THE ULTIMATE RAPE
by Joe Rizoli
When one thinks of a rape one usually
thinks of a sexual act forced upon an unwilling subject. If one was to use the
term in a religious sense without sexual overtones what would you think of?
Would you not think of views forced upon oneself to conform to a certain viewpoint
that one thought as repulsive, unethical, against all common sense and virtue?
This is a brief account of my life with the organization called Jehovah's Witnesses.
This story could and has been repeated many times over, but with just different
names, addresses, towns and city's. One thing they all share, that one time
they belonged to one of the most mind controlled religions on the face of the
earth. But be warned, don't think it couldn't happen to you, IT COULD!
Many have fallen into it's subtle influence
to conform to it's way's. One's who considered themselves beyond mind control,
beyond the "it happens to everyone else, but it won't happen to me attitude."
This story is not done with anger or vengeance but with hurt and sorrow. Hurt,
for the years that I devoted to a cause with my sweat and resources, and sorrow,
for those still in the organization functioning as empty shells not knowing
how to get out from the strong armed grip of this organization. An organization
that would stop at nothing to slander, malign and defame all those who oppose
either mentally or physically the "Mother" organization, The Watchtower.
Another title that I could have named this story
is "Sex, lies and audio tape" and as I go on you'll see what I mean,
but that will come later. I was born Joseph Rizoli September 9, 1952 a twin.
I was raised up in the Catholic church and for all intense purposes was a good
Catholic. While other kids were having fun, I was I made sure that I didn't
miss Mass and commit a mortal sin, so you can see, I was at an early age enslaved
by another organization that totally controlled my mind, this time with images,
pomp, rituals and silly medals to bring me in line with it's form of mind control.
When I got out of high school I was called on by Jehovah's Witnesses. This man
Bob Cunnard, seemed like a very sincere man and I was impressed how he knew
the material that he presented to me. He could go to a page at will and tell
me about it. This ability though trivial to some, impressed me, thinking within,
"this man is sincere and knows his stuff." So needless to say, I took
the magazines.
Some time later he called back and placed the
little blue book The Truth That Leads To Eternal Life or the TRUTH BOOK as it
was to be known later. I really never knew about Jehovah's Witnesses, so I tried
to judge the religion by this mans name, Bob Cunnard. Since the name sounded
protestant I was weary of it. Bob moved away and was replaced with a man named
Don C. This man proved to be a double edged sword for me. He took me and helped
me in the JW'S philosophy and to be honest with you I appreciated it. He was
kind and loving, yet firm in his treatment of me. I looked to this man as almost
a wonder man for all his knowledge and wisdom. Yet after 20 yrs in the WATCHTOWER
organization I found him to be the most corrupt Jehovah's Witnesses that I have
EVER met, or a man with severe
mental problems. Don was what we call "a
company man." Enough said I could go on for hours!!
When I came to the Witness organization I devoured
everything I could get my hands on. In fact, for book knowledge I was ahead
of quite a number old timers in the Watchtower organization. Of Course now I
see the true meaning of:
[nwt Ecclesiastes] 12:12 As regards
anything besides these, my son, take a warning: To the making of many BOOKS
there is no end, and much devotion to them is wearisome to the flesh.
When one comes to any knew philosophy or system
of beliefs he goes through a whole new mental process that has to erase old
viewpoints with "new" outlooks. To say that didn't happen would be
a lie. But the biggest thing that happened would be the total putting of trust
into an organization believing that it had your life in their hands. Almost
like a baby learning how to walk, the baby has to put the ultimate trust that
the parent is going to be there in case the child stumbles, so it is with JW's,
they get to that point and once they do, all trust is put with the Watchtower
on ALL matters, even ones dealing with life and death. Of course, little did
I know that when situations happened where one would question the " authority
of the Watchtower" he would be cast off as "rebellious" to the
organization and severely chastised, and if that didn't work disfellowshiped.
I was always one who helped the disadvantaged
and I always tried helping out those that needed it. The event that started
me thinking that something was wrong with this organization had to do with tapes.
I started recording talks at Circuit assemblies, District assemblies, and regular
Sunday and Thursday meetings at the Kingdom hall. This eventually turned into
quite an expensive hobby, I started buying double deck cassette recorders and
anything that would help me make the tapes available to the friends without
a big expense to them. I called my self Kingdom Cassette Library. I eventually
accumulated hundreds of tapes and quite a following of people wanting and trading
Bible talks giving at the JW's meetings. I also with the help of my friend Bill,
put the official magazine of JW's, The Watchtower on audio tape for ones who
were blind or had trouble reading. Both of us used our own funds to do this.
