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← The Friday Column: Hypocrisy! Will It Ever End?
The Friday Column: Everyone makes mistakes – except Watchtower →
 
Royal Commission findings: Jehovah’s Witness elders left abuse survivors “silenced and unsupported”
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Posted on December 14, 2015

The shocking treatment of
The shocking treatment of BCB and BCG was brought to light by the Royal Commission

The previous two articles in this series have discussed Watchtower policy and scriptural debate. However, this is not some theoretical debate of interest only to scholars and lawyers. At the core of all this back and forth over scripture and law are real human beings.
What is the actual impact of Watchtower policy when put into practice for real abuse survivors?
Two of these survivors were able to give detailed and comprehensive testimony at the ARC hearings, and the submission of the Senior Counsel contains detailed findings related to their experiences.
The Case of BCB
The first survivor was a woman referred to as BCB in order to protect her identity. She described how Jehovah’s Witness elder Bill Neill repeatedly abused her from the age of 15. She outlined the various impacts of Watchtower’s policy on her case in harrowing detail. These included:
◾An instance where, as per Watchtower policy at the time, she was forced by the elders to confront Bill Neill, repeat her accusations directly to him, and hear him challenge and dismiss them – an experience she found deeply traumatic.
◾She was required to describe intimate details of her assault to a room full of men. As a result, she found herself unable to fully detail the worst aspects of her experience.
◾She was given no counseling or support for her extreme emotional trauma, and was simply instructed to read Watchtower literature.
Even though the elders claimed to believe her, due to the two witness rule, nothing significant could be done. Neill did step down as an elder, but the reason was not announced to the congregation. No further sanctions were imposed. Neill remained a Witness in good standing.
And almost unbelievably, BCB was forced to continue attending meetings in Neill’s home.
I’ll say that again.
◾BCB was required to continue attending meetings in the home of the man whom she had stated, and the elders apparently agreed, had abused her.
Additionally, elder Max Horley and Circuit Overseer Doug Jackson sent a letter to the branch described as follows by the Commission:

148  The letter of 1 February 1992 further reported that both Mr Horley and Mr Doug Jackson were ‘impressed by Brother Neill’s acceptance of counsel and his humility throughout the ordeal’ and recommended that he be appointed as an elder again ‘once this has died down’.
Unsurprisingly, BCB didn’t fare well as a result of this treatment. She testified that she’d since had a nervous breakdown and required ongoing expensive medical and therapeutic care to deal with the mental and physical injures Neill’s abuse had inflicted.
Max Horley and Doug Jackson appeared before the ARC to defend themselves. They didn’t impress.
Jackson gave meaningless responses that often verged on gibberish, and a shamefaced Horley, despite attempting initially to defend his actions and Watchtower policy, in the end agreed that BCB had been terribly failed by both.
Here are just some of the Commission’s many detailed findings on the case of BCB. They back up and validate all the claims BCB made (bold is mine):

F6  It was distressing for BCB to be required by the elders to tell of what had happened to her to a group of men, including the man whom she accused of abusing her, and it was not likely to, nor did it, result in BCB disclosing the full extent of her abuse.
F9  The application of the two‐witness rule meant that there was insufficient evidence for the elders to act against BCB’s abuser even though they believed her, which left her feeling disbelieved and unsupported, and it left the abuser in the congregation where he may have been a risk to other children.
F10  Mr Horley telling BCB that she should not discuss her abuse with anyone left her feeling silenced and unsupported.
F13  It was traumatic for BCB and inappropriate of Mr Horley for him to have required BCB to attend Bible study at Bill Neill’s home when he knew that BCB accused Bill Neill of abusing her.
F14  The recommendation of the elders to the Branch Office that Bill Neill be reinstated as an elder ‘once this has died down’ and their expressed concern ‘that there may also be worldly people who also know’ demonstrates that they were more concerned about the reputation of Bill Neill and the congregation than about the risk that he posed to children.
Max Horley departs after giving evidence at the Royal Commission
Max Horley departs after giving evidence at the Royal Commission
 
The Case of BCG
BCG was born into a Jehovah’s Witness family, and had three sisters. When she was 17 her father, a ministerial servant, began to abuse her. Her initial attempt to contact the elders were rebuffed, and when she finally was able to get their attention, her story took a sadly familiar path. Among the indignities the Watchtower process inflicted, BCG recounts that:
◾She was required to confront her father with the accusations, who became so angry and aggressive that he had to be restrained from violently attacking her. BCG found this experience terrifying.
◾She stated that the elders, all friends of her father, appeared to attack her credibility as a witnesses, rather than support and protect her as an abuse survivor. She was left with the distinct impression that they were not impartial in the matter.
One of the most troubling aspects of BCG’s story highlights how elders can act in defiance of Watchtower’s rules with impunity.
Remember the two witness rule? Well, BCG told told the elders that her father had abused her younger sisters as well her older sister. The elders dismissed this report, stating that the girls were too young to know what they were talking about, and were not witnesses to the same event, even though Watchtower policy at the time would have accepted their evidence as a second witness.
During the hearings, the elders involved (Ron De Rooy, Dino Ali, and Kevin Bowditch) flat out denied under oath that she had made this report to them. Ali in particular was quite adamant on this fact.
To the clear shock of Ali, the ARC then produced a set of handwritten notes, taken from the congregation archives, and written by Ali during the investigation. The notes confirm, in Ali’s own handwriting, that not only had BCG informed the elders as to her father’s abuse of her sisters (a charge her mother corroborated) but that her father had confessed to the abuse before the elders.
Yet, despite having more than enough evidence to act, even under the discredited process of Watchtower, Ron De Rooy, Dino Ali and Kevin Bowditch did not find that BCG’s father had abused his daughters.
Among the many findings on the case of BCG, the Senior Counsel finds: (bold is mine)

F21  The evidence presented to the judicial committee of BCH having abused his other daughters satisfied the Jehovah’s Witness organisation’s own rules with regard to sufficiency of evidence  to establish that BCH had abused BCG, but the elders wrongly ignored that evidence and accordingly failed to uphold BCG’s complaint against BCH.
F23  The elders inexplicably and wrongly ignored BCH’s confession to having abused BCG and thereby, within the precepts of the Jehovah’s Witness organisation’s own rules and procedures, failed to uphold BCG’s complaint against BCH.
F26  The failure by the elders to report BCH’s sexual abuse of BCG to the police had the result that BCH remained at large in the community and a risk to children, and reflects that the elders were not concerned with child safety but rather with keeping their organisation ‘clean’.
F27  The judicial committee’s failure to uphold BCG’s complaint of abuse by BCH conveyed to BCG that the organisation tolerated child sexual abuse within its ranks.
F28  The advice given by the elders to BCG that she not speak about her abuse to anyone had the effect of silencing her.
As a result of this bungled (or worse) investigation, BCG attempted suicide. Her father was later disfellowshipped on a separate charge of “loose conduct and lying,” though a later appeal did confirm the charges of sexual abuse as well.
However, he was still re-instated just three years later.
Upon being informed of this BCG, terrified for the safety of children in the congregation, decided to report her own abuse to the police. She alleges that Ron De Rooy threatened her with disfellowshipping if she did so. De Rooy denied this under oath, just as he denied BCG reporting the abuse of her sisters.
Ron de Rooy on the Witness stand
Ron de Rooy on the Witness stand
 
Among the many damning findings of Senior Counsel on the reinstatement are: (bold is mine)

F31  The decision to reinstate BCH took no account of the risk that BCH posed to children, paid little regard to the fact that he had been disfellowshipped because of child sexual abuse, and was focussed principally on his extra‐marital relationship.
F32  The decision to reinstate BCH took no account of BCH’s failure to apologise to BCG, a factor relevant to consideration of sincere repentance, or of what BCG might have had to say about BCH being reinstated.
F33  The decision to reinstate BCH was disrespectful and unsupportive of BCG.
Nonetheless, BCG took her case to the police. The ARC also found, after testimony from a legal professional involved, that the delays caused by the Watchtower process, and the clumsy nature of the process itself, had rendered much of the evidence inadmissible. Nonetheless, her father was finally convicted on the third trial. What did BCG have to say about this?

245  BCG told the Royal Commission that her experience of the three criminal trials was significantly less traumatic than her experience sitting through the committee meetings.
Today BCG is disfellowshipped, and is currently being shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
A Plea to Elders
It may well be that you are an elder reading this. Perhaps you no longer believe in the faith, but are trapped, not wishing to be shunned by your family and friends. Perhaps you still consider yourself a Witness but believe, as other elders do, that in this specific area the Organization is making a terrible error of judgement.
Whatever the case, if a member of your congregation comes to you with an allegation of sexual abuse, please:
CONTACT THE POLICE

You may lose your privileges of service. But surely that is a small price to pay for being able to look yourself in the mirror and know that, when a vulnerable member of your congregation came to you for help, in the moment they needed you most, you did not fail them.
 
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Further reading…
◾Royal Commission findings: Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson “evasive and unhelpful”
◾Royal Commission findings: Watchtower policies place JW children “at significant risk of sexual abuse”
◾Reveal article: Jehovah’s Witnesses shield child sex abusers from police, report says
◾12 things we learned from Geoffrey Jackson’s testimony at the Royal Commission
◾Royal Commission’s Angus Stewart accuses Watchtower representative of deliberate deception
◾Elders shamed under questioning by the Royal Commission
◾Australian Royal Commission hears that 1,006 alleged child sex abusers were covered up by Watchtower
◾Stephen Lett slams “apostate-driven lies and dishonesties” concerning child abuse record
◾JWsurvey articles on child abuse


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← The Friday Column: Hypocrisy! Will It Ever End?
The Friday Column: Everyone makes mistakes – except Watchtower →
 
137 Responses to Royal Commission findings: Jehovah’s Witness elders left abuse survivors “silenced and unsupported”


Newer Comments →
 
 pj wilcox says:

 December 14, 2015 at 9:15 am
 
Thank you for this article. Job well done. These types of incidents need to be told. Keep up the good work
Reply
 
 
 Ruthlee says:

 December 14, 2015 at 9:38 am
 
Faithless wicked men Will be outed it is just time now. This is one crazy flawed religion that is not worth the paper it is written upon, let alone the heart of the people. They most certainly are Not followers of Jesus Christ. This enquiry flags up the most insensitve system conceived. It serves no purpose anymore. To purport to be doing God’s will and blatently refuse to honour God’s compassion, and trusting young people, who they schooled to be truthful in all things really goes to show who their father is who they should go to and who is laughing at all this pain to humanity. You know all Jehovah’s Witness children form an early age are taught to not tell lies so those wicked elders who could not give the young people the benefit of the doubt because of stupid policy and their own stupidity deserve condemnation and some recompense due for their error. As far as watchtower policy well the final analysis to me is let them have it from both barrels its too late for squirming behind naivety and ignorance. After all ignorance is no excuse of the law be that the secular one or the God law they are supposed to be under. Mercy not sacrifice.The measure they have been measuring out over the past 50 years is shoddy workmanship and will fall apart. There is nothing refined or pure about dirty policies just victims and distasteful conduct along with downright lies. I am officially ashamed to have been part of this religion. it is God dishonouring and we will all get tarred with the same brush. A reputation shot to bits cannot be patched together and made to look good it just won’t work. Those that have eyes OPEN THEM! ruthlee
Reply
 
 Willy says:

 December 14, 2015 at 12:23 pm
 
Ruth, knowing several victims of sexual abuse and gross incompetence on the part of the Elders and Watchtower Society, when will this Organization finally fail?
My friend in the Mid West was abused by her father along with her six sisters and the Elder Body did nothing.Seven Sisters were forced to provide explicit sexual descriptions while men in their 40s to 70s sat back. Her comment to me was “I always wondered if they had a bottle of lotion and sock under the table because it was horrible reliving our abuse, they were emotionless and immune to empath or had no compassion for my sisters!”
I don’t understand how the Elders and Watchtower Society could allow the father to continue as the PO when all these allegations were becoming more public. The girls were told to shut their mouths, they were told “don’t go to the police because it will bring reproach on Jehovah’s Name.” Did you know all seven of the sisters are obese, suffer severe depression and two of them killed them selves? Team Watchtower is a losing Team!
Watchtower want’s Happy Shiny People, they want all the members they destroyed to leave the Kingdom Hall so these Survivors won’t tell their stories and show the Watchtower Organization is a Fake Christian Religion! Its not fair to attack all Christian Religions as evil when their not following Christ’s Commandments, Jehovah’s Witnesses are a “Cult of Doom” and need their Tax Status along with other Cults removed and forced to pay back taxes on all donations they received.
How many Jehovah’s Witnesses do you see offering off help to victims of Mass Shooting, their MIA or might set up a Literature Cart near but they have no skills to help. Every evil event I hear “How many Brothers or Sisters were there?” and “Oh, those jobs required a education or college degree so I am sure no JW died, Praise Jehovah for keeping his People Safe!”
Reply
 
 
 Bad Penny says:

 December 14, 2015 at 7:29 pm
 
I agree with you ruthlee.
 I too am ashamed to think I was a part of this. I was only thinking today how much I hurt my dear Mother when I became a JW. It was a source of contention right up until she died. Now I just want to hug her and say I am sorry – but it’s too late.
 Let’s face it, we too were innocent victims of WT deceit and lies. If not physically abused we have certainly been mentally abused. Many have, (including me) gone through depression and some have even committed suicide because of the WT policies. We won’t get any compensation for our ‘abuse’. The best we can hope for is that, as you say, they get full recompense for their error.
 May the Royal Commission findings go Global and destroy this mind controlling cult, AMEN.
Reply
 
 
 
 Imgonaburn says:

 December 14, 2015 at 10:03 am
 
I left the jws 4 years ago. I am not disfellowshipped. My husband left too but returned a year later. I spoke with him about the commissions findings. His attitude was ‘its old news’ and ‘this sort of thing went on a lot in the 70’s’, ‘it’s not like that any longer’- ‘the society has made changes’ blah blah blah
 His response made me sooo angry I had to walk away. Even if what he claims is true (which it isn’t!) then why would anybody choose to gloss over the fact that regardless of how long ago this took place there were still CHILDREN that were damaged by the practises of this religion and its overseers. . My adult children who are still members would consider me an apostate if I mentioned it to them.
 I wish they would wake up and be brave enough to question the organisations behaviour!
Reply
 
 
 Ruthlee says:

 December 14, 2015 at 10:15 am
 
Ive had a thought about inheritance. Let’s say the current GB have inherited a weak structure with rotten policies. Not their fault technically but in a way even more reason to overhaul the whole system . To start with an unconditional apology would be a step in the right direction. Instead of denying it all happened and blaming everyone else ,its time to press on to maturity take some responsibility and acknowledge it all happened and God was not interested ,not one bit and that it was mankind’s doing. They could grow their book club along new lines and may get some credibility back.Some buildings do need demolishing for the safety of all concerned no point weeping over dryrot and faulty foundations Just because you have an inheritance does not mean you are rich that can be a delusion , a castle in the sky. They need a reality check and realise how poor they have become. ruthlee
Reply
 
 Simon Kestral says:

 December 14, 2015 at 11:30 am
 
In 1881 Russell said the body of Christ (144,000) was the faithful and discreet slave, and he thought himself to be among that number. As the GB does today, he falsely claimed the title for himself.
WT’s authority stands on its claim to the title “faithful and discreet slave.” Without that title, their associated claim of authority is false. From the beginning, WT never had any authority from God.
WT is a house with leprosy:
Leviticus 14:45 “He shall therefore tear down the house, its stones, and its timbers, and all the plaster of the house, and he shall take them outside the city to an unclean place (New American Standard Bible).
WT cannot be fixed. It can only be torn down. You can’t build a house of truth on a foundation of lies.
Reply
 
 Thinker says:

 December 14, 2015 at 10:31 pm
 
In response to the statement that the “WT never had any authority from God” here are my thoughts for what they are worth: I have been aware of, or witness to, a number of sinful acts by elders, and their relatives or friends. In every case, nothing more than a slap on the hand was given. These men remained in their positions of oversight, as their cohorts patted themselves on the back. Every time I prayed sincerely for these men to be fully exposed and dealt with appropriately. I could not understand why they got away with deeds that they should have been removed, reproved, or disfellowshipped for. Then duhhhhhhh……it finally dawned on me. Why should God care–it’s not His organization! A wake-up call that helped me get out of it.
Reply
 
 
 Depressed Sheep says:

 December 15, 2015 at 3:24 pm
 
Simon, well said………WT cannot be fixed.It is a house with leprosy. The God of mercy will destroy those who have mislead his sheeps.
Reply
 
 
 
 
 M Saurus says:

 December 14, 2015 at 11:01 am
 
Great article.
As someone who faded with my husband and son 4 years ago, I’ve had comments made to me on this site that it was easy for me since my husband and son faded as well. It was easier than for some, but still difficult.
I understand that it’s hard to do if your immediate family is still in. But usually the right thing to do IS hard.
My husband and I were in since early childhood and my son was born in. We had made hundreds of “friends” over the years – and all of them are shunning us. That is hard. But do I really want to be friends with someone who has no problem dropping me without a word if I leave their religion? What have I lost? Not a REAL friend.
My mother is still in – she hasn’t spoken to us in a long time. That is hard. I believe that a real mother would never shun her daughter for having different beliefs. It’s HER CHOICE to do so since I don’t believe what she does. The org means more to her than I do. It’s a sad realization, but in this case I really don’t have a mother – because a real one wouldn’t treat me this way.
We are calling the Witnesses hypocrites – how hypocritical is it to remain part of an organization when you know (and comment on) how horrible they are just to remain close to people who only care about you if you are “one of them”?
I’m sure I’ll get a lot of negative responses, and I know everyone’s case is different. But we can, and should do “hard” things – if they are the right thing to do. The freedom and relief you will feel cannot be explained.
Reply
 
 Cesar Arguelles says:

 December 14, 2015 at 11:55 am
 
I totally agree with you. Perhaps if all the ones that are in, started coming out, then it would be a wake up call for our those still in.
Reply
 
 
 John Baptist says:

 December 14, 2015 at 2:50 pm
 
Bravo for you in getting out. Is it better to have it hard but be true to oneself? Absolutely!! Everyone is always trying to be someone your not. Be yourself and do the right thing! Peace is priceless!
Reply
 
 
 ForestDaughter says:

 December 15, 2015 at 12:51 am
 
Yes, although it was a lot easier for me and my son to leave as we had no other relatives in, it was four years from wanting to leave to actually leaving due to the fear of Armageddon. The journey out for me included having a mental breakdown on the way, so we should never underestimate the dangerous hold and fear this organisation, and others like it, have on it’s members.
Reply
 
 dee says:

 December 15, 2015 at 2:11 am
 
Faith at gunpoint!
 The WT claims that hellfire is unscriptural, yet what is the difference between the threat of hellfire vs the threat of Armageddon?
Religion certainly knows how to exploit the power of fear to their advantage in order to control people emotionally.
Reply
 
 Will says:

 December 15, 2015 at 8:47 am
 
dee, no difference at all. A threat is a threat, either through eternal damnation or “everlasting destruction”. It’s all the same.
Reply
 
 
 
 Janice Gilbert says:

 December 16, 2015 at 5:03 pm
 
Bravo brave girl.
Reply
 
 
 
 Justin (formerly J*L*C*R) says:

 December 15, 2015 at 7:06 am
 
Excellent Comment @M Saurus! I know how difficult it can be to leave but after I realized that the JW’s were a mind controlling cult…I had to make the right choice and leave. Yes, that had consequences in regard to shunning but like you say…doing what’s right is often hard.
 Sometimes, in order to do what’s right…you have to be willing to accept the consequences…but it is still the right thing to do…continue to be true to yourself and enjoy your freedom. Congrats!
Reply
 
 
 
 Pow says:

 December 14, 2015 at 11:11 am
 
Wow, l fall in that final paragraph, still in, serving, but realize that we are sooo wrong.
 Kinda waiting for the shoe to drop…when I have been approached as of late my response has been “you need to call the authorities ” not me. But, the reality is the root of the problem is the same but the organization is aggressively attempting to cover their tracks and count on the sheeple to have a very short memory. Here it is we belong to a religion that is largely based on circumstantial evidence of events that took place 2000 years ago on one fateful nite, yet what happened 20 or 30 years ago, is considered ancient history and impractical and impossible to verify, and then even if it is, it’s considered irrelevant. ..really,…it’s for that reason that our real history (Rutherford, Russell and the like), mise well be the story of Santa Claus, great story who really cares about the facts.
Reply
 
 
 eyes opened says:

 December 14, 2015 at 11:42 am
 
A well done series of articles Covert Fade. Things going on within the organization make me want to shout it from the rooftop, however, it takes a lot of thought and discernment to reach such highly indoctrinated family and friends. Thanks for your research and thoughtful writing.
Regards
Reply
 
 
 Pow says:

 December 14, 2015 at 11:55 am
 
One more comment, ,,the apparent failure of the organization to properly handle child abuse cases, was not simply a failure to comprehend the magnitude of the problem, we keep far to many records for that, and besides, since the early 90s the branch has demanded to be directly involved in every case from the start. So there has to be another explanation…..
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 14, 2015 at 9:56 pm
 
I would say, if there is a Devil, THAT’S the explanation — Satan, the “Father of the Lie”, the Tormentor of Humans.
Reply
 
 
 Sarah says:

 December 15, 2015 at 6:49 am
 
It’s willfully ignoring principles of justice which the Bible outlines. Judicial hearings should be public and if young people do not wish, or are unable, to relate their problems they should be allowed to have a spokesperson do it for them, even if it is a woman, while the abused person stays out of the hearing. There is an old article in the 1997 Awake on the Inquisition, which denounced it on the basis that the accused person was not allowed proper legal representation and much was kept secret. I’d say this article denounces WT quite well.
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 16, 2015 at 10:37 am
 
@Sarah
 Matthew 23:23, 24:“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. These things should have been done without neglecting the others. Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, yet gulp down a camel!
Justice and mercy elude this organization, while they prefer to waste time deliberating on which pagan practices are acceptable or not or which medical procedures are okay, or in whatever other ways they can go beyond what is written.
They are too busy nitpicking to be bothered with justice!
WS
Reply
 
 
 
 
 Hoodwinked says:

 December 14, 2015 at 11:59 am
 
Thank you for the article.
We unfortunately have had to endure the meeting with the elders after our child spoke up about being abused by an ex-elder. I can agree with BGC that what goes on in those meetings is truly traumatic!
 It’s been over 7 years and I still can close my eyes and see my young child being interrogated by elders. Men she was taught from infancy to respect sitting across the couch asking the same questions over and over again. Even at her young age, she felt they didn’t believe her.
 Imagine the guilt her father and I had after unknowingly exposing her to this type of questioning, I truly believed they were there to help us…that’s what we were taught after all!
 Elders are doing more damage then they know by questioning victims of abuse, they have no training whatsoever.
 Please, as a mother who is dealing with the aftermath of this, I beg any elder to follow what was said at the end of this article. Contact the police, let them do what they were professionally trained to do in these cases.
Reply
 
 
 Mama Joy says:

 December 14, 2015 at 12:13 pm
 
The violence that happens to someone who is sexually abused is horrific and monstrous. For the JW Org. to treat this lightly, it is showing everyone just how little they think of a child’s wellbeing and how much they think of protecting their own reputation. Karma is: They cause their own reputation to be ruined by hiding such evil.
Reply
 
 
 Rowland Nelken says:

 December 14, 2015 at 1:04 pm
 
It is tragic, but also encouraging, to read of so many Witnesses, who no longer believe all the ever changing Watchtower drivel, but feel obliged, for family unity, to go through the motions of dreary meeting attendance, book studies and door knocking.
Expansion is at a standstill, even with sanctions like shunning, and desperate moves to dunk the kids before they are old enough to think for themselves and defy their parents.
It will take time, but the oceans of well deserved ghastly and horrific publicity such as provided by this and forthcoming Royal Commissions, will surely be the end of this grubby little misery making cult.
Reply
 
 
 Searcher says:

 December 14, 2015 at 2:38 pm
 
We all need to write letters to major video news magazine shows in our respective countries to ‘tip-off’ the producers about this story. Stories like this, unfortunately, sell a lot of press here in the USA. Anything to do with sex scandals or sexual crime get front page billing. This should be a whopper for the press and they are missing the boat here. Should I bring dishonor on Jehoviah’s organization? YES. Because this is NOT Jehoviah’s, God’s, or whatever you wish to call it. This case and the uncaring leadership is proof. It should be exposed for all it’s worth!
Reply
 
 M Saurus says:

 December 14, 2015 at 2:55 pm
 
Searcher, you misspelled Jehovah twice in your comment. Not to be paranoid, but are you for real? No Witness would do that….
Reply
 
 Searcher says:

 December 15, 2015 at 10:00 am
 
Sorry. Fat fingers I guess?
Reply
 
 
 Searcher says:

 December 15, 2015 at 10:48 am
 
Or maybe a fat head. :)
Reply
 
 
 
 Janice Gilbert says:

 December 14, 2015 at 5:59 pm
 
Go for it. I have considered doing the same.
Reply
 
 ForestDaughter says:

 December 15, 2015 at 12:57 am
 
Lol! Me too. It’s a name I can’t read, say or think of without some feeling of distaste, so any misspelling or deliberate tinkering with the word sounds good to me. :)
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 15, 2015 at 6:59 pm
 
Me too. I’m SICK of hearing the word “jehovah”.
Reply
 
 Ruthlee says:

 December 16, 2015 at 4:25 am
 
Dare I say It I would rather hear the name Jesus from Christians. Oh well Jdubs are not Christians shame isn’t it. It took 100 years to work that out .ruthlee

 
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 16, 2015 at 6:19 pm
 
I started and cancelled a reply to this string 3 times – it’s hard to articulate my thoughts on this.
I do get uncomfortable when I hear or see the name “Jehovah” as well. But I have mixed feelings about that.
While we will likely never know the correct pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton, I still recognize the name “Jehovah” as assigned to it in the English language.
It’s sad – the reproach that the JW org has brought upon this name. There are Christian denominations out there that recognize this name as representing God, the Father, or the Creator in a positive way.
But the JW’s have associated the name with a vindictive, vengeful, mean-spirited punisher. They certainly have not sanctified this name as they claim. I definitely avoid use of the name and simply refer to God or the Creator.
That’s my two cents, anyway.
WS

 
 
 
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 December 17, 2015 at 7:40 pm
 
Probably people feel bad about using that name because it has been added to the Bible when it originally wasn’t there.http://www.bible.ca/jw-YHWH.htm
Reply
 
 
 
 jeff canning says:

 December 14, 2015 at 3:26 pm
 
Shouldn’t be surprised that they lie, they lied about 1975 and brought countless thousands into their nest. Survey is doing a great job and many years from now when the Watchtower is just a distant sad memory the good folks at Survey can kick back in their rocking chairs out on their porches and proclaim “We had a hand in that…” And they can be proud as we are of them.
Reply
 
 
 Average Joe says:

 December 14, 2015 at 3:36 pm
 
Lovely sentiments and plea at the end.
 I know there are still some decent elders amongst us. I would hate to come across an abuse case but even so, the victim needs all the love & support they can get, so it’s our human duty to get them the professional help they need.
 I would like to see the WTS TRY and remove me as an elder for reporting or for helping a victim report a JW abuse to the police! That’s publicity they wouldn’t want.
Reply
 
 Chiafade says:

 December 14, 2015 at 6:25 pm
 
Well Joe we know they wouldn’t say a word. Their policy already states that “any brother who contacts the authorities should not be criticised”.
Your outspokenness will likely spell the end of your service as an elder. There are alot of good men just trying to do the right thing. The right thing as they’ve been taught that is. I’ve known many that when presented with situations like BCGs have stepped down and stated ” serving as an elder is too awesome a responsibility for me”. After which they went inactive.
The watchtower society/JW.org will be their own undoing. They will push away their brightest and in many cases their most loyal which is very self defeating. It is possible that honest people will eventually take over the leadership but even that is a death sentence for the org.
One only needs to look at the end result for similar groups to see the direction watchtower is heading towards. An example can be found in the group known as the worldwide church of God. Their organizational structure closely mirrored that of the watchtower society complete with a governing body who yielded only to the President and founder of the group. Disfellowshipping, misleading and damaging policies, false prophecies, you name it. Many suffered as a result.
Eventually the founder died and left a successor. The successor was a very honest man who after his appointment wrote a letter to all congregations. The letter can be summed up in these words : “everything you were taught are lies and mistaken concepts of men. We are sorry for misleading you and the suffering that was caused”.
The organization shortly crumbled after that with small splinter groups forming. The most prominent being found in Pennsylvania. A mere shadow of its parent organization.
I believe that the watchtower organization knows that this will be the end result. Their goal is self preservation without the consideration of the people in mind. How long can this go on? Who knows, but it can’t and won’t go on forever.
Reply
 
 
 M Saurus says:

 December 15, 2015 at 11:05 am
 
Joe – you should remove yourself! How can you still be an elder with all this stuff going on??
Reply
 
 Average Joe says:

 December 16, 2015 at 12:40 am
 
@M SAURUS
 To answer your question: because
 1) Somebody has to make sure the congregation is looked after properly and ensure that the elders don’t enforce their own rules of men. The brothers & sisters need to have someone to back them up and it’s a lot harder to do that if you’re not an elder as unfortunately there’s always one who tries to abuse his power.
 2) To my knowledge we have not had a single case of child or domestic abuse. If we did ever come across one, then at least the congregation knows they can count on me for support, especially with helping them to get professional help or from the authorities.
 3) I have many good friends amongst my brothers & sisters in the cong.
 At times it is very difficult and maybe one day I will relinquish my privilege if things continue their spiral downwards in the WTS. In the meantime, I do what I can and have a very clear conscience with God. Thanks.
Reply
 
 Ruthlee says:

 December 16, 2015 at 4:31 am
 
Ave Joe I totally agree with you .Within we are rapidly losing the voice of reason and I believe brothers like you will be the safe haven at the end because when this does come crashing around their ears in ruins ,some of the weaker sheepw ill need solid support. It is tricky though because of continually having to listen to garbage and misapplied scripture .That becomes wearisome to the soul but Jesus put up with a lot rubbish so must we .Keep on keeping on bro reguards ruthlee
Reply
 
 Average Joe says:

 December 16, 2015 at 8:06 am
 
@RUTHLEE
 Thanks Ruth if I’m honest though, I’d like to think it will be the average brother & sister who will be the safe havens, the ones who already put themselves out for others in spite of hardships. Obviously there are some good elders & servants too but many already abuse their position so I wouldn’t expect to get much help from them when push comes to shove.

 
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 16, 2015 at 4:08 pm
 
“Within we are rapidly losing the voice of reason”
Ever read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand? All the men of reason leave society because of inane control by the government.
I resigned several years back because i was being told I had to condemn the innocent and exonerate the wicked. It was a matter of principle. Faded sometime later.
WS

 
 
 
 Simon Kestral says:

 December 16, 2015 at 4:55 am
 
If someone asks who is “the faithful and discreet slave” what do you say? You believe the GB’s claim to that title?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekh4wXdKTe4
To keep your circle of “friends” you must tell WT lies to householders when out in service.
Reply
 
 Average Joe says:

 December 16, 2015 at 7:57 am
 
@SIMON
 Thanks for the question but do you honestly think that is a question the average householder asks a JW? I’ve never come across it.
 In light of all current events, I very much doubt their claim, especially as the WT itself points out that the FDS won’t be appointed over all Christ’s belongings until just after the Great Tribulation.
 A lot of teachings I grew up with in the 70s & 80s I still believe as they make sense to me. I’d rather believe there is a supreme God with a Master Plan for this earth, instead of the alternative that there is nothing.
 As I’ve said in many other comments, I’m sorry if my stance annoys the JW and/or WTS haters but that’s me. I’m trying to be the best human being I can be and nobody else has the right to judge me at the end of the day, as long as I don’t purposefully harm anyone.
 Going back to your question though, I’d honestly have to say that “I have my doubts” and we will have to wait until the end to see who really are the FDS. Hope that answers your question.

 
 
 Chiafade says:

 December 16, 2015 at 8:23 am
 
Not only do you have to support and teach the lies Simon but you also have to participate in the kangaroo court as an elder. That means active participation in the process of judging and shunning.
I understand what Joe is trying to do and I applaud his desire to support his “friends”. But those same friends, good as they are, will drop him as soon as hes removed and disfellowshipped.
It’s him and other honest men against the JW system. The system can’t be beat or won over. It doesn’t want to change or sees any need to. It’s a cult and like any cult the leadership is always right no matter what. The good men with conscience’s the non robots are buried and often suffer physically and mentally. I personally have seen many examples of that. Heart trouble, depression, you name it. They would be the ones to say ” why is the society making the friends do that it’s too much” while the robot elders would say “MOTHER knows best brother honest”.

