Rebuttal #6:
False Prophet
#6 Objection:
The whole basis for the governing body to claim it has authority over the sheep of the congregation of Jesus Christ is this scripture:
Matt 24:45-47 BSB
45Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time? 46Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
One can research the founding fathers and the history of the beginning of the modern-day Organization of Jehovah's Witnesses for more perspective on whether it started from God or spiritistic origins. My introduction to the religion began in 1991. Our experiences in life are often shaped by the people around us, and for this, I give credit to those of faith and those who provided me with love and acceptance when I was first approached and accepted into their Society. I was under personal duress, having lived a life without roots, having been raised in multiple countries and cultures, and self-directed at age 14 within a drug-infested culture of the 1970s. The congregation took me in and made me feel I was part of a loving extended family. I know they were sincere, but I also recognize now that they are misled in their theology, as I also became misled. Over time, I began to understand that love is conditional love, though not by everyone. The indoctrination by the WT Governing Body substitutes its authority for that of Jesus' love. It spoils brotherly love because they are conditioned to obey the Organization rather than show true brotherly love.
As I said, it became apparent that the governing body spewed unnecessary false teachings. A "slave" is a worker for the master, not one who bloviates on prophesies and sends the sheep this way and then that way. When they correct their wrong interpretations of "truth" and call it New Light, they crush the spirit of the sheep. Add to that abusive practices like shunning and a death-dealing doctrine on blood transfusions, the GB can be considered abusive to the sheep in their charge. The Society and its members, as directed by the WT, often quote this scripture to excuse their changing doctrine and recanting of previous doctrinal statements:
Proverbs 4:18 NWT
18But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light That grows brighter and brighter until full daylight
They believe this scripture accounts for and justifies them for the changes in their understanding of scriptures and changes in doctrines over time. They say they have received “New Light”. But this scripture doesn't endorse a group of men as having an exclusive license on "light". Instead, the scripture applies to ALL the righteous persons seeking God. We all discover more enlightenment individually concerning our God as we continue to grow and draw closer to Him. The Holy Spirit reveals understanding and enlightenment regarding our God (John 16:13, John 14:26, Luke 12:12). Do not depend on other men to give you "light". Only Jesus Christ and the Word of God is the light of the world.
John 16:13 BSB
13However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.
In Matthew 24:45, what is the “food” that Jesus talks about being given at the proper time? Is the "food" the words of men (as in Watchtower publications)? Or is the "food" the words of God, given in the Scriptures? When Jesus replied to Satan that man does not live by bread alone but on every word that comes from God's mouth (Matt 4:4), was he not saying that the Scriptures are THE life-sustaining food for all believers? Yes, Jesus said that it is the WORD of GOD that is life-giving and is the "food" He wants His sheep to be fed. So, a shepherd over the flock of God would be feeding scriptures to the sheep (because scriptures are Truth), not false man-made expository teachings. By the nature of coming from men, such are fallible and subject to change and to error. Man's words are NOT our "food"! Pure Scripture is OUR FOOD!!!
John 6:63 BSB
63The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
These men of the Governing Body will have blood guilt when standing before Christ on their judgment day, for they have done significant harm to truth seekers and true believers in Christ. They have also harmed those who might have been seeking Christ but were repulsed when the utterances of a false prophet stumbled them. The GB sets a lot of rules that are not scriptural and creates a culture that is harsh and impossible to live in for most people because of the requirements set for meeting attendance, meeting participation, teaching parts, field service hours, book studies, and the rigorous demands on the elders, for meetings and shepherding calls. Members often are exhausted. Many develop psychosomatic illnesses to get out of keeping up because the demands are too much for them. But because they do not want to be regarded as spiritually weak, they press on to exhaustion.
They disfellowship teenagers for making mistakes in their teenage struggles with peer pressure and social acceptance. Most human beings go through a phase when coming of age and are trying to fit in with their peer groups, whether inside or outside the Organization. The mental damage done to a teenager is an abomination. In recent years, they have moved away from disfellowshipping teenagers for wild behavior and are letting parents deal with their children. This new directive is good for them to do. I hope the GB continues to lead with compassion and wisdom and, most importantly, correct their doctrine to align with the scriptures fully. But that would require them to be humble and admit they have no part in the relationship of being a mediator between Jesus and his Sheep.
