Rebuttal #6: False Prophet
#6 Objection: The whole basis for the governing body to claim it has authority over the sheep of the congregation of Jesus Christ is this scripture:
Matt 24:45-47 BSB
45Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time? 46Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
A person can research the founding fathers and history of the beginning of the modern-day organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses for more perspective on whether it started from God or spiritistic origins. My introduction began in 1991. Our experiences in life are often shaped by the people around us and for this, I give credit to those of faith and those that provided me with love and acceptance in the time I was first approached and was accepted into their society. I was under personal duress having lived a life without roots having been raised in multiple countries and cultures and self-directed at age 14 in a drug infested culture of the 1970’s. The congregation took me in and made me feel I was part of a loving extended family. I know they were sincere but I also recognize now that they are misled in their theology as also I became misled. Over time, I began to understand that love is conditional love; though not by everyone. The indoctrination by the WT Governing Body substitutes it’s authority for that Jesus’ love and spoils brotherly love because they are conditioned to obey the organization over showing true brotherly love.
Along the way, as I said, it became apparent that the governing body was speaking unnecessary false teachings. A slave is a worker for the master, not one that bloviates on prophesies and sends the sheep this way and that way, correcting their own wrong interpretations of “truth” (calling it New Light) and crushing the spirit of the sheep with abusive practices like shunning and a death-dealing doctrine on blood transfusions. The society and its members, as directed by the WT, often quote this scripture to excuse their changing doctrine and recanting of previous doctrinal statements:
Proverbs 4:18 NWT
18But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light That grows brighter and brighter until full daylight
They believe this scripture accounts for and justifies them for the changes in their understanding of scriptures and changes in doctrines over time. They say they have received “New Light”. But this scripture doesn't endorse a group of men as having an exclusive license on "light." Rather, the scripture applies to ALL the righteous persons seeking God. All of us personally discover more enlightenment concerning our God as we continue to grow and draw closer to HIM. The Holy Spirit reveals understanding and enlightenment to us regarding our God (John 16:13, John 14:26, Luke 12:12.) Do not depend on other men to give you “light”. Only Jesus Christ and the Word of God is the light of the world.
John 16:13 BSB
13However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.
In Mathew 24:45, what is the “food” that Jesus talks about being given at the proper time? Is it words of men (as in Watchtower publications)? Or is it the words of God-given Scriptures? When Jesus replied to Satan that man does not live by bread alone but on every word that comes from God's mouth (Matt 4:4) was he not saying that the Scriptures are THE life-sustaining food for all believers? Yes, Jesus said that it is the WORD of GOD that is life-giving and is the food HE wants us to be fed. So, a shepherd over the flock of God would be feeding scriptures to the sheep (because scriptures are truth,) not false man-made expository teachings, which by their nature coming from men are fallible and subject to change. Man’s words are NOT our food! Pure Scripture is OUR FOOD!!!
John 6:63 BSB
63The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
These men of the Governing Body will have blood guilt when standing before Christ on their judgement day for they have done great harm to truth seekers and true believers in Christ. They have also harmed those that might have been seeking Christ but were repulsed when they were stumbled by the falsehoods and conditional brotherly love. The GB sets a lot of rules that are not scriptural and create a culture that is harsh and impossible to live in for most people because of the requirements for meeting attendance, meeting participation, teaching parts, field service hours, book studies and for the elders, meetings and shepherding calls. Members often are exhausted and many develop psychosomatic illnesses to get out of keeping up because it is too much for them and they do not want to be regarded as spiritually weak. They dis-fellowship teenagers for making mistakes in their teenage struggles with peer pressure and social acceptance. Most human beings go through a phase when coming of age and are trying to fit in to their peer groups, whether inside or outside the organization. The mental damage done to a teenager is and abomination. I believe in recent years they have moved away from dis-fellowshipping teenagers for wild behavior and are letting parents deal with their children. This is good for them to do this.