 
 
 
 Simon Kestral says:

 December 16, 2015 at 9:55 am
 
You can’t hide it from the householder forever. WT uses it to support their claim of authority. The householder must learn it to become a JW like you. You want them to get them baptized “as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in association with God’s spirit-directed organization” don’t you?
If don’t want others judging you, how can you serve as an elder on JW judicial committees? You don’t consider that judging?
When I left WT, I retained Christian belief. I separate WT lies from Bible truth.
I can understand you don’t want to lose friends. That’s the real reason people waking up stay in. It’s hard to start over. But there is life beyond WT.
Please see the video link I posted above. It’s a Bible based talk in KH format, with convincing common sense reasoning.
Reply
 
 
 M Saurus says:

 December 16, 2015 at 10:48 am
 
Joe. How many of those “good” friends would still be friends with you if you left the org? Zero. So are you just afraid of being lonely? You will find better friends, ones that do not drop you when you no longer practice a certain religion.
And although it’s very noble of you to want to stay in to protect the congregation – it won’t work. You are guilty by association.
You can still retain some or all of your beliefs – you need to be true to yourself.
Reply
 
 Covert Fade says:

 December 16, 2015 at 4:59 pm
 
On this issue, it’s always very tempting to tell someone what they “should” do, or what we would do in their shoes, and I understand the reasons for that.
But whilst I understand the motives and know that they are will intentioned, please remember that we are not them. We are not in their shoes, we are not the ones living their life, and ultimately a choice like this is one on the person themselves can make.
They should make it based on their own conscience, and feel no obligation to justify it to others.
Awake JW’s who are still inside can perform significant acts of kindness towards the flock, and also are significantly placed to carry out activism that official exJW’s cannot (more than one victory against the cult has come from people inside the organisation, often awake Elders, leaking things out at the proper time).
Likewise, they will also encounter unique ethical hurdles that ex JW’s do not, such as how to cope with needing to be seen engaging in indoctrination.
The ethical dilemmas and stresses we all carry are unique to us, but whatever your choice and whatever your path, make the one you feel is genuinely right, and live it.
Just my 2 cents

 
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 16, 2015 at 7:19 pm
 
Excellent point Covert Fade. We benefit from people like Average Joe on the inside.
WS

 
 
 
 Idontknowhatodo says:

 December 17, 2015 at 2:19 am
 
Average Joe I felt the same about you when I first came to this site but changed my opinion over a period of time and closely reading your comments… I think and hope that there are more like you because we need a source of sanity in the congregations of people allowing their lives to be ruled by incompetent men who care little for them….we need the Average Joe’s of this world to be that safe haven that ruthlee mentioned…I will say Average Joe you know they will come for you in the end because you will not be able to toe the party line…your improved conscience will not let you … so just build some relationships outside the congregation and make a life to fall onto when everything involved with jws disintegrates… Im trying to do that and though hard it is part of the awakening process… meanwhile thanks for trying to help the teetering rank and file… we need it…especially slow faders like me… just watch your back AJ.
Reply
 
 Average Joe says:

 December 17, 2015 at 10:09 am
 
@Idontknowwhatodo et al…
I also read your comments carefully and it is a great relief to know that others feel similar to me and can, to a lesser or greater degree, comprehend the major guilt that I still feel for speaking out against those who direct what I feel to be God’s spirit directed organisation. If I get destroyed at Armageddon for trying to display Christlike characteristics and speak out against injustice in the organisation then so be it, but I don’t believe in a vengeful God like that.
 I haven’t served on a JC as yet but I can assure you (and I know that’s difficult as you don’t know me) that I’m not easily swayed by what others think. We have had a few cases where some on the body have tried to impose their own opinions and harsh judgments on others and convince us to do the same but I have always spoken out and put a stop to it. I do speak up when needs be (the quiet ones are always the worst they say!) and have recently taken to quoting a passage from a recent WT study that stated ‘as elders, showing love to others is demonstrated by taking them at their word’. So until facts prove otherwise, if a brother or sister tells us something then we shouldn’t doubt it. Nor should we doubt their motives for doing/saying something. What really gets my goat is when an elder (or anyone for that matter) “befriends” you on Social Media then trolls your content to later report on what they don’t feel is “appropriate behaviour”. We have one like that in our cong so after he tried to get one of our youths disciplined (for something he’d jumped to conclusions about after seeing the photo), I had a private chat with all the youths in our cong that are on Social Media and warned them. I actually advised them to remove him from their list of contacts along with his kids so they wouldn’t be spied upon. So sad that we have to face this stuff in this day and age and that I have to protect the flock from some of the very shepherds who are supposed to be caring from it.
 I am in no way perfect, don’t get me wrong; I have many flaws but I would never resort to petty things like that or abuse my power to force what I think on others.
It’s very difficult waking up and, as has been pointed out by other posters, there is the real possibility of getting shunned by others within the cong. Thankfully though, I too have formed a very large network outside the organisation over the years and have many good friends who are not JWs so it wouldn’t be the end of the world for me. I suppose I’ve always been a bit of a rebel really in the view of the WTS standards. It’s more for my immediate family that I don’t want to disappoint.
Sorry for the lengthy post but thanks to all of you for your feedback. I do read it all even though I don’t always agree and for those of you in a similar difficult situation (and that still believe in God), you’re in my thoughts and prayers.
 AJ

 
 
 
 
 
 Depressed says:

 December 15, 2015 at 4:15 pm
 
You are brave and thank you for standing up. At times it is so difficult trying to help love ones wake up and see that the WT is a cult. I have to stay under the radar because some of the elders are working extremely hard to disfellowship me for warning members to report sex abuse cases to the police and not the elders. So far, to my knowledge no one has directly called my name. the elders are basing this on hearsay. Nevertheless, I am still afraid. It is very uncomfortable when the elders are watching my every move. Not a good feeling. I pray that soon the core of the WT and its policies are exposed for their wicked works.
Reply
 
 Bad Penny says:

 December 15, 2015 at 6:38 pm
 
Depressed –
I am sorry that you have to live in fear of the elders. Why? They should be shepherds and protectors of the flock. It is them that should feel guilty by allowing wolves to remain in the congregation, not you! Just think of them as ‘dust dressed up’, they cannot kill you. If they try to disfellowship you, count it as a privilege for standing up for truth. They would probably just try to reprove you. That could be an opportunity to slowly fade whilst still keeping contact with your family.
 If, or when, you do escape, it will feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. You start to breathe the air and appreciate living free.
Reply
 
 
 
 
 Kat says:

 December 14, 2015 at 4:46 pm
 
Imgonaburn.
Maybe you could inform your husband that according to Tool’s testimony they still get 3 or 4 a month of complaints and allegations of child sexual abuse this in Australia alone, so the problem is not old and these are the ones they know about or have been reported.
So clearly shows that the GB policies have not worked and children are still suffering, their keeping this from the flock only gives the abusers more freedom to abuse, the two witness rule is dangerous and has to be addressed, only when the GB are forced by law will they do anything, and then it will be kept from the flock with elders being privy to information, until the elders allow their conscience to be their guide nothing much will change.
Its all about protecting the orgs image not children, but their days are numbered, all they can do now is make sure the flock believe its not their fault they will continue to do this by propaganda and blame.
Reply
 
 Imgonaburn says:

 December 14, 2015 at 6:32 pm
 
Kat,
 Thank you for your response. I will try and find the testimony that you referred to re 3-4 cases still occuring per month in Australia. Then I will mention it to my husband when I get the right opportunity. He’s a bit traumatised of late as I’ve put up a Christmas tree and garlands in one of our living rooms at the rear of our house. It’s the first time I’ve ever had the pleasure of doing such an outrageous thing lol. Out of respect for him it’s not in full view of passers by.
 I’ve told them (my jw family members) that life is for living and I’m getting on with mine. I’ve had the conversations with them about how disfellowshipping is a cruel and unusual punishment etc and that a person should be able to leave the religion without losing their family. They insist that they themselves are not forced to remain [within religion] out of fear of reprisal/ consequences and are happy to serve Jehovah as pioneers/volunteers. They also say that if I choose to celebrate Christmas by having a Xmas tree they will stay away from our home til the new year when the festivities are over.
 It will be interesting to see if the elders ‘come after me’ because of my celebrating Christmas because it’s been over 4 years since I last attended a meeting. It’s widely known in the local community that I’m not a jw any more, mainly because I tell everyone. Ha!
 I’m not aggressively opposed to the religion as I think it’s counter productive. What’s the saying?… Innocent as serpents and cautious as doves? I do try to slip a little something into the conversation just now and then to try and make them think independently though. How they can shut their powers of reason off when it comes to issues surrounding child abuse within the org though is beyond me!!
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 14, 2015 at 10:12 pm
 
Nice work!! Resistance starts in the home! BTW I love your turnaround of the quote (still not sure if it was intentional): “Innocent as SERPENTS and cautious as DOVES” — I think it’s an improvement — after all, doves are probably a lot more cautious than serpents (which must take risks hunting), and being as innocent as a dove could get a person SQUASHED in this world. Nice work again!! That’s my new mantra.
Reply
 
 Imgonaburn says:

 December 15, 2015 at 5:50 pm
 
Yes, my mis-quoting scripture was intentional.
 Feet shod with the good shoes of Pete.
 Stay sane the vedil.
 I have a lot more time on my hands now that I’m no longer preparing for meetings, attending meetings, dragging children to meeting, going on ministry etc etc
Reply
 
 
 
 Tara says:

 December 15, 2015 at 8:52 am
 
My son in law is not a JW – his mother is. He married my daughter – JW (df’d because she got pregnant to him and df’d – now reinstated but fading) He put up a tree and lots of lights outside the house :) My living room has some small signs of rebellion – some baubles and shiny things… I have a stack of gifts for my grandbabies wrapped and in the corner. I gave Christmas cards to clients this year. No one visits me from the hall anyway so next year maybe a tree. The whole abuse thing makes me sick and ashamed. I am now telling clients I am fading from the Org. and they are supporting me.
Reply
 
 Imgonaburn says:

 December 15, 2015 at 6:12 pm
 
I purchased most of my Xmas decorations and tree in the post Xmas/ January sales last Xmas. I kept them all in a spare wardrobe for months. My husband knew about my plans well in advance. I told my 2 adult JW son and daughter more recently. We’ve always had coloured lights as part of our year round decor. I’d love to decorate the front of our house with xmas icicle type lights and have it all twinkly! Maybe next year you will have a Xmas tree in your home and I will throw some lights on a tree in my garden! 😉
I like to think that my leaving the religion and demonstrating to my family that I’m happier without it will make it easier for them to leave should they decide to do so in the future. At least they won’t have to worry that by leaving they will lose me! It’s such a frightening prospect- getting dfd and being shunned by family and friends that I couldn’t criticise others for being too scared to leave. Everybody has to do what’s best for themselves until the time is right for them.
Reply
 
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 December 17, 2015 at 7:51 pm
 
Imgonaburn Go for it. How good does it feel? I feel proud to be a Christian and enjoy the festive season related to the birth of Christ. Did you know that the Cedars of Lebanon were pine trees?
Reply
 
 
 
 
 Janice Gilbert says:

 December 14, 2015 at 5:57 pm
 
Thank you for this article. I strongly believe this, since a former friend of mine told me that she had been told that she could be disfellowshipped if she went to the police. Talk about putting a muzzles on an innocent victim. This is not the loving organization I once believed in
Reply
 
 
 C says:

 December 14, 2015 at 8:42 pm
 
This is my first post on this website, tho I’ve lurked for awhile. This absolutely makes me ill. It is so freaking disgusting that it bothers me physically. I want to fight and puke and cry. There is absolutely no way this can be an organization directed by Jesus.
Despite my queasiness, the article was done very well.
Reply
 
 Searcher says:

 December 15, 2015 at 10:12 am
 
You are so right! Makes me sick too!
No way this can be God’s organization and have all this secrecy and lies.
Reply
 
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 14, 2015 at 10:31 pm
 
Speaking from personal experience, it is a real struggle making the decision, then leaving the Borg. No question. Just like any other major life decision. But, in considering the drawbacks, also take into account the benefits, such as FREEDOM, the ability to be an INDIVIDUAL, choose your OWN dress/grooming, lifestyle, associates, etc. “Every dark cloud has a silver lining.” “When one door closes, another one opens.” Think back through your life to times when something “negative” happened, which inadvertently and unexpectedly led to something positive, something positive which never would have happened otherwise. I know a guy who was DF’d last spring, and ended up having the best summer of his life, checking off one item after another on his “bucket list”. It may not be that dramatic for everyone, but, like I said, take time to consider the BENEFITS.
 Good Luck :)
Reply
 
 Searcher says:

 December 15, 2015 at 10:42 am
 
“Give me liberty or give me death!” – Patrick Henry, March 1775. That was spoken by an American revolutionary, but it is also very relevant to your thoughts. Freedom isn’t free! It comes with a big price and many people want to take that away from you to satisfy their power hungry ends. Once I got over the fact that they (the elders) would (and they did) destroy my marriage, then I found freedom that is OH SO SWEET. I don’t have to do anything for this evil cult, these self-servant leaders, or try to impress the rank and file in the Kingdom Hall. It is all about weighing the cost vs. the benefits of freedom. The benefits far outweigh the costs. Especially in self-respect.
Reply
 
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 14, 2015 at 10:46 pm
 
I put those who deny and/or suppress these cases of abuse, up there with those neo-Nazi Holocaust Deniers. These are horrible crimes and there is absolutely NO excuse for covering them up!!! If WT is concerned about their reputation, I say, “What reputation??” Their squeaky clean rep. is already tainted. By engaging in further coverups, it’s just going to get WORSE. It’s like trying to hold water in your hand, or trying to plug holes in a dam with bubble gum. Get a clue, Watchtower.
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 14, 2015 at 11:35 pm
 
Doesn’t the bible account of the flood say jehovah decided to destroy mankind because ‘the Earth came to be filled with violence’? Well, rape is, by definition, a VIOLENT crime. Ergo, Watchtower is GUILTY of covering up VIOLENCE, something which jehovah purportedly hates.
Reply
 
 
 Enuffsenuff says:

 December 15, 2015 at 12:19 am
 
It is interesting about the Watchtower’s reaction to the Royal Commission.
 So far I haven’t seen or heard any sort of apology in an official manner by the WatchTower.
 I haven’t seen or heard any public acknowledgement that WT has changed any policies, re, women, shunning and child abuse.
 I haven’t seen any acts of genuine empathy for any victim and I haven’t heard of any elder standing down in shame over their behaviour at how they have conducted a (sham) judicial case.
 For example Dino Ali, elder on BCG’s case. A complete drongo who refused to accept the confession by the father of BCG.
 Is he still there, et al, dispensing their brand of kangaroo court justice?
 I have not had any word perhaps others have?
Reply
 
 Imgonaburn says:

 December 15, 2015 at 6:45 pm
 
An elder in my former cong stood down a few years ago because of the way a sexual abuse case was handled. There was a sister in the cong who had sexually assaulted her own son and daughters when they were young. Her husband at the time was also a jw. He raped his own daughter to show her how horrible men can be and to illustrate to her how she needs to be careful! (Go figure?!!). Apparently he was a domineering bully towards his entire household so his wife went along with his demands and encouraged her daughters to comply with the abuse. They eventually divorced and she married a brother from our hall. Her children went to the elders about the abuse. The sister denied everything and claimed she couldn’t remember what happened. It ended up a police matter. Both parents were sent to jail. She got 10 years on a charge of sexual assault! He got longer.
 The elder stood down because the sister was not disfellowshipped. She maintained her innocence throughout despite the testimony of her 3 children. It caused a lot of distress to many within the cong. I had already left by then so wasn’t involved in any of the hullabaloo. What I do know though is there was a rota drawn up by some do gooder in the cong to provide transport for her second husband to go visit with her in jail!! After sentencing she was moved to a prison many miles away so the rota was scrapped. The whole saga split the cong. The kh was vandalised and had graffiti spray painted on it about pedophiles. Her abused children got the blame for that but I know it wasn’t them.
 Anyway, in my old cong at least, the elders were very much in favour of getting the police involved. What’s more, one of them on the committee handling the judicial did stand down.
Reply
 
 
 
 'Let it die' says:

 December 15, 2015 at 12:58 am
 
Disagreeing those who claim to speak for God is tantamount with disagreeing with God. You will be viewed by such ones as an apostate, a heretic, a disgruntled one, an a opposer, a Satan.
 Considering Matt 18 judicial procedure one can see that the two witnesses do not necessarily have to eye witness the incident. Bearing in mind the law regarding rape and the single witness in Deu it is quite evident that a single eye witness is sufficient.
 It is quite obvious that this ( the watchtowers stance) is in error and it is equally obvious that this issue is not about what is truthful but rather about power and control, and the believe that these one speak on behalf of God. Having watched a number of the Royal commissions videos again it is clearly apparent that the elders are under the Watchtowers influence to the point were common sense leaves their minds. How very brave of such young women, and all those abuse survivors, to highlight this issue.
 Has the Watchtower listened to these ones and changed their policy’s, after all they speak for God and can not be seen to be fallible.
Reply
 
 dee says:

 December 15, 2015 at 2:40 am
 
“…….after all they speak for God and can not be seen to be fallible”………
an important concept if one is to believe that the Governing Body will rule the world after Armageddon. LOL.
Reply
 
 Searcher says:

 December 15, 2015 at 10:19 am
 
If that bunch of circus clowns (GB) is running the place after Armageddon, then destruction at such event is a mercy kill!
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 15, 2015 at 7:17 pm
 
LOL
Reply
 
 
 dee says:

 December 15, 2015 at 11:37 pm
 
Isn’t it just grand, God is going to replace the governments of the world (including the Australian government which is now unearthing the WT’s child abuse policy flaws) with the GB past and present who will rule in his kingdom over the WT’s promised paradise earth after all these other governments have been destroyed. LOL.
If only the new system would come right now so that earth’s new rulers (the GB) will have their way and be the ones to call the shots! They can’t wait to get their hands on writing those new scrolls that will be opened in the new system – imagine a two witness rule in paradise to deal with the child molesters who will be resurrected from the dead. LOL.
Reply
 
 holy Connoli says:

 December 16, 2015 at 6:45 am
 
@dee. Maybe those child molesters that are resurrected in the New system won’t “desire” children since as the WT says, ” neither will they marry nor be given in marriage” but will be as a EUNECH! lol So that means they will be resurrected castrated.lol

 
 
 dee says:

 December 17, 2015 at 3:23 pm
 
Good one Holi Connoli! ROFLOL!
The new system can’t come soon enough. Castration – what better way to deal with those ressurrected child molesters especially given the fact that it won’t be possible to put resurrected persons to death if they should sin in paradise, since according to the bible: “NEITHER CAN THEY DIE ANYMORE”. Castrate them I say! LOL!
Luke 20:34-36:
“The children of this system of things marry and are given in marriage, but those who have been counted worthy of gaining that system of things and the resurrection from the dead NEITHER MARRY NOR ARE GIVEN IN MARRIAGE. In fact, NEITHER CAN THEY DIE ANY MORE, for THEY ARE LIKE THE ANGELS, and they are God’s children by being children of the resurrection.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 'Let it die' says:

 December 15, 2015 at 1:54 am
 
Asking Jehovahs Witnesses:- To your knowledge has anyone ever challenged one of Gods decisions (besides the devil) and remained in good standing?
 Has the Watchtower ever enforced a false teaching upon its members with the penalty of disfellowshipping if that person refuses to accept that teaching?
 If it is the case that you accept the Watchtower has acted in this manner then you have to recognise this is not necessarily about what is truthful but rather about authority, control and power.
 In my opinion a Christians conscience, under these conditions, should be 1st and foremost on high alert. In spirit and in truth.
Reply
 
 
 Let it die says:

 December 15, 2015 at 2:19 am
 
Dedicated to all those brave young people, fellow activists and my own daughter X
 Peter Gabriel Wallflower live.
Reply
 
 
 redpilltwice says:

 December 15, 2015 at 2:38 am
 
Stephen Lett’s earlier comment that this is all “apostate-driven lies and dishonesties” becomes more painful by the day. A modern day WT lie, carved in stone, never to be lost in oblivion. Does this man (or his fellow brothers of Christ) ever look in the mirror and ask himself “What have we done? Let’s apologize, change policies immediately and ask for forgiveness”? Too late probably. Let justice be done for the victims and their families.
 By the way, Ron de Rooy (one of the elders pictured above) is a Dutch name. Is he from The Netherlands?
Reply
 
 
 Hakizimana Jean de Dieu says:

 December 15, 2015 at 2:56 am
 
Sexual abuse is another subtle way of testify Jehovah god and “his/her organization” is the ONLY solution of human problems. Consider the following in their own publications….
*** g81 2/8 p. 19 Incest—The Hidden Crime ***
 She was molested by her grandfather from the age of six until nine. She tried immorality, drugs and psychiatrists, but found in these no relief from her unhappiness.
 Happily, there is help for such a person. However confused and “down” we may be, there is One who is “raising up the lowly one from the very dust,” and we can get to know him by means of the Bible. (Ps. 113:7)
Reply
 
 
 holy Connoli says:

 December 15, 2015 at 5:26 am
 
In the early 80’s as a relatively new JW and a newly appointed Elder I sponsored some JW refugees from Cuba when Castro Kicked out many criminals and a lot of JW’s.I had little money in those days. I did it out of pure love. In my heart I wanted to help my brothers the best I could. I was only working part time at back then and I had 3 kids of my own at home but I had a large home and an extra area to put them in and felt Jehovah had blessed me and I wanted to share my blessings. I contacted the WT and told them I cloud help if anyone needed it. I lived on the West Coast in California and they were in Miami area with 1000’s of other refugees and were so HAPPY to get out. They sent me a family of 5 people. A Father and Mother and a 6 year old child along with the Fathers parents who were maybe in their late 60’s-early 70’s at the time. It was stressful having 5 extra people in the house and they did not speak English nor did we speak Spanish but we did the best we could and I was happy to help. Fast forward a few months and I had a 9 year old daughter and 2 younger boys. One night I got home late from work and it was a meeting night. I was rushing to the meeting as my wife and 2 boys had already gone. The Cubans had gone to their Spanish meeting except for the “grandfather”. Only me and my daughter and the “grandfather” were in my home. My daughter told me she was not feeling well and wanted to stay home that night. I said OK, I will see you in a few hours. The Cuban grandfather said he will watch her? When I left I had a bad feeling bc of the way he was acting and the nervousness he had about him like he was in a hurry to see me leave? After I left he approached my daughter in her bedroom and tried to entice her with some Yoghurt and tried to get into the bed with her and kiss her with his open MOUTH! She panicked and when he left the room for a split second to get food from the fridge she locked the bedroom door! Smart for her at a young age. The next morning she told my wife who immediately called me at work and as soon as my boss at work said I had an important phone call in my heart I knew what had happened bc of my gut feeling! I came home and made the entire family leave that day, He denied it to the Spanish Elders and lied in front of me and said he was only trying to get her some yoghurt? He had his hands on her body and was trying to kiss her mouth! I also found out he had a similar experience in CUBA so once a molester always a Molester! Bc of he 2 witness rule nothing could be done
 to him. I am only glad nothing more serious happened that night.The policy was not to go to the POLICE bc of the bad rap for the Org.Man, AM I glad to be out of that dirt and the “DRAMA” that religion causes wherever it goes. My heart goes out to all of you who have experienced worse abuse and worse experiences for yourselves and you r families. Time will do some healing. Not all but some. I pray for all of you.
Reply
 
 
 Justin (formerly J*L*C*R) says:

 December 15, 2015 at 7:13 am
 
The fallout from this Australian Commission’s hearing is going to shake the Watchtower to it’s core. If there were any undecided victims waiting for the outcome before perusing legal action…they are not waiting anymore.
The GB will need to continue it’s mad dash to unload it’s Brooklyn HQ real estate, and their branch offices, to pay for these cases.
To all JW’s still in…prepare to belly up to the contribution box…and DIG DEEP!
Reply
 
 Peggy says:

 December 15, 2015 at 8:00 am
 
I have to thank everyone here for working hard to keep us informed about the ARC hearings in child abuse. I favor them requiring all JW’s who work with children to under go a back round check. They may do something like this or take away their tax exempt status. In any case as stated the fall out should prove great! And I too bet many more abused victims will come after the WT corporation.
Reply
 
 
 
 Robert67 says:

 December 15, 2015 at 7:39 am
 
The moment when all these self appointed ursurpers who placed the will of a publishing company over that of the mercy Christ tought in scripture.
Elders quivering-
“What is that Jesus?…Wh wh why did we let the children suffer?, well you see the thing is we was just following orders. Did we not shun and tirade and lord ourselves over others in your name to keep them in line? Did we not expell your sheep when they were at their weakest, in your name and under prayer?
 Did we not wash our hands of widows and orphans that couldn’t meet the quotas? Did we not receive our full reward in applause and praise for our actions on the platform on a weekly basis in your name?
 Jesus reply-
 I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’
Reply
 
 Ruthlee says:

 December 15, 2015 at 11:35 am
 
spot on Robert ruthlee
Reply
 
 
 Bad Penny says:

 December 15, 2015 at 6:56 pm
 
Robert67 – Nice one!
Reply
 
 
 
 Doc Obvious says:

 December 15, 2015 at 7:49 am
 
There are several correlations between the movie “The Godfather” and the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. The Godfather is movie about the mafia in New York City. The Godfather is claiming he owns an olive oil business and that he is thoroughly involved in the business. But in reality, it is about killing people who are not with the Godfather. Or, the Godfather wanting to be the top mafia boss, the Don. The Godfather’s family hires a “family lawyer” to protect his mafia from going to jail. The Family lawyer, Tom Hagen, is used when things go wrong and the police are trying to bring to justice the mafia. Later in The Godfather, the police chief has partnered with the Godfather and tries to smooth things over.
One similarity between the film and the Watchtower is their forcing their ideology down your throats and having conditions on their members. The Watchtower uses religion as business to cover the Watchtower’s illegal behavior. When the religion has been unmasked by the authorities and the media for having Child Sexual Abuse, the religion enacts the Bethel family’s lawyers. The Bethel family lawyers try to smooth talk the judicial system into thinking that they are doing their religion and the religion requires the cutting off of wicked people (called disfellowshipping). If the media tries to paint the Watchtower in a bad light. Guess what happens? The Bethel family’s lawyers are at their best trying to smooth over and cover up Watchtower’s illegal mistakes with laws that protect them. One of the Bethel Mafia bosses wishes the Child Sexual Abuse matter with the Watchtower would just “die”. In addition, the boss tries to discredit a journalist in Portugal for not getting two sides of the story. Who knew the Mafia boss was a journalism teacher. However, the journalist stuck to her story and went to the Bethel in Portugal for their side of the story. Unfortunately, the Mafia boss flew the coop with a statement and could not furnish his side of the story.
Another similarity, is how the Watchtower treats their members who think differently from them. Watchtower uses threats to get their members in line. Just like the mafia. You will be swimming with the fishes. You will die at Armageddon if you do not follow what we say.
The Watchtower’s family lawyer(s) have gone all the way to the United States Supreme Court and have smooth talked the Supreme Court justices to see that their way (“religion”) is wholesome for the whole family and they should not have to register with the authorities when recruiting new members in the mafia. I mean the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The buttering up of the authorities is how both the mafia and The Watchtower do things.
It is also amazing how both the movie and the Watchtower are based in New York City. Why do bad things happen in this city?
In order to get protection from the mafia or the Watchtower you need to “donate” to them. In the Godfather, people donate their services and fine gifts to the Godfather. Watchtower is asking for the finer things in life. Stocks and Bonds, CD’s, Savings accounts, etc.
I could go on and on with the similarities. However, these are just a few.
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 15, 2015 at 7:31 pm
 
Your comparison of Organized Religion, especially this one, to the Mafia, is right on!
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 15, 2015 at 7:36 pm
 
P.S.
 Why New York City? IMHO, probably because it is one of the World Hubs of money-grubbing Parasites and fame-craving Narcissists.
Reply
 
 Pow says:

 December 16, 2015 at 10:11 am
 
Or….Gotham city….signed the dark knight
Reply
 
 
 
 
 
 Pow says:

 December 15, 2015 at 12:01 pm
 
I will try to share a story, without giving away to much info, but to illustrate that the problems that we have are not just old cases. A few years ago a man moved to our area, he had recently been removed from an appointed position. The letter of introduction was very vague, in some respects inferring he was the victim of slanderous accusations, ,but when pressed for more info…sure enough he was a bonfide molester. …So, parameters were set, which He didn’t appreciate, so he bounced from hall to hall looking for a better reception. Anyway a while back he showed up for service at a combined meeting for service and was assigned to work with sisters from another hall, two of which were teenagers. this was arranged by a bro. from his current congregation. …well some heard about this and quickly called the COBE of his cong. It was reported that the branch had removed his restrictions? ??? This guy was guilty as Sin..the only explanation one can think of is that the victim was finally going to the police and the org. wanted to give impression that they knew nothing.
Reply
 
 
 rob says:

 December 15, 2015 at 12:12 pm
 
In my opinion, to really expose the greediness and corruption of this religion, the government should wipe out the tax free status, impose sanctions or court fines for covered up child abuse and enact legislation which requires this corporation to publish its financial statements.
I think that we would finally see the true colors of this religion. Hit them in the pocket book where it really really hurts.
Reply
 
 eyes opened says:

 December 16, 2015 at 1:34 pm
 
Agreed
Reply
 
 
 Chiafade says:

 December 16, 2015 at 9:22 pm
 
That would be the time when they SCREAM “the great tribulation is here! Satans system is trying to stamp out the good news!”
From there the gb would run and hide. I have absolutely no doubt about that. Especially after Losch’ cowardly refusal to appear before the superior court in California. When you make no qualms about losing millions in donated funds there’s nothing you won’t do to save your own skin.
The org would then crumble with the circuit overseers taking the lead of smaller splinter groups. All this while receiving instructions from the gb in their hidden location. Think it can’t happen? Those arrangements are already in place. What do you think the C.O.s are learning in the schools that they attend. It was a circuit overseer who told me this when I was a swirly eyed devotee being trained for the circuit work.
Reply
 
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 December 15, 2015 at 2:35 pm
 
Covert Fade, thank you so much for that further insight into Watchtower’s wicked flawed system of dealing with child abuse. It is so interesting when these dealings are put under the microscope by the legal profession.
I particularly liked your last point about ‘A Plea To The Elders’. Surely, any elder who is still calling himself that cannot read this and stay with the cult. May the true God and Jesus help them leave however means they can.
Reply
 
 
 Alexandria R says:

 December 15, 2015 at 3:25 pm
 
Jehovah’s Witnesses could get $1 billion for NYC properties
 Associated Press By KAREN MATTHEWS
 55 minutes ago
 Inline image
 NEW YORK (AP) — The Jehovah’s Witnesses, the door-knocking religious group that’s been based in Brooklyn for a century, is selling its headquarters and other properties for an expected price tag of $1 billion or more.
The Witnesses’ move to a town about an hour north of New York City will likely mean the end of the complex’s most well-known feature, the neon “Watchtower” sign advertising the church’s flagship publication. But it will free up hundreds of thousands of square feet for businesses and apartments in a now-trendy neighborhood at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge.
“It’s going to be incredibly transformative,” said Alexandria Sica, executive director of the DUMBO Improvement District, a business group.
Jehovah’s Witnesses spokesman Richard Devine said the move will allow the organization to operate more efficiently. The church had owned 36 separate Brooklyn properties before it began selling them off in preparation for the move upstate to Warwick. The printing plant where the Witnesses produce Bibles and religious tracts moved from Brooklyn to the town of Wallkill in 2004.
“As we’ve grown as an organization we’ve had to buy scattered properties wherever we could find them,” Devine said. “With a big, scattered campus like that it’s challenging to administer and to maintain.”
The Witnesses bought their 733,000-square-foot headquarters from Squibb Pharmaceuticals for $3 million in 1969. It was placed on the market this month along with a nearby apartment building and a 135,000-square-foot lot. Despite the prominent “Watchtower” sign, the building has no historical designations that would place restrictions on the buyer.
The church has not announced an asking price but Tucker Reed, president of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, called $1 billion “a conservative estimate” for the Witnesses’ real estate portfolio.
A partnership including Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner purchased a nearby 1.4 million-square-foot complex from the Witnesses in 2013 for $375 million and is developing it as a tech hub, while smaller buildings have sold for varying amounts.
In upstate New York, the Witnesses have purchased hotels and other properties for volunteers building the church’s new headquarters.
The Witnesses have more than 8 million active members worldwide and about 11 million more who attend some services, according to church officials.
Witnesses are required to spread their message door to door and are not allowed to vote, receive blood transfusions or serve in the military.
The organization has been in Brooklyn since 1908 but seems culturally distinct from its gritty-meets-yuppie surroundings.
Church members lead English- and Spanish-language tours of the headquarters, decorated with pastel-toned Bible paintings.
Devine said 100,000 people a year visit the Brooklyn headquarters but the Warwick facility an hour north of the city will get more visitors when it opens in 2017.
“To be honest with you,” he said, “many people find New York City intimidating.”
Sica said she is looking forward to the Witnesses’ move in part because the church’s properties seem off-limits to non-members, with fenced-in parking lots and no street-level retail. “It’s closed off,” she said. “You get that sense of ‘This place is not for the public.'”
But both Sica and Reed said that before they leave the Witnesses should follow through on a promise to redevelop a neighborhood park, which they agreed to do in exchange for a zoning change.
Devine said the Witnesses will fulfill the commitment to build the park “either through our efforts or through the efforts of the new owner. We won’t walk away from it.”
Reply
 
 
 Alexandria R says:

 December 15, 2015 at 3:47 pm
 
I didn’t realize how wealthy the org is.
Reply
 
 
 rikos says:

 December 15, 2015 at 4:33 pm
 
I just finish reading this article and i wish i could vomit at faces of the government body, at elders and any officer of the watchtower. this organization is so corrupt and disgusting. How these people stand on the platforms and preaching ethics?
Reply
 
 
 Alexandria R says:

 December 15, 2015 at 5:10 pm
 
I think many ideas and what many of you have been saying is true. The JW religion actually is a for profit organization. I remember the year they stopped serving food at a convention. I was at my convention at the Cow Palace in San Francisco. It was sad to see the homeless line up for food. They lined up because they had been given food and drink every year before. The brothers had to explain we no longer served free food. The JW organization acts like a for profit business.
Reply
 
 
 Bad Penny says:

 December 15, 2015 at 7:15 pm
 
The long asked question – What are they going to do with all the money from the sale of Brooklyn?
 In Stephen Lett’s broadcast he was saying, ‘There is more going out than there is coming in.’ Yes, come on brothers, ‘lets’ empty your pockets!
 Do they not know?
 Greedy persons will not inherit God’s Kingdom!
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 15, 2015 at 7:59 pm
 
Well, isn’t that just Jim-Dandy? Now that the Trump Family is involved, maybe they can work with WT to come up with a creative solution to their financial problems. How about a Watchtower Casino? I’m sure the GB could conveniently come up with “New Light” to justify it, like they did with the “Overlapping” thing. LOL Call it a form of “theocratic warfare”, or even “theocratic gambling”. The “Kingdom Hotel & Casino”. I wouldn’t put it past them. Like I said, money-grubbing parasites.
Reply
 
