This Website is designed as an aid in study of the Bible. It is used for refreshment by those who researched and created it; and by many others who wish to learn and understand what the Bible teaches. Since our attempt is to reflect the Bible, the site tends to be upbeat and encouraging. As has been possible, it reflects a compilation of the shared work and Bible understanding of many thousands of persons going back hundreds of years. This page of the website is not like that, however, as it necessarily deals with a practice that is downgrading and divisive: It exposes the practice of Disfellowshipping. This page is lengthy and personal, and it drones on a bit; as it deals with a complex man-made issue which amounts to a convoluted and malicious attack against integrity. For a quick overview of the weakness and danger of this practice of disfellowshipping, simply read the highlighted portions.

Disfellowship is not a scriptural term; It is one coined by Jehovah's Witnesses (and some other sects) to describe a judgment they render against any whom they publicly assert to be a guilty and unrepentant practicer of some gross scriptural sin or crime. Disfellowshipping is designed to cause as much emotional pain*¹ as possible: To cause their victim to cower before their inquisitors begging for forgiveness; right or wrong. In the teaching and judgment of the organization, being disfellowshipped is a judgment supported by God and rendering individuals unworthy of life. Disfellowshipped persons are asserted to be dying/dead forever, unless they repent before their accusers and are welcomed back into the fold; Thus being granted a favorable judgment by the JW's organization. All the while they practice such abuse against their own [even young] people: The goal of the organization is to indoctrinate entire families into their group. This webpage is an attempt to expose the danger purposely cloaked from prospective members during their courtship by this group: Those families who become entwined in this organization will be required to show abject faith in any and all judgments rendered by their local "elder" men. [The title "Elder" applies to men appointed to that elevated position by the governors of the organization. (Matthew 23:8-12)] Everyone should clearly understand what this group is hiding about who it is they are determined to disfellowship: If you become one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and you are at the same time a sincere student of the Bible, you will be disfellowshipped. It is only a matter of time. Doesn't it just make good sense to know what you are joining before you join. (Proverbs 20:25) Please consider what is here presented; Either it will stand the test of truth in the Bible's light, or it won't. Membership in this group can expose you to men who are more divisive and harmful for you and your family and friends, than anything you can imagine!

When those representing themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses come to your door, no matter how you respond to them, they will leave your door sincerely imagining they have done all in their power to help and enlighten you. They actually and truly believe they are God's chosen group, and that the Bible is useless to you apart from their interpretation. There are some simple questions you can ask as a protection for yourself and your loved ones. Ask them if they keep secret writings the lower Witnesses can't own or examine. If they assert they do not, ask them for a copy of an Elder book. Expect them to explain how they could think you would join or even associate with a group expressing faith in secret writings you can not examine. Ask them if they believe their books and magazines are spiritual food, as only the Bible actually is. [The Bible is inspired by God; their organizational writings certainly are not.] Ask them if they even comprehend how calling their written materials spiritual food is undermining faith in the Bible - ask them about the example of Edgar. (Galatians 1:8-9) Ask them how their abject faith in their organization's written materials differs from those groups they publicly condemn: The Mormons who believe in the book of Mormon, or Catholics who believe in the infallibility of the Pope as he renders spiritual decisions. Ask them how much of their time they spend reading their group's books and magazines, as compared with time spent actually reading their Bible. Ask them if they imagine studying their literature is the same thing as studying the Bible. If they spend more time studying their literature than the Bible, it would seem to indicate they think their literature is better. Most of them spend hours reading organizational literature while they hardly ever just read the Bible. [They will look up specific scriptures as directed by their literature, but seldom actually read the Bible, a book at a time. It is only reading the Bible which can help us put on the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:15-16)] The proliferation of their literature suggests the intent of the organization is to keep members buried in their teachings, and thus away from the Bible. Why would they be doing that??? (Ecclesiastes 12:11-12 ; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14) Besides protecting yourself by asking them these questions, you might help sincere members of the group realize how they have been deceived. They need help so as to learn the simple rule not to go beyond what is written in the Bible. (1 Corinthians 4:6) Elevating other items as your source of spiritual food breaks that rule.

