Randall Watters' article shows how despicable the Watchtower Bible And
Tract
Society can be with its own members who dare question it. Randall was an
eye-witness.
May God bless,
Carl
my website -- http://www.nettally.com/saints/
my blog -- http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/
---
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD HEADQUARTERS OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN THE
SPRING
OF 1980?
by Randall Watters
Great disturbances had been in the works for years in the
organization
known as the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society. These disturbances surfaced
in the spring of 1980 and efforts were quickly made to conceal these
difficulties. Can even the witnesses themselves tell you what really
happened?
In the spring of 1980 three prominent members of the Writing
Department
of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society in Brooklyn, N.Y., suddenly became
subject to intense interrogation. These men were responsible for writing
most of their recent books. One was subsequently thrown out of the
organization. Another, a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's
Witnesses, was stripped of his privileges, and the third was later
encouraged to leave. What crime had they committed?
They dared to question The Watchtower as God's sole channel of
communication with mankind. These men were well-respected by all of the
headquarters staff as sincere and honest Bible students. I know, because I
was there.
ARE MAN-MADE ORGANIZATIONS THE KEY?
Certain prominent members of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society had
come to realize what all true Christians realize; that we cannot look to
men
or organizations for ultimate truth. The scriptures say we must look to
Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me" (Jn 14:6). But what do the
Witnesses
teach about this? The Watchtower says:
"...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."(1)
"We all need help to understand the Bible, and we cannot find
the scriptural guidance we need outside the 'faithful and discreet
slave' organization.'"(2)
Witnesses may say that these men at headquarters were just
'troublemakers'. The truth is that none of these men were seeking to cause
trouble or to disturb people. But immediately several 'interrogation'
committees were set up to put the heat on anyone who did not fully accept
everything that The Watchtower says.
WHAT DID CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL WARN AGAINST?
If you are a Witness, you know that you really have to be on your
toes
to keep up with doctrinal changes in this organization. Countless
doctrines
have been changed or discarded in the past 100 years, and you probably are
not aware of what the Society taught on many subjects even 20 years ago.
Do
you realize that if Charles Taze Russell, the founder of the WTB&TS, were
a
member of the organization today, he would most certainly be
disfellow****pped for his 'anti-organizational' beliefs? These are some
quotes from Russell:
"The endeavor to compel all men to think alike on all
subjects, culminated in the great apostasy and the development of
the great papal system, and thereby the gospel, the one faith that
Paul and the other apostles set forth, was lost - buried under the
mass of uninspired decrees of popes and councils. The unity of the
early church, based upon the simple gospel and bound only by love,
gave place to the bondage of the church of Rome...Each new reform
movement (like Protestantism) has made the failure of attempting to
make a creed just large enough for its prime movers."(3)
On why organizations don't work -
"...we have pointed out continually the tendency of Christian
people toward union, showing, too, that such a union is predicted
in scripture; but that its results, while designed to be good, will
really be bad; and this because it will be a mechanical union
instead of a heart unity."(4)
How can these and other continually changing doctrines be explained
away? If "truth" changes, it is not truth, but falsehood. Witnesses
explain
it very cleverly, "The light is getting brighter and brighter until the
day
is firmly established," meaning that God gives them bits of truth at a
time.
Although the Bible does speak of progressive revelation, it builds upon
itself and sup****ts what has already been established.
Let's be reasonable. If God reveals new "truth" to us tomorrow, and
five years later this "truth" is replaced by another "truth", does not
this
make the original "truth" a falsehood? To Witnesses there is really no
such
thing as absolute truth. The current "truth" is to be found by studying
the
latest issue of The Watchtower. And you had better not question what it
says, or you may be "disfellow****pped" from "Jehovah's organization". This
may sound like an exaggeration but it is precisely what occurred in 1980
as
well as many other times in the history of this organization.
