Was Christ's original congregation an "organized religion," through which Christ exclusively revealed God's purpose? Surely it was. But did the early congregations instantaneously know all there was to know about Jehovah and Christ? No, they didn't. There were many things that were not clear to them regarding the return of Christ and the nature of the resurrection and the kingdom. For example, the relationship between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians was a very divisive issue that plagued the early church for its entire existence.

You speak of the "narrow confines of organized religion" negatively. Ironically, Jesus contrasted two roads that seemingly lead to God—a narrow road and a broad road. One road, though, in reality, leads to destruction and many are those traveling it; whereas; Jesus said that comparatively few people will find the narrow and cramped road leading to everlasting life. 

Whatever problems exist among Jehovah's Witnesses, (and there are many) our faith matches the description of being the narrow and cramped road leading to life. The worst nightmare for the world is that Jehovah's Witnesses are right.

We have a question with regards to Job. He was a faithful man, but not a Jew… How does that fit in with Jehovah only using one organization?

Does Job have any meaning today? How can we align this with the “only one path” or organization [view] that we have been taught?

The book of Job is a vital revelation of what we call a "universal issue," which is yet to be settled with finality. Through the pages of Job we are allowed to peer into the heavens and listen in on an actual exchange that took place between Jehovah and Satan concerning the integrity of a single man—Job. Satan's calling into question the depth and sincerity of Job's love of God, though, really extends to all worshippers of God—be they human or angelic.

Satan contended that Job only served God for what he could get out of him. And Satan accused God of planting a protective hedge around Job; in effect, bribing Job to be faithful.  Jehovah accepted Satan's challenge and removed his protection from Job.

As noted in your question, Job was not an Israelite. He was not a member or even an alien resident of God's nation of Israel—seeing that the nation had not even been formed yet at the time of Job. This seems to be by design. That's because the issue Satan raised focused on one man. Had Job been part of the nation of Israel—Jehovah's organization at the time—it would have detracted from the issue of the integrity of the individual. Also, the organization itself was like a protective hedge around God's people—the very thing the Devil took issue with. In God's wisdom, he apparently chose to make the issue of our personal integrity stand apart from the issues related to a covenanted organization of God.

In this respect Job seems to typify the Great Crowd. How so? Job was not in any covenant with God—as were the Hebrews. And neither are the other sheep that will eventually make up the Great Crowd in a covenant with God. And even though Jehovah has an organization today, eventually we all must all stand before the Judgment seat of God as individuals—as did Job.

Also, Job longed to live on earth again. That is evident from the 14th chapter, where Job said: "O that in Sheol you would conceal me, that you would keep me secret until your anger turns back, that you would set a time limit for me and remember me!"

It is interesting how Jehovah gave Job a portent of an earthly resurrection. God did this by restoring all of Job's lost possessions two-fold. For example, originally Job had 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 spans of cattle and 500 she-asses—as well as 10 children. After Satan plundered all of Job's wealth and killed his children, Jehovah doubled all that Job originally possessed. So, instead of 7,000 sheep Job came to have 14,000 sheep. All the other livestock were doubled as well. However, God only gave Job another ten children to replace the original ten. The question is why didn't God double Job's children like he did everything else? The reason is because in the resurrection Job will have 20 children—the original 10, plus the replacements—making a double-portion.

I was wondering if there are any prophecies that foretold the current increase in persons worshiping Jehovah God. I know most of the prophecies quoted by the WTS regarding the restoration of true worship have been misapplied, for they actually speak of the time after the coming 3-1/2 years. However, it would seem fitting for the Bible to foretell something about the remarkable "resurrection" of true worship we see today.

Logically, there must be true worshipers on earth - otherwise the prophecies of them being "disciplined" by Jehovah could never be fulfilled. However, do any of the prophets specifically say that there would be an ingathering of true worshipers prior to the time of the end? Or is it only implied by what they say?

As you well know, the Watchtower cites numerous prophecies in Isaiah and other prophetic books as supposedly being fulfilled presently in connection with the growth in numbers of Jehovah's Witnesses. For example, the Society frequently applies Isaiah 60:22 to the modern work of Jehovah's Witnesses. That verse reads: "The little one himself will become a thousand, and the small one a mighty nation. I myself, Jehovah, shall speed it up in its own time."

However, the immediate context of that prophecy has to do with the end result of God's disciplining his organization. Please, note the preceding verses, which read: "No more will your sun set, nor will your moon go on the wane; for Jehovah himself will become for you an indefinitely lasting light, and the days of your mourning will have come to completion. And as for your people, all of them will be righteous; to time indefinite they will hold possession of the land, the sprout of my planting, the work of my hands, for me to be beautified."

Not only have "the days of your mourning" not come to a completion, they have not even begun yet! How do we know that the days of mourning for God's people lay ahead of us? Well, consider closely the prophecy of Joel. The Watchtower's interpretation of Joel is nonsensical and should have been discarded decades ago. On the darker side of things it actually seems intended to obfuscate God's word rather than shed light upon it. For example, as a prelude to the fear-inspiring day of Jehovah we read at Joel 1:9 these words directed to Jehovah's anointed priests: "Grain offering and drink offering have been cut off from the house of Jehovah; the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, have mourned."

The Watchtower would have Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the priests and ministers of Jehovah, the very ones who are ministering in the "house of Jehovah," are the clergy of Christendom. Could anything be more absurd? No wonder Jehovah's stinging rebuke is directed to the spiritual drunkards among his people at the time the king of fierce countenance brings ruination upon Jehovah's spiritual nation: "Wake up, you drunkards, and weep; and howl, all you wine drinkers, on account of sweet wine, for it has been cut off from your mouths. For there is a nation that has come up into my land, mighty and without number." (Joel 1:5)

At any rate, the point is that the period of mourning is in the near future; and therefore, so is the speeding up of the little one becoming a thousand—however that manifests itself then.

