As a young boy growing up in the Witness faith, I was taught to think of my religion as an organization with a level playing field, where everyone enjoyed an equal standing before God. Whenever photos were published of the Governing Body, it was always pointed out how approachable and “grandfatherly” they appeared – as though you could walk up to any member and ask him anything!
It was the same with elders, Circuit Overseers and District Overseers. Sure, these men all had lofty titles, but when it all boiled down to it, they were supposed to be no different from ordinary publishers – just with slightly different privileges of service.
As I grew up and began to see different facets of the organization in closer detail, it gradually became obvious that true equality among the brothers was something that existed in theory rather than in practice. A typical example of this could be seen during the twice-yearly Circuit Overseer’s visit, with all the hype and furore surrounding the arrival of a single man and his wife. I could see brothers and sisters bending over backwards to impress this supposedly humble representative of the Society – putting on elaborate dinners for him, taking him on their most impressive calls and bible studies, laughing at his awful jokes, and generally acting all prim and proper whenever in his presence.
Even so, regardless of the fact that I saw little practical evidence of true equality among the brothers, I generally accepted the idea that all Witnesses are equal – and that there is no “hierarchy” in our faith. In fact, this wasn’t just an idea circulated among publishers – it was a core concept that was actively promoted in our publications. Other religions may operate a “hierarchical structure,” but not Jehovah’s cleansed people! We are different from false religion. Hierarchical religions, most notably the Catholic Church, are to be vilified and exposed for their “worldly” organizational politics.
To demonstrate, consider the following quotes from the Society’s publications over the decades, each of which denounce the concept of a hierarchical religious structure, or describe it in disapproving terms…
“In contrast with many religious groups in Christendom, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not decide for themselves the form of spiritual government under which they operate. These sincere Christians endeavor to stick to Jehovah’s standards. Overseers among them are not put into office by some congregational, hierarchical, or presbyterian form of church government.” (w01 1/15 p13)
“Sadly, over the centuries this elevated, selfless concept of ministers as self-sacrificing preachers and teachers was distorted. What began as the Christian ministry evolved into a formal, hierarchical institution. Orders and ranks were formed, and they were invested with prestige and power and often accumulated great wealth. This created divisions.” (g00 7/8 p27)
“There was the question of who should serve as elders and deacons in the congregations. To get away from the hierarchical structure prevalent in Christendom, it was concluded that these should be elected democratically by the vote of the members of each congregation.” (w95 5/15 p22)
“As time went by, the number of those claiming to be Christians rose to the millions and then to the hundreds of millions. They developed different kinds of church government, such as hierarchical, presbyterian, and congregational. However, neither the conduct nor the beliefs of these churches reflected the rulership of Jehovah. They were not theocracies!” (w94 1/15 p14)
“Especially since 1919, the enthroned King Jesus Christ has developed a fine condition amid his followers on earth. He has placed among them ‘princes’ (Hebrew, sarim) who do indeed furnish just and loving oversight. In contrast with the oppressive and self-serving rulers so general throughout the world, the King in God’s organization has raised up responsible men who are not revered as hierarchical ‘princes of the church,’ or the like.” (w84 5/15 p16)
“This fading of Christian watchfulness prompted apostate Christians to organize themselves into a well-structured church whose eyes were no longer fixed on the coming parousia, or presence, of Christ but, rather, on dominating its members and, if possible, the world. The New Encyclopædia Britannica states: ‘The [apparent] delay of the Parousia resulted in a weakening of the imminent expectation in the early church. In this process of ‘de-eschatologizing,’ [weakening of the teaching on the ‘Last Things’] the institutional church increasingly replaced the expected Kingdom of God. The formation of the Catholic Church as a hierarchical institution is directly connected with the declining of the imminent expectation.” (w84 12/1 p6)
“In the latter part of the 19th century, the Bible Students had a democratic way of governing their congregations; they wanted to get away from an autocratic hierarchical system.” (w81 12/1 p25)
“One’s qualifying as an ‘elder’ or ‘overseer’ was not a matter of ascending a hierarchical ladder, starting with the lowest rung. Catholic theologian Legrand writes: ‘The ordained ministry is not a cursus honorum [race for honors] to be run like climbing the rungs of a hierarchical ladder. In fact, the word hierarchy is not to be found in the Bible.'” (g76 9/8 p27)
“The above-mentioned Thascius Caecilius Cyprian was the bishop of the church in Carthage, Africa. He was born about 200 C.E. and died in 258 C.E. He was a clergyman, called here ‘the father of the hierarchical system,’ one of the body of clergy that existed not much more than a century after the death of Christ’s apostles and their close associates. From that time on, throughout the ‘Dark Ages,’ into the time of the Reformation and the beginning of the Protestant Churches, and down to the present, this clergy-laity distinction has existed in Christendom.” (w75 4/1 p202)
“What wonder, then, that intelligent persons of today who are informed on the kind of rule that prevailed during the time of the popish ‘theocracy’ cannot stomach the thought of God’s rule being about to come, if God’s rule means the restoration of such a hierarchical rule!” (w68 10/15 p618)
“Who, then, is doing the discipling work today? There can be no doubt of this. It is the Christian witnesses of Jehovah. The revival of the work of making disciples is to be found in that organization in these last days. They have freed themselves from the constricting creeds and contaminating false doctrines of the nominal churches. They have freed themselves from the hierarchical, congregational and all other forms of church rule that are unscriptural and they are governed by theocratic rule.” (w66 4/1 p205)
“Interesting is the fact that, though forced to meet underground, those primitive Christians by no means kept their light hidden there. As Christ had commanded, they lifted it high on ‘lampstands’ by a work of public testimony. Though this drew the infuriated malice of many, it introduced untold hope to others who proceeded to associate with the Christian community. Charles Maitland, in The Church in the Catacombs, singles out this proselytizing nature of the Christians as the greatest aggravating factor of their persecution, because of which other charges were trumped up by the authorities. Their harmlessness can be seen in that for the mere reason of secretly celebrating the Lord’s Supper they suffered an official ban. From what can be told by the ancient inscriptions those Christians scorned the hierarchical structure which papal Rome copied from pagan Rome.” (w51 8/15 p486)
“With such a breadth of meaning and variety of application of the Hebrew word sar we can appreciate how the heavenly King reigning in righteousness could have his visible servants on the earth during this perilous time and how these would occupy the position corresponding with what Isaiah 32:1 speaks of as princes (sarím). They would not hold such princely office inside the political systems of this world, because, although they are in the world, they are no part of the world. Neither would they have any such combined political, hierarchical offices such as the higher clergy of the Roman Catholic religious system hold, so that they are called ‘princes of the church.'” (w51 12/1 p721)
As can be clearly seen from the above quotes, the hierarchical structure long-ago adopted by the Catholic Church has been routinely denounced by the Society as unscriptural, autocratic, divisive and prone to encouraging corruption.
