Criticism of JWs Wikipedia page and Gllaad . org Kevin Campbell interview from 2009

Daniel Allen Cox

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Jump to: navigation, search


Daniel Allen Cox

Occupation
Writer
Nationality
Canadian
Period
2000s-present
Notable works
Shuck, Krakow Melt
Daniel Allen Cox (born February 3, 1976) is a Canadian author and screenwriter. Shuck, his debut novel about a New York City hustler, was a Lambda Literary Award and a ReLit Award finalist.


Contents  [hide]
1 Life and career
2 Bibliography
3 References
4 External links

Life and career[edit]
Cox is described in interviews as a former Jehovah's Witness and model/actor in gay pornography.[1] From 2008 to 2011, he wrote the column "Fingerprinted" for Capital Xtra! in Ottawa, Ontario.[2]
Krakow Melt, the second novel by Cox, published by Arsenal Pulp Press, about Polish pyromaniacs who fight homophobia, was released in 2010 and was excerpted in the US-based national gay and lesbian newsmagazine The Advocate.[3] In 2011, Istanbul-based publisher Altikirkbes acquired Turkish-language rights to the novel for an underground literature imprint featuring Lydia Lunch.[4] The novel was nominated for the ReLit Award, the Lambda Literary Award and the Ferro-Grumley Award for LGBT Fiction. Cox's third novel, Basement of Wolves, was released in 2012.[5]
Cox co-wrote the screenplay for the Bruce LaBruce film Gerontophilia which premiered in 2013 at the Venice Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival, won the Grand Prix FOCUS for Best Canadian Film at the Festival du nouveau cinéma, had theatrical runs and television presentations in Canada, France, and Poland, and has screened at over seventy-five festivals worldwide. Gerontophilia will be released in theatres in the United States in 2015. [6][7]
Cox's short film script One Shut Night was performed live at the 2013 NYC PictureStart Film Festival in a stage reading directed by Peter Kelley.[8]
Cox has appeared at the Blue Metropolis Montreal International Literary Festival, Ottawa International Writers' Festival, Northeastern Illinois University, Columbia College Chicago,[9] McGill University,[10] Wilfrid Laurier University's Rainbow Centre, the San Francisco Sex Worker Arts Festival,[11] WESTFEST, GritLit, AIDS Committee of Ottawa, and CBC Radio One.[12][13] He is a former fiction editor of Outsider Ink, and his own fiction has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies. He is openly gay.[14]
Tattoo This Madness In, his novella about LGBT Jehovah's Witnesses who use Smurf tattoos to rebel against their faith, was nominated for a 2007 Expozine Alternative Press Award.
Bibliography[edit]
Episodes of Deflated Magic (short story chapbook, Fever Press, 2004) ISBN 0-9732424-1-8
Year of the Thief (anthology story, Thieves Jargon Press, 2006) ISBN 0-9770750-1-X
Tattoo This Madness In (novella, Dusty Owl Press, 2006) ISBN 0-9739266-4-3
Shuck (novel, Arsenal Pulp Press, 2008) ISBN 978-1-55152-246-3
Second Person Queer (anthology essay, Arsenal Pulp Press, 2009) ISBN 978-1-55152-245-6
I Like It Like That (anthology story, Arsenal Pulp Press, 2009) ISBN 978-1-55152-259-3
Krakow Melt (novel, Arsenal Pulp Press, 2010) ISBN 978-1-55152-372-9
Basement of Wolves (novel, Arsenal Pulp Press, 2012) ISBN 978-1-55152-446-7
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Montreal Mirror, September 11, 2008.
2.Jump up ^ Daniel Allen Cox author archives. Xtra! Ottawa.
3.Jump up ^ "The Ninio in the Room". The Advocate, September 16, 2010.
4.Jump up ^ "Deals: Natalee Caple, Cary Fagan, Mariko Tamaki, and more". Quill & Quire, February 23, 2011.
5.Jump up ^ Basement of Wolves, Arsenal Pulp Press.
6.Jump up ^ Kilian Melloy. "When May Met December: Interview with Daniel Allen Cox". EDGE magazine. August 22, 2013.
7.Jump up ^ "Official Site for the film Gerontophilia"/
8.Jump up ^ NYC PictureStart Film Festival 2013 edition.
9.Jump up ^ LGBTQ students speak out. The Columbia Chronicle, October 18, 2010.
10.Jump up ^ "Hit List". Hour Community, November 23, 2006.
11.Jump up ^ Queer Arts Festival :: Formerly Known As. Edge San Francisco, June 10, 2009.
12.Jump up ^ Ottawa International Writer's Festival.
13.Jump up ^ CBC Radio One, December 2, 2006.
14.Jump up ^ "Francis Vol interviews Daniel Allen Cox", Velvet Mafia (21), retrieved October 6, 2007
External links[edit]
Daniel Allen Cox at the Internet Movie Database


Authority control
VIAF: 106675625 ·
 ISNI: 0000 0000 8459 2138 ·
 SUDOC: 182621596 ·
 BNF: cb16937152c (data)
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: 1976 births
Canadian male novelists
Canadian screenwriters
LGBT writers from Canada
Gay writers
Living people
Writers from Quebec
LGBT screenwriters
Former Jehovah's Witnesses
21st-century Canadian novelists
LGBT novelists
Male screenwriters







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Daniel Allen Cox

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search


Daniel Allen Cox

Occupation
Writer
Nationality
Canadian
Period
2000s-present
Notable works
Shuck, Krakow Melt
Daniel Allen Cox (born February 3, 1976) is a Canadian author and screenwriter. Shuck, his debut novel about a New York City hustler, was a Lambda Literary Award and a ReLit Award finalist.


Contents  [hide]
1 Life and career
2 Bibliography
3 References
4 External links

Life and career[edit]
Cox is described in interviews as a former Jehovah's Witness and model/actor in gay pornography.[1] From 2008 to 2011, he wrote the column "Fingerprinted" for Capital Xtra! in Ottawa, Ontario.[2]
Krakow Melt, the second novel by Cox, published by Arsenal Pulp Press, about Polish pyromaniacs who fight homophobia, was released in 2010 and was excerpted in the US-based national gay and lesbian newsmagazine The Advocate.[3] In 2011, Istanbul-based publisher Altikirkbes acquired Turkish-language rights to the novel for an underground literature imprint featuring Lydia Lunch.[4] The novel was nominated for the ReLit Award, the Lambda Literary Award and the Ferro-Grumley Award for LGBT Fiction. Cox's third novel, Basement of Wolves, was released in 2012.[5]
Cox co-wrote the screenplay for the Bruce LaBruce film Gerontophilia which premiered in 2013 at the Venice Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival, won the Grand Prix FOCUS for Best Canadian Film at the Festival du nouveau cinéma, had theatrical runs and television presentations in Canada, France, and Poland, and has screened at over seventy-five festivals worldwide. Gerontophilia will be released in theatres in the United States in 2015. [6][7]
Cox's short film script One Shut Night was performed live at the 2013 NYC PictureStart Film Festival in a stage reading directed by Peter Kelley.[8]
Cox has appeared at the Blue Metropolis Montreal International Literary Festival, Ottawa International Writers' Festival, Northeastern Illinois University, Columbia College Chicago,[9] McGill University,[10] Wilfrid Laurier University's Rainbow Centre, the San Francisco Sex Worker Arts Festival,[11] WESTFEST, GritLit, AIDS Committee of Ottawa, and CBC Radio One.[12][13] He is a former fiction editor of Outsider Ink, and his own fiction has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies. He is openly gay.[14]
Tattoo This Madness In, his novella about LGBT Jehovah's Witnesses who use Smurf tattoos to rebel against their faith, was nominated for a 2007 Expozine Alternative Press Award.
Bibliography[edit]
Episodes of Deflated Magic (short story chapbook, Fever Press, 2004) ISBN 0-9732424-1-8
Year of the Thief (anthology story, Thieves Jargon Press, 2006) ISBN 0-9770750-1-X
Tattoo This Madness In (novella, Dusty Owl Press, 2006) ISBN 0-9739266-4-3
Shuck (novel, Arsenal Pulp Press, 2008) ISBN 978-1-55152-246-3
Second Person Queer (anthology essay, Arsenal Pulp Press, 2009) ISBN 978-1-55152-245-6
I Like It Like That (anthology story, Arsenal Pulp Press, 2009) ISBN 978-1-55152-259-3
Krakow Melt (novel, Arsenal Pulp Press, 2010) ISBN 978-1-55152-372-9
Basement of Wolves (novel, Arsenal Pulp Press, 2012) ISBN 978-1-55152-446-7
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Montreal Mirror, September 11, 2008.
2.Jump up ^ Daniel Allen Cox author archives. Xtra! Ottawa.
3.Jump up ^ "The Ninio in the Room". The Advocate, September 16, 2010.
4.Jump up ^ "Deals: Natalee Caple, Cary Fagan, Mariko Tamaki, and more". Quill & Quire, February 23, 2011.
5.Jump up ^ Basement of Wolves, Arsenal Pulp Press.
6.Jump up ^ Kilian Melloy. "When May Met December: Interview with Daniel Allen Cox". EDGE magazine. August 22, 2013.
7.Jump up ^ "Official Site for the film Gerontophilia"/
8.Jump up ^ NYC PictureStart Film Festival 2013 edition.
9.Jump up ^ LGBTQ students speak out. The Columbia Chronicle, October 18, 2010.
10.Jump up ^ "Hit List". Hour Community, November 23, 2006.
11.Jump up ^ Queer Arts Festival :: Formerly Known As. Edge San Francisco, June 10, 2009.
12.Jump up ^ Ottawa International Writer's Festival.
13.Jump up ^ CBC Radio One, December 2, 2006.
14.Jump up ^ "Francis Vol interviews Daniel Allen Cox", Velvet Mafia (21), retrieved October 6, 2007
External links[edit]
Daniel Allen Cox at the Internet Movie Database


Authority control
VIAF: 106675625 ·
 ISNI: 0000 0000 8459 2138 ·
 SUDOC: 182621596 ·
 BNF: cb16937152c (data)
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: 1976 births
Canadian male novelists
Canadian screenwriters
LGBT writers from Canada
Gay writers
Living people
Writers from Quebec
LGBT screenwriters
Former Jehovah's Witnesses
21st-century Canadian novelists
LGBT novelists
Male screenwriters







Navigation menu



Not logged in
Talk
Contributions
Create account
Log in



Article

Talk









Read

Edit

View history

















Main page
Contents
Featured content
Current events
Random article
Donate to Wikipedia
Wikipedia store

Interaction
Help
About Wikipedia
Community portal
Recent changes
Contact page

Tools
What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Wikidata item
Cite this page

Print/export
Create a book
Download as PDF
Printable version

Languages

Add links
This page was last modified on 21 June 2015, at 02:10.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
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About Wikipedia
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Contact Wikipedia
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Allen_Cox













Jacob and Joshua: Nemesis Rising

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Jump to: navigation, search


Jacob and Joshua: Nemesis Rising
Jacob and Joshua - Nemesis Rising (title card).png
Title card

Starring
Jacob Miller
 Joshua Miller
Opening theme
Rise Up
Country of origin
United States
Original language(s)
English
No. of episodes
7
Production

Executive producer(s)
Mark C. Grove
Jeff Keirns
Garry Kief
Troy P. Queen
Running time
22 minutes
Release

Original network
Logo
Original release
October 16 – December 4, 2006
External links
Website
Jacob and Joshua: Nemesis Rising is a reality television program originating on the LGBT network Logo. It follows identical twin brothers Jacob and Joshua Miller, who together comprise the pop duo Nemesis, as they seek success in the music business as openly gay artists. The series premiered on October 16, 2006.
The series is available for download at the iTunes Store, along with a clip show retrospective entitled The Music of Jacob and Joshua: Nemesis Rising. It is currently airing in Canada on OUTtv.


Contents  [hide]
1 Episode summaries 1.1 Episode 1: Meet the Twins
1.2 Episode 2: Coming Out in Montana
1.3 Episode 3: Montana and Relationships
1.4 Episode 4: Nashville
1.5 Episode 5: Media Blitz
1.6 Episode 6: Barry and Vegas
1.7 Episode 7: HRC, TRL, and Beyond
1.8 Episode 8
2 External links

Episode summaries[edit]
Episode 1: Meet the Twins[edit]
In the debut episode, Jacob and Joshua, Nemesis, are introduced. Jacob is the blond and Joshua is the brunette. They have been under contract to Curb Records for several years but have not progressed beyond the point of recording demo tracks. The boys live together in Los Angeles along with Jacob's boyfriend Nick. Joshua is single, and while Jacob and Nick are fairly domestic, Joshua actively tries to meet men on the internet and at West Hollywood gay clubs The Abbey and iCandy (itself the subject of an earlier Logo reality series, Open Bar).
Nemesis has a meeting the next morning with their manager, Garry Kief. Garry tells the boys that Curb is conditionally ready to commit to producing a single, album and appearances for them. Curb plans to mention in any marketing material that Jacob and Joshua are gay. Jacob is ready to come out to anyone and everyone, including his Jehovah's Witness parents. Joshua is much more reluctant. The boys argue about how being known as gay could negatively affect them both professionally and personally. Ultimately they decide to go home to Montana although Joshua says he may still not be able to tell them he's gay.
Episode 2: Coming Out in Montana[edit]
Joshua continues to stress over coming out to his parents, while Jacob invites Nick to go to Montana with them. They plan to have Nick come up toward the end of the visit. Joshua thinks bringing Nick is a bad idea.
The twins fly to Montana and their mother Sherry picks them up at the airport. Back at the house they meet up with brother Jordan and sister Sarah calls home. Dad Rex gets home as well.
As Jacob and Joshua get acquainted with the family's new horses and socialize with the family, Sherry, Rex and the twins interview about being Jehovah's Witnesses. The twins, who've left the religion, note that homosexuality is considered a sin and Joshua especially stresses over the secret he's carrying.
Over a family dinner on the porch, Jacob comes out to their parents on behalf of the two of them. Jordan and Sarah already knew. Sherry and Rex are hard-hit by the news. Sherry and Rex talk about their reactions interspersed with scenes of them telling the boys that they still love them. Sherry interviews that she believes the Bible tells her the God hates homosexuality and that homosexuals won't "inherit the kingdom." Rex interviews that his sons' homosexuality isn't "anything [he] wish[es] to see" and nothing he wants to embrace. He says he still loves them and he will embrace them and not judge them, but that he won't allow it to be part of his and Sherry's "arrangement" because of how they believe. Sherry notes that she thinks Joshua has an "agenda."
Joshua tells Jacob that he thought their parents' reaction was "freaky good" and that things went just as he had hoped. Jacob expresses his relief that for the first time he can set "the gay issue" aside, but interviews that Nick is coming and he hopes his parents can meet him.
Episode 3: Montana and Relationships[edit]
Jacob, Joshua and their family continue to come to terms with the twins' announcement. The twins and Rex do some fly fishing and talk about Rex and Sherry's marriage. Jacob tells Rex that he has always looked to his parents as relationship role models.
Ultimately Jacob decides against having Nick come to Montana. To make up for it, Jacob (who says he's not good at making romantic gestures) makes plans to celebrate their sixth anniversary. He takes Nick sky diving and for a romantic dinner in Laguna Beach. He gives Nick a ring that he knows Nick likes, interviewing that it's not intended as a wedding or "promise" ring. He tells Nick that he's concerned that when Nemesis' career takes off over the next several months, Nick might feel like Jacob is "slipping away" from him. Nick reassures him and they interview separately that they believe their relationship will endure.
Meanwhile, Joshua does some work in the recording studio and cruises the internet to "shop for dudes."
Episode 4: Nashville[edit]
After meeting with manager Garry (and discussing Lance Bass and the possible impact his coming out might have on their own careers) the twins fly to Nashville, Tennessee to meet with Curb Records founder Mike Curb and prepare for a showcase performance. Nick, whose family lives in Nashville, goes with them and Jacob and Joshua visit with his family. Jacob interviews about how tight-knit Nick's family is, how welcomed he has felt by them throughout his relationship with Nick and how he wishes he could bring Nick similarly into his family.
Nemesis meets with Curb, who listens to their cover of Hot Child in the City and is pleased. Joshua gets together with his ex-boyfriend Daniel, whom he describes as his "first love."
As they prepare for the showcase, Jacob is nervous that no one will show up. Joshua struggles with stage fright. In the end the show is packed and the twins' performance of Hot Child is well received.
Episode 5: Media Blitz[edit]
At a lunch meeting with Garry, the twins learn that The Advocate magazine has agreed to feature them on the cover. Joshua again has some anxiety over the gay issue but Jacob is thrilled at the prospect of being on a magazine cover. Nick is equally thrilled for them but Joshua seeks out friend Meredith as a sounding board. She encourages him to embrace the upcoming attention and be proud of being a "pioneer." They call home and tell Mom the news.
At Garry's office, he announces to the twins that Mike Curb has approved the song Number One in Heaven as the first single from their album and has committed to a video shoot the following week. The video will be directed by a husband-and-wife team named Nick and Laura, known as "Honey," who've directed videos for Stevie Nicks, Rage Against the Machine, Dave Navarro and others. Nemesis meets Honey to discuss the concept. Joshua has reservations but Jacob likes it. The twins hire a personal trainer to get in shape for the video.
Nemesis travels to Palm Springs to shoot the album cover. For a change, Jacob is nervous because he doesn't think he photographs well in stills. But, once the photos are taken Joshua is back to worrying about them and Jacob is pleased.
Back in Los Angeles the twins meet with publicist Howard Bragman, who tells them they've lost the Advocate cover but that there will still be a big story. Joshua is relieved but Jacob is annoyed.
It's the day of the video shoot. After a slow start for Joshua they arrive at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, site of the shoot. It goes well and Jacob especially is pleased; however, he grows more worried about the possibility of failure after all the effort they've already made.
Episode 6: Barry and Vegas[edit]
Nemesis is excited to learn that Barry Manilow wants to produce a track for the upcoming album. Barry wants to produce He Was a Friend of Mine (which had previously appeared on the soundtrack of Brokeback Mountain performed by Willie Nelson). The twins will fly to Las Vegas next week. Their enthusiasm is dampened, however, upon hearing the demo recording, feeling that it doesn't fit the album. They meet with manager Garry but are still concerned.
Jacob and Joshua fly to Las Vegas. After checking into a luxury suite they go out to a club called Pirhana. Jacob works the club for a while as Joshua hangs back, then when Jacob leaves Joshua starts mingling and mixing.
The next day at the suite, the twins work on the song. Joshua, who will be singing lead, interviews that Jacob's earlier tirade against the song influenced him against it but after having listened to it a few more times he began feeling it would work. They clash over Joshua's level of preparedness, which leads to an uncomfortable dinner. After dinner they meet producer Michael Lloyd at The Palms Casino's Ghost Bar and talk out their concerns with him.
The following morning Jacob and Joshua head to the recording studio and meet Barry. They record the track and Barry shares some stories from his early career. After hearing a rough mix of the track, the twins' fears about the song are assuaged. Jacob, Joshua and Barry all express their satisfaction.
Episode 7: HRC, TRL, and Beyond[edit]
In the season finale, Jacob decides to move out of the apartment he shares with Joshua and Nick. Up in the air is whether Joshua will be moving with him to a new place.
Manager Garry calls in the twins to announce that they have been invited to perform at the Human Rights Campaign annual dinner. Some 3,000 "movers and shakers" will hear them perform. Later over coffee Jacob and Joshua talk about the work that's left to do on the album and about preparing for the HRC performance.
Nemesis flies to Washington, D.C. to meet with HRC president Joe Solmonese. They discuss the role of HRC in the gay community. Later the twins, Nick and Garry head to the convention center to check out the performance space and meet with stage manager Sasha Bamadji. They rehearse and Jacob interviews that he's concerned his voice might not hold up for the performance.
At the HRC dinner Nemesis has a photo op with Solmonese and are excited to meet Billie Jean King. Introduced by the cast of Noah's Arc, the twins perform Rise Up to a very warm reception.
Back in Los Angeles, Jacob and Joshua again meet with Garry and express their concerns over when the album will be released. Those concerns are put aside when Garry informs them they will be appearing on MTV's Total Request Live. Garry interviews that TRL is "this generation's American Bandstand" and the best way to gain mainstream exposure for the act.
MTV VJ Vanessa Minnillo interviews the boys for TRL and they talk about the video shoot for Number One in Heaven. After the appearance, the twins wrap up the season by interviewing about their experiences and all the people who have taken chances for them. They talk about the chances they have taken and how they plan to continue moving forward.
Episode 8[edit]
An eighth episode, released online, consists of clips of the previous episodes and interview segments with the twins about their experiences with the show, ending with another airing of their music video.
External links[edit]
Official website
Jacob and Joshua: Nemesis Rising at the Internet Movie Database
  


Categories: American reality television series
2006 American television series debuts
2006 American television series endings
Logo original programs




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This page was last modified on 13 March 2015, at 21:54.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_and_Joshua:_Nemesis_Rising













Jacob and Joshua: Nemesis Rising

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search


Jacob and Joshua: Nemesis Rising
Jacob and Joshua - Nemesis Rising (title card).png
Title card

Starring
Jacob Miller
 Joshua Miller
Opening theme
Rise Up
Country of origin
United States
Original language(s)
English
No. of episodes
7
Production

Executive producer(s)
Mark C. Grove
Jeff Keirns
Garry Kief
Troy P. Queen
Running time
22 minutes
Release

Original network
Logo
Original release
October 16 – December 4, 2006
External links
Website
Jacob and Joshua: Nemesis Rising is a reality television program originating on the LGBT network Logo. It follows identical twin brothers Jacob and Joshua Miller, who together comprise the pop duo Nemesis, as they seek success in the music business as openly gay artists. The series premiered on October 16, 2006.
The series is available for download at the iTunes Store, along with a clip show retrospective entitled The Music of Jacob and Joshua: Nemesis Rising. It is currently airing in Canada on OUTtv.


Contents  [hide]
1 Episode summaries 1.1 Episode 1: Meet the Twins
1.2 Episode 2: Coming Out in Montana
1.3 Episode 3: Montana and Relationships
1.4 Episode 4: Nashville
1.5 Episode 5: Media Blitz
1.6 Episode 6: Barry and Vegas
1.7 Episode 7: HRC, TRL, and Beyond
1.8 Episode 8
2 External links

Episode summaries[edit]
Episode 1: Meet the Twins[edit]
In the debut episode, Jacob and Joshua, Nemesis, are introduced. Jacob is the blond and Joshua is the brunette. They have been under contract to Curb Records for several years but have not progressed beyond the point of recording demo tracks. The boys live together in Los Angeles along with Jacob's boyfriend Nick. Joshua is single, and while Jacob and Nick are fairly domestic, Joshua actively tries to meet men on the internet and at West Hollywood gay clubs The Abbey and iCandy (itself the subject of an earlier Logo reality series, Open Bar).
Nemesis has a meeting the next morning with their manager, Garry Kief. Garry tells the boys that Curb is conditionally ready to commit to producing a single, album and appearances for them. Curb plans to mention in any marketing material that Jacob and Joshua are gay. Jacob is ready to come out to anyone and everyone, including his Jehovah's Witness parents. Joshua is much more reluctant. The boys argue about how being known as gay could negatively affect them both professionally and personally. Ultimately they decide to go home to Montana although Joshua says he may still not be able to tell them he's gay.
Episode 2: Coming Out in Montana[edit]
Joshua continues to stress over coming out to his parents, while Jacob invites Nick to go to Montana with them. They plan to have Nick come up toward the end of the visit. Joshua thinks bringing Nick is a bad idea.
The twins fly to Montana and their mother Sherry picks them up at the airport. Back at the house they meet up with brother Jordan and sister Sarah calls home. Dad Rex gets home as well.
As Jacob and Joshua get acquainted with the family's new horses and socialize with the family, Sherry, Rex and the twins interview about being Jehovah's Witnesses. The twins, who've left the religion, note that homosexuality is considered a sin and Joshua especially stresses over the secret he's carrying.
Over a family dinner on the porch, Jacob comes out to their parents on behalf of the two of them. Jordan and Sarah already knew. Sherry and Rex are hard-hit by the news. Sherry and Rex talk about their reactions interspersed with scenes of them telling the boys that they still love them. Sherry interviews that she believes the Bible tells her the God hates homosexuality and that homosexuals won't "inherit the kingdom." Rex interviews that his sons' homosexuality isn't "anything [he] wish[es] to see" and nothing he wants to embrace. He says he still loves them and he will embrace them and not judge them, but that he won't allow it to be part of his and Sherry's "arrangement" because of how they believe. Sherry notes that she thinks Joshua has an "agenda."
Joshua tells Jacob that he thought their parents' reaction was "freaky good" and that things went just as he had hoped. Jacob expresses his relief that for the first time he can set "the gay issue" aside, but interviews that Nick is coming and he hopes his parents can meet him.
Episode 3: Montana and Relationships[edit]
Jacob, Joshua and their family continue to come to terms with the twins' announcement. The twins and Rex do some fly fishing and talk about Rex and Sherry's marriage. Jacob tells Rex that he has always looked to his parents as relationship role models.
Ultimately Jacob decides against having Nick come to Montana. To make up for it, Jacob (who says he's not good at making romantic gestures) makes plans to celebrate their sixth anniversary. He takes Nick sky diving and for a romantic dinner in Laguna Beach. He gives Nick a ring that he knows Nick likes, interviewing that it's not intended as a wedding or "promise" ring. He tells Nick that he's concerned that when Nemesis' career takes off over the next several months, Nick might feel like Jacob is "slipping away" from him. Nick reassures him and they interview separately that they believe their relationship will endure.
Meanwhile, Joshua does some work in the recording studio and cruises the internet to "shop for dudes."
Episode 4: Nashville[edit]
After meeting with manager Garry (and discussing Lance Bass and the possible impact his coming out might have on their own careers) the twins fly to Nashville, Tennessee to meet with Curb Records founder Mike Curb and prepare for a showcase performance. Nick, whose family lives in Nashville, goes with them and Jacob and Joshua visit with his family. Jacob interviews about how tight-knit Nick's family is, how welcomed he has felt by them throughout his relationship with Nick and how he wishes he could bring Nick similarly into his family.
Nemesis meets with Curb, who listens to their cover of Hot Child in the City and is pleased. Joshua gets together with his ex-boyfriend Daniel, whom he describes as his "first love."
As they prepare for the showcase, Jacob is nervous that no one will show up. Joshua struggles with stage fright. In the end the show is packed and the twins' performance of Hot Child is well received.
Episode 5: Media Blitz[edit]
At a lunch meeting with Garry, the twins learn that The Advocate magazine has agreed to feature them on the cover. Joshua again has some anxiety over the gay issue but Jacob is thrilled at the prospect of being on a magazine cover. Nick is equally thrilled for them but Joshua seeks out friend Meredith as a sounding board. She encourages him to embrace the upcoming attention and be proud of being a "pioneer." They call home and tell Mom the news.
At Garry's office, he announces to the twins that Mike Curb has approved the song Number One in Heaven as the first single from their album and has committed to a video shoot the following week. The video will be directed by a husband-and-wife team named Nick and Laura, known as "Honey," who've directed videos for Stevie Nicks, Rage Against the Machine, Dave Navarro and others. Nemesis meets Honey to discuss the concept. Joshua has reservations but Jacob likes it. The twins hire a personal trainer to get in shape for the video.
Nemesis travels to Palm Springs to shoot the album cover. For a change, Jacob is nervous because he doesn't think he photographs well in stills. But, once the photos are taken Joshua is back to worrying about them and Jacob is pleased.
Back in Los Angeles the twins meet with publicist Howard Bragman, who tells them they've lost the Advocate cover but that there will still be a big story. Joshua is relieved but Jacob is annoyed.
It's the day of the video shoot. After a slow start for Joshua they arrive at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, site of the shoot. It goes well and Jacob especially is pleased; however, he grows more worried about the possibility of failure after all the effort they've already made.
Episode 6: Barry and Vegas[edit]
Nemesis is excited to learn that Barry Manilow wants to produce a track for the upcoming album. Barry wants to produce He Was a Friend of Mine (which had previously appeared on the soundtrack of Brokeback Mountain performed by Willie Nelson). The twins will fly to Las Vegas next week. Their enthusiasm is dampened, however, upon hearing the demo recording, feeling that it doesn't fit the album. They meet with manager Garry but are still concerned.
Jacob and Joshua fly to Las Vegas. After checking into a luxury suite they go out to a club called Pirhana. Jacob works the club for a while as Joshua hangs back, then when Jacob leaves Joshua starts mingling and mixing.
The next day at the suite, the twins work on the song. Joshua, who will be singing lead, interviews that Jacob's earlier tirade against the song influenced him against it but after having listened to it a few more times he began feeling it would work. They clash over Joshua's level of preparedness, which leads to an uncomfortable dinner. After dinner they meet producer Michael Lloyd at The Palms Casino's Ghost Bar and talk out their concerns with him.
The following morning Jacob and Joshua head to the recording studio and meet Barry. They record the track and Barry shares some stories from his early career. After hearing a rough mix of the track, the twins' fears about the song are assuaged. Jacob, Joshua and Barry all express their satisfaction.
Episode 7: HRC, TRL, and Beyond[edit]
In the season finale, Jacob decides to move out of the apartment he shares with Joshua and Nick. Up in the air is whether Joshua will be moving with him to a new place.
Manager Garry calls in the twins to announce that they have been invited to perform at the Human Rights Campaign annual dinner. Some 3,000 "movers and shakers" will hear them perform. Later over coffee Jacob and Joshua talk about the work that's left to do on the album and about preparing for the HRC performance.
Nemesis flies to Washington, D.C. to meet with HRC president Joe Solmonese. They discuss the role of HRC in the gay community. Later the twins, Nick and Garry head to the convention center to check out the performance space and meet with stage manager Sasha Bamadji. They rehearse and Jacob interviews that he's concerned his voice might not hold up for the performance.
At the HRC dinner Nemesis has a photo op with Solmonese and are excited to meet Billie Jean King. Introduced by the cast of Noah's Arc, the twins perform Rise Up to a very warm reception.
Back in Los Angeles, Jacob and Joshua again meet with Garry and express their concerns over when the album will be released. Those concerns are put aside when Garry informs them they will be appearing on MTV's Total Request Live. Garry interviews that TRL is "this generation's American Bandstand" and the best way to gain mainstream exposure for the act.
MTV VJ Vanessa Minnillo interviews the boys for TRL and they talk about the video shoot for Number One in Heaven. After the appearance, the twins wrap up the season by interviewing about their experiences and all the people who have taken chances for them. They talk about the chances they have taken and how they plan to continue moving forward.
Episode 8[edit]
An eighth episode, released online, consists of clips of the previous episodes and interview segments with the twins about their experiences with the show, ending with another airing of their music video.
External links[edit]
Official website
Jacob and Joshua: Nemesis Rising at the Internet Movie Database
  