What finally happened was I started getting flack from the elders, saying that
I was "selling tapes" and that it wasn't right. I asked one dollar
for the tapes and two dollars for the C-120's I didn't think I was making a
killing here do you? My answer to this was more or less:
[nwt 1 Thessalonians] 4:11
..and
to make it YOUR aim to live quietly and to MIND YOUR own business and work
with YOUR hands, just as we ordered YOU;
But like the saying "all good things come
to an end" the viewpoint was anything not sanctioned by headquarters is
not to be done. As a result I was hauled to countless elders meetings trying
to resolve this " problem". I remained resolved that what I was doing
wasn't wrong and I eventually was la bled a trouble maker. This was a perfect
example of church Kingdom "hallitics". It was totally absurd. To get
back at me the elders took away my recording privileges at the meetings and
gave it to a person more "nazi" to the organizations way of doing
things. It was after this that I started to see the JW's organization as nothing
but a bunch of "yes" men and cowards with few standing up for issues
that but head with the elders or Watchtower organization. It was also after
this that I saw the total mind control that this organization had over me and
others. I also saw who were really my friends and those who were " Nazi's"
willing to betray mother, father or son and daughter. It wasn't until fully
out of the Watchtower that I was "free" to read "prohibited"
literature that I found the Watchtower to be an organization so un Christlike,
so evil that I wonder how I didn't see it years earlier.
Among the many books that helped me in my quest
for truth was the following book. Combating Cult Mind Control by Steven Hassan.
The purpose to review some parts of this book would be to warn others that no
matter what our religious persuasion there is a possibility that we may be involved
in some kind of mind control ourselves without even noticing it.
Like the old timers way to boil a frog, you
just don't throw it into boiling water. No, but you SLOWLY bring the water to
boil with the frog in it and before the frog knows it he's a meal! So it is
with religions that use mind control on it's members, before you know it the
damage has been done and the victim may be worse off that before he came into
the group. Compare this scripture:
[nwt Luke] 11:26 Then it goes its
way and takes along seven different spirits more wicked than itself, and,
after getting inside, they dwell there; and the final circumstances of that
man become WORSE than the first."
Please keep in mind for those within the organization
Jehovah's Witnesses, this book is not on your forbidden to read list, it's highly
recommended
From the cover flap:
"Combating Cult Mind Control
unmask the methods employed by destructive cults to recruit and control
their members....mind control techniques practiced by destructive cults
can seriously interfere with an individuals ability to think for himself...For
those who are merely curious about mind control, who may even be untouched
by it's threat, this book will be a shocking eye-opener....."
First what is the definition of a cult?
pp.37... "A usually small or narrow circle of persons united by devotion
or allegiance to some artistic or intellectual program, tendency or figure..."
Does what YOU belong to fit this description?
Is YOUR interpretation of the Bible upheld
as "THE TRUTH"? Then you are not alone or unique because others
call their viewpoint "THE TRUTH" See pp. 89.
Do you believe that group is the ONLY people
living as "TRUE CHRISTIANS"? THEN SEE PAGE 88 AND PAGE 133, You
are not alone in that opinion.
"One of the most obvious signs of a
person in a mind control group is a lack of independent decision making
abilities" p.102 For JW's, does this sound familiar? See the Watchtower
1/15/83 pp.22. "Avoid independent thinking"...
# 20.
Let's get intimate:
Some groups go so far as to control all social
relationships telling members not only whom they can date, but also whom they
can't marry.
Some of the more EXTREME groups actually regulate
sexuality, telling members when they can have sex and what positions for lovemaking
are acceptable..pp. 103.....sound extreme?
See what JW's said in the Nov 15, 1974 Watchtower
p. 703-4 where oral sex was grounds for disfellowshiping. In all fairness, this
extreme point of view was reversed in the March 15, 1983 Watchtower p.31 but,
as indicated by that article on the footnote about the change, it indicates
some DID divorce on those grounds. What I would like to know is how many marriages
broke up because of this mistake that was accepted as from God? Some may have
even remarried, can you see the seriousness of this decision? These individuals
violated the Word of God because it was told to them it was O.K to do it. This
is what I call the AHITHOPHEL syndrome. And what's that?
In the book of 2 Samuel Ahithophel was King
Davids trusted counselor, and as the scripture say's: [nwt 2 Samuel] 16:23 And
the counsel of AHITHOPHEL, with which he counseled in those days, was just as
when a man would inquire of the word of the true God. That was the way all the
counsel of AHITHOPHEL was both to David and to Absalom. What potential of abuse
could happen here? When people trust some one like they view God this could
happen:
[nwt 2 Samuel]
16:20 Later Absalom said to AHITHOPHEL: "You men, give counsel on your
part. what shall we do?"
16:21 Then AHITHOPHEL said to Absalom: "Have relations with the concubines
of your father, whom he left behind to take care of the house. And all Israel
will certainly hear that you have made yourself foul-smelling to your father,
and the hands of all those who are with you will certainly become strong."
Do you see the point here? Persons or ORGANIZATIONS
such as the Watchtower which has opinions as from God can get persons to do
anything, even sin as in this case have immoral relations with others. The Watchtower
mind set is just the same and the potential of doing ANYTHING commanded by the
Watchtower is truly mind bending. Why? Because from the Watchtower member to
disobey would be to go against God Himself and those he was using. So to obey
is the only logical thing to do from their thinking.