But what is a hierarchy? One definition describes it as: “an organizational structure where every entity in the organization, except one, is subordinate to a single other entity. This arrangement is a form of a hierarchy.” This unmistakably describes the Catholic Church, with the Pope at the top – answerable to no one. Certainly in all my years growing up in the organization I never thought of it as a fair way of describing the organizational structure of Jehovah’s Witnesses. After all, we are God’s true organization, and therefore unique from all other religions! We have Christ as our leader, and we receive instruction from God’s holy spirit through the Faithful Slave and its representative Governing Body!
Reality sinks in
Then in 2011 I woke up and was finally able to see the organization for what it truly is – just one of many hierarchical Christian denominations claiming to have the sole backing of God. Once I learned to reason for myself, I could plainly see that there was absolutely no relationship between the Faithful and Discreet Slave class (those claiming to be anointed) and the Governing Body, who claimed to humbly serve as their representatives. In reality, it was the small number of men on the Governing Body who were pulling all the strings, without conferring with anyone else. The Faithful Slave teaching was just their “cover story.”
Then, in October last year (2012), things took an unexpected twist. The Governing Body ditched the idea that all anointed ones make up the Faithful and Discreet Slave, and declared that only they could be so identified. In making this change, many would argue that they were only acknowledging what was already widely recognized – that the Governing Body are the only ones dispensing “spiritual food,” and have been for some time. Ordinary anointed ones have never really had any say in what is published in the literature.
Though somewhat predictable, for myself and many like-minded individuals this change was profound. The Society had, without great fanfare, neatly removed the last distinction between themselves and other hierarchical religions such as the Catholic Church. Previously, they had hidden behind the Faithful and Discreet Slave doctrine as an excuse to wield power. Now it was surplus to requirements. They declared themselves to be God’s sole channel, giving themselves Pope-like authority in the process.
The changes start to take effect
And it wasn’t long before this authority started to be drilled home unmistakably in our literature. Take a look at this recent illustration from the April 13th Watchtower on page 29…
It doesn’t take a genius to see what is being depicted in this illustration. This is a clear and unambiguous example of a hierarchy – right down to the numbering of the various groups or positions. It is a list of the various operational elements of the Watch Tower Society in a descending order of importance. When you look closely, you notice that even the chairs are more comfortable the higher up the ladder you happen to be! Governing Body members get plush leather executive chairs, while branch office members must make do with plain office swivel chairs. If you are an elder, you can consider yourself lucky to get a school canteen chair! Evidently the more privileged you are in God’s organization, the more seat padding you require.
But there are other things that are noticeable about this illustration on close inspection. You notice that the current Governing Body members have vainly had their likenesses depicted in the illustration so that, when you look closely enough, they are individually recognizable.
Perhaps of most striking significance is the one notable absentee from the illustration – Jesus Christ. True, the Society would likely argue that this is a picture depicting the earthly part of God’s organization, and Christ is in the heavenly part. Even so, this hasn’t stopped the Society from depicting Jehovah on his heavenly chariot in the same illustration. Even some of the angels are present. So why no Jesus? Especially if he is supposed to be “head of the congregation?” (Eph. 5:23)
The answer is simple. Christ plays no role whatsoever in this organization and never actually has. His absence from this illustration may well be an oversight, but it is a telling one. The Governing Body is well and truly in charge, and they want us to know it. They take their orders from nobody but themselves. In this way, they are really no different from the Pope. In fact, take a look at this diagram I have prepared, which I believe demonstrates quite clearly that the hierarchical structures of the Catholic Church and Watch Tower Society are now eerily similar.
If you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the above diagram may seem shocking, but it accurately reflects the way things truly are in the organization. It also shows how organizationally similar the Watch Tower Society is to the Catholic Church – the very religion it has spent decades criticizing.
Furthermore, you may be shocked to learn that, in at least one court case, Watchtower lawyers have openly admitted that the religion IS a hierarchy just like the Catholic Church. In a recent lawsuit surrounding an ugly power struggle in the Menlo Park congregation, California, a Watchtower attorney by the name of Calvin Rouse told a judge: “We are a hierarchical religion just like the Catholic Church.” A clipping of this shocking statement from the official court manuscript may be viewed below. If you would like to read more about the case in question and download the manuscript, you can do so by clicking here.