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2006 American television series debuts
2006 American television series endings
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Silentlambs

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Silentlambs

Founded
2000[1]
Founder
William Bowen
Type
Non-profit (501 C3)
Focus
Child sexual abuse
Location
Calvert City, Kentucky, USA

Method
Legal assistance and education
Website
www.silentlambs.org
Silentlambs is a United States-based non-profit organization, founded by William Bowen, that assists victims of child sexual abuse experienced within the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.[2][3][4] Silentlambs' stated purpose is to help educate the public and Jehovah's Witnesses about child sexual abuse, and to assist abuse survivors who have been molested as children and silenced from speaking out or seeking proper assistance as directed by religious authority.[5][6] The group states that it has received reports from more than 5000 Jehovah's Witnesses contending that the church mishandled cases of child sexual abuse.[7]
In 2012, an attorney for the Watch Tower Society claimed that the Silentlambs website airs the personal grievances of its owner towards his former religious associates and lacks scholarly research.[8][9]


Contents  [hide]
1 Founder
2 Watch Tower Society database
3 Lawsuits
4 See also
5 References

Founder[edit]
Silentlambs was founded in 2001 by William H. Bowen, a second generation Jehovah's Witness. Bowen served as an elder for approximately 15 years, and worked in the printing factory at the headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses from 1977 until 1979. According to Bowen, he was removed as an elder in July 1992 for refusing to back down on a matter involving the appointment of a child molester. He was reappointed as an elder in 1994, but resigned the position in December 2000 over concerns about new allegations of child abuse and continued disagreement with Jehovah's Witnesses' policies for reporting child sex abuse.[7][10] According to Bowen, he was disfellowshipped in 2002 for actions considered to constitute "causing divisions" and tantamount to "apostasy". Bowen claims to be an expert in comparative religions including Jehovah's Witnesses, the Catholic Church and the Mormons regarding child sex abuse policies, and provides services as a consultant for attorneys who file civil cases against Jehovah's Witnesses. He has stated that he is not an expert regarding investigations of sex abuse allegations, nor an expert regarding the historical standards of care and detection of child abuse. Bowen has self-published two books, and states that he is an expert in child custody and taxation policies of Jehovah's Witnesses.[9][11]
Watch Tower Society database[edit]
Bowen claims that the Jehovah's Witnesses' headquarters, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, maintains a database with the names of over twenty thousand abusers; he claims the list has not been released because it would hurt the public image of the church.[12]
The Watch Tower Society states that the number of names in its records is "considerably lower", but does not specify an actual number. It stated that the purpose of the database is not to protect child molesters, but for legal reasons and to prevent molesters from being appointed in position of authority. It also states that the number includes individuals who are not necessarily Jehovah's Witnesses, but who are "associated with" them.[7][13] The Watch Tower Society has acknowledged that its handling of abuse cases has not been perfect, but claims its policies were exemplary and superior to those of other religions.[7] According to some former members, Jehovah's Witnesses may discipline or excommunicate members who have molested children, without turning the offender over to police.[14][15][16][17][18]
Lawsuits[edit]
In September 2002, Bowen organized and participated in a demonstration in front of the headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn, New York.[9] In the spring of the same year, Silentlambs assisted in bringing the first series of major civil lawsuits against the Watch Tower Society over the mishandling of child abuse.[10][19] These and other subsequent cases were settled out of court with the details kept confidential.[20]
In 2012, the Watch Tower Society's attorney stated in a court memorandum that no courts in the United States had previously found its conduct or policy regarding sex-abuse to be unlawful.[21] The attorney also stated that the Silentlambs website is a vehicle for Bowen to "air his personal grievances against his former religious associates",[8] and that Bowen's comments lack scholarly research and are consistently accusatory of the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses.[9]
See also[edit]
Child sexual abuse
Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses and child sex abuse
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ silentlambs marks ten years of work
2.Jump up ^ "William H. Bowen - Profile". International Cultic Studies Association. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
3.Jump up ^ "Witness to shame", Newsweek, June 24, 2002.
4.Jump up ^ "Watchtower Ousts Victims, Whistle-Blowers", Christianity Today, July 8, 2002.
5.Jump up ^ Silentlambs' web site
6.Jump up ^ Huntley, Dan (September 1, 2004). "Vigil to call attention to 3 slain children". The Charlotte Observer (ReligionNewsBlog). Retrieved February 6, 2010.
7.^ Jump up to: a b c d Goodstein, Laurie (August 11, 2002). "Ousted Members Contend Jehovah's Witnesses' Abuse Policy Hides Offenses". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
8.^ Jump up to: a b Bowen, William. "Court document". Alameda court of California. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
9.^ Jump up to: a b c d Bowen, William. "Court document". Alameda court of California. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
10.^ Jump up to: a b Bowen, William. "The History of Silentlambs". Silentlambs. Retrieved December 8, 2008.
11.Jump up ^ Bowen, William. "Court document". Alameda court of California. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
12.Jump up ^ "Secret database protects paedophiles". BBC News (Panorama TV series). July 12, 2002. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
13.Jump up ^ Fax from J. R. Brown, Office of Public Information, to Betsan Powys, dated May 9, 2002.
14.Jump up ^ Vedder, Tracy (September 5, 2002). "New Allegations Of A Church Keeping Quiet About Child Sexual Abuse". Komo News. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
15.Jump up ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses child abuse policy". BBC News (Panorama TV series). July 12, 2002. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
16.Jump up ^ "Suffer the little children". BBC News (Panorama TV series). July 7, 2002. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
17.Jump up ^ Ryan, David (April 14, 2004). "Sex abuse victims target Jehovah's Witness in civil suit". Napa Valley Register (ReligionNewsBlog). Retrieved February 6, 2010.
18.Jump up ^ Ferreira, Joao (January 3, 2003). "Jehovah's Witnesses member accused of 1970s sex assaults". The Standard Times. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
19.Jump up ^ French, Rose; Hoffman, Allison (May 11, 2007). "Jehovah's Witnesses Settle Abuse Cases". Associated Press (News Channel 5). Retrieved July 27, 2010.
20.Jump up ^ Lisa Myers; Richard Greenberg (November 21, 2010). "New evidence in Jehovah's Witness allegations". NBC News Investigative Unit. Retrieved November 21, 2007.
21.Jump up ^ "Alameda district court document".
  


Categories: Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses
2000 establishments in Kentucky


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Silentlambs

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Silentlambs

Founded
2000[1]
Founder
William Bowen
Type
Non-profit (501 C3)
Focus
Child sexual abuse
Location
Calvert City, Kentucky, USA

Method
Legal assistance and education
Website
www.silentlambs.org
Silentlambs is a United States-based non-profit organization, founded by William Bowen, that assists victims of child sexual abuse experienced within the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses.[2][3][4] Silentlambs' stated purpose is to help educate the public and Jehovah's Witnesses about child sexual abuse, and to assist abuse survivors who have been molested as children and silenced from speaking out or seeking proper assistance as directed by religious authority.[5][6] The group states that it has received reports from more than 5000 Jehovah's Witnesses contending that the church mishandled cases of child sexual abuse.[7]
In 2012, an attorney for the Watch Tower Society claimed that the Silentlambs website airs the personal grievances of its owner towards his former religious associates and lacks scholarly research.[8][9]


Contents  [hide]
1 Founder
2 Watch Tower Society database
3 Lawsuits
4 See also
5 References

Founder[edit]
Silentlambs was founded in 2001 by William H. Bowen, a second generation Jehovah's Witness. Bowen served as an elder for approximately 15 years, and worked in the printing factory at the headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses from 1977 until 1979. According to Bowen, he was removed as an elder in July 1992 for refusing to back down on a matter involving the appointment of a child molester. He was reappointed as an elder in 1994, but resigned the position in December 2000 over concerns about new allegations of child abuse and continued disagreement with Jehovah's Witnesses' policies for reporting child sex abuse.[7][10] According to Bowen, he was disfellowshipped in 2002 for actions considered to constitute "causing divisions" and tantamount to "apostasy". Bowen claims to be an expert in comparative religions including Jehovah's Witnesses, the Catholic Church and the Mormons regarding child sex abuse policies, and provides services as a consultant for attorneys who file civil cases against Jehovah's Witnesses. He has stated that he is not an expert regarding investigations of sex abuse allegations, nor an expert regarding the historical standards of care and detection of child abuse. Bowen has self-published two books, and states that he is an expert in child custody and taxation policies of Jehovah's Witnesses.[9][11]
Watch Tower Society database[edit]
Bowen claims that the Jehovah's Witnesses' headquarters, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, maintains a database with the names of over twenty thousand abusers; he claims the list has not been released because it would hurt the public image of the church.[12]
The Watch Tower Society states that the number of names in its records is "considerably lower", but does not specify an actual number. It stated that the purpose of the database is not to protect child molesters, but for legal reasons and to prevent molesters from being appointed in position of authority. It also states that the number includes individuals who are not necessarily Jehovah's Witnesses, but who are "associated with" them.[7][13] The Watch Tower Society has acknowledged that its handling of abuse cases has not been perfect, but claims its policies were exemplary and superior to those of other religions.[7] According to some former members, Jehovah's Witnesses may discipline or excommunicate members who have molested children, without turning the offender over to police.[14][15][16][17][18]
Lawsuits[edit]
In September 2002, Bowen organized and participated in a demonstration in front of the headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn, New York.[9] In the spring of the same year, Silentlambs assisted in bringing the first series of major civil lawsuits against the Watch Tower Society over the mishandling of child abuse.[10][19] These and other subsequent cases were settled out of court with the details kept confidential.[20]
In 2012, the Watch Tower Society's attorney stated in a court memorandum that no courts in the United States had previously found its conduct or policy regarding sex-abuse to be unlawful.[21] The attorney also stated that the Silentlambs website is a vehicle for Bowen to "air his personal grievances against his former religious associates",[8] and that Bowen's comments lack scholarly research and are consistently accusatory of the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses.[9]
See also[edit]
Child sexual abuse
Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses and child sex abuse
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ silentlambs marks ten years of work
2.Jump up ^ "William H. Bowen - Profile". International Cultic Studies Association. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
3.Jump up ^ "Witness to shame", Newsweek, June 24, 2002.
4.Jump up ^ "Watchtower Ousts Victims, Whistle-Blowers", Christianity Today, July 8, 2002.
5.Jump up ^ Silentlambs' web site
6.Jump up ^ Huntley, Dan (September 1, 2004). "Vigil to call attention to 3 slain children". The Charlotte Observer (ReligionNewsBlog). Retrieved February 6, 2010.
7.^ Jump up to: a b c d Goodstein, Laurie (August 11, 2002). "Ousted Members Contend Jehovah's Witnesses' Abuse Policy Hides Offenses". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
8.^ Jump up to: a b Bowen, William. "Court document". Alameda court of California. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
9.^ Jump up to: a b c d Bowen, William. "Court document". Alameda court of California. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
10.^ Jump up to: a b Bowen, William. "The History of Silentlambs". Silentlambs. Retrieved December 8, 2008.
11.Jump up ^ Bowen, William. "Court document". Alameda court of California. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
12.Jump up ^ "Secret database protects paedophiles". BBC News (Panorama TV series). July 12, 2002. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
13.Jump up ^ Fax from J. R. Brown, Office of Public Information, to Betsan Powys, dated May 9, 2002.
14.Jump up ^ Vedder, Tracy (September 5, 2002). "New Allegations Of A Church Keeping Quiet About Child Sexual Abuse". Komo News. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
15.Jump up ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses child abuse policy". BBC News (Panorama TV series). July 12, 2002. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
16.Jump up ^ "Suffer the little children". BBC News (Panorama TV series). July 7, 2002. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
17.Jump up ^ Ryan, David (April 14, 2004). "Sex abuse victims target Jehovah's Witness in civil suit". Napa Valley Register (ReligionNewsBlog). Retrieved February 6, 2010.
18.Jump up ^ Ferreira, Joao (January 3, 2003). "Jehovah's Witnesses member accused of 1970s sex assaults". The Standard Times. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
19.Jump up ^ French, Rose; Hoffman, Allison (May 11, 2007). "Jehovah's Witnesses Settle Abuse Cases". Associated Press (News Channel 5). Retrieved July 27, 2010.
20.Jump up ^ Lisa Myers; Richard Greenberg (November 21, 2010). "New evidence in Jehovah's Witness allegations". NBC News Investigative Unit. Retrieved November 21, 2007.
21.Jump up ^ "Alameda district court document".
  


Categories: Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses
2000 establishments in Kentucky


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Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses

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Part of a series on
Criticism of religion

By religion
Buddhism ·
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   ·
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 B.R. Ambedkar ·
 Mikhail Bakunin ·
 Bat Ye'or ·
 Bruce Bawer ·
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Religious violence
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Related topics
Abuse ·
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   ·
 Crisis of faith ·
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 Criticism of monotheism ·
 Sexuality ·
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v ·
 t ·
 e
   
Part of a series on
Jehovah's Witnesses

Overview

Organizational structure
Governing Body
Watch Tower Bible
 and Tract Society
Corporations

History
Bible Student movement
Leadership dispute
Splinter groups
Doctrinal development
Unfulfilled predictions

Demographics
By country


Beliefs ·
 Practices
 
Salvation ·
 Eschatology

The 144,000
Faithful and discreet slave
Hymns ·
 God's name

Blood ·
 Discipline


Literature

The Watchtower ·
 Awake!

New World Translation
List of publications
Bibliography

Teaching programs

Kingdom Hall ·
 Gilead School


People

Watch Tower presidents

W. H. Conley ·
 C. T. Russell

J. F. Rutherford ·
 N. H. Knorr

F. W. Franz ·
 M. G. Henschel

D. A. Adams

Formative influences

William Miller ·
 Henry Grew

George Storrs ·
 N. H. Barbour

John Nelson Darby


Notable former members

Raymond Franz ·
 Olin Moyle


Opposition

Criticism ·
 Persecution

Supreme Court cases
 by country

v ·
 t ·
 e
   
Jehovah's Witnesses have attracted criticism from mainstream Christianity, members of the medical community, former members and commentators over their beliefs and practices. The religion has been accused of doctrinal inconsistency and reversals, failed predictions, mistranslation of the Bible, harsh treatment of former members and autocratic and coercive leadership. Criticism has also focused on their rejection of blood transfusions, particularly in life-threatening medical situations, and claims that they have failed to report cases of sexual abuse to the authorities. Many of the claims are denied by Jehovah's Witnesses and some have also been disputed by courts and religious scholars.


Contents  [hide]
1 Doctrinal criticisms 1.1 Failed predictions
1.2 Changes of doctrine
1.3 United Nations association
1.4 Fall of Jerusalem
1.5 Evolution
2 Social criticisms 2.1 Authoritarianism and denial of free speech
2.2 Description as a "cult"
2.3 Coercion
2.4 Shunning
2.5 Blood 2.5.1 Fractions and components
2.5.2 Storing and donation
2.5.3 Legal considerations
2.5.4 Animal blood
2.6 Reporting of sexual abuse
3 Biblical criticisms
4 See also
5 References
6 Further reading
7 External links

Doctrinal criticisms[edit]
Failed predictions[edit]
Main article: Watch Tower Society unfulfilled predictions
See also: Eschatology of Jehovah's Witnesses
The beliefs unique to Jehovah's Witnesses involve their interpretations of the second coming of Christ, the millennium and the kingdom of God. Watch Tower Society publications have made, and continue to make, predictions about world events they believe were prophesied in the Bible.[1] Some of those early predictions were described as "established truth",[2] and 'beyond a doubt'.[3] Witnesses are told to 'be complete in accepting the visible organization's direction in every aspect' and that there is no need to question what God tells them through his Word and organization, since love "believes all things."[4][5][6] If a member advocates views different to what appears in print, they face expulsion.[7][8][9]
Failed predictions that were either explicitly stated or strongly implied, particularly linked to dates in 1914, 1918, 1925 and 1975, have led to the alteration or abandonment of some teachings. The Society's publications have at times suggested that members had previously "read into the Watch Tower statements that were never intended"[10] or that the beliefs of members were "based on wrong premises."[11] Critic Edmond Gruss claims that other failed predictions were ignored, and replaced with new predictions; for example, in the book, The Finished Mystery (1917), events were applied to the years 1918 to 1925 that earlier had been held to occur prior to 1914. When the new interpretations also did not transpire, the 1926 edition of the book changed the statements and removed the dates.[12]
Raymond Franz, a critic and former member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, has cited publications that claimed God has used Jehovah's Witnesses as a collective prophet.[13] Critics including James A. Beverley have accused the religion of false prophecy for making those predictions, particularly because of assertions in some cases that the predictions were beyond doubt or had been approved by God, but describes its record of telling the future as "pathetic".[14][15][16][17] Beverley says the Watch Tower Society has passed judgment on others who have falsely predicted the end of the world (he cites a 1968 Awake! that says other groups were "guilty of false prophesying" after having "predicted an 'end to the world', even announcing a specific date").[18][19]
The Watch Tower Society rejects accusations that it is a false prophet.[20][21] It says its explanations of Bible prophecy are not infallible[22][23][24] and that its predictions are not claimed explicitly as "the words of Jehovah."[20] It states that some of its expectations have needed adjustment because of eagerness for God's kingdom, but that those adjustments are no reason to "call into question the whole body of truth."[25] Raymond Franz claims that the Watch Tower Society tries to evade its responsibility when citing human fallibility as a defense, adding that the Society represents itself as God's appointed spokesman, and that throughout its history has made many emphatic predictions. Franz adds that the organization's eagerness for the Millennium does not give it license to impugn the motives of those who fail to accept its predictions.[6]
George D. Chryssides has suggested widespread claims that Witnesses "keep changing the dates" are a distortion and misunderstanding of Watch Tower Society chronology. He argues that, although there have been failures in prophetic speculation, the changing views and dates of the Jehovah's Witnesses are more largely attributable to changed understandings of biblical chronology than to failed predictions. Chryssides states, "For the Jehovah’s Witnesses prophecy serves more as a way of discerning a divine plan in human history than a means to predicting the future."[26] In 1904 Zion's Watch Tower stated: "We have in the Scriptures what we think is clear testimony respecting that date [1914], but no particulars or dates for the intervening time. It is not our intention to enter upon the role of prophet to any degree, but merely to give below what seems to us rather likely to be the trend of events."[27]
Predictions (by date of publication) include:
1877: Christ's kingdom would hold full sway over the earth in 1914; the Jews, as a people, would be restored to God's favor; the "saints" would be carried to heaven.[28]
1891: 1914 would be "the farthest limit of the rule of imperfect men."[29]
1904: "World-wide anarchy" would follow the end of the Gentile Times in 1914.[30]
1916: World War I would terminate in Armageddon and the rapture of the "saints".[31]
1917: In 1918, Christendom would go down as a system to oblivion and be succeeded by revolutionary governments. God would "destroy the churches wholesale and the church members by the millions." Church members would "perish by the sword of war, revolution and anarchy." The dead would lie unburied. In 1920 all earthly governments would disappear, with worldwide anarchy prevailing.[32]
1920: Messiah's kingdom would be established in 1925 and bring worldwide peace. God would begin restoring the earth. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and other faithful patriarchs would be resurrected to perfect human life and be made princes and rulers, the visible representatives of the New Order on earth. Those who showed themselves obedient to God would never die.[33]
1922: The anti-typical "jubilee" that would mark God's intervention in earthly affairs would take place "probably the fall" of 1925.[34]
1924: God's restoration of Earth would begin "shortly after" October 1, 1925. Jerusalem would be made the world's capital. Resurrected "princes" such as Abel, Noah, Moses and John the Baptist would give instructions to their subjects around the world by radio, and airplanes would transport people to and from Jerusalem from all parts of the globe in just "a few hours".[35]
1938: Armageddon was too close for marriage or child bearing.[36]
1941: There were only "months" remaining until Armageddon.[37]
1942: Armageddon was "immediately before us."[38]
1961: Awake! magazine stated that the heavenly kingdom "will, within the twentieth century, cleanse the entire earth of wickedness."[39]
1966: It would be 6000 years since man's creation in the fall of 1975 and it would be "appropriate" for Christ's thousand-year reign to begin at that time.[40] Time was "running out, no question about that."[41] The "immediate future" was "certain to be filled with climactic events ... within a few years at most", the final parts of Bible prophecy relating to the "last days" would undergo fulfillment as Christ's reign began.
1967: The end-time period (beginning in 1914) was claimed to be so far advanced that the time remaining could "be compared, not just to the last day of a week, but rather, to the last part of that day".[42]
1968: No one could say "with certainty" that the battle of Armageddon would begin in 1975, but time was "running out rapidly" with "earthshaking events" soon to take place.[43] In March 1968 there was a "short period of time left", with "only about ninety months left before 6000 years of man's existence on earth is completed".[44]
1969: The existing world order would not last long enough for young people to grow old; the world system would end "in a few years." Young Witnesses were told not to bother pursuing tertiary education for this reason.[45]
1971: The "battle in the day of Jehovah" was described as beginning "[s]hortly, within our twentieth century".[46]
1974: There was just a "short time remaining before the wicked world's end" and Witnesses were commended for selling their homes and property to "finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service."[47]
1984: There were "many indications" that "the end" was closer than the end of the 20th century.[48]
1989: The Watchtower asserted that Christian missionary work begun in the first century would "be completed in our 20th century".[49] When the magazine was republished in bound volumes, the phrase "in our 20th century" was replaced with the less specific "in our day".
Changes of doctrine[edit]