"FAITHFUL & DISCREET" ORGANIZATION
The unifying power of the Witnesses lies in their interpretation of
Matthew 24:45-47 where Jesus said, "Who really is the faithful and
discreet
slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their
food
at the proper time? Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds
him
doing so. Truly I say to you, He will appoint him over all his
belongings."
Witnesses teach that Jesus Christ returned (obviously invisible) in
1914 (originally the date set was 1874) and since this organization was
the
only one in the whole world pleasing God, they claimed themselves to be
the
personification of this ' slave' that Jesus talked about.
Matthew 24:45-47 can be easily understood in the light of Paul's
words
in 1 Thes. 5:11 and Jude 20,21. There is no basis whatsoever in applying
this to a select group of 16 men in Brooklyn, N.Y., and saying that if God
speaks to man, he will speak through these men. These are the spokesmen of
'God's organization' (see The Watchtower, January 1, 1977, pg. 16).
Unbelievable? Here are some quotes to this effect:
"In view of its unbreakable connection with the Christian
Theocratic organization, the Bible is organization-minded and it
cannot be fully understood without our having the Theocratic
organization in mind...All the sheep in God's flock must be
organization-minded, like the Bible."(5)
"If we are to walk in the light of truth we must recognize not
only Jehovah God as our father but his organization as our
'mother'."(6)
Christians can easily understand why these certain men on the
headquarters staff could come to appreciate that God works through people
individually (1 John 2:27) and not through man-made organizations. Notice
the words of our Lord Jesus Christ in John 10:7-9:
"Most truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All
those that have come in place of me are thieves and plunderers; but
the sheep have not listened to them. I am the door; WHOEVER ENTERS
THROUGH ME will be saved, and he will go in and out and find
pasturage." (caps ours)
Jesus does not play the role of false prophet and shepherd, but men
and
religious organizations often do. This became evident quickly to these
members of the Writing Department and many others at headquarters, also
known as "Bethel" to Witnesses . One prominent member of the Governing
Body,
during one of their meetings, said of the president, F.W. Franz, that "he
has been our oracle for the last 67 years." Fred Franz himself said to the
entire Bethel family on May 25, 1980 (in reference to setting dates and
building expectations), that some "expected me to ignore the influence of
world events in the light of Bible prophecy for the last 67 years, and to
start over where we began 67 years ago."
SALVATION BY A "LAW SYSTEM"?
Albert Schroeder (a prominent spokesman on the Governing Body),
during
a meeting of the elders of the Bethel family on May 29, 1980 (referring to
those who have questioned their absolute authority), said: "All the things
they are teaching ignore the framework we have been developing all these
many years."
Many of the Witnesses at headquarters were also beginning to
appreciate
that Christianity is not a religion based on rules and regulations (like
the
Mosaic Law), but that Christianity is a relation****p with Jesus Christ and
that Christians walk by means of the Holy Spirit, as made clear by the
Apostle Paul in Gal. 2:20,21:
"I am impaled along with Christ. It is no longer I that live,
but it is Christ that is living in union with me...if righteousness
is through the law, Christ actually died for nothing."
"Furthermore, if you are being led by the spirit, you are not
under law." (Gal. 5:18)
It is good to know that wherever the word 'law' is not capitalized in
the New World Translation (or any other Bible), it is not necessarily
referring to the Mosaic Law but to LAW SYSTEMS OR RULES IMPOSED UPON
CHRISTIANS. THIS IS THE KEY MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL THAT COLLAPSES THE
WATCHTOWER SYSTEM: ARE WE SAVED BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, OR LIKE THE
'JUDAIZERS' IN THE FIRST CENTURY, MUST WE ADD THE RULES AND STANDARDS OF
AN
ORGANIZATION? (see Gal.5:1-4).