What happened here was these individuals let
others become their morality, their conscience, they lost the freedom of individual
choice, What a shame!!
Another example was the Watchtowers view of
organ transplants, which once were considered cannibalism!! See WT 11/15/67
pp.702-4, Awake 6/8/68 p.21 Now these viewpoints are not held, Yet, what about
the hundreds that put absolute trust in their "mother" to know what
is right or not and as a result died forgoing these life saving procedures.
The worse part of it was if you disagreed with the current teaching at the time
you would be disfellowshiped. So instead of the threat of disfellowshiping some
chose DEATH as the alternative than go against the " Ahithophel" organization.
Notice what Combating Cult Mind Control say's
on P. 102:
" Destructive cults cannot
tolerate opposition of any kind. Either people agree with them...or they
are the enemy"
"Every person in a cult has been programed
to stop all "negative" thoughts about the leader, the doctrine, or
the ORGANIZATION..and he also has been indoctrinated to believe that this group
is superior to all other groups and different from all other groups"..p.165
This viewpoint was also backed up many times by the viewpoint that "you
could not read any critical literature of the group" pp. 110,120,126,161
My question is WHY??? Why are JW's told not
to talk to ex-members or read their literature?? Could it be that TRUTH IS NEVER
GREETED WITH OPEN ARMS BY THOSE WITH DIRTY HANDS??
In another book, Roman Catholicism by Lorraine
Boettner, pub 1962 p.418, notice this statement " The intolerance of the
Roman Catholic Church even towards it's own people is perhaps seen most clearly
in this restriction which FORBIDS THEM TO READ anything that others write about
it's history or doctrines...they commit MORTAL SIN if they so much as read what
others say about them....although they claim to have the truth, and even to
be the only true church, they do not dare risk a comparison of that truth with
the supposed error which they oppose.."
On page 451 it goes on to say.." Not one
Roman Catholic in a hundred, priest or layman knows the story of his own church..They
are forbidden to read the truth..
My question is: Do we see a pattern here? JW's
want others to read their literature but they are told NOT to read other peoples
literature, does that seem fair? Is the Watchtower afraid that it's members
are not qualified to rebut negative viewpoints thrust up against them? Are they
afraid that some "dirty laundry" may get hung out by any open discussion
of it's policies or decisions in the past? Ask JW's about Olyn Moyle and why
he sued the Watchtower and it's board of directors..and WON!! Find out why.
Find out what happened to Ray Franz, why he was disfellowshiped and HOW it was
done...
Is the love of the organization that you belong
to one sided? Notice, in talking about the Moonies, Steven Hassan states...p.173.."I
realized after I left they didn't care about me personally at all. If they had,
they would have tried to contact me to try to find out why I had left. Instead
I was automatically labeled "satanic" and a "traitor.."
Are there former members of your group that
have left the confines of "THE TRUTH" and you have not even dared
ask them what has happened to them? Or is your information gossip and hearsay
from ones who possibly never liked the person any way and now are using the
situation to silently vent a secret hatred that was always there, but leaving
the group made those feelings "legal" towards that person? Is that
compatible with the teachings of Jesus Christ or like the viewpoint on cannibalism
something being forced on your conscience at this time because it's the way
the policy is for the time being? Remember on p. 73 on CCMC book.."In a
mind control environment freedom of choice is the first thing that one looses"
Is that with the group your with? Page 193 goes on to say.."Many cult members
cannot read what they please, speak freely, choose their own jobs, or in some
cases, even choose whom they may marry"
Another interesting situation that exist with
religions that use mind control is the way in which the group goes out of it's
way to establish it's freedom to preach or worship, yet when it's own members
run into problems WITHIN the group all freedoms are curtailed. P.96. goes on
to say..If a group hiding behind first amendment privileges, daily violates
it's members civil rights as it works to destroy democracy, then freedom is
not served"...Ask Joseph Rizoli, how at a "ecclesiastical tribunal"
he was prohibited to take notes or record the proceedings while the "troika"
elders were able to do so freely, take notes that is. To this day he has never
found out what were the "specifics" of allegations brought against
him.
Another way to judge if a group is a cult is
it's viewpoint towards it's members freedom to leave the group. CCMC book say's..P.
104 "destructive cults plant phobias into members minds so that they fear
ever leaving the group...in fact, in the eyes of a destructive cult, THERE IS
NO LEGITIMATE REASON FOR A PERSON TO EVER LEAVE THE GROUP"
And as with JW's THERE IS NO HONORABLE WAY TO
LEAVE THE ORGANIZATION!!!
YOU CAN GET AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE FROM THE MILITARY
TO JOIN JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES BUT YOU CAN'T LEAVE THE WITNESSES FOR ANY REASON
WITHOUT BEING SLANDERED OR DEFAMED.
The book Roman Catholicism p.24 states, "
a sect is a group that shuts itself in as God's exclusive people and shuts all
others out". In other words they answer only to themselves!! When you are
booted from the Witnesses you are cut off from any information pertaining to
you. Some may say "but how can so many people be wrong?" The answer:
When it comes to justice there was 70 religious leaders that had Jesus life
in their hands and how did they handle themselves? What were they more concerned
with than anything else? Notice:
[nwt John]
11:48 If we let him alone this way, they will all put faith in him, and
the Romans will come and take away both our place and our NATION."