They say they are keeping everyone busy for the good of the sheep, keeping them on the narrow path, but they really are keeping them so busy they have little time to think and to meditate on the Word of God itself, and less time to allow the Holy Spirit to work within them. Keeping up with the mandatory literature consumption and regurgitation of Watchtower doctrine is a heavy requirement. It is a burden designed to keep one from learning and cultivating a personal relationship with God through Jesus. The pressure to become dependent on the Watchtower literature dominates their lives.
The Watchtower literature makes clear and reinforces that the witnesses' very salvation depends on their performance to the Watchtower requirements of meeting attendance, commenting on articles (rote commenting), and field service hours. At some point, even those who try to read the scriptures feel the pressure to keep up with the programmed Watchtower literature to be prepared for meetings, so their Bible reading time is relegated to the back burner. This is precisely what Satan wants. He wants to keep everyone busy reading religious literature by a false prophet, so that it is then substituted for time to read the actual Word of God.
The practice of reading a Watchtower magazine paragraph and then answering preset questions stated in the paragraph is the principal "methodology" of mental conditioning (mental programming a.k.a., indoctrination). There are many publications, and no matter which book one reads or studies, the WT doctrinal points are reinforced. You don't need to read and ponder scriptures; you need to learn what they present to you. Suppose you keep publicly questioning the doctrinal points, you will eventually be counseled/and or disfellowshipped. Don't get me wrong here; the brothers will try to help you reason on the scriptures and "help" you come to an "accurate" understanding. They will even offer to "re-teach" you using a particular book. However, it's the same programming. Most cannot teach the WT doctrine from the scriptures without their books or magazines. That is because the scriptures do not support the doctrines.
I once told an elder that I felt that the Holy Spirit was leading me, and that anyone with a right relationship with God can ask for and receive the Holy Spirit's guidance. However, with some exclamation of excitement, I was reminded that the governing body has more Holy Spirit than we publishers (members are called publishers), so we should yield to their teaching. Excuse me, but everyone has free access to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not only channel through a group of men appointed by other men (there is that hijacking attempt again).
The governing body imposes a practice called disfellowshipping. It happens when a member commits biblical sin (or holds on to a viewpoint contradictory to their doctrine) and is not repentant. A judicial committee is formed to hear the case. The Bible does make an allowance to remove unrepentant sinners from the congregation.
1 Corinthians 5:9-13 BSB
9I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. 10I was not including the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
But does this scripture suggest that a mother or father or husband or wife or child should "SHUN" their family members? Imagine if one were free to speak to the one expelled to lead them again to repentance? How can you do this without talking to them? I understand the elder's authority to separate the unrepentant sinner. Still, I would not feel inhibited from talking to a brother or sister I met on the street to encourage them to repent. As a parent of my child, I would not shun a relative or a teenager or anyone for that matter, though that doesn't mean I would approve or go along with an activity that disrespected God. However, love will cause you to reach out to encourage that person to repent. You don’t have to be accused of “associating” to say hello, or how are you. Do you?
The problem with the culture and directions of the governing body is that when you throw (socially speaking) a brother or sister out into the world, hoping they will be miserable and repent because of being isolated, causing even their closest family not to speak to them, you can push vulnerable ones over the edge to commit suicide. Is that love? No, it is not. What small minds. You cause severe damage when you shun a person (especially a teenager or young adult). To shun is not the same thing as when the Bible says not to "associate." Can you see the difference?
I have heard testimony of young people who were disfellowshipped at age 15, and their parents told them to move out. There is a difference between a rebellious child and a child who is a danger to the family. I remember at an assembly, a mother and her two daughters spoke on stage and trashed the middle child, who had been disfellowshipped at age 14. I don't know her issue, but I heard she was staying out and running around with kids, drinking, and smoking. Gee. I did all that at 14. This young gal once babysat for me. She came from a good family, and I believe that while this is typical of the issues teenagers face, most grow out of it and become responsible adults. I did. But to hear the way her mother and sisters trashed her very soul, I was aghast. How sad.