And so, even if the Society can’t admit to being a hierarchy in writing (mostly due to the stigma it has attached to that word over the decades), it is quite open about its hierarchical nature in illustrations and when pressed on the matter in a court of law.
Does it matter?
Perhaps, having considered the above information, you are saying to yourself: “But things have always been like this. Why is it such a big deal?” Well, the fact that the Watch Tower Society is a hierarchy is significant for two reasons. Firstly, because a hierarchical structure goes against scripture, and secondly, because they criticize other religious organizations for using the exact same system.
Consider Christ’s words at Matthew 23:6-12
“They [the Pharisees] like the most prominent place at evening meals and the front seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the marketplaces and to be called Rabbi by men. But YOU, do not YOU be called Rabbi, for one is YOUR teacher, whereas all YOU are brothers. Moreover, do not call anyone YOUR father on earth, for one is YOUR Father, the heavenly One. Neither be called ‘leaders,’ for YOUR Leader is one, the Christ. But the greatest one among YOU must be YOUR minister. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (New World Translation)
By embracing a system where certain brothers in responsible positions are exalted above others, the Society has organized itself in direct contradiction of Christ’s words above. As seen in the Watchtower illustration, the Governing Body has now occupied the most exalted position – just a nudge away from heaven! Everyone else is beneath them. Not only that, everyone must humble themselves before the Governing Body by obeying everything they say. Those who don’t obey them or recognise their leadership are to be disfellowshipped as “apostates” and shunned by their Witness relatives.
Utter Hypocrisy
It is also worth remembering the countless instances over many decades where the Society has denounced the Catholic Church for operating as a hierarchy. Now the “Faithful Slave” doctrine has been re-written, and what do we see? The Watch Tower Society now has an almost identical organizational structure to the religion it has spent decades criticizing – even claiming to be fulfilling prophecy in the process (in the Revelation Climax book). Yes, our organization really is no different from any other Christian denomination, and the hypocrisy of it all is breathtaking.
The whole thing reminds me of the much-loved parable “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, which I was taught in school. Intended as a cautionary warning against communism, Orwell’s story describes an uprising in which a group of animals seize control of their own farm by ousting their abusive farmer overlord. However, once the animals gain control, gradually the “top” animals who are in charge (the pigs) become corrupt. They begin with a commandment that reads “all animals are equal,” but gradually, over a period of time, this is changed to read “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” By the end of the story, the pigs become just as abusive as the farmer they ousted.
The overall message of Orwell’s short story is that “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” When you look at the Governing Body and the way they are gradually maneuvering doctrine to further exalt their position in the organization, it is not difficult to draw parallels with the pigs in Animal Farm. If you haven’t yet read the story, you can download it as a PDF on this link.
A reason to stop and ponder
In conclusion, I believe that thinking Witnesses all over the world need to pause and meditate on page 29 of the April 15th 2013 Watchtower. They need to look long and hard at that illustration and ask themselves the following difficult questions:
- Is this really what I dedicated my life to serve when I got baptized?
- Are Jehovah’s Witnesses really any different from any other religion if they have such a clearly defined hierarchy, which is almost identical to the Catholic Church?
- How can the Governing Body justify performing such a huge u-turn by awarding itself Pope-like status?
- Why observe their command to not investigate objective information about the organization when it is changing before my very eyes into something I can no longer respect or admire?
Another well done composition,I appreciated the graphics.The Watchtower organization is hierarchical and submission to that arangement is constantly stressed.-Danny Haszard Bangor Maine
As you know Cedars we recently had a long discussion of ‘that’ picture on JWN. It was interesting hearing everyones view on it.
I think as far as the hierarchy concept goes, JWs in their hearts know full well that certain ones in the organisation have power over others. They know for instance that ministerial servants are purely the elders assistants. They cannot do the same work as the elders do. They are also aware that the circuit overseer has the power to change the things that the elders have put in place.
I believe they see the differences as being firstly the clothes that are worn. All JW men generally wear the same type of clothes. Certainly their is no fancy costume like the Catholics and some others have.
Also the elders do not have fancy titles, like Archbishop of Canterbury, the pope, his holiness and so on. They also know they can talk fairly easily to these men and have them round for a meal once in a while. So there are differences, but as you say it is still a hierarchy system, they just have not admitted it up to now.
I think the governing body have no choice if they are to keep the organisation growing. They have to stamp their authority in the minds of the witnesses. There is so much negative publicity about the governing body on the internet, they are simply fighting back.
Of course it is wrong, but I can see exactly why they are doing it. And I think the witnesses would expect ‘God’s reps’ to show their authority. Witnesses have always been told this is God’s organisation. It is the governing body who are responsable to God for feeding the sheep. So they actually fully approve when they are at an assembly and they are told all the above. I can hear them chearing now!
So it’s good you have written an article on it, I hope it will make some think again. But the picture and its message will do very little to the average JW. The mind control is simply to strong.
Jesus showed the greatest lessen of being a true christian..
namely, humility, when he washed the feet of his disciples.
This blog as highlighted what I saw at conventions too!
Where rank and file sat in front around football stadiums
freezing, getting wet and protection from cold winds.
While others where given access to VIP boxes with heating,
hot meals prepared for them and constant feed of drinks
at the rear of the stage part of the stadium.
Of course, humility, was shown here among the hierarchy
– Not!
The mere fact that Elders are permitted to commit crimes and not held at all to judicial standards and committees as well as the long standard of “Put ’em up on the Platform” as well as “Rape the Sheep and Praise the Wolves” from the Platform which has been done for decades is evidence of that…If the average congregation had any Idea what their Elders were guilty of and by standards should be Disfellowshipped for? They would be flabbergasted! I know this to be fact and can testify in Court as well as have witnesses and documented evidence to back up the things I say…
And at the very bottom of this ladder are women, individuals who are not even allowed to STAND UP while performing parts at Kingdom Hall stages.