They weren't concerned for justice but for their
"place" and "nation". And when you search the Scriptures
you only see a very few that were for Jesus, those incidents were:
[nwt John]
19:38 Now after these things Joseph from ARIMATHEA, who was a disciple of
Jesus but a secret one out of [his] fear of the Jews, requested Pilate that
he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. Therefore
he came and took his body away.
19:39 Nicodemus also, the man that came to him in the night the first time,
came bringing a roll of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds [of it].
So there you have it, out of all those religious
men capable of quoting the Hebrew books by memory only these few sided with
truth. To back up this incompetence and cowardice notice what Ray Franz, former
governing body member say's in his book In
Search for Christian Freedom p.374..He
states that...70% of all elders were NOT qualified to serve in a judicial capacity"...
Most elders out of fear of being rebuked usually "rubber stamp" older
elder viewpoints without any real opinions from themselves. We should not view
everything that happened in cults as negative. The CCMC states on pp. 130-1..."I
always encourage people to remember the good and take it with them when they
decide to leave the group. Still, there is no question that belonging to a destructive
cult changes you forever. You realize how many things you've taken for granted,
friends, education, your ability to make decisions, your individuality, your
belief system. Cult with drawl affords a unique opportunity to sit"naked"
with yourself and analyze everything you ever knew or believed in. Such a process
can be liberating and also quite terrifying. It is a chance to start your life
over again"
Most people are followers and it takes a special
person who would risk all to speak up and "buck" the system. Jw's
who don't tow the line are systematically approached and told they need to "adjust
their thinking." Some even threaten with the sudden loss of "friends"
if the adjustment doesn't work. If these scare tactics and coercive actions
fail to get this adjustment the person is finally "disfellowshiped".
The person may not be even living a un-christian life but if he or she disagrees
with the Watchtower on, dates, times, theology, or beliefs in
certain individuals being used by God directly or a rejection of the "organization"
itself, they will be ejected without mercy. The ONLY way a person can come back
is to except their way of thinking. They have taken the place of Christ who
said;
[nwt John]
14:6 Jesus said to him: "I am the way and the truth and the LIFE. No
one comes to the Father except through me.
Now, I don't want to play stupid here but if the Watchtower places itself in
the path to Christ wouldn't that negate the scripture?
Most cults have a special weapon to HELP those
to leave their groups, what is it? Their own literature!! How do you disprove
the Mormons? Read the book of Mormon!! It won't take long to find the hundreds
of contradictions that exist within the book itself. Ask questions, challenge
authority figures, find out about their past history. With the Mormons when
you research and get the facts you would see that Joseph Smith even though wanting
religious freedom for himself and other Mormons tried to burn down a newspaper
the NAUVOO EXPOSITOR.
[nwt John]
3:19 Now this is the basis for judgment, that the LIGHT has come into the
world but men have loved the darkness rather than the LIGHT, for their works
were wicked.
3:20 For he that practices vile things hates the LIGHT and does not come
to the LIGHT, in order that his works may not be reproved.
3:21 But he that does what is true comes to the LIGHT, in order that his
works may be made manifest as having been worked in harmony with God."
The same exist for Jw's, they don't want bad
press and to keep up it's good public image it tries to stop it's own members
from reading the older publications, Why? Because the older publications would
prove beyond a shadow of doubt with far out viewpoints or insanity from our
20th century perspective.
C.T. Russel the founder of Jehovah's Witnesses
had a fondness for Pyramids, Jw's today look at those same pyramids as "demonic"
Yet at his grave site at Rose mount United Cemeteries sits a huge pyramid and
hundreds come by yearly to see this unique headstone. Not bad for a place that
was intended as a burial site for the Bethel workers.
The influence of pyramid
ology on the Watchtower teachings is revealed in the book THY KINGDOM COME,
vol3 of the MILLENNIAL DAWN SERIES books.
Prominently featured facing the title page is
an illustration showing the Great Pyramid of Jeezeh. The FINISHED MYSTERY had
on its cover a pagan symbol WINGED SERPENT. So like Mormons, Jw's of older times,
if they still had those viewpoints and were alive today would be disfellowshiped.
All are in agreement with this statement in Zions Watchtower February 1881 p.3
"If we were following a man
undoubtedly it would be different for us;..one human idea would contradict
another and that which was light one or two or six years ago would be regarded
as darkness know: But with God there is no variableness of darkness, neither
shadow of turning, and so it is with the truth, any knowledge or light coming
from God must be like it's author. A new view of truth never can contradict
a former truth.."
Case in point:
The finished Mystery ( 1917
) P.144 SAY'S..
