Last year saw the publishing of a bizarre “Seven Shepherds, Eight Dukes” Watchtower article in which Jehovah’s Witnesses were told not to expect any justification for the commands passed down by their leaders.
The study magazine urged Witnesses to “obey any instructions” from “Jehovah’s organization… whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not.”
But despite setting alarm bells ringing for those already concerned that Watchtower is sliding deeper and deeper into cultish fundamentalism, there was at least some distinction made in that article between “Jehovah” and his ‘organization’.
Now it seems that distinction, already so tenuous, is vanishing completely.
The latest October 15th Watchtower has this advice for Witnesses…
“Faithful servants of Jehovah have always been eager to submit to theocratic direction. (Read Hebrews 13:7, 17.) We may initially lack full understanding of the reasons for carrying out our assigned work in a particular way. Nevertheless, we are fully aware of the benefits of cooperating with Jehovah in any adjustments he sees fit to make.” -w14 10/15 pp.24-25
The same “obey without question” rhetoric is carried through from nearly a year ago, but with a troubling new twist. Direction or adjustments passed on to Jehovah’s Witnesses are to be considered, not as coming from “Jehovah’s organization,” but from Jehovah himself.
To drive this point home, the article gives the example of the recent spate of branch closures (or “mergers” as they are referred to in this article). How are bethelites uprooted from their homes and asked to relocate to a bethel in a foreign country to respond to this direction?
“Grethel says: ‘I accepted the invitation because it was my way of showing Jehovah that my love for him went beyond a country, a building, or a certain privilege.’ Dayska says: ‘When I remembered that the invitation came from Jehovah, I accepted it gladly.'” – w14 10/15 pp.25-26
The tinkering in rhetoric between the two articles, published less than a year apart, is subtle yet profound. If you can get Witnesses to think of Watchtower and Jehovah as one and the same, you bypass any need to justify how or why the organization deserves its authority.
1914 and 1919 become less relevant in explaining how Watchtower’s leaders received their divine mandate if Witnesses can mentally cut out the middle-man by considering themselves as obeying, not an organization, but God directly.
It will be intriguing to see how this mental cup and ball trick plays out in future organizational developments. Don’t be surprised if the name “Watchtower” gets dispensed with entirely as it grows increasingly obsolete in the minds of both Witnesses and those who rule over them.
‘ JEHOVAH=WATCHTOWER’ This is the underlying premise that has always been the steam that moves the train. The carefully articulated passages that blurs the lines in the minds of the believers are both a science and an art form.
“Watchtower is sliding deeper and deeper into cultish fundamentalism” ………….
Cedars i think they ARE a cult now and have always been from the beginning, you either are or you arn’t, (when you do your own research on JW history, not the watered down version WT gives, you will find spiritual witchcraft)
..this all stems around the question is Jesus the Mediator between God and man or is it 7 men who have exalted themselves in Watchtower with no Apostolic annointing ?
scripture makes it very clear Jesus is only Mediator. 1Tim 2, 4-5
.. so we see more and more Jesus the alpha & omega, the first & the last being taken out of the picture, from the early Apostles Gal 1:7-9 the deity of Christ was attacked and the enemy always attacks the cross to bring it to nothing, this is why he is called the antichrist. (note he is not called the anti people )
what saddens me is the people who suffer spiritually, physically, emotionally in this high control group.
… these men will be held accountable Heb 9:27-
‘ JEHOVAH=WATCHTOWER’ This is the underlying premise that has always been the steam that moves the train. The carefully articulated passages that blurs the lines in the minds of the believers are both a science and an art form. As an example, someone who is ‘inactive’ in the organization is referred to as someone who has “left Jehovah”. This mindset is beyond black and white thinking.
It cast judgement on the person, and imputes negative motives on individual as well.
Yes ! Jehovah and the WT org has Always been thought to be one and the same. Always. My husband who is an inactive JW still can’t separate the two of them. He still thinks that because I left the org that I left Jehovah. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I asked him to think of it in this simple way > our Canadian educational system has a structure. There are people ‘at the top’ sitting on the board of education, then there’s the teachers and then there’s the students….
The one’s sitting at the top of the JW structure are the ‘board of education’ the Governing Body… then there’s the ones who keep it running>the teachers=C.O’s, elders, city overseers etc, … then we have the students> publishers, or anyone else who wants to join their “school”.
God is separate from the educational system just like he is separate from any religious structure. They are NOT
They are NOT one and the same.