Many of the men who present themselves as loving shepherds over this group are not the Bible students they pretend to be. Many are actually spiritual Doegs. The fact is, any and all who will have the full support of the organization must first prove themselves to be Doegs [people who love the approval of the group more than truth]. Put very simply: Any person who is a student of God's word, and who joins this group imagining they can remain a student of the Bible, will be thrown out. What makes that fact hard for most of their members to believe, or even to realize, is this: Individuals who express faith in the Bible will at first be held in esteem by the lower class witnesses [what their group refers to as "publishers" and most groups call "laity"]. Potential members will be held in such esteem precisely because of the love they show for God's word. All sincere students of the Bible will, in that fashion, be welcomed with open arms. The secret kept by their overseers, however, is that after becoming a member the feigned respect for lovers of the Bible will disappear among their governors. New members will soon begin gradually to be pressured by those Doeg leaders to shift their faith away from the Bible, and to give abject allegiance to their organizational writings and teachings. Unbelievably, the men who have gained control of this group have swelled to imagine having faith in their teachings, and having faith in the Bible, is one and the same thing. Any who are sincere Bible students will not be able to join in or comply with such ignorant or wicked reasoning. Sincere Bible students can never agree to submit to an organization of men right or wrong. Members who remain students of the Bible will then be disfellowshipped as apostate. You should really understand this fact: All that is necessary for this group to disfellowship someone is for two "elder" men to assert someone they don't like is "standing away" from the organization. If your family have become members of the group as well, these judgmental Doegs will destroy your family without hesitation: By means of their public judgment you are wicked. Your family will be required to go along with their judgment; or they will be disfellowshipped as well. [They will make believe it is a personal matter whether family members choose to join in shunning disfellowshipped ones, but those who don't go along will soon start to be viewed as "standing away" from the organization as well - a disfellowshipping offense.] This organization tricks people by pretending all who are disfellowshipped are unrepentant practicers of gross sin as defined by the Bible: Lying, stealing, cheating, adultery... (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) That assertion by them is a lie!

I am Joe Cummings, and what follows is the account of what happened to me; along with evidence which might protect others from my fate. I was disfellowshipped by Jehovah's Witnesses in early 2009. "Truth" is sometimes not what we want it to be, or what we have imagined it is: Truth is simply what it is. All sincere Bible students believe absolute truth is defined by our Creator, and by him alone. That is what Jehovah's Witnesses publicly assert their group believes; but that is simply not so! While it is not my desire to speak about the failings of others, in this case I have no choice. It seems wholly inappropriate for me, or for any other person, to imagine they have the right to judge what truth they will speak about; While they at the same time conspire to join in covering over other truth. The Bible teaches a man named Achan persuaded his family to help him do that: Hide the truth. (Joshua 7:20-26) Quietly tolerating their fathers badness cost Achan's family their lives. God had that account recorded for us in the Bible as a warning. I can not maintain a good conscience before God, and at the same time help these men hide what I have learned they are! (Acts 4:18-20) For thirty years I directed people to this organization, as I believed they would be joining themselves to other sincere Bible students. Now that they have demonstrated that is not what they are; I must speak about that truth just the same. I simply reveal what I have been exposed to with regard to Jehovah's Witnesses. Realizing my personal responsibility, this page of the website is not a collaboration as is the effort with most of the material. This page is a presentation of my personal observations. I firmly believe what is presented is every bit true, and that it is clearly documented to be so. You must decide what is right based on what the Bible teaches. If you are considering membership in this group, by their own assertion your very life is involved; And by mine, the wellbeing and safety of you and your family is as well. (Romans 3:4b ; John 3:18)

I am most pleased to find their action against me has had little negative effect on what I know to be "Bible truth." To amend, I should say, I believe their action against me has encouraged and strengthened my faith in, and my understanding of, the Bible. They have certainly helped me understand the Bible warning against the "Man Of Lawlessness." My being disfellowshipped remains very painful for my family, however, and the distress to my family and friends remains painful to me as well. This hateful practice is no small matter! If you are considering membership as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, or you have family who is, you should clearly understand their common practice of disfellowshipping. If you are and remain a member, it must be because you are ignorant of the facts herein presented. [Have you been dissuaded from considering anything negative about them? Wouldn't going along with such thinking keep you subservient to any group you happened to have joined? (2 Corinthians 13:5a)] Members should make a real effort to review what is presented with an open mind. If you are a sincere Bible student, you should consider their practice to see how organizations of men often go astray. [A similar mental sickness, manifesting as an imagined superiority over others, infects most religious groups! Such people are not Christians, but Religionists. You should understand the difference.] Understanding what this cult is capable of might help you avoid some similar pitfall: The pitfall of becoming a wicked and judgmental Doeg. As stated, I believe there is evidence to make what is here asserted irrefutable. Certainly, there is evidence to illustrate the danger of this enforced ignorance upon their members and potential members.