" THOUGH PASTOR RUSSEL HAS
PASSED BEYOND THE VEIL, HE IS STILL MANAGING EVERY FEATURE OF THE HARVEST
WORK"
Comparing the book JEHOVAH by J.F. Rutherford
notice this statement: p.191
"No one of the temple company
will be so foolish as to conclude that some brother...(or brethren) at one
time amongst them, and who has died and gone to heaven, is now instructing
the saints on earth and directing them as to their work. SUCH A CONCLUSION
SMACKS OF THE SIN OF SAMARIA...
YET..the newer REVELATION IT'S GRAND CLIMAX
AT HAND (1988) by-passes Rutherfords opinion and goes back to the OLDER 1917
viewpoint by saying on p. 125.# 17.
"This suggest that the resurrected
ones of the 24-elders group may be involved in the communicating of divine
truths today.." Just think, the Catholic Church has it's saints in
heaven interceding for man and Jehovah's Witnesses has it's 24-elder class.!!
Notice what the Watchtower 5/15/76 say's on
p. 298:
" It is a serious matter to
represent God and Christ in one way, then find that our understanding of
the major teachings and fundamental doctrines of the scriptures was in error,
and then after that go back to the very doctrines that, by years of study,
we had thoroughly determined to be in error. Christians cannot be vacillating-wish-washy
about such fundamental teachings. What confidence can one put in the sincerity
or judgement of such persons?"
Yes, what confidence can anyone put in organizations
such as the Catholic Church, Mormons, and yes, Jehovah's Witnesses, who say
their way is the ONLY way to God, the ONLY true Christians on earth today? When
an examination of all their teachings is done with the past, serious errors
abound. The problems with JW's they don't believe it!! You could compare it
to a family with an alcoholic parent, the family refuses to see it, and they
will do anything to deny that the situation exist. So it its with JW's they
expose other religions faults yet they refuse to see the rafter that's in their
own eyes. They refuse to see that there was a great possibility that Judge Rutherford
had problems with alcohol. See W. Salter letter to J.F Rutherford April 1, 1937
where Mr Salter states under direction from Mr Rutherford that orders went through
for cases of brandy and other liquors and untold cases of beer. Also see Apocalypse
Delayed, The story of Jehovah's Witnesses, M. James Penton, University of Toronto
Press 1985. p.72.
They would also find that Mr Rutherford was
divorced from his wife, and that he had his own strange viewpoints, at one point
banning singing from the meetings!! See Divine Purpose book p.215. It's sad
that people such as Jehovah's Witnesses allow themselves to be fooled by such
do as I say but not as I do hypocrisy. An excellent example of this would be
what happened to Malcolm X. Here the Islam religion teaches chastity and yet
The head honcho Mr Mohammed whatever his name was is having sexual relations
with woman in the group. When Malcolm X tried to get to the bottom of it all
sorts of excuses were made for Mr Mohammed pervert man, Scriptures were used
about Noah's mis deeds, Davids sins etc etc.. Of course seeing this hypocrisy
lead to Malcolm X leaving this Muslim group which I believe ultimately lead
to his brutal death as a retribution for his leaving.
When you look to this account of Rutherford
banning singing who suffered from it? Notice what the Divine Purpose say's on
p. 215...
"The brothers were happy to
sing together again"...
In other words they were not happy with
what he did to them but like sheep HAD to obey this tyrant.
[nwt Proverbs]
29:2 When the righteous become many, the people rejoice; but when anyone
wicked bears rule, the people SIGH.
[nwt Exodus] 2:23 And it came about
during those many days that the king of Egypt finally died, but the sons
of Israel continued to SIGH because of the slavery and to cry out in complaint,
and their cry for help kept going up to the [true] God because of the slavery.
Yes, they were in slavery but this modern day Ahithophel Class spoke as
from God:
[nwt 2 Samuel] 16:23 And the counsel of AHITHOPHEL, with which
he counseled in those days, was just as when a man would inquire of the
word of the true God. That was the way all the counsel of AHITHOPHEL was
both to David and to Absalom. The sheep feared this tyrant but people like
Olyn Moyle, Mr Salter, and others chose expulsion from the group that to
be enslaved.
[nwt Hebrews] 11:37 They were stoned, they were tried,
they were sawn asunder, they died by slaughter with the sword, they went
about in sheepskins, in goatskins, while they were in want, in tribulation,
under ill-treatment;
[nwt Hebrews] 11:38 and the world was not worthy
of them. They wandered about in deserts and mountains and caves and dens
of the earth.
11:39 And yet all these, although they had witness borne
to them through their faith, did not get the [fulfillment of the] promise,
11:40 as God foresaw something better for us, in order that they might not
be made perfect apart from us.
Another interesting point to consider, where
as the Bible admits it's inspiration, THE WATCHTOWER DOES NOT!! The Watchtower
Dec 15, 1962. p. 762 # 1 say's..
"The care of Gods organization
is not in the hands of men who are inspired of God, they can make mistakes"...
Also WT 3/1/79 p.23 # 15
"It must
be observed that this" faithful and discreet slave" was never
inspired never perfect"..