I came into the organization in the 1980’s. Back then there was no distinction between the organization and Jehovah. Everything we were told to do was because ‘Jehovah’ was giving us these instructions through the organization. I don’t think blurring the lines is anything new, it’s been done for decades.
With the prevalence of Internet access today, and the abundance of ‘new light’ coming from the organization, any thinking person can wake up, if motivated to do so. In my area, the majority of the JW’s want someone else to do their thinking for them. They are not comfortable using their own brain to reason on the scriptures. Some of them are keeping really busy sharing Bible teachings with others, which can be a good thing, if they are giving the person a good foundation in basic Bible principles. Perhaps they will help someone to become a better parent or spouse. Perhaps they will help a young person make better decisions when it comes to peer pressure and the challenges of being a teenager. There’s potential for good to come from having a Bible study with a JW.
For the JW’s who aren’t waking up now, hopefully when Jesus returns for real they will wake up and see the organization for what it is. Jesus never forces people to follow him, it’s always an invitation that people can either accept or reject.
I think this could easily backfire on them. Many witnesses will know that some of the adjustments have proved totally wrong. Which shows those adjustments were not from God.
However there will also be many who already view God and the Watchtower as the same thing, and this will just reinforce those feelings.
Perhaps the name “Watchtower” is becoming more cumbersome. By merging it with Jehovah, it will become far easier to put the “arm” on the rank and file membership for increased donations directly to benefit “Jehovah’s Work”, instead of that of the potentially more suspect, “Watchtower”. Where religious organizations are concerned, and I lump them all together in my mind, always follow the money trail. To me, they are ALL so predictable.
jehovah >JW.ORG <watchtower
That makes a sticky situation for the watchtower….
Are they Jehovah now but they were not in the past when they made mistakes?
yea that wt article 7 shepards 8 dukes was so pointless.
even the ‘brother’ i used to sit next to at the khall called me up and said that he never read something so confusing. and he did nto know what the point of the article even was.
he asked an elder if he understood the material, and the elder just looked at him and said something to the effect, of well i guess we will figure it out later. well no one really studies anymore they just read underline and look up the random scriptures. and they all answer the same way, maybe there is a secret spinning wheel on the stage…mesmorizing them.
so im wondering where the number 8 came from. and why only 8, and whats the 7 mean? what happens if someone in the gb dies? i guess they will take applications.
I offically got called an apostate by my older uncle the other day, no sweat of my back, with his past 35 year record of fornicating with 3 woman half his age, its like the pot calling the kettle black.
Ill have to downlad this issue so i can write all over it too.
Cedars;once again you have made some valid points here of the covert continuation of this mind control maneuvering of read,listen,don’t question what we say;just blindly obey.just yesterday i approached a young man standing by the display carts to see how he would reply to the question of why it is that the teach books and watchtower magazines are prominently displayed and not the bible..His answer was,i am following the GOD GIVEN DIRECTIONS AS GIVEN THROUGH THE SLAVE… So then i asked him who are they ? His reply the GB… I THEN ASKED HIM,Can you show me proof that these men are appointed by GOD ? AND AS YOU CAN GUESS… HE GOT VERY UPSET AND SAID, WE JUST OBEY INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN.SO THEN I INQUIRED…Are we not supposed to obey GOD as ruler rather than men ? which is more important ? Teach books or the bible which is GOD’S WORDS…Now he became angry with me and said, we are told not to speak to people like you who want to question our faith and obedience to Jehovah’s organization to spread the good news of the kingdom…I said okay young man,can you explain for me the account of the rich man and Lazarus ? he said i am not even listening to you any more…i’m following directions…Unknowingly to him i am quite familiar of the indoctrination implanted into the minds and hearts of these young ones ,and the way their thinking processes have been dulled…so i walked away smiling that i had achieved my objective of seeing first hand the effects of mind control and the power of influence the GB HAVE ON IT’S MEMBERS ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH …BUT MOST OF ALL IT SADDENED ME TO SEE HOW ZOMBIE LIKE THEY HAVE MADE THEM BY THE INSTILLING OF BLIND OBEDIENCE AS IF THEY ARE OBEYING JEHOVAH GOD HIMSELF..WATCHTOWER HAS INDEED MADE ITSELF EQUAL TO GOD AND ABOVE CHRIST AS IT WERE. AND AS WAS POINTED OUT. THE STUDY ARTICLES PROVE THIS TO BE SO.COMPLETELY DISGUSTING..WHAT IS NEXT ??SOME KOOL AID //PILL ?? I think they will swallow both of them down thinking it’s the will of JEHOVAH…TROUBLING !!!!!