When you read the context of the statement quoted in that 84 watchtower, I feel your point is strengthened and describes the JWs actions today.
The delay of the Parousia resulted in a weakening of the imminent expectation in the early church. In this process of “de-eschatologizing,” the institutional church increasingly replaced the expected Kingdom of God. The formation of the church as a hierarchical institution is directly connected with the declining of the imminent expectation. The theology of Augustine constitutes the conclusion of this development in the West. He de-emphasized the original imminent expectation by declaring that the Kingdom of God has already begun in this world with the institution of the church, which is the historical representative of the Kingdom of God on Earth. The first resurrection, according to Augustine, occurs constantly within the church in the sacrament of baptism, through which the faithful are introduced into the Kingdom of God. The expectation of the coming Kingdom of God, the resurrection of the faithful, and the Last Judgment have become a doctrine of the “last things” because the gifts of salvation of the coming Kingdom of God are interpreted as being already present in the sacraments of the church.
I really liked this article and appreciate you pointing out the utter hypocrisy on display in the illustration they used. Seriously! Y U NO SHOW JESUS?! (insert rage comic) If they were truly humble, they would have depicted Jesus to illustrate their submission to him, rather than grandly showing themselves to be subject to no one but Jehovah. That illustration is SO telling.
And the anointed apparently count for nothing. This spiritual class, allegedly chosen by Jesus, counts for nothing in this man-made organizational structure. Wish my dad would see this.
Cedars, you couldn’t be any more wrong about me. And I think you know that you are, because you clearly ignore the comments I make about the JDubs being seriously wrong in their beliefs. I am an ex witness and know them very well, and I still have family in it. And the other sad thing you failed to realize was that I was standing up for the Catholic Church, which I am in the process of being confirmed into. Pleas do answer my question about your opinions of other religions, I am curious to know where they rank in your favor.
Greg – you say…
“you clearly ignore the comments I make about the JDubs being seriously wrong in their beliefs”
I have yet to meet a Watchtower apologist who doesn’t sprinkle his rhetoric with something to make him sound objective for the higher purpose of undermining an apostate viewpoint. A frequent intro you guys use is, “I’m not even a JW but…”
I have no reason to believe your back story, and I would rather take it at face value given that every remark you have so far made on this website has been supportive of the organization’s standpoint and derisory of mine.
You also say…
“Pleas do answer my question about your opinions of other religions, I am curious to know where they rank in your favor.”
I have no interest in “ranking” religions. I believe people are entitled to believe what they want, but they should at least be aware of religions that might be detrimental to themselves or others. If you are so interested in my religious views, please read my article: http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/is-jwsurvey-org-an-apostate-website
Cedars
I believe we all need to remember that hopefully current JWs read these comments as well. Sometimes ex witnesses slam into the organisation on really stupid totally unimportant aspects of the religion. If a witness can see that taking place they will immediately turn off. It does not matter how many good points are made, if they can see something stupid that someone has written, that then vindicates their position, and they forget all the good points that are made. So unlike the Watchtower we really need to be sure of our facts not just surmising about something, but knowing what we are saying is totally true and is proven. Witnesses will accept guesses from the org, but not from ex witnesses.
“So unlike the Watchtower we really need to be sure of our facts not just surmising about something, but knowing what we are saying is totally true and is proven. Witnesses will accept guesses from the org, but not from ex witnesses.”
I’m intrigued. You must have something specific in these comments in mind when you say that?
@Greg How much time have you spent in that organization that you feel authorized to contest the lessons of those of us who have spent decades dealing with it from the inside… and outside?
few over the many – the world’s standard
I regularly go on witness websites. Topix for example. And while most ex witnesses write sensible things that are totally provable there are others who claim all sorts of wrong things, and of course these are pounced on by witnesses.
I once said to my JW son something about when the internet first started and because I was out by a couple of years, it just nullified the many other true things that I told him.
So I am not going to point fingers, just to say we all need to be sure of something we say is fact.
Amen, Tom. I was thinking the same thing. When I was widowed about 20 yrs ago, the elders spoke down to me as a woman in a casual conversation at the KH. It shocked me so much, that I immediately reminded them that the head of the household was the husband, and the head of the husband was Christ; just like I was being taught at the time. Since I had no husband any longer, than my head was also Christ, the same as theirs and that we were on equal footing and I was not to be talked down to. The elders had nothing further to say to me and just walked away.
With the changes through the years, women can’t get on any sort of equal footing no matter how hard they try.
Wow you guys get so worked up about these articles. Who cares what the JW members think is right or wrong. They have had false thoughts fed to them for years and still believe them. This article is for me and those that want to heal from the pain this organization caused us over the years. What Cedars tells us in this article is old news to me. I have had my visions of the future in which this organization is disbanded and creates alot of pain for its members it leaves behind in its aftermath. This is when they herd the sheep into their pens and only gather up those they deem worthy of keeping. In the coming years the craziness is only going to get more bizarre. Apostates or opponents against this group rarely affect this membership due to the fact that a specific state of mind must be groomed and maintained. Those that question the material put themselves at risk of removal and thus correct this thinking by ignoring it. I am so tired of the statement that this is Jehovah’s Organization and what do you expect when imperfect men are doing his work because mistakes are made and later corrected. The regular justification of these errors only proves that men are truly running this organization. The difference between this group and the next is the name and doctrine. If you believe then you know that you can be anywhere in this Universe and see the love of our Grand Master Creator. My confession is that for more than twenty years I was a zombie believer and was on the fast track to becoming an elder but my former wife loved me so much she opened my mind to another world. It took years to break free from their grasps and yet a part of me is still connected to its members. But as a man of reason and truth what Cedars is telling you is truth. The more things change they remain the same. If we cannot help those lost find their way back to the TRUTH then we have truly failed them all. I respect all views and will not argue points but please use LOVE to guide your words as this is the Ultimate Weapon. Thanks CEDAR.
