As you yourself have noted, letters to Bethel do not work and are often referred back to the elders so they can "adjust your thinking". I have been advised to keep my "apostate reasonings" to myself or face removal from the congregation. If I do not speak "the truth," but remain silent, I will certainly be punished by Jehovah. If I speak "the truth" and do not remain silent, I will be punished by Jehovah's organization. The scriptures say we should obey God rather than men. How is it possible to speak "the truth" and still remain in good standing in the Congregation? How do you deal with this problem?

You should probably listen to the elders' advice if you want to stay in the congregation. As you know, the Watchtower has exclusive rights to establish what is to be taught among Jehovah's Witnesses in the congregations. So, anyone who teaches something contrary to the Watchtower is working against the congregation and is viewed as an enemy. Whether what you say is true or false is really not the point. The thing to remember is that most of Jehovah's Witnesses do not have issues with what the Watchtower teaches us. They implicitly trust that what they are being taught is true. That being the case, why should we want to be the ones to set a stumbling block before others by pointing out the Watchtower's errors?

We are under obligation to love one another. Love always looks out for the other person's best interest. Jesus himself lovingly held back from telling his apostles things that he knew they couldn't bear at the time. Up to this present moment, Jesus has not fulfilled his promise to guide us into all the truth. If, now, Christ holds back from burdening his disciples with the whole truth, until such time as he judges us to be ready to bear up under it, why should we imagine that it is our God-assigned duty to lay bear the Watchtower's errors before the congregation?

However, the Internet is different, because in all likelihood a person on the net has already been exposed to potentially faith-destroying negativity regarding the Watchtower. And, people on the net are usually actively looking for information, so in that case the truth should be available in equal measure to the error exposed.

If one is disfellowshipped as an apostate (or finds it necessary to disassociate oneself before this happens) for disagreeing with certain incorrect teachings of Jehovah's witnesses, how would one be viewed by Jehovah? Would Jehovah require such a one to seek reinstatement in the congregation? How would this be possible without verbally acknowledging that one was previously in error, thus being viewed by Jehovah as a liar. The scriptures are clear as to the fate of liars

There are thousands who have been stumbled out of the truth and many others who, for one reason or another, are alienated from the organization. There is an account in the Bible that may give such ones hope. The account has to do with David and a man named Shimei, on the occasion when David was humiliated and forced to flee from his throne on account of Absalom's usurpation. As David and his entourage were going into exile, Shimei walked alongside them at some distance, throwing dust in the air, hurling stones, and calling down evil upon David, saying: "Get out, get out, you bloodguilty man and good-for-nothing man... And here you are in calamity, because you are a bloodguilty man." (II Samuel 16:7)

For a fact, David was a bloodguilty man---especially so in the case of David's scheme to have Bathsheba's husband put to death---so, that much was true. And David recognized that Jehovah was allowing him to go through that difficult time as a punishment. But, Jehovah also had mercy on David, primarily because of the covenant he had earlier made with David. So, God restored David to his throne. That's where it gets interesting. Upon hearing that Absalom had been killed and that David was returning to Jerusalem to claim his throne, Shimei went out to meet David and begged for clemency. Even though Abishai counseled David that Shimei should be put to death for having called down evil upon Jehovah's anointed king, David refused to have him executed. Instead David said: "Will anyone today be put to death in Israel?" (II Samuel 19:22) So, it appears that David granted amnesty to all those who may have sided with Absalom.

The point is many, many Psalms and prophecies foretell that during Christ's presence, God's anointed ones will similarly be laid low, humiliated, and afterwards restored---just as was David. The account in Samuel appears to establish a pattern for how Jehovah will judge matters. If so, then, we may expect that the Greater David, Jesus, will extend an opportunity for amnesty to all those who formerly may have opposed his brothers, provided of course that they have the faith and humility to accept Christ's brothers at that time. That is in harmony with the illustration of the sheep and the goats. (A side note: Shimei had restrictions put on him by Solomon and was later put to death for failing to abide by his agreement.)

So, while Shimei was right about David being bloodguilty, he nevertheless was guilty of calling down evil upon Jehovah's anointed king and for that he deserved to die. Likewise, many of the accusations against the faithful slave also have some merit. However, they are still Jehovah's anointed sons and we will eventually be judged on the basis of how we treat those who are Christ's brothers. In effect, those who are disfellowshipped for apostasy are guilty of calling down evil on Christ's brothers. So, at some point each will have to acknowledge their error or face the consequences.

Who killed Goliath in the NWT? I Sam. 21:9 say's David. II Sam. 21:19 say's Elhanan. The omission of the italics here creates a contradiction. Saying there is more than one Goliath does not solve the problem. There is only one, I Sam. 17:4,23. He's Goliath of Gath, the Philistine, and the Gittite. Please explain.

This site has clarified a lot to me, which I appreciate. However, can you explain how you came about with such an idea when you imply you are one of Jehovah Witnesses. Are you in disagreement? State your motive. and still remain in good standing in the Congregation? How do you deal with this problem?

Why don't Jehovah's Witnesses say the Pledge of Allegiance?