VERY TROUBLING INDEED.
great video btw, ill look for those issues or download them,
i just wish if i sent that video to some of my family they would watch it. but i know they wont they have unquestioning loyalty.
anyone know where i can get info on the last ‘cult’ that was told to give unquestioning loyalty and what the bad outcome was? so i can print the story up an present it to my mother, hpong she can see the similarities. thanks.
“Faithful servants of Jehovah have always been eager to submit to theocratic direction. (Read Hebrews 13:7, 17.) We may initially lack full understanding of the reasons for carrying out our assigned work in a particular way. Nevertheless, we are fully aware of the benefits of cooperating with Jehovah in any adjustments he sees fit to make.” -w14 10/15 pp.24-25
I find that whole statement to be incredibly disrespectful to people with reasoning capabilities but also to God himself.
Apparently Jehovah is not longer omnipresent and omnipotent capable of foreseeing. Now, apparently, God has to constantly make adjustments because he just can’t seem to get it right the first time.
These people are beyond despicable to me.
Big mistake watchtower! If your Jehovah now then when you make mistakes then Your God is making mistakes! Can’t use the imperfect men excuse this time. Oh I know you will use it anyway because your all deluded beyond reasoning.
The anointed and their other sheep companions recognize that by following the lead of the modern-day Governing Body, they are in fact following their leader, Christ”.
WT September 15, 2010, page 23, para 8.
” We need to obey the faithful and discreet slave (the governing body) to have Jehovah’s approval”.
WT July 15, 2011, page 24.
Please read Don Cameron’s Captives of a Concept to examine proof that the 1919 claim of divine appointment is false.
http://captivesofaconcept.com/AboutTheBook.html
Cedars, you have made another valid point here about the effects of these study editions of how there are portrayed as being the words of the most high GOD JEHOVAH HIMSELF…YES !!It’s quite true that the members are expected to see it this way without question or having a shadow of doubt…and as leshoy brought out in his comment …they have covertly replaced JESUS AS BEING THE SOLE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN…GREAT POINT HERE LESHOY, I;VE BEEN SEEING THIS AND SAYING THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND WAS LABELED AN APOSTATE ..NOT BEING OBEDIENT AND FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS AS COMING FROM JEHOVAH THROUGH HIS FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE…SO IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT THE WATCHTOWER AN JEHOVAH HAVE BECOME ONE AND THE SAME…To show how this is so, let me share an experience i had just yesterday…I approached a young man and woman standing by the literature display carts..and immediately they try to hand me the watchtower..I OBSERVED that the young man had the new bible dubbed the silver sword tucked under his arm,so i asked him..why it is that you all have made the teach book and watchtower magazines more important than the bible ? why ? you all are not even displaying the bible which is the word of GOD..His shocking reply to me was, we are following the directions of the slave,because bibles are expensive to produce…so i then asked him..what would GOD RATHER HAVE YOU TO DO ?? GIVE OUT TEACH BOOKS .WATCHTOWERS OR HIS WORDS THE BIBLE…NOW HE BECAME UPSET AND SAID ,WE ONLY FOLLOW THE GOD GIVEN DIRECTIONS AS COMING THROUGH THE GB…Then i asked him…can you give me any proof that these men are appointed by GOD ??AGAIN HE REPLIED…WE ARE TOLD NOT TO ANSWER SUCH QUESTIONS AS THEY ARE MEANT TO DISTRACT FROM OUR WORK OF SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM…WE OBEY THE GOD GIVEN DIRECTIONS THROUGH THE SLAVE…SO I NOW APPROACH HIM FROM ANOTHER ANGLE AND ASKED HIM TO EXPLAIN TO ME THE MEANING OF JESUS ILLUSTRATION OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS CONVERSING WITH ABRAHAM…What happened next was very revealing, as he angrily replied that he was not even listening to me any more ;as he will only follow the directions of the slave…so i asked him..are we not supposed to obey GOD AS RULER RATHER THAN MEN ? ?.. Them came the zombie cultivated response..we are not out here to discuss or debate about the bible ..we carry out the directions from God through the GB…SO i walked away knowing that i had achieved my objective in seeing first hand the mind numbing control the GB IS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ON IT’S MEMBERS BY PUTTING THEMSELVES INTO THE FOREFRONT OF THE ONE AND ONLY MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN ..CHRIST JESUS BY EQUATING THEMSELVES WITH JEHOVAH.How disgustingly improper! ! I felt sad to see how these ones is unable to think so as to have a sound mind,and how unknowingly they are like robots being controlled by watchtower and not by JEHOVAH..So i wonder what would it be if they bring buckets of kool aid to the km and told then to drink because it’s the will of JEHOVAH ?? OR MAYBE !! A few buckets of pills that bring about transformation to youthful vigor an life eternal ?? will they blindly drink or pop ?? most likely they will, as they are conditioned to see any directives from the GB AS BEING FROM JEHOVAH…This is quite a disturbing thought,but one that is not beyound the realm of possibility.