 
 Chiafade says:

 December 15, 2015 at 11:19 pm
 
I haven’t read through all of watchtowers rebuttal to the royal commission yet but there is something that I would like to bring to the attention of any and all elders who may be reading these comments.Its this :
9.67 Suggested finding F14 should be amended to : The recommendation of the elders to the branch office that Bill Neill be reappointed as an elder ‘once this has died down’ and their expressed concern ‘that there may be worldly people who also know’ were inappropriate and did not reflect the policy and practice of Jehovahs Witnesses.
This is part of watchtowers rebuttal. Notice that they made no excuses or defense for the brothers who made this statement. All of these years they had no problem with it now all of a sudden its a problem? It was inappropriate?
I want you to take a good hard look at that statement. Those brothers were torn to shreds trying to DEFEND the precious org. Did the org try to shield them for this seemingly harmless statement? Nope and nope. So why should YOU take a bullet for THEM?
Reply
 
 

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← The Friday Column: Hypocrisy! Will It Ever End?
The Friday Column: Everyone makes mistakes – except Watchtower →
 
Royal Commission findings: Jehovah’s Witness elders left abuse survivors “silenced and unsupported”
avatar 
Posted on December 14, 2015

The shocking treatment of
The shocking treatment of BCB and BCG was brought to light by the Royal Commission

The previous two articles in this series have discussed Watchtower policy and scriptural debate. However, this is not some theoretical debate of interest only to scholars and lawyers. At the core of all this back and forth over scripture and law are real human beings.
What is the actual impact of Watchtower policy when put into practice for real abuse survivors?
Two of these survivors were able to give detailed and comprehensive testimony at the ARC hearings, and the submission of the Senior Counsel contains detailed findings related to their experiences.
The Case of BCB
The first survivor was a woman referred to as BCB in order to protect her identity. She described how Jehovah’s Witness elder Bill Neill repeatedly abused her from the age of 15. She outlined the various impacts of Watchtower’s policy on her case in harrowing detail. These included:
◾An instance where, as per Watchtower policy at the time, she was forced by the elders to confront Bill Neill, repeat her accusations directly to him, and hear him challenge and dismiss them – an experience she found deeply traumatic.
◾She was required to describe intimate details of her assault to a room full of men. As a result, she found herself unable to fully detail the worst aspects of her experience.
◾She was given no counseling or support for her extreme emotional trauma, and was simply instructed to read Watchtower literature.
Even though the elders claimed to believe her, due to the two witness rule, nothing significant could be done. Neill did step down as an elder, but the reason was not announced to the congregation. No further sanctions were imposed. Neill remained a Witness in good standing.
And almost unbelievably, BCB was forced to continue attending meetings in Neill’s home.
I’ll say that again.
◾BCB was required to continue attending meetings in the home of the man whom she had stated, and the elders apparently agreed, had abused her.
Additionally, elder Max Horley and Circuit Overseer Doug Jackson sent a letter to the branch described as follows by the Commission:

148  The letter of 1 February 1992 further reported that both Mr Horley and Mr Doug Jackson were ‘impressed by Brother Neill’s acceptance of counsel and his humility throughout the ordeal’ and recommended that he be appointed as an elder again ‘once this has died down’.
Unsurprisingly, BCB didn’t fare well as a result of this treatment. She testified that she’d since had a nervous breakdown and required ongoing expensive medical and therapeutic care to deal with the mental and physical injures Neill’s abuse had inflicted.
Max Horley and Doug Jackson appeared before the ARC to defend themselves. They didn’t impress.
Jackson gave meaningless responses that often verged on gibberish, and a shamefaced Horley, despite attempting initially to defend his actions and Watchtower policy, in the end agreed that BCB had been terribly failed by both.
Here are just some of the Commission’s many detailed findings on the case of BCB. They back up and validate all the claims BCB made (bold is mine):

F6  It was distressing for BCB to be required by the elders to tell of what had happened to her to a group of men, including the man whom she accused of abusing her, and it was not likely to, nor did it, result in BCB disclosing the full extent of her abuse.
F9  The application of the two‐witness rule meant that there was insufficient evidence for the elders to act against BCB’s abuser even though they believed her, which left her feeling disbelieved and unsupported, and it left the abuser in the congregation where he may have been a risk to other children.
F10  Mr Horley telling BCB that she should not discuss her abuse with anyone left her feeling silenced and unsupported.
F13  It was traumatic for BCB and inappropriate of Mr Horley for him to have required BCB to attend Bible study at Bill Neill’s home when he knew that BCB accused Bill Neill of abusing her.
F14  The recommendation of the elders to the Branch Office that Bill Neill be reinstated as an elder ‘once this has died down’ and their expressed concern ‘that there may also be worldly people who also know’ demonstrates that they were more concerned about the reputation of Bill Neill and the congregation than about the risk that he posed to children.
Max Horley departs after giving evidence at the Royal Commission
Max Horley departs after giving evidence at the Royal Commission
 
The Case of BCG
BCG was born into a Jehovah’s Witness family, and had three sisters. When she was 17 her father, a ministerial servant, began to abuse her. Her initial attempt to contact the elders were rebuffed, and when she finally was able to get their attention, her story took a sadly familiar path. Among the indignities the Watchtower process inflicted, BCG recounts that:
◾She was required to confront her father with the accusations, who became so angry and aggressive that he had to be restrained from violently attacking her. BCG found this experience terrifying.
◾She stated that the elders, all friends of her father, appeared to attack her credibility as a witnesses, rather than support and protect her as an abuse survivor. She was left with the distinct impression that they were not impartial in the matter.
One of the most troubling aspects of BCG’s story highlights how elders can act in defiance of Watchtower’s rules with impunity.
Remember the two witness rule? Well, BCG told told the elders that her father had abused her younger sisters as well her older sister. The elders dismissed this report, stating that the girls were too young to know what they were talking about, and were not witnesses to the same event, even though Watchtower policy at the time would have accepted their evidence as a second witness.
During the hearings, the elders involved (Ron De Rooy, Dino Ali, and Kevin Bowditch) flat out denied under oath that she had made this report to them. Ali in particular was quite adamant on this fact.
To the clear shock of Ali, the ARC then produced a set of handwritten notes, taken from the congregation archives, and written by Ali during the investigation. The notes confirm, in Ali’s own handwriting, that not only had BCG informed the elders as to her father’s abuse of her sisters (a charge her mother corroborated) but that her father had confessed to the abuse before the elders.
Yet, despite having more than enough evidence to act, even under the discredited process of Watchtower, Ron De Rooy, Dino Ali and Kevin Bowditch did not find that BCG’s father had abused his daughters.
Among the many findings on the case of BCG, the Senior Counsel finds: (bold is mine)

F21  The evidence presented to the judicial committee of BCH having abused his other daughters satisfied the Jehovah’s Witness organisation’s own rules with regard to sufficiency of evidence  to establish that BCH had abused BCG, but the elders wrongly ignored that evidence and accordingly failed to uphold BCG’s complaint against BCH.
F23  The elders inexplicably and wrongly ignored BCH’s confession to having abused BCG and thereby, within the precepts of the Jehovah’s Witness organisation’s own rules and procedures, failed to uphold BCG’s complaint against BCH.
F26  The failure by the elders to report BCH’s sexual abuse of BCG to the police had the result that BCH remained at large in the community and a risk to children, and reflects that the elders were not concerned with child safety but rather with keeping their organisation ‘clean’.
F27  The judicial committee’s failure to uphold BCG’s complaint of abuse by BCH conveyed to BCG that the organisation tolerated child sexual abuse within its ranks.
F28  The advice given by the elders to BCG that she not speak about her abuse to anyone had the effect of silencing her.
As a result of this bungled (or worse) investigation, BCG attempted suicide. Her father was later disfellowshipped on a separate charge of “loose conduct and lying,” though a later appeal did confirm the charges of sexual abuse as well.
However, he was still re-instated just three years later.
Upon being informed of this BCG, terrified for the safety of children in the congregation, decided to report her own abuse to the police. She alleges that Ron De Rooy threatened her with disfellowshipping if she did so. De Rooy denied this under oath, just as he denied BCG reporting the abuse of her sisters.
Ron de Rooy on the Witness stand
Ron de Rooy on the Witness stand
 
Among the many damning findings of Senior Counsel on the reinstatement are: (bold is mine)

F31  The decision to reinstate BCH took no account of the risk that BCH posed to children, paid little regard to the fact that he had been disfellowshipped because of child sexual abuse, and was focussed principally on his extra‐marital relationship.
F32  The decision to reinstate BCH took no account of BCH’s failure to apologise to BCG, a factor relevant to consideration of sincere repentance, or of what BCG might have had to say about BCH being reinstated.
F33  The decision to reinstate BCH was disrespectful and unsupportive of BCG.
Nonetheless, BCG took her case to the police. The ARC also found, after testimony from a legal professional involved, that the delays caused by the Watchtower process, and the clumsy nature of the process itself, had rendered much of the evidence inadmissible. Nonetheless, her father was finally convicted on the third trial. What did BCG have to say about this?

245  BCG told the Royal Commission that her experience of the three criminal trials was significantly less traumatic than her experience sitting through the committee meetings.
Today BCG is disfellowshipped, and is currently being shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
A Plea to Elders
It may well be that you are an elder reading this. Perhaps you no longer believe in the faith, but are trapped, not wishing to be shunned by your family and friends. Perhaps you still consider yourself a Witness but believe, as other elders do, that in this specific area the Organization is making a terrible error of judgement.
Whatever the case, if a member of your congregation comes to you with an allegation of sexual abuse, please:
CONTACT THE POLICE

You may lose your privileges of service. But surely that is a small price to pay for being able to look yourself in the mirror and know that, when a vulnerable member of your congregation came to you for help, in the moment they needed you most, you did not fail them.
 
covert-fade-signature
 
 
 
 
 
 
Further reading…
◾Royal Commission findings: Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson “evasive and unhelpful”
◾Royal Commission findings: Watchtower policies place JW children “at significant risk of sexual abuse”
◾Reveal article: Jehovah’s Witnesses shield child sex abusers from police, report says
◾12 things we learned from Geoffrey Jackson’s testimony at the Royal Commission
◾Royal Commission’s Angus Stewart accuses Watchtower representative of deliberate deception
◾Elders shamed under questioning by the Royal Commission
◾Australian Royal Commission hears that 1,006 alleged child sex abusers were covered up by Watchtower
◾Stephen Lett slams “apostate-driven lies and dishonesties” concerning child abuse record
◾JWsurvey articles on child abuse


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← The Friday Column: Hypocrisy! Will It Ever End?
The Friday Column: Everyone makes mistakes – except Watchtower →
 
137 Responses to Royal Commission findings: Jehovah’s Witness elders left abuse survivors “silenced and unsupported”

← Older Comments
 
 dee says:

 December 15, 2015 at 11:45 pm
 
Isn’t it just grand, God is going to replace the governments of the world (including the Australian government which is now unearthing the WT’s child abuse policy flaws) with the GB past and present who will rule in his kingdom over the WT’s promised paradise earth after all these other governments have been destroyed. LOL.
If only the new system would come right now so that earth’s new rulers (the GB) will have their way and be the ones to call the shots! They can’t wait to get their hands on writing those new scrolls that will be opened in the new system – imagine a two witness rule in paradise to deal with the child molesters who will be resurrected from the dead. LOL.
Reply
 
 
 Doc Obvious says:

 December 16, 2015 at 8:20 am
 
The Watchtower Babble and Tract Society, along with the Jehovah’s Perverts, are well known throughout the world for their bad moral standards. The Governing Body, a.k.a. the Fateful and Deceit Slave Class, were deceiving the world regarding their over a thousand (1,006) pedophiles the world over.
What has happened over the sixty plus (60+) years from 1950 is a huge disgrace and extremely damning for the Watchtower Babble and Tract Society. The result has been a huge decline in their numbers. The inactive ones are swelling. People have no confidence in the Jehovah’s Perverts religion at all. The Apostate web sites are becoming more realistic and truthful. Mainly by quoting Watchtower literature and showing how outdated their written material is.
The brochure, “Return to Perversion (I mean Jehovah)” tries, but fails to bring back members. Now, with the recent Watchtower Babble and Tract Society layoffs, we see a rapid decline in the Bethelite population and more room for the Governing Body to expand their real estate endeavors. Hopefully, they can remove all the toxic waste from Warwick and enjoy their brand new lake front property at the expense of thousands of Bethelite who only make less than $200/USD per month.
Reply
 
 Pow says:

 December 16, 2015 at 9:55 am
 
Just to add to your point,
The 1006 pedophiles were from the SMALL Australia branch alone…..the world wide organizational number is 100 x that number.
Reply
 
 Doc Obvious says:

 December 17, 2015 at 7:25 am
 
I know there are more. Watchtower probably trashed the records. The 8 cases in the United States and the 1,006 cases in Australia show a great disparity and raises more questions than answers.
Reply
 
 
 
 
 Big B says:

 December 16, 2015 at 10:04 am
 
As always an excellent, informative and forthright article.
It is my sincerest hope that the majority of the worlds population will give these door-to-door, doomsday evangelists this ARC information on YouTube before shutting the door in their faces. Yes, plant a seed of doubt and maybe one of them will have the guts to investigate for themselves. Yeah, right; but one can always hope.
I also feel ashamed that it has taken me 55 years to do my own research and get out of this cult along with my immediate family.
This cult is truly a “spiritual paradise” for pedophiles! Where else can a pervert practice his fantasies and at the very worst be disfellowshipped only to sham repentance and be welcomed back in with open arms! They may even be considered for eldership positions although they had lost them before. Meanwhile they are not listed on any community registry for pedophiles as the Watchtower does not “divulge confidential information”! A pedophiles paradise indeed! Beware wolves in sheep’s clothing.
To anyone holding fast to this nonsense do to family ties please do the right thing and get out of this nasty, self-serving cult. Set an example for all so you can live with yourself. Anything worthwhile doing, including the correct thing, is always hard; despite the consequences of shunning.
To anyone reading this please remember that true “agape love”, supposedly what Jehovah’s Witnesses practice, is not conditional on what religion you choose or not choose to practice. If so, then their “loving, life-saving ministry” is verily a sham.
Reply
 
 M Saurus says:

 December 16, 2015 at 10:44 am
 
Well said, Big B !
Reply
 
 
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 16, 2015 at 10:57 am
 
Congregation elders (even the ones who are not raving lunatics on a huge ego trip) are simply ill-equipped to deal with problems of this magnitude. They have no training in professional counseling and what little training they get from the org is a joke (I can speak from experience, it is mostly learning to follow a bunch of org rules, and what the latest “new light” is).
Since many elders grew up in the org, they are poorly educated and have a very limited worldview.
I recall one elder in my circuit realized how poorly equipped he was to deal with the issues in the congregation and so he started taking psychology and counseling courses in order to be better equipped to help the brothers and sisters; he caught all sorts of grief from the other elders in the circuit.
Matthew 7:20 – by their fruits you will know them.
 Years of these org policies of not reporting child abusers, forcing victims to rely on inept elders, and frowning on anyone seeking professional help has yielded very bad fruitage indeed.
WS
Reply
 
 James Broughton says:

 December 17, 2015 at 9:08 am
 
Winston, a good response. In the light of Jon Atack’s book on mind control, we need to remember that elders are under the jurisdiction of the Governing Body therefore they believe they are following correct procedures, until, of course, “new light” is received. Sometimes it takes a respected body such as a Royal Commission to shake things up.
Reply
 
 
 Doc Obvious says:

 December 17, 2015 at 2:35 pm
 
The only training they get is what Watchtower’s legal department gives them. Lawyers are not the most truthful people in the world. There are no other professional therapists to consider at Watchtower Babble and Tract Society. They consider psychiatrists and others not in line with the Bible. A psychologist and a sociologist would tell Watchtower to can their shunning policy.
Reply
 
 
 
 David says:

 December 16, 2015 at 11:10 am
 
The issue is that no single person or religious organisation is without blemish. When a religious claims to be the only right religion and heavily criticise others sooner or later it will be forced to lie or hide things. Russell was right to be against organised religions. No men nor organised religion is right or has the truth, because we are all humans. Who claims to have the truth simply lies. According to the Bible Jesus is truth!
Reply
 
 
 kaput says:

 December 16, 2015 at 12:14 pm
 
I am ashamed to say I was part of this organization, although powerless to protest the glaring abuse of mind, body and soul of all who are part of this when I was in – I do hold myself accountable for not leaving sooner and helping friends and family to see through this terrible travesty of human spirit, love and freedom. Please use your God given faculties friends – life is too short!
 To all Elders – the bible warns against doing anything out of egotism – you will not help anyone as long as the organization does not look after the lowly, “perceived as underperforming” publishers and is prepared to write them off. Jesus’ example stands to this day – the GB do not show the traits that Jesus said would identify his true followers.
Kaput
Reply
 
 James Broughton says:

 December 17, 2015 at 9:14 am
 
Kaput, there is no need to be ashamed. As in the case of the apostle Paul, his background and previous experience became a powerful tool in the message of truth of which he was not ashamed. Like him, maybe you should acquire a new name. Not Kaput but Mended (or its German equivalent).
Reply
 
 Kaput says:

 December 17, 2015 at 3:20 pm
 
Thanks for that James I did not think of it that way, we definitely need to use our past experiences to help others out of this prison. Yes and I need a new name.
Reply
 
 
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 16, 2015 at 11:16 pm
 
@ Doc Obvious
“The Watchtower Babble and Tract Society” — Awesome! :)
 After all, they ARE a part of “Babble On the Great”. 😉
Reply
 
 Markw1509 says:

 December 21, 2015 at 6:21 am
 
Hah! Brilliant, Anonymous4!
Reply
 
 
 
 Exhausted says:

 December 17, 2015 at 12:04 am
 
You know, I have been watching a lot of shows lately. Ncis, Law and Order, etc., and it seems so simple to me
 That if a predator lurks in the congregation, that he should
 Be made to submit his DNA profile to the people who would matter in such instances and then I bet the bastards would hold off on their unnatural lusts. Make sense??
Reply
 
 
 Exhausted says:

 December 17, 2015 at 12:21 am
 
Also, that would be the unrefutable WITNESS and it
 Wasn’t available when Christ walked the earth. Neither
 We’re blood transfusions, organ transplants, heart and
 Lung machinery, skin grafts, and on and on and on.
 Witnessing a sin does not have to be accomplished by
 Human eyes. it can be accomplished by SCIENCE as it
 Can attest to guilt or innocence. No question about that.
 so come on governing body, put that DNA requirement
 In you’re book of laws. Of course you would have to
 Guilt people into submitting to it because I think forcing
 It is against the law. come on guys, you can do it.
 After all, you scared the entire world of JW s that the
 World was ending in 1975.
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 17, 2015 at 1:28 am
 
Good idea. I totally agree. But you’re probably correct, it probably would be illegal to force it. Might violate bad guys’ “rights” in this upside down world.
Reply
 
 
 
 Exhausted says:

 December 17, 2015 at 1:41 am
 
Yeah,a true pedophile would shudder at that proposition.
 but come on, once the edict is announced, I am sure there
 Would be those who would deliver.
 After all, what could be lost if you are straight.
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 17, 2015 at 2:19 am
 
True, they could be “guilted” into it, as you said.
Reply
 
 
 
 Simon Kestral says:

 December 17, 2015 at 3:21 pm
 
@Average Joe
“it is a great relief to know that others …comprehend the major guilt that I still feel for speaking out against those who direct what I feel to be God’s spirit directed organisation”
Joe, my remarks are not meant to discourage you. They are intended to show you that WT is not ”God’s spirit directed organisation.”
WT has a good sales pitch: paradise earth and resurrection. But those promises were in the Bible long before WT appeared on the scene. Christian faith does not require WT. Jesus is head of the congregation, not the GB. You don’t need WT to mediate between you and Christ.
“It’s very difficult waking up … it’s more for my immediate family that I don’t want to disappoint”
That’s what it comes down to. But many people have lost family for the sake of Jesus. We know what he said about that …
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 17, 2015 at 6:16 pm
 
Good points. After all, if it was God’s spirit-directed org., would they be using the cynical manipulation techniques that they do, and covering up the heinous crimes that they do? I respect people’s right to believe, but I believe all religions and cults are man-made.
Reply
 
 
 
 dee says:

 December 17, 2015 at 4:06 pm
 
@Holi Connoli
 Good one Holi Connoli! ROFLOL!
The new system can’t come soon enough. Castration – what better way to deal with those ressurrected child molesters especially given the fact that it won’t be possible to put resurrected persons to death if they should sin in paradise, since according to the bible: “NEITHER CAN THEY DIE ANYMORE”. Castrate them I say! LOL!
Luke 20:34-36:
“The children of this system of things marry and are given in marriage, but those who have been counted worthy of gaining that system of things and the resurrection from the dead NEITHER MARRY NOR ARE GIVEN IN MARRIAGE. In fact, NEITHER CAN THEY DIE ANY MORE, for THEY ARE LIKE THE ANGELS, and they are God’s children by being children of the resurrection.”
Reply
 
 Pow says:

 December 17, 2015 at 4:47 pm
 
Be careful Dee, they would probably castrate all the men and F.G.M. the woman, instead of deal with the real culprits. There is definitely a history of resorting to rash tactics to deal with one problem by legislating rules in completely unrelated areas…forbidding to marry in the 30s, beards in the 20s, higher education 50s, masterbation 60/70, rock music 60, rap music 90, Internet 90, organ transplants 60/70, jury duty 60, divorce/porniea 70, and so and so…..some of these positions obviously were changed or dropped , others just modified..many were a knee jerk reactions to a perceived problem.
Reply
 
 
 
 Pow says:

 December 17, 2015 at 4:58 pm
 
Just to clarify, its a frightening thing to comprehend justice in the hands of religious zealots, whether they be Jewish, Isis, Christian or JWs….
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 17, 2015 at 6:39 pm
 
Well said.
@ dee
 Wow, I never realized the implication of that text. So I guess taken at face value it does mean that resurrected persons can’t die, even if they disobey. That, of course, makes no sense, as it is totally incongruous with biblical doctrine. Another reason I don’t believe the bible or any other “holy” book. LOL
 PS: I’m sure WT has already found a way to “INTERPRET” (read: “TWIST”) that verse (no doubt under the guidance of “Holy Spirit” LOL). Maybe they claim it only applies to “144000”, though it clearly specifies ‘those worthy of gaining THAT SYSTEM OF THINGS and THE RESURRECTION’, and ‘children of the resurrection’. More babble from Babble On the Great, anyway. :)
Reply
 
 dee says:

 December 17, 2015 at 7:55 pm
 
@anonymous 4
Good points.
 Also, what’s more, the test at the end of Christ’s 1000-year reign which the WT claims will determine who will live forever (Revelation 20: 7-10) will be meaningless for persons who have been resurrected. Whether or not persons who have been resurrected pass that test is neither here nor there since resurrected persons CAN NO LONGER DIE.
The only persons whom this test will apply to are the JW Armageddon survivors since they, although having lived 1000 years (without any freak accidents happening?), can still die. Interestingly, according to WT theology, the number of persons who will fail the test and be destroyed will be “as the sand of the sea” (Revelation 20:8), a large number. What a pity, the JWs managed to make it through Armageddon but a large number of them will fail this final test and be put to death.
Reply
 
 
 dee says:

 December 17, 2015 at 9:11 pm
 
According to WT theology the resurrection of the 144,000 commenced in 1918 and will conclude at the outbreak of the Great Tribulation (I suppose any of the 144,000 who are on the earth at the time of the outbreak of the Great Tribulation will be raptured) – that is, the heavenly resurrection of the 144,000 occurs in THIS system of things not in THAT (post Great Tribulation/Armageddon) system of things to which the resurrection spoken about at Luke 20:34-36 pertains.
“All the evidence indicates that this heavenly resurrection began in ****1918****, after Jesus’ enthronement in 1914 and his riding forth to start his kingly conquest by cleansing the heavens of Satan and his demons.” Revelation, Its Grand Climax At Hand! p. 103
Reply
 
 
 dee says:

 December 17, 2015 at 11:09 pm
 
Therefore, the resurrection of Luke 20:34-36 does not apply to the resurrection of the 144,000 since the resurrection of the 144,000 occurs in THIS system of things according to WT theology.
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:05 am
 
Yes, current watchtower dogma is that the application of Luke 20:34-36 does not apply to the 144000 but to the other sheep. Even though they say that virtually everything else in the New Testament applies ONLY to the anointed. Completely inconsistent. They arbitrarily pick and choose what they want to apply to whom.
The whole concept of two distinct classes of individuals is completely out of harmony with the scriptures. Nothing more than a Rutherford brain-fart.
And yes, the JWs also believe any remaining anointed will be raptured during the great tribulation, but they dislike the use of the word “rapture.”
WS
Reply
 
 
 
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 17, 2015 at 6:49 pm
 
“Poets, Priests, and Politicians
 Have Words to thank for their Positions
 Words that scream for your submission…”
The Police
“De do do do, De da da da”
Reply
 
 
 holy Connoli says:

 December 18, 2015 at 4:44 am
 
@dee. I remebr when I was a JW Elder that scripture would often come up for debate that you quote in Luke
Reply
 
 
 holy Connoli says:

 December 18, 2015 at 4:55 am
 
@dee. Many JW”S would debate it for hours if it meant the earthly resurrection or the heavenly etc. It would go on and on and sometimes get loud and argumentative.
 They would get all worked up about it with some strong opinions. I would say what does it really matter right now? I guess we will find out so quit squabbling !It is good not o know everything right? That is a Major negative point about the WT that has caused them so much trouble. They feel they HAVE to be right about all things they say instead of sayin we don’t know and your eternal life is not dependent on some doctrinal view point. Look how many problems they have bc of their position on Blood? The 2 witness rule? Shunning? 1914? 607 BCE? The Generation teaching ( backward double flip! ) F&D Slave etc. We could go and and on.I have concluded in my life that we don’t need to know everything nor want to know everything. It isn’t that important. That “WE MUST BE RIGHT” mentality is what makes the WT look stupid and crazy.Especially when they are so WRONG all of the time.lol
Reply
 
 
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← Royal Commission findings: Jehovah’s Witness elders left abuse survivors “silenced and unsupported”
How the Watchtower Stole Christmas →
 
The Friday Column: Everyone makes mistakes – except Watchtower
Posted on December 18, 2015

The mistakes of bible characters are owned up to in the scriptures
The mistakes of bible characters like Peter are owned up to in the scriptures

Everyone makes mistakes. The Bible characters certainly did. Think of the Apostle Peter, denying Jesus three times on the night of his arrest, his faith and courage failing him at the critical moment, leaving him a weeping, emotionally shattered wreck. (John 18:13-27)
Think of King David, sleeping with Bathsheba then panicking over the resulting pregnancy, so desperate to avoid scandal that he ultimately orchestrates events to get Bathsheba’s husband killed. (2 Samuel chapter 11)
Or think of Jonah, getting a commission from God to condemn the Ninevites, but instead running away in terror from that commission as fast as he can. (Jonah 1:3) After God readjusts Jonah’s thinking via the rather humiliating use of a whale’s digestive tract, Jonah finally gets his act together and goes forth to condemn the Ninavites. (Jonah 1:17-2:2)
Except the Ninivites promptly repent and God forgives them, so Jonah throws a hissy fit about how he will now look like a fool when all that fire and judgement he prophesied doesn’t show up on time. (Jonah 3:10) God rolls his eyes and has to school him again about not being a sulky little child, especially where people’s lives are concerned. (Jonah 4: 9-11)
Faithful men of old made some horrific mistakes, and Watchtower makes mistakes too. Think of prophecy.
“1914 will be the end of the world! Oh, that didn’t happen. Hmmm. We meant to say 1925, and Moses will be resurrected then as well! Huh, the world didn’t end and Moses is a no-show (but we can still use that lovely house we built for him). Wait right, 1975 will be the year it all ends! Oh…. well it’ll certainly come before the end of the 20th century!…huh…erm…before the generation that saw 1914 passes away? OH COME ON!”
Or think of medical advice.
For example, from 1921 to 1952, the Watchtower campaigned against vaccination, presenting it as unsuitable for Christians and nothing more than a malicious con on the part of the medical establishment.
During an era when mankind was poised to make great strides in eliminating diseases such as smallpox, Watchtower recklessly stood in the way, endangering not only the lives of its followers but of all those who came into contact with them. Only in the 1950’s did they start to reverse this position, apparently due to legal concerns more than anything else. It’s hard to argue that lives were not lost or ruined as a result.
What about organ transplants? From 1967 to 1980, the Watchtower considered transplants to be cannibalism, thus putting this life-saving and life-changing treatment out of the reach of its followers. This position was reversed after 13 years, but again it’s hard to argue that witnesses would not have suffered and even died as a result of this mistake
And how could we not mention child abuse? In Austraila alone, it was recently disclosed that over 1,006 alleged child abusers were known to Watchtower since the 1950’s as operating in their congregations. None of them were reported to the authorities.
None.
As a result of this inaction, Watchtower’s own internal records show that a significant number of these molesters continued to offend and re-offend with apparent impunity, and with no recourse available to the abuse survivors.
Of all their errors of judgement, this seems to be one of the gravest Watchtower has ever made.
So, just like the faithful men of old, Watchtower has made some terrible mistakes. There is, however, one significant difference between the faithful men of God in the bible, and Watchtower today.
In the bible, God’s people admitted their mistakes.
Peter, for example, is never recorded as having contested the accounts of his failure on the night of Jesus’ arrest. Rather, the bible narrative makes clear that he fully admitted his failures and did his best to atone for them.
Additionally, all in the congregations of the first century would be aware of Peter’s history. There was no whitewashing, no denial. Peter owned his mistake and learned from it, later being recorded as a courageous man who successfully stood firm in situations similar to the one in which he succumbed.
Likewise David, upon being confronted with the gravity of his sins, tore his garments apart and went into mourning.
If one assumes the bible as being the word of God and accepts the biblical narrative of who wrote what, then it was David himself who recorded the full depths of his mistakes in Psalm 51, acknowledging the full horror and human cost of his error. No excuses. No passing the buck. No editing of his personal history. David took it full on the chin, accepting whatever consequences God felt fitting.
Likewise, according to the religious text, Jonah himself is the author of the book that bares his name – even if most bible scholars consider the book allegorical. But assuming it is a historical account with Jonah as the writer, as befitting a humble man of God he did not attempt to whitewash his own history, or belittle his mistakes. Rather, he recorded them in excruciating detail, presenting a brutally honest chronicle of his worst failures that often cast him in a poor light.
Jonah didn’t care that it made him look bad. He knew that it was more important to acknowledge his serious mistakes, own them, and learn from them.
How does this compare to Watchtower? Let’s start with the succession of failed prophecies littering the feet of the Organization.
It has to be said, the founder of the religion, Charles Taze Russell, did occasionally admit that he’d blundered in this regard, although this didn’t stop him from setting new dates to replace the failed ones with seemingly endless enthusiasm and very little self reflection.
However as time went by and the leadership changed, this trait faded from Watchtower’s skill set. For example, the only acknowledgement of the 1975 debacle was a single published article that essentially threw the rank and file Witnesses under the bus for believing what they were told by Watchtower from the platform and in publications (never mind the fact that they are not allowed to dispute what they are told from the platform and in publications by Watchtower).
Since then, failed prophecies have not even been acknowledged as errors. They have instead been re-framed as “new understandings” or “new light.”
So the next time I leave home without my wallet, that’s not a mistake. That’s new light about the location of my wallet. And the next time I burn the toast it is not a mistake, just a new understanding about the desired status of the toast. I mean yes, I still had to eat carbonized bread for breakfast, and I’m standing at the bus stop with no money to pay the fare, but I didn’t make any mistakes, you see…
What about the other subjects? Issues where Watchtower mistakes have had a grave cost in physical and mental health? A cost in human lives? Issues such as banning vaccination and organ transplants? Or the covering up of numerous cases of child sexual abuse?
Watchtower has never apologized for these mistakes. Ever.
In fact, if you are a Jehovah’s Witness reading this, it might be the first you’ve even heard of some of these issues, so thoroughly has Watchtower whitewashed them from history and made sure that the congregation does not know.
Y’know, exactly the way Peter didn’t.
And the way David didn’t.
And the way Jonah didn’t.
I guess you can draw your own conclusions from that.
 