My stated crime in being disfellowshipped was [and is] that I would not go along with their assertion that all the magazines and literature produced by their organization is "spiritual food." The implication of that assertion is very important: It reflects the secret belief by the men who lead their group that all their literature comes directly from God. (1 Corinthians 10:1-4 ; John 4:34 ; John 17:17) It also means no one is free to question anything they say. They have really come to imagine they are producing new spiritual food! Nothing has changed with regard to my faith, so as to suddenly incur their wrath. I have always tried to base my faith on the Bible; During all those thirty years of association with their group and long before. My contention [and belief] has always been that only the Bible is a source of spiritual food inspired by our Creator. The "elder" men who disfellowshipped me indicated they were very familiar with the organizations teaching that "all their literature is spiritual food." They believed I should be familiar with it too. They stated they had become familiar with that idea by having read it in the organization's publications. They seemed shocked I would even question the idea. I had never, in thirty years of association, seen them state they were creating new spiritual food. I would certainly have noticed any such claim! What was revealed [to the apparent surprise of even some of the men doing the disfellowshipping] was that the literature available to the lower membership had not, in all those thirty years, contained any such statement. The men sitting in judgment were familiar with that belief only from their study of secret books and materials not available to the general membership. (The organization keeps secret elder books, [not titled "elder books" mind you, but "shepherding the flock of God in your care," or something like that;] for use only by those whom they appoint to oversight. No woman or child, nor any person who believes they are in the midst of Bible students, can see those secret books. No woman may ever see them.) Some of those "elder men" sitting in judgment over me appeared sincerely surprised they were the only ones being taught all their literature is "spiritual food." [Please take careful notice of the implication of these facts: Only the men who can first meet the approval standards of those in charge, and who are then appointed as elder, can see any of those secret materials. That "elder" appointment only happens after they have long been members, and have manifest the "proper attitude" of abject submission to the organization. It will be hard for faithful Bible students in their midst to realize why they are not promoted as elders. Men who rely on the Bible as their only source of spiritual food rarely get that appointment! If they do get it, they will soon be thrown out by the Doegs among the group.]

An elderly and highly esteemed member of the organization tried to help me understand why I had to be disfellowshipped. He suggested I "humble" myself and stop talking about what has happened to me. He is old and facing life threatening health problems. I don't know if that impacted his telling me this personal story. Anyway... To try and help me understand, this elder told me a story about something that happened to him when he was younger. After hearing this story by this Edgar, I am left wondering how they try to defend such actions in the light of the scriptures: (Galatians 1:6-9) 6 I marvel that YOU are being so quickly removed from the One who called YOU with Christ's undeserved kindness over to another sort of good news. 7 But it is not another; only there are certain ones who are causing YOU trouble and wanting to pervert the good news about the Christ. 8 However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to YOU as good news something beyond what we declared to YOU as good news, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said above, I also now say again, Whoever it is that is declaring to YOU as good news something beyond what YOU accepted, let him be accursed. This organizational "understanding" of what it means to be "faithful," as exemplified in Edgar's story, is arbitrarily and capriciously hidden from prospective and laity members. If they made public such ignorant or wicked beliefs, I would never have been a member. I suspect many others would not either.
It is the Bible and only the Bible that is able to define what is good news. When men look to and proclaim other writings as their source of truth, placing them above the Bible, they have lost their way. As the Bible says: "Let them be accursed." (I was disfellowshipped, and this page of the website was written, in 2009. The story conveyed to me by Edgar, and linked in this paragraph of the webpage, didn't happen until 2013; When Edgar came to my door in his "preaching" effort. Even so, this seems the appropriate place for it on the website. His story really does confirm and clarify for me the reason I was disfellowshipped; The reason which those doing the disfellowshipping were too cowardly to openly express. Their actions demonstrate they are slaves to their organization, not the teachings of Christ Jesus. As mentioned, I don't know if he was expressing concern for his damaged conscience, or trying to show me why I should submit to them right or wrong. Probably, he believes I should join with them in keeping lies, and thus be welcomed back into their fold.)

As they disfellowshipped me, their actions made me realize I have been purposely deceived by their group. Being slandered by their public judgment I am apostate, and realizing their willful deception in judging me out of teachings purposely hidden from me by their leaders, I threatened legal action. The organization then printed a statement acknowledging they think all their literature is "spiritual food" in the June 15, 2009 watchtower. That was a few months after my being disfellowshipped (a few years after the process was initiated). The magazine in which they exposed this belief, however, is one distributed only to members of their group. The teaching will still be hidden from those whom they call on at their doors [in their public membership drives]. It is deceit by design. Maybe they are ashamed to own up to this belief. I can't blame them for being ashamed! As they strive to involve whole families in their group, while arbitrarily and capriciously hiding such secret teachings, it seems a crime as well as something for them to be embarrassed of. In the United States, people have the religious freedom to believe anything they like. When a group deliberately deceives people so as to entice them to membership, while knowing that membership will bring harm: That becomes illegal. If my assertion is not true, it is easy enough to disprove: The organization has a computer library disk containing the Bible and most of their publications going back 60 years. Simply do a search for the term "spiritual food" on their literature [using their own computer software]. (Those secret elder books will not, of course, be on their "Watchtower Library CD" [year 2008 or earlier].) If they assert what I say is not true, ask them to let you own one of their "elder books" for review. They are anxious to share their literature, but they won't let you have access to that book.

