This is not my question but one I read on JW.com and which I feel deserves an answer. The question is: e-watchman admonishes others not to be causing divisions and seems to think it is best not to speak of things that one is doubting about, yet how is his/her writing not causing division? It would be interesting to have him/her openly state why they have the authority to expose the WTS, etc and yet others do not. So, e-watchman, what is your reply?

First, watchman is definitely a reference to him and not a her. But as for the question you posed: It seems that you are really confusing two different issues. On the one hand, you speak of deliberately exposing the Watchtower, but then you refer to one who has doubts. We shouldn't really imagine that they are necessarily the same, should we? If a person has doubts about their faith, why should they want to share their doubts with others? What can you possibly hope to accomplish except that you will likely cause others to develop doubts themselves or cause them to view you with suspicion and distrust?

On the matter of exposing the Watchtower, as you call it: That's not what e-Watchman is about. The fact is that there are evidently hundreds of web sites on the Internet run by ex-JW's, and others opposed to our faith, that are devoted to "exposing" and bashing the Watchtower. e-Watchman tries to honestly and squarely confront some of the many accusations leveled against the Watchtower by acknowledging that some issues have a basis in fact. So, rather than dismissing such things outrightly as 'apostate lies,' as some of Jehovah's Witnesses may be inclined to do, the approach taken on e-Watchman is to examine such things by taking a fresh look at Bible prophecy. The intent is not to cause doubts or divisions but to impart to others a renewed confidence in God's Word.

The irony of that approach, of course, is that it does further expose the Watchtower's lack of insight, particularly as regards Jehovah's judgments against his organization. But, be that as it may. Obviously, at some point Jehovah's judgments will become manifest. That being the case, it is entirely consistent with the way God has dealt with his wayward people in ancient times, that those who do the "exposing" of the errors of his people should themselves be loyal worshippers of Jehovah and not enemies of Jehovah's people or malcontents. That was, after all, the work that the Hebrew prophets did.

For example, through Isaiah, Jehovah gives the command: "Call out full-throated; do not hold back. Raise your voice just like a horn, and tell my people their revolt, and the house of Jacob their sins." Now the question arises: Was Isaiah an apostate enemy of the house of Jacob? Or a doubter of the Word of God? The answer of course is no. Isaiah and all the other prophets were worshippers of Jehovah. In the modern fulfillment of the prophecy, it seems reasonable that those who obey Jehovah's command to tell God's "people their revolt" are themselves also Jehovah's Witnesses.

There is a rule that attorneys in the courtroom try to observe in order to prevent any little surprises. It states that they should never ask a question of someone on the stand that they do not know already know the answer to. So it is that, e-Watchman is not merely exposing error for the sake of exposing error, but also presenting answers and solutions to the potentially faith-destroying problems confronting Jehovah's Witnesses.

Ultimately, like Job's impassioned defense and Jacob's wrestling with the angel in order to obtain a blessing, we argue for our faith and state our defense before God, as if to convince him of the genuineness of our faith. That is why Paul closed out his letter to the Corinthians by saying: "Have you been thinking all this while that we have been making our defense to you? It is before God that we are speaking in connection with Christ. But, beloved ones, all things are for your upbuilding.

Why did god create dinosaurs and in laymen terms please explain this. Also, why do Jehovah witnesses believe in creation but not evolution? I am a Jehovah witness, but would like you to back your answer up with proof from sources other than the bible or proof based on the bible. Please try and answer me sufficiently, and also try and understand what I need to be satisfied by your answer. This is a serious query. Thank you. P.S. everyone that I've asked so far has been unable to explain why they believe what they believe without contradicting themselves.

Jehovah hasn't said exactly why he made dinosaurs, but we may assume that they served some ecological function at the time, as does all of God's creation. For that matter, we could ask the same question about every creation that you have asked about dinosaurs. For example: Why did God make butterflies? Why did he make pines trees? What about snails, lobsters, fleas, daffodils, black holes, armadillos, bacteria, bananas, ragweeds, and Chihuahuas? The list is as many as creation itself. Jehovah, though, states very simply why he created all things—including dinosaurs. Genesis 2:3b says: "He has been resting from all his work that God has created for the purpose of making."