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184 Responses to The Friday Column: Everyone makes mistakes – except Watchtower


Newer Comments →
 
 Markie says:

 December 18, 2015 at 5:25 am
 
Mr. Covert Fade, everything you wrote is old news.
Reply
 
 Covert Fade says:

 December 18, 2015 at 5:37 am
 
Yep. The Friday Column isn’t a “breaking news” style article, it’s more a free ranging look at general topics about Watchtower and JW issues.
Also, keep in mind that JW stumble across this site on a regular basis, and for them a lot of this won’t be old news, it will be the first they’ve heard of it. That was certainly the case when I began my awakening, articles like this were old news to the exJW’s but stunning revelations to me.
Always good to keep discussion on these topics in the spotlight.
Reply
 
 
 Chiafade says:

 December 18, 2015 at 5:44 am
 
Markie I certainly hope that you aren’t implying that this history doesn’t matter. It speaks directly to watchtowers stubborn refusal to admit and correct mistakes even when they’re harming people.
Its hard to tell from your one sentence what you meant. So I’ll show some restraint.
Reply
 
 Markie says:

 December 18, 2015 at 8:20 am
 
Gosh! Good for you. Thanks for showing me some restraint. Give yourself a nice pat on the back.
Reply
 
 Alexandria R says:

 December 19, 2015 at 5:40 pm
 
There are three facts I didn’t know about until I read this. It isn’t old news for me.
Reply
 
 
 
 Holly Chu says:

 December 18, 2015 at 8:23 am
 
Chiafade, I echo your comment. This is important history that needs to be brought front and center, Markie.
Excellent job Covert Fade!
Reply
 
 
 
 nullandvoidboy says:

 December 18, 2015 at 6:03 am
 
Hey Markie…..this is not about “preaching to the choir”…of course old timers know this stuff. It’s for a newbie who is thinking about getting out of the Matrix….I wish my niece and nephew knew about the WT hall of shame, but hey never will as it’s an organization that practices revisionist history….anyway, did you ever learn anything “new”at the kingdom fall? This is more of a validation for us and an awakening for new ones who have the nerve and courage to look at the borg.
Reply
 
 Adam Heckathorn says:

 December 19, 2015 at 8:06 am
 
I remember learning something new. “Taking lifesaving blood components is now OK” last week you should have refused them even if it meant an early grave for you but this week It’s OK.
Reply
 
 
 
 Caltanzee says:

 December 18, 2015 at 8:25 am
 
#Markie, Din’t you ever heard that’s what is old becomes new again especially when it’s revelant to the situation now at hand ? The situation now at hand is the information age made powerful by the internet. Because of this medium many have access to information they can’t get at the kingdom halls where information is spoon fed. It was articles such as this that awoken my critical thinking skills when I accidentally stumbled onto this website and started searching for more information on other sites..I never knew about Beth sarin , The Menlo park scandals as well as other nefarious things going on behind the scenes in the organization. As I observed the things in the watchtower publications get more And more delusional..So it may be old to you, because you know about the wackiness. But don’t you think in all fairness that others has a right to have this vital information made readily available to them? Well: I certainly do!!!
Reply
 
 
 Robert67 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:26 am
 
Old facts that are needed here on a loop for new visitors to the site. Everything can’t be the latest scandal at WT. Would love to see Throw back Thursdays, where articles focus on the false prophecies and old scandals in the Watchtowers history.
Reply
 
 Eric Arthur Blair says:

 December 18, 2015 at 4:39 pm
 
Haha, great comment Robert67, throwback thursdays, love it! The good news is there is no end of material to work with!
And the more the watchtower tries to bury its history the more activist sites like this need to dig it up, whether it’s old news or not. Until the watchtower shows the same candour it praises the bible writers for it needs to be exposed and held to account.
Reply
 
 
 
 Hadriel says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:35 am
 
Yes much of this is old news but to a point. For those just now breaking from the psychosis it provokes thought. Isn’t that the point? Why do commercials run and present the same “old news” as they did 30 minutes prior? Because some may have been in the kitchen, the bathroom or just flat missed it. The same can be said of those waking. What if today is the day a person just happens to see this “old news” and it causes them to not “critically think” but just plain think?
You could run this article once a month for the next 10 years and it would be appropriate. So although it might be old news to you or stale others may have just opened the door and for them it takes on that “new car” smell.
Reply
 
 
 Billy's Views says:

 December 19, 2015 at 1:36 am
 
Its new to all the Jokers who wrongfully put their faith in a Organization that’s left them entirely broke now their approaching retirement.
It’s bad enough regular employees who worked 30-40 years for Large Corporations are wondering how their going to make it during retirement with unstable pensions or volatile Economics in our Global Economy. What about the JWs who put their trust in the Watchtower?
Will the Watchtower Apologize the Janitors and Window Washers who cheated on their taxes by not reporting their income or never paid Self-Employment Tax will probably be collecting $900 a month in Social Security once they turn 65 years old? Oh, that’s right, JWs can file for Disability and Pioneer because its cool sucking off the Government’s Tits like Rutherford’s men said.
Yes, it’s New to all the JW “Baby Boomers” approaching retirement without pensions, 401k plans and hoping the Republicans don’t repel Obamacare because that’s the only way they will have any decent insurance they can afford.
Thank’s for your article, JWs can look at the New Light of having no Retirement Accounts as a “Vow of Poverty” like the Governing Body take. Their “Vow of Poverty is quite different from their members, they will be taking the monies for their poor members and telling their members to “pay your vows” so we can get that adjustable Lake fixed!
Reply
 
 
 Eric Arthur Blair says:

 December 19, 2015 at 2:57 am
 
Actually, I have only just “awoken” this year and discovered all of this “old news.” I wish I had discovered it all years ago, but even though I had doubts and concerns over many things, I fell for the Watchtower’s Jedi mind trick and remained loyal to the organisation (to my dying shame) by refusing to look outside. Well, fortunately this year that spell was broken thanks to sites like this. I undedicated myself in May, and this site has been central to me coping with the transition back into the human race, and healing from 25 years of captivity.
And for the record anyway, this is current news because they still refuse to apologise, that’s the point. It is what they are doing now that is the issue. Even in the face of overwhelming evidence presented to them at the ARC (and that’s just the tip of the global iceberg,) this very month they still remain entrenched in their position and insist on defending the indefensible. So as far as I’m concerned, as long as they refer to their religion as the “THE truth,” then all the truths regarding it should be exposed so they can considered by everybody, and their bold claims scrutinised properly.
Reply
 
 Adam Heckathorn says:

 December 19, 2015 at 8:17 am
 
Great comment Eric I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been out for a little while and have given some public talks in the community which I spent not a little effort researching and yet I was recently shocked to discover contrary to what I had been told the New World Translation is not considered a masterpiece of translating work. The real experts in the field consider it very poor work! I am coming across things I didn’t know all the time about this organization.
Reply
 
 
 
 
 Garrett says:

 December 18, 2015 at 5:29 am
 
Even Darth Vader admitted he had made mistakes and came around in the end.
 Looks like the GB are the Evil Emperor and will never admit wrong .
;-D
Reply
 
 Chiafade says:

 December 18, 2015 at 5:48 am
 
“Can I learn the power of the resurrection?”
“(Geoffrey Jackson glares over and says)
 Not from a Jedi/apostate”
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 6:23 am
 
Han Solo: “No reward is worth THIS.”
Reply
 
 Covert Fade says:

 December 18, 2015 at 6:27 am
 
“Now witness the firepower of these FULLLY TIGHTENED and HOMOSEXUAL PANTS! Mince at will, brother Lett!”
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 6:40 am
 
Beware of The Watchtower…
 “IT’S A TRAP”

 
 
 Hadriel says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:25 am
 
O.K. I’m officially dying now LOL. BTW from one fade to another these recent articles…crushed it!

 
 
 Robert67 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:31 am
 
May the farce be with you

 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 5:38 pm
 
I’m gonna start sprinkling “midichlorians” on my breakfast cereal so I can be more like the GB. :)

 
 
 
 
 
 Searcher says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:04 am
 
When the GB announced that they themselves are the ‘Faithful and Discrete Slave’, they should have been saying, “We meet again self-anointed, delusional people. Now WE are the master!!!”
Reply
 
 Searcher says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:03 am
 
Of course, I’m speaking of the ‘remnant’ of the 144,000 self-anointed delusionists and not the ‘Greater Crowd’ that are looked upon as slave-labor commoners and not capable of thought for themselves.
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 5:44 pm
 
“Self-ANOINTED” — Good one!
Reply
 
 Bret says:

 December 19, 2015 at 7:39 am
 
Idea… We appostates should all find a KH unfamiliar to us this coming memorial and go partake… See if we can inflate their growing number of delusionists past 20,000….lol

 
 
 Pow says:

 December 19, 2015 at 10:59 am
 
Brett,
 I can see it now, Caleb and Sophia pretake, then Dad has to explain how there not part of that Class, their part of the lower class..the secondary, earthly class where Jesus is not your mediator and his blood is not apply to your sins….After alot of crying, the children are reminded that they can eat ice cream in the new system, seeing how they had to give it up to support the building of the new warwick club med.

 
 
 
 
 Peggy says:

 December 18, 2015 at 2:15 pm
 
I was beginning to question the truth when the GB became self appointed FDS. This put me over the edge. I woke up. I began to investigate the organization. I stumbled upon this site and others. I learned about the numerous failed prophecy, and horrible mistakes they made. The fact the GB has never once admitted their wrong, and apologized seriously angered me. I hope they will be brought to justice one day. I am very grateful for the Friday Column.
Reply
 
 
 
 Anonymous says:

 December 18, 2015 at 12:02 pm
 
Spoiling bast*d!!
Reply
 
 no naming £2:99 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 10:20 pm
 
Vad you meaning oi please ? £2.99
Reply
 
 
 
 Tara says:

 December 19, 2015 at 8:41 am
 
Obi Wan Kenobi looking down over Warwick…. ‘You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious.”
Master Yoda ‘The dark side it is’.
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 19, 2015 at 12:43 pm
 
Spot on. Yub-yub.
WS
Reply
 
 
 
 
 alanv says:

 December 18, 2015 at 5:31 am
 
Its actually a very good point that many may have not thought of by many. You are right, the bible accounts of mistakes made were recorded for all to read about.
 With Watchtower, it is very rare indeed that they admit their mistakes, and most often simply blame the sheep for reading too much into what was said. There is no humility at all, and when they do change something, they just stop writing about the old idea they had and start writing about what they now believe, as if they had always believed that.
Reply
 
 
 Kat says:

 December 18, 2015 at 6:57 am
 
Difference in making mistakes admitting them than lying and covering them up. The GB have lied to JW and the public by publishing over a 100 yrs of vomit, I think this article is current because they continue to publish lie about their history.
And what was the final straw for me waking was research on their quotes after reading JW. facts looking up all those quotes to find they had misrepresented the scholars and lied, this is new news to many JW that may be viewing this site.
Once you know you have been lied to that is it, you cannot trust those claiming such a high position as appointed by Christ himself to be un repented liars.
Thank you covered excellent material.
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 5:49 pm
 
“Over 100 yrs of vomit” — LOL — That pretty much sums it up.
Reply
 
 
 
 James Broughton says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:01 am
 
Very good article. There is a world of difference between imperfect human beings making mistakes and the “only organization on earth through whom Jehovah reveals his will.” How can we rely on God if he keeps getting it wrong? (He doesn’t, of course, but we do.)
Reply
 
 redpilltwice says:

 December 18, 2015 at 8:24 am
 
Your point regarding the difference between imperfect humans & God’s only organization on earth is SPOT ON James (to speak with Searcher’s words below). Yesterday a concerned brother (wrongly assuming I’m only taking a temporary break from WT activities) visited me at home for a cup of coffee and some encouragement (lol!). He told me he knew about Australia and I told him I saw only fear and denial in the elders’ eyes and facial expressions, not the power of Holy Spirit (Matth. 10:10-16). I also asked him if he had heard Geoffrey Jackson’s denial before the Royal Commission that “they” (the GB) are God’s only mouthpiece on earth. This brother compared Geoffrey’s shocking statement with the apostle Peter, denying Christ three times. I told him that this was something completely different and today I found out why, according to the WT’s own literature: *** w03 8/15 p. 5 How Some Are Remembered ***
 When Peter realized his mistake, he wept bitterly. He was not afraid to express his sorrow and regret. … He was humble enough to admit his failings. Do you have that virtue?—
Would we see Geoffrey jackson admit and regret his mistakes the same way as Peter? It’s a rhetorical question… we know the answer, don’t we?
Reply
 
 Chiafade says:

 December 18, 2015 at 1:08 pm
 
Great reply! By referencing the apostle Peter you showed a stark contrast between the apostles and the gb.
That’s one thing that really gets under my skin. The audacity to claim to be the modern day apostles and NEVER EVER admit or apologize about anything.
Reply
 
 
 
 
 Bryan linkoski says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:09 am
 
I conclude from your observations and study that it is all made up manmade bullshit!! With that said: I choose to live in this word and not adhere to some fearful delusional bull crap preached by men.
Reply
 
 
 Searcher says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:11 am
 
This article is SPOT ON! I know I harp on this, but this is the examples of how the GB and WTS leadership have no concept of RESPONSIBILITY of their policy or actions. Of course they won’t admit to any of the deadly and dangerous policies of this destructive cult. The WTS would be held liable in so many courts and class-action suits, the whole organization would collapse. Maybe the internet information, ARC hearings, vids like Cedars make, and reminders like this article will do that job for the GB’s cowardly irresponsibility. Then the WTS will burn to ground! Good riddance!
Reply
 
 
 Malachi says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:24 am
 
Nice article. I think the point that was missed is that all the mistakes on the part of actors in the Bible were due to ‘human imperfection’ not misinterpretation of what their message was. David gave in to temptation, Peter gave in to fear of man etc. I would wager that the individual members of the GB would freely admit that they make mistakes on a personal level. They are, after all, human but one of their biggest problems is that together they think they speak for god and give themselves equal footing. Through the magic of Orwellian ‘doublethink’ they claim they are not divinely inspired and simultaneously claim to be god’s sole channel of communication. The abused, indoctrinated masses blindly follow along and happily disregard any seeming contradiction, failed prediction or poorly implemented practices and procedures because this same group of men claim that any changes are a result of ‘revealed truth’ which is just a refined version of their former ‘present truth’. If the GB were to all of a sudden admit that they have made mistakes in the past this would likely open many eyes to the fact that what they say is no more than conjecture or at best an educated guess. That does not take into consideration the downright falsehood that they propagate through fabricated history including their stubborn and impossible to reverse insistence on 607BCE as the date for the fall of Jerusalem. It is as untenable a position as they could possibly find and yet they cannot reverse it because their entire claim to authority rests on that house of cards. I feel this is one of the reasons that they have upped the fear meter, telling people to beware of apostates on risk of shunning. They cannot justify their position with any logical reasoning based on facts so they force people to accept it with threat of punishment.
Reply
 
 Covert Fade says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:54 am
 
This is an excellent point
Reply
 
 
 Bright Lightbulb says:

 December 18, 2015 at 11:25 am
 
Wow. Could not have said it better myself. 2 thumbs up.
Reply
 
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:34 pm
 
@Malachi
 Great points! “Oh we are not inspired, just spirit directed.” What’s the friggin difference? Nothing, just a bunch of word games. This was one of the first things to become clear to me during my awakening. Great tie in to 1984
– WAR IS PEACE
 FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
 IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
WS
Reply
 
 
 Man from the lions pit says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:40 pm
 
Malachi good point reasoning & conclusion ! Thanks!
Reply
 
 
 
 Stephane Laliberte says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:24 am
 
Awesome article. I am bookmarking it into my favorites. Thanks!
Reply
 
 
 Johannes Hoekstra says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:43 am
 
The watchtower GB expect from his followers 100% obey. When you claim True Religion than you claim True Mankind Religion included your rules. The 7 of Brooklyn makes Synodes, Concillies ( 15-03-2015 WT Study articles) and never tell “sorry”. No they claim that Jehovah gave them more “light”…..
Reply
 
 
 Doc Obvious says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:54 am
 
Humility is admitting your shortcomings and mistakes openly. Humility is knowing that you have limitations and know that you are dealing with them in a human way. Humility is knowing that the organization has made mistakes and trying to change course to prevent other mistakes of the same nature.
The Watchtower leadership has no humility. They use the juvenile defense mechanism, deflection. For example, they tell parents whose children are in the university that it was not their fault that their child is no longer a witness. One GB even stated asked the question, who dropped them off at the university in the first place. My question is what shepherd is partial enough to choose which sheep he wants to shepherd and what ones he doesn’t. I’m sure Jesus was not too thrilled by these remarks either.
In addition, have you ever heard the Watchtower explain what humility is. Their version is quite confusing.
The Apostles had their issues and were spiritually strong men to admit they have made mistakes during their life by writing it in the Bible.
Reply
 
 
 Caltanzee says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:56 am
 
This is an article well researched and expertly presented in a way that’s easily understood.#Consise and on point.This article should serve as a light bulb moment for all present jws.There’s nothing more I can say, except to say thank you and well done.
Reply
 
 
 eyes opened says:

 December 18, 2015 at 8:51 am
 
Well written article. Thanks. A review of history is very necessary. I have decades in the org and there are certainly things I wasn’t aware of. Also in some respects the org is quite young when you consider most of the growth has been, what, the last 15 years perhaps. My husband recently quoted James T Kirk referring to the gb he said “sounds like they have delusions of grandeur and tin plated godship”. Not sure if that’s an exact quote but I like it. Keep up the good writing.
 Regards
Reply
 
 RetiredLE says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:39 pm
 
Another great ‘Kirk’ moment…”Excuse me..excuse.. I’d like to ask a question…What does God need with a Starship?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnxvKJAv5Ik What does God need with an organization? Doesn’t he desire all to be saved?
 Surely, he has the will and the power. He ’causes to become’. If you wouldn’t hold your child’s hand over a flame for punishment (see Reasoning with Scriptures – Hell) why would the God who IS LOVE destroy billions, who simply didn’t have the opportunity to know the ‘truth’ or didn’t choose to be governed by a group of delusional men. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o14DOOlsOkY GB – “Why have you done this to my friend?” Shakari = Spitual Pardigm
Reply
 
 
 
 eyes opened says:

 December 18, 2015 at 8:59 am
 
For those who are aware of Rutherfords letter to Hitler as shown in the 1934 yearbook, even Hitler was smart enough not to get involved with the witnesses. You don’t read much about that major faux pas. It got some mention in an awake article around 1995. They admitted there was increased persecution after that letter. How many lives lost? Yet we are to believe Rutherford would be counted as a faithful and discreet slave. Hmm.
Reply
 
 Searcher says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:13 am
 
Eyes Opened, you are correct. Rutherford was neither ‘Faithful’ nor ‘Discreet’. Rutherford may not have started the cult, but he was the bombastic blowhard that set up the destructive cult as it is today along with his little demented minion Fred Franz.
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:40 pm
 
@Searcher: Well said!
WS
Reply
 
 
 Bret says:

 December 19, 2015 at 7:53 am
 
Very true… Russell may have believed the delusional dates of 1874 (parousia) and 1914 (Great tribulation) but at least he taught the Ransom covers every human and all would be resurrected to a probational period even those destroyed at Armegeddon. Rutherford’s reign of terror and cult mind control began with a scheme aka fear fobia… All who do not follow the big “O”, will be destroyed forever either Armegeddon or second death and no resurrection if you die before Armegeddon during the seperating of the “Sheep and Goats”..,
That terrorists kept me and my family captive for over 20 years in constant fear.. Yes Rutherfords reign of terror constitutes him a terrorist….
Reply
 
 
 
 JBob says:

 December 18, 2015 at 12:12 pm
 
The 1995 confession about Nazi relationships was not some noble act that the Watchtower initiated of its own will. About this time many major corporations were being unveiled regarding ties to Nazi regime–many USA-based, some German, and some UK. A major PR move to get ahead of an incoming tsunami of “disgust” expressed by the public. But, who knew child molestation would be coming in from the other direction?
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 6:08 pm
 
“Even Hitler was smart enough NOT to get involved with the Witnesses” — LMAO
 PS: Can you picture Hitler going door-to-door with the “Watchtower”? :)
Reply
 
 Eric Arthur Blair says:

 December 19, 2015 at 4:40 pm
 
Yes, I lmao too. I think this is going to become a catchphrase in our household from today. Thanks for brightening my day eyes opened.
Reply
 
 
 
 
 Ruthlee says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:24 am
 
Umm! Guess what folks I made a mistake. I was in error ,I blundered made a fool of myself, jumped through endless hoops to please my parents, in laws, husband,and anyone else who presumed I was less than a human being. Now then to err is human and to forgive is divine. Where I went wrong was believing all and everything I ever read by the watchtower and I mean that most sincerely folks. When the stirrings of awakening came upon me I realised that I have genuinely been in error for the very best part of my life all the flower of my youth and ignorance. So where does this leave me! I’m at the place where I ask the watchtower bible and tract society to truly forgive me for believing all that they printed and I mean I read the lot since my baptism until this year. I unconditionally loved them and gave them my life my wealth and my health and I was sincerely wrong I hope they understand my plea and will let me go with a warm smile and a wave. Because now iv’e seen the light I read THE HOLY BIBLE daily and it’s not what they taught me so I hope to die an ignorant fool who can quote the Bible and not watchtower. Tears fading away……… ruthlee
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 6:14 pm
 
U’re forgiven. :)
Reply
 
 
 holy Connoli says:

 December 19, 2015 at 5:06 am
 
@ruthlee. Heart felt Ruthlee. I did the same and I feel the same. My best youth years 20-39 were given pretty much to the WT although I raised 3 kids and that was part of the equation. The good news is 2 of my kids cannot stand the WT . My 3rd one Is still in and no doubt is under pressure bc her moms a fanatic and would have a heart attack if she left.
I personally did apologize to my 2 boys for raising them as JW’s and depriving them of many things and a “normal” life. They said no problem Dad, it wasn’t 100% bad it was just down right STUPID and ignorant and We know you were sincere and wanted the best for us at that time and you thought you were doing the right thing. WE love you Dad. You worked so hard for the family and still took us many awesome places and spent time with us. It is just that JW’s and the WT are like some CULT. No problem Dad life is better than ever and we love you and we did learn some things in the JW’s that are ok and we can take that with us and throw all the other BS away!
Reply
 
 
 Idontknowhatodo says:

 December 31, 2015 at 7:12 am
 
Me too ruthlee.
Reply
 
 
 
 Bill Covert says:

 December 18, 2015 at 10:06 am
 
Covert Fade Nice name, I like it.
 For 25 years I have been playing a mental chess game with the church Service dept. Knowing the history is very important for the purpose of closing all the escape routes. There is a researcher who has taken on scriptural basis and has stated that with what I started with they were able to uncover information that “is sure to amaze”. So after all these years I get to see if I have just been pissing in the wind or have emulated the guy in Eccl.9: 15.
 Hopefully I will have put the church in a position to where they have to go through the same judicial process they force on women, kids and the rank and file of their church, to where the church has to confess sins, repent and right the wrong. If successful it is the knowledge of church history, especially the past two years that is a important part. It has been a long fight made difficult by the out of the box thinking and that I am challenged in writing skills.
Again nice name Bill Covert
Reply
 
 
 Bright Lightbulb says:

 December 18, 2015 at 10:47 am
 
Always very well written articles. I think it’s so interesting to see that WT always reference historical information when condemning things, for example “the original Greek word is such and such and because of that we can’t do A B and C”. Clearly history
 matters, albeit not at all when it comes to dark(er) WT history. That’s out the window and no longer important…unless of course that dark light one day turns into bright light! What recently did it for me was the overlapping generation nonsense. Good grief.
Reply
 
 Shane Green says:

 December 18, 2015 at 11:15 am
 
That’s what tipped the balance for me as well…after a long time stuffing doubts down and ignoring them…that was the last straw….what utter bilge!!
 DA’ed sept 3rd this year
Reply
 
 Man from the lions pit says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:54 pm
 
Just few months ago my bro . I’m sure it’s not ease especially if you have family or close friends in! best wishes hugs & peace
Reply
 
 
 
 Eric Arthur Blair says:

 December 19, 2015 at 5:05 pm
 
Yes, they also have been running a series in the mags called “from our archives.” This is selective history of course – they are guilty of all the things they have blamed governments for and those throughout history who have written their own convenient history. I would love to see a similar series online pulling out all the stuff in their archives they ignore “from their archives”!
The honesty of the bible writers is one of the things that still gives the bible some credibility in my eyes. It’s ironic they use this as evidence to draw people in, ensnare them, and then never display the same kind of honesty they apparently regard so highly. This is very sinister.
The same sad irony is there with their handling of sexual abuse victims. They form their policies based on their non-negotiable interpretation of selective scriptures (which is itself ironic given the amount of times they have changed their teachings on so many other things of lesser import). These policies then provide the perfect environment for predators to operate with impunity, and when the WTS is held to account for all of this by a “worldly” organisation, they claim that they are being persecuted by Satan’ system and apostates, and this is further evidence that they are gods organisation.
So they are effectively arguing that their policies and handling of child sexual abuse is PROOF they are God’s organisation. That’s beyond sinister, it’s just sick. I consider the entire organisation to be a paedophile ring. And the GB to be its ringleaders. I’m just glad I left seven months ago.
Reply
 
 
 
 Hakizimana Jean de Dieu says:

 December 18, 2015 at 11:44 am
 
In some cases, mistakes and crimes are MADE “courage”….
*** w12 2/15 p. 12 par. 9 “Be Courageous and Very Strong” ***
Sisera himself sought refuge in the tent of Jael, but she killed him while he slept. In line with Deborah’s prophetic words to Barak, “the beautifying thing” of this victory went to the woman Jael. Because Deborah, Barak, and Jael acted courageously, Israel “had no further disturbance for forty years.” (Judg. 4:1-9, 14-22; 5:20, 21, 31) Many godly men and women have displayed similar faith and courage.
Reply
 
 Anonymous Subversive says:

 December 18, 2015 at 12:16 pm
 
Read between the lines of Judges… Deborah (word of the Lord) “Look here girl, this fool man ain’t gonna be taking down Sisera–playing around; I’m gonna have to get your girl to do it. Send her some Jimmy Choo’s when you can.”
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 6:24 pm
 
Seems to be an awful lot o’ killin’ in the Old Testament!
Reply
 
 
 
 ILOVE XMAS says:

 December 18, 2015 at 12:16 pm
 
#Brightlightbulb..that overlapping generation BS was the last straw for me. It shows just how desperate they are to keep some fire lit under their drones….how can anyone swallow that? Its embarassing for them and they don’t even realize it .
Reply
 
 Robert67 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:00 pm
 
Their reasoning is “where else will we go, you speak of everlasting life”, sadly they have forgotten it is Jesus, not this self appointed slave that is offering that. When judgement day does come these people are going to realize they were in the Enron section of Christianity. Foundation completely built on clay and mud, perfect for molding temporarily into whatever moves the product.
Reply
 
 Man from the lions pit says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:57 pm
 
well said :-) or :-(
Reply
 
 
 ILOVE XMAS says:

 December 19, 2015 at 12:39 pm
 
Well Said Robert67!!
Reply
 
 
 
 
 James Wittinger says:

 December 18, 2015 at 12:27 pm
 
The only answer for me is to close down all religions including mine and start over. No more paid clergy or collection plates. Everyone chip in and pay the gas bill. Just meet and discuss faithful men like David and Peter and Jonah. Learn from them. All property gets taxed. How peaceful that would be.
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 6:27 pm
 
Sounds like that might make too much sense. 😉
Reply
 
 
 
 Will says:

 December 18, 2015 at 12:42 pm
 
So true. Great job. I look forward to these Friday columns.
Reply
 
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 18, 2015 at 1:12 pm
 
I recently read about truly great leaders and the “window or the mirror” analogy. When a greater leader experiences success, he/she ‘looks out the window’ for the team members he/she can give credit to. But when failure occurs he/she ‘looks in the mirror’ taking responsibility for their mistakes.
The Wathtower Org is the polar opposite. Gives testimony to their leadership skills.
WS
Reply
 
 Man from the lions pit says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:59 pm
 
yap ur right bro !
Reply
 
 
 
 Scag says:

 December 18, 2015 at 1:53 pm
 
The next big thing will be the current “generation” teaching. It appears that Watchtower is continually having to explain and support its position. There have been 3 broadcasts in the last few months trying to explain and reconfirm the current understanding. Many JW’s I talk to are confused, others reject the notion of an overlapping generation outright as wholly unsupported by scripture and still others are questioning the ridiculous attempts to justify the current teaching. Compare Matthew 24:34, Luke 17:25, Mark 8:31, 38. Make sure your read these verses in context. You will notice that although the accounts are not parallel ( that is they are not reporting the same event) the subject matter is identical. These verses clearly show that Jesus was referring to a wicked generation. If you take the time to read these accounts carefully and in context you will see very clearly that Matthew 24:34 cannot apply to the anointed.
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 19, 2015 at 7:34 am
 
@Scag
 They have to keep re-explaining the overlapping generation teaching because it is complete BS. But as we have seen with their other erroneous teachings if they repeat them enough the rank & file drones eventually accept it. It’s just a form of brain washing.
My advice to the R&F: Set your BS detectors to ON.
WS
Reply
 
 Scag says:

 December 19, 2015 at 1:51 pm
 
What you say is right. People abdicate their thinking and responsibility so easily without blinking an eye. Instead of checking things out for themselves they just roll over and accept whatever slop they are fed. It’s really quite sad, alarming and disheartening.
Reply
 
 
 
 
 Big B says:

 December 18, 2015 at 1:55 pm
 
Many thanks to Covert Fade for a well written and informative article.
Although this Adventist cult was started by C.T Russell it now bares little markings of his original teachings and if were possible to resurrect him today he would not recognize what it has become.
What it has become is an avarice, corrupt, manipulative cult.
Historically speaking, the Jehovah’s Witnesses today evolved from the teachings of a drunken sot, namely J.F. (the Judge) Rutherford.
Examples: the door to door ministry. Although having no trouble sending others out to “advertise, advertise, advertise the King and his kingdom” was to busy himself going from drink to drink.
The year of 1914 went from being the end of the Gentile times (as Charles Taze Russell believed) to the start of Jesus Christ’s invisible reign.
The erroneous teaching that the “other sheep”, mentioned by Jesus in the Gospels and the “great crowd”, mentioned in Revelation that survive Armageddon, are one in the same group is also his legacy.
The name Jehovah’s Witnesses and the meeting places themselves (Kingdom Halls) were also contrived during his tenure as President (changed from International Bible Student Association).
To everyone reading my comments and to all seekers of the truth about the “Truth” let me point out my following observations;
 1. no religion, that I am aware of, advises its adherents to reject the sacraments during their communion services;
 2.no religion, that I am aware of, asks that their adherents of how much time is spent serving their religion and keep records of it;
 3.no scripture I have read says that Jesus died only for the “slave class” and “other sheep” are a ‘secondary beneficiary’;
4.no scripture instructs me to follow this self-appointed “faithful and discrete slave” class that has absolute power over medical decisions, internet or television viewing, literature reading, what movies, sporting events, shows and hobbies I can participate in, what standards in dress and grooming I should adhere to, how much secular education and what career choices I can pursue, who is worthy of consideration as a marriage mate and what sort of sexual acts can married consenting adults perform in the privacy of their bedroom;
 5. and finally what questions of ever-changing doctrine I am allowed to ask and which people are worthy or non-worthy of my association.
What finally convinced me that “something was rotten in Denmark” was the New Light doctrine of overlapping generations, followed by the ten year membership to the United Nations. The icing on the cake was these child molestation cases.
I, for one, am fully convinced that this doomsday “Armageddon is just around the corner”, pedophile protecting, time bandit, money hungry, self-serving cult has no more relationship with God than any other religion, denomination, cult or sect-Christian or otherwise.
Finally “to thy own self be true” do your research and see just how far the rabbit hole goes; if you can stomach it.
Reply
 
 Searcher says:

 December 18, 2015 at 2:52 pm
 
Well put Big B!
What you say here is a full account of all the rants and anger that I have felt after disassociating myself from this cult. How can people that are in this circus of a religion not see these problems?
The rabbit hole and any other investigation into the true creation of this monstrous cult machine boils down to a greedy, drunken, arrogant blowhard named Rutherford. He’s been dead for decades and his style and intimidation tactics live on. The chain of leaders from Rutherford to the newly self-appointed ‘F&D Slave’ have perpetuated this control freak’s method of lie upon lie and arrogant all-knowing behavior. The current governing body must either really buy in to their delusion of grandeur for themselves, or know this whole religion is a farce and continue to live off the power they get from it. Once you peel the layers of the onion (so to speak), you really see what this ‘religion’ is and the lies that are behind it. No wonder they strongly forbid people from asking questions, reading other literature about JW’s, and seeing the real truth on the internet sites upon pain of DF and fear. They would truly loose control. If Rutherford tried to run the religion today as he did in the early 20th century, he would have been called out and shown to be a real con-artist extraordinaire.
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 19, 2015 at 7:50 am
 
I agree with the comments about Rutherford. From everything I have read, I believe that all the major issues, including the use of the cult mind control, start with him.
IF, and this is a BIG IF, the organization Russell started ever had God’s favor, it was surely lost with Rutherford at the helm. He took control through slick legalistic maneuvering and had all his rivals figuratively “killed off” (thrown out of the Org) in order to maintain control. It’s reminiscent of Queen Athaliah in the OT. How could such behavior ever receive divine favor?
WS
Reply
 
 
 
 JBob says:

 December 18, 2015 at 4:12 pm
 
So Big B, just a question–to play part of challenger–what if some “truth seeking JDubs” are saying to self, but this group does positive things–turning prostitutes and thugs and substance-abusers into “silk purses” (from wretch to saved)? True the dogma is somewhat murky, but look at the end results… Doesn’t every religion have some bit of non-sense going on when given deep-thought and scrutiny?
Reply
 
 Justin says:

 December 18, 2015 at 5:47 pm
 
Great Comment Big B!
@Jbob: Not to steal Big B’s Thunder but my response to a challenger with that kind of straw man argument would be this…(after laughing hysterically)
To say the watchtower does some good in “cleaning up” the lives of those leading a self destructive lifestyle is ridiculous…especially when viewed from a subjective standpoint.
Considering that the Watchtower could care less about their individual members…case in point child molestation…the Watchtower only indoctrinates people so that they can use and abuse them for the rest of that person’s natural life.
That challenger’s argument is reminiscent of the “Civilized Savage” and “White Man’s Burden” argument used by American slave-holders and European Imperialists. Yes…the ingenuous peoples have no rights, liberty, or freedoms of any kind what-so-ever…BUT…at-least they are not living like a bunch of mindless, third world savages and have the benefits of “white man’s society”.
So, the Watchtower only cleans people up so that they can, in turn, be abused and used for the selfish purposes of peddling the Watchtower’s interests for the rest of their lives…like a slave.
To exchange one self destructive lifestyle for another is not an improvement…but merely a change of scenery and self denial.
For every so called “good dead” the Watchtower does…it in turn does 10 horrible, unspeakable things.
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 6:47 pm
 
Well put!!
 Going from smoking crack to following a mindless cult is just switching one drug for another. And let’s not forget WT IS a cult, not a “religion”. Watchtower does not go around the world building schools, hospitals, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, charities, etc. As you stated, compared to the all the NEGATIVES, the good they do is MINIMAL.
Reply
 
 
 dee says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:12 pm
 
@JBob, Justin, anonymous 4
Just about every Christian religion can claim that they do some good in cleaning up the lives of those leading a self destructive lifestyle. This is not something unique to JWs.
Reply
 