Some of the terminology used on this webpage might seem unusual if you don't have a background as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. I apologize, but the material is intended for everyone; including their members. Sadly, some/most of their group will stop up their ears, (Proverbs 21:13) as they will consider my revealing the actions of these men as proof of my apostasy. That is certainly what their leaders will teach them. Members are expected to put up with, and thereby help them hide, what ever abuse they see in the organization; Otherwise, they are branded apostate. I had not spoken out against disfellowshipping previously because I ignorantly believed their public lie: They claim only those who are un-repentantly guilty of practicing some gross scriptural crime are disfellowshipped. [I believed all disfellowshipped persons were those actively practicing stealing, murder, assault, lying, cheating on their mate, etc. - 1 Corinthians 6:9] That is what the organization claims; And what most of the group still believes. The men who disfellowshipped me introduced me to a reason for disfellowshipping which was new to me: They for the first time defined apostasy for me [from their elder book] as any form of "standing away" from their organization. They seemed hesitant, and somewhat divided, as they took action against me; Taking years to solidify the action. Then, they held my case in abeyance for weeks after they publicly announced I was disfellowshipped. They even told me it is "hard for them to define apostasy." They finally helped me realize: They don't need any specific reason at all to disfellowship someone for apostasy. It simply requires that two elder men opine that a person is standing away from their group, and their personal judgment then defines that individual as apostate. No matter what reason was used for disfellowshipping the individual; that reason, or the lack of any reason at all, will be kept secret by the disfellowshipped person's judges. His new "standing" as a wicked person is made known in a very public announcement, but there will be no mention of his specific crime. [In my personal case, they actually did announce publicly I am an apostate enemy of my God Jehovah. - I note this in part for any lawyer who might read this account; Hopefully with an interest in helping me get compensation for their spiritual rape.] Assertions have been made (in connection with law suits) that some who spoke out even against suspected child molesters were disfellowshipped as trouble makers [apostates]. They often [wickedly] paint disfellowshipped individuals as mentally unstable. Please compare their actions with the hypocrisy and badness of the Jewish religious leaders Jesus spoke of. Also note how their actions differ from Jesus's attitude toward those trying to follow him. (Matthew 6:1 ; Mark 9:38-40)

Since I sincerely believed I had joined a group of Bible students, I was certain all through the several years it took to disfellowship me that their attack was just some terrible misunderstanding; That it was just some ignorant or hypocritical men in my local congregation at fault. I convinced myself of that because I realize people are imperfect and make mistakes, and so I remained convinced the error would be corrected. Since I was protected for the beginning years of their assault by two circuit overseers, and since I appealed my case in writing to the governing body of the organization, (Exodus 18:22) I felt secure the matter would be resolved honorably and justly. What rather happened, to my very great surprise, is the organization demonstrated it has in oversight exactly the type of men they seek: Men who are Doegs and will do anything they are told without reservation or remorse. Those sitting in judgment of me read aloud some of what the representatives of the "governing body" [the New York subgroup who control the organization] wrote back in letters to them [as what amounts to their priesthood weighed in on my case]. After several months of deliberation, and with seeming uncertainty and/or disagreement on their part, I was disfellowshipped. The reason they finally settled on, and the thing that absolutely does separate me from them, was their demand that I accept all their organizational writings as spiritual food. That is, of course, absurd beyond measure! Those writings have contained many errors over the years! The Bible has not. As they elevate those writings above question in saying they are spiritual food, they hold them equal with or above the Bible. By doing so, they demonstrate their true faith is in their organization's own writings rather than the Bible. Those writings, in turn, assert that all must depend on the organization to "interpret the Bible" for them. Some of these men emboldened to sit in judgment over me actually told me in their own words: They need the organization to "interpret" scripture for them. Not teach it to them mind you, but interpret it for them? Who then becomes the source of their truth? Is it really Jehovah God through the Bible He inspired to be written? (2 Peter 1:20-21) Or, has the source of their truth become the imperfect men they bow down to for interpretation? Long ago, interpretations of dreams belonged to God; but the completed Bible is for all men! (Interpretations still belong to God if He should again choose to use dreams to deliver messages. When He did so in the past, he often used human spokesmen to interpret such dreams.) (Genesis 40:8) The Bible is not a dream however, nor is it hard to understand: The Bible is the interpretation of all things. (Luke 8:20-21 ; Acts 17:27 ; Mark 12:24) Of course, we all need help gaining an understanding of when, and where, and to whom the books of the Bible were written. The truth of the Bible then speaks for itself! (Acts 8:34-35) No interpretation is needed. If someone tries to convince you of your need for an interpreter, they are trying to mislead you. The record of Jesus's teachings in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John give us the interpretation of the Bible. Those who imagine they are producing spiritual food are trying to replace Christ as your source of truth and hope. They are apostate! They are trying to hide the Bible in plain sight; Doing so by their insisting you need them to explain what it means. Jesus stated very clearly what he meant in the Bible! Become familiar with what he taught using your own Bible.