Like a painter, musician or any other sort of artist that follows their creative impulse, Jehovah became a Creator because that's what he wanted to do. It seems evident that he just enjoys making stuff. And just like any human creator (and let's face it, we all enjoy the praise of others for our contributions and talents), so too, the One in whose image we are made apparently enjoys the fact that other persons can intelligently evaluate and appreciate the Creator's handiwork and mastery. But, while humans weren't on hand to witness the gentile giants and terrible monsters that Jehovah made, there were heavenly observers that must have been in awe (if not amused) at God's creative diversity in connection with the dinosaurs. So, that's as simple of an explanation that God offers us, saying simply that he made all things "for the purpose of making."

As for proof of creation that is not based upon the Bible, it must be pointed out that the Bible is not proof of creation anyway. According to Romans 1:20, creation is proof of a Creator. The Bible merely proves that Jehovah--and not some other would-be-god--is the Creator , but it is creation itself that testifies that it was created.

Although evolutionists speak of their theories as though they were facts, the fact is that it cannot be demonstrated scientifically, nor has it ever been observed, that any sort of living thing comes from non-living matter. We may conclude that such a thing is an impossibility. On the other hand, it can be observed that all living things come from other living things. That is a fact of life. Therefore, just based upon that simple truth which everyone is aware of, the only conclusion that may be drawn is that all life on earth had to have come from a source of life above and beyond our realm. Any other explanation, no matter how sophisticated, defies the plain and simple facts before us.

My question is this, why should I, or anyone for that matter, put "faith" in what you have written? Who are you, and, how, why, have you arrived at this point of divergence or enlightenment that would qualify you to make such a judgment/prophesy concerning the Organization in question? Although I fully subscribe to the theory that it is the message rather than the messenger that is of importance, still, in an age of deceit and self-aggrandizement it is important to know who the bearer of message is in determining the validity of what is being proclaimed.

Fair enough, but instead of answering the question of "who," the question of "when" and "why" might provide a more useful bit of information. What does that mean?

As all of Jehovah's Witnesses should appreciate, Jehovah is the only personage of any importance. Our relevance is only in relation to God. Paul recognized that truth when he made the simple statement, "I did not prove to be inferior to your superfine apostles in a single thing, even if I am nothing." Interestingly, though, Paul made that statement because he was forced by the circumstance of persecution within the congregation to defend his qualifications as an apostle. In reality, the Corinthian congregation was really a microcosm of the entire organization that exists today. Back then, some of those Corinthians lived trouble-free lives and basked in the glory, honor, and the plaudits of others in the congregation. That's why Paul chided them by asking: "You men already have your fill, do you? You are rich already, are you? You have begun ruling as kings without us, have you?"

Paul went on say that God had seemingly assigned the apostles to be "last on exhibition as men appointed to death," so as to become a theatrical spectacle to the world and even to angels. He contrasted the apostles and the Corinthians, saying: "We are fools because of Christ, but you are discreet in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are in good repute, but we are in dishonor." Of course the apostles were not actually last on exhibition; that's because the curtain has not yet come down on the theatrical spectacle. There is to be a grand finale.

Today, the very same scenario seems to be playing out, only with the roles reversed, so that it is now the older anointed brothers who seem to be those who have their fill, who are occupying the place of those who seem to be ruling as kings in the organization. The Governing Body appear to be those who are "discreet," "strong," and "in good repute" in the organization, while those who have been anointed in more recent times are typically viewed as "fools" and frauds by the brothers.

Christ Jesus actually foretold that such a condition would exist among his anointed ones during the final phase of Christianity. In the 20th chapter of Matthew Jesus said: "But many that are first will be last and the last first." To explain what he meant, Jesus gave an illustration, likening the kingdom of the heavens to a man who owned a vineyard, who went out to hire men to work for him. They agreed on a day's wage and went off to work. Periodically during the day, the master continued to hire men to work his vineyard, even hiring up to the 11th hour of the day. At the end of the day, he paid the 11th hour hires the same wage as those who worked all day. That caused those who were hired first to complain that they had been cheated by such inequity. The master, though, explained to them that it was his right to be generous with his own funds. He told the complainers to take their wage and go. Jesus reiterated the same principle saying, again: "In this way the last ones will be first, and the first ones last."