History of Eschatological Doctrine

Last Days begin
Start of Christ's Presence
Christ made King
Resurrection of 144,000
Judgment of Religion
Separating Sheep & Goats
Great Tribulation
1879–1920 1799 1874 1878 during Millennium 1914, 1915, 1918, 1920
1920–1923 1925
1923–1925 during Christ's presence
1925–1927 1914 1878 1878 within generation of 1914
1927–1930 1918
1930–1933 1919
1933–1966 1914
1966–1975 1975?
1975–1995 within generation of 1914
1995–present during Great Tribulation imminent
See also: Development of Jehovah's Witnesses doctrine
Although Watch Tower Society literature claims the Society's founder, Charles Taze Russell, was directed by God's Holy Spirit, through which he received "flashes of light",[50] it has substantially altered doctrines since its inception and abandoned many of Russell's teachings.[51] Many of the changes have involved biblical chronology that had earlier been claimed as beyond question.[52][53][54][55][56] Watch Tower Society publications state that doctrinal changes result from a process of "progressive revelation", in which God gradually reveals his will.[57][58]
Date of beginning of Christ's kingdom rule. Russell taught that Jesus had become king in April 1878.[59][60] In 1922, Joseph Rutherford altered the date to 1914.[51]
Date of resurrection of anointed Christians. After the failure of predictions that Christ's chosen "saints" would be carried away to heaven in 1878,[61] Russell developed the teaching that those "dying in the Lord" from 1878 forward would have an immediate heavenly resurrection.[62] The Watch Tower confirmed the doctrine in 1925,[63] but two years later asserted this date was wrong[64] and that the beginning of the instant resurrection to heaven for faithful Christians was from 1918.[65]
Great Pyramid as a "stone witness" of God. Russell wrote in 1910 that God had the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt built as a testimony to the truth of the Bible and proof of its chronology identifying the "last days".[66][67] In 1928 Rutherford rejected the doctrine and claimed the Pyramid had been built under the direction of Satan.[68]
Identity of "faithful and wise servant". Russell initially believed the "faithful and wise servant" of Matthew 24:45 was "every member of this body of Christ ... the whole body individually and collectively."[69] By 1886 he had altered his view and began explaining it was a person, not the Christian church.[70] Russell accepted claims by Bible Students that he was that "servant"[71][72][73] and in 1909 described as his "opponents" those who would apply the term "faithful and wise servant" to "all the members of the church of Christ" rather than to an individual.[74] By 1927 the Watch Tower Society was teaching that it was "a collective servant."[75]
Beginning of the "last days". From the earliest issues of the Watch Tower, Russell promoted the belief that the "last days" had begun in 1799 and would end in 1914.[76] As late as 1921 Watch Tower publications were still claiming the last days had begun in 1799.[77] In 1930 that date was abandoned and 1914 was fixed as the beginning of the last days.
Jews' role in God's Kingdom. Russell followed the view of Nelson H. Barbour, who believed that in 1914 Christ's kingdom would take power over all the earth and the Jews, as a people, would be restored to God's favor.[78] In 1889 Russell wrote that with the completion of the "Gentile Times" in 1914, Israel's "blindness" would subside and they would convert to Christianity.[79] The book Life (1929) noted that the return of Jews to Palestine signaled that the end was very close, because Jews would "have the favors first and thereafter all others who obey the Lord" under God's restoration of his kingdom.[80] In 1932 that belief was abandoned and from that date the Watch Tower Society taught that Witnesses alone were the Israel of God.[81]
Date of Christ's invisible presence. The Watch Tower Society taught for more than 60 years that this began in 1874, insisting in 1922 that the date was "indisputable".[82][83] In 1943 the society moved the event to 1914.[51][84][85]
Identity of the "superior authorities". Russell taught that the "superior authorities" of Romans 13:1, to whom Christians had to show subjection and obedience, were governmental authorities. In 1929 The Watchtower discarded this view, stating that the term referred only to God and Christ, and saying the change of doctrine was evidence of "advancing light" of truth shining forth to God's chosen people.[86] In 1952, The Watchtower stated that the words of Romans 13 "could never have applied to the political powers of Caesar’s world as wrongly claimed by the clergy of Christendom,"[87] and in 1960 The Watchtower described the earlier view as a factor that had caused the Bible Student movement to be "unclean" in God's eyes during the 1914–1918 period. Two years later, in 1962, The Watchtower reverted to Russell's initial doctrine.[86]
Identity and function of the Governing Body. Frequent mentions of the term "Governing Body" began in Watch Tower Society literature in the 1970s.[88] The Governing Body was initially identified as the Watch Tower Society's seven-member board of directors.[89] However, at the time, the board played no role in establishing Watchtower doctrines, and all such decisions since the Society's origins had been made by the Society's president.[90][91] A 1923 Watch Tower noted that Russell alone directed the policy and course of the Society "without regard to any other person on earth"[92] and both his successors, Rutherford and Knorr, also acted alone in establishing Watch Tower doctrines. An organizational change on January 1, 1976, for the first time gave the Governing Body the power to rule on doctrines[93] and become the ruling council of Jehovah's Witnesses.[94] Despite this, The Watchtower in 1971 claimed that a Governing Body of anointed Christians had existed since the 19th century to govern the affairs of God's anointed people.[95]
Treatment of disfellowshipped persons. In the 1950s when disfellowshipping became common, Witnesses were to have nothing to do with expelled members, not conversing with or acknowledging them.[96] Family members of expelled individuals were permitted occasional "contacts absolutely necessary in matters pertaining to family interests," but could not discuss spiritual matters with them.[97] In 1974 The Watchtower, acknowledging some unbalanced Witnesses had displayed unkind, inhumane and possibly cruel attitudes to those expelled,[98] relaxed restrictions on family contact, allowing families to choose for themselves the extent of association,[99] including whether or not to discuss some spiritual matters.[100] In 1981, a reversal of policy occurred, with Witnesses instructed to avoid all spiritual interaction with disfellowshipped ones, including with close relatives.[101] Witnesses were instructed not to greet disfellowshipped persons.[101][102][103] Parents were permitted to care for the physical needs of a disfellowshipped minor child; ill parents or physically or emotionally ill child could be accepted back into the home "for a time". Witnesses were instructed not to eat with disfellowshipped relatives and were warned that emotional influence could soften their resolve.[104] In 1980 the Witnesses' Brooklyn headquarters advised traveling overseers that a person need not be promoting "apostate views" to warrant disfellowshipping; it advised that "appropriate judicial action" be taken against a person who "continues to believe the apostate ideas and rejects what he has been provided" through The Watchtower.[105] The rules on shunning were extended in 1981 to include those who had resigned from the religion voluntarily.[106][107]
Fall of "Babylon the Great". Russell taught that the fall of the "world empire of false religion" had taken place in 1878 and predicted "Babylon's" complete destruction in 1914.[108] Rutherford claimed in 1917 that religion's final destruction would take place in 1918, explaining that God would destroy churches "wholesale" and that "Christendom shall go down as a system to oblivion."[109] In 1988 the Watch Tower Society claimed that release from prison in 1919 of senior Watchtower figures marked the fall of Babylon "as far as having any captive hold on God's people was concerned",[110] with her "final destruction" "into oblivion, never to recover", expected "in the near future."[111]
United Nations association[edit]
Main article: Jehovah's Witnesses and the United Nations
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the United Nations is one of the 'superior authorities' that exist by God's permission, and that it serves a purpose in maintaining order, but do not support it politically and do not consider it to be the means to achieve peace and security. Jehovah's Witnesses also believe that the United Nations is the "image of the wild beast" of Revelation 13:1-18, and the second fulfillment of the "abominable thing that causes desolation" from Matthew 24:15; that it will be the means for the devastation of organized false religion worldwide;[112][113] and that, like all other political powers, it will be destroyed and replaced by God's heavenly kingdom.[114] Jehovah's Witnesses have denounced other religious organizations for having offered political support to the UN.[115]
On October 8, 2001, an article was published in the British Guardian newspaper questioning the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society's registration as a non-governmental organization (NGO) with the United Nations Department of Public Information and accusing the Watch Tower Society of hypocrisy.[116] Within days of the article's publication, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society submitted a formal request for disassociation, removing all association with the United Nations Department of Public Information,[117] and released a letter stating that the reason for becoming associated with the United Nations Department of Information (DPI) was to access their facilities, and that they had not been aware of the change in language contained in the criteria for NGO association.[118] However, when the Watch Tower Society sought NGO association, "the organization agreed to meet criteria for association, including support and respect of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations", acknowledging that the purpose of membership is to "promote knowledge of the principles and activities of the United Nations."[119] The official UN/DPI website states that "association of NGOs with DPI does not constitute their incorporation into the United Nations system."[120]
Fall of Jerusalem[edit]
Jehovah's Witnesses assert that Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 607 BC and completely uninhabited for exactly seventy years. This date is critical to their selection of October 1914 for the arrival of Christ in kingly power—2520 years after October 607 BC.[121][122] Non-Witness sources do not support 607 BC for the event, placing the destruction of Jerusalem within a year of 587 BC, twenty years later.[122][123] Jehovah's Witnesses believe that periods of seventy years mentioned in the books of Jeremiah and Daniel refer to the Babylonian exile of Jews. They also believe that the gathering of Jews in Jerusalem, shortly after their return from Babylon, officially ended the exile in Jewish month of Tishrei (Ezra 3:1). According to the Watch Tower Society, October 607 BC is derived by counting back seventy years from Tishrei of 537 BC, based on their belief that Cyrus' decree to release the Jews during his first regnal year "may have been made in late 538 B.C. or before March 4–5, 537 B.C."[124][125] Secular sources assign the return to either 538 BC or 537 BC.[126][127][128][129][130]
In The Gentile Times Reconsidered: Chronology & Christ's Return, Carl O. Jonsson, a former Witness, presents eighteen lines of evidence to support the traditional view of neo-Babylonian chronology. He accuses the Watch Tower Society of deliberately misquoting sources in an effort to bolster their position.[131] The Watch Tower Society claims that biblical chronology is not always compatible with secular sources, and that the Bible is superior. It claims that secular historians make conclusions about 587 BC based on incorrect or inconsistent historical records, but accepts those sources that identify Cyrus' capture of Babylon in 539 BC, claiming it has no evidence of being inconsistent and hence can be used as a pivotal date.[124][132][133]
Rolf Furuli, a Jehovah's Witness and a lecturer in Semitic languages, presents a study of 607 BC in support of the Witnesses' conclusions in Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian, and Persian Chronology Compared with the Chronology of the Bible, Volume 1: Persian Chronology and the Length of the Babylonian Exile of the Jews.[134] Lester L. Grabbe, professor of theology at the University of Hull, said of Furuli's study: "Once again we have an amateur who wants to rewrite scholarship. ... F. shows little evidence of having put his theories to the test with specialists in Mesopotamian astronomy and Persian history."[135]
The relative positions of the moon, stars and planets indicated in the Babylonian astronomical diary VAT 4956 are used by secular historians to establish 568 BC as the thirty-seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign.[136] The Watch Tower Society claims that unnamed researchers have confirmed that the positions of the moon and stars on the tablet are instead consistent with astronomical calculations for 588 BC; the Society claims that the planets mentioned in the tablet cannot be clearly identified.[137] The Watch Tower Society's article cites David Brown as stating, "some of the signs for the names of the planets and their positions are unclear,"[137] however Brown indicates that the Babylonians also had unique names for the known planets;[138] Jonsson confirms that the unique names are those used in VAT 4956.[139] According to the Watch Tower Society, astronomical calculations based on ancient writings are unreliable and prone to error.[140]
Evolution[edit]
Watch Tower Society publications attempt to refute the theory of evolution, in favor of divine creation.[141][142] The Watch Tower Society's views of evolution have met with criticism typical of objections to evolution. Gary Botting described his own difficulty as a Jehovah's Witness to reconcile creation with simple observations of species diversification, especially after discussions with J.B.S. Haldane in India.[143]
The Society's 1985 publication, Life—How Did it Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation? is criticized for its dependency on Francis Hitching, who is cited thirteen times. The book presents Hitching—a TV writer and paranormalist with no scientific credentials—as an evolutionary scientist.[144] Richard Dawkins also criticizes the book for implying that "chance" is the only alternative to deliberate design, stating, "[T]he candidate solutions to the riddle of improbability are not, as falsely implied, design and chance. They are design and natural selection."[145]
The Watch Tower Society teaches a form of day-age creationism.[146] It dismisses Young Earth creationism as "unscriptural and unbelievable",[147] and states that Jehovah's Witnesses "are not creationists", based on the more specific definition of believers in a 'young' earth created in six literal days.[148] According to a 1986 article in The Watchtower, "Jehovah's Witnesses reject the unreasonable theories of 'creationism' in favor of what the Bible really teaches about 'creation'."[149]
Social criticisms[edit]
Authoritarianism and denial of free speech[edit]
The religion's leadership has been described as autocratic and totalitarian, with criticism focusing on the Watch Tower Society's demands for the obedience and loyalty of Witnesses,[150][151] its intolerance of dissent or open discussion of doctrines and practices[152] and the practice of expelling and shunning members who cannot conscientiously agree with all the religion's teachings.[153][154][155]
Raymond Franz has accused the religion's Governing Body of resenting, deprecating and seeking to silence differences of viewpoint within the organization[156] and demanding organizational conformity that overrides personal conscience.[157] He claimed the Watch Tower Society confirmed its position when, in a 1954 court case in Scotland, Watch Tower Society legal counsel Hayden C. Covington said of Jehovah's Witnesses: "We must have unity ... unity at all costs".[158] Sociologist James A. Beckford noted that the Watch Tower movement demands uniformity of beliefs from its members;[159] George D. Chryssides has also reported that Witness publications teach that individuals' consciences are unreliable and need to be subordinated to scripture and to the Watch Tower organization.[160]
Sociologist Andrew Holden said that Witnesses are taught their theology in a highly mechanistic fashion, learning almost by rote.[161] Raymond Franz and others have described Jehovah's Witnesses' religious meetings as "catechistical" question-and-answer sessions in which questions and answers are both provided by the organization, placing pressure on members to reiterate its opinions.[162][163] Former Witnesses Heather and Gary Botting claimed Witnesses "are told what they should feel and think"[164] and members who do voice viewpoints different from those expressed in publications and at meetings are said to be viewed with suspicion.[165] Raymond Franz has claimed most Witnesses would be fearful to voice criticism of the organization for fear of being accused of disloyalty.[157] Authors have drawn attention to frequent Watch Tower warnings against the "dangers" and "infection" of "independent thinking", including questioning any of its published statements or teachings,[166][167][168][169] and instructions that members refrain from engaging in independent Bible research.[170][171][172] The Watch Tower Society also directs that members must not read criticism of the organization by "apostates"[173][174] or material published by other religions.[175][176] Heather and Gary Botting declared: "Jehovah's Witnesses will brook no criticism from within, as many concerned members who have attempted to voice alternative opinions regarding the basic doctrine or application of social pressure have discovered to their chagrin."[177] Beckford observed that the Society denies the legitimacy of all criticisms of itself and that the habit of questioning official doctrine is "strenuously combated at all organizational levels".[178] Witnesses are said to be under constant surveillance within the congregation[179] and are subject to a disciplinary system that encourages informers.[180][181]
Heather and Gary Botting argue that the power of the Watch Tower Society to control members is gained through the acceptance of the Society "quite literally as the voice of Jehovah – God's 'mouthpiece'."[164] Franz claims the concept of loyalty to God's organization has no scriptural support and serves only to reinforce the religion's authority structure, with its strong emphasis on human authority.[182] He has claimed The Watchtower has repeatedly blurred discussions of both Jesus Christ's loyalty to God and the apostles' loyalty to Christ to promote the view that Witnesses should be loyal to the Watch Tower organization.[183] Religion professor James A. Beverley describes the belief that organizational loyalty is equal to divine loyalty[184] as the "central myth" of Jehovah's Witnesses employed to ensure complete obedience.[185] Sociologist Andrew Holden has observed that Witnesses see no distinction between loyalty to Jehovah and to the movement itself;[186] Heather and Gary Botting have claimed that challenging the views of those higher in the hierarchy is regarded as tantamount to challenging God himself.[187]
The Society has described its intolerance of dissident and divergent doctrinal views within its ranks as "strict", but claims its stance is based on the scriptural precedent of 2 Timothy 2:17,18 in which the Apostle Paul condemns heretics Hymenaeus and Philetus who denied the resurrection of Jesus. It said: "Following such Scriptural patterns, if a Christian (who claims belief in God, the Bible, and Jesus) unrepentantly promotes false teachings, it may be necessary for him to be expelled from the congregation ... Hence, the true Christian congregation cannot rightly be accused of being harshly dogmatic."[188] Sociologist Rodney Stark says that Jehovah's Witness leaders are "not always very democratic" and members are expected to conform to "rather strict standards," but says enforcement tends to be informal, sustained by close bonds of friendship and that Jehovah's Witnesses see themselves as "part of the power structure rather than subject to it".[189] In a case involving Jehovah's Witnesses' activities in Russia, the European Court of Human Rights stated that the religion's requirements "are not fundamentally different from similar limitations that other religions impose on their followers' private lives" and that charges of "mind control" in that case were "based on conjecture and uncorroborated by fact."[190] Despite the intolerance of dissident views within the organisation, the Watch Tower Society and its affiliates have, through litigation, been instrumental in establishing civil liberties in many countries, including Canada and the United States.[191]
Description as a "cult"[edit]
Authors Anthony A. Hoekema, Ron Rhodes[192] and Alan W. Gomes,[193] claim Jehovah's Witnesses is a religious cult. Hoekema bases his judgment on a range of what he describes as general characteristics of a cult, including the tendency to elevate peripheral teachings (such as door-to-door witnessing) to great prominence, extra-scriptural source of authority (Hoekema highlights Watch Tower teachings that the Bible may be understood only as it is interpreted by the Governing Body), a view of the group as the exclusive community of the saved (Watch Tower publications teach that Witnesses alone are God's people and only they will survive Armageddon) and the group's central role in eschatology (Hoekema says Witness publications claim the group was called into existence by God to fill in a gap in the truth neglected by existing churches, marking the climax of sacred history).[194]
Jehovah's Witnesses state that they are not a cult[195] and say that although individuals need proper guidance from God, they should do their own thinking.[196][197]
American religious scholar J. Gordon Melton has stated that "the idea of calling [Jehovah's Witnesses] a cult has fallen by the wayside".[198] He repeated this opinion when, called as an expert witness, he also denied the People's Temple and the Children of God were cults.[199] Ex-cult watchdog John Bowen Brown II[200] and Knocking producer Joel P. Engardio reject the claims that Witnesses are a cult.[201][202] The two volume encyclopedia Contemporary American Religion stated: "Various critics and ex-members in recent years have wrongly labeled Jehovah’s Witnesses a 'cult.'"[203]
Coercion[edit]
Since 1920 the Watch Tower Society has required all congregation members participating in the preaching work to turn in written reports of the amount of their activity,[204] explaining that the reports help the Society to plan its activities and identify areas of greater need[205] and help congregation elders to identify those who may need assistance.[206] In 1943 the Society imposed personal quotas, requiring all active Witnesses to spend at least 60 hours of door-to-door preaching per month, claiming these were "directions from the Lord".[207] Although these quotas were subsequently removed, Raymond Franz claims "invisible" quotas remained, obliging Witnesses to meet certain levels of preaching work to remain in good standing in the congregation[165] or to qualify for eldership.[157] Franz describes repeated urging for adherents to "put kingdom interests first" and devote increasing amounts of time to door-to-door preaching efforts as coercive pressure. He says many Witnesses constantly feel guilty that they are not doing more in "field activity".[157]
Former Witnesses Heather and Gary Botting, claiming an emphasis on a personal track record would mean that salvation is effectively being "bought" with "good works", observed: "No matter how long a Witness remains an active distributor of literature, the moment he ceases to be active he is regarded by his peers as good as dead in terms of achieving the ultimate goal of life everlasting in an earthly paradise ... Few realize upon entering the movement that the purchase price is open-ended and that the bill can never be paid in full until death or the advent of Armageddon."[164]
The Watchtower, however, noted that although public preaching is necessary, such works do not "save" a Christian and it urged Witnesses to examine their motive for engaging in preaching activity.[208]
Russian religious scholar Sergei Ivanenko, in a dissenting opinion to a report by a panel of experts to Moscow's Golovinsky Intermunicipal Court in 1999, stated, "It would be a serious mistake to represent the Religious Organization of Jehovah's Witnesses as a religion whose leadership forces its rank and file believers to engage in one form of activity or another, or place upon them strict restrictions or directives." Ivanenko, who based his view on a study of Watch Tower Society literature, concluded: "Jehovah's Witnesses strive to live in accord with Bible principles on the basis of an individual, voluntary choice ... This also applies in full measure to preaching." [209] James A. Beckford, a professor at the University of Warwick, England, who published a study of English Jehovah's Witnesses in 1975,[210] also told the court: "It is important for each of them to exercise free moral agency in choosing to study the Bible and to live in accordance with their interpretation of its message."[211] On June 10, 2010, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) stated in regards to a charge of coercion of family members, that "Quite often, the opposite is true: it is the resistance and unwillingness of non-religious family members to accept and to respect the [Jehovah's Witnesses] religious relative's freedom to manifest and practise his or her religion that is the source of conflict."[212]
Medical and legal commentators have also noted cases claiming that Witness medical patients were coerced to obey the religion's ban on blood transfusions.[213][214][215] In a case involving a review of a Russian district court decision, however, the ECHR found nothing in the judgments to suggest that any form of improper pressure or undue influence was applied. It noted: "On the contrary, it appears that many Jehovah’s Witnesses have made a deliberate choice to refuse blood transfusions in advance, free from time constraints of an emergency situation." The court said: "The freedom to accept or refuse specific medical treatment, or to select an alternative form of treatment, is vital to the principles of self-determination and personal autonomy. A competent adult patient is free to decide ... not to have a blood transfusion. However, for this freedom to be meaningful, patients must have the right to make choices that accord with their own views and values, regardless of how irrational, unwise or imprudent such choices may appear to others."[216]
Shunning[edit]
Main articles: Jehovah's Witnesses and congregational discipline and Shunning
Witnesses practice disfellowshipping of members who unrepentantly engage in "gross sin",[217] (most commonly for breaches of the Witnesses' code of personal morality),[218][219] and "remorseless apostasy".[220] The process of disfellowshipping is said to be carried to uphold God’s standards, preserve the congregation’s spiritual cleanness, and possibly prompt a change of attitude in the wrongdoer.[217] The practice requires that the expelled person be shunned by all members of the religion, including family members who do not live in the same home, unless they qualify for re-admission. A person who dies while disfellowshipped cannot be given a funeral at a Kingdom Hall.[221][222] Members often face difficulties and trauma once expelled because of their previously limited contact with the outside world.[223][224] The Watchtower's description of those who leave as being "mentally diseased" has drawn criticism from some current and former members; in Britain some have argued that the description may constitute a breach of laws regarding religious hatred.[225][226]
The Watch Tower Society has attracted criticism for disfellowshipping members who decide they cannot conscientiously agree with all the religion's teachings and practices. Sociologist Andrew Holden says that because the religion provides no valid reason for leaving, those who do choose to leave are regarded as traitors.[227] According to Raymond Franz, those who decide they cannot accept Watch Tower teachings and practices often live in a climate of fear, feeling they must constantly be on guard about what they say, do and read. He says those who do express any disagreement, even in a private conversation with friends, risk investigation and trial by a judicial committee as apostates or heretics[228] and classed as "wicked".[229]
Franz argues that the threat of expulsion for expressing disagreement with the Watch Tower Society's teachings is designed to create a sterile atmosphere in which the organization's teachings and policies can circulate without the risk of confronting serious questioning or adverse evidence.[230] The result, according to Holden, is that individuals may spend most of their lives suppressing doubts for fear of losing their relationships with friends and relatives.[231] Penton describes the system of judicial committees and the threat of expulsion as the ultimate control mechanism among the Witnesses;[232] Holden claims that shunning not only rids the community of defilement, but deters others from dissident behavior.[223] Sociologist Ronald Lawson has also noted that the religion allows little room for independence of thought, and no toleration of doctrinal diversity; he says those who deviate from official teachings are readily expelled and shunned.[233]
Watch Tower Society publications defend the practice of expelling and shunning those who "promote false teaching", claiming such individuals must be quarantined to prevent the spread of their "spiritual infection".[234] They have cited a dictionary definition of apostasy ("renunciation of a religious faith, abandonment of a previous loyalty") to rule that an individual who begins affiliating with another religion has disassociated from the Witnesses, warranting their shunning to protect the spiritual cleanness of the Witness congregation on the basis of the reference in 1 John 2:19 that those who leave Christianity are "not of our sort".[235] An individual's acceptance of a blood transfusion is similarly deemed as evidence of disassociation.[236] They say Witnesses also obey the "strong counsel" at 1 Corinthians 5:11 that Christians should "quit mixing in company" with people who unrepentantly reject certain scriptural standards.[237]
The Witnesses' judicial process has also been criticized. Hearings take place in secret,[232] with judicial committees filling the roles of judge, jury and prosecutor.[222] According to Franz, witnesses may present evidence but are not permitted to remain for the discussion.[238] Critics Heather and Gary Botting have claimed that Witnesses accused of an offence warranting expulsion are presumed guilty until found innocent. They say the onus is on the accused to prove their innocence and if they make no attempt to do so—by failing to appear at a hearing set by the judicial committee—they are assumed to be guilty and unrepentant.[239]
When a decision is made regarding disfellowshipping or disassociation, an announcement is made that the person is "no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses," at which point shunning is immediate. Members are not told whether the person has disassociated or has been disfellowshipped. Neither testimony nor evidence in support of the judicial decision are provided. Congregation members are told to accept the rulings without question and Witnesses who refuse to abide by a judicial committee decision will themselves suffer expulsion.[232] Members are forbidden to talk with the expelled member, removing any opportunity for the person to discuss or explain their actions.[238][240] Penton claims judicial committee members and the Watch Tower Society frequently ignore established procedures when dealing with troublesome individuals, conspiring to have them expelled in violation of Society rules.[241] Critics claim that Witness policies encourage an informer system to report to elders Witnesses suspected of having committed an act that could warrant expulsion, including deviating from organizational policies and teachings.[242][243]
Criticism has also been directed at the 1981 change of policy[244] that directed that persons who disassociate from (formally leave) the religion were to be treated as though they were disfellowshipped.[245][246] Holden says that as a result, those who do leave the religion are seldom allowed a dignified exit.[223] Heather and Gary Botting claim inactive Witnesses are often pressured to either become active or to disassociate themselves by declaring they no longer accept key Watch Tower Society doctrines.[239]
Blood[edit]
Main article: Jehovah's Witnesses and blood transfusions
Jehovah's Witnesses reject transfusions of whole allogenic blood and its primary components (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma), and transfusions of stored autologous blood or its primary components. As a doctrine, Jehovah's Witnesses do not reject transfusion of whole autologous blood so long as it is not stored prior to surgery (e.g. peri-operative extraction and transfusion of autologous blood). This religious position is due to their belief that blood is sacred and represents life in God's eyes. Jehovah's Witnesses understand scriptures such as Leviticus 17:10-14 (which speaks of not eating blood) and Acts 15:29 ("abstain from blood") to include taking blood into the body via a transfusion.[247] Controversy has stemmed, however, from what critics state are inconsistencies in Witness policies on blood, claims that Witness patients are coerced into refusing blood and that Watch Tower literature distorts facts about transfusions and fails to provide information that would allow Witnesses to make an informed decision on the issue.[155]
Fractions and components[edit]
In the case of minor fractions derived from blood, each individual is directed to follow their own conscience on whether these are acceptable.[248][249] Consequently, some Jehovah's Witnesses accept the use of blood fractions and others do not. However, fractions that carry out "the key function of a primary component" or make up "a significant portion of that component" are not permitted.[250]
Such a stance of dividing blood into major components and minor fractions rather than either accepting all blood or requiring all blood components to be poured out onto the ground has led to criticism from organizations such as the Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform on Blood.[251] Witnesses respond that blood as the fluid per se is not the real issue. They say the real issue is respect and obedience regarding blood, which they perceive as being God's personal property.[252][253] Members are allowed to eat meat that still contains small traces of blood remaining. Once blood is drained from an animal, the respect has been shown to God and then a person can eat the meat. Jehovah's Witnesses view of meat and blood is therefore different from the Jewish view that goes to great lengths to remove even minor traces of blood.[254][255]
According to lawyer Kerry Louderback-Wood, a former Jehovah's Witness,[256] the Watch Tower Society misrepresents the scope of allowed fractions. If taken together, they "total the entire volume of blood they came from".[257] An example of this can be seen in blood plasma, which consists of 90-96% water. The remaining amount consists mainly of albumin, globulins, fibrinogen and coagulation factors. These four fractions are allowable for use, but only if taken separately. Critics have likened this to banning the eating of a ham and cheese sandwich but allowing the eating of bread, ham and cheese separately.[258]
Storing and donation[edit]
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that storing blood violates direction from the Bible to 'pour blood out onto the ground'. They do not donate blood except for uses they have individually pre-approved.[259] However, they are told that acceptance of blood fractions from donated blood is a matter of conscience. A 2006 issue of Jehovah's Witnesses' newsletter Our Kingdom Ministry stated, "Although [Jehovah's Witnesses] do not donate or store their own blood for transfusion purposes, some procedures or tests involving an individual’s blood are not so clearly in conflict with Bible principles. Therefore, each individual should make a conscientious decision" [emphasis added].[260] Critics have challenged these policies because acceptable blood fractions can only be derived from stored blood provided by donors.[261]
Legal considerations[edit]
Regardless of the medical considerations, Jehovah Witnesses advocate that physicians should uphold the right of a patient to choose what treatments they do or do not accept (though a Witness is subject to religious sanctions if they exercise their right to choose a blood transfusion).[262] Accordingly, US courts tend not to hold physicians responsible for adverse health effects that a patient incurred out of his or her own requests.[247] However, the point of view that physicians must, in all circumstances, abide by the religious wishes of the patients is not acknowledged by all jurisdictions, such as was determined in a case involving Jehovah's Witnesses in France.
The situation has been controversial, particularly in the case of children. In the United States, many physicians will agree to explore and exhaust all non-blood alternatives in the treatment of children at the request of their legal guardians. Some state laws require physicians to administer blood-based treatment to minors if it is their professional opinion that it is necessary to prevent immediate death or severe permanent damage.[citation needed]
Kerry Louderback-Wood has claimed that Jehovah's Witnesses' legal corporations are potentially liable to significant claims for compensation if the religion misrepresents the medical risks of blood transfusions. Wood claims that constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion do not remove the legal responsibility that every person or organization has regarding misrepresenting secular fact.[263]
Animal blood[edit]
The Watchtower has stated that "Various medical products have been obtained from biological sources, either animal or human ... Such commercialization of ... blood is hardly tempting for true Christians, who guide their thinking by God's perfect law. Our Creator views blood as sacred, representing God-given life ... blood removed from a creature was to be poured out on the ground, disposed of."[264]
Reporting of sexual abuse[edit]
Main articles: Jehovah's Witnesses and child sex abuse and Silentlambs
Critics such as Silentlambs have accused Jehovah's Witnesses of employing organizational policies that make the reporting of sexual abuse difficult for members.[265][266] Some victims of sexual abuse have asserted that when reporting abuse they were ordered to maintain silence by their local elders to avoid embarrassment to both the accused and the organization.[267][268][269][270]
The religion's official policy on child protection, which discusses the procedures for reporting child sexual abuse, states that elders obey all legal requirements for reporting sex offenders, including reporting uncorroborated or unsubstantiated allegations where required by law. Elders are to discipline pedophiles in the congregation. Victims are permitted to notify the authorities if they wish to do so.[271]
While a Witness may lose congregation privileges following a single credible accusation of abuse,[272] Jehovah's Witnesses claim to be scripturally obliged to require corroboration ("two witnesses") before applying their severest forms of congregational discipline.[273] If there is not an actual second witness to an incident of abuse, a congregation judicial committee will accept medical or police reports, or a witness to a separate but similar incident as such a second witness against a member accused of sexual abuse.[274]
Biblical criticisms[edit]
The Watch Tower Society has been criticized for its refusal to reveal the names and academic credentials of the translators of its New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT).[275] The Society has claimed members of the NWT's translation committee wished to remain anonymous in order to exalt only the name of God,[276] The Watchtower stating that the educational qualifications of the translators were unimportant and that "the translation itself testifies to their qualifications".[277] Raymond Franz, a former member of the Governing Body, has claimed that of the four men he says constituted the committee, only one—its principal translator, his uncle Frederick Franz—had sufficient knowledge of biblical languages to have attempted the project.[278] Frederick Franz had studied Greek for two years and was self-taught in Hebrew.[279]
Much criticism of the NWT involves the rendering of certain texts considered to be biased towards specific Witness practices and doctrines.[275][280][281][282][283][284] These include the use of "torture stake" instead of "cross" throughout the New Testament;[275] the rendering of John 1:1, with the insertion of the indefinite article ("a") in its rendering to give "the Word was a god";[275][285] Romans 10:10, which uses the term "public declaration", which may reinforce the imperative to engage in public preaching;[275] John 17:3, which used the term "taking in knowledge" rather than "know" to suggest that salvation is dependent on ongoing study,[275] and the placement of the comma in Luke 23:43, which affects the timing of the fulfillment of Jesus' promise to the thief at Calvary.[286]
Also criticized is the NWT's insertion of the name Jehovah 237 times in the New Testament without extant New Testament Greek manuscript evidence that the name existed there.[287][288][289] Watch Tower publications have claimed that the name was "restored" on a sound basis, stating that when New Testament writers quote earlier Old Testament scriptures containing the Tetragrammaton (יהוה), "the translator has the right to render Kyrios ("LORD") as Jehovah."[290] The NWT mentions twenty-seven other translations which have similarly rendered Kyrios as a form of the name Jehovah, stating that there is only one verse where the NWT does so without agreement from other translations.[291]
The Society has claimed its translation "courageously restores God’s name, Jehovah, to its proper place in the Biblical text, is free from the bias of religious traditionalism, and ... gives the literal meaning of God’s Word as accurately as possible."[292] Jason BeDuhn, associate professor of religious studies at Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff, Arizona, compared major translations for accuracy. He wrote that the NWT's introduction of the name "Jehovah" into the New Testament 237 times was "not accurate translation by the most basic principle of accuracy".[293] BeDuhn also stated that whilst there are "a handful of examples of bias in the [New World Translation (NW)]", that "most of the differences are due to the greater accuracy of the NW as a literal, conservative translation of the original expressions of the New Testament writers." He concluded that "the NW and [another translation] are not bias free, and they are not perfect translations. But they are remarkably good translations ... often better than [the other six translations analyzed]."[294]
See also[edit]
Anti-cult movement
Beth Sarim
Charles Taze Russell controversies
Christian countercult movement
Heresy in Christianity
Heterodoxy
History of Jehovah's Witnesses
Watch Tower Society presidency dispute (1917)
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Crompton, Robert (1996), Counting the Days to Armageddon, Cambridge: James Clarke & Co, pp. 9, 115, ISBN 0-227-67939-3
2.Jump up ^ The Time is at Hand, Watch Tower Society, 1889, pages 99 "In view of this strong Bible evidence concerning the Times of the Gentiles, we consider it an established truth, that the final end of the kingdoms of this world, and the full establishment of the kingdom of God will be accomplished by A.D. 1914."; cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 193.
3.Jump up ^ In 1892 Zion's Watch Tower stated that God's battle, Armageddon, which was believed to be already under way, would end in October 1914, a date "definitely marked in Scripture," (15 January 1892, page 1355 reprint) and Watch Tower editor Charles Taze Russell declared: "We see no reason for changing the figures—nor could we change them if we would. They are, we believe, God's dates, not ours." (The Watchtower, 15 July 1894, page 1677). After comparing "unreliable secular chronology" to reliable "Bible chronology" The Watchtower stated, “It was on this line of reckoning [using the chronology of the Bible as an established fact] that the dates 1874, 1914, and 1918 were located; and the Lord has placed the stamp of his seal upon 1914 and 1918 beyond any possibility of erasure....Using this same measuring line, beginning with the entry...of Israel into Canaan, and counting the full 70 cycles...,as clearly indicated by Jehovah's sending of the Jews into Babylon for the full 70 years, it is an easy matter to locate 1925, probably the fall, for the beginning of the antitypical jubilee. There can be no more question about 1925 than there was about 1914.... Looking back we can now easily see that those dates were clearly indicated in Scripture and doubtless intended by the Lord to encourage his people....That all that some expect to see in 1925 may not transpire that year will not alter the date one whit more than in the other cases.”(The Watch Tower, May 15, 1922, p. 150; Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 224).
4.Jump up ^ "Following Faithful Shepherds with Life in View", The Watchtower, October 1, 1967, page 591, "Make haste to identify the visible theocratic organization of God that represents his king, Jesus Christ. It is essential for life. Doing so, be complete in accepting its every aspect. We cannot claim to love God, yet deny his Word and channel of communication....Jehovah's visible organization is based firmly on the twelvefold foundation of the apostles of the Lamb with Jesus Christ himself being the foundation cornerstone.(Rev. 21:14,19;Eph 2:20-22) Therefore, in submitting to Jehovah's visible theocratic organization, we must be in full and complete agreement with every feature of its apostolic procedure and requirements."
5.Jump up ^ "The Godly Qualities of Love and Hate", The Watchtower, 15 July 1974: 441, "Christians have implicit trust in their heavenly Father; they do not question what he tells them through his written Word and organization."
6.^ Jump up to: a b Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007, page 174, "No less serious is it when a group of men have divided views on predictions related to a certain date and yet present their adherents an outward appearance of united confidence, encouraging those adherents to place unwavering trust in those predictions."
7.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, p. 629 "people certainly ha[ve] the freedom to believe what they chose. But anyone who publicly or privately advocates views that are divergent from what appears in the publications of an organization, and who does so while claiming to represent that organization, causes division."
8.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Atlanta: Commentary Press, pp. 18–28, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
9.Jump up ^ Botting, Heather; Gary Botting (1984), The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, University of Toronto Press, pp. 66–69, ISBN 0-8020-6545-7
10.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, Watch Tower Society, 1959, page 52.
11.Jump up ^ "A Solid Basis for Confidence", The Watchtower, July 15, 1976, page 440.
12.Jump up ^ Gruss, Edmond C. (1972), The Jehovah's Witnesses and Prophetic Speculation, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co, pp. 87–88, ISBN 0-87552-306-4
13.Jump up ^ In Crisis of Conscience, 2002, pg. 173, Franz quotes from "They Shall Know That a Prophet Was Among Them", (The Watchtower, April 1, 1972,) which states that God had raised Jehovah's Witnesses as "a prophet to help [people], to warn them of dangers and declare things to come". He also cites "Identifying the Right Kind of Messenger" (The Watchtower, May 1, 1997, page 8) which identifies the Witnesses as his "true messengers ... by making the messages he delivers through them come true", in contrast to "false messengers", whose predictions fail. In In Search of Christian Freedom, 2007, he quotes The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah - How? (1971, pg 70, 292) which describes Witnesses as the modern Ezekiel class, "a genuine prophet within our generation". The Watch Tower book noted: "Concerning the message faithfully delivered by the Ezekiel class, Jehovah positively states that it 'must come true' ... those who wait undecided until it does 'come true' will also have to know that a prophet himself had proved to be in the midst of them." He also cites "Execution of the Great Harlot Nears", (The Watchtower, October 15, 1980, pg 17) which claims God gives the Witnesses "special knowledge that others do not have ... advance knowledge about this system's end".
14.Jump up ^ James A. Beverley, Crisis of Allegiance, Welch Publishing Company, Burlington, Ontario, 1986, ISBN 0-920413-37-4, pages 86-91.
15.Jump up ^ Criticisms of statements, such as those found below, are found in a number of books including Penton, M. James (1997) Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press; Franz, Raymond, In Search of Christian Freedom (2007) Commentary Press; Watters, Randall (2004) Thus Saith Jehovah's Witnesses, Common Sense Publications; Reed, David A. (1990) Index of Watchtower Errors, 1879 to 1989, Baker Books and at websites including Watchtower Information Service; Quotes-Watchtower.co.uk; Reexamine.Quotes.