The surfacing of this issue proved to be more than the Governing Body
of Jehovah's Witnesses could bear. Stinging responses were made to the
Bethel family such as these, made by Albert Schroeder in his address to
elders of the Bethel family on May 29, 1980:
"We serve not only Jehovah God but we are under our 'mother'
(the organization). Our 'mother' has the right to make rules and
regulations for us... This book, entitled Branch Organization
Procedure, contains 28 subjects; and its sub-sections involve
regulations and administration. In it there are 1,177 POLICIES AND
REGULATIONS...this is an improved, fine-tuned organization, and we
are expected to follow its policies. If there are some who feel
that they cannot subject themselves to the rules and regulations
now in operation, such ones ought to be leaving and not be involved
here in the further progressive work."
"Some have fallen away from the organization, NOT FROM THE
BIBLE, saying there is no need for COMING UNDER LAW...This great
program of organization procedure is gathering the things of heaven
and earth."
What treatment would this 'fine-tuned', 'mother' organization mete
out
to those who believe they are not saved by following the organizational
laws, but by faith in Jesus Christ?
INTIMIDATION TACTICS
While one member of the Governing Body was away on leave of absence,
a
special committee was established to extract confessions of all of his
close
friends and acquaintances, in order to determine everything he had ever
said
in private that could be used against him. For two weeks these committees
intimidated members of the Bethel family and recorded their confessions.
Then the unfortunate fellow was suddenly called back to Bethel and made to
listen to these tapes in the presence of the Governing Body. Then he was
cast out and stripped of his privileges. He had served in every
responsible
positions for decades and had traveled the world visiting the branch
offices, but this made no difference.
Several others were subjected to long hours of intense interrogation
as
the 'Watchtower committees' set up series of 'special questions' to ask
any
person suspected of talking about what was going on in the Governing Body.
Many were disfellow****pped from the organization simply because they could
not believe and conscientiously teach certain doctrines of the Witnesses.
Such persons are then viewed as 'spiritually dead' by the others and they
are not even allowed to talk with such ones.
In the following weeks and months I noticed that the members of the
Governing Body minced no words in slandering and name-calling such
individuals, and being careful not to mention their names for legal
reasons.
They were called 'spiritual fornicators', 'mentally diseased' and
'insane';
they were said to be following the 'teaching of demons' and that they were
'adding to the scriptures'. In one committee meeting where a married
couple
who had faithfully served for decades was disfellow****pped, one MEMBER OF
THE GOVERNING BODY called them 'suckers' and 'liars'. One poor fellow had
his phone calls redirected through the 'service department' to check up on
his outside connections. 'Spies' were everywhere, and many members of the
family would turn in even their own friends for suspicion of 'apostasy'.
It
is im****tant to know that few of the family members knew what was really
going on; the Governing Body kept it well-concealed and responded by
defaming the characters of those involved.
Some members of the family had been holding their own Bible studies
to
help understand the scriptures apart from Watchtower dogma. These groups
were soon discovered and told to stop unless they would use the Society's
publications for reference. On April 30, 1980, Karl Kline of the
Governing
Body stated to the whole family:
"If you have a tendency towards 'apostasy', get a hobby and
keep yourself busy to keep your mind off of it. Stay away from deep
Bible study to determine meanings of the scriptures."
Another member of the Governing Body, Lloyd Barry, said on May 29,
1980
in addressing the elders of the Bethel family:
"When we talk about law, we talk about organization. With all
our hearts we need to search after that law. Jehovah DOESN'T GIVE
INDIVIDUALS INTERPRETATION (of the scriptures). We need a guide,
and that is the 'faithful and discreet slave'. We should not be
getting together in a clique to discuss views contrary to the
'faithful and Discreet slave'. We must RECOGNIZE THE SOURCE OF OUR
INSTRUCTION. We must be like an ass, be humble, and stay in the
manger; and we won't get any poison."
These are but a few of the many shocking things that could be seen
and
heard at headquarters. If you find it hard to believe, write the Society
yourself and ask if these things really happened.