I had, of course, known there were individuals in the organization who placed the writings of the group above the Bible. I have seen such ones search through the organizational writings for judgment against someone, and then actually not be able to tie their judgment to the Bible! I hoped they were just ignorant individuals who would return to faith in the Bible. Men who look to sources of spiritual food other than the Bible are easy to identify: They are seldom loving and kind, but are harsh and unyielding. (John 13:34-35) They always talk about following their organization, about listening to their organization, about letting their organization guide you (the organization over which they act as lords of course). They never speak of learning what the Bible teaches, or of being guided by it. If they do mention the Bible, they will return in the next sentence to glorifying their organization above the Bible. Such individuals love the glory they have in the organizational structure; more than they love Bible truth. Protecting their position over others seems their likely motive: They desire to protect their place and nation. (John 11:48) Such leaders are Doegs who promote only other Doegs. It is the same mentality as the Jim Jones disciples. These vile men demonstrated for me it was not they who were ignorant, as I had been so certain, but it was I who was ignorant: I was ignorant about who and what their group actually is. My desire is that no one else be fooled by them. They say they are Bible students out of one side of their mouth, but in secret they are only students of their own writings: Students of the uninspired writings of an organization of imperfect men. It is nearly too sad to think about! They are pathetic!

Some among the leaders of the organization know the things I say are true: So they publish articles asking if the organization is "making it hard for individuals to remain at Jehovah's table." They write about the faithful prophets of old who prophesied doom for the Jewish nation: Doing so because of the hypocrisy, and badness, and abuse by their Jewish spiritual leaders. They thus demonstrate they have full knowledge of the problem, as they caution how wicked shepherds will be dealt with by Jehovah: Yet they continue to appoint them, empower them, and support them. (James 4:17) In this way they give half-hearted lip service to the problem, while they do absolutely nothing to protect those being abused. (1 Samuel 2:22-25 ; 1 Samuel 3:11-14 ; 1 Samuel 4:10-18) I can't imagine their appointing such men, and then leaving their badness for Jehovah to clean up, [while they refuse to lift a finger to stop the abuse,] is going to be acceptable. They have called Jehovah's name upon themselves; How can they really imagine He will find favor in their support [or even in their toleration] of such abuse? To turn a blind eye to it is to support it: (James 4:17) Even as Eli supported his wicked sons in the Bible account above [in 1 Samuel].

This all leads any reasonable person to wonder what other secret teachings the organization maintains in the writings available only to their "elders." It especially makes one wonder what is contained in those books only available to the individuals who are above the elders. Too many secrets! (Mark 4:22-23) Does anyone who joins or remains a member of an organization that governs itself out of secret writings; [writings lower members can not examine, and writings which all members MUST accept without question, as spiritual food coming directly from God,] can they really know what they are members of? Of course they don't! At least the Mormons make their assertions they have extensions to the Bible in public. They don't keep it hidden from new members.