16.Jump up ^ Waldeck, Val Jehovah's Witnesses: What do they believe?. Pilgrim Publications SA. ISBN 1-920092-08-0.
17.Jump up ^ Buttrey, John M (2004). Let No One Mislead You. iUniverse. ISBN 0-595-30710-8.
18.Jump up ^ Awake!, October 8, 1968, p. 23.
19.Jump up ^ James A. Beverley, Crisis of Allegiance, Welch Publishing Company, Burlington, Ontario, 1986, ISBN 0-920413-37-4, page 87.
20.^ Jump up to: a b "Why So Many False Alarms?", Awake!, March 22, 1993, pages 3-4, footnote.
21.Jump up ^ Reasoning From the Scriptures, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1989, pg 137.
22.Jump up ^ Revelation - Its Grand Climax, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1988, page 9.
23.Jump up ^ "Views From the Watchtower", Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, January 1908, "We are not prophesying; we are merely giving our surmises ... We do not even [assert] that there is no mistake in our interpretation of prophesy and our calculations of chronology. We have merely laid these before you, leaving it for each to exercise his own faith or doubt in respect to them."
24.Jump up ^ "Preaching Christ—Through Envy or Goodwill?", The Watchtower, May 15, 1976, p. 297, "Jehovah’s Witnesses as modern-day Christians are working hard to get this good news preached to every individual. They do not claim infallibility or perfection. Neither are they inspired prophets."
25.Jump up ^ "Allow No Place for the Devil!", The Watchtower, March 15, 1986, page 19, "Some opposers claim that Jehovah’s Witnesses are false prophets. These opponents say that dates have been set, but nothing has happened. ... Yes, Jehovah’s people have had to revise expectations from time to time. Because of our eagerness, we have hoped for the new system earlier than Jehovah’s timetable has called for it. But we display our faith in God’s Word and its sure promises by declaring its message to others. Moreover, the need to revise our understanding somewhat does not make us false prophets or change the fact that we are living in 'the last days,' ... How foolish to take the view that expectations needing some adjustment should call into question the whole body of truth! The evidence is clear that Jehovah has used and is continuing to use his one organization."
26.Jump up ^ George Chryssides, They Keep Changing the Dates, A paper presented at the CESNUR 2010 conference in Torino. How Prophecy Succeeds:The Jehovah's Witnesses and Prophetic Expectations
27.Jump up ^ March 1, 1904 Zion's Watch Tower p. 67
28.Jump up ^ Charles Taze Russell and Nelson H. Barbour, The Three Worlds (1907) as cited by James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, pages 21-22.
29.Jump up ^ Charles Taze Russell, The Time Is At Hand (1891) as cited by James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, page 44.
30.Jump up ^ Melvin D. Curry, Jehovah's Witnesses: The Millenarian World of the Watch Tower, Garland, 1992, as cited by James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, page 45.
31.Jump up ^ Penton, James (1997). Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses. University of Toronto Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-0802079732.
32.Jump up ^ The Finished Mystery, 1917, p. 485, 258, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, pages 206-211.
33.Jump up ^ J. F. Rutherford, Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1920, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, pages 212-214.
34.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, May 15, 1922, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 224.
35.Jump up ^ The Way to Paradise booklet, Watch Tower Society, 1924, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, pages 230-232.
36.Jump up ^ Face the Facts, 1938, pp. 46-50
37.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, September 15, 1941, p. 288
38.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, May 1, 1942, p. 139
39.Jump up ^ Awake!, February 22, 1961, p. 7
40.Jump up ^ Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God (PDF), Watch Tower Society, 1966, pp. 29–35, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, pages 238-239.
41.Jump up ^ Talk by F. W. Franz, Baltimore, Maryland 1966, cited by Jehovah's Witnesses – Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, and by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, pages 238-239.
42.Jump up ^ Did Man Get Here By Evolution Or By Creation?, Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, 1967, pg 161.
43.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, May 1, 1968, page 273
44.Jump up ^ Kingdom Ministry, Watch Tower Society, March 1968, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, pages 246.
45.Jump up ^ Awake!, May 22, 1969, p. 15
46.Jump up ^ The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah – How?, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1971, pg 216.
47.Jump up ^ Kingdom Ministry, Watch Tower Society, May 1974, page 3.
48.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, March 1, 1984, pp. 18-19
49.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, January 1, 1989, pg. 12.
50.Jump up ^ "Flashes of Light - Great and Small", The Watchtower, May 15, 1995, page 17.
51.^ Jump up to: a b c Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 184.
52.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, July 15, 1894: 1677, "We see no reason for changing the figures—nor could we change them if we would. They are, we believe, God’s dates, not ours. But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble." Missing or empty |title= (help)
53.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, September 15, 1901: 292, "The culmination of the trouble in October, 1914, is clearly marked in the Scriptures;" Missing or empty |title= (help)
54.Jump up ^ The Time Is at Hand, 1907, p. 101, "The ‘battle of the great day of God Almighty’ (Rev. 16:14), which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth’s present rulership, is already commenced."
55.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, November 1, 1922: 346, "We understand that the jubilee type began to count in 1575 B.C.; and the 3,500 year period embracing the type must end in 1925. It follows, then, that the year 1925 will mark the beginning of the restoration of all things lost by Adam's disobedience." Missing or empty |title= (help)
56.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, November 1, 1922: 333, "Bible prophecy shows that the Lord was due to appear for the second time in 1874. Fulfilled prophecy shows beyond a doubt that he did appear in 1874 ... these facts are indisputable." Missing or empty |title= (help)
57.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, 1993, page 708.
58.Jump up ^ "Impart God’s Progressive Revelation to Mankind", The Watchtower, March 1, 1965, p. 158-159
59.Jump up ^ Studies in the Scriptures Vol. II 1889 p. 239, Studies in the Scriptures Volume III 1891 p. 234, Studies in Scriptures Vol. IV 1897 p. 621.
60.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, 1993, page 632.
61.Jump up ^ M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, pages 20, 23.
62.Jump up ^ M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, page 23.
63.Jump up ^ Watchtower, February 1, 1925, page 371.
64.Jump up ^ Watchtower, May 15, 1927, page 151.
65.Jump up ^ Watchtower, June 1, 1927.
66.Jump up ^ "The Corroborative Testimony of God's Stone Witness and Prophet, The Great Pyramid in Egypt", Chapter 10, Thy Kingdom Come, third volume of Studies in the Scriptures, 1910.
67.Jump up ^ Watchtower, June 15, 1922, page 187, as reproduced by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 225, 226.
68.Jump up ^ Watchtower, 1928, pages 339-45, 355-62, as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, page 170.
69.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, October–November 1881, as cited by Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, 1993, page 142.
70.Jump up ^ The Battle of Armageddon by C. T. Russell, 1886, page 613, as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, footnote, page 345.
71.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, December 1, 1916, as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, page 34.
72.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, March 1, 1923, pages 68 and 71, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 63.
73.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, 1993, page 626, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 67.
74.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, October 1, 1909, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 67.
75.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, 1993, page 626.
76.Jump up ^ Thy Kingdom Come, 1891, page 23.
77.Jump up ^ The Harp of God, (1921), 1924 ed., p. 231.
78.Jump up ^ M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, pages 21, 46.
79.Jump up ^ C.T. Russell, The Time Is At Hand (Watch Tower Society, 1889, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 190, 204.
80.Jump up ^ Life, Watch Tower Society, 1929, page 170, as cited by Edmond C. Gruss, The Jehovah's Witnesses and Prophetic Speculation, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co, 1972, page 87.
81.Jump up ^ J.F. Rutherford, Vindication - Book II, pages 257-258, as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, page 65.
82.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, November 1, 1922, page 333, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 228.
83.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, March 1, 1922, "The indisputable facts, therefore, show that the time of the end began in 1799; that the Lord's second presence began in 1874".
84.Jump up ^ M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, pages 18-22.
85.Jump up ^ "No Spiritual Energy Crisis for Discreet Ones", The Watchtower, August 15, 1974, page 507, footnote.
86.^ Jump up to: a b Raymond Franz, In Search of Christian Freedom, 2007, page 484.
87.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, June 15, 1952, page 376.
88.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, p. 107, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
89.Jump up ^ Qualified To Be Ministers, Watch Tower Society, 1955, page 381, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007, page 74.
90.Jump up ^ Marley Cole, Jehovah's Witnesses - The New World Society, Vantage Press, New York, 1955, pages 86-89, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007, page 74.
91.Jump up ^ Testimony by Fred Franz, Lord Strachan vs. Douglas Walsh Transcript, Lord Strachan vs. Douglas Walsh, 1954, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007, page 75-76.
92.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, March 1, 1923, page 68, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007, page 59.
93.Jump up ^ Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007, pages 58-79.
94.Jump up ^ M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, 1997, page 216.
95.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, December 15, 1971, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007, page 78.
96.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, July 1, 1963, page 412.
97.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, July 15, 1963, page 443.
98.Jump up ^ "Maintaining a Balanced Viewpoint Toward Disfellowshiped Ones", The Watchtower, August 1, 1974, pages 467, "It is right to hate the wrong committed by the disfellowshiped one, but it is not right to hate the person nor is it right to treat such ones in an inhumane way."
99.Jump up ^ "Maintaining a Balanced Viewpoint Toward Disfellowshiped Ones", The Watchtower, August 1, 1974, pages 471-472.
100.Jump up ^ "Maintaining a Balanced Viewpoint Toward Disfellowshiped Ones", The Watchtower, August 1, 1974, page 471, par 19.
101.^ Jump up to: a b "If a Relative Is Disfellowshiped", The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, page 28.
102.Jump up ^ "Disfellowshiping—How to View It", The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, pages 24-25.
103.Jump up ^ "If a Relative Is Disfellowshiped", The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, page 30.
104.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, pages 20-31, as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, page 299-300.
105.Jump up ^ Letter to all circuit and district overseers from Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York, September 1, 1980, as reproduced by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 341.
106.Jump up ^ "Disfellowshiping—How to View It", The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, pages 23, as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, page 299-300.
107.Jump up ^ Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 357-359.
108.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, June 15, 1911, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 188.
109.Jump up ^ The Finished Mystery, 1917, p. 485, 258, 513 as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, pages 206-211.
110.Jump up ^ Revelation - It's Grand Climax at Hand!, Watch Tower Society, 1988, page 209.
111.Jump up ^ Revelation - It's Grand Climax at Hand!, Watch Tower Society, 1988, pages 266, 269.
112.Jump up ^ "No Calamity Will Befall Us" (Subheading). (Nov. 15, 2001). The Watchtower, p.19
113.Jump up ^ "Let the Reader Use Discernment", (Subheading "A Modern-Day 'Disgusting Thing'"). (May 1, 1999). The Watchtower, p 14
114.Jump up ^ "A World Without War-When?" Oct.1, 1991, pp.5 The Watchtower
115.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, 1 June 1997, p. 17 par. 15: "In the first place, what lies ahead for the world's false religions that have so often been extremely friendly with the UN? They are the offspring of one idolatrous fountainhead, ancient Babylon. Appropriately, they are described at Revelation 17:5 as "Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth". Jeremiah described the doom of this hypocritical conglomerate. Harlotlike, they have seduced earth's politicians, flattering the UN and forming illicit relations with its member political powers."
116.Jump up ^ Bates, Stephen (Oct. 8, 2001) "Jehovah's Witnesses link to UN queried", The Guardian
117.Jump up ^ Bates, Stephen (Oct. 15, 2001) "'Hypocrite' Jehovah's Witnesses abandon secret link with UN", The Guardian
118.Jump up ^ Letter to Editor - The Guardian" (Oct. 22, 2001) Office of Public Information
119.Jump up ^ Letter from United Nations DPI/NGO Resource Centre
120.Jump up ^ UN DPI/NGO
121.Jump up ^ Pay Attention to Daniel's Prophecy! chap. 6 par. 25-29
122.^ Jump up to: a b Edmond C. Gruss, Jehovah's Witnesses and Prophetic Speculation, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co, 1972, ISBN 0-87552-306-4 Page 42.
123.Jump up ^ Alan Rogerson, Millions Now Living Will Never Die, Constable, 1969, page 105, "Secular historians put this date as 586 or 587 BC but the Witnesses, following Russell, place it at 607 BC."
124.^ Jump up to: a b "When Was Ancient Jerusalem Destroyed?—Part One" The Watchtower, October 1, 2011, page 26
125.Jump up ^ "Evidences of the Year’s Correctness". The Watchtower: 271–2. May 1, 1952. "It was in this first regnal year of Cyrus that he issued his decree to permit the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. (Ezra 1:1) The decree may have been made in late 538 B.C. or before March 4–5, 537 B.C. In either case this would have given sufficient time for the large party of 49,897 Jews to organize their expedition and to make their long four-month journey from Babylon to Jerusalem to get there by September 29–30, 537 B.C., the first of the seventh Jewish month, to build their altar to Jehovah as recorded at Ezra 3:1-3. Inasmuch as September 29–30, 537 B.C., officially ends the seventy years of desolation as recorded at 2 Chronicles 36:20, 21, so the beginning of the desolation of the land must have officially begun to be counted after September 21–22, 607 B.C., the first of the seventh Jewish month in 607 B.C., which is the beginning point for the counting of the 2,520 years."
126.Jump up ^ [1] "Babylonian Exile." Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2010.
127.Jump up ^ "Timeline of Judaism after the Babylonian Exile (538 BCE-70 CE)". Jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
128.Jump up ^ Keller, Werner (1983). The Bible As History. Bantam; 2 Revised edition. p. 352. ISBN 0-553-27943-2.
129.Jump up ^ Dictionary of the Bible: Biographical, Geographical, Historical and Doctrinal by Charles Randall Barnes, Page 247.
130.Jump up ^ Dyer, Charles (2003). Nelson’s Old Testament survey: Discovering essence, Background & Meaning about Every Old Testament book.
131.Jump up ^ The Gentile Times Reconsidered: Chronology & Christ's Return by Carl O. Jonsson. ISBN 0-914675-06-0 Publisher: Commentary Press (July, 1998, Fourth edition 2004)
132.Jump up ^ "When Was Ancient Jerusalem Destroyed?—Part Two" The Watchtower, November 1, 2011, page 22
133.Jump up ^ Insight from scriptures. Vol.2 page 458, "secular chronologers calculate the 16th day of Tashritu (Tishri) as falling on October 11, Julian calendar, and October 5, Gregorian calendar, in the year 539 B.C.E. Since this date is an accepted one, there being no evidence to the contrary, it is usable as a pivotal date in coordinating secular history with Bible history."
134.Jump up ^ Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian, and Persian Chronology Compared with the Chronology of the Bible, Volume 1: Persian Chronology and the Length of the Babylonian Exile of the Jews (2003) ISBN 82-994633-3-5
135.Jump up ^ Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 28:5 [2004], p. 42-43
136.Jump up ^ Under One Sky: Astronomy and Mathematics in the Ancient Near East, Münster 2002, pp. 423-428, F. R. Stephenson and D. M. Willis.
137.^ Jump up to: a b "When Was Ancient Jerusalem Destroyed?—Part Two" The Watchtower, November 1, 2011, page 25, 28, footnote 18
138.Jump up ^ Mesopotamian Planetary Astronomy–Astrology, David Brown, pages 53–56; 2000
139.Jump up ^ When Was Ancient Jerusalem Destroyed, page 21, Carl O. Jonsson.
140.Jump up ^ Insight from scriptures, Vol. I, Astronomical Calculations, page 454
141.Jump up ^ Life — How Did It Get Here? By Evolution Or By Creation?, Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, 1985
142.Jump up ^ Was Life Created?, Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, 2010
143.Jump up ^ Gary Botting, "Preface" to The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, pp. xiv-xvi
144.Jump up ^ Hitching is first introduced as an "evolutionist" (p. 15). A Hitching quote on page 71 is repeated on page 73, in the latter case presented as the statement of "a scientist". The 1986 Watchtower book The Bible — God's Word or Man's? likewise refers to Hitching as a scientist (p. 106).
145.Jump up ^ Richard Dawkins: The God Delusion, p. 145. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 2006. ISBN 0-618-68000-4.
146.Jump up ^ Is There a Creator Who Cares About You?. Watch Tower Society. p. 93.
147.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, April 1, 1986, pp. 12-13
148.Jump up ^ Awake!, May 8, 1997, p. 12
149.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, September 1, 1986, p. 30
150.Jump up ^ "Following Faithful Shepherds with Life in View", The Watchtower, October 1, 1967, page 591, "Make haste to identify the visible theocratic organization of God that represents his king, Jesus Christ. It is essential for life. Doing so, be complete in accepting its every aspect ... in submitting to Jehovah's visible theocratic organization, we must be in full and complete agreement with every feature of its apostolic procedure and requirements."
151.Jump up ^ "Loyal to Christ and His Faithful Slave", The Watchtower, April 1, 2007, page 24, "When we loyally submit to the direction of the faithful slave and its Governing Body, we are submitting to Christ, the slave's Master."
152.Jump up ^ Beckford, James A. (1975), The Trumpet of Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's Witnesses, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, pp. 89, 95, 103, 120, 204, 221, ISBN 0-631-16310-7
153.Jump up ^ Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement, Routledge, pp. 22, 32, 150–170, ISBN 0-415-26609-2
154.Jump up ^ Alan Rogerson, Millions Now Living Will Never Die, Constable, 1969, page 50.
155.^ Jump up to: a b Osamu Muramoto, "Bioethics of the refusal of blood by Jehovah's Witnesses, part 1", Journal of Medical Ethics, August 1998, Vol 24, Issue 4, page 223-230.
156.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom (2nd ed.), Commentary Press, pp. 98–100, 104–107, 113, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
157.^ Jump up to: a b c d R. Franz, In Search of Christian Freedom, chapter 6.
158.Jump up ^ Court transcript as cited by Heather & Gary Botting, The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1984, page 67-68, also at Pursuer's Proof: Lord Strachan vs. Douglas Walsh Transcript, Lord Strachan vs. Douglas Walsh, 1954.
159.Jump up ^ Beckford, James A. (1975), The Trumpet of Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's Witnesses, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, p. 103, ISBN 0-631-16310-7
160.Jump up ^ Minority Religions, Social Change, and Freedom of Conscience
161.Jump up ^ Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement, Routledge, p. 67, ISBN 0-415-26609-2
162.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom (2nd ed.), Commentary Press, pp. 419–421, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
163.Jump up ^ Stevenson, W.C. (1967), Year of Doom 1975: The Inside Story of Jehovah's Witnesses, London: Hutchinson & Co, pp. 33–35, "The inevitable result of a person's submitting to (the home Bible study) arrangement is that eventually all his own thoughts will be replaced by the thoughts contained in the book he is studying ... if one were able to watch this person's development ... it would be quite obvious that he was gradually losing all individuality of thought and action ... One of the characteristics of Jehovah's Witnesses is the extraordinary unanimity of thinking on almost every aspect of life ... in view of this there seems to be some justification for the charge that their study methods are in fact a subtle form of indoctrination or brainwashing."
164.^ Jump up to: a b c Botting, Heather & Gary (1984), The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, University of Toronto Press, p. 153, ISBN 0-8020-6545-7
165.^ Jump up to: a b R. Franz, In Search of Christian Freedom, chapter 16.
166.Jump up ^ "Exposing the Devil’s Subtle Designs" and "Armed for the Fight Against Wicked Spirits", Watchtower, January 15, 1983, as cited by Heather and Gary Botting, The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1984, page 92.
167.Jump up ^ "Serving Jehovah Shoulder to Shoulder", The Watchtower, August 15, 1981, page 28, "Jehovah's Theocratic Organization Today", The Watchtower, February 1, 1952, pages 79–81.
168.Jump up ^ James A. Beverley, Crisis of Allegiance, Welch Publishing Company, Burlington, Ontario, 1986, ISBN 0-920413-37-4, pages 25-26, 101, "For every passage in Society literature that urges members to be bold and courageous in critical pursuits, there are many others that warn about independent thinking and the peril of questioning the organization ... Fear of disobedience to the Governing Body keeps Jehovah's Witnesses from carefully checking into biblical doctrine or allegations concerning false prophecy, faulty scholarship, and injustice. Witnesses are told not to read books like this one."
169.Jump up ^ According to Randall Watters, who in 1981 published a pamphlet, "What happened at the world headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses in the spring of 1980?", cited by Heather and Gary Botting, a former Governing Body member is said to have referred Brooklyn headquarters staff to an organizational handbook containing 1,177 policies and regulations, telling them: "If there are some who feel that they cannot subject themselves to the rules and regulations now in operation, such ones ought to be leaving and not be involved here."
170.Jump up ^ Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, pp. 107–108, 122, 298.
171.Jump up ^ "Walk With Confidence in Jehovah’s Leadership", The Watchtower, June 1, 1985, page 20, "To turn away from Jehovah and his organization, to spurn the direction of “the faithful and discreet slave,” and to rely simply on personal Bible reading and interpretation is to become like a solitary tree in a parched land."
172.Jump up ^ Question box, Our Kingdom Ministry, September 2007.
173.Jump up ^ "Do not be quickly shaken from your reason", Watchtower, March 15, 1986
174.Jump up ^ "At which table are you feeding?" Watchtower, July 1, 1994
175.Jump up ^ Watchtower, May 1, 1984, page 31, as cited by R. Franz, "In Search of Christian Freedom", chapter 12
176.Jump up ^ "Firmly uphold godly teaching," Watchtower, May 1, 2000, page 9.
177.Jump up ^ Heather & Gary Botting, The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, University of Toronto Press, 1984, page 143, 153.
178.Jump up ^ Beckford, James A. (1975), The Trumpet of Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's Witnesses, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, pp. 204, 221, ISBN 0-631-16310-7
179.Jump up ^ Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement, Routledge, p. 30, ISBN 0-415-26609-2
180.Jump up ^ R. Franz, In Search of Christian Freedom, chapter 11.
181.Jump up ^ Muramoto, O. (January 6, 2001), "Bioethical aspects of the recent changes in the policy of refusal of blood by Jehovah's Witnesses", BMJ 322 (7277): 37–39, doi:10.1136/bmj.322.7277.37, PMC 1119307, PMID 11141155.
182.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom (2nd ed.), Commentary Press, pp. 449–464, ISBN 0-914675-17-6, "Loyalty to the organization becomes the touchstone, the criterion, the "bottom line", when it comes to determining whether one is a faithful Christian or not ... to make any organizational loyalty the criterion for judging anyone's Christianity is, then, clearly a perversion of Scripture ... Read the whole of those Scriptures ... nowhere are we taught to put faith in men or in an earthly organization, unquestioningly following its lead ... the entire Bible record is a continual reminder of the danger inherent in that kind of trust."
183.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom (2nd ed.), Commentary Press, p. 458, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
184.Jump up ^ "You Must Be Holy Because Jehovah Is Holy", The Watchtower, February 15, 1976, page 124, "Would not a failure to respond to direction from God through his organization really indicate a rejection of divine rulership?"
185.Jump up ^ James A. Beverley, Crisis of Allegiance, Welch Publishing Company, Burlington, Ontario, 1986, ISBN 0-920413-37-4, pages 25-26, 101.
186.Jump up ^ Holden 2002, p. 121.
187.Jump up ^ Botting, Heather; Gary Botting (1984), The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, University of Toronto Press, p. 156, ISBN 0-8020-6545-7
188.Jump up ^ "Questions from readers", Watchtower, April 1, 1986.
189.Jump up ^ Stark and Iannoccone (1997), "Why the Jehovah's Witnesses Grow So Rapidly: A Theoretical Application" (PDF), Journal of Contemporary Religion (PDF), pp. 142–143, retrieved 2008-12-30.
190.Jump up ^ ECHR Point 130, 118
191.Jump up ^ Gary Botting, Fundamental Freedoms and Jehovah's Witnesses, (Calgary: University of Calgary Press, 1993.
192.Jump up ^ Rhodes, Ron (2001), The Challenge of the Cults and New Religions, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, pp. 77–103, ISBN 0-310-23217-1
193.Jump up ^ Gomes, Alan W. (1995), Unmasking the Cults, Zondervan, pp. 22, 23, ISBN 0-310-70441-3
194.Jump up ^ Hoekema, Anthony A. (1963), The Four Major Cults, Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans, pp. 1–8,223–371, 373–388, ISBN 0-8028-3117-6
195.Jump up ^ "Are Jehovah’s Witnesses a Cult?", The Watchtower, February 15, 1994, pages 5-7
196.Jump up ^ "Do Others Do Your Thinking?", Awake!, August 22, 1978, page 4.
197.Jump up ^ "Who Molds Your Thinking?", The Watchtower, April 1, 1999, page 22, "You have free will. Exercising it, you can choose to respond to Jehovah’s molding influence or deliberately reject it. How much better to listen to Jehovah’s voice instead of arrogantly asserting, 'No one tells me what to do'!"
198.Jump up ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses Wish You Would Answer The Door" (PDF). The Grand Rapids Press. 2006.
199.Jump up ^ "Evidence of expert witness attacked". The Straits Times. 1997-07-17.
200.Jump up ^ Brown II, John Bowen (2008-04-16), "Cult Watchdog Organizations and Jehovah’s Witnesses", Twenty Years and More: Research into Minority Religions, New Religious Movements and 'the New Spirituality', London School of Economics, London, UK: Center for Studies on New Religions, retrieved 2010-03-03
201.Jump up ^ Engardio, Joel P. (2007-04-17). "Myths & Realities". PBS Independent Lens. Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
202.Jump up ^ Brown II, John B. (2005-06-02), "Jehovah's Witnesses and the Anti-cult Movement: A Human Rights Perspective", Religious Movements, Globalization and Conflict: Transnational Perspectives, Palermo, Sicily: Center for Studies on New Religions
203.Jump up ^ Raschke, Carl A. (2013-07-19), "Contemporary American Religion Volume 1", in Catherine L. Albanese, Randall Balmer, Frederick M. Denny, Cheryl Townsend Gilkes, Ana Maria Diaz-Stevens, Anthony M. Stevens-Arroyo, Ellen M. Umansky, Jehovah's Witnesses, New York: Macmillan Reference USA An Imprint of the Gale Group, p. 343, ISBN 0-02-864926-5
204.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, page 96, as cited by R. Franz, In Search of Christian Freedom, chapter 4.
205.Jump up ^ Question Box, Our Kingdom Ministry, September 1979, page 4.
206.Jump up ^ "Do You Contribute to an Accurate Report?", Our Kingdom Ministry, December 2002, page 8.
207.Jump up ^ "Righteous requirements", Watchtower, July 1, 1943, pages 204-206, "Jehovah ... has appointed his 'faithful and wise servant, who is his visible mouthpiece ... These expressions of God's will by his King and through his established agency constitute his law or rule of action ... The Lord breaks down our organization instructions further ... He says the requirements for special pioneers shall be 175 hours and 50 back-calls per month ... and for regular pioneers 150 hours ... And for company publishers he says, 'Let us make a quota of 60 hours and 12 back-calls and at least one study a week for each publisher'. These directions come to us from the Lord through his established agency directing what is required of us ... This expression of the Lord's will should be the end of all controversy ... The Lord through his 'faithful and wise servant' now states to us, Let us cover our territory four times in six months. That becomes our organization instructions and has the same binding force on us that his statement to the Logos had when he said, 'Let us make man in our image'. It is our duty to accept this additional instruction and obey it."
208.Jump up ^ "Saved, Not by Works Alone, But by Undeserved Kindness", The Watchtower, June 1, 2005, pages 17-18.
209.Jump up ^ Expert Opinion by S. I. Ivanenko, p. 10, Golovinsky Intermunicipal Court, in the application of the Moscow Northern Administrative District prosecutor to liquidate the Religious Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow
210.Jump up ^ The Trumpet of Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's Witnesses, John Wiley and Sons, 1975, as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, 1997. Penton describes Beckford's book as "uneven" and marred by errors and a misunderstanding of certain basic Witness doctrines.
211.Jump up ^ Sworn Expert Opinion, prepared by Professor James Beckford, University of Warwick, Coventry, England, November 1998, Golovinsky Intermunicipal Court, in the application of the Moscow Northern Administrative District prosecutor to liquidate the Religious Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow
212.Jump up ^ ECHR Point number 111
213.Jump up ^ “Jehovah's Witnesses case heads to B.C. court”, Vancouver Sun, April 1, 2007
214.Jump up ^ Medical emergencies in children of orthodox Jehovah's Witness families: Three recent legal cases, ethical issues and proposals for management”, by J Guicho and, I Mitchell, Paediatrics & Child Health, Canadian Pediatric Society, December 2006.
215.Jump up ^ "Bioethics of the refusal of blood by Jehovah's Witnesses, part 2." Journal of Medical Ethics, October 1998, pages 295-301.
216.Jump up ^ ECHR Point number 136, 139
217.^ Jump up to: a b "Always Accept Jehovah’s Discipline", The Watchtower, November 15, 2006, page 26.
218.Jump up ^ "Cultivate Obedience as the End Draws Near", The Watchtower, October 1, 2002, page 21
219.Jump up ^ Beckford, James A. (1975), The Trumpet of Prophecy, A Sociological Study of Jehovah's Witnesses, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, p. 55, ISBN 0-631-16310-7
220.Jump up ^ "Elders, Judge With Righteousness", The Watchtower, July 1, 1992, page 19.
221.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, p. 354, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
222.^ Jump up to: a b Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, p. 89
223.^ Jump up to: a b c Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement, Routledge, p. 163, ISBN 0-415-26609-2
224.Jump up ^ Osamu Muramoto, "Recent developments in medical care of Jehovah's Witnesses", Western Journal of Medicine, May 1999, page 298.
225.Jump up ^ Taylor, Jerome (27 September 2011). "War of words breaks out among Jehovah's Witnesses". The Independent.
226.Jump up ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses church likens defectors to 'contagious, deadly disease'", Sunday Herald Sun, page 39, October 2, 2011.
227.Jump up ^ Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement, Routledge, p. 150, ISBN 0-415-26609-2
228.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, p. 384, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
229.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, p. 351, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
230.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, p. 359, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
231.Jump up ^ Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement, Routledge, p. 151, ISBN 0-415-26609-2
232.^ Jump up to: a b c Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, p. 249
233.Jump up ^ Ronald Lawson, "Sect-State Relations: Accounting for the Differing Trajectories of Seventh-day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses," Sociology of Religion, 1995, 56:4, pg 371.
234.Jump up ^ "Maintain Your Faith and Spiritual Health", The Watchtower, October 1, 1989.
235.Jump up ^ "Questions From Readers", The Watchtower, October 15, 1986, page 31.
236.Jump up ^ Osamu Muramoto, "Bioethical aspects of the recent changes in the policy of refusal of blood by Jehovah's Witnesses", British Medical Journal, January 6, 2001, page 37.
237.Jump up ^ Donald T. Ridley, "Jehovah's Witnesses' refusal of blood: Obedience to scripture and religious conscience", Journal of Medical Ethics, 1999:25, page 470.
238.^ Jump up to: a b Franz, Raymond (2002), Crisis of Conscience, Commentary Press, p. 38, ISBN 0-914675-23-0
239.^ Jump up to: a b Botting, Heather; Gary Botting (1984), The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, University of Toronto Press, p. 91, ISBN 0-8020-6545-7
240.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, p. 371, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
241.Jump up ^ Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, p. 248
242.Jump up ^ Raymond Franz, In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, pages 365-385, citing "A Time to Speak – When?", The Watchtower, September 1, 1987.
243.Jump up ^ Osamu Muramoto, "Bioethics of the refusal of blood by Jehovah’s Witnesses, Part 1", Journal of Medical Ethics, August 1998.
244.Jump up ^ "Disfellowshiping—How to View It", The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, page 23.
245.Jump up ^ Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, p. 319
246.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2002), Crisis of Conscience, Commentary Press, p. 357, ISBN 0-914675-23-0
247.^ Jump up to: a b How Can Blood Save Your Life?. Watch Tower Society. p. 22.
248.Jump up ^ "Be guided by the Living God" (Jun. 15, 2004). The Watchtower
249.Jump up ^ "Questions from readers: Do Jehovah's Witnesses accept any minor fractions of blood?" (Jun. 15, 2000). The Watchtower
250.Jump up ^ Awake! August 2006 box on P. 11
251.Jump up ^ Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform on Blood
252.Jump up ^ The Watchtower November 1, 1961, p. 669 Questions From Readers
253.Jump up ^ What Does The Bible Really Teach? 2005 P.128
254.Jump up ^ "OK Kosher Certification — Salting of Meat". Ok.org. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
255.Jump up ^ "Making Meat Kosher: Between Slaughtering and Cooking". My Jewish Learning. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
256.Jump up ^ "Religion Today", New York Times, January 6, 2006
257.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses, Blood Transfusions and the Tort of Misrepresentation, Journal of Church and State Vol 47, Autumn 2005 p. 815
258.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond. "In Search of Christian Freedom" - Chapter Nine. Atlanta: Commentary Press, 1991. ISBN 0-914675-16-8. p.732.
259.Jump up ^ "Questions From Readers", The Watchtower, October 15, 2000, page 31, "Jehovah’s Witnesses...do not donate blood [without preconditions on its use], nor do we store for transfusion our blood that should be ‘poured out.’ That practice conflicts with God’s law. Other procedures or tests involving an individual’s own blood are not so clearly in conflict with God’s stated principles. ...the goal may be to isolate some of a blood component and apply that elsewhere... A Christian must decide for himself how his own blood will be handled... Ahead of time, he should obtain from the doctor or technician the facts about what might be done with his blood during the procedure. Then he must decide according to what his conscience permits."
260.Jump up ^ "How Do I View Blood Fractions and Medical Procedures Involving My Own Blood?", Our Kingdom Ministry, November 2006, page 4.
261.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond. "In Search of Christian Freedom" - Chapter Nine. Atlanta: Commentary Press, 1991. Pbk. ISBN 0-914675-16-8. pp.732.
262.Jump up ^ Ivanhoe's Medical Breakthroughs - When Religion and Medicine Collide
263.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses, Blood Transfusions and the Tort of Misrepresentation, Journal of Church and State Vol 47, Autumn 2005
264.Jump up ^ The Watchtower (Feb. 1, 1997) p30
265.Jump up ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses (WTS) Handling of Child Sexual Abuse Cases", Religious Tolerance.org Retrieved Mar 3, 2006.
266.Jump up ^ Tubbs, Sharon (Aug. 22, 2002), "Spiritual shunning", St. Petersburg Times.
267.Jump up ^ "Another Church Sex Scandal" (Apr. 29, 2003). CBS News.
268.Jump up ^ Cutrer, Corrie (Mar. 5, 2001). "Witness Leaders Accused of Shielding Molesters", Christianity Today.
269.Jump up ^ Channel 9 Sunday, November 2005.
270.Jump up ^ "Secret database protects paedophiles", BBC Panorama, 2003.
271.Jump up ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses and Child Protection" (2003). Jehovah's Witnesses Office of Public Information.
272.Jump up ^ “Let All Things Take Place for Upbuilding”, Our Kingdom Ministry, July 2000, page 1
273.Jump up ^ "Comfort for Those With a “Stricken Spirit”", The Watchtower, November 1, 1995, page 28, "If the [lone] accusation is denied [by the accused], the elders should explain to the accuser that nothing more can be done in a judicial way. ...The Bible says that there must be two or three witnesses before judicial action can be taken. (2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19)"
274.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses Office of Public Information, Press Release "Jehovah's Witnesses and Child Protection," 2003.
275.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, pp. 174–176
276.Jump up ^ "New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures", The Watchtower, September 15, 1950, page 320.
277.Jump up ^ Questions from readers, The Watchtower, December 15, 1974, page 767.
278.Jump up ^ In a 1954 court case, Franz was invited to translate a passage of Genesis from English to Hebrew. (Translator's proof, page 102-103). He declined, saying he would not attempt it. Heather and Gary Botting wrongly claim (page 98) he could make no sense of "an elementary passage of Hebrew from Genesis".
279.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), Crisis of Conscience, Commentary Press, p. 56, ISBN 0-914675-23-0
280.Jump up ^ Robert M. Bowman Jr, Understanding Jehovah's Witnesses, (Grand Rapids MI: Baker Book House, 1992); Ankerberg, John and John Weldon, 2003, The New World Translation of the Jehovah's Witnesses, accessible from this site, which quotes a number of scholars regarding theological bias of the New World Translation.
281.Jump up ^ Samuel Haas,Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 74, No. 4, (Dec. 1955), p. 283, "This work indicates a great deal of effort and thought as well as considerable scholarship, it is to be regretted that religious bias was allowed to colour many passages."
282.Jump up ^ See Ankerberg, John and John Weldon, 2003, The New World Translation of the Jehovah's Witnesses, accessible online
283.Jump up ^ Rhodes R, The Challenge of the Cults and New Religions, The Essential Guide to Their History, Their Doctrine, and Our Response, Zondervan, 2001, p. 94
284.Jump up ^ Bruce M Metzger, "Jehovah's Witnesses and Jesus Christ," Theology Today, (April 1953 p. 74); see also Metzger, "The New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures," The Bible Translator (July 1964)
285.Jump up ^ C.H. Dodd: "The reason why [the Word was a god] is unacceptable is that it runs counter to the current of Johannine thought, and indeed of Christian thought as a whole." Technical Papers for The Bible Translator, Vol 28, No. 1, January 1977
286.Jump up ^ Botting, Heather; Gary Botting (1984), The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, University of Toronto Press, pp. 98–101, ISBN 0-8020-6545-7
287.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, pp. 494–505, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
288.Jump up ^ G. HÉBERT/EDS, "Jehovah's Witnesses", The New Catholic Encyclopedia, Gale, 20052, Vol. 7, p. 751.
289.Jump up ^ Metzger, Bruce M., The New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, The Bible Translator 15/3 (July 1964), pp. 150-153.
290.Jump up ^ "God’s Name and the New Testament", The Divine Name That Will Endure Forever, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1984, pages 23-27
291.Jump up ^ "Appendix 1D The Divine Name in the Christian Greek Scriptures", New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures - With References, page 1565
292.Jump up ^ "Your Bible—How It Was Produced", The Watchtower, December 15, 1981, page 15
293.Jump up ^ Jason D. BeDuhn, Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament, 2004, pages 165, 169, 175, 176. BeDuhn compared the King James, the (New) Revised Standard, the New International, the New American Bible, the New American Standard Bible, the Amplified Bible, the Living Bible, Today's English and the NWT versions in Matthew 28:9, Philippians 2:6, Colossians 1:15-20, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 1:8, John 8:58, John 1:1.
294.Jump up ^ Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament by Jason BeDuhn, 2004, pages 165, University Press of America, ISBN 0-7618-2556-8, ISBN 978-0-7618-2556-2
Further reading[edit]
Botting, Gary and Heather. The Orwellian World of Jehovah`s Witnesses (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1984). ISBN 0-8020-6545-7. The Bottings compare the social, cultural and political paradigms of Jehovah's Witnesses to those set out in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. Both authors were raised Jehovah's Witnesses and are trained scholars (Heather Botting is a professor of anthropology and Gary Botting is a lawyer and legal scholar). The book is based in part on a doctoral dissertation by Heather Botting. Read selections from: The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses (Google book search) University of Toronto Press, ISBN 978-0-8020-6545-2
Botting, Gary. Fundamental Freedoms and Jehovah's Witnesses (Calgary: University of Calgary Press, 1993). ISBN 1-895176-06-9. Botting considers the irony of Jehovah's Witness insisting on a closely regulated society while at the same time fighting for freedom of association, freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of the press. It is available on-line at http://www.questia.com/library/102111748/fundamental-freedoms-and-jehovah-s-witnesses.
Castro, Joy. The Truth Book: Escaping a Childhood of Abuse Among Jehovah's Witnesses, adopted as a baby and raised by a devout Jehovah's Witness family. Read selections from: The Truth Book: Escaping a Childhood of Abuse Among Jehovah's Witnesses (Google book search) Published 2005 Arcade Publishing, ISBN 1-55970-787-9
Franz, Raymond. Crisis of Conscience Franz, a former Jehovah's Witness and Governing Body member, and nephew of the fourth president of the Watch Tower Society. This book gives a detailed account of the authority structure, practices, doctrines and decision-making practices Franz experienced while serving on the Governing Body. Sample chapters online: 1, 9, 10, 11, 12. Publisher: Commentary Press. 420 pages. Hardback ISBN 0-914675-24-9. Paperback ISBN 0-914675-23-0. 4th edition (June 2002)
Franz, Raymond. In Search of Christian Freedom. 2nd ed., 2007. ISBN 0-914675-17-6 (Further critique and analysis by this author)
Gruss, Edmond C. Apostles of Denial ISBN 0-87552-305-6 / ISBN 978-0-87552-305-7.
Harrison, Barbara Grizzuti. Visions of Glory: A History and a Memory of Jehovah's Witnesses. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1978. ISBN 0-7091-8013-6 (An account by an American journalist and essayist of growing up in the JW religion, which she left at age 22)
Hewitt, Joe. I Was Raised a Jehovah's Witness Hewitt gives a frank and compelling account of his life as a Jehovah's Witness and his subsequent persecution and excommunication after he decided to leave the Jehovah's Witness movement. Read selections from: I Was Raised a Jehovah's Witness (Google book search) Published 1997, Kregel Publications, ISBN 0-8254-2876-9
Jonsson, Carl O. The Gentile Times Reconsidered: Chronology & Christ's Return Jonsson considers the origin of the belief that the Gentile Times began in 607 B.C. and examines several lines of evidence and the methodology for deriving it. ISBN 0-914675-06-0 Publisher: Commentary Press (July, 1998, Fourth edition 2004)
King, Robert. Jehovah Himself Has Become King The author considers himself one of Jehovah's Witnesses but was disfellowshipped after publishing his review and criticisms of current Watchtower interpretations related to Bible prophecy, and documentation regarding the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society's involvement with the United Nations. He is preparing an updated, second edition. ISBN 1-4208-5498-4 / ISBN 978-1-4208-5498-5 / Publisher: AuthorHouse (September 14, 2005, First Edition) (Available from Amazon.com)
Kostelniuk, James. Wolves Among Sheep. Harpercollins Trade Sales Dept, ISBN 978-0-00-639107-4
Penton, M. James. Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2nd ed., 1997. ISBN 0-8020-7973-3 (Scholarly examination of JW history and doctrines)
Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses by M. James Penton. Penton, who is a former Jehovah's Witness and a professor emeritus of history at University of Lethbridge, examines the history of Jehovah's Witnesses, and their doctrines. Read selections from: Apocalypse Delayed: the Story of Jehovah's Witnesses University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0-8020-7973-3 (Canada, 1998) (Google book search)
Schnell, William J. 30 Years a Watchtower Slave Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1956, 1971, reprinted 2001. ISBN 0-8010-6384-1 (One of the first book-length critiques of the organization to be written by a disaffected former Witness)
Stafford, Greg. Jehovah's Witnesses Defended and Three Dissertations. The author considers himself one of Jehovah's Witnesses but has renounced affiliation with the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society. He now considers himself a Christian Witness of Jah, or one of Jehovah's Witnesses who rejects beliefs specific to Jehovah's Witnesses. These books review and thoroughly explore some of the most common, and/or prevalent, criticisms made about Jehovah's Witnesses and the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society. http://www.elihubooks.com/content/books_media.php
External links[edit]
SupportiveOfficial Jehovah's Witnesses website
Jehovah's Witnesses response to child abuse allegations (video)
Jehovah's Witnesses Official Policy on Child Protection
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
CriticalApologetics index - Criticisms of Jehovah's Witnesses from a mainstream Christian viewpoint.
Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform on Blood - A site that promotes reform of the Watch Tower Society's blood doctrine.
Exposé on the Jehovah's Witnesses - From Blue Letter Bible. An examination of the Watch Tower Society. Contains relatively brief explanations of each point.
Free Minds, Inc - the largest Watchtower dissident site
Historical Idealism and Jehovah's Witnesses - Documents the historical development of Jehovah's Witness chronology and the claimed "idealized" history of it by the Watch Tower Society
JW Files--Research on Jehovah's Witnesses - A site "dedicated to research on Jehovah Witnesses".
jwfacts.com - Information about Jehovah's Witnesses
JWRecovery Magazine - An ex-JW community contributed magazine / journal which provides information and support assistance to former Jehovah's Witnesses.
Religious Tolerance.org Jehovah's Witnesses Policies & examples of child sexual abuse.
Silentlambs.org Silentlamb's official web site.