This Organization is a man-made religion with rules, legal practices, and doctrines that are not entirely from the Bible. This form of religion is called “legalism.” Everything must be controlled under the guise of caring for the sheep and protecting the flock. But, is their architecture a healthy way to nurture and encourage believers to find joy in serving the Lord? Rules, meetings, performance expectations, and punishment are the order of the Society. Where is real love?
During the years of my "lost time" in a new city, I talked to some Witnesses at my door. They even invited me to a regional convention, which I went to with them. They knew I was inactive, and after a while (I had not yet attended the local Kingdom Hall), they sent an elder. He came to the door. He introduced himself and asked me one question, which was point-blank. "Did anyone in the congregation stumble you?" I paused to think and then replied, "No." Therefore, he said, "See you at the Kingdom Hall." He turned around and left. I was
shocked at his flipant behavior and lack of interest in asking me why I wasn't going or what had stumbled me.
I would have welcomed discussing what stumbled me: the Watchtower article's retraction of their false prophetic fulfillment of the separation of sheep and goats. I did not consider the WT or GB a "person in the congregation" per se. That is why I said no to his question. Instead of him being interested and asking, "Well then, why haven't you been coming to the meetings?" What is the issue? He was not interested in the real reason; he was just quick to make a dismissive judgment that the problem was me. Many in oversight positions lack the caring love Jesus intended for the congregational shepherds.
So who really is the "discreet slave" supposed to feed the sheep per Matt 24:45? Is it this Organization or individual Christians with the Holy Spirit who help their brethren be built up and nurtured to help them grow and stay strong in faith in Jesus? Is it each of us as we encourage each other with scripture and sharpen each other for the spiritual battles?
Perhaps you are aware of the legal proceedings in Australia where the government commission opened an inquiry concerning the unreported pedophilia and incest taking place in various congregations in Australia. It was a serious problem, and the elders were not reporting said crimes to the authorities to protect the children. The Society was found guilty, and as a result, a Watchtower article here in the USA addressed the issue. Elders now must report such things to local authorities.
It is too late for the many children through the years who reported such heinous crimes to the elders who didn't then alert authorities. The directions from the Organization were lacking in wisdom, as elders responsible for the spiritual welfare of the children and young people in the congregations were not protecting them from sexual predators. Sexual abuse of children is being exposed now across the world. But for decades, sexual abuse was taking place, yet the Organization instructed them not to take accusations to the authorities "so as not to bring reproach upon Jehovah's name." The elders, having a meeting to hear the claims of abuse by a child or woman, would go by the Bible's "two-witness rule." If there were no other witnesses to the acts, then the elders would take no action to report the crime to authorities or discipline the perpetrator.
I have listened to the video testimony on YouTube of a young woman abused by her father (who was an elder), and not only did it take years to try and convict her abusive father in court (he ultimately went to prison), but the mother never protected her daughters from what she knew was taking place (for fear of harming her husband’s standing in the congregation). That girl is damaged emotionally and spiritually. You can see it in her videos. She is a young woman in her 20s who still has the mannerisms of a pre-pubescent child. She is emotionally damaged. A wise shepherd would not allow something heinous to carry on past the first report of abuse.
She is not a believer in Christ today, and I suspect it is because the Organization failed her by claiming to be the only true church, yet not taking prudent, wise, or loving measures to help her escape her abusive father, who was an elder. Having heard her complaint against her father years earlier, the elders should have called the authorities, but did not because of "their two-witness rule." So, the father continued to abuse his two daughters sexually. Finally, it was a therapist and other JW family members (an uncle) who supported her through a painful trial before her father went to prison. He was ultimately disfellowshipped (and that is for good reason of sinful behavior).