I cannot express how thankful I am to have found this site. I have been trying to reconcile my Love for Jehovah and Christ Jesus with the glaring failures of this human organization. We do not live in a spiritual paradise at present. What is offered us is far superior to anything elsewhere, but it still falls short. I want to serve God but I feel that I am prodded to serve man. In many ways the Watchtower is emphasized over Christ. How can this be?

Jehovah's Witnesses use terms like theocratic and theocracy to describe our efforts to do things God's way. While we may have faith and hope that some day God will rule over us directly, the truth is that God is not really ruling in our midst in the way that He will. We often point to the failure of human governments and religious institutions as proof that God never intended humans to rule themselves, yet we too must eventually come to terms with our own failure to establish what might be termed a theocracy. In some ways our failure is even more glaring because we have really tried to do things God's way. More than anyone else, Jehovah's Witnesses prove the point that no matter how sincere and noble our efforts may be; no matter how devoted we are to Jehovah; no matter how earnestly we may endeavor to walk in Christ's footsteps, we fall far short.

But, in that respect we do serve God. We serve God's interests by demonstrating that even Christ's faithful slave cannot direct his own step successfully. We will serve God further by bearing up under His rebuke and correction.

Many of the Psalms speak of Jehovah becoming King. While Jehovah has always been King of the universe, he has not really asserted his kingship over His people and the world. But, when he does, it will be unmistakable. When Jehovah says that He will not share his glory with anyone else, that means that He will no longer allow any human or human institution to stand between Him and His people.

You cannot reason with the Elders even if you can prove from the scriptures what you are saying. They will always take the interpretation of the "Slave" over the clear statements of scripture...What is my point? In order for Jehovah to chastise his people to the proper degree and correct their wrong thinking, will He not have to remove the WTBTS and all those who are part of its organizational structure, from the Governing Body right down to the Elders and ministerial Servants in the individual congregations? This is something of concern for all those who wish to serve Jehovah, as he requires.

When Jesus was killed, the prophecy of Zechariah 13:7 was fulfilled where it called for the shepherd to be struck and the sheep to be scattered. According to the context, however, that prophecy has a much larger fulfillment. We may anticipate, then, that the leadership of the organization will be discredited. For example, the 4th verse describes God's spokesmen, saying: "And it must occur in that day that the prophets will be ashamed...and he will certainly say, 'I am no prophet. I am a man cultivating the soil...' In other words, it will no longer be necessary to prove that certain of our interpretations are wrong. It will become obvious. So much so that those who taught such things will disavow ever having done so.

Because the elders and ministerial servants each receive their appointments through the Watchtower and they teach according to the format and program given them, when the Watchtower goes down it will have a profound impact on the entire organization from top to bottom. Zechariah 13:9 explains that when the shepherd is struck, it will serve as Jehovah's means to refine his people. When the Watchtower goes down it will no longer be necessary to engage in futile arguments with elders, as the coming disaster will force us to stop being unreasonable and it will require that each person of faith look to Jehovah for the answers.

Dear Watchman. What is your view regarding the WBTS's disfellowshipping arrangement? This practice results in painful isolating of former loved ones and family break-ups, and has obviously stumbled many and caused a great deal of heartache, resentment, and hostility towards JW's. It has stumbled many and it seems to have brought reproach on Jehovah's namesake people. Obviously the bible is clear that the wicked man should be 'removed' from amongst us, but do you think the Society has perhaps gone to a cruel, rigid and heartless Pharisaic-like application of the scriptures that relate to disfellowshipping?

Anytime imperfect men are given power over others it only seems to magnify our imperfections. On the one hand, the Watchtower is being accused of not disfellowshipping when it ought to, as in the case of pedophiles, for instance. But, on the other hand, it seems that disfellowshipping has gone beyond what God intended. The only solution to this, and all other problems, is that we must have Jehovah's judgment. He is the only One capable of truly setting matters straight.

Interestingly, through Bible prophecy, Jehovah speaks to this very issue. The last eight chapters of Ezekiel are Jehovah's detailed instructions directed to his restored worshippers. Ezekiel 45:9b says: "'Remove the violence and despoiling, and do justice and righteousness themselves. Lift your expropriations off my people,' is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah."

The footnote in the Reference Bible offers the alternative rendering "lift your acts of expulsion off my people." Disfellowshipping is well- described as an act of expulsion. It seems clear that the prophecy calls for an end to disfellowshipping. But, how may we harmonize that with Paul's command to the Corinthians to "remove the wicked man from among yourselves"? Well, apparently at the time that the prophecy of Ezekiel will have significance for us will be after the period when Christ sends forth his angels to gather out of his kingdom 'all things causing stumbling and all persons doing lawlessness.' As Christ also said, 'two will be together and one will be taken along and the other abandoned.'

So, unrepentant immoral persons, sexual predators and the like, will be physically removed from the midst of God's people. Also, the things that cause stumbling, evidently having to do with erroneous teachings and hurtful practices, will also become a thing of the past. That means that, eventually, there will be no reason for any acts of expulsion because Christ will have permanently expelled all of the wicked from the congregation. Not only that, but Christ will eventually guide us into all the truth so that there are no remaining stumbling blocks. The end result will be a spiritual paradise enjoyed by those who remain in the organization after that purge. The blessed ones will no longer be subjected to such things as disfellowshipping.