They say they are keeping everyone busy for the good of the sheep keeping on the narrow path, but they really are keeping them so busy they have less time to think and to meditate on the Word of God itself, and less time to allow The Holy Spirit to work within them. Keeping up with the mandatory literature consumption and regurgitation of Watchtower doctrine is a heavy requirement. I would say it is a burden and designed to keep one from learning and cultivating a personal relationship with God through Jesus. The pressure to become dependent on the Watchtower literature becomes dominant in their lives.
The Watchtower literature makes clear and reinforces that their very salvation depends on their performance to the Watchtower requirements of meeting attendance, commenting on articles (rote commenting,) and field service hours. At some point, even those that try to ensure to read the scriptures themselves feel the pressure to keep up with the program Watchtower literature to be prepared for meetings and so it is often the Bible reading time in their busy lives that is pushed to the back burner. This is exactly what Satan wants. He wants to keep everyone busy reading man originated literature by a false prophet so it is substituted for time to read the actual Word of God.
This practice of reading a Watchtower magazine paragraph and then answering preset questions stated in the paragraph is the main "methodology" of mental conditioning (mental programming aka, indoctrination.) There are a vast number of publications and no matter which book one reads or studies, the WT doctrinal points are reinforced. You don’t need to read and ponder scriptures; you just need to learn what is presented to you. If you keep publicly questioning the doctrinal points you will eventually be counseled/and or dis-fellowshipped. Don’t get me wrong here, the brothers will try to help you reason on the scriptures and “help” you to come to an “accurate” understanding. Even they will offer to “re-teach” you using a particular book. However, it’s the same programming. Without their books or magazines, most cannot teach the WT doctrine from the scriptures.
I once said to an elder that I felt that The Holy Spirit was leading me, and that anyone with a right relationship with God can ask for and receive The Holy Spirit’s guidance. However, I was reminded, with some exclamation of excitement, that the governing body has more Holy Spirit than us publishers (what the members are called), so we should yield to their teaching. Excuse me, but everyone has free access to The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not only channel through a group of men appointed by other men (there is that hijacking attempt again.)
The governing body imposes a practice called dis-fellowshipping. It happens when a member commits biblical sin (or holds on to a viewpoint in contradiction to their doctrine) and is not repentant. A judicial committee is formed to hear the case. The Bible does make an allowance to remove unrepentant sinners from the congregation.
1 Corinthians 5:9-13 BSB
9I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. 10I was not including the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
But does this scripture suggest that a mother or father or husband or wife or child should “SHUN” their family members? Imagine if one was free to speak to the one expelled to lead them again to repentance? How can you do this without talking to them? I understand the elder’s authority to separate the unrepentant sinner, but I would not feel inhibited to talk to a brother or sister I met on the street to encourage them to repent. As a parent of my child, I would not shun a relative or a teenager or anyone for that matter, though that doesn’t mean I would approve or go along with an activity that brought disfavor from God. However, love will cause you to reach out to encourage that person to repent. You don’t have to be accused of “associating” to say hello, or how are you. Do you?
The problem with the culture and directions of the governing body is that when you throw (socially speaking) a brother or sister out into the world hoping they will be miserable and repent because of being isolated, causing even their closest family not to speak to them, you can push vulnerable ones over the edge to commit suicide. Is that love? No, it is not. What small minds. You cause serious damage when you shun a person (especially a teenager or young adult). To shun is not the same thing as when the Bible says not to “associate.” Can you see the difference? I have heard testimony of young people that were dis-fellowshipped at age 15 and the parents told them to move out. There is a difference between a rebellious child and child that is a danger to the family. I remember at an assembly a mother and her two daughters spoke on stage and trashed the middle child that had been dis-fellowshipped at age 14. I don’t know her issue but heard she was staying out and running around with kids and drinking and smoking. Gee. I did all that at 14. This young gal once babysat for me. She came from a good family and I believe, while this is typical of issues teenagers face, most grow out of it and become responsible adults. I did. But to hear the way her mother and sisters’ trashed her very soul I was aghast. How sad.