Imagine yourself as one of these Bethel elders who had recently just
begun to discover what REAL Christianity is all about, and then imagine
listening to these blasphemous statements that clearly contradict the
entire
message of the letters to the Romans and Galatians, as well as the words
of
our Lord Jesus Christ who said, "You will know the truth, and the TRUTH
WILL
SET YOU FREE."
FREE FROM WHAT?
Free from the traditions and false teachings of men. I became fully
aware that man can only be saved by the Blood of the Lamb, and not through
any works of law or organization (Eph. 2:8-10). The Apostle Paul stated
clearly the proper view of this:
"You are parted from Christ, whoever you are that try to be
declared righteous be means of law; you have fallen away from his
undeserved kindness." (Gal.5:4)
"For all those who depend upon works of law are under a curse;
for it is written: 'Cursed is every one that does not continue in
all the things written in the scroll of the law in order to do
them.'" (Gal.3:10)
Paul is plainly saying that if anyone comes along and says that we
need
something in addition to faith in Christ to be saved, then such person is
a
heretic and will come under HEAVY JUDGEMENT from God. Witnesses teach very
similar to what the 'Judaizers' taught in the first century; that along
with
accepting Christ you have to keep their standards. You have just finished
reading what the members of the Governing Body said about law systems;
judge
for yourself where the organization stands in the sight of God. The
Apostle
Paul says:
"But now we have been discharged from the Law, because we have
died to that by which we were being held fast, that we might be
slaves in a new sense by the spirit, and not in the old sense by
the written code."(Romans 7:6)
"Therefore by works of law no flesh will be declared righteous
before him, for by law is the accurate knowledge of sin. But now
apart from law God's righteousness has been made manifest, as it is
borne witness to by the Law and the Prophets; yes , God's
righteousness through the faith in Jesus Christ, for all those
having faith. For there is no distinction. For all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God, and it is as a free gift that they
are being declared righteous by his undeserved kindness through the
release by the ransom (paid) by Christ Jesus."(Romans 3:20-24)
Imperfect humans have a tendency to try and justify themselves in
God's
sight, just like the first man Adam (Gen.3:12). Man cannot justify himself
before God; only Jesus Christ can satisfy the penalty for our sinful
nature.
Dear Witness, do you REALLY BELIEVE THAT? Do you realize that no amount of
works you can do will ever, can ever, even during the 1,000 year reign of
Christ, justify you before God Almighty? Only if you ask Jesus Christ to
come into your life and be your personal Saviour will you gain everlasting
life (John 5:40, 14:23). Loyalty to an organization of dogmatic and ever
changing beliefs cannot save you from the judgement of God, any more than
being a 'son of Abraham' could save a Jew (Matt.3:8-10).
A DIFFERENT JESUS
When I began to study the identity of Jesus Christ and the things he
said about himself, and the things his disciples said about him, it soon
became obvious that I had been misled by the false doctrines of The
Watchtower. Jesus voluntarily placed himself in subjection to the Father,
and he was bound with the limitations of men; but he was also God (John
1:1). Pick up the Kingdom Interlinear Translation published by the
Watchtower Society and look up these verses in the original Greek literal
rendering:
*His disciples recognized him as God(Jn 1:1, 5:18, 20:28, Rom.
9:5, 1 Jn 5:20, Col. 1:19, 2:9)
*The angels wor****ped him as God (Heb. 1:6-12)
*Jesus and the Father are both the Alpha and Omega (Rev.1:8,
22:13)
These and many other proofs were not easy to accept, having been
taught
that Jesus is an archangel and merely one of God's creations. Fully
understanding the nature of God is beyond human reasoning; just as we are
unable to comprehend an infinite God with no beginning. We must listen to
the whole Word of God to get an accurate picture, and not attempt to
ignore
or explain away the scriptures that refer to Jesus as Jehovah God, just
because we cannot explain it in human terms.