What is most revealing, however, is that a governing body member gave FALSE testimony and lied under oath while taking the stand in the Australian government commission hearings. Geoffrey Jackson, a member of the governing body of Jehovah's Witnesses, said in his testimony when asked by the prosecutor, "Do you see yourselves as Jehovah God's spokespeople on earth?" Mr. Jackson replied*, "I think it would seem quite presumptuous to say that we are the only spokesperson God is using." Let that sink in (Google the YouTube video clip). These governing body members and the entire Organization have always adhered to 100% exclusive legitimacy and authority to be the ONLY congregation of Christ in these last days. Outside the Organization are only false religions and "lost unsaved" people. *paraphrased
This Organization has continuously claimed to be God's exclusive spokesperson at this time of the last days and that all other forms of Christian religions are counterfeits and will be destroyed. Let him, the Governing Body member, telling a lie about his beliefs and then his false testimony, sink in. He doesn't believe what he said. Just listen to the Governing Body members talk on their broadcast channel, and you will hear them still say they are the EXCLUSIVE means God is using to communicate to Jesus' Sheep around the world. They are the only "Discreet Slave." All other forms of Christianity are counterfeits. True, there are many counterfeit self-proclaimed Christian organizations in the world today. Many are introducing man's doctrine into their teachings of the Holy Scriptures. This is wrongful teaching. A good shepherd should teach only the Holy Scriptures. Only God's Word can be found true; Man's words are suspect and lies.
The key reason why I left them 28 years ago after I read that WT article on the sheep and goat retraction is this: how can this Organization exert such control over my life (including the power to disfellowship), claim to be the exclusive channel between God and men and announce that God's prophesies are being fulfilled; yet years later they say "oops, we made a mistake?" The false claim of fulfillment of the timing of the separation of the sheep and the goats was retracted in October 1995 as wrong. Why am I making a big deal about it? What they had said was that we, as disciples of Jesus and WT publishers by going out into the door-to-door ministry were helping Jesus, (now ruling from the invisible heavens as of 1914) to separate mankind into the sheep and goats for eternal judgement: those that were favorable to the message we preached were showing themselves as sheep and those not favorable, as goats. We were being used by Jesus to help him separate our fellow man.
Where does it say that Jesus needs our help in the separation work? Nowhere! Where does it say in scripture that Jesus is doing that work now (back then, before the retraction)? Nowhere! The Bible says Jesus does the separating work AFTER the tribulation but before the Millennial rule begins (Matt 25:31-46).
What is a false prophet? One that says a proclamation is from God, yet it does not come true. The Bible warns us to stay away from these false prophets.
Jer 23:16 BSB
16 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.) (See also Jer. 5:31)
Deu 18:20-22 BSB
20But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put to death.” 21 You may ask in your heart, “How can we recognize a message that the LORD has not spoken?” 22 When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
#6 Recap: Remember, their prophecy of the "this generation shall not pass away…1914" did not come true. The Governing Body claims this exclusive governance authority is from God. No other congregations/religions outside the Watchtower have rightful worship. They implement rules and a class system that deprives members of partaking of the body and blood of Christ at their annual memorial. They cause children and adults to refuse lifesaving blood transfusions that have resulted in their death. They disfellowship and cause untold mental anguish in family relationships. They stumble sincere seekers of Godly Truth with their changing "light". In short, they ruin lives. My tears flow abundantly for the families I know that are still practicing faithfully in that small congregation in Canada and even worldwide, knowing that their faith is misaligned. They are blocked from the message of salvation and the Good News of Jesus Christ. See my other website for non-denominational questions and answers about what the Bible says and what the Good News of Jesus Christ is. [www.JamesNobleMinistries.org]
They teach a different Jesus and worship a construct from the minds of men (that will always be fallible). But moreover, the restraining of the members from partaking at the memorial, improper baptism, the casual way they use God's memorial name "Jehovah" instead of rightfully using the name of Jesus, the prohibition of blood transfusions, the oppression of the spirit of the sheep by making no allowance for holidays and festivals, the many false teachings and failed prophesies, leads me to only one place.
I didn't embark to refute their beliefs, but the Holy Spirit has nudged me and instructed me to research these beliefs. My research in scripture proved that their unique doctrines are not true. I therefore must reject their religion, their authority over me, and their oppression of my Christian faith.