A few years ago, the organization circulated among it's congregations the story of a man who was lied against by two elders in his congregation. In this example, circulated by the organization itself remember, they stated this wrongly disfellowshipped man came to the meetings and sat in the back of the meeting hall for twenty years. Finally, one of his vile inquisitors confessed on his death bed. That innocent man was finally exonerated, but only after all those years of abuse. Mind you, when one is disfellowshipped, no one will even speak a greeting to him. Even his own wife and children are urged to have only necessary familial dealings with him. They are never to listen to anything he says about the Bible. They will not allow his presence at friendly (???) gatherings. The elders who disfellowshipped the individual will continue to have "private" meetings with the spouse [or parents] of the disfellowshipped person; To insure those other family members are complying with proper shunning procedures. What they are really doing is checking that other family members are not becoming infected. Any perceived lack of support for the organization by the mate or family member will result in disfellowshipping for them as well. Disfellowshipping destroys families, and it causes untold hardship to the mate and children and friends of disfellowshipped individuals. It is said persons have committed suicide after being disfellowshipped by this group. By their publicly disclosing the account of the man they lied against and wrongly cast out, the organization confesses their sin out of their own mouth: They openly admit their disfellowshipping process wrongly abused this man and his family for twenty years. As they told this story, and glorified the disfellowshipped man's submission: By talking about how "faithful" this man had been, as he had quietly tolerated their lying abuse; they didn't mention whether his marriage survived. They didn't talk about how badly they had abused his children; children having to be ashamed of their father all the while they grew up - with no one even speaking to him. What about harm done others: Harm done to persons who knew something was wrong with the disfellowshipping of this innocent man? They said some actually encouraged him over that twenty years: Encouraged him to say he was sorry; Even though he had done nothing wrong. (Job 2:9-10) The group leaders promoted this account, of course, to encourage others to imitate the wrongly disfellowshipped man: As he sat silently as an outcast in the back of their meetings for twenty years. They want everyone to follow their group blindly, just as that innocent man did. I must ask though: How many others did that man's silence cause to be disfellowshipped? As they told his story, they assured all that Jehovah would bless the wronged man. That may be true! What their story also shows is that they are all very well aware this process is flawed and unreliable. They confess their own responsibility! Likely they have wrongly disfellowship a large portion of those they publicly judged as wicked. Just one is too many! By their own testimony, they know they abuse innocent people with this practice. It is akin to saying they know they are putting destitute ones out to starve, but it is okay because God will bless those cast off individuals for their suffering. (James 2:15-17) They make clear they know how bad this practice is, but rather than confess their sins and leave them behind, they continue on unrepentant. Remember: They disfellowship children as well as adults! A sobering question for those identifying themselves as a member of this organization is this: When some of these loveless or ignorant Doegs rise up to judge as wicked someone "more righteous" than themselves, (1_Kings_2:31-32) are you giving tacit support by sitting quietly by? Do you join them in their abuse by refusing even to speak to the person; without your even knowing why? Do you imagine Jehovah will find favor in your doing so? If so, you must surely believe Doeg was acceptable to Jehovah as he wickedly followed Anointed King Saul's order to kill the Priests of Jehovah. It seems a dangerous position to be in at best! If you have doubts, print out this webpage and ask your local elder body if there is any danger for you in becoming complicit; By your helping hide such badness. [Please don't accept: "Just trust us" and "just don't even think about that," or "don't belabor that," as reasonable answers!]

Those who are anxious to judge others will justify their actions using scriptures like Matthew 18:18-20. Remember though, those first century Christians who were hand picked by Jesus. His early followers had holy spirit in a special way. Holy spirit enabled them to raise the dead and heal the sick. Their doing so provided evidence they were who they claimed to be. (Matthew 10:8) It gave credence to their activity as they brought both Jews and Gentiles out of Judaism and into Christianity. We have today, the witness they all gave, recorded for us in the completed Bible. Anyone who claims the power of judgment today should also heal those who are sick and raise those who have died as proof they have holy spirit; Just as those first century Christians did. These Doegs openly acknowledge the gifts of the spirit [such as raising the dead] died off with completion of the Bible, but they want to assert they still retain the power of judgment over others. Will you really follow after such Doegs???

These problems all connect to the organization's assertion that all their literature is spiritual food, and thus above question by any. The Doegs of their cult will then search those writings for something to accuse someone of, and then quote it just the same as the Bible in support of their self-righteous judgment. Their problems are compounded by the assertion within those writings that all these "elder" men in the local congregations are appointed directly by holy spirit; And everyone is to obey them without question. Likely they do all these things imagining they are promoting organizational unity. What they are really doing is throwing out "noble minded" individuals while promoting "Doegs" to oversight of their group. The organization has been plagued with internal strife for many years, as many have been disfellowshipped from their midst; Some right from the Governing Body. All the secrecy surrounding their activity, and the mounting evidence, seems to suggest that internal strife may be caused by their throwing out all who will not submit to becoming Doegs. It seems they have quietly [and secretly] made the change from being Bible students, to becoming students of their own works. Those who would not follow their lie have been (or are being) thrown out. No matter how well meaning they might be, or imagine they are, they are going beyond the things written in the Bible when they assert other materials are also spiritual food. (1 Corinthians 4:6) It is certainly the right of any to believe anything they choose to believe. Other organizations that produce their own Bible, or their own extensions to it, or who assert certain persons or written materials are infallible, at least they do so openly. Any who wish to join in believing such teachings are then free to do so. The problem with Jehovah's Witnesses is they purposely hide the fact they are producing extensions to the Bible [producing new spiritual food in their imagination]. They openly assert they are Bible students, while secretly presenting their own writings as spiritual food, and their leaders as infallible. They will say that is not so of course, but it obviously is so!