This is an interesting comment because for a
group that does not claim inspiration they can disfellowship you if you do not
agree with their un-inspired teachings as being an apostate and having the same
reward as Judas if you disagree with them!! See Crisis of Conscience p. 293..
Where just believing something against the Society was grounds of disfellowshipment.
Also see WT 4/1/86 Question from readers:
"Why have Jehovah's Witnesses
disfellowshiped for apostasy, some who still profess belief in God, the
Bible, and Jesus Christ?
The Answer?
"Approved association with
Jw's requires accepting the entire range of the true teachings of the Bible,
including those Scriptural beliefs UNIQUE to Jehovah's witnesses"
And what would be a UNIQUE teaching?
The Belief in 1914 as being the end of the Gentile
Times and foretold presence of Christ. Imagine that, you could be disfellowshiped
for NOT believing in that 1914 date. Even though we know Jesus said:
[nwt Matthew]
24:36 "Concerning
that DAY and HOUR nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the
Son, but only the Father.
So your life as a Christian according to Jehovah's
Witnesses hinges on that 1914 date which Jesus said no man knows!!!
It's
strange that not believing a date would be used to disfellowship a person from
family, friends, work mates and even spouses despite the fact that the Watchtower
has had a dismal record of predicting dates!!
A person would have a better chance for being
forgiven by the ORGANIZATION for fornication, homosexuality, bestiality and
other heinous sins that for not believing some "date" which would
be a doubt of Watchtower authority. That seems strange since the sins just mentioned
are sins against God where as the sins against the Watchtower viewpoints are
just that, viewpoints of interpretations that can change at the whim of these
un-inspired men. This scripture is applicable;
[nwt Matthew]
23:18 Also, `If
anyone swears by the ALTAR, it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift
on it, he is under obligation.'
23:19 Blind ones! Which, in fact, is
greater, the gift or the ALTAR that sanctifies the gift?
The Watchtowers "gift" or opinions
are greater that the "altar" itself. It's the old Ahithophel syndrome
again I guess. Does not this scripture apply:
[nwt 2 Thessalonians]
2:4 He
is set in opposition and lifts himself up over everyone who is called "god"
or an object of reverence, so that he sits down in the TEMPLE of The God,
publicly showing himself to be a god. They put their own doctrines ahead
of Gods:
[nwt Matthew]
15:3 In reply he said to them: "Why
is it YOU also overstep the commandment of God because of YOUR TRADITION?
[nwt Matthew]
15:6 he must not honor his father at all.' And so YOU
have made the word of God invalid because of YOUR TRADITION.
15:7 YOU
hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about YOU, when he said,
15:8 `This
people honors me with their lips, yet their heart is far removed from me.
15:9 It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they teach
Salvation does not come from believing dates
but from Jesus Christ:
[nwt John]
14:6 Jesus said to him: "I
am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the FATHER except through
me.
[nwt Acts]
4:12 Furthermore, there is no salvation in anyone else,
for there is not another NAME under heaven that has been given among men by
which we must get saved."
We do not get saved from the Watchtower, Mormons,
Boston Church of Christ, or any other group that gives itself more prominence
than God
[nwt Acts]
12:21 But on a set day HEROD
clothed himself with royal raiment and sat down upon the judgment seat and began
giving them a public address.
12:22 In turn the assembled people began shouting:
"A god's voice, and not a man's!"
12:23 Instantly the angel of
Jehovah struck him, because he did not give the glory to God; and he became
eaten up with worms and expired.
All these groups are in for a big surprise.
How do we find who God is using today?
Let's look at:
[nwt Deuteronomy]
18:20 "`However,
the PROPHET who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded
him to speak or who speaks in the name of other gods, that PROPHET must
die.
Notice one who PRESUMES to speak in the Name
of Jehovah. The Watchtower has presumed for over a hundred years.
[nwt Deuteronomy]
18:22 when
the PROPHET speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word does not occur or
come true, that is the word that Jehovah did not speak. With presumptuousness
the PROPHET spoke it. You must not get frightened at him.'
Again notice the result of this arrogant prophet:
With presumptuousness the prophet spoke. The Watchtower has to be one of the
most arrogant presumptuous organizations on this earth! When God used certain
people he made sure they were known:
[nwt Luke]
3:22 and the holy
spirit in bodily shape like a dove came down upon him, and a VOICE came
out of HEAVEN: "You are my Son, the beloved; I have approved you."
[nwt Matthew]
3:17 Look! Also, there
was a VOICE from the heavens that said: "This is my Son, the beloved,
whom I have approved."
[nwt Matthew]
17:5 While he was yet speaking, look! A bright cloud overshadowed them,
and, look! A VOICE out of the cloud, saying: "This is my Son, the beloved,
whom I have approved; listen to him."
[nwt John]
12:28 Father, glorify your
name." Therefore a VOICE came out of heaven: "I both glorified
[it] and will glorify [it] again."
12:29 Hence the crowd that stood
about and heard it began to say that it had thundered. Others began to say:
"An angel has spoken to him."
12:30 In answer Jesus said:
"This VOICE has occurred, not for my sake, but for YOUR sakes.