Thank you for the kind and heart felt comment Magnusknight. I am trying to let go of my bitterness I have only started my new journey of research about 2 months ago, this is all fresh information to me. I feel that I have more zeal in my heart to teach others about the falsehood than I originally had in the “truth”. I truly want a relationship with my Creator and His Son Jesus, I need to figure out how to do that and what to believe now, so I am basically a spiritual babe again. I want to purge all the “crap” I’ve been taught out of my system. I don’t even know what bible to read anymore. I am truly lost but searching! I found it very interesting that I kindly questioned my mother about (our mediator, GB and the generation) she couldn’t answer me as I wanted all the answers from the Bible she got very angry and asked me who I had been talking to and to not question the Society. I am sad for my mom she is 83yrs old I feel bad so I don’t upset her with my questions. I dis have some good friends the the truth, are they all that blind though I thought they would be more intelligent than this!
The reality is that years of indoctrination plays a huge role on their psyche. In order to break this hold on their mind a violent tragic event must occur to shift their thoughts away to allow new ones to emerge. If any of them are weak minded nothing will likely change. The void they may have had in their life was filled by the teachings of their faith so they cling tightly to it screaming and kicking. I could walk up to elder and tell him that his wife is cheating but with their policies of the two eyewitness rule it would be overlooked. When elders in a congregation are given judicial authority they begin to think they are judges. If members need help or guidance they ask an elder which usually sets them straight. Women must obey the rules of men and faithfully follow these men as the Bible instructs them. Do not blame her as she is only aware of the world she was shown. The concept of socialization helps explain it better overall. If she was involved in Group Socialization the group influences her behavior or cultural norms as you can see the JW’s do in her life. Negative socialization is used as punishment in order to control or condemn those that do not follow those set norms. The social norm of the group is to not question the authority given the GB by Jehovah because the implied result is that Satan the Devil may have a hold on your mind and deceive you. It is different case by case but if you understand how this group targets the individual mind and molds it through group norms and their group behavior then you can grasp the concept. I found that the use of love can break some of these barriers but it takes work. When you believe something for years and then someone challenges it, the mind becomes defensive and can shut down or act violently to protect it from harm. I am not a doctor but through my studies and research I have discovered how to break these cycles. I only hope my words can supply some comfort to your pain as I traveled the same road before. We all need each other and if others want to chat we should thank Cedars for this forum. Thanks Cedar.
Thanks Cedars for another thought provoking article as well as for attaching links to the Menlo Park Court Case. That quotation from the Menlo documents is very telling, though as some of your readers have mentioned, many of us have always known that “some are more equal than others,” although we are told that we are all brothers.
I’ll be honest and admit that this not been brought to my attention, I might not have noticed that the picture showing WTS’ version of God’s organization excludes Jesus (the head of the Christian Congregation) simply because we have been trained to be inattentive to details. I am sure that if any reader here shows JWs this picture, very few will notice that Jesus is missing. Many of us have become what Magusknight1974 calls Zombie Believers.
It’s interesting that the real ‘TRUTH’ about the WTS usually comes out in court documents. I have downloaded the Menlo court documents in order to study them closely.
they show more and more their leadership shaped by the Jesuits.
the governing body sitting of fat arm chairs, the clerks in the branches sitting od whell chairs and the elders sitting on camping chairs funnily express their evauation of the value of them.
A pioneer surely will have a milkining stool while the publishers are sitting legged.
This GErman website offers also participation for English speaking peoples. it is dedicated to follow alone the Christ and not human leaders:
http://www.bruderinfo.de/?page_id=526
you may start to read there and to give comments.
By the way, the latest Watchtower from April 15th 2013 shows on page 24 a gigantic penis, formed by lightenings in the centre of the picture.
That underlines their satanic dedication.
The GB say that “new light” says that they are the Faithful and Discreet Slave. But of course we know that is NOT new light because that is the way it has been for years. But now they are officially saying it and officially elevating themselves above the rest of the anointed. Over the years the Watchtower has refered to the “elevated clergy class” (Example w96 2/15 Joyful Now and Forever). So now I see them (the GB) as “the elevated anointed class”. They are indeed giving themselves a “Pope like status”!
The GB are ensuring that the members fully understand you never question them and only their interpretations should be followed. Others claiming to be of the anointed class do not matter – they are truly just another member being instructed like the rest.
I’m grateful for your site and others like this. It goes to show you that there is nothing special about JW. I was a born-in, raised to believe this was “the truth” and everything else was wrong. I couldn’t see reality. To analyze the organization is to see cultish behavior. If one chooses to serve God, an org is not necessary. Why give 7 men control of your life?
Hi Cedars,
Fantastic article thank you for posting it. I could hardly agree more about it being stressed from the beginning of my association with witnesses that “You are all brothers…” but it was far from that in practice. Regularly the Presiding Overseer would throw his weight around amon the other elders. Also many of the Elders C.o’s and D.o’s were haughty.
The quotes you made from the publications showing the watchtower society criticising the RC church or other hierarchical religions are proof that “By your words you will be condemned..” or “he catches the wise in their own cunning..” They have caught themselves out.