I prayed to Jesus in the spirit of Stephen (Acts 7:59) and asked
forgiveness for my alienation from him, and asked him to come into my
heart
and fill me with the Holy Spirit, which he did. Never before in my life
have
I felt such deep joy and happiness, as the Spirit testified in my heart
that
Jesus IS God and worthy of my wor****p. I felt his loving presence in me,
revealing and filling the inner emptiness that no Watchtower ever filled,
and no amount of door-to-door work or public speaking could ever satisfy.
It
takes the Holy Spirit to accept Jesus as Lord of your life (1 Cor. 12:3).
FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT
I served in the Brooklyn Bethel headquarters for almost six years, up
to July 1980, when I chose to leave (on good terms with everyone, and with
good recommendations). But inside I could no longer bear the name-calling
and abuse of so many individuals, many of whom were my friends. I had
often
traveled around the Northeastern United States giving public discourses
and
slide presentations under the direction of the Governing Body and the
Service Department. I was Assistant Pressroom Overseer for the Factory
complex, and directly in charge of the presses that printed the New World
Translation. I conducted studies in The Watchtower for the Bethel family
on
occasion. I was a zealous Witness, and entrusted with much responsibility.
The Service Department can easily testify to all of these things.
Why did I then submit a letter to the Governing Body showing the
feelings of many of us who had left, and then a letter to my local
congregation disassociating myself from the Witnesses? Was I 'stumbled' by
the mistakes of men? Was it a streak of rebelliousness in me? Did what
happened at Bethel cause me to lose my faith in what they call 'God's
organization'?
To the contrary. If you have spent years in the Watchtower Society
and
have served at headquarters, you get used to men doing 'unorthodox' things
for the 'sake of the organization'. I LEFT BECAUSE THEY WERE TEACHING
FALSE
DOCTRINE.
In the last couple of years leading up to the spring of 1980, many
members of the headquarters staff as well as many on the outside began to
appreciate from the letters to the Romans and Galatians that we do not
earn
our salvation by works or by obeying organizational rules. Witnesses will
say that they don't either, but their teachings belie their claims. We
began to appreciate that JESUS CHRIST IS THE SOLE CHANNEL OF TRUTH TO MEN
AND NOT THE GOVERNING BODY OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, as we were perpetually
taught (Col.2:3, 4, 8, 9). We realized that the hundreds of false
prophecies
we had taught and put into print for the last hundred years were the
result
of the 'blind leading the blind'. They despise the simplicity of accepting
Jesus into their lives, and instead feel obliged to build an immense
theological framework. The president of the WTB&TS said early in 1980 that
"Baby food is not the message of the hour today," 'baby food' meaning the
basic message of faith and salvation.
It became obvious to us that Jesus Christ did not return in 1914; but
that he has been with Christians personally, dwelling in them through the
Holy Spirit, since Pentecost (Matt.28:20, 1 Cor. 6:19). We came to
appreciate that the 1,177 rules and regulations in the Branch Organization
Procedure book, as well as the countless dictates poured out from The
Watchtower are like a 'Mosaic Law' to Witnesses, and necessary to
establish
their righteousness before God (Romans 10:2-4). They are sincere people.
But
the Apostle Paul makes it clear in Galatians 1:8,9 that if you add
anything
(religious burdens in the form of rules) to faith in Jesus Christ, you are
accursed of God. Many Witnesses are coming out from under this curse and
accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
Satan uses the cults today to prevent us from having a personal
relation****p with Jesus Christ, which is necessary for salvation (John
5:39,40). These are his tools:
1. ESTABLISH A 'NEW BRAND OF TRUTH' and use the Bible to sup****t it.
However, in order to make the Bible fit their understanding, there
must
be other books to read. Charles Taze Russell once said,
"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'(his books) 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 light at the end of two years, because he
would have the light of the scriptures."(7)
2. ESTABLISH YOURSELF AS THE SOLE CHANNEL OF GOD'S TRUTH. (See The
Watchtower, February 15, 1981, p.19; compare with The Watchtower, April 1,
1978, p.19).