 
 JBob says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:45 pm
 
@Justin – amazing, you answered without underlining anything? or reading the paragraphs above my questions?
Reply
 
 
 
 
 
 Jake says:

 December 18, 2015 at 4:07 pm
 
Great information!. Appreciate all your efforts!.
I informed my father-in-law about the child sex abuse cases from BBC and CNN, he says, its all completely FAKE, never believe all that and never watch any of that. !… what a joke!.. they are so much spiritually blind. Me and my wife are not having any interest to attend the meetings anymore, I was baptised in 2011 and my wife is a born JW we got married 6 months ago, but when i told her all the truth, she agreed. she also says she used to ask many questions when she was younger but she never got a meaningful answer and always been told that they should do only what the organization says and never think anything against. Now we are not interested to attend the meetings but still going to the meetings just for her parents and her dumb JW family. Recently we were unable to attend couple of meetings because of some work schedule etc, but one of her relative in our congregation reported this to her parents, and they are getting very much worried and bugging us everyday on the phone and keep advising to attend meetings. i am getting very much uncomfortable, time is getting wasted everyday talking about this and worriying for no real reason! . the problem is, the engligh news channels have no big reach in my country so people are not at all aware of what is happening with the JW cases and warwick development. JW’s here are too much dumb. So i was planning couple of ideas and i need some advice from you friends in executing!.
#1. I am preparing a letter and have collected all the address newspapers and News TV channels of my country, and going to post the hardcopy with all the references on the child sex abuse cases to check the policies of watchtower could be a threat to our country. I will also send an email regarding this.
#2. I plan to consult an attorney to find if there are possibilities to make this as a pulic issue and file a complaint to check and re-evaluate the JW policies for the welfare of the country.
I would like to know if this will work out? or if you have any better ideas? I cannot tell which country i am from now, I can explain more in detail in personal emails. This is my first priority, as this has started to cause lots of trouble in our family. i want to get this news to my family as they are not going to believe if i try to explain them.
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 19, 2015 at 8:13 am
 
Jake,
Keep in mind that the JWs are under the undue influence of a cult that employs methods of mind control. A single stroke will not usually wake them up, but only a sustained effort to slowly overturn cult thinking.
I highly recommend the book “Freedom Of Mind: Helping Loved Ones Leave Controlling People, Cults, and Beliefs” by Steve Hassan. It has some excellent strategies for getting people to awaken to cult mind control.
If your wife does not want to loose her family connections, a slow fade from the organization might be your best bet. It sounds like you have woken up and now you just want to shout out all that has come to light. BE CAUTIOUS. If you start spreading information, make sure you remain anonymous. Although your wife agrees with you, she may not be ready to choose you over her family. It is amazing the amount of control this org can have over someone, especially if they were raised in it.
WS
Reply
 
 
 Simon Kestral says:

 December 19, 2015 at 8:55 am
 
Jake, as Winston said:
“your wife … may not … choose you over her family … it is amazing the amount of control this org can have over someone.”
To keep your wife, be careful and “keep a a low profile.” Avoid becoming a target for enemy fire.
But if you can abandon family and possessions for the sake of Jesus name, the reward, and suffering, are yours to choose.
Reply
 
 holy Connoli says:

 December 20, 2015 at 3:49 am
 
@ Jake.Listen to Simon. I know from experience. My Wife has Chosen the WT over a happy married life. Our entire marriage has been for her to serve the WT. She would not do her responsibilities bc she always had to go in FS first! Or go to the meetings etc.I would go to work for 10-12 hrs a day and come home to a dirty house, unpaid bills,many times no food in the house bc she was in FS or doing some other “theocratic” activity. If a CO or GB came to town all hell would break lose bc she acted like Jesus Christ himself was here. I am not exaggerating.
 I will never have a happy normal family bc she is in mind control from a dangerous cult. So if you can live with it fine if not you need to accept it and somehow make a life around it. She will never change as long as she is in the Borg. I know I am living through it. Choose your battles.
Reply
 
 
 
 Velvia Blue says:

 December 19, 2015 at 11:01 am
 
Take it softly softly. Chose only battles that you can win and are worth winning. Enjoy a happy married life.
Reply
 
 
 Searcher says:

 December 20, 2015 at 7:33 am
 
Hi Jake,
I’m with the others that have responded to you. Please take a deep breath and take this with some wisdom from the others. I agree with you, that we need to get this cult exposed publicly, but I also agree that you should do this anonymously. You can be a better help to your family if you don’t make them martyrs (we all know that JW’s LOVE to be martyrs) or yourself a pariah to your family.
Reply
 
 
 
 Sardec says:

 December 18, 2015 at 4:26 pm
 
Yes this is old news, but I thank the floating teapot that there is something different to read at least once a week. Thank you all at jwsurvey for guest writers who contribute their stories. I remember back when I would check daily to see if there were new articles…now I know that every Friday there will be something.
Reply
 
 
 Graeme Hammond says:

 December 18, 2015 at 5:46 pm
 
The UN debacle was a classic case of Watch Tower denial. Instead of design up, they created a story about joining in order to qualify for a library card. It was the response to that mess that focused my mind on their pride, their refusal to admit error, and the fact that this is an entirely human organization led by humans with the usual human flaws.
Reply
 
 JBob says:

 December 18, 2015 at 10:09 pm
 
@Graeme – whoa… I just had a chill go down my spine, again, because you mention the excuse that it was to qualify for a UN Library card, but a few scant decades earlier, they boasted about “brothers and [mostly] sisters” being raped and beaten in Malawi for resisting government demands to register for a political party card [nevermind about Mexico, just now].
And, maybe the registrant realized that demons jumping out of the UN was “fake magic” but the literature (especially the “You May Survive Armaggedon” book and others up through the 1960’s) ranted on and on about the UN being a spawn of Satan–literally–and near-to equal of a demonized Babylon the Great church. JW’s expected a demon to swoop down and seize them just putting a toe across the threshhold of a church parking lot [some wouldn’t use a church lot to turn car around on a one-lane road bounded by flood ditches], so UN Library visit would be like feasting with the “King of Apostates”.
OTOH, if the intent was to follow-up with an easing of UN = Satan rhetoric, the boat sailed without that accomplishment.
So, integrity–window–out flying of.
But, that’s one example of JW conflicted thoughts, the literature also made it apparent that commercial entities (corporations and legal partnerships–apparently over a certain asset value on the books(?)) were also “spawns of Satan,” but Watchtower, Inc. and now so many “daughters of Watchtower, Inc” apparently exceeding the same asset value [J* adjusts for inflation?] as the previous mentioned demonic corporations are “divine instruments (entities)”? Same amount of ‘paper-chase’ to form as the “demonic” entities, yet somehow set apart. Was there a libation poured out to sanctify these entities? Or, maybe it’s the “dedication ceremony” to expunge unclean spirits?
Reply
 
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:02 pm
 
@ Jake
 I think your ideas are awesome! I have done similar things, and plan to do more. My advice is: DO IT!!!
 I always say, There’s no harm in trying. You can’t win the lottery if you don’t play. Other than that, all I can say is talk about this stuff to “worldly” people when you have a chance (they don’t have a clue either) and keep coming to this site.
 PS: I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to inform “worldly” folks of this site, either. Who knows, some may be curious enough to check it out. Word spreads fast.
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:11 pm
 
P.S.
 Does your father-in-law believe the Moon Landings were fake too? :))
Reply
 
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:22 pm
 
I have nothing to add to the “overlapping” argument, except the blatantly obvious: Jesus did say “THIS generation will by no means pass away…”, NOT “The OVERLAPPING generation…”. I don’t believe the word “overlapping” even exists in the New Testament. I certainly do not recall Jesus EVER using that word. Adding a word or concept like that would seem to be an act of, oh, I don’t know………..APOSTASY??! :)
Reply
 
 Searcher says:

 December 20, 2015 at 7:42 am
 
Good point! The overlapping generation thing is the biggest ‘tap-dance’ I have ever seen come out of the WTS leadership yet. It’s all I could do not to split my gut laughing at David Splane explain the overlapping generation. It’s a pathetically desperate attempt by the current GB body trying their level-best to cover the complete _ _ _ _ ups their predecessors set up for them. (insert your expletive at the blank) It showed this is definitely not God’s one and only spokespeople for the earth.
Reply
 
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:29 pm
 
Watchtower considers itself to be Guardians Of Doctrine — G.O.D.
 They are more like Guardians Of Old Forgotten Scrolls — G.O.O.F.S.
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 7:36 pm
 
As long as I’m being silly, here’s a suggested name for a (conceivable) Watchtower Casino: Jehovah’s Awesome Christian Casino Of Victory — J.A.C.C.O.V.
 P.S. This post may get deleted (justifiably so). But it was worth it. 😉
Reply
 
 
 Robert67 says:

 December 18, 2015 at 9:24 pm
 
Jesus would teach “the way” to live during his ministry, not “the denomination” to belong to.
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Love above all else in the law or prophets words. The Watchtower teaches pharisaical conditional love, pending amount of hours dedicated to pushing magazines.
The Watchtower conditions its members to seek glory and applause for themselves and deals harshly with those not interested in praise from their “platforms”. Their faithful and discreet slave is anything but faithful to Gods word or discreet about their service. They love being under lights in front of cameras, receiving the praise and let’s face it worship of the rank and file wherever they go. Jesus refused to be called good, because only God in heaven was good. Jesus showed his disciples humility by washing their feet and repeated what he thought of those wanting all the attention.
1″Take care not to practice your righteousness in front of men to be noticed by them; otherwise you will have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens. 2 So when you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full”.
Reply
 
 
 Man from the lions pit says:

 December 18, 2015 at 10:20 pm
 
Thank you for this even previous articles CF !
 Any individual,company or entity who lost the ability of self reflection or self critique it’s on the way to oblivion.
 This apply to WT and JW.org as we know it.
 The question is not IF just WHEN.
 MENE MENE TEKEL
Reply
 
 Man from the lions pit says:

 December 18, 2015 at 10:23 pm
 
UPHARSIN …. I forgot to finisht it….
Reply
 
 
 
 ScotWm says:

 December 19, 2015 at 12:51 am
 
Rather than admit wrongdoing, the Watchtower’s Guardians Of Doctrine (GOD) use endless self-adulating repetition as a powerful brainwashing tool. The Governing Body’s mind bending technique is to continually state that Jehovah’s Witnesses have the only true religion, which is being directed by the seven self-appointed (and self-anointed) members of Jesus’ faithful slave. The “new light” explanations, which previously painted over failed prophesy, are now called “adjustments.”
The claim is made that this faithful slave directs congregations which are overseen by spirit-appointed elders and ministerial servants who must be obeyed. Bible laws are then mixed with Watchtower laws which must be strictly followed if cult members are to have Jehovah’s approval. The constant repetition of these key points has the effect of negating all past and present Watchtower mistakes.
As a loving provision, the Governing Body is now providing its published propaganda in PDF format, which allows global word searches. The key words found in the March 2016 Watchtower Study Edition reveal a lot about what Jehovah’s Witnesses are expected to think and what they are expected to believe. Certain key words appear in this issue:
congregation: 51
 law: 26
 baptism: 41
 dedication: 20
 young ones: 15
 elder: 11
 servant: 14
 unity: 10
 obey: 6
This issue of the Watchtower is designed to lure young and impressionable ones into getting baptized as soon as possible. Too young to be aware of the Watchtower’s dubious past and present, these youths are a vulnerable target. The message clear: Young ones (particularly boys) need to get baptized now and reach out for positions of responsibility in their congregations, or risk being killed during the great tribulation.
Paragraph 18, page 21: “Indeed, to keep receiving God’s blessing, we need to pay attention to all the directions provided through the Christian congregation. Having an obedient spirit now will help us to follow directions during the “great tribulation,” which will eliminate Satan’s entire evil system.” (Matt. 24:21)
http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/watchtower-study-march-2016/
Reply
 
 holy Connoli says:

 December 20, 2015 at 4:09 am
 
@Scotwm. It is amazing the BS they can come up with in the articles.In the March 2016 WT questions from readers? They are back to making claims again and bible prophecy of greater full- fillment etc. I thought the WT had said a few months ago the types and anti types were no longer believed? Now they are saying it again. Flip flopping some more. I am highlighting some current non sense they are saying.See below. IN it they accuse the Clergy of treating harshly anyone who had a “DIFFERENT OPINION” then they had? Who does that sound like to you? Read below from 2016 WT. They talk about being in spiritual captivity from the churches up to 1919.
“During that extended period of spiritual captivity, the clergy and their political associates, who were desirous of maintaining their power, kept the Word of God from the people under their control. At times, it was a crime to read the Bible in a common language. Some people who did so were even burned at the stake. Any who expressed an opinion contrary to what the clergy taught were dealt with harshly, thus stifling any attempts to spread the light of the truth”. ( WT March 2016 )
Let he who has eyes read nd understand! They are describing themselves in their attack on the clergy.
Reply
 
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 19, 2015 at 5:07 am
 
“Listen, obey, and be enslaved…”
Reply
 
 
 rikos says:

 December 19, 2015 at 5:47 am
 
jehovah’s witnesses (Fred franz 1975 discourses)
 the first minute is not very clear,but after the first minute you can here, the and will come on OCT/05/1975.Bles is those who left this organization.
Reply
 
 
 Nathan says:

 December 19, 2015 at 6:53 am
 
It is the Devil’s latest historical trick to mix Watcthtower Witnesses with the biblical name ”Jehovahs Witnesses”. They call themselves spiritual jews. Therefore WW fits the Pharisees perfect. They say one thing, and does another”.
Reply
 
 
 Adam Heckathorn says:

 December 19, 2015 at 7:59 am
 
Great article and You could write it all over again and using a whole other set of mistakes not mentioned here. Mistakes that like some of these mentioned have ruined the lives if not ended the lives of countless individuals. Then You could write it again with yet another set of mistakes. I’m not sure how many times this could be rewritten using a whole new set of mistakes.
Reply
 
 
 Robert67 says:

 December 19, 2015 at 8:25 am
 
Very relevant to the articles topic.
 If you weren’t awake yet…



Reply
 
 
 JWChange says:

 December 19, 2015 at 12:00 pm
 
Very well written article. Simple to the point. JWs have a saying, ‘new things learned’. Also known as ‘old things remembered’. I think this article should be put on this website and other JW ones (such as forums) every year to increase the chance of new persons learning the real Truth about ‘the truth’
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← Royal Commission findings: Jehovah’s Witness elders left abuse survivors “silenced and unsupported”
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The Friday Column: Everyone makes mistakes – except Watchtower
Posted on December 18, 2015

The mistakes of bible characters are owned up to in the scriptures
The mistakes of bible characters like Peter are owned up to in the scriptures

Everyone makes mistakes. The Bible characters certainly did. Think of the Apostle Peter, denying Jesus three times on the night of his arrest, his faith and courage failing him at the critical moment, leaving him a weeping, emotionally shattered wreck. (John 18:13-27)
Think of King David, sleeping with Bathsheba then panicking over the resulting pregnancy, so desperate to avoid scandal that he ultimately orchestrates events to get Bathsheba’s husband killed. (2 Samuel chapter 11)
Or think of Jonah, getting a commission from God to condemn the Ninevites, but instead running away in terror from that commission as fast as he can. (Jonah 1:3) After God readjusts Jonah’s thinking via the rather humiliating use of a whale’s digestive tract, Jonah finally gets his act together and goes forth to condemn the Ninavites. (Jonah 1:17-2:2)
Except the Ninivites promptly repent and God forgives them, so Jonah throws a hissy fit about how he will now look like a fool when all that fire and judgement he prophesied doesn’t show up on time. (Jonah 3:10) God rolls his eyes and has to school him again about not being a sulky little child, especially where people’s lives are concerned. (Jonah 4: 9-11)
Faithful men of old made some horrific mistakes, and Watchtower makes mistakes too. Think of prophecy.
“1914 will be the end of the world! Oh, that didn’t happen. Hmmm. We meant to say 1925, and Moses will be resurrected then as well! Huh, the world didn’t end and Moses is a no-show (but we can still use that lovely house we built for him). Wait right, 1975 will be the year it all ends! Oh…. well it’ll certainly come before the end of the 20th century!…huh…erm…before the generation that saw 1914 passes away? OH COME ON!”
Or think of medical advice.
For example, from 1921 to 1952, the Watchtower campaigned against vaccination, presenting it as unsuitable for Christians and nothing more than a malicious con on the part of the medical establishment.
During an era when mankind was poised to make great strides in eliminating diseases such as smallpox, Watchtower recklessly stood in the way, endangering not only the lives of its followers but of all those who came into contact with them. Only in the 1950’s did they start to reverse this position, apparently due to legal concerns more than anything else. It’s hard to argue that lives were not lost or ruined as a result.
What about organ transplants? From 1967 to 1980, the Watchtower considered transplants to be cannibalism, thus putting this life-saving and life-changing treatment out of the reach of its followers. This position was reversed after 13 years, but again it’s hard to argue that witnesses would not have suffered and even died as a result of this mistake
And how could we not mention child abuse? In Austraila alone, it was recently disclosed that over 1,006 alleged child abusers were known to Watchtower since the 1950’s as operating in their congregations. None of them were reported to the authorities.
None.
As a result of this inaction, Watchtower’s own internal records show that a significant number of these molesters continued to offend and re-offend with apparent impunity, and with no recourse available to the abuse survivors.
Of all their errors of judgement, this seems to be one of the gravest Watchtower has ever made.
So, just like the faithful men of old, Watchtower has made some terrible mistakes. There is, however, one significant difference between the faithful men of God in the bible, and Watchtower today.
In the bible, God’s people admitted their mistakes.
Peter, for example, is never recorded as having contested the accounts of his failure on the night of Jesus’ arrest. Rather, the bible narrative makes clear that he fully admitted his failures and did his best to atone for them.
Additionally, all in the congregations of the first century would be aware of Peter’s history. There was no whitewashing, no denial. Peter owned his mistake and learned from it, later being recorded as a courageous man who successfully stood firm in situations similar to the one in which he succumbed.
Likewise David, upon being confronted with the gravity of his sins, tore his garments apart and went into mourning.
If one assumes the bible as being the word of God and accepts the biblical narrative of who wrote what, then it was David himself who recorded the full depths of his mistakes in Psalm 51, acknowledging the full horror and human cost of his error. No excuses. No passing the buck. No editing of his personal history. David took it full on the chin, accepting whatever consequences God felt fitting.
Likewise, according to the religious text, Jonah himself is the author of the book that bares his name – even if most bible scholars consider the book allegorical. But assuming it is a historical account with Jonah as the writer, as befitting a humble man of God he did not attempt to whitewash his own history, or belittle his mistakes. Rather, he recorded them in excruciating detail, presenting a brutally honest chronicle of his worst failures that often cast him in a poor light.
Jonah didn’t care that it made him look bad. He knew that it was more important to acknowledge his serious mistakes, own them, and learn from them.
How does this compare to Watchtower? Let’s start with the succession of failed prophecies littering the feet of the Organization.
It has to be said, the founder of the religion, Charles Taze Russell, did occasionally admit that he’d blundered in this regard, although this didn’t stop him from setting new dates to replace the failed ones with seemingly endless enthusiasm and very little self reflection.
However as time went by and the leadership changed, this trait faded from Watchtower’s skill set. For example, the only acknowledgement of the 1975 debacle was a single published article that essentially threw the rank and file Witnesses under the bus for believing what they were told by Watchtower from the platform and in publications (never mind the fact that they are not allowed to dispute what they are told from the platform and in publications by Watchtower).
Since then, failed prophecies have not even been acknowledged as errors. They have instead been re-framed as “new understandings” or “new light.”
So the next time I leave home without my wallet, that’s not a mistake. That’s new light about the location of my wallet. And the next time I burn the toast it is not a mistake, just a new understanding about the desired status of the toast. I mean yes, I still had to eat carbonized bread for breakfast, and I’m standing at the bus stop with no money to pay the fare, but I didn’t make any mistakes, you see…
What about the other subjects? Issues where Watchtower mistakes have had a grave cost in physical and mental health? A cost in human lives? Issues such as banning vaccination and organ transplants? Or the covering up of numerous cases of child sexual abuse?
Watchtower has never apologized for these mistakes. Ever.
In fact, if you are a Jehovah’s Witness reading this, it might be the first you’ve even heard of some of these issues, so thoroughly has Watchtower whitewashed them from history and made sure that the congregation does not know.
Y’know, exactly the way Peter didn’t.
And the way David didn’t.
And the way Jonah didn’t.
I guess you can draw your own conclusions from that.
 
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← Royal Commission findings: Jehovah’s Witness elders left abuse survivors “silenced and unsupported”
How the Watchtower Stole Christmas →
 
184 Responses to The Friday Column: Everyone makes mistakes – except Watchtower

← Older Comments
 
 Doc Obvious says:

 December 19, 2015 at 2:52 pm
 
Does Watchtower follow the Civil Rights act of 1964?
As one company puts on their job information board, This company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.
The answer is that Watchtower discriminates on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Reply
 
 
 Karen says:

 December 19, 2015 at 4:03 pm
 
I am utterly gutted at the findings of the Royal Commission…. A crisis of conscience indeed ….. For without the ‘Truth’ where do we go? Where is God’s organisation on earth? I have been advised to trust in Jehovah he will set matters straight, not to turn against the organisation into apostasy …… However the God I know and love also loves children and would not condone nor hide theses atrocities against anyone.
 I am so filled with guilt because I am not attending meetings …. but I cannot walk out the door ….. I love Jehovah and I love his Bible and the promises he makes to us ….. BUT …… I am lost …..
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 19, 2015 at 8:52 pm
 
@Karen,
 Keep in mind that you don’t need to be a part of a large organization to serve God through Christ. Jesus said that ‘if just two or three are gathered in my name there I am with them.’
Russell didn’t believe that there should be any divisions among Christians. The various denominations (including the JWs) only serve to divide the true followers of Christ.
I highly recommend Ray Franz’s second book: In Search of Christian Freedom. He gives a very good perspective on how to serve God without the support of some large organization.
WS
Reply
 
 
 Robert67 says:

 December 20, 2015 at 11:02 am
 
The God of the Bible requests that you worship him in Truth and Spirit. There is no truth to the everchanging doctrines of the Watchtower publishing company and its stock. There is only one middle man between you and God, that is the Christ. Focus on him as Paul adviced the Colosseans when they were swamped by a plethora of opinions on doctrine.
Reply
 
 
 
 BeenMislead says:

 December 19, 2015 at 5:20 pm
 
Yes so true!! And yet they want un-questioning obedience!!
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society have become extreme and cult-like. If it really was Jehovah’s Organization this would not be happening!
Notice this quote from a recent 2013 Watchtower magazine:
“At that time, the life-saving direction that we receive from Jehovah’s organization may not appear practical from a human standpoint. All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not.” – (Watchtower 2013, 11/15, Pg. 20, Seven Shepherds, Eight Dukes—What They Mean for Us Today)
Here is another cult-like quote:
“We need to obey the faithful and discreet slave to have Jehovah’s approval.” – (Watchtower 2011, 7/15, Pg. 24, Simplified English Edition)
Requiring un-questioning obedience to 7 imperfect men (the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses) whether these instructions appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not, is extremism and is cult-like!
This is coming from the same Organization (The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society) that thought Armageddon was coming in 1914, then again in 1925, and then again in 1975.
This is especially disturbing and dangerous given the fact that they have not been right about anything yet. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society have a 100% failure rate in their predictions and/or interpretations for future events.
Sorry to say, but if you think anything they say now is going to happen or come true, then you are being gullible and naive!
This 1969 Awake magazine quote testifies to their failure rate:
“If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years.
 Of the generation that observed the beginning of the “last days” in 1914, Jesus foretold: “This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.”-Matt. 24:34. Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in high school and thinking about a college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the way toward its finish, if not actually gone!” – (Awake, May 22, 1969, P. 14, What Future For The Young?)
(Psalm 146:3) “Do not put your trust in princes Nor in a son of man, who cannot bring salvation.”
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 19, 2015 at 9:00 pm
 
@BeenMislead,
 Excellent points! I think someone made this analogy on this site a while back: if instructions came from the GB that on a certain date every man, woman, and child was to take a little pill distributed to all the congregations, would you do so? That’s what unquestioning loyalty involves. Look at the followers of Jim Jones or Heaven’s Gate – they gave unquestioning loyalty and where did it get them? Solution: Don’t drink the kool-aid. Use your powers of reason that were endowed upon you by your Creator.
WS
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 19, 2015 at 9:14 pm
 
Let’s try again. I think this comment got caught in the filters because I momentarily lost my wifi connection.
@BeenMislead,
 Excellent points! I think someone made this analogy on this site a while back: if instructions came from the GB that on a certain date every man, woman, and child was to take a little pill distributed to all the congregations, would you do so? That’s what unquestioning loyalty involves. Look at the followers of Jim Jones or Heaven’s Gate – they gave unquestioning loyalty and where did it get them? Solution: Don’t drink the kool-aid. Use your powers of reason that were endowed upon you by your Creator.
WS
Reply
 
 
 
 Tara says:

 December 20, 2015 at 8:12 am
 
I am prepared to use the above quotes if asked about my loyalty to the FDS. I will follow it up by asking if they are prepared to drink the kool aid. Are they prepared to forcibly make children and old ones drink it. You see, if absolute obedience means just that, then they would have to say yes. At that point I would smile and say ‘I rest my case, I am done’.
Reply
 
 
 
 Alexandria R says:

 December 19, 2015 at 5:36 pm
 
I never knew the society bad mouthed vacinations. That’s interesting. People listen and obey. Awful.
Reply
 
 
 enuffsenuff says:

 December 19, 2015 at 8:42 pm
 
I am always concerned over the use of the term “spirit directed”, what does that mean? Put simply,the WT uses it to imply (by innuendo, subterfuge, suggestion) that somehow they are enveloped by the HS. There exists no proof that any one has God’s spirit (power) to do anything, with one exception-: the Bible itself. As someone once said to me, “captured HS on the printed page”. I think that is correct and the Bible does exert power (Heb4:12) if you let it.
 I think the WTS has back away from the claim of spirit appointed men, these days, since it has become patently false and unprovable, more than that, some of their appointments have proved that HS had nothing to do with it.
 What the WTS has done is hijack the consciences of people with claims of being spirit directed. As one sister put it regarding the WT mag, “this is so good that we don’t even have to think for ourselves, the GB does that for us.” I nearly walked outside that day so that I wouldn’t say something offensive.
 So what does all this mean? The 1940 WT spoke about ALL religion as coming from the devil, Satan, so why would Jehovah give religion, ANY religion, his spirit in the form of power? Watchtower 1940 pages 104-105, 125
 Therefore if religion is an invention of Satan, would Jehovah give the Israelites (or anyone else) LAWS of Governance, or a religion to live by? Did Christ come to fulfil LAW or fulfil religion? Did Christ leave us with religion or just two LAWS and ask that worship be done in spirit and truth? Did the Aaronic priesthood teach the LAW or religion to people? Some people argue that because animal sacrifices were involved then wasn’t that religious? One answer is that the animals were prescribed as atonement for sins, which means that by LAW they had to pay a fine because of their sinful imperfections (which has put us all under a death penalty). Israel was always referred to as the “Nation of” implying Governance, not religion.
 So in some ways, even though Russell had a lot of ideas that can be described as “unusual” ( I am trying to be kind) it was his thinking, as I understand it, not to become a religion, but always remain a Society. That is, a free association of people but without domination of another’s conscience.
 It was Rutherford that went down the path of religion because he saw benefits that flowed from Govt. He switched to the dark side the day that happened (my allusion to Star Wars) and it looks like they joined Babylon TG?
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 19, 2015 at 9:11 pm
 
@enuffsenuff,
They engage in doublespeak when they say they are not inspired but are spirit-directed.
They are not inspired when one of their many predictions fail or they have to change their stand on some teaching. But they claim spirit direction when they want the rank and file to blindly accept their latest psycho-babble.
WS
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 20, 2015 at 4:36 am
 
“‘This is so good we don’t even have to think for ourselves.'”
LMAO
 Talk about a Fool’s Paradise!
Reply
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 December 20, 2015 at 9:23 pm
 
enuffsenuff, you speak so much sense. I would have walked out too if I had heard some sister come out with that wayout thought. Actually, it was no thought as she was ascribing all her thought to the Watchtower. Oh my goodness. Surely someone corrected her, but probably not, because they were all so asleep, most agreed with her. the GB would have loved that comment.
The society used to speak a lot about atonement and as I recall, it was heavily embedded in much of the literature. And that atonement was that John outlined in 1John2:2 when he said “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” He was the reason why we didn’t need to make a fire and sacrifice a cow or a sheep. We didn’t need to because the sacrificial lamb Jesus Christ paid that price for us forever. Shows how strictly legal God is.
Instead of a whole bunch of laws, Jesus gave us the two to love God and love our neighbour as ourself. Not easy to do but oh so simple. With these basic laws, how refreshing and nonburdensome would life be. And of course we have the Bible and that is where the Holy Spirit comes from I am sure. If we drift away from it or keep inventing our own spin on stuff that is controversial then is the Holy Spirit going to bless us? If it is not inline with it how can it? If the GB had any Holy Spirit then they would admit their mistakes. This would be the honest thing to do, otherwise it is a lie.
Reply
 
 
 
 sally says:

 December 20, 2015 at 4:16 am
 
Another great article! Thank you!
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 20, 2015 at 4:41 am
 
@ Man from the lion’s pit
 Good point about individuals and entities who cannot self-analyze or self-critique, being headed for Oblivion.
 It is also a trait of psychopaths, sociopaths, and Narcissists.
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 20, 2015 at 4:46 am
 
If a man who builds a house on the sand is asking for trouble, what about a watchtower built on sand??!
 Without their Watchtower, the Armies of Darkness will be blind.
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 20, 2015 at 5:09 am
 
I was just thinking of how the human race has historically turned to religion as a source of comfort and security. After all, here we are on this tiny speck of dust, spinning aimlessly through the incomprehensibly vast Universe. It can be daunting, even terrifying. But what level of security has organized religion provided through the eons? Well, religion has been the cause of many, many wars, genocides, abuses, mutilations, murders, deaths, assassinations, physical traumas, psychological traumas, emotional traumas, family breakups, suppressions of Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Thought, Freedom of the Press, Freedom of Association, Freedom of Movement, suppression of healthy sexual expression, countless incidences of religious persecution on an organizational and personal level, greed, more greed, and, yes, even more greed, and the actions taken to satisfy said greed. Have I forgotten anything? And btw, no one can use the “guns don’t kill people; people kill people” argument. These are not just the acts of individuals. They are premeditated, institutionalized acts, “justified” by religious doctrine and dogma. (btw guns don’t kill people; bullets kill people)
 Conclusion: If that’s the kind of “security” organized religion provides, I prefer to go it alone, Thank you very much.
Reply
 
 RetiredLE says:

 December 20, 2015 at 7:36 am
 
If you are a passenger in a cab and the driver ignores your instructions, is in fact going to drive over a high cliff…then you notice the posted sign.. “obey any instructions (you) may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not”…
What does one do? …..
Jump out of the cab!…it may hurt a bit, perhaps even a broken bone or two…..
However, what if your wife and infant children are in the back seat and cannot see what is happening?
What does one do?……
Shoot the cab driver…..(metaphorically speaking)….. in the head….
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 20, 2015 at 9:22 pm
 
I like your metaphor. 😉
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 20, 2015 at 9:30 pm
 
‘Better to enter the Kingdom of Freedom with a broken bone or two, than be pitched with bones intact into the Pit of Slavery and Submission.’
Reply
 
 
 
 
 Ron says:

 December 20, 2015 at 5:51 am
 
A nicely put article. Any JW reading it can or should grasp the point. I love the illustrations of new light, (Wallet, toast. Bus fare). Such things are easily to the point and do not overcomplicate matters.
Reply
 
 
 Openmind says:

 December 20, 2015 at 8:25 am
 
Hi everyone. I’ve been visiting this site for a very long time but this is my first comment.
 I would like to thank Lloyd for his hard work and research, all who contribute excellent articles and the thought provoking comments posted.
 I am an ex-JW (D/A’d) with some family still in, thankfully not immediate family. Since leaving NOT ONE PERSON has ever tried to get me back into the cult – probably because, at the time, I gave solid logical reasons that could not be argued with and were not reasons to warrant me being D/F’d.
 I fully agree that no apologies are ever given for wrong doing or wrong teachings on the part of JW’s. They think they are NEVER wrong but the huge problem of covering up child sexual abuse I find disgustingly sickening and stomach churning. It took a few years for me to realise that I had had some very, separate, uncomfortable minutes with a Brother Feeler and Brother Fondler. Thank goodness it was only minutes.
 There are many good JW’s out there, and good elders as evidenced by comments from them on this site, and for them I do have respect. However, and unfortunately, I do feel the majority of elders, who sit on committes and have the arrogant presumption that they are fit to judge others, sometimes with catastrophic results, fall into 2 categories – 1) Those with some intelligence, which surely would make them know it is all SO wrong. Maybe they feel trapped and stay for fear of shunning. 2) Those who are ill educated and extremely deluded but love their elevated congregational status and go about with an air of unfounded arrogant superiority.
 I think though that most of us here feel the GB are ultimately responsible for all the wrongs. Who do they think they are? An ounce of intelligence between the lot of them surely means they know they are not directed by some holy spirit. Has anyone else noticed what awful public speakers they all are? Did the TMS not teach them anything?
 I hope I’m not going too far off topic here, but last week I came across an article in the May 15th 2015 study edition of Watchtower, ‘Remembering my first love for Jehovah’ as told by Anthony Morris 111. BTW, doesn’t that mean he must have/had 2 blood relatives with exactly the same name, including middle names, to use the 111 after his name to differentiate one from the other? And does he really need the 111 living in his little Bethel bubble of lies and deceit, or is it a matter of wanting some kind of mis-placed status?
 Anyway, back to his article. I could spend hours going through his story sentence by sentence but a few points really stood out for me. 1) He speaks with great pride about the “privilege it was for me to be taught by that anointed brother who had personally known Charles T. Russell!” If Russell were still alive today, holding on to his original beliefs, and AM 111 with his beliefs, which one would be D/F’d for Apostacy? 2) He married Susan and they have 2 sons and “because they made the truth their own, they make Susan and me look good”. Oh my, he is so full of self admiration! BTW, will those 2 sons be amongst the Bethelites kicked to the kerb to save some money? 3) Regarding his preaching work, he “even placed tracts with men in the restrooms”. Really, REally, REAlly, REALly, REALLy, REALLY?! I have 3 sons and I asked them how they would respond if approached by some religious zealot in a public toilet. Due ro respecting the comment posting guidelines I am unable to say what their responses were!
 No doubt the R and F who read the article thought it wonderful, touching, uplifting and blah blah blah, which shows how blinded such ones are as are those responsible are for actually allowing it to be printed! Please, please don’t let this encourage their young ones to go preaching from public toilet to public toilet.
 I apologise for the lengthy post but thank you to those who read it.
Reply
 