When you stated the following:-
“just one of many hierarchical Christian denominations claiming to have the sole backing of God”
I Wholeheartedly agreed here, personally after researching Adventism and the Millerites and their failed prophecies and coming to realise Russell etc only rehashed these old beliefs was a revelation to me. Proving the JW’s are just another Millenialist sect.
I still can hardly credit the fact that “The Generation who saw 1914 with eyes of understanding ARE in fact passed off the earthly scene” How many years was that LIE on page 2 of the mags? I recently asked a pioneer cousin of mine about that and she exclaimed – “Oh, we don’t believe that anymore!” Absolutely hilarious how she couldn’t see the problem with that.
Great how the GB have ditched the “Slave” part and turned themselves into “Governors” hmm? So much for do NOT be called leaders.
The parallels you point out with George Orwell’s Animal farm are all true. Where the GB are the “anti-typical” Pigs.
But I suggest the parallels are even more sinister than that if we look at Orwell’s 1984, with Big-brother, thought police, re-writing history and Two-minute hates (ministry school talks).
Again many thanks for a thought provoking article.
Tamethyst
As with many EX JWS beginning again is like walking up hill!
Already tired from the journey on a wrong road then having to turn back and go back to where you went astray. Finding you got less eagerness to find the real path/truth in wake of the fear of being misled AGAIN! Having left the WT.org myself 2 years ago. I too am lost which direction to take. Yet, you can see from the replies many ex jws are taking different paths to find the truth.
But personal bible study in a unbiased bible is the key to learning what lies you have been told at the watchtower.org.
After throwing out much of the stored away JW literature, I felt a great weight of misfortune lift off me. So it wouldn’t surprise me to find out that their literature is demonically ‘blessed’, rather than Godly blessed.
Although, Hebrews 10:23-25, still drives me to find God’s real people, who surely must be gathered together somewhere?!
Above message was a ‘reply’ to Shannon. Obviously, didn’t link to her comment. Apologies.
Greg,
In regard to both your comments here I think you do Cedars an extreme disservice as he has pointed out. But I “Like” how you started your crit of this well researched and written article with… “The Jay dubs are definitely wrong in their beliefs..” Hmm!! I’ve got news for you- so are the Roman Catholic Church wrong in their beliefs. I suggest you read “Vicars Of Christ- The Dark Side Of The Papacy by Peter DeRosa before you join another crazy religion. And I have got news for you, the RC Church has not been around since the start of christianity. Do some research please.
Tamethyst
Cedars
Excellent article! Congratulations!
Another point to consider with regards to the (un)expected change about the ‘faithful and discrete slave’ is the growth in the number of memorial partakers in the last years. The current trend indicates that more and more middle-age individuals are claiming to being part of such a group. The former belief established that any member of the anointed had the duty of dispensing spiritual food to Jesus’ domestics. Based on this, any new anointed would have naturally felt compelled to fulfil this responsibility. It was just a matter of time for the GB members to realise that sooner or later their positions of authority would have been compromised. To cover their backs (and keep a reserved seat on the boardroom table), they simply changed the doctrine while twisting once more the scripture.
This is so evident, they are not even trying to cover it up anymore.
In a different note, can you please comment on the box published on the WT 01/2013 (public) page 8 titled ‘HAVE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES GIVEN INCORRECT DATES FOR THE END?’?
I had mixed emotions when I first red it. On one hand, one may argue that nobody is perfect, we make mistakes and they have come clean at last. But on the other hand, do they really think that a half-page acknowledgement is enough to erase 100+ years of false predictions? What about those who were greatly affected by their We-are-the-only-channel fantasy? Those who never married, didnt go to university, put off having children, etc, etc, etc, for fear of being labelled unfaithful. It is really shameful.
Thanks
Hi heroe,
Firstly, that statement by the Society about wrong dates is NOT an apology. It is one thing to acknowledge that you have made mistakes in the past – it is another thing entirely to apologise for those mistakes and make recompense.
Secondly, even if the Society were to apologise for their false predictions, this would be meaningless unless they dropped their cruel laws regarding shunning. If they are only human and therefore prone to making mistakes, this should be reflected in how they treat their flock. It is certainly disgusting and morally repugnant to severely punish someone (i.e. disfellowshipping, shunning) for disagreeing with you when you admit to being wrong on occassion.
Cedars
What an interesting article and Oh so true!
There’s no better place to see clearly that the Watchtower Organisation is a hierarchy than in Bethel. .the ‘house of God ‘…it IS the Animal Farm. ..
anyone who has ever lived/worked at any bethel knows well the importance given to rank and position..when Jesus said that ‘you are all brothers’ he wasn’t talking to JWs and most definately not bethelites.
Everything at bethel is about position. …the brothers are mostly very ambitious…sucking up to the branch committee members and their wives to get ahead….just being a table head or table foot in the dining room is a position that comes with power…
although all the brothers are of good standing,not all qualify to offer a prayer at Morning Worship or the monday night Watchtower Study. .
There is clear preferential treatment given to brothers in authority and their wives in everything even in work assignments and rooms…
The single sisters and sisters whose husbands are not in positions of authority are at the very bottom of the ranks/pyramid…although they do the back breaking work. ..literally…
The Watchtower organisation is indeed the Animal Farm!
Again, an excellent article and I completely agree with everything you said. I think you clearly make your points every time I read your writings. I appreciate that you are not afraid to expose the “TRUTH” for the “LIE” that it really is! Good job. Keep up the good work Cedars. I, for one, really appreciate your hard work and honesty especially for those of us have been hurt and lied to for decades! Bless you. Sincerely, Debbie Moore (Nebraska)
I forgot to mark the notifications info. Thats all this post is for!