3. MAKE JESUS CHRIST A SECONDARY FIGURE. (2 Cor. 4:4,5, also The
Watchtower,
February 15, 1979, p.31 and the information under "Archangel" in the book,
Aid to Bible Understanding, page 114).
4. DISCOURAGE THE READING OR CONSIDERATION OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE
'CURRENT TRUTHS' (heavily emphasized to the Bethel family during 1980).
5. TEACH THAT ONLY PERSONS FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION WILL BE SAVED, because
you
alone have the truth and all others have been misled by Satan (see The
Watchtower, February 15, 1979, p.30, also The Watchtower, October 1, 1979,
pp.28,29).
SEEK THE TRUE SHEPHERD
When I left Bethel in the summer of 1980, I prayed to the Lord Jesus
Christ to forgive me for ignoring him all those years and to come live in
me
and fill me with the Holy Spirit, and to remain with me forever. He
answered
my prayer then and there, and he can answer yours too, dear friend. If you
knew how much Jesus loves you, you would come on home to him and let him
take you in his arms. He will remove your anxieties and bless you with
peace
and joy in the Holy Spirit (Matt.11:28-30).
Thousands of people leave the Watchtower Society each year, but not
all
come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. Many are so effectively brainwashed by
the system that they can do nothing else. Here is what you must do.
*Pray to him (Heb.1:6).
*Ask forgiveness for your sins and accept this forgiveness (1
John 1:9).
*Then ask him to come live with you for all eternity and let
him testify in your heart that you are now 'born again' (John
3:3-5).
*Let the Holy Spirit begin to work changes in your life and
lead you to real Christians that are like those we read about
in the book of Acts (Acts 2:46-47).
*Enjoy the freedom of walking by the Spirit and not by the
rules and 'heavy loads' that men may bind upon you (Matt.
23:4, 10).
*Now begin to tell others what Christ has done for you and
begin to lead an active life in Christ (Phil. 1:11).
The ever-changing doctrines of The Watchtower crumble in the light
of
God's word. The light IS getting brighter and brighter in these days; but
that light is Jesus Christ, and he never changes (Heb. 13:8). His light is
probing into the dark cellars of Watchtower doctrine and revealing it as
unclear and death-dealing. If you are a Witness or are studying with the
Witnesses, ask yourself these pointed questions:
*Do I believe that the Bible was written to me personally?
(see The Watchtower, April 1, 1979, p.31).
*Do I believe that I have been 'born again' and will live with
Christ forever? (John 3:3).
*Do I believe that I will be saved due to my faith and not due
to my own 'works of righteousness'? (Romans 3:20).
*Is Jesus living in me and sharing communion with me?(Col.
2:6-7)
*Am I filled with the joy and happiness of walking with Christ
day by day? Does he comfort me in my time of affliction? (John
14:26,27; Rev.3:20)
If you can answer, "Yes!" to these questions, you are walking
contrary
to Watchtower teachings.
I am so happy to know Jesus Christ; it is like having a fountain of
life bubbling over within me (John 4:14), and I want to share this joy
with
you. Ask him to come into your life:
"Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone hears my
voice
and opens the door, I will come into his house and take the evening meal
with him and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
References:
1. The Watchtower, October 1, 1967, p.587.
2. The Watchtower, February 15, 1981, p.19.
3. The Watchtower, September 1893, p.1572.
4. The Watchtower, March 1893, p.1504. (See also The Watchtower,
Oct.-Nov. 1881, p.295; April 1882, p.344; March 1883, p.458;
October 1883, p.536, 538).
5. The Watchtower, September 1954, p.528.
6. The Watchtower, May 1957, p.274. (See also The Watchtower,
February 15, 1981, p.19).
7. The Watchtower, September 15, 1910, p.298.
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