According to the Watchtower, as explained in the Greatest Man book, those hired in the early part of the day represent the Pharisees, while those hired in the 11th hour are the apostles. That explanation, though, does not take into account the fact that the illustration is in regards to the kingdom of the heavens. In the 23rd chapter of Matthew Jesus stated very plainly that the Pharisees did not enter into the kingdom and in fact, they tried to prevent others from doing so. Yet, in the illustration the master handed the discontented workers their denarius and said, "Take what is yours and go." But, we might ask in what way did the Pharisees receive a wage from Christ as kingdom workers alongside the apostles? The Watchtower does not say.

In view of such an inadequate and unsatisfactory explanation, it should be obvious that Christ's illustration has not been properly understood by the Watchtower. The reason for such a lack of insight is because the older anointed and the Governing Body are the very ones pictured in the prophetic parable as being hired in the early part of the day---who have "bore the burden of the day and the burning heat." Yes, true to the illustration, the prevailing attitude in the organization is that those anointed more recently, comparable to the 11th-hour hired ones, are considered somehow less worthy of honor than the old timers.

The foretold attitude of resentment the Watchtower's old-guard establishment displays has created a condition much like that which existed within the Corinthian congregation that Paul described, only instead of the apostles bearing the reproach, it is the young, anointed brothers and sisters--who are considered by most of Jehovah's Witnesses to be nothing more than deluded, pitiable fools. So, that explains the "when," in that those hired during the 11th hour are simply unemployed loiterers who happen to be in the right place at the right time, as the saying goes. Apparently, those who were hired first are those who have enjoyed many blessings in the organization as the "faithful and discreet slave." But, evidently they will be last to come to certain realizations regarding Christ's presence and other aspects of unfolding prophecy; whereas, those who are chosen lastly are the first to receive the future blessings.

Besides Christ's illustration, the same judgment of Jehovah--of making the last first and vice-versa-- is laid out in a prophetic drama in Genesis in connection with Joseph and his 11 brothers. In that account, Joseph represents Christ, and Joseph's brothers represent all of Christ's anointed brothers alive at the time immediately before Christ reveals himself in glory. In the drama, before Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, he had them recline at the banquet table. Each was seated according to their rank---from the eldest brother on down to the youngest, Benjamin, at the far end of the table.

Genesis 43:34 relates that Joseph had all the brothers served, but that "he would increase Benjamin's portion five times the size of the portions of all the brothers," so that "the men kept looking at one another in amazement." Also, at Genesis 45:22, Joseph gave Benjamin 300 silver pieces and five changes of clothes, whereas the others only got one change of mantles. According to their patriarchal culture, bestowing such honors on the youngest was totally inappropriate. In keeping with Benjamin being the youngest, Revelation lists the tribe of Benjamin lastly among the symbolic 12 tribes of spiritual Israel.

Even in the Psalms, the allowance is made for the younger men to surpass the older men in knowledge. Psalms 119:99-100 says: "More insight than all my teachers I have come to have, because your reminders are a concern to me. With more understanding than older men I behave, because I have observed your own orders."

Jehovah's purpose is to ultimately sanctify himself as God to his own people. It is God's purpose to demonstrate that he is the only source of truth and enlightenment and that the possession of truth is not owing to anything inherent among individuals or an organization. Because the Watchtower has been elevated above counsel, and has become intransigent in many ways, Jehovah God has retained the means to humble everyone, including those who seem to be pillars in the congregation. Throughout the Bible, God has demonstrated that he has the ability to turn the tables in amazing ways. To that end, Jehovah has evidently seen fit to conceal from the older, venerable men of the congregation, the last and vital sacred secrets of his Word. Instead, the honor of understanding such things first goes to those who are last. Hence, the entire honor goes to Jehovah---who makes the first last and the last first.