Cedar: you said:
The study magazine urged Witnesses to “obey any instructions” from “Jehovah’s organization… whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not.”
However, I noticed that, in The Watchtower Library online, this verse (in paragraph 17) has been changed:
“At that time, the direction that you receive from Jehovah’s organization may seem strange or unusual. But all of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether we agree with them or not, because obeying these instructions will save our lives. ” (ws12 11/15, “Seven Shepherds, Eight Dukes—What They Mean for Us Today”, paragraph 17)
Of course, this is a slight change, but may be you could give a comment about why the GB did it. Did they did it before printing this edition?
None of this surprises me, John.
As the demarcation lines between the organisation and their god become ever more blurred, anything the GB say will be tantamount to it coming straight from Jah.
Catholicism and tje JWs are becoming evet closer, insomuch as anything said by the Pope
is classed as coming from god.
the seven popes in New York will be exhalted far beyond any adoration required by normal leaders. And the rank and file will see nothing wong with it.
Good points above. How might they deal with all ‘Jehovah’s’ flip flops? All Jehovah’s duff prophecies? Jehovah OKing Christmas crackers and crucifixes, and then cursing them, OKing and then forbidding blood transfusions and flip flopping with fractions? Jehovah promising a rapture of the rigteous? Jehovah leaving his messages to mankind in the Great Pyramid? This particular ‘Jehovah’ is a very muddled character.
I think the idea of 8 came from the number of people on the ‘Noah’s Ark’…8 = survival…Noah did ‘just so’…
Now apostates are thinking that Jehovah and Watchtower are equal. Wow! Apostate thinking. Interesting. . .
Kurapika
That is exactly the point. Watchtower themselves are equating their words as Jehovah’s words. Which of course in reality they’ve always done. The problem they have (& it’s all over the internet) is they cannot blame God for teaching what is false. The Watchtower wants it’s cake and eat it. As for “apostates”, is it not apostasy to run ahead of Jehovah and announce to the world that they and they alone have been approved over all the masters belongings even before that judgement has been passed, is that not apostasy?
I don’t think this rhetoric is anything new. I remember it when I was active 20 years ago.
What I want to know & have it explained to me is this, if it is Jehovah who is making these “adjustments” how does he communicate with the Watchtower if Watchtower is not inspired & if they are inspired why do we have so many “mistakes” in the magazines in thought and teaching?
If you claim that you represent Jehovah & his word & you present a false teaching and that teaching in turn stumbles a person, then you are responsible for that persons spiritual stumbling. Now, does that sound like apostasy to you?
Kurapika,
I thought of what to say in response to your comment, which by the way, was careless and completely lacking of respect for anyone who so happens to disagree with your religious rhetoric’s and propaganda but then I suddenly remembered that it is a heck of a whole let less painful to beat ones head against a wall then it is to have a LOGICAL conversation with a Jehovah’s Witness.
And on the sixth day God made some “adjustments”.
It’s clear to me that Jehovah, in spite of his high station in the Universe, is certainly capable of making mistakes. Did he not “repent” his creation of man, thereby forcing him to unleash the Flood to wipe every living thing out except the few in the Ark? Did he not promise David that his Kingdom would last forever, only to see it crumble and be overrun within 300 years? Before the Flood, man could not eat meat (but could kill and sacrifice innocent animals to God), but then after the flood Jehovah decided they needed more protein in their diet and let them slaughter cattle, sheep and goats? God always seems to be changing his mind and his direction throughout the Bible. So why can’t the Watchtower? What else could we expect? Of course Jehovah’s word will change over the years, it always has. That’s probably why he changed his mind and did not resurrect the Old Testament prophets in 1925 or bring on Armageddon in 1874, 1914, 1915, 1918, 1925, 1942, 1975, 1995, 2000, (and just maybe, 2014). He was going to, but changed his mind. He decided to give us all just a few more chances to repent and convert to Jehovah’s Witnesses. But you must know for sure that the “End of this system of things” is just years, if not months, away. Ever wonder who is really whispering in the Governing Body’s ears?