This is an interesting scripture to show how
the Watchtower can say something completely opposite of what Jesus had originally
said. Notice what Jesus said here. THE VOICE HAS OCCURRED NOT FOR MY SAKE BUT
FOR YOUR SAKES"
This is the Watchtowers viewpoint February 15, 1987
Watchtower: p.11 #7...
"Apparently this was said for
JESUS benefit"
See also 1988 Text 2/19/88 Friday...same is
said.
Am I missing something here?
So what happens? Who's right, The Watchtower
or Jesus OWN words himself? Other examples of who God uses and how it's done:
[nwt Numbers]
12:6 And he went
on to say: "Hear my words, please. If there came to be a prophet of
YOURS for Jehovah, it would be in a VISION I would make myself known to
him. In a dream I would speak to him.
[nwt Numbers]
12:7 Not so my servant
Moses! He is being entrusted with all my house.
12:8 Mouth to mouth
I speak to him, thus showing him, and not by riddles; and the appearance
of Jehovah is what he beholds. Why, then, did YOU not fear to speak against
my servant, against Moses?"
[nwt Acts]
2:1 Now while the day of
the [festival of] Pentecost was in progress they were all together at the
same place,
2:2 and suddenly there occurred from heaven a noise just
like that of a rushing stiff breeze, and it filled the whole house in which
they were sitting.
2:3 And TONGUES as if of fire became visible to them
and were distributed about, and one sat upon each one of them,
2:4 and
they all became filled with holy spirit and started to speak with different
TONGUES, just as the spirit was granting them to make utterance.
No doubt who God was using here!!
[nwt Exodus]
4:6 Then Jehovah
said to him once more: "Stick your hand, please, into the upper fold
of your garment." So he stuck his hand into the upper fold of his garment.
When he drew it out, why, here his hand was stricken with LEPROSY like snow!
4:7 After that he said: "Return your hand into the upper fold of your
garment." So he returned his hand into the upper fold of his garment.
When he drew it out of the upper fold of his garment, why, here it was restored
like the rest of his flesh!
4:8 "And it must occur that,"
to quote him, "if they will not believe you and will not listen to
the voice of the first sign, then they will certainly believe the voice
of the later sign.
4:9 Still, it must occur that, if they will not believe
even these two signs and will not listen to your voice, then you will have
to take some water from the Nile River and pour it out on the dry land;
and the water that you will take from the Nile River will certainly become,
yes, it will indeed become blood on the dry land."
No doubt here!!
These are just a few scriptures
showing how God uses those whom HE wants to do his will. See author article"
Where's the Beef?" 30 plus pages of who God uses Biblically from The Cult
Information Network P.O. Box 1632
Framingham, MA 01701-0201
The Watchtower by all investigation is a self
appointed prophet who like all other abusive cults uses, lies, deceit, coercion,
and last but not least FEAR to get it's members in line. Yet what does the scripture
tell us to do when we confront these false prophets?
[nwt Deuteronomy]
18:22 when
the PROPHET speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word does not occur or
come true, that is the word that Jehovah did not speak. With presumptuousness
the PROPHET spoke it. You must not get frightened at
him.'
YOU MUST NOT GET FRIGHTENED BY HIM!!! Why? Because
this false prophet WILL use it's powers to get it's way. Jw's have to be one
of the most fearful people on this earth. Notice this quote from a Rabbi Solomon
Yitzhaki:
" Obeying from love is better
than to obey from fear.."
WE HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO CHALLENGE THESE CULTS
and to ask for their "credentials" This is NOT unreasonable notice
this account:
[nwt Judges]
6:36 Then Gideon
said to the [true] God: "If you are saving Israel by means of me, just
as you have promised,
6:37 here I am keeping a FLEECE of wool exposed
on the threshing floor. If dew comes to be on the FLEECE alone but on all
the earth there is dryness, then I must know that you will save Israel by
means of me, just as you have promised."
6:38 And it turned out
to be that way. When he rose up early the next day and wrung the FLEECE,
he got to drain off enough dew from the FLEECE to fill a large banquet bowl
with water.
6:39 However, Gideon said to the [true] God: "Do not
let your anger blaze against me, but let me speak just once more. Let me,
please, make a test only once more with the FLEECE. Let, please, dryness
occur to the FLEECE alone, and upon all the earth let there come to be dew."
6:40 So God did that way on that night; and dryness came to be on the FLEECE
alone, and upon all the earth dew occurred.
Gideon challenged God Himself
we can certainly challenge a human organization, WITHOUT fear!
Remember, what's the fate of cowards?:
[nwt Revelation]
21:8 But as
for the COWARDS and those without faith and those who are disgusting in
their filth and murderers and fornicators and those practicing spiritism
and idolaters and all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that
burns with fire and sulphur. This means the second death."
We need to stop organization such as the Watchtower
that use mind control on it's members and make Christianity a relationship with
God and his son PERSONALLY. It won't be easy. Notice the lengths this organization
will go to.