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Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses

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Part of a series on
Jehovah's Witnesses

Overview

Organizational structure
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Watch Tower Bible
 and Tract Society
Corporations

History
Bible Student movement
Leadership dispute
Splinter groups
Doctrinal development
Unfulfilled predictions

Demographics
By country


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 Practices
 
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 Eschatology

The 144,000
Faithful and discreet slave
Hymns ·
 God's name

Blood ·
 Discipline


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The Watchtower ·
 Awake!

New World Translation
List of publications
Bibliography

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Kingdom Hall ·
 Gilead School


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Watch Tower presidents

W. H. Conley ·
 C. T. Russell

J. F. Rutherford ·
 N. H. Knorr

F. W. Franz ·
 M. G. Henschel

D. A. Adams

Formative influences

William Miller ·
 Henry Grew

George Storrs ·
 N. H. Barbour

John Nelson Darby


Notable former members

Raymond Franz ·
 Olin Moyle


Opposition

Criticism ·
 Persecution

Supreme Court cases
 by country

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Jehovah's Witnesses have attracted criticism from mainstream Christianity, members of the medical community, former members and commentators over their beliefs and practices. The religion has been accused of doctrinal inconsistency and reversals, failed predictions, mistranslation of the Bible, harsh treatment of former members and autocratic and coercive leadership. Criticism has also focused on their rejection of blood transfusions, particularly in life-threatening medical situations, and claims that they have failed to report cases of sexual abuse to the authorities. Many of the claims are denied by Jehovah's Witnesses and some have also been disputed by courts and religious scholars.


Contents  [hide]
1 Doctrinal criticisms 1.1 Failed predictions
1.2 Changes of doctrine
1.3 United Nations association
1.4 Fall of Jerusalem
1.5 Evolution
2 Social criticisms 2.1 Authoritarianism and denial of free speech
2.2 Description as a "cult"
2.3 Coercion
2.4 Shunning
2.5 Blood 2.5.1 Fractions and components
2.5.2 Storing and donation
2.5.3 Legal considerations
2.5.4 Animal blood
2.6 Reporting of sexual abuse
3 Biblical criticisms
4 See also
5 References
6 Further reading
7 External links

Doctrinal criticisms[edit]
Failed predictions[edit]
Main article: Watch Tower Society unfulfilled predictions
See also: Eschatology of Jehovah's Witnesses
The beliefs unique to Jehovah's Witnesses involve their interpretations of the second coming of Christ, the millennium and the kingdom of God. Watch Tower Society publications have made, and continue to make, predictions about world events they believe were prophesied in the Bible.[1] Some of those early predictions were described as "established truth",[2] and 'beyond a doubt'.[3] Witnesses are told to 'be complete in accepting the visible organization's direction in every aspect' and that there is no need to question what God tells them through his Word and organization, since love "believes all things."[4][5][6] If a member advocates views different to what appears in print, they face expulsion.[7][8][9]
Failed predictions that were either explicitly stated or strongly implied, particularly linked to dates in 1914, 1918, 1925 and 1975, have led to the alteration or abandonment of some teachings. The Society's publications have at times suggested that members had previously "read into the Watch Tower statements that were never intended"[10] or that the beliefs of members were "based on wrong premises."[11] Critic Edmond Gruss claims that other failed predictions were ignored, and replaced with new predictions; for example, in the book, The Finished Mystery (1917), events were applied to the years 1918 to 1925 that earlier had been held to occur prior to 1914. When the new interpretations also did not transpire, the 1926 edition of the book changed the statements and removed the dates.[12]
Raymond Franz, a critic and former member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, has cited publications that claimed God has used Jehovah's Witnesses as a collective prophet.[13] Critics including James A. Beverley have accused the religion of false prophecy for making those predictions, particularly because of assertions in some cases that the predictions were beyond doubt or had been approved by God, but describes its record of telling the future as "pathetic".[14][15][16][17] Beverley says the Watch Tower Society has passed judgment on others who have falsely predicted the end of the world (he cites a 1968 Awake! that says other groups were "guilty of false prophesying" after having "predicted an 'end to the world', even announcing a specific date").[18][19]
The Watch Tower Society rejects accusations that it is a false prophet.[20][21] It says its explanations of Bible prophecy are not infallible[22][23][24] and that its predictions are not claimed explicitly as "the words of Jehovah."[20] It states that some of its expectations have needed adjustment because of eagerness for God's kingdom, but that those adjustments are no reason to "call into question the whole body of truth."[25] Raymond Franz claims that the Watch Tower Society tries to evade its responsibility when citing human fallibility as a defense, adding that the Society represents itself as God's appointed spokesman, and that throughout its history has made many emphatic predictions. Franz adds that the organization's eagerness for the Millennium does not give it license to impugn the motives of those who fail to accept its predictions.[6]
George D. Chryssides has suggested widespread claims that Witnesses "keep changing the dates" are a distortion and misunderstanding of Watch Tower Society chronology. He argues that, although there have been failures in prophetic speculation, the changing views and dates of the Jehovah's Witnesses are more largely attributable to changed understandings of biblical chronology than to failed predictions. Chryssides states, "For the Jehovah’s Witnesses prophecy serves more as a way of discerning a divine plan in human history than a means to predicting the future."[26] In 1904 Zion's Watch Tower stated: "We have in the Scriptures what we think is clear testimony respecting that date [1914], but no particulars or dates for the intervening time. It is not our intention to enter upon the role of prophet to any degree, but merely to give below what seems to us rather likely to be the trend of events."[27]
Predictions (by date of publication) include:
1877: Christ's kingdom would hold full sway over the earth in 1914; the Jews, as a people, would be restored to God's favor; the "saints" would be carried to heaven.[28]
1891: 1914 would be "the farthest limit of the rule of imperfect men."[29]
1904: "World-wide anarchy" would follow the end of the Gentile Times in 1914.[30]
1916: World War I would terminate in Armageddon and the rapture of the "saints".[31]
1917: In 1918, Christendom would go down as a system to oblivion and be succeeded by revolutionary governments. God would "destroy the churches wholesale and the church members by the millions." Church members would "perish by the sword of war, revolution and anarchy." The dead would lie unburied. In 1920 all earthly governments would disappear, with worldwide anarchy prevailing.[32]
1920: Messiah's kingdom would be established in 1925 and bring worldwide peace. God would begin restoring the earth. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and other faithful patriarchs would be resurrected to perfect human life and be made princes and rulers, the visible representatives of the New Order on earth. Those who showed themselves obedient to God would never die.[33]
1922: The anti-typical "jubilee" that would mark God's intervention in earthly affairs would take place "probably the fall" of 1925.[34]
1924: God's restoration of Earth would begin "shortly after" October 1, 1925. Jerusalem would be made the world's capital. Resurrected "princes" such as Abel, Noah, Moses and John the Baptist would give instructions to their subjects around the world by radio, and airplanes would transport people to and from Jerusalem from all parts of the globe in just "a few hours".[35]
1938: Armageddon was too close for marriage or child bearing.[36]
1941: There were only "months" remaining until Armageddon.[37]
1942: Armageddon was "immediately before us."[38]
1961: Awake! magazine stated that the heavenly kingdom "will, within the twentieth century, cleanse the entire earth of wickedness."[39]
1966: It would be 6000 years since man's creation in the fall of 1975 and it would be "appropriate" for Christ's thousand-year reign to begin at that time.[40] Time was "running out, no question about that."[41] The "immediate future" was "certain to be filled with climactic events ... within a few years at most", the final parts of Bible prophecy relating to the "last days" would undergo fulfillment as Christ's reign began.
1967: The end-time period (beginning in 1914) was claimed to be so far advanced that the time remaining could "be compared, not just to the last day of a week, but rather, to the last part of that day".[42]
1968: No one could say "with certainty" that the battle of Armageddon would begin in 1975, but time was "running out rapidly" with "earthshaking events" soon to take place.[43] In March 1968 there was a "short period of time left", with "only about ninety months left before 6000 years of man's existence on earth is completed".[44]
1969: The existing world order would not last long enough for young people to grow old; the world system would end "in a few years." Young Witnesses were told not to bother pursuing tertiary education for this reason.[45]
1971: The "battle in the day of Jehovah" was described as beginning "[s]hortly, within our twentieth century".[46]
1974: There was just a "short time remaining before the wicked world's end" and Witnesses were commended for selling their homes and property to "finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service."[47]
1984: There were "many indications" that "the end" was closer than the end of the 20th century.[48]
1989: The Watchtower asserted that Christian missionary work begun in the first century would "be completed in our 20th century".[49] When the magazine was republished in bound volumes, the phrase "in our 20th century" was replaced with the less specific "in our day".
Changes of doctrine[edit]