 Tara says:

 December 20, 2015 at 8:57 am
 
Some really interesting points there Openmind. T3 gets my goat with his presumptuous use of III, his personal views on ‘tight pants’… I for one have made great effort in wearing yoga pants and leggings as much as possible since his silly comments. I would also deem it an invasion of privacy if someone offered me a tract whilst I was on the loo. Ugh, these men make me want to puke.
 Yesterday I handed over a bag of beautifully wrapped Christmas gifts to my daughter in law and it felt good. I have listened to Christmas carols and cried like a baby. Maybe some of it is pagan but it makes me think of Jesus and I feel humble. Beats the hell out of sitting in a KH with the rest of the bobble heads nodding in agreement as the Kool aid is poured.
Reply
 
 Openmind says:

 December 20, 2015 at 9:32 am
 
Thanks Tara – I too just love my skinny jeans! Merry Christmas to you and yours! What fun we’ll all have!
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 20, 2015 at 9:47 pm
 
I agree, that 99.9% of WT “speakers” are awful, and BORING.
 As for handing out tracts in men’s washrooms…….CREEPY. Who knows, perhaps that’s where the obsession with tight pants all began. ‘Then is Finished the Mystery of the Tight Pants!’ :)
Reply
 
 holy Connoli says:

 December 21, 2015 at 4:44 am
 
@anonymous4. They were passing out tracts in the toilet? Wow! Well, isn’t Wallkill near “Flushing NY? lol

 
 
 
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 December 20, 2015 at 9:37 pm
 
Having not been near the literature for a while, I am out of touch with these recent articles. My impression from what I have seen of Tony Tight Pants is that I would not have liked him to have been my teacher if I was a child at school. He has a rather scarey look. You are right though, these GB members seem to lack good public speaking ability. I wonder why they picked now to publish such an article.
Reply
 
 Openmind says:

 December 21, 2015 at 3:39 am
 
A few of the GB members have done life stories – Jackson did one in the August WT. I sometimes go online just to read various mags, it makes me cringe but can also be a great laugh. The Kingdom Ministry used to be hilarious with instructions on how to get folk hooked when going door to door.
 Maybe AMIII just got the concept of public speaking all so wrong in his early enthusiasm!!!
Reply
 
 
 
 
 John Allaire says:

 December 20, 2015 at 12:33 pm
 
I was shunt in 1984,for the simple reason,i was no longer attending church for merely a month and a half.So they kicked me out,not for,committing any fornication,adultery,murder,blaspheming,stealing or any wrong doing of what so ever.But,yet,i was brought up in this world ,this cult,thinking that God only,will judge me and no one else,,,,to my big surprise,,,,tadaa,,,i was not good enough for their cult.I have kept record of all speach,and talks i have done for them,,all the research i did for my speeches,i was really devoted in this thing,not that i had a choice,but,anyway.I had that big 5 on 1 talk when i was booted out,mind you,i more or less booted myself out,why ?? Cause i`ve always had issues growing up,myself and 2 sisters,we would always get a beating,with a hockey stick,by my aunt,my father was smart enough not to join the cult.Yep,my father got divorced so my aunt,his sister took care of us.She was a nun pretty well all her life,then turned jw in 1964.So you can imagine how cranky them old ladies get,alone all her life,then raising 3 kids.So,yes,we were beating up many times,she broke 3 hockey sticks on my back,4 operations on my ears because she would lift me off the ground by my ears,of course,i was little though,lol .Anyway,we got beaten so bad,and not allowed to say a word about any of this to our father,to jw friends,not allowed to play with nobody but our kins,at school.Anyways,she died in a car accident on our way to a Quebec international assembly.A year later is when i started to open my eyes,and realize,that was not any Gods way or wanting his children to grow up as what myself and 2 sisters have been through.IT WAS HELL !!!! So,when it came time to shun me,NOT one elder believed any words i had told them.They called me a liar,it was wrong to lie ??!!! So,now,i literally had no one to turn to,no one to recite the life i was living,so what do i do? they won`t believe me,who will.So,i pretty well didn`t want no more part of any of them.The sad part,is my younger sister,had just got out of the cult in 1986,and later died in a car crash a year later,so that was the only one year we cherished together.We loved each other more than when we were in the cult,always spending time together,hugged,held hands etc etc,lived the true brother sister life,we were so happy to have that closeness together.Sadly,only for 1 year.Then,there`s that other sister,that has still never spoken a word to me since 1983,but yet,will go door to door,and talk to who knows who,???? child molesters,murderers,woman beaters,list goes on and on.So,they`re trying to preach us,that is Gods way to do things on this earth??? I don`t think we have the same God ????? God said to forgive and forget a thousand times for our mistakes,God said to love one another til death,God said,thou shalt not judge,They,the jw,are not acting upon what they are preaching.at all,at all…!!!!!????? Thank you for reading my friends,i still have very much of that nice,kind,giving personality,and still can recite some bible chapter and verses.Not being in their cult made me a better man,and believe more in God now than when it was forced upon me.Excuse my writting,for i am french,i done my best.. :) :)
Reply
 
 
 John Allaire says:

 December 20, 2015 at 12:45 pm
 
By the way,i feel so sad not having my older sister with me anymore,or ever will,she is way too far gone.She was so brainwashed,it`s sad.How do they expect us to go back,if none of them will talk you in,not that i would,but it could mean a little discussion here and there with my sis.lol There you go,,,,another proof that they don`t love you unless you adore THEIR God,another act against God`s will .
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 20, 2015 at 10:02 pm
 
Raised by a Nun-turned-JW. Man, it MUST have been Hell! My sympathies. And sorry for the loss of your sister. I am happy you escaped the Borg.
 P.S.: Interesting that you were DF’d in 1984. Don’t know if you’ve heard of the novel ‘1984’ by George Orwell, but the parallels between The Watchtower Society and the Totalitarian Society in the novel are eye-opening. BTW there is a good synopsis of the story on Wikipedia.
Reply
 
 
 
 Ejecting to Sanity says:

 December 20, 2015 at 5:48 pm
 
Interesting idea in this thread : Find a KH where u r not known and partake at Memorial. I’m in!
Reply
 
 dee says:

 December 20, 2015 at 9:18 pm
 
Should the JWs even be commemorating the memorial of Christ’s death?
1Corinthians 11:25-26:
“In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death UNTIL HE COMES.”
The JWs teach that Jesus has already come – he began ruling as king of god’s kingdom in 1914, so the JWs should have ceased commemorating Christ’s death in 1914.
Also, if according to JW theology, Jesus will rule for 1000 years, then since Jesus began ruling in 1914 wouldn’t that mean that 101 years out of his 1000- year reign have already elapsed? (that is, 101 years from 1914 to 2015).
 There would now only be 899 years of Christ 1000-year reign remaining as of 2015.
Reply
 
 dee says:

 December 20, 2015 at 9:27 pm
 
http://mmoutreachinc.com/jehovahs_witnesses/1914.html
Reply
 
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 20, 2015 at 10:08 pm
 
“Find a kh where u r not known & partake at memorial.” — Hey, great way to be popular!
Reply
 
 
 
 Doc Obvious says:

 December 20, 2015 at 8:49 pm
 
Why is Watchtower Babble and Tract Society so fixated on construction and asking for money from their publisher ranks? The publishers are not a commercial banker and should not be burdened with such materialistic endeavors. Publishers should not be distracted by Watchtower’s insistance of their physical pursuits or their expanding real estate portfolio.
Jesus did not say “Go therefore and build me a resort near the lake”. He was focused on preaching work. Not construction. Furthermore, Jesus was not burdened with physical things of the world and did not own a house, a bed, or a tent. He owned nothing.
New York City is the most distracted city in the world. Jesus Christ, if he were alive today, would not even go near that city. New York City is the home for Wall Street and greedy businessmen the world over. Also, the famous New York Stock Exchange is located in Manhattan, New York City. Remember this is where the World Trade Center was located. Big Business indeed!
Actually Jesus Christ would have warned people to stay away from a city like that. It is too dangerous for Christians to be in. Way too many distractions. This is a place where physical men live.
True Christian should keep their eye simple, just like Jesus Christ. Taking care of their neighbors and helping their neighbors. Is it any wonder why religious leaders who live in New York City would be asking for your “valuable things”?
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 20, 2015 at 10:16 pm
 
Excellent points.
 Imagine a center for “pure worship” being located in the middle of, say, Babylon, or Sodom & Gomorrah. lol
Reply
 
 
 RetiredLE says:

 December 20, 2015 at 11:04 pm
 
Pondering how congregations have become so polarized, with just a small minority of servants and pioneers making up a core of those marching to the GB beat. They carry the banners of loyalty and superiority while ‘goose stepping’ over the average publisher or struggling ones. Something about the music? Didn’t you hate it when they changed the words or tunes around on the old songs? Did you notice how the majority of new songs/lyrics are themed to ‘loyalty’ and the ‘faithful slave’? Did you notice how the ‘core’ shouts out these new songs with no regard to any real musical beauty?
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 21, 2015 at 6:40 am
 
@RetiredLE
 100% agree on the music. It totally lost all meaning for me. It was shortly after that switch over that my awakening began. I wonder if there was a connection.
 WS
Reply
 
 
 
 RetiredLE says:

 December 20, 2015 at 11:33 pm
 
“Before we begin the meeting….Oh, isn’t this a PART of the meeting….anyway”… I’ve taken the liberty to change around the lyrics of the Beatles, Eleanor Rigby, as new song #144,000 – “Publisher Rigby – All the Lonely Sheeple”
Ah, look at all the lonely Sheeple.
 Ah, look at all the lonely Sheeple.
Publisher Rigby, ponders the ‘new light’ where ‘old light’ had been.
 Lives in a dream.
 Waits for the Kingdom, trudging along, all alone, door to door.
 Who is it for?
All the lonely Sheeple where do they all come from?
 All the ‘thrown about’ Sheeple where do they all belong?
Elder McKenzie, reading the words of a LETTER that no one can hear.
 No one comes near.
 Look at him working, writing the LOCAL NEEDS for those who aren’t there.
 What does he care.
All the lonely Sheeple where do they all come from?
 All the ‘thrown about’ Sheeple where do they all belong?
Ah, look at all the lonely Sheeple.
 Ah, look at all the lonely Sheeple.
‘Irregular’ Rigby, died with no ‘time’ but was buried as ‘ONE’ all the same.
 Nobody came.
 Elder McKenzie, shaking his head as he bleeds for the ‘SLAVE’.
No one is saved.
All the lonely Sheeple where do they all come from?
 All the ‘thrown about’ Sheeple where do they all belong?
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 21, 2015 at 1:18 am
 
APPLAUSE
 -Put it on the Top Ten!
Reply
 
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 21, 2015 at 6:43 am
 
RetiredLE – very creative lyrics!
 WS
Reply
 
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 21, 2015 at 1:28 am
 
Speaking of Rat-holes like New York City, we are still expected to believe that we are living in the most enlightened period in all of human existence. Mostly because we are so technologically advanced. Unfortunately, what most of the droning, eDevice-obsessed masses don’t realize is that Technology does NOT = Enlightenment. Technological advancement = TECHnical advancement, which is a product of the BRAIN, not the MIND, or soul. That is why I don’t pay much attention to the babbling monkeys on the Television anymore.
Reply
 
 
 It ain't over says:

 December 21, 2015 at 6:33 am
 
DiiffiCULT to realise there’s ‘two Suns in the sunset”.
Reply
 
 
 It's me says:

 December 21, 2015 at 6:41 am
 
So I was walking around the assembly hall wondering is it just me?
Reply
 
 
 Brad says:

 December 30, 2015 at 2:05 am
 
@minion
 excellent summary especially points 6 to 9
 the child molestation claims are stacking up so they will be begging for more money as the society can not raid the congregation funds any more they have already plundered those assets to help pay all the out of court settlements.
 The following article in yesterdays daily mail sums up the sick approach JWs take with child abusers this creep got his kicks out of strangling fellow witnesses children while sexually abusing them and yes the parents of the victim meekly complied as usual with requests to keep all in house, no doubt another out of court settlement in the wings…!http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3377449/Jehovah-s-Witness-strangled-girls-young-six-sexual-thrills-finally-jailed-congregation-covered-crimes-20-years.html
Reply
 
 
 Kat says:

 December 30, 2015 at 2:29 am
 
cant find Minion posts seems like half the comments on the board have gone!!
Reply
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 December 30, 2015 at 2:43 am
 
I have been trying to access this site for days but until tonight have had no success. I just watched this video on Youtube and thought it might be of interest to all of you. It is about a letter that went out to elders to destroy evidence. I just sent it to the ARC.
Reply
 
 Meredith J says:

 December 30, 2015 at 2:44 am
 
Oh sorry forgot to put the link on. Here it is:


Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 30, 2015 at 1:29 pm
 
…PURE EVIL…
Thanx for sharing that. Quite an eye-opener.
Reply
 
 RetiredLE says:

 December 30, 2015 at 3:21 pm
 
If this letter is in fact true, we are ‘Witnessing’ an historic moment.
The initial and correct reaction to this directive is one of disgust. It will no doubt motivate anyone with a claim or possible claim against WB&TS to seek an immediate cease and desist order.
This, in of itself, will bring a flood of incredible negative media attention.
However, look at it from the viewpoint of a Legal Counselor or Prosecutor. (Thinking on the shameful conduct of those Elders, Overseers and GB Member at the ARC Hearings).
Prosecutor ask;
“Mr Elder So and So, is not true that ALL of my clients allegations are true and correct?”
Elder So and So responds;
“I wouldn’t know, I can’t remember and I’ve destroyed those notes and files ……….”
Prosecutor asks;
“And why did you do so?”
 ” And who ordered you to destroy those notes and files?”
As you can imagine, from that point forward a Counselor or Prosecutor will ‘eat alive’ any chance for a defense. Anything and everything that a is charged will be substantiated, in the minds of a Jury, as ‘truth’. BECAUSE the Elders destroyed the ‘incriminating evidence’, whether it was in fact incriminating or not!
There will be billboard and t.v. ads (like you see against pharmaceutical companies) everywhere. The legitimate cases will be won and the ‘ambulance chasers’ will lap up the blood. Everyone will want a shot at
 that “Billion Dollar Big Apple”.
WB&TS just brought the rope to their own hanging….
Reply
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 December 30, 2015 at 8:27 pm
 
But this is where they will come to a quandary: Do they tell the truth and say who asked about who told them to destroy the notes? Or, do they tell a lie and say that they never received the directive? Either way, they are screwed.
They are screwed if they destroyed the notes after getting the directive and admitting it as having a share in destroying evidence. Or, if they lied about it, then they will be lying after swearing on the Bible before God which is perjury and will have just committed a terrible sin before God and a crime before the state.
It is all so sick. There are no get out of gaol free cards left for the Watchtower to be handed. At least that is how I see it.
Reply
 
 RetiredLE says:

 December 31, 2015 at 2:29 am
 
“Now is the Time” to retire as an Elder to avoid personal civil liability and/or criminal action.
If not, you are very likely to devastatingly understand…” All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not.”
WB&TS does not have your back.

 
 
 
 
 Tara says:

 December 31, 2015 at 8:48 am
 
My blood ran cold with this one. I would indeed like to see proof of the letter – I noticed the URL link is to Mike and Kim. Lloyd do we have confirmation via you that this is real? If the letter is genuine then it should be posted to the police in all countries.
I feel sick. This is disgusting but as it has been said. They bring the rope to their own hanging. God works in mysterious ways.
Reply
 
 
 
 
 Brad says:

 December 30, 2015 at 2:54 am
 
when posting on threads on the friday column the thread just randomly changes from the current day to one that is several days old
 I replied to a comment posted on a thread a couple of hours ago and my post came up on a totally different thread to the one I was reading.
Is there a reason for this?
Reply
 
 
 Dblaron42 says:

 December 30, 2015 at 12:48 pm
 
Something fishy is up with the site. Comments are disappearing. I think the dark side has something to do with it.
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 30, 2015 at 1:49 pm
 
Maybe it’s just New Year’s Reboot.
 HAPPY 2016!!!!!!!!!!!!
:) :) :)
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 December 30, 2015 at 2:00 pm
 
PS
 Not pushing anything here, but if u want some good New Year’s laughs, check out Louis CK on YouTube. The man is a genius! :)
Reply
 
 
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 30, 2015 at 3:29 pm
 
I kept getting a message that the server was down through most of the day today. I was wondering whether the Watchtower had issued another cease and desist interruption like it did a couple years ago.
WS
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 30, 2015 at 3:33 pm
 
Just looking at some of the bizarre comments on some of the pages makes me think that JW Survey may have been subject to a hacker attempt.
WS
Reply
 
 
 
 
 GEM says:

 December 30, 2015 at 1:59 pm
 
I am not sure if this comment will be posted up.. but, I managed to retrieve the site by google and searching under John Cedars…. so much useful and inspiring stuff here… it is easy to sort the “wheat and chaff” and invaluable to all who have been disillusioned. Bon courage, John!
Reply
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 December 30, 2015 at 8:12 pm
 
Nothing would surprise me. I have no doubt that there are powers that do not want this site to continue because it is stirring the pot too much and causing so many to open up their eyes. I do believe that God’s Spirit is absolutely much stronger than anything that could be thrown at it to block it. Keep up the good work Cedars in exposing the Watchtower for what it is.
Reply
 
 
 wo says:

 December 31, 2015 at 4:49 am
 
Happy New Year.
Reply
 
 
 Dblaron42 says:

 December 31, 2015 at 9:54 am
 
Based on the names of most of the recent commentors I am going to have to say that this site is definitely under attack from someone.
Reply
 
 Tara says:

 December 31, 2015 at 9:59 am
 
I’m being moderated…. how exciting :) thats ok. if we are being infiltrated it’s because someone thinks we are worthy of it :)
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 31, 2015 at 11:11 am
 
@Tara,
 Not sure if this is what you are suggesting, but it is unlikely the infiltration is from the Watchtower Org or one of those aggressive apostate sites. The current methods seem more along the lines of those low class hackers who see sites with a fair amount of traffic as opportunity to infect others’ computers and get personal information in order to try to make illegal profit from it.
If is was Watchtower or another site the message/method would be different.
WS
Reply
 
 
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 31, 2015 at 11:03 am
 
@Dblaron42,
 I agree, there a number of suspicious links associated with some of the new comments – I believe one was asking for credit card info.
To All,
 Be careful not to click those strange links as they could lead to viruses or malware. Most likely some hackers (or a malicious program) have found a way past the site’s filters for comments (or the filter recently changed and is no longer functioning on par with the previous one). So far the site seems otherwise stable. Keep on eye out for suspicious email traffic – an actual security breach could potentially lead to hackers getting emails or something similar.
WS
Reply
 
 
 
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← The Friday Column: Everyone makes mistakes – except Watchtower
Jehovah’s Witness guilty of strangling children for sexual gratification →
 
How the Watchtower Stole Christmas
avatar 
Posted on December 31, 2015
 
grinchIn 1957, the acclaimed children’s author Dr. Seuss penned an instant classic, a beloved tale of a grumpy green monster whose shoes and heart were too small or too tight to tolerate the evil holiday known as Christmas. Oh the commercialism, the singing, the stockings, the gifts…it was just too much, and he had to stop it.
The Grinch was his name; ending Christmas was his game.
As the story unfolds, Mr Grinch schemes to impersonate Santa Claus, dresses his dog as a reindeer, then sets off with his sled on a mission to take back all the presents that Santa worked so hard to distribute. Just like that, Christmas was gone. Or was it?
While hauling all the gifts to the top of a nearby mountain, the Grinch heard something he was not expecting – singing! He heard the sound of joy and happiness, despite the fact that he had stolen everything – the stockings, the bicycles, the popcorn, the drums, even the Christmas tree!

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow, Stood puzzling and puzzling: “How could it be so? It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags!”
And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
 Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! – “Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas … perhaps … means a little bit more!”
In the end, the Grinch had an awakening, a revelation that enlarged his heart and enabled him to see that the holiday he once hated so badly was not so bad after all, and he finally understood what it meant to the community. He gave back all the stolen gifts, rejoined his community, and even carved the Christmas meal with his new friends.
It is sometimes said that life imitates art, and for millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses past and present, there was a modern-day Grinch who stole Christmas from their lives. Only this time the Grinch stayed the Grinch.
If you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, you are among a unique group of people who have transitioned greatly over the past century. Within your own lifetime you might not have seen radical change. But viewed historically, the organization has morphed into a highly controlling religious hierarchy that has banned nearly every celebration commonly accepted in our civilized world. The penalty for celebrating Christmas or any other holiday is severe: complete banishment from association and friendship with all other Jehovah’s Witnesses.
This may not seem significant to the great majority of mankind, but if most of your family and friends are Witnesses, let me assure you the punishment is devastating.
Why did this happen?
In the late 1800s, a man by the name of Charles Taze Russell initiated a religious movement that was based on an ultra-literal interpretation of the Bible. Despite the fact that “Pastor” Russell had no advanced schooling, no theological training, and no education in Hebrew or Greek, he was able to parlay his business earnings into the printing and distribution of an endless stream of books and magazines focusing on the return of Jesus to invisible authority over the Earth. Once initiated, this “Bible Student” movement became self-perpetuating – collecting dollars, real estate and admirers as the years progressed.
One of those admirers was a man by the name of Robert H. Barber.
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ROBERT H. BARBER – THE GRINCH
For matters of clarification, Barber is not to be confused with Nelson Barber (the Adventist once associated with Russell) or Carey Barber (deceased member of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses)
There is limited information available regarding R.H. Barber, but we do know that he became a loyal follower of Charles Taze Russell by the turn of the 20th century, writing glowing reviews of Russell’s books. These letters to Russell were published in the pages of the Watchtower.
Barber apparently made quite an impression on Russell, and just before Russell’s death in 1916 he was listed among key public speakers at the July 1916 Newport Rhode Island convention of Bible Students. He shared the platform with A.H. Macmillan, C.J. Woodworth, R.J. Martin, W.E. Van Amburgh and other well-known Bible Student speakers and writers.
Barber managed to survive the turmoil that ensued following Russell’s death in 1916 and the subsequent takeover by attorney Joseph F. Rutherford. In fact, at the annual meeting held January 4th 1919, R.H. Barber received the 3rd highest number of votes for an elected officer of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract society, eclipsed only by C.A. Wise and the Watchtower president himself, J.F. Rutherford. Clearly Barber was becoming an influential presence within the organization.
On October 1st 1919, two of Barber’s colleagues (mentioned earlier), Clayton J. Woodworth and Robert J. Martin began publishing a new magazine called The Golden Age (now titled Awake!). This journal served to supplement The Watchtower, examining both current events and politics along with doctrinal opinions.
The Golden Age magazine became an added platform for Barber, who was already touring the United States, gaining steam as the organization continued to grow. In 1924, the Watchtower organization added a radio station to its list of assets, and R.H. Barber became a regular preacher, delivering broadcast sermons such as “Why is the World Still Unconverted and Who is to Blame?” and “The Real Christian and the Hypocrite.”
By 1928, Joseph Rutherford had become nearly as prolific a writer as Charles Taze Russell, but he was not satisfied with just publishing his doctrinal and political opinions; he became obsessed with organizational allegiance and separating the Bible Students/Watchtower adherents from the mainstream religions of Christendom. If C. T. Russell had been thought of as a religious cult leader, J.F. Rutherford took it to a whole new level. And his right hand man R.H. Barber was about to change the lives of every person ever associated with, or descended from, the Jehovah’s Witness organization.
As declared in the Jehovah’s Witness organization’s most recent history summary titled “God’s Kingdom Rules!,” R.H. Barber delivered a speech in December 1928 that officially condemned the celebration of Christmas as an unchristian, pagan celebration inspired by Satan, and used as a tool to dishonor God and his Son. From this point forward it would no longer be considered acceptable to take part in this celebration or any related festivities. In fact, page 102 of this 2014 JW history book displays a photo of the final Christmas celebration at Brooklyn headquarters.
Seated prominently at the end of one of the long tables is the Grinch himself, R.H. Barber (circled, by Watchtower, in the image below from the God’s Kingdom Rules book).
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Further embedding the ban on Christmas permanently into Jehovah’s Witness theology was The Golden Age article published on December 12th 1928. The article was titled “Christmas, Its Origin and Purpose.”
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THE INFLUENCE OF ALEXANDER HISLOP
Much has been said about the differences in belief between Charles Taze Russell and his successor J. F. Rutherford, but one quality they shared was a singular hatred for the teachings of the Catholic Church.
12431341_1746487675570153_2044291449_nThe origin of much of this disdain for the Catholic Church and its practices stemmed from the writings of a man by the name of Alexander Hislop (1807-1865). Hislop was a Scottish minister known for his denunciation of the Catholic Church, and whose most notable work was the book titled The Two Babylons, The Papal Worship Proved to Be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife.
The Two Babylons was originally published as a pamphlet; then by 1919 it had emerged as a 330-page book, complete with illustrations. This book served as the touchstone for a multitude of Jehovah’s Witness teachings, including the elimination of the cross and the ban on holidays such as Christmas and Easter. It was considered so important to Jehovah’s Witnesses that the organization bought thousands of copies and received permission to sell and distribute the book, which they did all the way through to 1986.
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The JW connection to Hislop has not gone unnoticed by the religious community at large. In 2014 the website steadfastlutherans.com criticized the exaggerated claims of Hislop, pointing the finger at Jehovah’s Witnesses for adopting his questionable research:

The 40 day fast does not come from the so-called “weeping of Tammuz” as claimed by the radical anti-Roman Catholic writer Alexander Hislop in his book The Two Babylons. Hislop made up myths and connections out of thin air because of his hatred for Roman Catholicism. Hislop’s views were adopted whole cloth by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, who continued to republish Hislop’s book until 1987. Hislop’s book was cited in 22 different issues of the Jehovah’s Witnesses periodical The Watchtower from 1950 to 1978, and several times in the 1980s. From 1989 the Jehovah’s Witnesses stopped referring to Hilsop’s book, but they have kept Hislop’s teaching and use other sources.
 
CHRISTMAS AND YOU
The history of Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christmas might seem interesting to some, yet completely useless to others. The background only matters if it matters to you.
It matters to me, but not by choice. In the mid 1960s my parents had just married, and by 1967, the year of my birth, they had been converted to the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This meant that I never experienced a Christmas tree, Christmas gifts, or any of the holiday traditions associated with December 25th. I was instructed as a child to declare that the celebration of Christmas was “against my religion.” This, along with the complete abstinence from all other holidays including Easter, Halloween, and the innocuous Thanksgiving Day rendered me an instant outcast from my classmates. I was different, and R.H. Barber was to blame. And Hislop. And Rutherford.
By the time I reached middle and high school, I was expected to deliver a well-rehearsed explanation for why I would not engage in any holiday celebrations, not even politely wishing my classmates a Merry Christmas or Seasons Greetings, as this would compromise the faith that was delivered to me every year in the form of a Watchtower or Awake! article condemning every notable and enjoyable annual holiday.
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I was baptized in 1984, the year Jehovah’s Witnesses declared (yet again) that “this generation” would not pass away until all Bible prophecies about “the end” were fulfilled. By the end of that year the Watchtower had driven yet another spike into Christmas, declaring it a “dangerous” holiday.
In retrospect, I never really thought of Christmas as dangerous. In fact, I secretly admired the ritual nature of Christmas, as it seemed somewhat joyful and positive, and not god-dishonoring at all. To the extent that I was able, I enjoyed Christmas music and Christmas themed movies. Was this a secret sin? I suppose it was, according to the Grinch.
When I had moved into my first apartment, I discovered Frank Capra’s classic movie “It’s a Wonderful Life,” which I watched with no remorse. And music? Well I admit I liked Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas” and Elmo N’ Patsy’s comical “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer.”
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE GRINCH?
It’s hard to believe that it has been nearly 90 years since Jehovah’s Witnesses banned Christmas from the list of approved activities. The Grinch, Mr. Barber is long gone, along with all the men who agreed to this travesty and perversion of normal behavior. Yet the inertia of this belief continues, and in its December 15th 2015 issue, the Watchtower magazine has once again slung its arrows at Santa Claus and the Catholic Church. It does not appear that the Governing Body will be erecting a Christmas tree at the new Warwick compound anytime soon.
So, what is the solution? Dr. Seuss might just be able to provide the answer. When the Grinch was about to destroy all of the Christmas gifts, he paused for just a second and listened to the distant sound of singing coming from the townspeople of Who-Ville. He had stopped and used his mind just long enough to understand that Christmas was not evil, and it was not about the gifts. It was about life, and family, and the common bond of humanity.
He was cured.
From everyone at JW Survey, we wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
 
 
john-redwood-signature
 
 
This article was slated to be posted much earlier, but unfortunately we had to do some important maintenance work to JWsurvey over the holiday period, which took longer than expected. I’d like to thank you all for your patience during the “downtime” while we worked to get JWsurvey back up and running, and I heartily join John in wishing all our readers every happiness for 2016! – Lloyd


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← The Friday Column: Everyone makes mistakes – except Watchtower
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112 Responses to How the Watchtower Stole Christmas


Newer Comments →
 
 Imgonaburn says:

 December 31, 2015 at 1:17 pm
 
I have this year enjoyed having my first ever Christmas as an adult. I spent 30 years not celebrating as a jw. Left org about 4 years ago to support my autistic gay son. This year I decided to ‘make a stand’ for freedom!! My jw family were unimpressed but tolerated it. I think they decided not to tell anyone in cong to keep me out of trouble. My son is a mini servant, reg pioneer and active on volunteer building program. My daughter is married to a min servant, reg pio etc etc my husband attends meetings occasionally. It seems like they’ve listened when I’ve said I just want to get on with my life. I think they remember how we struggled for all those years trying to measure up yet not receiving any support.
 What’s not to like about pretty twinkling lights, half a ton of chocolate and presents for loved ones? I’ve loved every minute and think my husband has too on the quiet! Happy 2016!!
Reply
 
 Jeffreycanning says:

 December 31, 2015 at 2:43 pm
 
Good stuff…
Reply
 
 
 Roman Castañeda says:

 December 31, 2015 at 2:53 pm
 
I read your comment and I couldn’t stop myself from telling you how happy I am to hear you accepted your son for who he is. For a while there, some were trying to label me autistic too, but they concluded I was just out of the ordinary and left me alone. However, after going through many struggles, I emmerged happier than I have ever been. So blessings from my behalf.
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 Jeni says:

 December 31, 2015 at 1:41 pm
 
The truth comes out! Thanks for this piece John!
I too grew up a JW kid and can relate completely. I spent a large portion of my childhood sitting in the hallway while my classmates enjoyed themselves during holiday activities. It was a miserable experience for me and I still resent Watchtower when I think about it. At least I can give my daughter the holiday fun I missed out on.
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 ktmmadbrit says:

 December 31, 2015 at 2:03 pm
 
In fairness, Christmas is pagan. But its real sin is being very silly. Grown adults wearing paper crowns at dinner pretending to have ‘fun’ is embarrassing. Its an excuse for ‘retail therapy’ and shopping and excesses. Yet most people seem to go for it. Each to his own.
 Taking a self-righteous ‘stand’ against it is just attention-seeking and by ostracising each JW child it serves to drive kids deeper into the organisation. Once out of the cult what do you do now? You know that Christmas is all just about selling you more junk that you don’t need.
 One can always quietly ignore it.
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 Join-Stay25Yrs-Leave says:

 January 2, 2016 at 8:20 pm
 
“Christmas is pagan” is a facile and superlicious statement with no value in today’s world, outside of evangelical oppression.
Each of us has our own opinion about Christmas, and each of us chooses if and how we will observe the holiday. Whatever one chooses is simply a personal preference; a choice that is on par with whether or not one would like a scoop of ice cream with one’s pie. :)
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 Star Lynn Justice says:

 December 31, 2015 at 2:04 pm
 
Well done!
Reply
 
 
 Dr Strabismus of Utrecht says:

 December 31, 2015 at 2:04 pm
 
From a contemporary review of ‘The Two Babylons’ (‘The Saturday Review’ September 17th, 1859):
“In the first place, his whole superstructure is raised upon nothing. Our earliest authority for the history of Semiramis wrote about the commencement of the Christian era, and the historian from whom he drew his information lived from fifteen hundred to two thousand years after the date which Mr. Hislop assigns to the great Assyrian Queen. The most lying legend which the Vatican has ever endorsed stands on better authority than the history which is now made the ground of a charge against it.
“Secondly, the whole argument proceeds upon the assumption that all heathenism has a common origin.  Accidental resemblance in mythological details are taken as evidence of this, and nothing is allowed for the natural working of the human mind.
“Thirdly, Mr. Hislop’s reasoning would make anything of anything.  By the aid of obscure passages in third-rate historians, groundless assumptions of identity, and etymological torturing of roots, all that we know, and all that we believe, may be converted … into something totally different.
“Fourthly, Mr. Hislop’s argument proves too much.  He finds not only the corruptions of Popery, but the fundamental articles of the Christian Faith, in his hypothetical Babylonian system…
 “We take leave of Mr. Hislop and his work with the remark that we never before quite knew the folly of which ignorant or half-learned bigotry is capable.”
Reply
 