Hi heroe, I dont think you need Cedars or anyone elese’s comments about that wrong dates statement. The society have spent the last 130 years giving dates to the witnesses and then getting it completly wrong. Because they believed the gov body, many witnesses completely ruined their lives by selling houses to pioneer, putting off important medical treatment, and getting into debt. All because the society all but guarranteed the end was nigh.
I am an anointed, and I’m also mental ill. I was mental ill a few years after I was anointed, there were different reasons, but I’m not giving up. I was chosen as a Jehovah’s Witness, so I think Jehovah’s Witnesses are practicing true Christianity.
We must focus on Jesus’ words and teachings, follow Jesus. Love our fellow man and our enemies.
We must preach the kingdom of God, and make new disciples of Jesus. God wants us to listen to Jesus, and believe in Jesus.
We must love one another.
@anonymous: Nice to see that you are ‘determined’ to carry on while suffering from mental illness. However, we must not forget
satan is very crafty! From the bible, especially, when choosing priests in the old testament; God was absolutely picky with whom were chosen. Both physically and spiritually! Could be no defects like baldness, etc.
And many religious members claim to gain God’s holy spirit; saying they are ‘anointed’.
But we should never ever forget what God says in the bible about, if a prophet speaks and it does not come true, God did not send him.
Therefore, as many as the false predictions of the End are from the Watchtower and now their admission to declaring them.
JWs now need to spiritully wake up and think. Is God a liar or the
Watchtower, for giving out false “Time of the End” prophecies?
For all who sincerely believe the God of the bible know, it is written,
every word coming from God will be fulfilled.
It is now known that the year 1914 CANNOT be reconciled with the Bible. If a religious organisation claims they use the Bible as the basis for their prophetic teachings. Revelation stipulates that a Time, Times, and half a Time is 1260 days and this works to 2520 days (then ‘converted’ to Biblical ‘prophetic’ years) when doubled to ‘seven times.’ The WTBTS then tells us that this is 360 days x 7, then there is no Biblical principle that allows this religion to change the ‘average lunar year’ (360 days) to modern solar years (365.25 days) to come up to 1914 of the SOLAR calendar. If so, where is this principle?
Why can Christ not come in 1878 AD (solar calendar)? He left without fanfare, why must he return amid war? The fact is, though, that if the WTBTS admitted this deliberate error, their ‘Divine authority, by their own chronological workings, disappears.
Eisegesis is necessary to make the round peg fit the square hole.
Everything you describe that makes a “true Christian” is common to all claims made by Christendom today – what makes you think Jehovah’s Witnesses are different then, Anonymous?
As to hierarchy, it is in the nature of humanity to dominate. Authority must come from somewhere. If it doesn’t exist one must tote a gun or toy with minds of the naive. For those who have suffered through the WTBTS inquisitional judicial system (an eisegetic human construction – not Biblical) they will know that it can only survive on the basis that all in attendance merely believe it is a ‘theocratic arrangement’ (the word “theocratic” is not found in the Bible.
No one would argue the effectiveness of the system, but…a gift from a loving God?
When counsel states in court an organization is hierarchical , it is hierarchical. Jesus viewpoint is all of you are brothers. No one better or more important than another. I thought the seating in the illustration said volumes. Jesus example, washing the feet of his disciples has all but been forgotten in this day and age.
The main thing the society have done wrong is to tell people For decades that they were different from the churches, in that they didn’t have a hierarchy. However when you think about it logically there is no way you can run a worldwide preaching campaign without men organising and arranging everything in a structured way. If we are to understand Jesus words to mean taking the good news to all countries, then you have to have that sort of arrangement.
This is just one more instance of the gov body slagging off others when it is doing the same thing itself. It is happening all the time.
They slag off the churches for child sex abuse, yet they have the same in their org. They say they are no part of the world then get caught with their trousers down in bed with the UN.
They say their families are much happier and united in the JW org, and yet, they are actually the cause of thousands of family break ups every year. I could go on.
Bottom line is whatever or whoever they are slagging off, most times you will find the same thing happening in their own religion.
They are no different to the rest and sometimes they are a lot worse than the churches of Christendom.
Jehovah’s Witnesses use the name of God. And worship the one true God, Jehovah.
Jehovah’s Witnesses do not worship the beast, they are politically neutral. All who worship the beast will lose life. It’s in the book of Revelation.
Another thing is that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not learn to wage war, and they do not participate in the nation’s wars.
Jehovah’s Witnesses strive to love one another.
Jehovah’s Witnesses preach about God’s Kingdom.
Jehovah’s Witnesses have a leader, Jesus Christ. they should be one fold, that we see today.
We can not expect perfection from imperfect people.
Just like to address the points you made. Firstly no one knows the correct pronunciation Of God’s name, and it certainly isn’t Jehovah as the society openly acknowledge.
They were caught in bed with the beast when they became a NGO with the United Nations, an organisation they had had been bad mouthing and condemning for decades.
It’s true they do not join in war, which means others have to do it for them to protect JWs property and their rights.
Like many they strive to show love, but fail miserably when any member disagrees with a certain doctrine of the society and decides to leave. More often than not that love and friendship suddenly goes flying out the window.
They claim to have the JW message in all lands. In fact half the world’s population have never heard the message, and most of the rest have no idea what the societies doctrines are.
In the latest April 15th Watchtower their is a picture of God’s heavenly and earthly organisation. There is no sign of Jesus at all in the picture.