History of Eschatological Doctrine

Last Days begin
Start of Christ's Presence
Christ made King
Resurrection of 144,000
Judgment of Religion
Separating Sheep & Goats
Great Tribulation
1879–1920 1799 1874 1878 during Millennium 1914, 1915, 1918, 1920
1920–1923 1925
1923–1925 during Christ's presence
1925–1927 1914 1878 1878 within generation of 1914
1927–1930 1918
1930–1933 1919
1933–1966 1914
1966–1975 1975?
1975–1995 within generation of 1914
1995–present during Great Tribulation imminent
See also: Development of Jehovah's Witnesses doctrine
Although Watch Tower Society literature claims the Society's founder, Charles Taze Russell, was directed by God's Holy Spirit, through which he received "flashes of light",[50] it has substantially altered doctrines since its inception and abandoned many of Russell's teachings.[51] Many of the changes have involved biblical chronology that had earlier been claimed as beyond question.[52][53][54][55][56] Watch Tower Society publications state that doctrinal changes result from a process of "progressive revelation", in which God gradually reveals his will.[57][58]
Date of beginning of Christ's kingdom rule. Russell taught that Jesus had become king in April 1878.[59][60] In 1922, Joseph Rutherford altered the date to 1914.[51]
Date of resurrection of anointed Christians. After the failure of predictions that Christ's chosen "saints" would be carried away to heaven in 1878,[61] Russell developed the teaching that those "dying in the Lord" from 1878 forward would have an immediate heavenly resurrection.[62] The Watch Tower confirmed the doctrine in 1925,[63] but two years later asserted this date was wrong[64] and that the beginning of the instant resurrection to heaven for faithful Christians was from 1918.[65]
Great Pyramid as a "stone witness" of God. Russell wrote in 1910 that God had the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt built as a testimony to the truth of the Bible and proof of its chronology identifying the "last days".[66][67] In 1928 Rutherford rejected the doctrine and claimed the Pyramid had been built under the direction of Satan.[68]
Identity of "faithful and wise servant". Russell initially believed the "faithful and wise servant" of Matthew 24:45 was "every member of this body of Christ ... the whole body individually and collectively."[69] By 1886 he had altered his view and began explaining it was a person, not the Christian church.[70] Russell accepted claims by Bible Students that he was that "servant"[71][72][73] and in 1909 described as his "opponents" those who would apply the term "faithful and wise servant" to "all the members of the church of Christ" rather than to an individual.[74] By 1927 the Watch Tower Society was teaching that it was "a collective servant."[75]
Beginning of the "last days". From the earliest issues of the Watch Tower, Russell promoted the belief that the "last days" had begun in 1799 and would end in 1914.[76] As late as 1921 Watch Tower publications were still claiming the last days had begun in 1799.[77] In 1930 that date was abandoned and 1914 was fixed as the beginning of the last days.
Jews' role in God's Kingdom. Russell followed the view of Nelson H. Barbour, who believed that in 1914 Christ's kingdom would take power over all the earth and the Jews, as a people, would be restored to God's favor.[78] In 1889 Russell wrote that with the completion of the "Gentile Times" in 1914, Israel's "blindness" would subside and they would convert to Christianity.[79] The book Life (1929) noted that the return of Jews to Palestine signaled that the end was very close, because Jews would "have the favors first and thereafter all others who obey the Lord" under God's restoration of his kingdom.[80] In 1932 that belief was abandoned and from that date the Watch Tower Society taught that Witnesses alone were the Israel of God.[81]
Date of Christ's invisible presence. The Watch Tower Society taught for more than 60 years that this began in 1874, insisting in 1922 that the date was "indisputable".[82][83] In 1943 the society moved the event to 1914.[51][84][85]
Identity of the "superior authorities". Russell taught that the "superior authorities" of Romans 13:1, to whom Christians had to show subjection and obedience, were governmental authorities. In 1929 The Watchtower discarded this view, stating that the term referred only to God and Christ, and saying the change of doctrine was evidence of "advancing light" of truth shining forth to God's chosen people.[86] In 1952, The Watchtower stated that the words of Romans 13 "could never have applied to the political powers of Caesar’s world as wrongly claimed by the clergy of Christendom,"[87] and in 1960 The Watchtower described the earlier view as a factor that had caused the Bible Student movement to be "unclean" in God's eyes during the 1914–1918 period. Two years later, in 1962, The Watchtower reverted to Russell's initial doctrine.[86]
Identity and function of the Governing Body. Frequent mentions of the term "Governing Body" began in Watch Tower Society literature in the 1970s.[88] The Governing Body was initially identified as the Watch Tower Society's seven-member board of directors.[89] However, at the time, the board played no role in establishing Watchtower doctrines, and all such decisions since the Society's origins had been made by the Society's president.[90][91] A 1923 Watch Tower noted that Russell alone directed the policy and course of the Society "without regard to any other person on earth"[92] and both his successors, Rutherford and Knorr, also acted alone in establishing Watch Tower doctrines. An organizational change on January 1, 1976, for the first time gave the Governing Body the power to rule on doctrines[93] and become the ruling council of Jehovah's Witnesses.[94] Despite this, The Watchtower in 1971 claimed that a Governing Body of anointed Christians had existed since the 19th century to govern the affairs of God's anointed people.[95]
Treatment of disfellowshipped persons. In the 1950s when disfellowshipping became common, Witnesses were to have nothing to do with expelled members, not conversing with or acknowledging them.[96] Family members of expelled individuals were permitted occasional "contacts absolutely necessary in matters pertaining to family interests," but could not discuss spiritual matters with them.[97] In 1974 The Watchtower, acknowledging some unbalanced Witnesses had displayed unkind, inhumane and possibly cruel attitudes to those expelled,[98] relaxed restrictions on family contact, allowing families to choose for themselves the extent of association,[99] including whether or not to discuss some spiritual matters.[100] In 1981, a reversal of policy occurred, with Witnesses instructed to avoid all spiritual interaction with disfellowshipped ones, including with close relatives.[101] Witnesses were instructed not to greet disfellowshipped persons.[101][102][103] Parents were permitted to care for the physical needs of a disfellowshipped minor child; ill parents or physically or emotionally ill child could be accepted back into the home "for a time". Witnesses were instructed not to eat with disfellowshipped relatives and were warned that emotional influence could soften their resolve.[104] In 1980 the Witnesses' Brooklyn headquarters advised traveling overseers that a person need not be promoting "apostate views" to warrant disfellowshipping; it advised that "appropriate judicial action" be taken against a person who "continues to believe the apostate ideas and rejects what he has been provided" through The Watchtower.[105] The rules on shunning were extended in 1981 to include those who had resigned from the religion voluntarily.[106][107]
Fall of "Babylon the Great". Russell taught that the fall of the "world empire of false religion" had taken place in 1878 and predicted "Babylon's" complete destruction in 1914.[108] Rutherford claimed in 1917 that religion's final destruction would take place in 1918, explaining that God would destroy churches "wholesale" and that "Christendom shall go down as a system to oblivion."[109] In 1988 the Watch Tower Society claimed that release from prison in 1919 of senior Watchtower figures marked the fall of Babylon "as far as having any captive hold on God's people was concerned",[110] with her "final destruction" "into oblivion, never to recover", expected "in the near future."[111]
United Nations association[edit]
Main article: Jehovah's Witnesses and the United Nations
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the United Nations is one of the 'superior authorities' that exist by God's permission, and that it serves a purpose in maintaining order, but do not support it politically and do not consider it to be the means to achieve peace and security. Jehovah's Witnesses also believe that the United Nations is the "image of the wild beast" of Revelation 13:1-18, and the second fulfillment of the "abominable thing that causes desolation" from Matthew 24:15; that it will be the means for the devastation of organized false religion worldwide;[112][113] and that, like all other political powers, it will be destroyed and replaced by God's heavenly kingdom.[114] Jehovah's Witnesses have denounced other religious organizations for having offered political support to the UN.[115]
On October 8, 2001, an article was published in the British Guardian newspaper questioning the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society's registration as a non-governmental organization (NGO) with the United Nations Department of Public Information and accusing the Watch Tower Society of hypocrisy.[116] Within days of the article's publication, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society submitted a formal request for disassociation, removing all association with the United Nations Department of Public Information,[117] and released a letter stating that the reason for becoming associated with the United Nations Department of Information (DPI) was to access their facilities, and that they had not been aware of the change in language contained in the criteria for NGO association.[118] However, when the Watch Tower Society sought NGO association, "the organization agreed to meet criteria for association, including support and respect of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations", acknowledging that the purpose of membership is to "promote knowledge of the principles and activities of the United Nations."[119] The official UN/DPI website states that "association of NGOs with DPI does not constitute their incorporation into the United Nations system."[120]
Fall of Jerusalem[edit]
Jehovah's Witnesses assert that Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 607 BC and completely uninhabited for exactly seventy years. This date is critical to their selection of October 1914 for the arrival of Christ in kingly power—2520 years after October 607 BC.[121][122] Non-Witness sources do not support 607 BC for the event, placing the destruction of Jerusalem within a year of 587 BC, twenty years later.[122][123] Jehovah's Witnesses believe that periods of seventy years mentioned in the books of Jeremiah and Daniel refer to the Babylonian exile of Jews. They also believe that the gathering of Jews in Jerusalem, shortly after their return from Babylon, officially ended the exile in Jewish month of Tishrei (Ezra 3:1). According to the Watch Tower Society, October 607 BC is derived by counting back seventy years from Tishrei of 537 BC, based on their belief that Cyrus' decree to release the Jews during his first regnal year "may have been made in late 538 B.C. or before March 4–5, 537 B.C."[124][125] Secular sources assign the return to either 538 BC or 537 BC.[126][127][128][129][130]
In The Gentile Times Reconsidered: Chronology & Christ's Return, Carl O. Jonsson, a former Witness, presents eighteen lines of evidence to support the traditional view of neo-Babylonian chronology. He accuses the Watch Tower Society of deliberately misquoting sources in an effort to bolster their position.[131] The Watch Tower Society claims that biblical chronology is not always compatible with secular sources, and that the Bible is superior. It claims that secular historians make conclusions about 587 BC based on incorrect or inconsistent historical records, but accepts those sources that identify Cyrus' capture of Babylon in 539 BC, claiming it has no evidence of being inconsistent and hence can be used as a pivotal date.[124][132][133]
Rolf Furuli, a Jehovah's Witness and a lecturer in Semitic languages, presents a study of 607 BC in support of the Witnesses' conclusions in Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian, and Persian Chronology Compared with the Chronology of the Bible, Volume 1: Persian Chronology and the Length of the Babylonian Exile of the Jews.[134] Lester L. Grabbe, professor of theology at the University of Hull, said of Furuli's study: "Once again we have an amateur who wants to rewrite scholarship. ... F. shows little evidence of having put his theories to the test with specialists in Mesopotamian astronomy and Persian history."[135]
The relative positions of the moon, stars and planets indicated in the Babylonian astronomical diary VAT 4956 are used by secular historians to establish 568 BC as the thirty-seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign.[136] The Watch Tower Society claims that unnamed researchers have confirmed that the positions of the moon and stars on the tablet are instead consistent with astronomical calculations for 588 BC; the Society claims that the planets mentioned in the tablet cannot be clearly identified.[137] The Watch Tower Society's article cites David Brown as stating, "some of the signs for the names of the planets and their positions are unclear,"[137] however Brown indicates that the Babylonians also had unique names for the known planets;[138] Jonsson confirms that the unique names are those used in VAT 4956.[139] According to the Watch Tower Society, astronomical calculations based on ancient writings are unreliable and prone to error.[140]
Evolution[edit]
Watch Tower Society publications attempt to refute the theory of evolution, in favor of divine creation.[141][142] The Watch Tower Society's views of evolution have met with criticism typical of objections to evolution. Gary Botting described his own difficulty as a Jehovah's Witness to reconcile creation with simple observations of species diversification, especially after discussions with J.B.S. Haldane in India.[143]
The Society's 1985 publication, Life—How Did it Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation? is criticized for its dependency on Francis Hitching, who is cited thirteen times. The book presents Hitching—a TV writer and paranormalist with no scientific credentials—as an evolutionary scientist.[144] Richard Dawkins also criticizes the book for implying that "chance" is the only alternative to deliberate design, stating, "[T]he candidate solutions to the riddle of improbability are not, as falsely implied, design and chance. They are design and natural selection."[145]
The Watch Tower Society teaches a form of day-age creationism.[146] It dismisses Young Earth creationism as "unscriptural and unbelievable",[147] and states that Jehovah's Witnesses "are not creationists", based on the more specific definition of believers in a 'young' earth created in six literal days.[148] According to a 1986 article in The Watchtower, "Jehovah's Witnesses reject the unreasonable theories of 'creationism' in favor of what the Bible really teaches about 'creation'."[149]
Social criticisms[edit]
Authoritarianism and denial of free speech[edit]
The religion's leadership has been described as autocratic and totalitarian, with criticism focusing on the Watch Tower Society's demands for the obedience and loyalty of Witnesses,[150][151] its intolerance of dissent or open discussion of doctrines and practices[152] and the practice of expelling and shunning members who cannot conscientiously agree with all the religion's teachings.[153][154][155]
Raymond Franz has accused the religion's Governing Body of resenting, deprecating and seeking to silence differences of viewpoint within the organization[156] and demanding organizational conformity that overrides personal conscience.[157] He claimed the Watch Tower Society confirmed its position when, in a 1954 court case in Scotland, Watch Tower Society legal counsel Hayden C. Covington said of Jehovah's Witnesses: "We must have unity ... unity at all costs".[158] Sociologist James A. Beckford noted that the Watch Tower movement demands uniformity of beliefs from its members;[159] George D. Chryssides has also reported that Witness publications teach that individuals' consciences are unreliable and need to be subordinated to scripture and to the Watch Tower organization.[160]
Sociologist Andrew Holden said that Witnesses are taught their theology in a highly mechanistic fashion, learning almost by rote.[161] Raymond Franz and others have described Jehovah's Witnesses' religious meetings as "catechistical" question-and-answer sessions in which questions and answers are both provided by the organization, placing pressure on members to reiterate its opinions.[162][163] Former Witnesses Heather and Gary Botting claimed Witnesses "are told what they should feel and think"[164] and members who do voice viewpoints different from those expressed in publications and at meetings are said to be viewed with suspicion.[165] Raymond Franz has claimed most Witnesses would be fearful to voice criticism of the organization for fear of being accused of disloyalty.[157] Authors have drawn attention to frequent Watch Tower warnings against the "dangers" and "infection" of "independent thinking", including questioning any of its published statements or teachings,[166][167][168][169] and instructions that members refrain from engaging in independent Bible research.[170][171][172] The Watch Tower Society also directs that members must not read criticism of the organization by "apostates"[173][174] or material published by other religions.[175][176] Heather and Gary Botting declared: "Jehovah's Witnesses will brook no criticism from within, as many concerned members who have attempted to voice alternative opinions regarding the basic doctrine or application of social pressure have discovered to their chagrin."[177] Beckford observed that the Society denies the legitimacy of all criticisms of itself and that the habit of questioning official doctrine is "strenuously combated at all organizational levels".[178] Witnesses are said to be under constant surveillance within the congregation[179] and are subject to a disciplinary system that encourages informers.[180][181]
Heather and Gary Botting argue that the power of the Watch Tower Society to control members is gained through the acceptance of the Society "quite literally as the voice of Jehovah – God's 'mouthpiece'."[164] Franz claims the concept of loyalty to God's organization has no scriptural support and serves only to reinforce the religion's authority structure, with its strong emphasis on human authority.[182] He has claimed The Watchtower has repeatedly blurred discussions of both Jesus Christ's loyalty to God and the apostles' loyalty to Christ to promote the view that Witnesses should be loyal to the Watch Tower organization.[183] Religion professor James A. Beverley describes the belief that organizational loyalty is equal to divine loyalty[184] as the "central myth" of Jehovah's Witnesses employed to ensure complete obedience.[185] Sociologist Andrew Holden has observed that Witnesses see no distinction between loyalty to Jehovah and to the movement itself;[186] Heather and Gary Botting have claimed that challenging the views of those higher in the hierarchy is regarded as tantamount to challenging God himself.[187]
The Society has described its intolerance of dissident and divergent doctrinal views within its ranks as "strict", but claims its stance is based on the scriptural precedent of 2 Timothy 2:17,18 in which the Apostle Paul condemns heretics Hymenaeus and Philetus who denied the resurrection of Jesus. It said: "Following such Scriptural patterns, if a Christian (who claims belief in God, the Bible, and Jesus) unrepentantly promotes false teachings, it may be necessary for him to be expelled from the congregation ... Hence, the true Christian congregation cannot rightly be accused of being harshly dogmatic."[188] Sociologist Rodney Stark says that Jehovah's Witness leaders are "not always very democratic" and members are expected to conform to "rather strict standards," but says enforcement tends to be informal, sustained by close bonds of friendship and that Jehovah's Witnesses see themselves as "part of the power structure rather than subject to it".[189] In a case involving Jehovah's Witnesses' activities in Russia, the European Court of Human Rights stated that the religion's requirements "are not fundamentally different from similar limitations that other religions impose on their followers' private lives" and that charges of "mind control" in that case were "based on conjecture and uncorroborated by fact."[190] Despite the intolerance of dissident views within the organisation, the Watch Tower Society and its affiliates have, through litigation, been instrumental in establishing civil liberties in many countries, including Canada and the United States.[191]
Description as a "cult"[edit]
Authors Anthony A. Hoekema, Ron Rhodes[192] and Alan W. Gomes,[193] claim Jehovah's Witnesses is a religious cult. Hoekema bases his judgment on a range of what he describes as general characteristics of a cult, including the tendency to elevate peripheral teachings (such as door-to-door witnessing) to great prominence, extra-scriptural source of authority (Hoekema highlights Watch Tower teachings that the Bible may be understood only as it is interpreted by the Governing Body), a view of the group as the exclusive community of the saved (Watch Tower publications teach that Witnesses alone are God's people and only they will survive Armageddon) and the group's central role in eschatology (Hoekema says Witness publications claim the group was called into existence by God to fill in a gap in the truth neglected by existing churches, marking the climax of sacred history).[194]
Jehovah's Witnesses state that they are not a cult[195] and say that although individuals need proper guidance from God, they should do their own thinking.[196][197]
American religious scholar J. Gordon Melton has stated that "the idea of calling [Jehovah's Witnesses] a cult has fallen by the wayside".[198] He repeated this opinion when, called as an expert witness, he also denied the People's Temple and the Children of God were cults.[199] Ex-cult watchdog John Bowen Brown II[200] and Knocking producer Joel P. Engardio reject the claims that Witnesses are a cult.[201][202] The two volume encyclopedia Contemporary American Religion stated: "Various critics and ex-members in recent years have wrongly labeled Jehovah’s Witnesses a 'cult.'"[203]
Coercion[edit]
Since 1920 the Watch Tower Society has required all congregation members participating in the preaching work to turn in written reports of the amount of their activity,[204] explaining that the reports help the Society to plan its activities and identify areas of greater need[205] and help congregation elders to identify those who may need assistance.[206] In 1943 the Society imposed personal quotas, requiring all active Witnesses to spend at least 60 hours of door-to-door preaching per month, claiming these were "directions from the Lord".[207] Although these quotas were subsequently removed, Raymond Franz claims "invisible" quotas remained, obliging Witnesses to meet certain levels of preaching work to remain in good standing in the congregation[165] or to qualify for eldership.[157] Franz describes repeated urging for adherents to "put kingdom interests first" and devote increasing amounts of time to door-to-door preaching efforts as coercive pressure. He says many Witnesses constantly feel guilty that they are not doing more in "field activity".[157]
Former Witnesses Heather and Gary Botting, claiming an emphasis on a personal track record would mean that salvation is effectively being "bought" with "good works", observed: "No matter how long a Witness remains an active distributor of literature, the moment he ceases to be active he is regarded by his peers as good as dead in terms of achieving the ultimate goal of life everlasting in an earthly paradise ... Few realize upon entering the movement that the purchase price is open-ended and that the bill can never be paid in full until death or the advent of Armageddon."[164]
The Watchtower, however, noted that although public preaching is necessary, such works do not "save" a Christian and it urged Witnesses to examine their motive for engaging in preaching activity.[208]
Russian religious scholar Sergei Ivanenko, in a dissenting opinion to a report by a panel of experts to Moscow's Golovinsky Intermunicipal Court in 1999, stated, "It would be a serious mistake to represent the Religious Organization of Jehovah's Witnesses as a religion whose leadership forces its rank and file believers to engage in one form of activity or another, or place upon them strict restrictions or directives." Ivanenko, who based his view on a study of Watch Tower Society literature, concluded: "Jehovah's Witnesses strive to live in accord with Bible principles on the basis of an individual, voluntary choice ... This also applies in full measure to preaching." [209] James A. Beckford, a professor at the University of Warwick, England, who published a study of English Jehovah's Witnesses in 1975,[210] also told the court: "It is important for each of them to exercise free moral agency in choosing to study the Bible and to live in accordance with their interpretation of its message."[211] On June 10, 2010, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) stated in regards to a charge of coercion of family members, that "Quite often, the opposite is true: it is the resistance and unwillingness of non-religious family members to accept and to respect the [Jehovah's Witnesses] religious relative's freedom to manifest and practise his or her religion that is the source of conflict."[212]
Medical and legal commentators have also noted cases claiming that Witness medical patients were coerced to obey the religion's ban on blood transfusions.[213][214][215] In a case involving a review of a Russian district court decision, however, the ECHR found nothing in the judgments to suggest that any form of improper pressure or undue influence was applied. It noted: "On the contrary, it appears that many Jehovah’s Witnesses have made a deliberate choice to refuse blood transfusions in advance, free from time constraints of an emergency situation." The court said: "The freedom to accept or refuse specific medical treatment, or to select an alternative form of treatment, is vital to the principles of self-determination and personal autonomy. A competent adult patient is free to decide ... not to have a blood transfusion. However, for this freedom to be meaningful, patients must have the right to make choices that accord with their own views and values, regardless of how irrational, unwise or imprudent such choices may appear to others."[216]
Shunning[edit]
Main articles: Jehovah's Witnesses and congregational discipline and Shunning
Witnesses practice disfellowshipping of members who unrepentantly engage in "gross sin",[217] (most commonly for breaches of the Witnesses' code of personal morality),[218][219] and "remorseless apostasy".[220] The process of disfellowshipping is said to be carried to uphold God’s standards, preserve the congregation’s spiritual cleanness, and possibly prompt a change of attitude in the wrongdoer.[217] The practice requires that the expelled person be shunned by all members of the religion, including family members who do not live in the same home, unless they qualify for re-admission. A person who dies while disfellowshipped cannot be given a funeral at a Kingdom Hall.[221][222] Members often face difficulties and trauma once expelled because of their previously limited contact with the outside world.[223][224] The Watchtower's description of those who leave as being "mentally diseased" has drawn criticism from some current and former members; in Britain some have argued that the description may constitute a breach of laws regarding religious hatred.[225][226]
The Watch Tower Society has attracted criticism for disfellowshipping members who decide they cannot conscientiously agree with all the religion's teachings and practices. Sociologist Andrew Holden says that because the religion provides no valid reason for leaving, those who do choose to leave are regarded as traitors.[227] According to Raymond Franz, those who decide they cannot accept Watch Tower teachings and practices often live in a climate of fear, feeling they must constantly be on guard about what they say, do and read. He says those who do express any disagreement, even in a private conversation with friends, risk investigation and trial by a judicial committee as apostates or heretics[228] and classed as "wicked".[229]
Franz argues that the threat of expulsion for expressing disagreement with the Watch Tower Society's teachings is designed to create a sterile atmosphere in which the organization's teachings and policies can circulate without the risk of confronting serious questioning or adverse evidence.[230] The result, according to Holden, is that individuals may spend most of their lives suppressing doubts for fear of losing their relationships with friends and relatives.[231] Penton describes the system of judicial committees and the threat of expulsion as the ultimate control mechanism among the Witnesses;[232] Holden claims that shunning not only rids the community of defilement, but deters others from dissident behavior.[223] Sociologist Ronald Lawson has also noted that the religion allows little room for independence of thought, and no toleration of doctrinal diversity; he says those who deviate from official teachings are readily expelled and shunned.[233]
Watch Tower Society publications defend the practice of expelling and shunning those who "promote false teaching", claiming such individuals must be quarantined to prevent the spread of their "spiritual infection".[234] They have cited a dictionary definition of apostasy ("renunciation of a religious faith, abandonment of a previous loyalty") to rule that an individual who begins affiliating with another religion has disassociated from the Witnesses, warranting their shunning to protect the spiritual cleanness of the Witness congregation on the basis of the reference in 1 John 2:19 that those who leave Christianity are "not of our sort".[235] An individual's acceptance of a blood transfusion is similarly deemed as evidence of disassociation.[236] They say Witnesses also obey the "strong counsel" at 1 Corinthians 5:11 that Christians should "quit mixing in company" with people who unrepentantly reject certain scriptural standards.[237]
The Witnesses' judicial process has also been criticized. Hearings take place in secret,[232] with judicial committees filling the roles of judge, jury and prosecutor.[222] According to Franz, witnesses may present evidence but are not permitted to remain for the discussion.[238] Critics Heather and Gary Botting have claimed that Witnesses accused of an offence warranting expulsion are presumed guilty until found innocent. They say the onus is on the accused to prove their innocence and if they make no attempt to do so—by failing to appear at a hearing set by the judicial committee—they are assumed to be guilty and unrepentant.[239]
When a decision is made regarding disfellowshipping or disassociation, an announcement is made that the person is "no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses," at which point shunning is immediate. Members are not told whether the person has disassociated or has been disfellowshipped. Neither testimony nor evidence in support of the judicial decision are provided. Congregation members are told to accept the rulings without question and Witnesses who refuse to abide by a judicial committee decision will themselves suffer expulsion.[232] Members are forbidden to talk with the expelled member, removing any opportunity for the person to discuss or explain their actions.[238][240] Penton claims judicial committee members and the Watch Tower Society frequently ignore established procedures when dealing with troublesome individuals, conspiring to have them expelled in violation of Society rules.[241] Critics claim that Witness policies encourage an informer system to report to elders Witnesses suspected of having committed an act that could warrant expulsion, including deviating from organizational policies and teachings.[242][243]
Criticism has also been directed at the 1981 change of policy[244] that directed that persons who disassociate from (formally leave) the religion were to be treated as though they were disfellowshipped.[245][246] Holden says that as a result, those who do leave the religion are seldom allowed a dignified exit.[223] Heather and Gary Botting claim inactive Witnesses are often pressured to either become active or to disassociate themselves by declaring they no longer accept key Watch Tower Society doctrines.[239]
Blood[edit]
Main article: Jehovah's Witnesses and blood transfusions
Jehovah's Witnesses reject transfusions of whole allogenic blood and its primary components (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma), and transfusions of stored autologous blood or its primary components. As a doctrine, Jehovah's Witnesses do not reject transfusion of whole autologous blood so long as it is not stored prior to surgery (e.g. peri-operative extraction and transfusion of autologous blood). This religious position is due to their belief that blood is sacred and represents life in God's eyes. Jehovah's Witnesses understand scriptures such as Leviticus 17:10-14 (which speaks of not eating blood) and Acts 15:29 ("abstain from blood") to include taking blood into the body via a transfusion.[247] Controversy has stemmed, however, from what critics state are inconsistencies in Witness policies on blood, claims that Witness patients are coerced into refusing blood and that Watch Tower literature distorts facts about transfusions and fails to provide information that would allow Witnesses to make an informed decision on the issue.[155]
Fractions and components[edit]
In the case of minor fractions derived from blood, each individual is directed to follow their own conscience on whether these are acceptable.[248][249] Consequently, some Jehovah's Witnesses accept the use of blood fractions and others do not. However, fractions that carry out "the key function of a primary component" or make up "a significant portion of that component" are not permitted.[250]
Such a stance of dividing blood into major components and minor fractions rather than either accepting all blood or requiring all blood components to be poured out onto the ground has led to criticism from organizations such as the Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform on Blood.[251] Witnesses respond that blood as the fluid per se is not the real issue. They say the real issue is respect and obedience regarding blood, which they perceive as being God's personal property.[252][253] Members are allowed to eat meat that still contains small traces of blood remaining. Once blood is drained from an animal, the respect has been shown to God and then a person can eat the meat. Jehovah's Witnesses view of meat and blood is therefore different from the Jewish view that goes to great lengths to remove even minor traces of blood.[254][255]
According to lawyer Kerry Louderback-Wood, a former Jehovah's Witness,[256] the Watch Tower Society misrepresents the scope of allowed fractions. If taken together, they "total the entire volume of blood they came from".[257] An example of this can be seen in blood plasma, which consists of 90-96% water. The remaining amount consists mainly of albumin, globulins, fibrinogen and coagulation factors. These four fractions are allowable for use, but only if taken separately. Critics have likened this to banning the eating of a ham and cheese sandwich but allowing the eating of bread, ham and cheese separately.[258]
Storing and donation[edit]
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that storing blood violates direction from the Bible to 'pour blood out onto the ground'. They do not donate blood except for uses they have individually pre-approved.[259] However, they are told that acceptance of blood fractions from donated blood is a matter of conscience. A 2006 issue of Jehovah's Witnesses' newsletter Our Kingdom Ministry stated, "Although [Jehovah's Witnesses] do not donate or store their own blood for transfusion purposes, some procedures or tests involving an individual’s blood are not so clearly in conflict with Bible principles. Therefore, each individual should make a conscientious decision" [emphasis added].[260] Critics have challenged these policies because acceptable blood fractions can only be derived from stored blood provided by donors.[261]
Legal considerations[edit]
Regardless of the medical considerations, Jehovah Witnesses advocate that physicians should uphold the right of a patient to choose what treatments they do or do not accept (though a Witness is subject to religious sanctions if they exercise their right to choose a blood transfusion).[262] Accordingly, US courts tend not to hold physicians responsible for adverse health effects that a patient incurred out of his or her own requests.[247] However, the point of view that physicians must, in all circumstances, abide by the religious wishes of the patients is not acknowledged by all jurisdictions, such as was determined in a case involving Jehovah's Witnesses in France.
The situation has been controversial, particularly in the case of children. In the United States, many physicians will agree to explore and exhaust all non-blood alternatives in the treatment of children at the request of their legal guardians. Some state laws require physicians to administer blood-based treatment to minors if it is their professional opinion that it is necessary to prevent immediate death or severe permanent damage.[citation needed]
Kerry Louderback-Wood has claimed that Jehovah's Witnesses' legal corporations are potentially liable to significant claims for compensation if the religion misrepresents the medical risks of blood transfusions. Wood claims that constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion do not remove the legal responsibility that every person or organization has regarding misrepresenting secular fact.[263]
Animal blood[edit]
The Watchtower has stated that "Various medical products have been obtained from biological sources, either animal or human ... Such commercialization of ... blood is hardly tempting for true Christians, who guide their thinking by God's perfect law. Our Creator views blood as sacred, representing God-given life ... blood removed from a creature was to be poured out on the ground, disposed of."[264]
Reporting of sexual abuse[edit]
Main articles: Jehovah's Witnesses and child sex abuse and Silentlambs
Critics such as Silentlambs have accused Jehovah's Witnesses of employing organizational policies that make the reporting of sexual abuse difficult for members.[265][266] Some victims of sexual abuse have asserted that when reporting abuse they were ordered to maintain silence by their local elders to avoid embarrassment to both the accused and the organization.[267][268][269][270]
The religion's official policy on child protection, which discusses the procedures for reporting child sexual abuse, states that elders obey all legal requirements for reporting sex offenders, including reporting uncorroborated or unsubstantiated allegations where required by law. Elders are to discipline pedophiles in the congregation. Victims are permitted to notify the authorities if they wish to do so.[271]
While a Witness may lose congregation privileges following a single credible accusation of abuse,[272] Jehovah's Witnesses claim to be scripturally obliged to require corroboration ("two witnesses") before applying their severest forms of congregational discipline.[273] If there is not an actual second witness to an incident of abuse, a congregation judicial committee will accept medical or police reports, or a witness to a separate but similar incident as such a second witness against a member accused of sexual abuse.[274]
Biblical criticisms[edit]
The Watch Tower Society has been criticized for its refusal to reveal the names and academic credentials of the translators of its New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT).[275] The Society has claimed members of the NWT's translation committee wished to remain anonymous in order to exalt only the name of God,[276] The Watchtower stating that the educational qualifications of the translators were unimportant and that "the translation itself testifies to their qualifications".[277] Raymond Franz, a former member of the Governing Body, has claimed that of the four men he says constituted the committee, only one—its principal translator, his uncle Frederick Franz—had sufficient knowledge of biblical languages to have attempted the project.[278] Frederick Franz had studied Greek for two years and was self-taught in Hebrew.[279]
Much criticism of the NWT involves the rendering of certain texts considered to be biased towards specific Witness practices and doctrines.[275][280][281][282][283][284] These include the use of "torture stake" instead of "cross" throughout the New Testament;[275] the rendering of John 1:1, with the insertion of the indefinite article ("a") in its rendering to give "the Word was a god";[275][285] Romans 10:10, which uses the term "public declaration", which may reinforce the imperative to engage in public preaching;[275] John 17:3, which used the term "taking in knowledge" rather than "know" to suggest that salvation is dependent on ongoing study,[275] and the placement of the comma in Luke 23:43, which affects the timing of the fulfillment of Jesus' promise to the thief at Calvary.[286]
Also criticized is the NWT's insertion of the name Jehovah 237 times in the New Testament without extant New Testament Greek manuscript evidence that the name existed there.[287][288][289] Watch Tower publications have claimed that the name was "restored" on a sound basis, stating that when New Testament writers quote earlier Old Testament scriptures containing the Tetragrammaton (יהוה), "the translator has the right to render Kyrios ("LORD") as Jehovah."[290] The NWT mentions twenty-seven other translations which have similarly rendered Kyrios as a form of the name Jehovah, stating that there is only one verse where the NWT does so without agreement from other translations.[291]
The Society has claimed its translation "courageously restores God’s name, Jehovah, to its proper place in the Biblical text, is free from the bias of religious traditionalism, and ... gives the literal meaning of God’s Word as accurately as possible."[292] Jason BeDuhn, associate professor of religious studies at Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff, Arizona, compared major translations for accuracy. He wrote that the NWT's introduction of the name "Jehovah" into the New Testament 237 times was "not accurate translation by the most basic principle of accuracy".[293] BeDuhn also stated that whilst there are "a handful of examples of bias in the [New World Translation (NW)]", that "most of the differences are due to the greater accuracy of the NW as a literal, conservative translation of the original expressions of the New Testament writers." He concluded that "the NW and [another translation] are not bias free, and they are not perfect translations. But they are remarkably good translations ... often better than [the other six translations analyzed]."[294]
See also[edit]
Anti-cult movement
Beth Sarim
Charles Taze Russell controversies
Christian countercult movement
Heresy in Christianity
Heterodoxy
History of Jehovah's Witnesses
Watch Tower Society presidency dispute (1917)
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Crompton, Robert (1996), Counting the Days to Armageddon, Cambridge: James Clarke & Co, pp. 9, 115, ISBN 0-227-67939-3
2.Jump up ^ The Time is at Hand, Watch Tower Society, 1889, pages 99 "In view of this strong Bible evidence concerning the Times of the Gentiles, we consider it an established truth, that the final end of the kingdoms of this world, and the full establishment of the kingdom of God will be accomplished by A.D. 1914."; cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 193.
3.Jump up ^ In 1892 Zion's Watch Tower stated that God's battle, Armageddon, which was believed to be already under way, would end in October 1914, a date "definitely marked in Scripture," (15 January 1892, page 1355 reprint) and Watch Tower editor Charles Taze Russell declared: "We see no reason for changing the figures—nor could we change them if we would. They are, we believe, God's dates, not ours." (The Watchtower, 15 July 1894, page 1677). After comparing "unreliable secular chronology" to reliable "Bible chronology" The Watchtower stated, “It was on this line of reckoning [using the chronology of the Bible as an established fact] that the dates 1874, 1914, and 1918 were located; and the Lord has placed the stamp of his seal upon 1914 and 1918 beyond any possibility of erasure....Using this same measuring line, beginning with the entry...of Israel into Canaan, and counting the full 70 cycles...,as clearly indicated by Jehovah's sending of the Jews into Babylon for the full 70 years, it is an easy matter to locate 1925, probably the fall, for the beginning of the antitypical jubilee. There can be no more question about 1925 than there was about 1914.... Looking back we can now easily see that those dates were clearly indicated in Scripture and doubtless intended by the Lord to encourage his people....That all that some expect to see in 1925 may not transpire that year will not alter the date one whit more than in the other cases.”(The Watch Tower, May 15, 1922, p. 150; Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 224).
4.Jump up ^ "Following Faithful Shepherds with Life in View", The Watchtower, October 1, 1967, page 591, "Make haste to identify the visible theocratic organization of God that represents his king, Jesus Christ. It is essential for life. Doing so, be complete in accepting its every aspect. We cannot claim to love God, yet deny his Word and channel of communication....Jehovah's visible organization is based firmly on the twelvefold foundation of the apostles of the Lamb with Jesus Christ himself being the foundation cornerstone.(Rev. 21:14,19;Eph 2:20-22) Therefore, in submitting to Jehovah's visible theocratic organization, we must be in full and complete agreement with every feature of its apostolic procedure and requirements."
5.Jump up ^ "The Godly Qualities of Love and Hate", The Watchtower, 15 July 1974: 441, "Christians have implicit trust in their heavenly Father; they do not question what he tells them through his written Word and organization."
6.^ Jump up to: a b Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007, page 174, "No less serious is it when a group of men have divided views on predictions related to a certain date and yet present their adherents an outward appearance of united confidence, encouraging those adherents to place unwavering trust in those predictions."
7.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, p. 629 "people certainly ha[ve] the freedom to believe what they chose. But anyone who publicly or privately advocates views that are divergent from what appears in the publications of an organization, and who does so while claiming to represent that organization, causes division."
8.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Atlanta: Commentary Press, pp. 18–28, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
9.Jump up ^ Botting, Heather; Gary Botting (1984), The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, University of Toronto Press, pp. 66–69, ISBN 0-8020-6545-7
10.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, Watch Tower Society, 1959, page 52.
11.Jump up ^ "A Solid Basis for Confidence", The Watchtower, July 15, 1976, page 440.
12.Jump up ^ Gruss, Edmond C. (1972), The Jehovah's Witnesses and Prophetic Speculation, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co, pp. 87–88, ISBN 0-87552-306-4
13.Jump up ^ In Crisis of Conscience, 2002, pg. 173, Franz quotes from "They Shall Know That a Prophet Was Among Them", (The Watchtower, April 1, 1972,) which states that God had raised Jehovah's Witnesses as "a prophet to help [people], to warn them of dangers and declare things to come". He also cites "Identifying the Right Kind of Messenger" (The Watchtower, May 1, 1997, page 8) which identifies the Witnesses as his "true messengers ... by making the messages he delivers through them come true", in contrast to "false messengers", whose predictions fail. In In Search of Christian Freedom, 2007, he quotes The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah - How? (1971, pg 70, 292) which describes Witnesses as the modern Ezekiel class, "a genuine prophet within our generation". The Watch Tower book noted: "Concerning the message faithfully delivered by the Ezekiel class, Jehovah positively states that it 'must come true' ... those who wait undecided until it does 'come true' will also have to know that a prophet himself had proved to be in the midst of them." He also cites "Execution of the Great Harlot Nears", (The Watchtower, October 15, 1980, pg 17) which claims God gives the Witnesses "special knowledge that others do not have ... advance knowledge about this system's end".
14.Jump up ^ James A. Beverley, Crisis of Allegiance, Welch Publishing Company, Burlington, Ontario, 1986, ISBN 0-920413-37-4, pages 86-91.
15.Jump up ^ Criticisms of statements, such as those found below, are found in a number of books including Penton, M. James (1997) Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press; Franz, Raymond, In Search of Christian Freedom (2007) Commentary Press; Watters, Randall (2004) Thus Saith Jehovah's Witnesses, Common Sense Publications; Reed, David A. (1990) Index of Watchtower Errors, 1879 to 1989, Baker Books and at websites including Watchtower Information Service; Quotes-Watchtower.co.uk; Reexamine.Quotes.