 Tara says:

 January 2, 2016 at 8:12 am
 
I have the book ‘The two Babylons’. Never even opened it’s pages… my ex bought it me when I first started to study. Maybe I will take a look at it now… could do with a good giggle.
Reply
 
 
 Searcher says:

 January 2, 2016 at 12:47 pm
 
All you have to do is replace “Mr. Hislop” with “WTS”, “GB”, “Tight Pants Tony” or whatever in reference to the JW destructive cult, and it will come out the same. Try it!
Reply
 
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 December 31, 2015 at 2:24 pm
 
I grew up as a Catholic and loved Christmas. When my husband and I were studying, I had to tell my little daughter of 5 who believed in Santa Claus that he did not exist and that Christmas was a lie. That absolutely broke my heart and to this day was one of the hardest things I have had to partake in.
It immediately alienated us from our worldly families. Yes, it truly was a Grinch, the Watchtower Society. I never really fell for all that pagan stuff anyway. The Feast of Saturnalia, so what? Why was our calendar so set up by the birth of Jesus if the event was so unimportant and not to be remembered?
I knew in my heart that Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem under very unusual circumstances so that I believe it would never be forgotten. And that night the shepherds saw the night sky of angels singing and directing them to the child. What a blessed sight!
How important that the Savior of all mankind was born to fix all mankind wrongs with God. What is so wrong with that? Watchtower turned it into a miserable suspicious event. It had been shown in the Bible as an extremely joyous occasion and yet they minimised it’s beauty and played it down. How disgusting. How would God have felt about that? And that is why we never felt right about ignoring it. All the other churches did. Jehovah’s Witnesses were the only ones who didn’t. So not very Christian! Actually, very unChristian. There is nothing wrong with remembering Jesus and bringing family together to celebrate it. Notice in those countries where it is not celebrated there is strife.
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 January 1, 2016 at 7:30 am
 
@Meredith J
 Great points and thanks for sharing your personal experience.
It seems that the Watchtower picks and chooses which pagan things to ban and which are okay – wedding rings, piñatas, and even the days of the week come to mind. They once stated that a pagan origin was only an issue if it was still regarded as such by the world around us. No one thinks of Saturnalia on Dec 25. Nearly everyone thinks of the birth of Christ.
To your point, most of the teachings about Christmas are accurate from scripture. Is it really a major issue of the date is not exact or precise? God’s angels celebrated the birth of the Savior, why shouldn’t it be commemorated?
As the article and your comment bring out: the ban on Christmas only served to further isolate JWs from their families and friends giving the Organization tighter control.
WS
Reply
 
 
 
 Carlos Caso-Rosendi says:

 December 31, 2015 at 2:26 pm
 
I hope one of these day’s God bans the JW’s right to breathe. What an annoying bunch of bores they are, them along with the muzzies.
 Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and a great 4th of July celebrating Old Glory. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Reply
 
 Meredith J says:

 December 31, 2015 at 8:05 pm
 
LOL
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 1:58 am
 
LOL too — How true — Rules & Regulations up the ‘wazoo’. Religious Freedom? — More like living in a Straight-Jacket!
Reply
 
 
 
 
 San Diego says:

 December 31, 2015 at 2:35 pm
 
I think Christmas should be made to include the birthday of Isaac Newton, the father of modern science. Born December 25, 1642. And people can include science-related gifts. To me that’s a holiday worth celebrating 😉
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 2:02 am
 
Totally agree. & people might actually learn something useful.
Reply
 
 
 howard smith says:

 January 1, 2016 at 6:17 pm
 
It,s mine too, so feel free to celebrate,hihi
Reply
 
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 December 31, 2015 at 2:39 pm
 
So that was the reason for the problems on this site. Just some maintenance. Oh well, it has to be done. Thanks for the article John Redwood and the care and attention you take with keeping this site going Cedars, er I mean Lloyd.
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 Big B says:

 December 31, 2015 at 2:50 pm
 
Great article John and very informative.
I was robbed of all Holidays by this counterfeit religion when my parents were baptized back in 1959 and 1960 respectively.
All of the mocking and abuse small children suffer by their peers for not joining in the festivities can be heartrending but can not compared to the blank stares one receives when they are forced to excuse themselves from the office Christmas party where your clients expect you to be there. But it will make “Jehovah’s heart glad”, as I was reminded by my parents. Yeah, right. I wonder how much advancement in my career was lost, along with significant increases in salary, that this Grinch like position cost me.
Since leaving this “time bandit” cult several years ago, along with my wife and son, we have celebrated all the holidays. We have even purchased a pre-lit Christmas tree and decorated the house, both inside and out. And guess what; I don’t feel guilty or ashamed at all. I’m just sorry I missed out on all my other friends and family who I managed to take no notice of during this joyous time of the year.
So like the Grinch and Ebeneezer Scrooge I say to everyone, “a Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year!”
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 1:49 am
 
If the Grinch & Scrooge could come around, what the h*** is the WT Corp waiting for?
Reply
 
 
 
 danisa says:

 December 31, 2015 at 3:20 pm
 
nada nos persigue en este camino libre desde que mi pareja y yo salimos de alli
 se esfumaron todos los mitos despues de casi dos años de aire puro
 la realidad de la humanidad asi patas para arriba como esta es mas pasable que ese campo de concentracion
 nos ocupamos de curarnos nos tenemos mucha paciencia los rayones en el alma sangran aun
 tenemos casi entera la familia dentro aun eso nos mantiene equilibrados son niños y adolescentes adultos debemos poder ser de ayuda
 nunca habiamos disfrutado tanto de desearle un feliz año a nuestros vecinos abrazarse en la navidad con amigos
 feliz navidad feliz año nuevo Lloyd!!! que el 2016 sea lo que mas deseamos
 millones de agradecimientos de los dos has sido una gran compañia este año!!!
 FELICIDADES PARA TODOSSS!!
Reply
 
 
 Darlene Alexander says:

 December 31, 2015 at 3:49 pm
 
Great article, John! Oh, let’s not forget that Jesus supposedly arrived invisible up to 10 years before the grand revelation of “pagan” xmas – gee, if Jesus thought it was ok, what was their problem? So stupid….
Reply
 
 Holy Connoli says:

 December 31, 2015 at 4:25 pm
 
@ Darlene. I think in 1928 when the WT was still celebrating Christmas they still believe Jesus had arrived in 1874 so that would mean for 54 years prior to that Jesus was OK with the WY celebrating Christmas at Bethel despite the fact that he had come “INVISIBLY”? I guess it wasn’t important enough for Jesus to care enough to straighten them all out! Happy New year from SF California!
Let’s hope this year many more will “AWAKEN” to the real Cold Hearted mean, hateful WT org.
Reply
 
 
 Winston Smith says:

 December 31, 2015 at 11:16 pm
 
Great article!
 I’m reminded of Romans 14:5, 6: “One person considers one day to be above another day. Someone else considers every day to be the same. Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind. Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, yet he thanks God.”
As per scripture, if someone wants to observe Dec 25 as a day to commemorate Christ that’s there choice and if not that’s their choice too. We are not to judge anyone for their choice in this regard.
WS
Reply
 
 eyes opened says:

 January 1, 2016 at 3:15 pm
 
Nice reasoning.
Reply
 
 
 
 Winston Smith says:

 January 1, 2016 at 7:40 am
 
@Darlene,
 Great point. If Christmas is so evil why wouldn’t it have been necessary for the Wathtower to reject it BEFORE Jesus supposedly chose them as his special organization?
 WS
Reply
 
 
 
 Let it die says:

 December 31, 2015 at 4:08 pm
 
Christmas can be a complexed time.
 There can be no doubt that it is based on a pagan festival, some people genuinely feel uncomfortable with those aspects and not nessersery (ly) because of Watchtower, others do.
 Is it right for a so called Christian religion to point out the pagan origins of Christmas, yes I believe it is right to do so, should it have a big stick?, no.
 Regardless of the religious aspects of Christmas I personally still feel uncomfortable with the celebration of Christmas because of the peer pressure, the manipulation from the retail sector and what basically, in many cases, is forced giving which in my opinion is another form of indoctrination.
 However, though I do not celebrate Christmas I can still see the joy it brings to certain people and out of respect for another’s beliefs I’m quite happy to buy them gifts:-) put simply who gives a shit?
 If you do you do and if you don’t you don’t but for God sake don’t be controlled X
Reply
 
 
 Freddy says:

 December 31, 2015 at 5:58 pm
 
Did not particularly enjoy this article. Why would someone care when getting out of one religion they thought the truth, to jump into the relics of another? Seems irrelevant to the purpose of this website. Shall we talk about how JWs took away birthdays and so forth too? The article was noble in its history lesson, but lacking in appeal and purpose.
Reply
 
 John Redwood says:

 December 31, 2015 at 6:55 pm
 
Freddy, thank you for being honest. I am sure this article is not for everyone. The history might seem sleepy and dated. However we believe that knowledge of how Jehovah’s Witnesses came to incorporate such beliefs into their religion is vitally important. Most JWs skim over their own history and attribute their beliefs to “new light”.
This article was aimed at demonstrating how influential a few core JW leaders were, and how they themselves were influenced by books and materials which the governing body has now abandoned completely. It is important for current JWs to understand this; it is a critical part of the awakening process.
The chief editor of this website would not have published the article had it not been in sync with the goals of JW Survey.
Remember, when engaging critical thinking skills, we must always ask WHY. I hope that some active JWs read this and ask themselves the real reasons they are banned from the celebration of so many holidays, including Christmas.
If one person wakes up, its appeal and purpose will be evident.
JR
Reply
 
 JJ says:

 December 31, 2015 at 11:43 pm
 
I enjoyed this article immensely and I found the history of the Watchtower particularly interesting!
 First, I do feel totally ‘ripped off’, just like the author of the article. I was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness and I missed so much association with my “Worldly relatives” as well as school mates and friends because of this stupid prohibition on a wonderful and happy celebration. Not to mention my own family did nothing special on Christmas so we all have no particular memories of those times (except for me sneaking in a few Christmas shows that I loved)
 The history was very interesting and eye-opening to me as well! I had never really thought about the little minions trying to get prominence and prestige inside of that twisted cult. It was just some small-minded, loud-mouth who came up with an idea that Christmas was bad. He probably went to his lonely grave, smug with the thought that he destroyed a huge holiday for all of the little JW children. He is totally forgotten by everyone except that now we know who to blame for this travesty.
 If this information could be brought out to practicing JWs, I’m sure that it would be a real wake-up call for them!
 Thank you for this great and applicable article! I really enjoyed it!
Reply
 
 
 
 
 D. Charles Pyle says:

 December 31, 2015 at 8:14 pm
 
I have never been a Witness, though I have been accused many times of having been one for various reasons, not the least of which is the sight of two shelves full of Watchtower literature, or that I adopt the lingo when discussing matters with them, so I cannot really relate to having Christmas stolen from me. But, I have something to share on the subject after considerable study of the issue.
One other argument against Christmas I have seen was that Jesus wasn’t born on that day, or even in December at all. But, as a result of my research I came to learn that the claims about a December birth for Jesus may not have been wrong after all!
Claims that Jesus would have been born in summer or fall I learned could not be right because before modern times the area where the shepherds were had little to no pasturage for sheep during those times. That means there would have been no shepherds in the fields at night, watching over their flocks. They would have been in the towns where they actually could care for the sheep due to lack of pasturage.
The only times when shepherds could have been in the fields by night would have been when there was pasturage, and that was during the winter and spring months. So, it comes down to being between spring or winter. Any claims for a fall or summer birth I found to be false.
Now, that being said, I also learned that there were two times a year when the course of Abia would be engaging in temple service, and one of the times is unimportant and needn’t be mentioned because it would have led to a birth in fall.
The one that seems to fit the bill for the anticipation of Zacharias’s delay in coming out of the temple would have been the week of the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur. That was in the equivalent of the last week of September at the time, and was the other time when the course of Abia served in the temple.
We find that the sixth month of pregnancy for Elizabeth is mentioned when Gabriel is said to have appeared to Mary. Six months from the last week of September is the last week of March. If we add nine months to that, we get the last weeks of December! That means that Jesus was actually born in the last part of the month of December.
I also leaned that the objection that it would have been too cold also falls flat. The region where the shepherds were in the fields was warmer than the hill country, there would have been pasturage for the sheep and the shepherds would have been in the fields at night, and there was a climatic phenomenon that was occurring during that same period of time, and a fortuitous situation at that time, referred to as the Roman Warm Period or Roman Climate Anomaly. It would have been much warmer at that time than most people have thought in the past about the region.
So, whether one believes in Christ or not, it is more likely than not that he was born on or around the day it has long been said in early Christian tradition that he was born. Merry Christmas, all!
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 January 1, 2016 at 7:56 am
 
@D. Charles Pyle,
 Thanks for that well thought out explanation. Could you share some of the sources of your data with us?
As a side point I once recall someone from the platform saying that “we know Jesus was 33-1/2 when he died and he died in the spring, so if we count back 6 months he must have been born in the fall.”
Even at that time when I was still fully indoctrinated I recall thinking the logic was flawed. The Bible does not tell us Jesus exact age at the time of his death. It only tells us his age when he started his ministry stating “about 30.” About 30 doesn’t mean on his 30th birthday. In reality it means he could have been 29 or 31. No exact number is given.
WS
Reply
 
 
 
 Alexandria R says:

 December 31, 2015 at 8:34 pm
 
My uncle says he wants to kill Santa Claus because he sucks at giving gifts. This year he bought everyone socks. I was happy. He wrapped them. I knew there were socks because the gift wrap didn’t hide it. Happy new year everyone.
Reply
 
 
 Sarah says:

 January 1, 2016 at 1:41 am
 
I left the organisation some years ago but I still do not celebrate Christmas. I can’t see any connection between eating tons of chocolate and/or drinking too much with the birth of Christ.
 Consider the stress put on parents to give children what they want, and they want a lot these days. Many go into debt for many months afterwards putting enormous pressure on families. It’s not a happy thing.
 There is a group of people in the States who stop people celebrating Christmas and stop the singing of carols, stating that Christians stole Christmas from the pagan Saturnalia. They are not Witnesses and I don’t agree with what they are doing either.
 If you want to have a family meal, give presents and do something nice for your children, then do it. Why do you need Christmas as an excuse to do it? Spread the cost of giving to your children over a year and limit it to what you can afford. Play with them, read books to them, take them to the beach or the park – it’s free.
 And above all, please stop grumbling that an organisation tried to make you approved by God. You have free will – do what you want.
Reply
 
 Meredith J says:

 January 1, 2016 at 3:17 am
 
Leaving it up to people to give each other gifts and they will not do it. Remind them with a certain day and they will. Simple as that. I was in the truth for 17 years and got out of the habit of giving gifts to my family very quickly when Christmas was stopped for us. Wedding anniversary. shmuck. What kind of a celebration is that to give gifts? It’s rubbish.
Reply
 
 Sarah says:

 January 2, 2016 at 1:04 am
 
Good point. Giving should be from the heart, though.
Reply
 
 Meredith J says:

 January 2, 2016 at 4:37 am
 
Yes, totally. Sorry, I was a bit loud before. I just had some memories and got emotional about it.
Reply
 
 
 
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 2:20 am
 
Nice article. Illustrates the WT Corp’s obsession with irrelevant, insignificant details, leading to yet more nit-picky, useless rules.
 I, too, remember not being allowed to participate in school Holiday-related activities. Once a girl even asked me if I would be her Valentine, and I had to refuse. What a joke. But perhaps the worst was, EVERY DAY, having to leave the room or remain seated, during the playing of the national anthem. All these things, in my opinion, amount to a mild form of child abuse. I mean, I’m not a big believer in peer pressure and mindless conformity, but really, the last thing any kid wants is to stick out like a sore thumb. Not to mention going door-to-door and being terrified you might run into a classmate. lol Looking back, the whole episode was an exercise in embarrassment. And utterly futile.
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 January 1, 2016 at 8:14 am
 
@A4
 Growing up a JW, I can definitely relate. You are made to feel like a complete outsider around non-JWs. A major part of my awakening entailed learning that so-called “worldly” people were kind, decent, and good-natured. In fact, many had better motives than a lot of JWs I knew.
I rebelled against their control in a small way a few months ago. I happened to be at the open-house at school for one of my children – Without my JW wife I might add. So when it came time for the pledge of allegiance to our nation’s flag, I said it right along with the other parents. It felt so liberating.
WS
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 11:41 am
 
Good for you.
 Being a loyal JW is like trying to be Amish in the middle of the city. lol
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 11:57 am
 
Speaking of which, if the Watchtower Corporation REALLY wants to be “no part of the world”, why don’t they do like the Amish and live away from the city on their own separate lands, and stop bothering folks? Maybe ’cause it would be too hard going door-to-door with a horse and buggy?
Reply
 
 Tara says:

 January 2, 2016 at 8:21 am
 
The irony of that is, that is just what many want to do in the ‘new system’.

 
 
 
 
 howard smith says:

 January 1, 2016 at 6:34 pm
 
You showed that “a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still”
Reply
 
 
 
 
 Alisia says:

 January 1, 2016 at 2:28 am
 
I can relate so much to this article. A JW kid secretly enjoying singing Christmas songs in school, the holiday movies, my favorite of all time being A Christmas Story.
I only ever received one Christmas celebration in my own home, complete with a tree and wrapped presents as a JW child to a non-beliving dad and JW mom. My dad despite his full time job, set up the tree, decorated it, purchased and wrapped my presents all on his own because my mom refused to help him the night before. I think I was 5 or 6 at the time but I clearly remember joy and dread. Fear and guilt, wonder and happiness all mixed in my young impressionable brain. The tree with its twinkling lights, beautiful glittering orniments. I remember opening my presents and feeling torn, I felt special and loved and I felt the twinge of guilt displeasing Jehovah and my mom.
I look back at that thought process and what should be a happy normal childhood memory and see it tainted with the Grinch disdain for Christmas. Why put children through that mental and emotional abuse????
 I’m glad my dad took photos of my only one ever Christmas morning that sits in a photo album because from that memory I knew I would give my daughter all of the Christmas experience from infancy and have family traditions that she can recall on her own. She would get everything I missed out on with no embarrassing speeches on why Christmas is against my religion to peers or teachers. I will tell her about Santa, she can sing all the Christmas songs she likes and have pure joy in opening her presents.
So what if Christmas has Pagan origins, and yes I know it is a highly commercial holiday but we aren’t materialistic. Christmas is about getting together in the dark of winter to shine a warm light of togetherness with your family and friends, in my case, my small family of three. And I love it, the tree, the lights, the music, the food. One generation saved from the Grinch of the Watchtower. One generation to never experience an abnormal childhood.
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 3:38 am
 
While on the topic of celebrations, the main reason WT condemns birthdays is because they ‘elevate’ 1 person above others. Yet, it’s OK to celebrate wedding anniversaries, which ‘elevate’ 2 people above others. Am I missing something, or do I just suck at math?
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 3:49 am
 
Saturnalia Shmaturnalia.
Reply
 
 Meredith J says:

 January 2, 2016 at 4:39 am
 
anonymous4, my husband used to say exactly the same thing.
Reply
 
 
 
 James Broughton says:

 January 1, 2016 at 3:51 am
 
I think the best comment about Christmas is from the Watchtower themselves. “Even though Christmas is not the real anniversary of our Lord’s birth, but more properly the annunciation day or the date of his human begetting (Luke 1:28), nevertheless, since the celebration of our Lord’s birth is not a matter of divine appointment or injunction, but merely a tribute of respect to him, it is not necessary for us to quibble particularly about the date. We may as well join with the civilized world in celebrating the grand event on the day which the majority celebrate – “Christmas day.”” Zion’s Watch Tower 1904 Dec 1 p.364. If it was good enough then, why not now?
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 3:58 am
 
The Watchtower Corporation is picky about using words like “luck” or “fate” because of their origins as relating to supposed deities or superstitions. But do they know that every time they utter the name of a day of the week, they are saying the name of a pagan god???
 Monday – Moon Day
 Tuesday – Tiiu’s Day
 Wednesday – Wodin (Odin)’s Day (Father of Thor)
 Thursday – Thor’s Day
 Friday – Fria’s Day
 Saturday – Saturn’s Day
 Sunday – Sun Day
 Now, Watchtower, what do u plan to do about that???
Reply
 
 Let it die says:

 January 1, 2016 at 8:16 am
 
Now that’s a great and informative question.
Reply
 
 
 Winston Smith says:

 January 1, 2016 at 8:26 am
 
I cannot find the reference, but I think that at one time in the 30’s they actually suggested alternate names for the days of the week. But it made for such a bizarre interaction with the rest of the world that is was abandoned. Like I say I cannot find the reference – I could be mistaken.
 WS
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 January 1, 2016 at 8:30 am
 
Found it:Golden Age 1935 Mar 13 p.380).
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 January 1, 2016 at 8:34 am
 
Here’s a link to the actual issue: http://jehovah.net.au/books/1935-Golden-Age.pdf
Thanks to jwfacts.com for making this available.
 WS
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 11:49 am
 
That would be funny. Maybe something like Jonahday, Ezekielday, Kingdomday, Tabernacleday, Gabrielday, Templeday, and, I don’t know, maybe Flurbday? :)

 
 
 Eric Arthur Blair says:

 January 2, 2016 at 5:06 pm
 
Wow, that is gold WS, I had no idea! I seem to remember hitler staring his own calendar under the third reich? That was short lived too.

 
 
 
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 January 1, 2016 at 9:09 pm
 
Very nicely put anonymous4.
Reply
 
 
 
 LEVI MATTHEUS says:

 January 1, 2016 at 9:10 am
 
I was influenced by the book The Two Babylons and did not celebrate Christmas and sought to persuade others so. Whilst Christmas was only observed from Constantine onward and has many pagan associations, I think one can go too far in arguing against it. It is the principle of God’s gift to the world and selflessness with Christ in our hearts that should govern us. There is no harm in a Christian celebrating the Incarnation, God becoming flesh to live among us. If any man keeps a day he keeps it to the Lord.
 Jeremiah 10, whilst referring to idolatry, does not explicitly refer to the Christmas tree. Nobody I know bows down to or worships one. Although I disapprove of one being used on the platform of a chapel or in divine service. It was a good few years before I ever authorised a tree over 18 inches high! However, I believe Martin Luther decorated a tree with candles to represent the light of Jesus Christ in the dark world.
 When I had children we would observe it on a low key basis, with a traditional family gathering on Christmas Eve with alternate Bible readings of the nativity and singing of carols before opening of presents. I love singing Christmas carols and revel in the thrill of the Saviour’s birth. “Fear not, for I bring you glad tidings of great joy. For to you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be the sign to you, you shall find the infant swathed, lying in a manger. And suddenly there came with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill to men.”
“For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given and the government will be upon His shoulder. His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, the Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace…”
May the blessings of Immanuel be with you all and have a great 2016. :)
Reply
 
 
 Tara says:

 January 1, 2016 at 9:34 am
 
It’s been a strange ol year hasn’t it….
Whilst waking up and fading away I began to wonder what I would do this Dec.
 My granddaughter turned one… I celebrated her first year of life. I didn’t glorify her but the fact that we have been blessed our little girl survived a year of life where others tragically did not.
 I was asked, many times, what I would be doing for Christmas.. I had no idea… hardly anyone talks to me outside the hall anyway… cheese sandwich, a glass of wine and a movie I guess…. ‘That just won’t do’. said a client. I was made welcome christmas eve at their house for a family meal. A big Italian family meal… wow it was overwhelming, it was warm and considerate and loving. They took me in and made me feel loved and wanted. My cell phone remained silent from my ‘christian brothers and sisters’. Christmas day I opened gifts with my family – yes, my reinstated daughter, her df’d father in law, her non witness husband and my granddaughter…. I experienced joy and love and a great breakfast. I skyped with my other granddaughter who was also celebrating Christmas with her Daddy, step mom and her family, out of town. My granddaughters mothers family are big witnesses but had to allow my son to have her… seeing her face was wonderful as she showed me what gifts she had received. She also told me her ‘mom’ and step dad had a christmas tree up and hidden in their basement! lol out of the mouth of babes eh…
the Italians invited me for Christmas dinner… my lot had to work or had other family to go to – hence I would have been alone…. 15 Italians around a table… again love, warmth and happiness… my cell phone remained silent from my ‘christian brothers and sisters’.
It’s been an odd year…. I know Christmas is pagan – everyone does. But love does not go out of fashion. What did Jesus say about love? This year I celebrated family. I gave small considerate gifts out of love… to show I celebrate hope and peace on earth… even if it is just for one day. Remember the story of the Germans and the Brits playing soccer one Christmas day during the war? If a pagan celebration can make mankind forget the horrors of the world for one day, one moment is that not worth celebrating? Above all, most people, even those who do not normally give God or Christ a moment of though any other time, may, may have brought him to mind….
Merry Christmas and I hope a Happy New Year to you all.
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 12:06 pm
 
I NV U. 😉
Reply
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 January 1, 2016 at 9:24 pm
 
Tara, then you have the true Christmas spirit. So wonderful to hear your experience. I tell you, since I have become enlightened, my Christmas is really filled with good cheer. I relish it. We have a tree and I buy thoughtful presents. Not a lot of expense or thoughtless kind of stuff, but things people I know will get some use out of. It’s not hard and of course there is more joy in giving than in receiving.
Our daughter and son in law, who left when we did, give us presents with handmade tags and wrapped in hand decorated brown paper. Our son and daughter in law who are still Witnesses gave us nothing. They never give us anything, not anytime of the year. They gave us a gift about 8 years ago and that is all they have ever felt obliged to do. The Grinch is in their hearts all the time while they in this cult. They stick their noses up when they see our tree. They really have no Christian spirit, so what on earth are they doing bagging Christmas?
Reply
 
 
 
 LEVI MATTHEUS says:

 January 1, 2016 at 9:35 am
 
By the way, I do think Santa Claus has usurped the position of the Lord Jesus Christ in Christmas festivities.
Reply
 
 Meredith J says:

 January 1, 2016 at 9:27 pm
 
I’d have to agree with that but then I think everyone I recall was saying that too before I became a Witness. It is common knowledge among Christians. It’s all Hollywood and the media who keep plugging Santa. The little kids just pick it up.
Reply
 
 
 
 HAKIZIMANA Jean de Dieu says:

 January 1, 2016 at 10:31 am
 
All is about brainwashing people of low thinking capacity and hiding the real goal of an organization, you rule over them and… collect dollars.
 Let me give an example. For the last couple of days, I have searched about Jesus birth and found that you could easily say that Christmas (25 December) can easily coincide with her mother last menstruation!! How?
1) Jesus was about 33 1/2 years old when he died. He would have turned 34 about October 1, 33 C.E. (w05 12/15 p. 6)
2) The Bible indicates that Jesus was actually born about October 1, 2 B.C.E. (See gh chap. 14 p. 128 par. 7)!
3) When the Christian congregation was formed, Mary may have been about 50 or so. (Read w09 1/1 p. 7)
When you put all that information together, you can conclude that:
 1) Mary conceived Jesus at age 13 or 14!!!
 2) That if Jesus was born on October 1, December 25 coincide perfectly with her mother’s “MENARCHE” (g 5/06 p. 10)!!
You can compute Mary’s delivery date assuming that December 25 using the online calculator on this link: http://www.babycenter.com/pregnancy-due-date-calculator
If you created a religion with such belief, you will still have followers as (1 Corinthians 1:21) . . .God was pleased through the foolishness of what is preached to save those believing. . .
Good Christmas!!!
Reply
 
 
 Is it dead? says:

 January 1, 2016 at 11:35 am
 
The best anti organised religious song ever is
 Sabbath bloody Sabbath by black sabbath. The warning is not to become bitter x
Reply
 
 
 GEM says:

 January 1, 2016 at 12:03 pm
 
I am sure Jesus was not a “party pooper”, and would have enjoyed the celebrations at Cana (John 2) and during Hannukah (John 10).
However, if I was Jesus, I would spin in my crib at what is done in my name over the “Christmas” celebrations. Hogmenay is far more honest (ask any Scotsman or woman)!
And really, practically every male Brit. I talk to says “Bah-humbug”! The pressure on the wallet is phenomenal at this time of the year…and, I think the original Nativity story is gradually being lost to the annual “Booze Up” that Christmas has become…
The thing that really gets me about the Watchtower Gringe is that it seems to have forgotten the honour we should give to our Creator by celebrating and being thankful. What is wrong about a birthday party or any other celebration is the debauchery that might go with it.
Why not give thanks for the birth of your child or yourself…a wedding anniversary.. what is the difference if the celebration is in good taste?
Finally, for what my “two penneth” might be worth… Mr Barber with one foul article put an end to all the fun. Then the tyrant took it a step too far and took the R out of the word Celebrate… and, caused me even more grief!
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 12:13 pm
 
lol
 True, Xmas has become extremely commercialized (then again, what hasn’t???). That’s a whole other conversation…
Reply
 
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 12:25 pm
 
Mr. Spock: “It seems random chance has operated in our favor.”
Dr. McCoy: “Don’t you mean, ‘We were lucky’, Mr. Spock?”
Mr. Spock: “I believe that is what I said, Doctor.”
Isn’t that EXACTLY what EVERYONE means when they say the word “lucky”??? But, OH NO, WT has to go nit-picking. In the words of Ronald Reagan, “There you go again!”
Talk about SPLITTING HAIRS.
 P.S. Dialogue that awesome, of course, is from Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS), so don’t bother looking for it in the new stuff. Sorry, I can’t recall the exact episode. :(
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 12:43 pm
 
Imagine going through the etymology of every word in the English (or any other) language and eliminating every word that has a ‘pagan’ origin. You’d probably wipe out at least half of everyone’s vocabulary!
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 12:49 pm
 
If the WT Corp. moved away like the Amish, to REALLY be “no part of the world”, they could create their own “pure” language, & use whatever names they wanted for the days of the week, etc. Living among “worldlings” unavoidably contaminates them!!!
Reply
 
 
 
 Winston Smith says:

 January 1, 2016 at 12:51 pm
 
@A4
 Star Trek TOS was awesome. The special effects were awful, but the dialogue, plot twists, and characters made up for it.
WS
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 1:16 pm
 
Definitely. And as big of a jerk Bill Shatner is, even his ‘nemesis’, George Takei admits, Star Trek would not have been the same without…him…as…Captain…Kirkkkkk!!!!!!! lol
 P.S. There used to be some TOS ep’s on YouTube. Some of them have been remastered, & the effects (mostly space: the ship, planets, etc) look AMAZING. I mean, really, the BEST CGI I’ve ever seen. Not sure if u can still catch that on YouTube, or if they sell DVD’s of the remastered stuff.
 P.P.S. Sorry to be off-topic, but this is HISTORY!!! 😉
Reply
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 January 2, 2016 at 4:48 am
 
I have to agree too. It was my favourite show in 1967. Sorry, showing my age again.
Reply
 
 Tara says:

 January 2, 2016 at 7:46 am
 
The needs of the one still out way the needs of the many… unless you are a JW then the many will shun you for the needs of the seven.
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 2, 2016 at 1:17 pm
 
Good one. So it seems “The needs of the 7 outweigh the needs of everybody.” lol

 
 
 
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 January 2, 2016 at 4:43 am
 
The oh so logical Mr Spock. Can’t remember that one but sounds very Mr Spock. ‘Luck’ is a word. Watchtower removed it from our vocabulary, you are right. Now my mind will be ticking away thinking about what other words were banned too.
Reply
 
 Tara says:

 January 2, 2016 at 7:51 am
 
One of our elderettes was always pulling us up for using euphemisms. I used ‘heck’ a lot (no not feck) as in ‘oh heck’. That got me into a lot of bother as Heck was short for some pagan gods name, or something…. North of England ‘oh eck’.
Reply
 
 Winston Smith says:

 January 2, 2016 at 8:00 am
 
Might consider saying “Icky-Icky-Icky-Ptang-Zoop-Boing!” instead. That’ll show ’em.
WS
Reply
 
 Tara says:

 January 2, 2016 at 8:27 am
 
Ni Ni Ni

 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 2, 2016 at 1:26 pm
 
“Oh apostate who says ‘Icky-Icky…….”
 “Oh apostate who says ‘Icky-Icky………”
 “Oh apostate who until recently said ‘Heck'”

 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 2, 2016 at 1:30 pm
 
God save us from the Elderettes! LMAO

 
 
 Tara says:

 January 2, 2016 at 5:47 pm
 
Hee hee hee

 
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 January 2, 2016 at 4:57 pm
 
Really didn’t they have better things to do?
Reply
 
 
 
 
 
 JBob says:

 January 1, 2016 at 4:08 pm
 
Very original article and informative. Appreciated it. Santa isn’t real? This statement is false as I was reminded recently that St. Nicholas was–is–an historic individual renowned for charitable giving during the Christ Mass of the Advent period. Sure, the commercial businesses added a twist from “A Christmas Carol” and embelished the stories over the years, but the lesson of being unconditionally charitable and showing thanks to friends and family, and strangers, is a sound one.
The birth of Jesus was the culmination and fulfillment of all the sacred mysteries of God, as Pauline epistles explain it–equal to the other parts of these sacret events–the Advent, the Crucificion, the Resurrection, and the Ascension. Of course, these events are minimized and even the Last Supper’s significance and participation is ripped away from r/f.
“The Two Babylons” book was a natural attraction for those early Bible Students (they hadn’t been renamed, remember?) who derived most of their literature and studies from Adventist authors and commentaries or “free-thinkers” in theology. One of these recognized “founders” was Charles Fitch who wrote of “Coming out of Babylon” (Rev. 18) and expanded it from the Roman Catholic Church to include all denominations that refused to accept the premise that Christ was returning in 1843, or 1844. The book’s assertions have spawned a literary war on Catholicism and all groups retaining the Apostle’s Creed and practices.
Curiously, JW’s retain the practice of exchanging and wearing wedding bands–a pagan practice originating in Greco-Roman myths that the band be worn on a finger allegedly having a vein running directly to the heart and sealing one’s love for eternity. And, as the recanting author wrote on his website, the arguments used in the book are often used to cite how Judaism and Christianity mimicked pagan rites.
Reply
 
 JBob says:

 January 1, 2016 at 4:11 pm
 
Lord’s Supper* …
Reply
 
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 4:32 pm
 
Just watched a May 25 Charlie Rose interview with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. He shared a great quote by one of his mentors, the late Dr. Carl Sagan: “Ignorance and power are a highly combustible mix.”
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 1, 2016 at 5:06 pm
 
Some more Carl Sagan quotes (I’m paraphrasing from Wikiquotes):
‘The idea that God is an oversized white male with a flowing beard who counts every sparrow that falls, is ludicrous.’
 ‘Science is the process of skeptically interrogating the Universe while having a fine understanding of human fallibility.’
 ‘Scientists are known to say, “That’s a very good argument. I must be wrong.” And they will change their opinion, and never repeat the old, discarded one. It does not happen as often as it should, because scientists are human beings, and change is sometimes painful. But it does happen. Every day. I can’t remember the last time that happened in politics or religion.’
Reply
 
 
 susanna says:

 January 2, 2016 at 3:36 am
 
I think that one other reason why JW not are allowed to celebrate X-mas is to save money and give them to WT instead. I havn´t seen that in writing anywhere…but I know that friends said that because not buying gifts they had money to give to the worldwide work…
Reply
 
 JJ says:

 January 2, 2016 at 4:01 am
 
I think my parents heard, from the Witnesses at their door, that there were no birthdays or Christmas and they said, “We’re in! You had us at ‘No celebrations!'”
If you are cheap and bitter, then this is the cult for you!
Reply
 
 
 JJ says:

 January 2, 2016 at 4:01 am
 
I think my parents heard, from the Witnesses at their door, that there were no birthdays or Christmas and they said, “We’re in! You had us at ‘No celebrations!'”
If you are cheap and bitter, then this is the cult for you!
Reply
 
 
 Eric Arthur Blair says:

 January 2, 2016 at 7:05 am
 
So true. It’s funny, I always secretly loved Christmas, but I still used to thank God I was spared all that expense and time and stress at this time of year. Now when I think of all the money and time I gave to Watchtower, and the PTSD they gave me in return, I thank god I’m free of that cult. This year I celebrated Christmas for the first time in 25 years. I rejoiced at how refreshing, liberating and healing that was, and mused on how much money I have saved by not giving Watchtower a cent for the last few years, and all the time I save by not going to meetings, witnessing, personal study etc. etc. I gave it to my beautiful family instead.
Reply
 
 
 
 Meredith J says:

 January 2, 2016 at 5:16 am
 
This is off topic too but some might get a laugh.



Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 2, 2016 at 1:51 pm
 
WOW!!!!! PRICELESS!!!!! Who can’t relate to THAT???
 RFLMAO!!!
 That clip just about said it ALL!!!
 And the funny (and sad) thing is, it was NO exaggeration. The whole thing was DEAD ON. You can’t write that sh*t. It LITERALLY writes itself.
 still LMAO
 Thanx
 And Thanx to whoever made it!!
Reply
 
 
 Alexandria R says:

 January 2, 2016 at 5:39 pm
 
Best movie I ever saw!!! I loved it when the kid colored Jesus. This made me laugh and laugh and laugh.
Reply
 
 
 
 Gina says:

 January 2, 2016 at 5:49 am
 
All their doctrines is copied from others, not even the untrue, fake revelations, they did not have them themselves…
maybe only 1975???
Reply
 
 
 Seen, observed and practically numb says:

 January 2, 2016 at 6:05 am
 
Take me to church
Reply
 
 
 ruthlee says:

 January 2, 2016 at 9:43 am
 
hi folks! a few things, have you noticed how reference to the head when describing analysis ie the bald facts or splitting hairs even nit picking. It’s exactly what the cult do time and time again. Appearances are all that matter shiny tight people with not a generous spirit unless they are told to be generous to the borg. They like to be well groomed like pampered pooches, well dogs were for work not silk cushions, they get bored. Pampered jws have no spirit of giving its all just hours on a sheet no real Christian spirit, give to the poor, the lonely, the spiritually sick! Heaven forbid.If they just stopped and thought about the safety and miracle of the little boy who became the wonderful man they would rejoice like the angels. All Christians who realise what a significant thing that happened would want to talk and sing about that event. But oh no we were constantly reminded that Jesus is not a perpetual babe.so it is not important. Well sorry to nit pick but if The Almighty really objected to acknowledging his son’s birth I think we would have seen a few thunder bolts by now. In fact he is so indifferent you can get blind drunk fall in a ditch in your celebratory exuberance and stay there all night . The next day when the jws are out preaching you will give them ample opportunity to cross over to the other side and not assist you but tut at you for being such a wicked pagan. Or you could just be so thankful (if you believe) that he arrived safely ,had lovely parents and grew up. that’s worth celebrating .ruthlee
Reply
 
 
 Searcher says:

 January 2, 2016 at 1:17 pm
 
HO HO HO and Merry Christmas to all you Christmas haters out there! (LOL, it’s all in light fun!)
I knew that Christmas was of pagan origin long before I ever studied with the JW’s. What gets me is the fact that the WTS runs such a guilt trip on anyone who does celebrate, saying you should worship “in spirit and in truth.” I think that the WTS forgot about the “spirit” part that Christ was talking about. In spirit AND in truth. Christmas is the spirit of Christ’s birth and not the actual true date or event. I say to those who get hung up on that fact should think of the spirit of the holiday and take as it is for people TODAY, and not what it was to someone 2500 years ago.
PS. I also think that the JW’s have forgotten the truth part too.
Reply
 
 
 Jay says:

 January 2, 2016 at 1:32 pm
 
I too have been set free after over 30 years as a slave to the watchtower ! My daughter never did get baptized or except the teachings of the watchtower, so now I’m enjoying my granddaughter singing Christmas songs and talking about Santa, I have to do it quietly though for you know who is watching ! Feels so good to be free ! There is one teaching I do agree with the watchtower, and that is you will know the truth and the truth will set you free ! I now know the truth and have been set free from the watchtower organization !
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 2, 2016 at 2:03 pm
 
Right on! Know the Truth, and fight for Freedom by DECLARING the Truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply
 
 
 

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← The Friday Column: Everyone makes mistakes – except Watchtower
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How the Watchtower Stole Christmas
avatar 
Posted on December 31, 2015
 
grinchIn 1957, the acclaimed children’s author Dr. Seuss penned an instant classic, a beloved tale of a grumpy green monster whose shoes and heart were too small or too tight to tolerate the evil holiday known as Christmas. Oh the commercialism, the singing, the stockings, the gifts…it was just too much, and he had to stop it.
The Grinch was his name; ending Christmas was his game.
As the story unfolds, Mr Grinch schemes to impersonate Santa Claus, dresses his dog as a reindeer, then sets off with his sled on a mission to take back all the presents that Santa worked so hard to distribute. Just like that, Christmas was gone. Or was it?
While hauling all the gifts to the top of a nearby mountain, the Grinch heard something he was not expecting – singing! He heard the sound of joy and happiness, despite the fact that he had stolen everything – the stockings, the bicycles, the popcorn, the drums, even the Christmas tree!

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow, Stood puzzling and puzzling: “How could it be so? It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags!”
And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
 Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! – “Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas … perhaps … means a little bit more!”
In the end, the Grinch had an awakening, a revelation that enlarged his heart and enabled him to see that the holiday he once hated so badly was not so bad after all, and he finally understood what it meant to the community. He gave back all the stolen gifts, rejoined his community, and even carved the Christmas meal with his new friends.
It is sometimes said that life imitates art, and for millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses past and present, there was a modern-day Grinch who stole Christmas from their lives. Only this time the Grinch stayed the Grinch.
If you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, you are among a unique group of people who have transitioned greatly over the past century. Within your own lifetime you might not have seen radical change. But viewed historically, the organization has morphed into a highly controlling religious hierarchy that has banned nearly every celebration commonly accepted in our civilized world. The penalty for celebrating Christmas or any other holiday is severe: complete banishment from association and friendship with all other Jehovah’s Witnesses.
This may not seem significant to the great majority of mankind, but if most of your family and friends are Witnesses, let me assure you the punishment is devastating.
Why did this happen?
In the late 1800s, a man by the name of Charles Taze Russell initiated a religious movement that was based on an ultra-literal interpretation of the Bible. Despite the fact that “Pastor” Russell had no advanced schooling, no theological training, and no education in Hebrew or Greek, he was able to parlay his business earnings into the printing and distribution of an endless stream of books and magazines focusing on the return of Jesus to invisible authority over the Earth. Once initiated, this “Bible Student” movement became self-perpetuating – collecting dollars, real estate and admirers as the years progressed.
One of those admirers was a man by the name of Robert H. Barber.
12434180_1746481405570780_1879793343_n
ROBERT H. BARBER – THE GRINCH
For matters of clarification, Barber is not to be confused with Nelson Barber (the Adventist once associated with Russell) or Carey Barber (deceased member of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses)
There is limited information available regarding R.H. Barber, but we do know that he became a loyal follower of Charles Taze Russell by the turn of the 20th century, writing glowing reviews of Russell’s books. These letters to Russell were published in the pages of the Watchtower.
Barber apparently made quite an impression on Russell, and just before Russell’s death in 1916 he was listed among key public speakers at the July 1916 Newport Rhode Island convention of Bible Students. He shared the platform with A.H. Macmillan, C.J. Woodworth, R.J. Martin, W.E. Van Amburgh and other well-known Bible Student speakers and writers.
Barber managed to survive the turmoil that ensued following Russell’s death in 1916 and the subsequent takeover by attorney Joseph F. Rutherford. In fact, at the annual meeting held January 4th 1919, R.H. Barber received the 3rd highest number of votes for an elected officer of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract society, eclipsed only by C.A. Wise and the Watchtower president himself, J.F. Rutherford. Clearly Barber was becoming an influential presence within the organization.
On October 1st 1919, two of Barber’s colleagues (mentioned earlier), Clayton J. Woodworth and Robert J. Martin began publishing a new magazine called The Golden Age (now titled Awake!). This journal served to supplement The Watchtower, examining both current events and politics along with doctrinal opinions.
The Golden Age magazine became an added platform for Barber, who was already touring the United States, gaining steam as the organization continued to grow. In 1924, the Watchtower organization added a radio station to its list of assets, and R.H. Barber became a regular preacher, delivering broadcast sermons such as “Why is the World Still Unconverted and Who is to Blame?” and “The Real Christian and the Hypocrite.”
By 1928, Joseph Rutherford had become nearly as prolific a writer as Charles Taze Russell, but he was not satisfied with just publishing his doctrinal and political opinions; he became obsessed with organizational allegiance and separating the Bible Students/Watchtower adherents from the mainstream religions of Christendom. If C. T. Russell had been thought of as a religious cult leader, J.F. Rutherford took it to a whole new level. And his right hand man R.H. Barber was about to change the lives of every person ever associated with, or descended from, the Jehovah’s Witness organization.
As declared in the Jehovah’s Witness organization’s most recent history summary titled “God’s Kingdom Rules!,” R.H. Barber delivered a speech in December 1928 that officially condemned the celebration of Christmas as an unchristian, pagan celebration inspired by Satan, and used as a tool to dishonor God and his Son. From this point forward it would no longer be considered acceptable to take part in this celebration or any related festivities. In fact, page 102 of this 2014 JW history book displays a photo of the final Christmas celebration at Brooklyn headquarters.
Seated prominently at the end of one of the long tables is the Grinch himself, R.H. Barber (circled, by Watchtower, in the image below from the God’s Kingdom Rules book).
12469959_1748658818686372_3
Further embedding the ban on Christmas permanently into Jehovah’s Witness theology was The Golden Age article published on December 12th 1928. The article was titled “Christmas, Its Origin and Purpose.”
12395138_1746481495570771_2089530117_n
THE INFLUENCE OF ALEXANDER HISLOP
Much has been said about the differences in belief between Charles Taze Russell and his successor J. F. Rutherford, but one quality they shared was a singular hatred for the teachings of the Catholic Church.
12431341_1746487675570153_2044291449_nThe origin of much of this disdain for the Catholic Church and its practices stemmed from the writings of a man by the name of Alexander Hislop (1807-1865). Hislop was a Scottish minister known for his denunciation of the Catholic Church, and whose most notable work was the book titled The Two Babylons, The Papal Worship Proved to Be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife.
The Two Babylons was originally published as a pamphlet; then by 1919 it had emerged as a 330-page book, complete with illustrations. This book served as the touchstone for a multitude of Jehovah’s Witness teachings, including the elimination of the cross and the ban on holidays such as Christmas and Easter. It was considered so important to Jehovah’s Witnesses that the organization bought thousands of copies and received permission to sell and distribute the book, which they did all the way through to 1986.
12414033_1746480878904166_1102473688_o
The JW connection to Hislop has not gone unnoticed by the religious community at large. In 2014 the website steadfastlutherans.com criticized the exaggerated claims of Hislop, pointing the finger at Jehovah’s Witnesses for adopting his questionable research:

The 40 day fast does not come from the so-called “weeping of Tammuz” as claimed by the radical anti-Roman Catholic writer Alexander Hislop in his book The Two Babylons. Hislop made up myths and connections out of thin air because of his hatred for Roman Catholicism. Hislop’s views were adopted whole cloth by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, who continued to republish Hislop’s book until 1987. Hislop’s book was cited in 22 different issues of the Jehovah’s Witnesses periodical The Watchtower from 1950 to 1978, and several times in the 1980s. From 1989 the Jehovah’s Witnesses stopped referring to Hilsop’s book, but they have kept Hislop’s teaching and use other sources.
 
CHRISTMAS AND YOU
The history of Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christmas might seem interesting to some, yet completely useless to others. The background only matters if it matters to you.
It matters to me, but not by choice. In the mid 1960s my parents had just married, and by 1967, the year of my birth, they had been converted to the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This meant that I never experienced a Christmas tree, Christmas gifts, or any of the holiday traditions associated with December 25th. I was instructed as a child to declare that the celebration of Christmas was “against my religion.” This, along with the complete abstinence from all other holidays including Easter, Halloween, and the innocuous Thanksgiving Day rendered me an instant outcast from my classmates. I was different, and R.H. Barber was to blame. And Hislop. And Rutherford.
By the time I reached middle and high school, I was expected to deliver a well-rehearsed explanation for why I would not engage in any holiday celebrations, not even politely wishing my classmates a Merry Christmas or Seasons Greetings, as this would compromise the faith that was delivered to me every year in the form of a Watchtower or Awake! article condemning every notable and enjoyable annual holiday.
12404277_1746495655569355_1198557010_n
I was baptized in 1984, the year Jehovah’s Witnesses declared (yet again) that “this generation” would not pass away until all Bible prophecies about “the end” were fulfilled. By the end of that year the Watchtower had driven yet another spike into Christmas, declaring it a “dangerous” holiday.
In retrospect, I never really thought of Christmas as dangerous. In fact, I secretly admired the ritual nature of Christmas, as it seemed somewhat joyful and positive, and not god-dishonoring at all. To the extent that I was able, I enjoyed Christmas music and Christmas themed movies. Was this a secret sin? I suppose it was, according to the Grinch.
When I had moved into my first apartment, I discovered Frank Capra’s classic movie “It’s a Wonderful Life,” which I watched with no remorse. And music? Well I admit I liked Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas” and Elmo N’ Patsy’s comical “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer.”
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE GRINCH?
It’s hard to believe that it has been nearly 90 years since Jehovah’s Witnesses banned Christmas from the list of approved activities. The Grinch, Mr. Barber is long gone, along with all the men who agreed to this travesty and perversion of normal behavior. Yet the inertia of this belief continues, and in its December 15th 2015 issue, the Watchtower magazine has once again slung its arrows at Santa Claus and the Catholic Church. It does not appear that the Governing Body will be erecting a Christmas tree at the new Warwick compound anytime soon.
So, what is the solution? Dr. Seuss might just be able to provide the answer. When the Grinch was about to destroy all of the Christmas gifts, he paused for just a second and listened to the distant sound of singing coming from the townspeople of Who-Ville. He had stopped and used his mind just long enough to understand that Christmas was not evil, and it was not about the gifts. It was about life, and family, and the common bond of humanity.
He was cured.
From everyone at JW Survey, we wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
 
 
john-redwood-signature
 
 
This article was slated to be posted much earlier, but unfortunately we had to do some important maintenance work to JWsurvey over the holiday period, which took longer than expected. I’d like to thank you all for your patience during the “downtime” while we worked to get JWsurvey back up and running, and I heartily join John in wishing all our readers every happiness for 2016! – Lloyd


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← The Friday Column: Everyone makes mistakes – except Watchtower
Jehovah’s Witness guilty of strangling children for sexual gratification →
 
112 Responses to How the Watchtower Stole Christmas

← Older Comments
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 2, 2016 at 2:20 pm
 
One lame reason WT Corp provides for not celebrating birthdays is that the only bible account of a birthday celebration included the beheading of a man (John the baptist), so yahweh must not be into birthday parties. That’s kinda like saying yahweh hates all Italian Governors because Pontius Pilate sentenced Jesus to execution.
 Bottom Line: The Watchtower Corporation is a KILLJOY. And that is 1 defining characteristic of a CONTROL FREAK.
 Control freaks do not want other people having fun without strings attached. ‘If they’re going to have fun, then those b*stards are going to have it MY WAY, WHEN & WHERE I say so.’ That’s what u call a ME-Monster.
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 2, 2016 at 2:31 pm
 
…or…a MEanderthal
Reply
 
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 2, 2016 at 6:49 pm
 
I just read an awesome piece on JWB (Jehovah’s Witness Blog – Denouncing Jehovah’s Kingdom) under Featured Articles — “Diary of an Armageddon Survivor”.
5 Stars ***** !
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 2, 2016 at 7:14 pm
 
At a lavish Good Friday banquet in the Vatican in 1514, Pope Leo X raised his chalice of wine and toasted, “How well we know what a profitable superstition this fable of Christ has been for ourselves and our predecessors.”
Reply
 
 Join-Stay25Yrs-Leave says:

 January 2, 2016 at 8:11 pm
 
RE: At a lavish Good Friday banquet in the Vatican in 1514, Pope Leo X raised his chalice of wine and toasted, “How well we know what a profitable superstition this fable of Christ has been for ourselves and our predecessors.”
No source documention exists that provides even the slightest of evidence that this ever occurred.
Until one learns to fully substantiate what one believes, and to not be a party to damaging rumor-mongering, one has not truly shed the cult state-of-mind they were groomed by the WTBTS to have.
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 2, 2016 at 11:30 pm
 
LOL
 Yeah, I’m really concerned about ruining the reputation of some dude who died 500 years ago, or of the Catholic Church itself! lol Sorry, but they didn’t have video or tape recorders back then, so u’ll NEVER get ur “documention” (guess ur spell-check needs tweaking). Besides, there’s no documentation that proves it DIDN’T happen. lol Apparently, Leo X was known for his debauchery (unless u know otherwise), so it’s not hard to believe those words came out of his mouth. If u need absolute proof, again, sorry, but I haven’t finished working on my Time Machine. lol Anyhow, do u REALLY believe all those Religious Bigwigs ACTUALLY believe the stories they tell their “flocks”? Or are they more like politicians, with prepared speeches, etc., etc., etc.? I’ll let u decide for urself, wouldn’t want u to be influenced by my “cult state-of-mind”. RFLMAO
Reply
 
 
 Winston Smith says:

 January 3, 2016 at 7:40 am
 
There is certainly some debate over whether the pope ever made this statement, however it is quoted in a number of books. The problem is that most of the early quotations were by notably anti-Catholic authors. This link gives some light on the issues with some of the sources: http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/30416/did-pope-leo-x-say-that-christianity-is-a-fable
It is probably one of those things we will never know for certain.
WS
Reply
 
 
 
 
 Alexandria R says:

 January 2, 2016 at 7:49 pm
 
It’s all about ego. The society’s ego. The society wants it’s followers to be separate from the world to the point of snobbery. A long time ago I remember a newly baptised sister saying it was hard for her to give up Mother’s Day because it disappointed her mother so badly. Every year on mother’s day she would get her mom a wonderful card and take her out for dinner and her mother looked forward to it every year. It was a special day for her. The sister hated giving it up. This is what the society is doing to people. I feel it’s a form of snobbery because of the fact they want their followers to be better than everyone (worldly people) It’s all smoke and mirrors.
Reply
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 2, 2016 at 11:13 pm
 
SMOKE & MIRRORS
— U nailed it!!!
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 2, 2016 at 11:51 pm
 
“The society’s ego”… & don’t forget INDIVIDUAL egos! An Army of millions is still only made up of individual soldiers. If they lack belief & determination, that army is not an army. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. That’s why WT browbeats its members to “perform”, put in a minimum number of hours, attend ALL meetings, etc, etc, etc. Sure, many stay out of fear. But fear is not enough. People do or don’t do things for a reason. I believe most JW’s are there for a REASON.
 Like u said, EGO.
Reply
 
 
 anonymous4 says:

 January 2, 2016 at 11:57 pm
 
…The Snob Army
Reply
 
 Alexandria R says:

 January 3, 2016 at 1:28 am
 
I love that. The snob army. That’s so good. and it’s true. :)
Reply
 
 
 
 
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Jehovah’s Witness guilty of strangling children for sexual gratification
avatar 
Posted on January 3, 2016

Warwick Crown Court, where Ian Pheasey was sentenced to five years
Warwick Crown Court, where Ian Pheasey was sentenced to five years

Once again, Jehovah’s Witnesses hit the headlines regarding the covering up of child sex abuse.
This most recent case concerns Ian Pheasey, who was a member of a congregation in Warwick. The court was told how Pheasey attacked a 7-year-old girl while working as a volunteer librarian at the Kingdom Hall in the 1990s. He was charged with offenses that occurred between 1989 and 1994, and he pleaded guilty to 3 offenses.
Pheasey’s offenses are unusual in nature as he obtained sexual gratification from strangling children. His first victim was a 7-year-old girl who had gone to get a book from the library in the Kingdom Hall. His second victim was a 14-year-old girl who he grabbed around the neck and threw to the floor where he straddled her and squeezed her neck.
The poor girl fell unconscious twice and was crying out, “Jehovah help me.” Pheasey told the girl he would kill her if she told anyone, and he also said if she ever had daughters he would rape them as well.
She ran home screaming and crying to her mother, but sadly her mother told her to clean herself up. She was taken to the hospital for the bruising to her neck, but was told by her parents that she must never say anything about it. Furthermore, the matter was “swept under the carpet” by the congregation, according to the prosecutor.
Ian Pheasey, who admitted fantasizing about young girls
Ian Pheasey, who admitted fantasizing about young girls

Pheasey admitted fantasizing about strangling the girl, and that he had lured her over with the intention of strangling her and becoming sexually aroused.
His third victim was only 6 years old when he was carrying out some work at her parents’ house. As the little girl sat in his van, he got in and started tickling her and then moved his hand up her skirt. He only stopped when she kicked out and screamed.
Nicholas Taplow, prosecuting, stated: ”He was a man who had a particular sexual fascination with the act of strangulation. He derived sexual gratification from strangling children, and many children were strangled in this way by him during what he described as horseplay.”
Pheasey was jailed for 5 years after he pleaded guilty to assaulting one girl, causing her actual bodily harm, and indecently assaulting 2 others.
A spokesman for the Jehovah’s Witnesses said the church deplored Pheasey’s behavior and denied it was involved in a cover up of his crimes. The spokesman said, “Jehovah’s Witnesses abhor child abuse, and view it as a serious crime and sin. The safety of our children is of the utmost importance. Any suggestion that Jehovah’s Witnesses cover up child abuse is absolutely false. We are committed to doing all we can to prevent child abuse and to provide spiritual comfort to any who have suffered from this terrible sin and crime.”
This case is particularly shocking as some of the offenses happened at the Kingdom Hall. Not only is the nature of the crimes particularly disturbing, but also the reactions from the parents and the congregation. Sadly, this is a common occurrence, and one we are becoming all too familiar with. What I found particularly interesting in this case was the statement released by the Jehovah’s Witness spokesman.
In two sentences within the statement, they mention child abuse as a sin and a crime. It baffles me that they still can’t seem to understand that if something can be described as a “crime,” this far outweighs whether or not it is perceived as a “sin.” Have you ever heard Witnesses describing murder, kidnapping or burglary as a sin? Of course not, because they are crimes. As an abuse victim myself, I find it offensive that they effectively minimize the seriousness of the crime of child sex abuse in this way.
The other interesting point is that they claim to provide “spiritual comfort” to any who have suffered child abuse. I would love to know what this comfort consists of. I imagine it to involve three old men sitting with a victim reading scriptures from the bible.
Although in my case, both myself and the other victims didn’t even get that! When will the Governing Body realize that victims don’t want “spiritual comfort.” They want to be believed and supported. They want to know that if they report the matter to police, the elders will be right by their side. They want to know that others in the congregation are going to be protected because of their bravery in coming forward.
Sadly this is not the case. In case after case we are seeing more support for the abuser and their family than for the victim. I don’t know the victims in this case, but in case they read this article I want to just say this:
What you have done has taken great bravery and determination. I know what it’s like to live with something for over 25 years and feel like you will never get justice. I can only imagine what you went through with elders at the time, and maybe even recently, but you are not alone. There is a huge, loving community out there full of ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses who all understand how you feel. Each brave person who comes forward shines another light on to the organization and its unwillingness to protect children.
 
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Further reading…
◾Mirror article
◾Metro article
◾Daily Mail article
◾Telegraph article
◾The Sun article
◾Stratford Herald article
◾JWsurvey articles on child abuse


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16 Responses to Jehovah’s Witness guilty of strangling children for sexual gratification

 HAKIZIMANA Jean de Dieu says:

 January 3, 2016 at 4:03 am
 
I think the organization uses child use as a weapon to hold the victims in the cult as elders will play their shoulder to cry on:
How JWs hypocritically seem, in their publication, to advacate for children protection and act differently?
 *** g94 5/8 p. 29 Watching the World ***
 About 29 percent of the children murdered by a father, an uncle, a brother, or a stepfather were raped before dying. O Estado de S. Paulo reports that in Brazil about 90 percent of all cases of domestic violence against children go unreported.
Why are they judge the world before their judge themselves?
*** g93 11/8 p. 29 Watching the World ***
 The Dublin Rape Crisis Center says that the number of reported cases of sexual child abuse in Ireland has risen from 408 in 1984 to 2,000 in 1992. A brutal case of incest there has sparked a national furor. A father, addicted to a hard liquor called poteen, raped and assaulted his daughter repeatedly over a 16-year period and fathered a child by her. He blinded her in one eye by beating her with a stick. As is not uncommon in such cases, the victim’s mother knew of the incest but lied to the police to protect her husband; neighbors likewise knew of the girl’s plight but did nothing. Although the man pleaded guilty to charges of rape, incest, and assault, the judge considered the matter to be incest. The father was sentenced to seven years in prison, the maximum for incest, and he could be released after four. Outraged over the case, many Irish Catholics are calling on their church to make a specific pronouncement against incest.
They are “Watching the World” the world!!
Reply
 
 
 Idontknowhatodo says:

 January 3, 2016 at 4:08 am
 
Well said Karen Morgan…how do they keep getting this so horribly wrong? I still find it amazing as part of a congregation of Jehovahs Withesess that I would be allowed to have contact with a ‘repentant’ abuser but not with his disfellowshipped victim… I have awoken pretty abruptly over the last two years after a life time of lies…pretty devastating at 57… I sometimes want to take the easy way and just give in…my entire family would shun me if I left dramatically… your article reminds me of why Im fading… I hope you have found some peace after your ordeals…thank you
Reply
 
 Johnshipl says:

 January 3, 2016 at 4:23 am
 
I am in exactly same position fading so as not to loose family. What beats me is 1993 awake march or may article on what to do if raped. First thing CALL THE POLICE second GET MEDICAL HELP preseve the evidence .get the victim to place of safety. Almost last on the list call the elders. WHY OH WHY dont they follow their own advice ???
Reply
 
 Johnshipl says:

 January 3, 2016 at 4:41 am
 
That was march 8 awake page 9 .its all there good advice .what went wrong ?? It just makes me so angry .they have ” two sets of stone weights “
Reply
 
 
 
 
 Darlene Alexander says:

 January 3, 2016 at 4:21 am
 
He only got 5 years? THAT is a crime.
Reply
 
 
 Straw Heart says:

 January 3, 2016 at 4:43 am
 
And that’s the one who got caught!
 What about all the ones who’ve got away with these heinous crimes?
 These elders dealing with these incidences are supposed to be elected by Jehovah!!!!! What a total lie.
 It’s elders with privilege in the congregations who also do these disposable acts on vulnerable children etc., disgusting.
 I believe the amount of Paedophiles in the congregations of JWs worldwide, is approximately, 30,000.
 So glad I’m out of this false prophet religion.
Reply
 
 
 Merice Marshall says:

 January 3, 2016 at 4:49 am
 
Great write up Karen …
Reply
 
 
 Garrett says:

 January 3, 2016 at 4:58 am
 
He wouldnt survive prison here in America. Any crime against a child here and the inmate is usually found dead….and rightfully so.
Would you ever put someone like that back on the streets
…after 5 years?
…ever?
Reply
 
 
 ktmmadbrit says:

 January 3, 2016 at 6:00 am
 
This thug needs a proper lesson. But our UK courts are so soft as to be useless. Wish our prisons were like that Garrett!
 What upset me was that little girl crying to ‘Jehovah’ for help! Where was the bolt of lightning? He doesn’t exist. Poor child.
Reply
 
 
 D. Charles Pyle says:

 January 3, 2016 at 6:03 am
 
It’s things like this that seem to me to warrant the death penalty to put such ones out of their misery. The rate of recidivism is so high for such people that it is a crime to put most of them back out onto the streets after five years, or ever.
Reply
 
 
 Sarah says:

 January 3, 2016 at 6:23 am
 
The elders’ crime is that they silence the victims. Stating they do not cover up crime in this way is a lie. Parents are taught to believe elders know best and thus will downplay the child’s hurt.
 The problem is the belief that if there is only one witness, that witness is considered a slanderer is he tells anyone else. Thus abused persons are not able to warn others. This dreadful belief must be exposed for being devastatingly harmful and wrong.
 So sorry for all victims and I’m working hard to try to expose other secret, unlawful, activity of the organisation.
Reply
 
 
 Roman Castañeda says:

 January 3, 2016 at 6:48 am
 
I can’t imagine this guy being at a kingdom hall strangling little girls and no one noticing. If the girls were there, shouldn’t their parents be there as well? How did the people react when they saw a girl passed out on the floor in front of the literature cabinet? That is simply disturbing.
Reply
 
 
 Caltanzee says:

 January 3, 2016 at 6:59 am
 
Well what did Christ said about the selfrihgteous Pharisees.He called them white washed graves full of every sort of plunder and lawlessness. Such is the organization.with them its all about the white wash of purity while beneath the surface lies piles of vile and disgusting things.men who stymied their conscience to retain egotistical power and prestige to the detriment of the flock.
Reply
 
 
 Mr. Bee says:

 January 3, 2016 at 7:16 am
 
I, too, was raised as a witness. I left about 3 yrs. ago. Fading is what I’m doing, as I also have a brother, sister and daughter that are still in. My wife knows about my feelings and, metaphorically speaking, puts her hands over her ears and goes “la la la la la la la”…. I can’t help but think that the reason the girl was told by her mother to downplay it was to “not bring reproach on Jehovah’s name”. I told my wife that this brings more reproach than if it was immediately reported to the police. Most people in “the world” would respect the congregation for taking it to the authorities right away.
And that whole Australian Commission totally blew my mind!!
Reply
 
 Idontknowhatodo says:

 January 3, 2016 at 7:28 am
 
The Royal Australian Commission was the final nail in the coffin for me…. I didnt believe any more so felt mentally free and hadnt been on door to door preaching for some time …. after listenibg to all the Australian Commission hearings I realised not only was this religion false…it was sick…sick to its bootstraps…. I have not been to a meeting for 3 months and have not put in a report last month for the first time in my life… its hard as my spouse is totally entrenched as are my children and their partners… they are in fact the only reason I dont disassociate… I love my partner and cant imagine life wthout him… his feelings would change towards me and I dont know if I could take that at the moment… Im coping but its hard sometimes to walk the path Iv chosen… but at least I have chosen it.
Reply
 
 
 
 mel says:

 January 3, 2016 at 7:18 am
 
“The spokesman said, “Jehovah’s Witnesses abhor child abuse, and view it as a serious crime and sin. The safety of our children is of the utmost importance.”
Forgive me if I am wrong, but this sounds like the same routine quote said by all the JW Spokespeople published in various media outlets.
Reply
 
 
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 MericeEwartMarshall   @mericezfotoz 
Jehovah's Witness guilty of strangling children for sexual gratification http://jwsurvey.org/child-abuse-2/jehovahs-witness-guilty-of-strangling-children-for-sexual-gratification …

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 Lloyd Evans   @cedarsjwsurvey 
JWsurvey's child abuse correspondent @karenmo25525183 gives her take on the prosecution of Ian Pheasey... http://wp.me/p1TWXJ-2hq



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 Lloyd Evans   @cedarsjwsurvey 
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31 Dec
 Reveal        ✔   @reveal 
Jehovah's Witnesses covered up child sex abuse and ousted a victim. Her story: http://ow.ly/WiMzG  pic.twitter.com/l0GAcaLPRu

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 Janet Heimlich   @janetheimlich 
Jehovah's Witnesses accused of covering up historic #sexabuse http://ow.ly/Ws2vW

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 Religion News   @religionnews 
Jehovah's Witness who strangled young girls to gain "sexual gratification" jailed for five years http://ow.ly/WpcJU

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