Apocalypse Delayed by Penton say's p.248:
"When the Society decides that
some one is troublesome, it will actually CONSPIRE to have such persons
cast out in violation of it's own rules"
He then mentions Canadian branch overseer Walter
Salter, Olyn Moyle, who the Watchtower had a personal vendetta for through Rutherfords
reign, and Raymond Franz, who was disfellowshiped after the fact for eating
a meal with his boss Peter Gregerson, the Spy network reported it back to Nazi,
I mean Bethel headquarters. Please Read his book Crises of Conscience!!! My
situation was another perfect example of Kingdom-hallitics. Remember How I said
at the beginning of this about "sex, Lies, and audio tape?
BRIEFLY, a brother JW in fellowship and friend
in the Kingdom hall some years back tried to "fool" around with my
wife ( at that time). She refused his actions. This "brother" later
made it through the JW hierarchy and put in positions of responsibility. Nobody
knew about this except the parties involved and ONE elder. Since this lust full
"brother" now became
an elder himself I questioned him years
later about it and found out no other elders knew about the incident except
this one elder who denied my accusations and kept it hid from these other elders.
What eventually happened was this elder was obviously lying and I was out to
prove it. Even with all proof, tape recordings and irrefutable testimony things
did not happen the way I thought they would.
Instead of seeing justice done the tide was
turned on me and the messenger was shot in spite of the message. I was accused
of lying and causing divisions and I NEVER found out what the accusation for
this lie was. This was a perfect example of elders "conspiring" to
disfellowship some one who they wanted silenced. I wrote to the legal department
of Watchtower headquarters and found this type of example:
[nwt Matthew]
21:27 So in answer
to Jesus they said: "We do not know." He, in turn, said to them:
"Neither am I telling YOU by what authority I do these things.
I saw first hand the corruption of "judicial
meetings" or the modern day "Troikas" I also from talking and
reading others disfellowshiped from this organization saw a pattern of abuse
from these "Troikas" or as the Watchtower legal department calls these
"ecclesiastical tribunals." It was just like I said about the quote
from Penton, they will conspire to disfellowship someone ( p.248 ) even violating
their own laws.
When we look at the JW's so called unity we
see that it is actually a conformity to a system of rules enforced by the use
of fear. Fear that the individual will get disfellowshiped from the group should
they deviate from the groups doctrine. Hitler had a conformity and we know what
it did for him! Who is in the "truth" is not a new fight. A situation
arose in Jesus day amongst disciples at Mark 9:38-40: 9:38 John said to him:
"Teacher, we saw a certain
man expelling demons by the use of your name and we tried to prevent him,
because he was not accompanying us."
9:39 But Jesus said: "Do
not try to prevent him, for there is no one that will do a powerful work
on the basis of my name that will quickly be able to revile me;
9:40
for he that is not against us is for us.
The Cultic response would have been that this
man needed to be with the group in order to be in the "truth". What
was Jesus response:
"Do not prevent him"
So what was Jesus point? If one is operating
under the outline of scripture through the use of his name, there is a relationship
with God THAT DOES NOT NECESSITATE THE INDIVIDUAL BEING PART OF A SPECIFIC,
VISIBLE TO THE NATURAL EYE, GROUP. Do we see the importance of this statement
and of Jesus own words? With the Watchtower it's either their way or NO way.
Yes, the ULTIMATE RAPE, being forced to except what is wrong ethically, spiritually
and morally. Yet those brave enough to fight back like the little boy in the
Emperors New Clothes just tell the truth. But with that truth this:
[nwt John]
3:19 Now this is
the basis for judgment, that the LIGHT has come into the world but men have
loved the darkness rather than the LIGHT, for their works were wicked.
3:20 For he that practices vile things hates the LIGHT and does not come
to the LIGHT, in order that his works may not be reproved.
3:21 But
he that does what is true comes to the LIGHT, in order that his works may
be made manifest as having been worked in harmony with God."
Yes we see before our eyes a modern day fulfillment
of George Orwell 1984. An organization that has lost sight of what the original
teachings of Christ were. An organization that has taken the place of Christ
and substituted it's own brand of "Christianity" What will happen
to the Watchtower? The same that happened to all movements where the subjects
have let others become their consciences, their life, their savior. A situation
that will make Jones town look like a card party. The sad situation that exist
after seeing the thinking of ones in cults is will another Masada happen? Jones
town? Waco? My answer is yes. The mind set is already there, especially for
Jehovah's Witnesses. The question is not how but when....
The Ultimate Rape will continue unless we as
the little boy in the Emperors New Clothes speak up bravely and expose it. Remember:
A MAN MAY BE A HERETIC IN THE TRUTH,
AND IF HE BELIEVES THINGS ONLY BECAUSE HIS PASTOR SAY'S OR THE ASSEMBLY
SO DETERMINES, WITHOUT KNOWING OTHER REASONS, THOUGH HIS BELIEFS BE TRUE,
YET THE VERY TRUTH HE HOLDS BECOMES HIS HERESY..
John Milton ..Areopagitica
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