16.Jump up ^ Waldeck, Val Jehovah's Witnesses: What do they believe?. Pilgrim Publications SA. ISBN 1-920092-08-0.
17.Jump up ^ Buttrey, John M (2004). Let No One Mislead You. iUniverse. ISBN 0-595-30710-8.
18.Jump up ^ Awake!, October 8, 1968, p. 23.
19.Jump up ^ James A. Beverley, Crisis of Allegiance, Welch Publishing Company, Burlington, Ontario, 1986, ISBN 0-920413-37-4, page 87.
20.^ Jump up to: a b "Why So Many False Alarms?", Awake!, March 22, 1993, pages 3-4, footnote.
21.Jump up ^ Reasoning From the Scriptures, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1989, pg 137.
22.Jump up ^ Revelation - Its Grand Climax, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1988, page 9.
23.Jump up ^ "Views From the Watchtower", Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, January 1908, "We are not prophesying; we are merely giving our surmises ... We do not even [assert] that there is no mistake in our interpretation of prophesy and our calculations of chronology. We have merely laid these before you, leaving it for each to exercise his own faith or doubt in respect to them."
24.Jump up ^ "Preaching Christ—Through Envy or Goodwill?", The Watchtower, May 15, 1976, p. 297, "Jehovah’s Witnesses as modern-day Christians are working hard to get this good news preached to every individual. They do not claim infallibility or perfection. Neither are they inspired prophets."
25.Jump up ^ "Allow No Place for the Devil!", The Watchtower, March 15, 1986, page 19, "Some opposers claim that Jehovah’s Witnesses are false prophets. These opponents say that dates have been set, but nothing has happened. ... Yes, Jehovah’s people have had to revise expectations from time to time. Because of our eagerness, we have hoped for the new system earlier than Jehovah’s timetable has called for it. But we display our faith in God’s Word and its sure promises by declaring its message to others. Moreover, the need to revise our understanding somewhat does not make us false prophets or change the fact that we are living in 'the last days,' ... How foolish to take the view that expectations needing some adjustment should call into question the whole body of truth! The evidence is clear that Jehovah has used and is continuing to use his one organization."
26.Jump up ^ George Chryssides, They Keep Changing the Dates, A paper presented at the CESNUR 2010 conference in Torino. How Prophecy Succeeds:The Jehovah's Witnesses and Prophetic Expectations
27.Jump up ^ March 1, 1904 Zion's Watch Tower p. 67
28.Jump up ^ Charles Taze Russell and Nelson H. Barbour, The Three Worlds (1907) as cited by James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, pages 21-22.
29.Jump up ^ Charles Taze Russell, The Time Is At Hand (1891) as cited by James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, page 44.
30.Jump up ^ Melvin D. Curry, Jehovah's Witnesses: The Millenarian World of the Watch Tower, Garland, 1992, as cited by James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, page 45.
31.Jump up ^ Penton, James (1997). Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses. University of Toronto Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-0802079732.
32.Jump up ^ The Finished Mystery, 1917, p. 485, 258, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, pages 206-211.
33.Jump up ^ J. F. Rutherford, Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1920, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, pages 212-214.
34.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, May 15, 1922, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 224.
35.Jump up ^ The Way to Paradise booklet, Watch Tower Society, 1924, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, pages 230-232.
36.Jump up ^ Face the Facts, 1938, pp. 46-50
37.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, September 15, 1941, p. 288
38.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, May 1, 1942, p. 139
39.Jump up ^ Awake!, February 22, 1961, p. 7
40.Jump up ^ Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God (PDF), Watch Tower Society, 1966, pp. 29–35, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, pages 238-239.
41.Jump up ^ Talk by F. W. Franz, Baltimore, Maryland 1966, cited by Jehovah's Witnesses – Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, and by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, pages 238-239.
42.Jump up ^ Did Man Get Here By Evolution Or By Creation?, Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, 1967, pg 161.
43.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, May 1, 1968, page 273
44.Jump up ^ Kingdom Ministry, Watch Tower Society, March 1968, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, pages 246.
45.Jump up ^ Awake!, May 22, 1969, p. 15
46.Jump up ^ The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah – How?, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1971, pg 216.
47.Jump up ^ Kingdom Ministry, Watch Tower Society, May 1974, page 3.
48.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, March 1, 1984, pp. 18-19
49.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, January 1, 1989, pg. 12.
50.Jump up ^ "Flashes of Light - Great and Small", The Watchtower, May 15, 1995, page 17.
51.^ Jump up to: a b c Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 184.
52.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, July 15, 1894: 1677, "We see no reason for changing the figures—nor could we change them if we would. They are, we believe, God’s dates, not ours. But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble." Missing or empty |title= (help)
53.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, September 15, 1901: 292, "The culmination of the trouble in October, 1914, is clearly marked in the Scriptures;" Missing or empty |title= (help)
54.Jump up ^ The Time Is at Hand, 1907, p. 101, "The ‘battle of the great day of God Almighty’ (Rev. 16:14), which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth’s present rulership, is already commenced."
55.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, November 1, 1922: 346, "We understand that the jubilee type began to count in 1575 B.C.; and the 3,500 year period embracing the type must end in 1925. It follows, then, that the year 1925 will mark the beginning of the restoration of all things lost by Adam's disobedience." Missing or empty |title= (help)
56.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, November 1, 1922: 333, "Bible prophecy shows that the Lord was due to appear for the second time in 1874. Fulfilled prophecy shows beyond a doubt that he did appear in 1874 ... these facts are indisputable." Missing or empty |title= (help)
57.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, 1993, page 708.
58.Jump up ^ "Impart God’s Progressive Revelation to Mankind", The Watchtower, March 1, 1965, p. 158-159
59.Jump up ^ Studies in the Scriptures Vol. II 1889 p. 239, Studies in the Scriptures Volume III 1891 p. 234, Studies in Scriptures Vol. IV 1897 p. 621.
60.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, 1993, page 632.
61.Jump up ^ M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, pages 20, 23.
62.Jump up ^ M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, page 23.
63.Jump up ^ Watchtower, February 1, 1925, page 371.
64.Jump up ^ Watchtower, May 15, 1927, page 151.
65.Jump up ^ Watchtower, June 1, 1927.
66.Jump up ^ "The Corroborative Testimony of God's Stone Witness and Prophet, The Great Pyramid in Egypt", Chapter 10, Thy Kingdom Come, third volume of Studies in the Scriptures, 1910.
67.Jump up ^ Watchtower, June 15, 1922, page 187, as reproduced by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 225, 226.
68.Jump up ^ Watchtower, 1928, pages 339-45, 355-62, as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, page 170.
69.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, October–November 1881, as cited by Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, 1993, page 142.
70.Jump up ^ The Battle of Armageddon by C. T. Russell, 1886, page 613, as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, footnote, page 345.
71.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, December 1, 1916, as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, page 34.
72.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, March 1, 1923, pages 68 and 71, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 63.
73.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, 1993, page 626, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 67.
74.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, October 1, 1909, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 67.
75.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, 1993, page 626.
76.Jump up ^ Thy Kingdom Come, 1891, page 23.
77.Jump up ^ The Harp of God, (1921), 1924 ed., p. 231.
78.Jump up ^ M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, pages 21, 46.
79.Jump up ^ C.T. Russell, The Time Is At Hand (Watch Tower Society, 1889, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 190, 204.
80.Jump up ^ Life, Watch Tower Society, 1929, page 170, as cited by Edmond C. Gruss, The Jehovah's Witnesses and Prophetic Speculation, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co, 1972, page 87.
81.Jump up ^ J.F. Rutherford, Vindication - Book II, pages 257-258, as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, page 65.
82.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, November 1, 1922, page 333, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 228.
83.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, March 1, 1922, "The indisputable facts, therefore, show that the time of the end began in 1799; that the Lord's second presence began in 1874".
84.Jump up ^ M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, pages 18-22.
85.Jump up ^ "No Spiritual Energy Crisis for Discreet Ones", The Watchtower, August 15, 1974, page 507, footnote.
86.^ Jump up to: a b Raymond Franz, In Search of Christian Freedom, 2007, page 484.
87.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, June 15, 1952, page 376.
88.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, p. 107, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
89.Jump up ^ Qualified To Be Ministers, Watch Tower Society, 1955, page 381, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007, page 74.
90.Jump up ^ Marley Cole, Jehovah's Witnesses - The New World Society, Vantage Press, New York, 1955, pages 86-89, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007, page 74.
91.Jump up ^ Testimony by Fred Franz, Lord Strachan vs. Douglas Walsh Transcript, Lord Strachan vs. Douglas Walsh, 1954, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007, page 75-76.
92.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, March 1, 1923, page 68, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007, page 59.
93.Jump up ^ Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007, pages 58-79.
94.Jump up ^ M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, 1997, page 216.
95.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, December 15, 1971, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007, page 78.
96.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, July 1, 1963, page 412.
97.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, July 15, 1963, page 443.
98.Jump up ^ "Maintaining a Balanced Viewpoint Toward Disfellowshiped Ones", The Watchtower, August 1, 1974, pages 467, "It is right to hate the wrong committed by the disfellowshiped one, but it is not right to hate the person nor is it right to treat such ones in an inhumane way."
99.Jump up ^ "Maintaining a Balanced Viewpoint Toward Disfellowshiped Ones", The Watchtower, August 1, 1974, pages 471-472.
100.Jump up ^ "Maintaining a Balanced Viewpoint Toward Disfellowshiped Ones", The Watchtower, August 1, 1974, page 471, par 19.
101.^ Jump up to: a b "If a Relative Is Disfellowshiped", The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, page 28.
102.Jump up ^ "Disfellowshiping—How to View It", The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, pages 24-25.
103.Jump up ^ "If a Relative Is Disfellowshiped", The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, page 30.
104.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, pages 20-31, as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, page 299-300.
105.Jump up ^ Letter to all circuit and district overseers from Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York, September 1, 1980, as reproduced by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 341.
106.Jump up ^ "Disfellowshiping—How to View It", The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, pages 23, as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, page 299-300.
107.Jump up ^ Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 357-359.
108.Jump up ^ Watch Tower, June 15, 1911, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 188.
109.Jump up ^ The Finished Mystery, 1917, p. 485, 258, 513 as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, pages 206-211.
110.Jump up ^ Revelation - It's Grand Climax at Hand!, Watch Tower Society, 1988, page 209.
111.Jump up ^ Revelation - It's Grand Climax at Hand!, Watch Tower Society, 1988, pages 266, 269.
112.Jump up ^ "No Calamity Will Befall Us" (Subheading). (Nov. 15, 2001). The Watchtower, p.19
113.Jump up ^ "Let the Reader Use Discernment", (Subheading "A Modern-Day 'Disgusting Thing'"). (May 1, 1999). The Watchtower, p 14
114.Jump up ^ "A World Without War-When?" Oct.1, 1991, pp.5 The Watchtower
115.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, 1 June 1997, p. 17 par. 15: "In the first place, what lies ahead for the world's false religions that have so often been extremely friendly with the UN? They are the offspring of one idolatrous fountainhead, ancient Babylon. Appropriately, they are described at Revelation 17:5 as "Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth". Jeremiah described the doom of this hypocritical conglomerate. Harlotlike, they have seduced earth's politicians, flattering the UN and forming illicit relations with its member political powers."
116.Jump up ^ Bates, Stephen (Oct. 8, 2001) "Jehovah's Witnesses link to UN queried", The Guardian
117.Jump up ^ Bates, Stephen (Oct. 15, 2001) "'Hypocrite' Jehovah's Witnesses abandon secret link with UN", The Guardian
118.Jump up ^ Letter to Editor - The Guardian" (Oct. 22, 2001) Office of Public Information
119.Jump up ^ Letter from United Nations DPI/NGO Resource Centre
120.Jump up ^ UN DPI/NGO
121.Jump up ^ Pay Attention to Daniel's Prophecy! chap. 6 par. 25-29
122.^ Jump up to: a b Edmond C. Gruss, Jehovah's Witnesses and Prophetic Speculation, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co, 1972, ISBN 0-87552-306-4 Page 42.
123.Jump up ^ Alan Rogerson, Millions Now Living Will Never Die, Constable, 1969, page 105, "Secular historians put this date as 586 or 587 BC but the Witnesses, following Russell, place it at 607 BC."
124.^ Jump up to: a b "When Was Ancient Jerusalem Destroyed?—Part One" The Watchtower, October 1, 2011, page 26
125.Jump up ^ "Evidences of the Year’s Correctness". The Watchtower: 271–2. May 1, 1952. "It was in this first regnal year of Cyrus that he issued his decree to permit the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. (Ezra 1:1) The decree may have been made in late 538 B.C. or before March 4–5, 537 B.C. In either case this would have given sufficient time for the large party of 49,897 Jews to organize their expedition and to make their long four-month journey from Babylon to Jerusalem to get there by September 29–30, 537 B.C., the first of the seventh Jewish month, to build their altar to Jehovah as recorded at Ezra 3:1-3. Inasmuch as September 29–30, 537 B.C., officially ends the seventy years of desolation as recorded at 2 Chronicles 36:20, 21, so the beginning of the desolation of the land must have officially begun to be counted after September 21–22, 607 B.C., the first of the seventh Jewish month in 607 B.C., which is the beginning point for the counting of the 2,520 years."
126.Jump up ^ [1] "Babylonian Exile." Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2010.
127.Jump up ^ "Timeline of Judaism after the Babylonian Exile (538 BCE-70 CE)". Jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
128.Jump up ^ Keller, Werner (1983). The Bible As History. Bantam; 2 Revised edition. p. 352. ISBN 0-553-27943-2.
129.Jump up ^ Dictionary of the Bible: Biographical, Geographical, Historical and Doctrinal by Charles Randall Barnes, Page 247.
130.Jump up ^ Dyer, Charles (2003). Nelson’s Old Testament survey: Discovering essence, Background & Meaning about Every Old Testament book.
131.Jump up ^ The Gentile Times Reconsidered: Chronology & Christ's Return by Carl O. Jonsson. ISBN 0-914675-06-0 Publisher: Commentary Press (July, 1998, Fourth edition 2004)
132.Jump up ^ "When Was Ancient Jerusalem Destroyed?—Part Two" The Watchtower, November 1, 2011, page 22
133.Jump up ^ Insight from scriptures. Vol.2 page 458, "secular chronologers calculate the 16th day of Tashritu (Tishri) as falling on October 11, Julian calendar, and October 5, Gregorian calendar, in the year 539 B.C.E. Since this date is an accepted one, there being no evidence to the contrary, it is usable as a pivotal date in coordinating secular history with Bible history."
134.Jump up ^ Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian, and Persian Chronology Compared with the Chronology of the Bible, Volume 1: Persian Chronology and the Length of the Babylonian Exile of the Jews (2003) ISBN 82-994633-3-5
135.Jump up ^ Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 28:5 [2004], p. 42-43
136.Jump up ^ Under One Sky: Astronomy and Mathematics in the Ancient Near East, Münster 2002, pp. 423-428, F. R. Stephenson and D. M. Willis.
137.^ Jump up to: a b "When Was Ancient Jerusalem Destroyed?—Part Two" The Watchtower, November 1, 2011, page 25, 28, footnote 18
138.Jump up ^ Mesopotamian Planetary Astronomy–Astrology, David Brown, pages 53–56; 2000
139.Jump up ^ When Was Ancient Jerusalem Destroyed, page 21, Carl O. Jonsson.
140.Jump up ^ Insight from scriptures, Vol. I, Astronomical Calculations, page 454
141.Jump up ^ Life — How Did It Get Here? By Evolution Or By Creation?, Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, 1985
142.Jump up ^ Was Life Created?, Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, 2010
143.Jump up ^ Gary Botting, "Preface" to The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, pp. xiv-xvi
144.Jump up ^ Hitching is first introduced as an "evolutionist" (p. 15). A Hitching quote on page 71 is repeated on page 73, in the latter case presented as the statement of "a scientist". The 1986 Watchtower book The Bible — God's Word or Man's? likewise refers to Hitching as a scientist (p. 106).
145.Jump up ^ Richard Dawkins: The God Delusion, p. 145. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 2006. ISBN 0-618-68000-4.
146.Jump up ^ Is There a Creator Who Cares About You?. Watch Tower Society. p. 93.
147.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, April 1, 1986, pp. 12-13
148.Jump up ^ Awake!, May 8, 1997, p. 12
149.Jump up ^ The Watchtower, September 1, 1986, p. 30
150.Jump up ^ "Following Faithful Shepherds with Life in View", The Watchtower, October 1, 1967, page 591, "Make haste to identify the visible theocratic organization of God that represents his king, Jesus Christ. It is essential for life. Doing so, be complete in accepting its every aspect ... in submitting to Jehovah's visible theocratic organization, we must be in full and complete agreement with every feature of its apostolic procedure and requirements."
151.Jump up ^ "Loyal to Christ and His Faithful Slave", The Watchtower, April 1, 2007, page 24, "When we loyally submit to the direction of the faithful slave and its Governing Body, we are submitting to Christ, the slave's Master."
152.Jump up ^ Beckford, James A. (1975), The Trumpet of Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's Witnesses, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, pp. 89, 95, 103, 120, 204, 221, ISBN 0-631-16310-7
153.Jump up ^ Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement, Routledge, pp. 22, 32, 150–170, ISBN 0-415-26609-2
154.Jump up ^ Alan Rogerson, Millions Now Living Will Never Die, Constable, 1969, page 50.
155.^ Jump up to: a b Osamu Muramoto, "Bioethics of the refusal of blood by Jehovah's Witnesses, part 1", Journal of Medical Ethics, August 1998, Vol 24, Issue 4, page 223-230.
156.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom (2nd ed.), Commentary Press, pp. 98–100, 104–107, 113, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
157.^ Jump up to: a b c d R. Franz, In Search of Christian Freedom, chapter 6.
158.Jump up ^ Court transcript as cited by Heather & Gary Botting, The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1984, page 67-68, also at Pursuer's Proof: Lord Strachan vs. Douglas Walsh Transcript, Lord Strachan vs. Douglas Walsh, 1954.
159.Jump up ^ Beckford, James A. (1975), The Trumpet of Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's Witnesses, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, p. 103, ISBN 0-631-16310-7
160.Jump up ^ Minority Religions, Social Change, and Freedom of Conscience
161.Jump up ^ Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement, Routledge, p. 67, ISBN 0-415-26609-2
162.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom (2nd ed.), Commentary Press, pp. 419–421, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
163.Jump up ^ Stevenson, W.C. (1967), Year of Doom 1975: The Inside Story of Jehovah's Witnesses, London: Hutchinson & Co, pp. 33–35, "The inevitable result of a person's submitting to (the home Bible study) arrangement is that eventually all his own thoughts will be replaced by the thoughts contained in the book he is studying ... if one were able to watch this person's development ... it would be quite obvious that he was gradually losing all individuality of thought and action ... One of the characteristics of Jehovah's Witnesses is the extraordinary unanimity of thinking on almost every aspect of life ... in view of this there seems to be some justification for the charge that their study methods are in fact a subtle form of indoctrination or brainwashing."
164.^ Jump up to: a b c Botting, Heather & Gary (1984), The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, University of Toronto Press, p. 153, ISBN 0-8020-6545-7
165.^ Jump up to: a b R. Franz, In Search of Christian Freedom, chapter 16.
166.Jump up ^ "Exposing the Devil’s Subtle Designs" and "Armed for the Fight Against Wicked Spirits", Watchtower, January 15, 1983, as cited by Heather and Gary Botting, The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1984, page 92.
167.Jump up ^ "Serving Jehovah Shoulder to Shoulder", The Watchtower, August 15, 1981, page 28, "Jehovah's Theocratic Organization Today", The Watchtower, February 1, 1952, pages 79–81.
168.Jump up ^ James A. Beverley, Crisis of Allegiance, Welch Publishing Company, Burlington, Ontario, 1986, ISBN 0-920413-37-4, pages 25-26, 101, "For every passage in Society literature that urges members to be bold and courageous in critical pursuits, there are many others that warn about independent thinking and the peril of questioning the organization ... Fear of disobedience to the Governing Body keeps Jehovah's Witnesses from carefully checking into biblical doctrine or allegations concerning false prophecy, faulty scholarship, and injustice. Witnesses are told not to read books like this one."
169.Jump up ^ According to Randall Watters, who in 1981 published a pamphlet, "What happened at the world headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses in the spring of 1980?", cited by Heather and Gary Botting, a former Governing Body member is said to have referred Brooklyn headquarters staff to an organizational handbook containing 1,177 policies and regulations, telling them: "If there are some who feel that they cannot subject themselves to the rules and regulations now in operation, such ones ought to be leaving and not be involved here."
170.Jump up ^ Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, pp. 107–108, 122, 298.
171.Jump up ^ "Walk With Confidence in Jehovah’s Leadership", The Watchtower, June 1, 1985, page 20, "To turn away from Jehovah and his organization, to spurn the direction of “the faithful and discreet slave,” and to rely simply on personal Bible reading and interpretation is to become like a solitary tree in a parched land."
172.Jump up ^ Question box, Our Kingdom Ministry, September 2007.
173.Jump up ^ "Do not be quickly shaken from your reason", Watchtower, March 15, 1986
174.Jump up ^ "At which table are you feeding?" Watchtower, July 1, 1994
175.Jump up ^ Watchtower, May 1, 1984, page 31, as cited by R. Franz, "In Search of Christian Freedom", chapter 12
176.Jump up ^ "Firmly uphold godly teaching," Watchtower, May 1, 2000, page 9.
177.Jump up ^ Heather & Gary Botting, The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, University of Toronto Press, 1984, page 143, 153.
178.Jump up ^ Beckford, James A. (1975), The Trumpet of Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's Witnesses, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, pp. 204, 221, ISBN 0-631-16310-7
179.Jump up ^ Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement, Routledge, p. 30, ISBN 0-415-26609-2
180.Jump up ^ R. Franz, In Search of Christian Freedom, chapter 11.
181.Jump up ^ Muramoto, O. (January 6, 2001), "Bioethical aspects of the recent changes in the policy of refusal of blood by Jehovah's Witnesses", BMJ 322 (7277): 37–39, doi:10.1136/bmj.322.7277.37, PMC 1119307, PMID 11141155.
182.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom (2nd ed.), Commentary Press, pp. 449–464, ISBN 0-914675-17-6, "Loyalty to the organization becomes the touchstone, the criterion, the "bottom line", when it comes to determining whether one is a faithful Christian or not ... to make any organizational loyalty the criterion for judging anyone's Christianity is, then, clearly a perversion of Scripture ... Read the whole of those Scriptures ... nowhere are we taught to put faith in men or in an earthly organization, unquestioningly following its lead ... the entire Bible record is a continual reminder of the danger inherent in that kind of trust."
183.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom (2nd ed.), Commentary Press, p. 458, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
184.Jump up ^ "You Must Be Holy Because Jehovah Is Holy", The Watchtower, February 15, 1976, page 124, "Would not a failure to respond to direction from God through his organization really indicate a rejection of divine rulership?"
185.Jump up ^ James A. Beverley, Crisis of Allegiance, Welch Publishing Company, Burlington, Ontario, 1986, ISBN 0-920413-37-4, pages 25-26, 101.
186.Jump up ^ Holden 2002, p. 121.
187.Jump up ^ Botting, Heather; Gary Botting (1984), The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, University of Toronto Press, p. 156, ISBN 0-8020-6545-7
188.Jump up ^ "Questions from readers", Watchtower, April 1, 1986.
189.Jump up ^ Stark and Iannoccone (1997), "Why the Jehovah's Witnesses Grow So Rapidly: A Theoretical Application" (PDF), Journal of Contemporary Religion (PDF), pp. 142–143, retrieved 2008-12-30.
190.Jump up ^ ECHR Point 130, 118
191.Jump up ^ Gary Botting, Fundamental Freedoms and Jehovah's Witnesses, (Calgary: University of Calgary Press, 1993.
192.Jump up ^ Rhodes, Ron (2001), The Challenge of the Cults and New Religions, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, pp. 77–103, ISBN 0-310-23217-1
193.Jump up ^ Gomes, Alan W. (1995), Unmasking the Cults, Zondervan, pp. 22, 23, ISBN 0-310-70441-3
194.Jump up ^ Hoekema, Anthony A. (1963), The Four Major Cults, Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans, pp. 1–8,223–371, 373–388, ISBN 0-8028-3117-6
195.Jump up ^ "Are Jehovah’s Witnesses a Cult?", The Watchtower, February 15, 1994, pages 5-7
196.Jump up ^ "Do Others Do Your Thinking?", Awake!, August 22, 1978, page 4.
197.Jump up ^ "Who Molds Your Thinking?", The Watchtower, April 1, 1999, page 22, "You have free will. Exercising it, you can choose to respond to Jehovah’s molding influence or deliberately reject it. How much better to listen to Jehovah’s voice instead of arrogantly asserting, 'No one tells me what to do'!"
198.Jump up ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses Wish You Would Answer The Door" (PDF). The Grand Rapids Press. 2006.
199.Jump up ^ "Evidence of expert witness attacked". The Straits Times. 1997-07-17.
200.Jump up ^ Brown II, John Bowen (2008-04-16), "Cult Watchdog Organizations and Jehovah’s Witnesses", Twenty Years and More: Research into Minority Religions, New Religious Movements and 'the New Spirituality', London School of Economics, London, UK: Center for Studies on New Religions, retrieved 2010-03-03
201.Jump up ^ Engardio, Joel P. (2007-04-17). "Myths & Realities". PBS Independent Lens. Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
202.Jump up ^ Brown II, John B. (2005-06-02), "Jehovah's Witnesses and the Anti-cult Movement: A Human Rights Perspective", Religious Movements, Globalization and Conflict: Transnational Perspectives, Palermo, Sicily: Center for Studies on New Religions
203.Jump up ^ Raschke, Carl A. (2013-07-19), "Contemporary American Religion Volume 1", in Catherine L. Albanese, Randall Balmer, Frederick M. Denny, Cheryl Townsend Gilkes, Ana Maria Diaz-Stevens, Anthony M. Stevens-Arroyo, Ellen M. Umansky, Jehovah's Witnesses, New York: Macmillan Reference USA An Imprint of the Gale Group, p. 343, ISBN 0-02-864926-5
204.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, page 96, as cited by R. Franz, In Search of Christian Freedom, chapter 4.
205.Jump up ^ Question Box, Our Kingdom Ministry, September 1979, page 4.
206.Jump up ^ "Do You Contribute to an Accurate Report?", Our Kingdom Ministry, December 2002, page 8.
207.Jump up ^ "Righteous requirements", Watchtower, July 1, 1943, pages 204-206, "Jehovah ... has appointed his 'faithful and wise servant, who is his visible mouthpiece ... These expressions of God's will by his King and through his established agency constitute his law or rule of action ... The Lord breaks down our organization instructions further ... He says the requirements for special pioneers shall be 175 hours and 50 back-calls per month ... and for regular pioneers 150 hours ... And for company publishers he says, 'Let us make a quota of 60 hours and 12 back-calls and at least one study a week for each publisher'. These directions come to us from the Lord through his established agency directing what is required of us ... This expression of the Lord's will should be the end of all controversy ... The Lord through his 'faithful and wise servant' now states to us, Let us cover our territory four times in six months. That becomes our organization instructions and has the same binding force on us that his statement to the Logos had when he said, 'Let us make man in our image'. It is our duty to accept this additional instruction and obey it."
208.Jump up ^ "Saved, Not by Works Alone, But by Undeserved Kindness", The Watchtower, June 1, 2005, pages 17-18.
209.Jump up ^ Expert Opinion by S. I. Ivanenko, p. 10, Golovinsky Intermunicipal Court, in the application of the Moscow Northern Administrative District prosecutor to liquidate the Religious Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow
210.Jump up ^ The Trumpet of Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's Witnesses, John Wiley and Sons, 1975, as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, 1997. Penton describes Beckford's book as "uneven" and marred by errors and a misunderstanding of certain basic Witness doctrines.
211.Jump up ^ Sworn Expert Opinion, prepared by Professor James Beckford, University of Warwick, Coventry, England, November 1998, Golovinsky Intermunicipal Court, in the application of the Moscow Northern Administrative District prosecutor to liquidate the Religious Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow
212.Jump up ^ ECHR Point number 111
213.Jump up ^ “Jehovah's Witnesses case heads to B.C. court”, Vancouver Sun, April 1, 2007
214.Jump up ^ Medical emergencies in children of orthodox Jehovah's Witness families: Three recent legal cases, ethical issues and proposals for management”, by J Guicho and, I Mitchell, Paediatrics & Child Health, Canadian Pediatric Society, December 2006.
215.Jump up ^ "Bioethics of the refusal of blood by Jehovah's Witnesses, part 2." Journal of Medical Ethics, October 1998, pages 295-301.
216.Jump up ^ ECHR Point number 136, 139
217.^ Jump up to: a b "Always Accept Jehovah’s Discipline", The Watchtower, November 15, 2006, page 26.
218.Jump up ^ "Cultivate Obedience as the End Draws Near", The Watchtower, October 1, 2002, page 21
219.Jump up ^ Beckford, James A. (1975), The Trumpet of Prophecy, A Sociological Study of Jehovah's Witnesses, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, p. 55, ISBN 0-631-16310-7
220.Jump up ^ "Elders, Judge With Righteousness", The Watchtower, July 1, 1992, page 19.
221.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, p. 354, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
222.^ Jump up to: a b Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, p. 89
223.^ Jump up to: a b c Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement, Routledge, p. 163, ISBN 0-415-26609-2
224.Jump up ^ Osamu Muramoto, "Recent developments in medical care of Jehovah's Witnesses", Western Journal of Medicine, May 1999, page 298.
225.Jump up ^ Taylor, Jerome (27 September 2011). "War of words breaks out among Jehovah's Witnesses". The Independent.
226.Jump up ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses church likens defectors to 'contagious, deadly disease'", Sunday Herald Sun, page 39, October 2, 2011.
227.Jump up ^ Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement, Routledge, p. 150, ISBN 0-415-26609-2
228.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, p. 384, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
229.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, p. 351, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
230.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, p. 359, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
231.Jump up ^ Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement, Routledge, p. 151, ISBN 0-415-26609-2
232.^ Jump up to: a b c Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, p. 249
233.Jump up ^ Ronald Lawson, "Sect-State Relations: Accounting for the Differing Trajectories of Seventh-day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses," Sociology of Religion, 1995, 56:4, pg 371.
234.Jump up ^ "Maintain Your Faith and Spiritual Health", The Watchtower, October 1, 1989.
235.Jump up ^ "Questions From Readers", The Watchtower, October 15, 1986, page 31.
236.Jump up ^ Osamu Muramoto, "Bioethical aspects of the recent changes in the policy of refusal of blood by Jehovah's Witnesses", British Medical Journal, January 6, 2001, page 37.
237.Jump up ^ Donald T. Ridley, "Jehovah's Witnesses' refusal of blood: Obedience to scripture and religious conscience", Journal of Medical Ethics, 1999:25, page 470.
238.^ Jump up to: a b Franz, Raymond (2002), Crisis of Conscience, Commentary Press, p. 38, ISBN 0-914675-23-0
239.^ Jump up to: a b Botting, Heather; Gary Botting (1984), The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, University of Toronto Press, p. 91, ISBN 0-8020-6545-7
240.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, p. 371, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
241.Jump up ^ Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, p. 248
242.Jump up ^ Raymond Franz, In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, pages 365-385, citing "A Time to Speak – When?", The Watchtower, September 1, 1987.
243.Jump up ^ Osamu Muramoto, "Bioethics of the refusal of blood by Jehovah’s Witnesses, Part 1", Journal of Medical Ethics, August 1998.
244.Jump up ^ "Disfellowshiping—How to View It", The Watchtower, September 15, 1981, page 23.
245.Jump up ^ Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, p. 319
246.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2002), Crisis of Conscience, Commentary Press, p. 357, ISBN 0-914675-23-0
247.^ Jump up to: a b How Can Blood Save Your Life?. Watch Tower Society. p. 22.
248.Jump up ^ "Be guided by the Living God" (Jun. 15, 2004). The Watchtower
249.Jump up ^ "Questions from readers: Do Jehovah's Witnesses accept any minor fractions of blood?" (Jun. 15, 2000). The Watchtower
250.Jump up ^ Awake! August 2006 box on P. 11
251.Jump up ^ Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform on Blood
252.Jump up ^ The Watchtower November 1, 1961, p. 669 Questions From Readers
253.Jump up ^ What Does The Bible Really Teach? 2005 P.128
254.Jump up ^ "OK Kosher Certification — Salting of Meat". Ok.org. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
255.Jump up ^ "Making Meat Kosher: Between Slaughtering and Cooking". My Jewish Learning. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
256.Jump up ^ "Religion Today", New York Times, January 6, 2006
257.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses, Blood Transfusions and the Tort of Misrepresentation, Journal of Church and State Vol 47, Autumn 2005 p. 815
258.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond. "In Search of Christian Freedom" - Chapter Nine. Atlanta: Commentary Press, 1991. ISBN 0-914675-16-8. p.732.
259.Jump up ^ "Questions From Readers", The Watchtower, October 15, 2000, page 31, "Jehovah’s Witnesses...do not donate blood [without preconditions on its use], nor do we store for transfusion our blood that should be ‘poured out.’ That practice conflicts with God’s law. Other procedures or tests involving an individual’s own blood are not so clearly in conflict with God’s stated principles. ...the goal may be to isolate some of a blood component and apply that elsewhere... A Christian must decide for himself how his own blood will be handled... Ahead of time, he should obtain from the doctor or technician the facts about what might be done with his blood during the procedure. Then he must decide according to what his conscience permits."
260.Jump up ^ "How Do I View Blood Fractions and Medical Procedures Involving My Own Blood?", Our Kingdom Ministry, November 2006, page 4.
261.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond. "In Search of Christian Freedom" - Chapter Nine. Atlanta: Commentary Press, 1991. Pbk. ISBN 0-914675-16-8. pp.732.
262.Jump up ^ Ivanhoe's Medical Breakthroughs - When Religion and Medicine Collide
263.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses, Blood Transfusions and the Tort of Misrepresentation, Journal of Church and State Vol 47, Autumn 2005
264.Jump up ^ The Watchtower (Feb. 1, 1997) p30
265.Jump up ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses (WTS) Handling of Child Sexual Abuse Cases", Religious Tolerance.org Retrieved Mar 3, 2006.
266.Jump up ^ Tubbs, Sharon (Aug. 22, 2002), "Spiritual shunning", St. Petersburg Times.
267.Jump up ^ "Another Church Sex Scandal" (Apr. 29, 2003). CBS News.
268.Jump up ^ Cutrer, Corrie (Mar. 5, 2001). "Witness Leaders Accused of Shielding Molesters", Christianity Today.
269.Jump up ^ Channel 9 Sunday, November 2005.
270.Jump up ^ "Secret database protects paedophiles", BBC Panorama, 2003.
271.Jump up ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses and Child Protection" (2003). Jehovah's Witnesses Office of Public Information.
272.Jump up ^ “Let All Things Take Place for Upbuilding”, Our Kingdom Ministry, July 2000, page 1
273.Jump up ^ "Comfort for Those With a “Stricken Spirit”", The Watchtower, November 1, 1995, page 28, "If the [lone] accusation is denied [by the accused], the elders should explain to the accuser that nothing more can be done in a judicial way. ...The Bible says that there must be two or three witnesses before judicial action can be taken. (2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19)"
274.Jump up ^ Jehovah's Witnesses Office of Public Information, Press Release "Jehovah's Witnesses and Child Protection," 2003.
275.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, pp. 174–176
276.Jump up ^ "New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures", The Watchtower, September 15, 1950, page 320.
277.Jump up ^ Questions from readers, The Watchtower, December 15, 1974, page 767.
278.Jump up ^ In a 1954 court case, Franz was invited to translate a passage of Genesis from English to Hebrew. (Translator's proof, page 102-103). He declined, saying he would not attempt it. Heather and Gary Botting wrongly claim (page 98) he could make no sense of "an elementary passage of Hebrew from Genesis".
279.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), Crisis of Conscience, Commentary Press, p. 56, ISBN 0-914675-23-0
280.Jump up ^ Robert M. Bowman Jr, Understanding Jehovah's Witnesses, (Grand Rapids MI: Baker Book House, 1992); Ankerberg, John and John Weldon, 2003, The New World Translation of the Jehovah's Witnesses, accessible from this site, which quotes a number of scholars regarding theological bias of the New World Translation.
281.Jump up ^ Samuel Haas,Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 74, No. 4, (Dec. 1955), p. 283, "This work indicates a great deal of effort and thought as well as considerable scholarship, it is to be regretted that religious bias was allowed to colour many passages."
282.Jump up ^ See Ankerberg, John and John Weldon, 2003, The New World Translation of the Jehovah's Witnesses, accessible online
283.Jump up ^ Rhodes R, The Challenge of the Cults and New Religions, The Essential Guide to Their History, Their Doctrine, and Our Response, Zondervan, 2001, p. 94
284.Jump up ^ Bruce M Metzger, "Jehovah's Witnesses and Jesus Christ," Theology Today, (April 1953 p. 74); see also Metzger, "The New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures," The Bible Translator (July 1964)
285.Jump up ^ C.H. Dodd: "The reason why [the Word was a god] is unacceptable is that it runs counter to the current of Johannine thought, and indeed of Christian thought as a whole." Technical Papers for The Bible Translator, Vol 28, No. 1, January 1977
286.Jump up ^ Botting, Heather; Gary Botting (1984), The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses, University of Toronto Press, pp. 98–101, ISBN 0-8020-6545-7
287.Jump up ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of Christian Freedom, Commentary Press, pp. 494–505, ISBN 0-914675-17-6
288.Jump up ^ G. HÉBERT/EDS, "Jehovah's Witnesses", The New Catholic Encyclopedia, Gale, 20052, Vol. 7, p. 751.
289.Jump up ^ Metzger, Bruce M., The New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, The Bible Translator 15/3 (July 1964), pp. 150-153.
290.Jump up ^ "God’s Name and the New Testament", The Divine Name That Will Endure Forever, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1984, pages 23-27
291.Jump up ^ "Appendix 1D The Divine Name in the Christian Greek Scriptures", New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures - With References, page 1565
292.Jump up ^ "Your Bible—How It Was Produced", The Watchtower, December 15, 1981, page 15
293.Jump up ^ Jason D. BeDuhn, Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament, 2004, pages 165, 169, 175, 176. BeDuhn compared the King James, the (New) Revised Standard, the New International, the New American Bible, the New American Standard Bible, the Amplified Bible, the Living Bible, Today's English and the NWT versions in Matthew 28:9, Philippians 2:6, Colossians 1:15-20, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 1:8, John 8:58, John 1:1.
294.Jump up ^ Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament by Jason BeDuhn, 2004, pages 165, University Press of America, ISBN 0-7618-2556-8, ISBN 978-0-7618-2556-2
Further reading[edit]
Botting, Gary and Heather. The Orwellian World of Jehovah`s Witnesses (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1984). ISBN 0-8020-6545-7. The Bottings compare the social, cultural and political paradigms of Jehovah's Witnesses to those set out in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. Both authors were raised Jehovah's Witnesses and are trained scholars (Heather Botting is a professor of anthropology and Gary Botting is a lawyer and legal scholar). The book is based in part on a doctoral dissertation by Heather Botting. Read selections from: The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses (Google book search) University of Toronto Press, ISBN 978-0-8020-6545-2
Botting, Gary. Fundamental Freedoms and Jehovah's Witnesses (Calgary: University of Calgary Press, 1993). ISBN 1-895176-06-9. Botting considers the irony of Jehovah's Witness insisting on a closely regulated society while at the same time fighting for freedom of association, freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of the press. It is available on-line at http://www.questia.com/library/102111748/fundamental-freedoms-and-jehovah-s-witnesses.
Castro, Joy. The Truth Book: Escaping a Childhood of Abuse Among Jehovah's Witnesses, adopted as a baby and raised by a devout Jehovah's Witness family. Read selections from: The Truth Book: Escaping a Childhood of Abuse Among Jehovah's Witnesses (Google book search) Published 2005 Arcade Publishing, ISBN 1-55970-787-9
Franz, Raymond. Crisis of Conscience Franz, a former Jehovah's Witness and Governing Body member, and nephew of the fourth president of the Watch Tower Society. This book gives a detailed account of the authority structure, practices, doctrines and decision-making practices Franz experienced while serving on the Governing Body. Sample chapters online: 1, 9, 10, 11, 12. Publisher: Commentary Press. 420 pages. Hardback ISBN 0-914675-24-9. Paperback ISBN 0-914675-23-0. 4th edition (June 2002)
Franz, Raymond. In Search of Christian Freedom. 2nd ed., 2007. ISBN 0-914675-17-6 (Further critique and analysis by this author)
Gruss, Edmond C. Apostles of Denial ISBN 0-87552-305-6 / ISBN 978-0-87552-305-7.
Harrison, Barbara Grizzuti. Visions of Glory: A History and a Memory of Jehovah's Witnesses. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1978. ISBN 0-7091-8013-6 (An account by an American journalist and essayist of growing up in the JW religion, which she left at age 22)
Hewitt, Joe. I Was Raised a Jehovah's Witness Hewitt gives a frank and compelling account of his life as a Jehovah's Witness and his subsequent persecution and excommunication after he decided to leave the Jehovah's Witness movement. Read selections from: I Was Raised a Jehovah's Witness (Google book search) Published 1997, Kregel Publications, ISBN 0-8254-2876-9
Jonsson, Carl O. The Gentile Times Reconsidered: Chronology & Christ's Return Jonsson considers the origin of the belief that the Gentile Times began in 607 B.C. and examines several lines of evidence and the methodology for deriving it. ISBN 0-914675-06-0 Publisher: Commentary Press (July, 1998, Fourth edition 2004)
King, Robert. Jehovah Himself Has Become King The author considers himself one of Jehovah's Witnesses but was disfellowshipped after publishing his review and criticisms of current Watchtower interpretations related to Bible prophecy, and documentation regarding the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society's involvement with the United Nations. He is preparing an updated, second edition. ISBN 1-4208-5498-4 / ISBN 978-1-4208-5498-5 / Publisher: AuthorHouse (September 14, 2005, First Edition) (Available from Amazon.com)
Kostelniuk, James. Wolves Among Sheep. Harpercollins Trade Sales Dept, ISBN 978-0-00-639107-4
Penton, M. James. Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2nd ed., 1997. ISBN 0-8020-7973-3 (Scholarly examination of JW history and doctrines)
Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses by M. James Penton. Penton, who is a former Jehovah's Witness and a professor emeritus of history at University of Lethbridge, examines the history of Jehovah's Witnesses, and their doctrines. Read selections from: Apocalypse Delayed: the Story of Jehovah's Witnesses University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0-8020-7973-3 (Canada, 1998) (Google book search)
Schnell, William J. 30 Years a Watchtower Slave Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1956, 1971, reprinted 2001. ISBN 0-8010-6384-1 (One of the first book-length critiques of the organization to be written by a disaffected former Witness)
Stafford, Greg. Jehovah's Witnesses Defended and Three Dissertations. The author considers himself one of Jehovah's Witnesses but has renounced affiliation with the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society. He now considers himself a Christian Witness of Jah, or one of Jehovah's Witnesses who rejects beliefs specific to Jehovah's Witnesses. These books review and thoroughly explore some of the most common, and/or prevalent, criticisms made about Jehovah's Witnesses and the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society. http://www.elihubooks.com/content/books_media.php
External links[edit]
SupportiveOfficial Jehovah's Witnesses website
Jehovah's Witnesses response to child abuse allegations (video)
Jehovah's Witnesses Official Policy on Child Protection
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
CriticalApologetics index - Criticisms of Jehovah's Witnesses from a mainstream Christian viewpoint.
Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform on Blood - A site that promotes reform of the Watch Tower Society's blood doctrine.
Exposé on the Jehovah's Witnesses - From Blue Letter Bible. An examination of the Watch Tower Society. Contains relatively brief explanations of each point.
Free Minds, Inc - the largest Watchtower dissident site
Historical Idealism and Jehovah's Witnesses - Documents the historical development of Jehovah's Witness chronology and the claimed "idealized" history of it by the Watch Tower Society
JW Files--Research on Jehovah's Witnesses - A site "dedicated to research on Jehovah Witnesses".
jwfacts.com - Information about Jehovah's Witnesses
JWRecovery Magazine - An ex-JW community contributed magazine / journal which provides information and support assistance to former Jehovah's Witnesses.
Religious Tolerance.org Jehovah's Witnesses Policies & examples of child sexual abuse.
Silentlambs.org Silentlamb's official web site.