This organization has been among the protestant groups who broke away from false religion, and wonderfully brought an end of the dark ages. As happened with John Calvin and most others who broke free, one must wonder why they are returning to that scriptural darkness they left behind. By claiming their own writings are spiritual food, and even that they are producing new spiritual food, they start to abandon the progress they made through sincere Bible study. Remember, most or all of those protestant groups had noble aspirations as they broke out of false religion, seeking a return to the simple Bible teachings of Christ. Their sincerity is how they were able to break free! As most of those groups returned to spiritual darkness after a short while: The failure of most all of them lay in their imagined need to protect the new organizations they had formed; Rather than continuing to seek truth as Bible students. Their failure, including the original apostasy of the early church, seemed always about money and power and control over others. Jehovah's Witnesses made a change a few years ago so they no longer solicit contributions from the public. From where, then, do they get their money? They "suggest" regularly [in magazines distributed only to their membership] that members should give, will, or put in trust their property to or for the organization. In those magazines, they give extensive directions on different legal ways to make such contributions. Since those magazines, and their included recommendation on "giving," have now been declared "spiritual food" as the Bible actually is; Doesn't it become more like a command than a recommendation? Such "suggestions" are now to be viewed by members as spiritual food coming directly from God. In addition, since the local congregation "elders" are declared in that same literature to be appointed directly by holy spirit, who do you suppose all those members turn to for advice on legal matters? Who do you imagine members appoint as executors of their wills and/or estates? It all leaves one wondering what directives the organization's secret writings contain concerning those matters. Please note an example:

It was reported that a member of this organization went into the hospital with little hope of survival. Because she expected to die, and because she trusted her local "elder" men, she assigned power of attorney to one of them. When she nearly miraculously came out of the hospital to continue her life, she found her home and belongings had been disposed of. She was consoled by other "elders" of course, and told it was terrible what happened to her; But she was encouraged to understand nothing could really be done to help her. She was "helped" by being told she would harm the organization, and cast God in a bad light, if she sought legal help; Or if she even talked openly about what had been done to her. The organization tries to assert the men doing such bad things act independently and autonomously, so as to avoid legal responsibility, and likely to sooth their conscience [and to hide what they are doing]. The evidence suggests those men are acting exactly as they are encouraged to act by the governors of the organization. It suggests the directions for such behavior are hidden away in secret writings. Men who will go along with, or at least overlook such abuse, are the only ones they promote to positions of oversight. I suspect most of the money for the home and belongings of the woman in the above example wound up in the organizational coffers. No doubt, the men who abused her richly reward themselves as well. Does it seem they really care about "truth and love," or about taking money from their sheep?

When the organization appoints men to positions of oversight and control, and then tell them that appointment is made directly by God's holy spirit, what do they really expect will happen? When they tell such ones they are appointed by holy spirit with a responsibility to judge the congregations, and that they should be on the watch for apostates, what do they imagine will happen? When they further assert all their organizational teachings are spiritual food, and thereby make clear no one is free to show themselves noble minded by examining to prove what they learn comes from the Bible, what do they imagine they are doing? When they provide secret books for their leaders to judge others from, how do they imagine it will impact those men? What they are doing is driving out the noble minded and promoting Doegs.

During the dark ages the church burned alive and otherwise tortured it's enemies [who were sometimes selected from among it's own members]. In these last days, the United States wisely saw fit to separate church and state, thus greatly limiting the power of the church over it's enemies. This separation of church and state not only provided protection for this nation's own citizens, but provided enlightenment as a pattern to much of the world. We are thankful God used the nation in that way. If not, religious Doegs would no doubt still be burning people alive, just as easily as these men publicly judge their enemies wicked and unworthy of life. They really do imagine they are doing God's work after all! So did the vile religious leaders of the inquisition, as they devised horrendous ways to torture people to death; Sometimes taking days for them to die! People who imagine they have God's blessing to render judgment over others have brought more anguish to mankind than any other thing. It is what fuels much of today's terrorism around the world. Religions who gain the power of government will always try to destroy those they judge wicked. Only the Bible has the power to free us from slavery to such abusive and false religious thinking. (John 8:31-32) True Christianity survives and flourishes under the wings of nations like the United States, or they would be exterminated by false religion. Never let any man or group replace your Bible with teachings of their own!