This organization is a man-made religion with rules, legal practices, and doctrines that are not entirely from the Bible. This form of religion is called “legalism.” Everything must be controlled under the guise of caring for the sheep and protecting the flock. But, is their architecture a healthy way to nurture and encourage believers to find joy in serving the Lord? Rules, meetings, performance expectations, and punishment are the order of the society. Where is real love?
I remember during the years of my “lost time” in a new city I talked to some Witnesses at the door. They even invited me to a regional convention which I went to with them. They knew I was inactive and after a while, (I had not yet attended the local Kingdom Hall) they sent an elder. He came to the door. He introduced himself and asked me one question point blank. “Did anyone in the congregation stumble you?” I paused to think and then replied, “No.” Therefore, he said, “See you at the Kingdom Hall.” He turned and left. I was aghast.
I actually would have welcomed discussing the fact that what stumbled me was the Watchtower article retraction of their false prophetic fulfillment of the separation of sheep and goats. I did not consider the WT or GB a “person in the congregation” per se. That is why I said no to his question. Instead of him being interested and asking, “Well then why haven’t you been coming to the meetings?” What is the issue? He was not interested in the real reason, just quick to make a dismissive judgment that the problem was me. There are many in positions of oversight that lack the caring love that Jesus intended for the congregational shepherds.
So who really is the “discreet slave” who is supposed to feed the sheep per Matt 24:45? Is it this organization or is it individual Christians with Holy Spirit who help their brethren in the everyday building up and nurturing them to grow and stay strong in the faith of Jesus? Is it each of us as we encourage each other with scripture and sharpen each other for spiritual battle?
Perhaps you are aware of the legal proceedings in Australia where the government commission opened an inquiry concerning the unreported pedophilia and incest taking place in various congregations in Australia. It was a serious problem and the elders were not reporting said crimes to the authorities to protect the children. The Society was found guilty and as a result, a Watchtower article here in the USA addressed the issue. Elders now must report such things to local authorities.
It is too late for the many children through the years who reported such heinous crimes to the elders who didn't then alert authorities. The directions from the organization were lacking in wisdom as elders responsible for the spiritual welfare of the children and young people in the congregations were not protecting them from sexual predators. Sexual abuse of children is being exposed now across the world. But for decades sexual abuse was taking place, yet the organization instructed them not to take accusations to the authorities “so as not to bring reproach upon Jehovah’s name.” The elders upon having a meeting to hear the claims of abuse by a child or woman would go by the Bible’s “two witness rule.” If there was not another witness to the acts, then no action would be taken by the elders to report the crime to authorities or discipline the perpetrator.
I have listened to the video testimony on YouTube of a young woman abused by her father (who was an elder,) and not only did it take years to try and convict her abusive father in court (he ultimately went to prison), but the mother never protected her daughter from what she knew was taking place (for fear of harming her husband’s standing in the congregation). That girl is damaged emotionally and spiritually. You can see it in her videos. She is a young woman in her 20s who still has the mannerisms of a pre-pubescent child. She is emotionally damaged. A wise shepherd would not allow something heinous to carry on past the first report of abuse.
She is not a believer in Christ today and I suspect it is because the organization failed her by claiming to be the only true church, yet not taking prudent, wise, or loving measures to help her escape her abusive father who was an elder. The elders, having heard her complaint against her father years earlier, right away should have called the authorities, but did not because of "the two witness rule." So, the father continued to sexually abuse his two daughters. Finally, it was a therapist and other JW family members (an uncle) who supported her through a painful trial before her father went to prison. He was ultimately dis-fellowshipped (and that is for good reason of sinful behavior).