Still apparently none of that matters as they are not perfect lol
@anonymous
The worst part when I think about the fact that we, Jehovah’s Witnesses, use the name of God is that different from all other churches of Christendom, when we make serious mistakes, we bring reproach not just upon ourselves but upon Jehovah’s name. It is a very serious thing indeed to bear the name of God. (Exodus 20:7) We worship the true God, yet our organization tries to make its words as if they were GOD’S, not allowing its members to doubt it even in their hearts. Just look at what was said in the last district convention in talks like “Avoid Testing Jehovah in Your Heart”. It’s almost as if the organization is trying to put itself in the same level as God.
We do not worship the beast, in fact, we have always condemned it, yet that didn’t stop the Watchtower from becoming a member of the UN. And worse yet, to dissociate itself from it only after the fact came to light. We are neutral, but while brothers in Malawi died to adhere to Bible principles, brothers in Mexico were allowed to get away with bribery in order to escape imprisonment because they didn’t go to war.
We do love one another, to the extent that we obey what the GB tells us. If we are not seen to be zealous enough, to be regularly in field service, regular at the meetings, etc., and if we do things that others may not approve of, be it in entertainment, grooming, pursuit of education, amount of time spent in secular activities and so on, the way people treat us may change if we do not seem to respond to the ‘help’ they may try to give us. Much of that are personal matters, things that should be between the individual and Jehovah but which end up being policed by others. It’s a culture encouraged by the Watchtower. It’s almost as if the love we show is conditional.
We mistakenly preach that Jesus has been ruling in kingly power since 1914 when the Bible makes no mention whatsoever of dates, the basis for that assertion is shaky at best, misleading at worst, and Jesus clearly said that “it does not belong to you to get knowledge of the appointed times which the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction.” (Acts 1:7, footnote) Some of us have based entire life choices in statements about the end that were later proved to be nothing further than the truth.
The question about leadership is this: are we really following the Christ? Or are we being led by men to places that the Christ would never lead us? When the GB says that only through them can the Bible be correctly understood, their lawyers say that we are a hierarchy like the Catholic Church, they elevate themselves higher than the apostles even though they are not such (the apostles never expected unquestionable obedience even though they were inspired, which the GB is not)—is that really what Christ taught? Is that the first-century Christianity that he started? Was there even a ‘governing body’ in the first century? If we follow the Christ, why haven’t we depicted him in the April 15 Watchtower hierarchy chart? For crying out loud, HE is the king of the kingdom we have been preaching. We are one fold, but we forget that we have lowest retention rate: Only 37% of all those who say they were raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses still identify themselves as Jehovah’s Witnesses. If you disagree with core teachings or traditions you either hide it, fade, or leave.
True, we can’t expect perfection from imperfect humans. And these imperfect humans shouldn’t, therefore, (1) expect unquestionable obedience to them especially when they have been proved wrong in the past, (2) imply or claim that their words should be viewed as God’s only to be changed later as ‘clarified understanding’, something that NEVER happened in Bible times, (3) refuse to ADMIT their mistakes and APOLOGIZE for any damage caused to the flock, and (4) refuse to change their stance or doctrines when these have been/are being proved to be dangerous, wrong, inflexible, unhelpful, and damaging (just look at the child abuse cases that have happened).
If we are God’s organization on earth, and will continue to denounce false religion for their practises, their fruits (we have to, in order to show the difference between true and false religion), continue to claim only we do God’s will on earth, we have to do much better than this to represent him befittingly, we have to remove the rafter from our own eyes first. If it is God’s organization it cannot make serious, grave mistakes. If it does it has to take very quick steps to rectify them, turn around, and repent. And that is not what it is doing at the present time.
Before I thought I was Partly responsible with the Governing Body’s decisions, since they represented all anointed. But now I am relieved and the Governing Body alone is the faithful and discreet slave. We are not responsible anymore.
But we are Jehovah’s Witnesses, and people can go with us. We are a group under Jesus’ leadership.
@anonymous
According to the Governing Body they were always the only ones responsible for providing food at the proper time even before the latest change in the understanding of Matthew 24:45-47. They said only some men were used to provide spiritual food in the first century and that the apostles never consulted the rest of the anointed to decide doctrine. Now they say even the apostles were not the faithful and discreet slave.
That does not, however, take away any responsibility from individual witnesses to defend the truth from God’s word and use it to expose the lies that besmirch his name. “If these remained silent, the stones would cry out.”—Luke 19:40.
I’m not sure what you mean by “we are Jehovah’s Witnesses”, “people can go with us.” Are you saying we can be independent from the Governing Body? That is not what they’ll you. They’ll advise you against an ‘independent spirit’ or ‘independent thinking.’ You can be labelled an apostate for openly espousing views contrary to the the organization’s teachings.
“We are a group UNDER Jesus’ leadership.” So where is he above us in the April 15 Watchtower picture on pg 29? And why are we still teaching things like ‘the overlapping anointed generations from 1914 will be on hand when Jesus comes back’, ‘Jesus was enthroned in 1914’, ‘only if there are two witnesses to a child abuse crime can we do something about the case’? Oh, and what about the very own hierarchy picture and Watchtower denunciations of other hierarchical religions? Is that what Jesus’s leadership and Matthew 23:8 mean: “Do not YOU be called Rabbi, for one is YOUR teacher, whereas ALL YOU ARE BROTHERS?”
I try not to think about such issues, I only get a headache. We must be content with being one of the lesser brethren, preach, love each other and other people. Then we will see how Jesus judges us when he comes. not many should be teachers. We must remember that teachers should receive a stricter judgment. So it is important to think carefully if you want to become a teacher.