instances in which the Watchtower applies scriptures
speaking of God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit to itself.
Is the Governing Body committing Blasphemy?
“Blasphemy
includes the act of claiming the attributes or prerogatives of God, or
ascribing these to another person or thing” Insight on the Scriptures
P339
The Governing Body of
Jehovah’s Witnesses exercises complete authority over its followers. It teaches them, they must obey it, they are
dependent on it for understanding and salvation, attributes and prerogatives of
God. By its own definition the Governing
Body commits blasphemy by usurping the authority of God.
The Bible warns against
such conduct. “I know that after my going away
oppressive wolves will enter in among YOU and will not treat the flock with
tenderness, and from among YOU yourselves men will rise and speak twisted
things to draw away the disciples after themselves.” Acts 20:29-30 NWT
Jesus also warns, “Look
out that YOU are not misled; for many will come on the basis of my name, saying,
‘I am he,’ and, ‘The due time has approached.’ Do not go after them” Luke 21:8
NWT
Is this not precisely
what the Watchtower organization is doing? Demanding that we obey them as God’s
personal representatives, while proclaiming (falsely) that the end is here?
People, believing they
are learning God’s will for them from the Watchtower and arrange their lives
accordingly. Here are two examples of the Watchtower’s leadership.
"If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you
will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the
evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is
due to end in a few years."
“Therefore, as a young person, you will never
fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in high school and think
about a college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight
years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of
things be by that time? It will be well on the way toward its finish, if not
actually gone!"
Those words appeared in the May 22, 1969 Awake magazine,
about two weeks before this author graduated from high school. I am now retired.
The May 22, 1994 Awake
applauded children and their parents who accepted the Governing Body’s
prohibition on blood transfusions. The
cover of that issue featured pictures of many children who gave their lives in
pursuit of perfection in following the Watchtower Society’s medical advice.
So, following the lead
of the Governing Body leads to poor choices in education, career, and health
care. Does this reflect Godly wisdom?
I believe we have free
will for a purpose, that we find our own path to God, or if we wish, not to
take any path at all. Any time we
surrender our free will to someone – anyone – we give up a part of that
God-given right, and gift, to be ourselves.
The Governing Body of
Jehovah’s Witnesses has made subtracting that gift from the lives of others its
mission. By accepting the dictates of
the Governing Body, by adhering to the central doctrine of Watchtowerism,
Jehovah’s Witnesses diminish their own lives.
I hope that my words on
this subject will, in some way, lead Jehovah’s Witnesses to question their
allegiance to a human organization in place of a relationship with God founded
on truth and freedom.
A personal comment: Having accused the Governing Body of
blasphemy, I feel a need to tread lightly about my own qualifications on the
subject. I am college educated in
English and Business, and worked as an accountant. I have, however, been an
avid student of the Bible for a long time. As a result of that interest I
joined the Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1973, shortly after graduating from college.
I stopped attending meetings in 1988, and disassociated from the religion in
1989. I continue to study and write on the subject of non-mainstream religions.
I am therefore (at most) an interested and informed
theological amateur. The foregoing is
personal opinion, “food for thought,” not a professional analysis of scripture.
I make no pretense of speaking for God, or acting in His
stead.
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