Jehovah's Witnesses and Independent Thinking

September 2007 Our Kingdom Ministry (an internal Jehovah's Witness publication) clamps down on individual Jehovah's Witnesses doing independent Bible research and study outside of the organisation!



The latest publication is very clear but not new. See:

Should Christian Groups Evangelise Outside JW Conventions?

Jehovah's Witness District Conventions - Is it right for Christian groups to take this opportunity to stand outside these events and witness to the witnesses? They come to the doors of Christians trying to win them over out of thier churches and into the Watchtower religion. Shouldn't Christians, therefore, take this opportunity to go to where many JWs congregate to win them out of the Watchtower and into Christ? Is it a waste of time? Does it bear fruit? How do you witness to someone who thinks you are already "an agent of of Satan"?


Above video: JWs in Manchester city centre during District Convention dinner break.

1914. A Marked Year?

There is so much significance for the year 1914 for Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs) that I thought it would make a good issue to bring up here and (as always) let others have their say as well. For one thing, JWs believe that Jesus actually returned on this date (albeit invisibly unlike Christian churches which believe that Jesus is still yet to come physically - see Matt. 24).

Another significant aspect of the date 1914 for JWs was the concept of the generation of that time. Up until October 22, 1995 every copy of the Watchtower's Awake magazine used to carry the following confident statement on page 4 at the bottom of the page:

"...the Creator’s promise of a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away." (Awake!, page 4, up until October 22, 1995).

But after this edition this statment was changed to read:

"...the Creator’s promise of a peaceful and secure new world that is about to replace the present wicked, lawless system of things." (Awake!, page 4 November 8, 1995, page 4).

David A. Reed comments on the Watchtower's justification for this noteworthy change:

Even more significant is the ‘new truth’ introduced in the November 1, 1995 issue of The Watchtower. On pages 17-19 it changes the Society’s interpretation of Jesus’ words at Matthew 24:34, "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened." (NIV)

On page 17 it admits that "Jehovah’s people have at times speculated about the time when the ‘great tribulation’ would break out, even tying this to calculations of what is the lifetime of a generation since 1914." Now it says, instead (page 17):

Rather than providing a rule for measuring time, the term "generation" as used by Jesus refers principally to contemporary people of a certain historical period, with their identifying characteristics.

Then it goes on to identify the generation that Jesus supposedly pointed to at Matthew 24:34-35 in this way (page 19):

Therefore, in the final fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy today, "this generation" apparently refers to the peoples of earth who see the sign of Christ’s presence but fail to mend their ways.
This new interpretation drops the thought that the world will end during the lifetime of the people who were alive to see the events of 1914. Instead, it has Jesus speaking of the "wicked generation"—people who see the sign of his invisible presence but fail to become JWs—with no time period attached.

Surely though, any JW who is a genuine seeker for truth can see that this is a weak explanation. It is clearly an attempt to save face before the last person who saw 1914 passes away. The clock was ticking and the 1914 generation were very old and most were in fact dead. The promise at the front of Awake was clearly promoted as "the Creator's promise." It is a serious thing to ascribe promises to God which He has in fact not really made and which have not come to pass. God's true word always comes to pass.

Witnesses of Jehovah

View the classic film below. Still pretty much just as relevant today as when it first came out.

The Bible or Watchtower Literature?

Jehovah's Witnesses often pride themselves as being a group who refer to the Bible, and this is true. Even a cursory glance at any Watchtower literature soon reveals many scriptural quotations.

This appeal to the Bible is indeed commendable. However, are Jehovah's Witnesses really faithful to God's Word alone or is it, rather, the interpretation of the Bible through the literature of the Watchtower Society that the Jehovah's Witness is really under the authority of? Numerous quotations could be put fourth to show that it is the latter, some of which are presented below:

"All who want to understand the Bible should appreciate that the "greatly diversified wisdom of God" can become known only through Jehovah's channel of communication, the faithful and discreet slave." (The Watchtower; Oct. 1, 1994; p. 8).

"We have the opportunity to show love for our brothers who take the lead in the congregation or in connection with Jehovah's visible organization worldwide. This includes being loyal to "the faithful and discreet slave." (Matthew 24:45-47) Let us face the fact that no matter how much Bible reading we have done, we would never have learned the truth on our own." (The Watchtower, December 1, 1990, p. 19).

"No matter where we may live on earth, God's Word continues to serve as a light to our path and a lamp to our roadway as to our conduct and beliefs. (Ps. 119:105) But Jehovah God has also provided his visible organization, his "faithful and discreet slave," made up of spirit anointed ones, to help Christians in all nations to understand and apply properly the Bible in their lives. Unless we are in touch with this channel of communication that God is using, we will not progress along the road to life, no matter how much Bible reading we do." (The Watchtower; December 1, 1981, p. 27).

"They say that it is sufficient to read the Bible exclusively, either alone or in small groups at home. But, strangely, through such 'Bible reading,' they have reverted right back to the apostate doctrines that commentaries by Christendom's clergy were teaching 100 years ago,..." (Watchtower; Aug. 15, 1981; p. 29).

Of course, what is especially revealing about this last quote (aside from the erroneous belief that it is only through Watchtower material that the Bible can be understood) is that it is saying that if you read the Bible, and the Bible alone, without any Watchtower study aids or literature, then you will believe as other Christian churches have done for centuries! - i.e. Reading the Bible alone will lead you to believe that Christ is God, the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, the dead are conscious, being born again is for all people, etc., etc.

Many millions throughout the centuries have become Christians by reading the Bible alone. Is it really possible to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and believe as they do, by reading the Bible alone without exposure to any Watchtower literature or influence beforehand? I think that the above quotes reveal a lot in relation to this question. Unless anyone feels otherwise?

The Rationalistic Mind of JWs

I am reading the book Apostles of Denial at the moment, and there is an interesting section on it on how the author feels that JWs are a rationalistic group. This is an observation I myself have also made over the years through studying this religion. Although they profess faith in a supernatural being everything is rationalized logically. This is one of the reasons why they reject the Trinity and gifts and miracles for today, I feel.But if JWs believe that a supernatural God created the heavens and the earth, that Jesus rose from the dead (or rather that He was raised a spirit creature), that He walked on water, multiplied bread and fish to feed 5,000, etc, can rationalistic reasoning really be employed here? At the end of the day, there are some things that go beyond natural rationalistic reasoning, but it seems that many JWs have double standards in this area.

I have also noticed that this rationalism is entrenched in the minds of a number of JWs who leave the movement, especially with those who sort of drift and turn from all religion.

Just my curious ramblings. Any comments or thoughts most welcome.