I E Mailed a JW friend these three questions:
!. What do you think about any man, woman or group who claim they and God are indivisible?
2. What such a claim by the man, woman or group be scripturally backed?
3. What would you think if the man, woman or group said “whatever we say is what God says” because we are God and God is us?
Of course they have not yet read this article so I made the question generic. They answered with glee that any such man, woman or group are totally deluded, that they are a false religion and part of Babylon the Great.
What the real sadness is, is when they get to read and study this article it will all simply wash over them as it always does, they will forget that they actually called (unknowingly) the Watchtower deluded and a false religion, to them they will sit like good WT followers and accept it as truth. I just wrote the 3 questions for my own amusement knowing they would call such a religion who made those three claims false. This is the generally mentality I have come to know when talking to a rank and file JW
Sorry I’m irritated.
When a person/organisation says “these are the words of Jehovah” that becomes an inspired utterance. If it turns out to be false then you’ve misrepresented God.
If I misrepresent a person I could be held liable
God knows what judgement the Watchtowers got coming!
“And they said they were apostles and they were not & you found them to be lairs”.
sorry for the typos and iffy grammar, wrote too quickly
Gary, they are basically saying that their literature is Inspired of God. Effectively they are claiming what they publish has the same clout as the Bible because both are inspired of God. Now I know they deny the divinity of Jesus and didn’t he say people will claim to be him or come in his name? By the same principal the WT are claiming to be God or at the very least come in his name. Sadly the JWs are so deeply indoctrinated that if the WT said jump in a lake of lava I am confident at least a few thousand would.
This item and the accompanying video is so timely. In August, there is to be a “special campaign” to distribute tracts which draw attention to JW.org. Indeed, the tract is now available from that same website.
Cedars’ suspicion that the WTBTS title may be dropped is quite credible. I would not want to assist the SANHEDRIN in the pursuit of its goal and will thus abstain from distributing the JW.org tract.
This latest magazine truly is hurtful. Not at all Christian. Not encouraging. It gives evidence of the SANHEDRIN thinking more of themselves than it is necessary to think. The only good that may come of it is that more individuals who are MS’s or Elders will find ways to step down, and thinking publishers (Amharets) will be cognizant of the mess and abstain from any reinforcement of he organisation – such as by refusing to contribute money for example.
Thanks Jim for your reply.
Considering your words regarding those who claim to come in Jesus name is of interest.
Many, before the second return, would say I am the Christ. . Translation. .Anointed.
Let’s see,
I think I am a little more important, strike that a lot more, strike that, I am amazing, no wait, I am awesome, hold on now I got it! I am God! If anyone knows of something that comes along that is more important than the word God I am definitely that too.
Whew knowing that I am God helps quell that little green narcissist in me. I better get to a huge stadium in front of a crowd of enablers and codependents to make me feel better. Oh wait I know they are codependents and can’t think for themselves, it feels about the same as playing a video game with a fake crowd cheering.
Great job GB your prize is the largest group of codependents who can’t think for themselves or as you call them “sheeplike ones” when translated = people who always do what their told and like it that way. Rather than educate them to use their own minds the GB wields their power ever more insidiously over their followers demanding no questions from anyone. They are truly mentally abusive to anyone who is a thinker.
the more they loose grip the more they will tighten it.
since when has God had to “adjust” along the way
this is spiritual immaturity.
The GB and local elders are always keen on regular meeting attendance by their flock and even by disfellowshipped ones and ensuring that the meetings always start and finish on time. Does anyone remember the last time their god je-ho-vah turned up on time or even the last time he put even an appearance? Is even je-ho-vah becoming disillusioned by their antics. Has even je-ho-vah himself managed to arrange is own gradual fade over the last few years.
I see on YouTube that there was a B-movie played out at the recent International Conventions of Joshua and the Israelites passing over the river Jordan after forty years in the Wilderness. Are the GB planning something very special in the near future it now being almost forty years since the 1975 failure to bring about Armageddon and entrance into the New a Paradise Earth???
To Gary
Je-ho-vah makes some adjustments on the Seventh Day – that’s very funny. Big LOL
Of course if the GB really does set itself up as God they themselves become the Anti-Christ, and have no need to justify Christ setting themselves up as his organisation and Faithful & Discreet Slave as we approach the 100th Anniversary of the supposed 1918/1919 Inspection. Can’t you already see how Cedars prediction might work out people?