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Kevin Campbell Could Become First Openly Gay Winner of Big Brother




By GLAAD |

September 15, 2009







Tonight on CBS' Big Brother 11, Kevin Campbell, a 29-year-ol graphic designer from Chula Vista, California, could become the first openly gay contestant to win the $500,000 grand prize in the show's history.
By making it to the final three, Kevin has already advanced further in the game than any gay male contestant before him. (Ivette Corredero, a lesbian, made it to the final two on Big Brother 6 but fell short of first place).
Kevin Campbell could win it all!
Kevin Campbell could win it all!
The start of this season saw the houseguests divided into high school cliques: "Athletes," "Populars," "Offbeats" and "Brains." As a former Jehovah's Witness who was rejected by his family after he came out, Kevin was placed with the "Offbeats" alongside Lydia, a heavily tattooed bisexual make-up artist, and Casey, a fifth-grade teacher who moonlights as a DJ.
The other houseguests, some of whom had had little previous interaction with LGBT people, embraced Kevin and were genuinely interested in learning more about his life as a gay man. A particularly touching moment came when Kevin won the Head of Household competition and received a letter from his partner of nine years as a prize. These instances coupled with Kevin's amicable demeanor allowed America to see a positive portrayal of a mature gay man in a committed relationship.
Tonight, Kevin will first have to defeat Jordan Lloyd, a 22-year-old waitress from North Carolina, to secure his place in the final two before deciding where to take Jordan or his ally, Natalie Martinez, with him to face the jury vote.
In Big Brother, one is always advised to "expect the unexpected." However, if jurors vote based on who played the strongest game, expect Kevin to come out victorious. Be on the lookout on this blog for future stories on our favorite Big Brother houseguest!
Issues:  Entertainment
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 Big Brother 11,
 CBS,
 Kevin Campbell
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Kevin Campbell Could Become First Openly Gay Winner of Big Brother




By GLAAD |

September 15, 2009







Tonight on CBS' Big Brother 11, Kevin Campbell, a 29-year-ol graphic designer from Chula Vista, California, could become the first openly gay contestant to win the $500,000 grand prize in the show's history.
By making it to the final three, Kevin has already advanced further in the game than any gay male contestant before him. (Ivette Corredero, a lesbian, made it to the final two on Big Brother 6 but fell short of first place).
Kevin Campbell could win it all!
Kevin Campbell could win it all!
The start of this season saw the houseguests divided into high school cliques: "Athletes," "Populars," "Offbeats" and "Brains." As a former Jehovah's Witness who was rejected by his family after he came out, Kevin was placed with the "Offbeats" alongside Lydia, a heavily tattooed bisexual make-up artist, and Casey, a fifth-grade teacher who moonlights as a DJ.
The other houseguests, some of whom had had little previous interaction with LGBT people, embraced Kevin and were genuinely interested in learning more about his life as a gay man. A particularly touching moment came when Kevin won the Head of Household competition and received a letter from his partner of nine years as a prize. These instances coupled with Kevin's amicable demeanor allowed America to see a positive portrayal of a mature gay man in a committed relationship.
Tonight, Kevin will first have to defeat Jordan Lloyd, a 22-year-old waitress from North Carolina, to secure his place in the final two before deciding where to take Jordan or his ally, Natalie Martinez, with him to face the jury vote.
In Big Brother, one is always advised to "expect the unexpected." However, if jurors vote based on who played the strongest game, expect Kevin to come out victorious. Be on the lookout on this blog for future stories on our favorite Big Brother houseguest!
Issues:  Entertainment
  .
Tags:  Big Brother,
 Big Brother 11,
 CBS,
 Kevin Campbell
  .

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.
.... ..



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About GLAAD

GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBT acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love.
more about GLAAD >>
contact us >>
donate now
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Big Brother 11's Kevin Campbell Discusses Growing Up a Jehovah's Witness




By GLAAD |

October 14, 2009







Recently GLAAD had the opportunity to talk with Kevin Campbell, the third place finisher on the most recent edition of CBS' Big Brother, and discuss his experiences as an out and proud gay man who was raised as a Jehovah's Witness.
 Kevin Campbell1On how being raised a Jehovah's Witness impacted his life as a gay man:
I remember the moment I realized I was gay was when I was in a meeting at church and they were reading a scripture in the Bible about how men who sleep with men are evil and wicked. And I remember as a kid, listening to that, and I was like, “Oh my God, I think that’s me!” I felt like the whole congregation was looking at me and I felt dirty, and you know, it definitely impacted me. I think conversely though, it helped me become the fabulous person I am now because I never want to go back into that corner—I never want to go back in the closet. I never want to have that feeling again. I just don’t want to go back to that space again, and that’s why I was fabulous like I was in the house, because I didn’t want anyone to put me in the closet again.

On coming out to his family:
My brother basically outed me. So what happened was, I told my brother, I was like, “Oh my God, I think I’m gay.” He freaks out. He told the elders in the congregation, which are like ministers or priests or whatever—he told them. My father had a heart attack within this week, so I go to visit my father in the hospital and these elders come to go pray for him. And they come up to me and they’re like, “So you know, your brother told us about your situation. If you don’t tell your father and your mother in the next week, we’re going to tell them for you,” so I was like, “Oh my God.” Needless to say, I came out to my mother in the hospital cafeteria, and then she told my father—later though, because he was still recovering from the heart attack.


Kevin (2nd from top right) and the cast of <i>Big Brother 11</i>
Kevin (2nd from top right) and the cast of Big Brother 11


On his ex-communication:
They made an announcement to the whole congregation that I’ve been ex-communicated and they’re not to talk to me anymore. And ever since then, literally, the next day, my friends disappeared. I couldn’t talk to my mother, my father. My mother actually told me when they made the announcement—she cried—my mother’s Japanese and she rarely shows any emotion. She cried, and this is the second time in my life I’ve ever seen her cry…she told me that she has to think of me as being dead, because if she knew I was alive and living down the street, it would be too hard for her. Consequently, they moved to Japan like maybe 6 months later. But yeah, it was a hard experience. It was very crushing. I thought my life was over. I thought…I honestly thought that everything was done with me, but I just decided it wasn’t going to be the end of me, and I just kept going. And I just feel so sorry that certain organizations or certain people can do this to our community, and make us feel so horrible and split our families up.

On reuniting with his family:
Part of the reason why I wanted to do Big Brother is because I haven’t spoken to my mother and father in like, nine years…and I wanted them to somehow know that I was still doing okay. So deep down inside, I thought, well if I go onto Big Brother they would at least hear about me see  through the television that I’m happy.  So, after the show was over, CBS contacted my parents and I was connected to my parents, and we actually had dinner for the first time. They met my boyfriend for the first time, the day before yesterday. It was so awkward but so amazing. I think they are more open, I think they realize that, whoa, Kevin is serious. I mean, nine years with a man is serious. Nine years with anyone is very serious. I think I’m definitely opening their eyes, or their hearts at least, to the concept that, yeah, maybe they’re not completely accepting of me, but at least we need to show that we still love him. Because you know, a phone call goes a long way.
Issues:  Entertainment,
 Religion and Faith
  .
Tags:  Big Brother,
 CBS,
 Jehovah's Witness,
 Kevin Campbell
  .

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About GLAAD

GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBT acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love.
more about GLAAD >>
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Jehovah's Witness












Big Brother 11's Kevin Campbell Discusses Growing Up a Jehovah's Witness



Recently GLAAD had the opportunity to talk with Kevin Campbell, the third place finisher on the most
By GLAAD |

October 14, 2009
Issues:  Entertainment,
 Religion and Faith
  .
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Accurate Reporting on LGBT Nondiscrimination: A Guide for Journalists.



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About GLAAD

GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBT acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love.
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Big Brother 11's Kevin Campbell Discusses Growing Up a Jehovah's Witness



Recently GLAAD had the opportunity to talk with Kevin Campbell, the third place finisher on the most
By GLAAD |

October 14, 2009
Issues:  Entertainment,
 Religion and Faith
  .
...
Subscribe to RSS - Jehovah's Witness
 ..






Accurate Reporting on LGBT Nondiscrimination: A Guide for Journalists.



..







.. ..




About GLAAD

GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBT acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love.
more about GLAAD >>
contact us >>
donate now
© 2015 all rights reserved | privacy policy
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http://www.glaad.org/tags/jehovahs-witness