What is most revealing, however, is that a member of the governing body gave FALSE testimony and lied under oath while taking the stand in the Australian government commission hearings. Geoffrey Jackson, a member of the governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses said in his testimony when asked by the prosecutor, “Do you see yourselves as Jehovah God’s spokespeople on earth?” Mr. Jackson’s reply was, “That I think, would seem to be quite presumptuous to say that we are the only spokesperson that God is using.” Let that sink in (google the YouTube video clip). These governing body members and the entire organization has always adhered to 100% exclusive legitimacy and authority to be the ONLY congregation of Christ in the these last day. Outside the organization is only false religions and “lost unsaved” people.
This organization has continuously claimed to be God’s exclusive spokesperson at this time of the last days and that all other forms of Christian religions are counterfeits and will be destroyed. Let him telling a lie about his beliefs and his false testimony sink in. He doesn't believe what he said. Just listen to the Governing Body members talk on their broadcast channel and you will hear them still say they are the EXCLUSIVE means that God is using to communicate to Jesus’ Sheep around the world. They are the only "Discreet Slave." All other forms of Christianity are counterfeits. True, there are many counterfeit self-proclaimed Christian organizations in the world today. Many are introducing man doctrine into their teachings of the Holy Scriptures. This is wrongful teaching. A good shepherd should teach only the Holy Scriptures. Only God’s Word can be found true and man’s words are suspect.
The key reason why I left them 28 years ago after I read that WT article on the sheep and goat retraction is this: how can this organization exert such control over my life (including the power to dis-fellowship), claim to be God’s exclusive channel between God and men and announce that God's prophesies are being fulfilled, yet years later say “oops, we made a mistake?” The false claim of fulfillment of the separation of the sheep and the goats was retracted in October 1995 as wrong. Why am I making a big deal about it? What they had said was that we, as disciples of Jesus and WT publishers by going out into the door-to-door ministry were helping Jesus, (now ruling from the invisible heavens as of 1914) to separate mankind into the sheep and goats for eternal judgement: those that were favorable to the message we preached were showing themselves as sheep and those not favorable, as goats. We were being used by Jesus for judgment on our fellow man.
Where does it say that Jesus needs our help in the separation work? Nowhere! Where does it say in scripture that Jesus is doing that work now (back then before the retraction?) Nowhere! The Bible says Jesus does the separating work after the tribulation but before the Millennial rule begins (Matt 25:31-46.)
What is a false prophet? One that says a proclamation is from God, yet it does not come true. The Bible warns us to stay away from these false prophets.
Jer 23:16 BSB
16 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.) (See also Jer. 5:31)
Deu 18:20-22 BSB
20But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put to death.” 21 You may ask in your heart, “How can we recognize a message that the LORD has not spoken?” 22 When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
#6 Recap: Remember their prophesy of the “this generation shall not pass away…1914” that did not come true.
They claim this exclusive governance authority is from God. No other congregations/religions outside the Watchtower have rightful worship. They implement rules and a class system that deprives members of partaking of the body and blood of Christ at their annual memorial. They cause children and adults to refuse lifesaving blood transfusions that has resulted in their death. They dis-fellowship and cause untold mental anguish on family relationships. They stumble sincere seekers of Godly Truth with their changing “light”. In short, they ruin lives. My tears flow abundantly for the families I know that are still practicing faithfully in that small congregation in Canada and even worldwide knowing that their faith is misaligned and they are blocked from the message of salvation and good news of Jesus Christ.
They worship a construct from the minds of men (that will always be fallible). But moreover, the restraining of the members from partaking at the memorial, improper baptism, the casual way they use God’s memorial name “Jehovah” instead of rightfully using the name of Jesus, the prohibition of blood transfusions, the oppression of the spirit of the sheep by making no allowance for holidays and festivals, the many false teachings and failed prophesies, leads me to only one place. I didn’t embark to refute their beliefs but The Holy Spirit has nudged me and instructed me to research these beliefs. My research in scripture proved their unique doctrines are not true. I therefore must reject their religion, their authority over me, and their oppression of my Christian faith.