Based upon the belief that God set matters straight between himself and his people way back in 1919, the Watchtower makes certain unfounded assumptions about Jehovah's Witnesses always having Jehovah's continued unconditional blessing. It is apparent that the Watchtower has become so intoxicated with power and success that it is inconceivable to most of Jehovah's Witnesses that God would ever withdraw his blessing. No doubt that is why the Watchtower sees no need to tell the truth about their unseemly NGO affiliation and the reprehensible way in which they have dealt with child abuse over the years.

However, it is very unwise to presume upon Jehovah.

Hosea 4:9 "And it will have to become for the people the same as for the priest; and I shall certainly hold an accounting against them for their ways; and their dealings I shall bring back upon them. And they will actually eat, but will not get satisfied. They will actually treat women as harlots; but they will not increase, because they have left off paying regard to Jehovah himself. Fornication and wine and sweet wine are what take away good motive. Of their wooden idol my own people keep inquiring, and their own hand staff keeps telling them; because the very spirit of fornication has caused them to wander off, and by fornication they go out from under their God."

The situation Jehovah's Witnesses find themselves in presently is very similar to the deplorable condition of the Israelites described in Hosea's prophecy. The modern-day "wooden idol" is the Watchtower itself, which has taken the place of Jehovah in the minds and hearts of Jehovah's Witnesses. And through the intrigue of the Watchtower in the NGO affair, in Jehovah's eyes the entire organization has been misled into committing spiritual fornication by becoming friends with the world. So, rather than continued increase, the prophecy says: "but they will not increase."

In many countries the increase of past years has already turned into 1%-2% annual decreases in the numbers of Jehovah's Witnesses. It is well-known that the majority of people getting baptized in recent years are the children of Jehovah's Witness parents. If in the past we attributed the increase to Jehovah's blessing, then a corresponding decrease must indicate that Jehovah has withdrawn his blessing. We will see how the present trends develop.

I've come across a book entitled Jehovah's Witnesses the New World Society by Marley Cole. Was Marley Cole a Jehovah Witness when he wrote this book? In the back flap of this book there is only mention of his long being interested in Jehovah's Witnesses. This book was published in 1955 by Vantage Press. Thanks for any help you can provide in this matter.

what is your understanding of the 8th chapter of proverbs? It talks about wisdom but we apply (especially verses 22 - 31) to Jesus as the first created being. I have studied the watchtower's explanation and I have my understanding of it, but I would like to know what you think.

Growing up as a Roman Catholic, there were many Catholic doctrines that I could not comprehend, but being a meek person I accepted for many years as "a mystery", not knowing any other way. When I found "the truth" after many years of being skinned and thrown about like a sheep without a shepherd and many heartaches resulting from it, I came to resent the Catholic Church for misleading me for so many years and keeping me from the heavenly Father that I so profoundly love. Having read some of your articles, particularly concerning the issue of the association with the UN, I feel like the Society of Jehovah's Witnesses have done much the same. Where can I find the real truth and how can I know that I'm not just being lied to again?

The real truth is very simple. Jehovah is God. Because of his undying love he provided Jesus Christ as a ransom sacrifice for mankind. Jehovah has also decreed that because of Jesus' obedience, the Son is going to be given all authority in the universe. The kingdom of God is eventually going to crush the Devil's world out of existence and usher in an era of global peace, justice and prosperity. An unnumbered great crowd of people from all over the world who call upon the name of Jehovah are going to survive the end of the world and plant the seeds of paradise. The dead are going to live again.

Let's not lose site of what's important. If you know the real truth you can thank Jehovah, but you can also thank the Watchtower for explaining things in such a way that we have been able to understand the truth. Whatever lies and sins the leading men of the Watchtower have committed does not nullify the truth from God's Word. They will answer to God, too, the same as everyone else.

What is your feeling on the "elder's" book ("Pay Attention to Yourself and to All the Flock") that has been circling the web for a bit now?

I have written and received two letters to and from the Society regarding the UN issue, and sad to say, they said "anyone who makes it an issue is either ignorant or being malicious". But what do we do when those who are supposed to be helping us are no longer trustworthy? I do not know how to handle being called either “ignorant or malicious” by those whose job it is to help guide us. As the [Peter] says, ‘where are we to go away to?’ But it does not say who to trust and who not to. It really is almost as if the Society has turned into the modern day Sanhedrin; being “holier than thou,” while giving us the scraps. I know that my personal relationship with Jehovah is the most important thing; it seems that with almost every witness, though, a relationship with Jehovah is THE SAME as one with the society and vice-versa. I can not bring myself to believe this.... how do I deal with the Society and the local congregation - many of my good friends - who are stuck on the "loving the Society is the same as loving Jehovah"?

As for your question, all of us who are aware of the Society's hypocrisy and under-handedness are personally dealing with the same issues of faith as yourself. It is exactly as you say for most of Jehovah's Witnesses—our faith in Jehovah is inextricably bound up with the Watchtower Society. That is not good. First Century Christians faced a similar snare, in that some of them claimed to be followers of Paul and others, Peter.

Ironically, the Watchtower has given us the tools we need to maintain our faith in God in spite of their own deflection. By remembering the great issues before us, the so-called universal issues having to do with Jehovah's sovereignty and our integrity to God, issues which the Watchtower alone has championed for many decades, then, we will appreciate the great opportunity set before us personally— the opportunity and privilege of taking our place on the stage in the universal theatrical spectacle; to demonstrate before men and angels that in spite of our spiritual lives being dominated by the all-imposing Watchtower, in spite of the stumbling blocks that have taken so many of our brothers and sisters out of the race for life, our faith in Jehovah is unshakable.