The men who wield authority over this organization will next assert the disfellowshipping process is scriptural, and so they have no choice. They will thus claim they can not modify their method. They state the first century Christians practiced such judgment. Remember: The early Christians were acting under direction of holy spirit, and they could also raise the dead and heal the sick; So as to prove the involvement of God's spirit! A few years before Christ, the wicked were stoned to death under Jewish law, but that method of judgment changed. Those miracles by Jesus's apostles provided appropriate protection for the new congregations, and proof they had become God's chosen representatives. Those miracles had their day. No man is raising the dead today, and neither are any judges over who is righteous. Today we live by faith in the completed (for now) teachings of the Christ, as revealed in God's word [the Bible]. (Romans 1:16-17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:36-39)
     As to their not being able to change their method because they are bound by scriptural commands: Until recently their same dark process protected accused child molesters in their midst; Just as it continues to protect the vile men committing the crimes mentioned above. When the Courts pierced the organizations umbrella of protection and entertained law suits against accused child abusers, the organization immediately changed it's process. Since some individuals were successful in getting financial compensation for child abuse cases, any and all accusation of child abuse is now removed from the authority of the local elder body and immediately referred to the proper governmental authorities. While making that change however, the organization chose to leave those elder bodies with unquestioned authority to continue to abuse others. They chose to change only enough to protect individuals the U.S. Court held them financially responsible for abusing: Children. That is, of course, a good thing! If the organization could change the process to protect their children, however, they could change it to protect others as well. What does it sound like they care about? Does it seem they are concerned about doing what is right, by protecting lowly ones; or in protecting their organization and it's wealth? [I do realize many of the men serving on local congregation elder bodies are sincere and kind hearted. That does little, however, to combat the many others who are not. No matter what anyone says to the contrary, the hiding of ones eyes and pretending these abuses are not happening is not the answer. That, is what casts God in a bad light! All it takes is two or three of these vile men to put their heads together and they can do anything they like to someone, no matter what the rest of the elder body thinks. The organization knows all that. They just don't care!]

After saying all of that, I must reiterate that I believe many of Jehovah's Witnesses are sincere; and they are anxious to study the Bible with people. Sincerity is not enough however. (Matthew 7:22) People have to be humble enough to remain students of the Bible. Association with JW's might even be useful, if every student is cautious to make certain of Bible support for everything they are taught. There is, however, a grave danger of being swallowed down into group membership with the Doegs who govern their group.

For those who feel they must have a group of men to pat them on the head and assure them they are among the faithful, this organization is anxious to fulfill that desire. That is not Christianity, however. While you may not find a large group to pat you on the head as you search for truth, the group you should join is the true organization started by Jesus: The group formed of individuals who are joined only by their shared faith in the unadulterated teachings of the Bible. (2 Kings 6:17) They are the lowly and sincere people you come in contact with every day. Knowledge of Bible truth will bring you joy and peace, and put you at ease among other people of loving-kindness. It will not make you popular with everyone however. (John 15:20) I am very much afraid for those who are compelled to seek the approval of men. Any relationship which any person can have with our Creator, and that is acceptable with God, is certainly fine with me! It seems hard to understand, though, how one can become a member of Jehovah's witnesses, or remain a member, unless all the group's secret teachings [now declared to be spiritual food] are brought out into the light. Before becoming a member, one should first know what the organization really teaches; And then prove in their own mind and heart those teachings come from the Bible. (2 Corinthians 13:5-6) The problem is, of course, you can't know what Jehovah's Witnesses really teach while they keep it hidden in writings you can't even see or consider. It is only the same diligent concern every individual must exercise with any person or group who wants to teach the Bible. (Acts 17:11) Jehovah's Witnesses will warn you should not consider the religious writings of others; Doing so to protect you from being misled [they assert]. Next they declare you can only see the approved portion of their teachings, while they keep some teachings secret from you. Are people really going to continue to believe such ignorant assertions??? All of us must prove our faith is based on the Bible; no exceptions! (Acts 17:11) That includes Jehovah's Witnesses!

One real danger which causes people to be rushed to membership, are the sincere Bible Students among Jehovah's Witnesses; Men and women in their group that are aglow with the spirit. Those individuals reflect the joy of learning what the Bible teaches. They are the ones who draw others to the group. Such individuals don't realize, however, what the organization really is; Until they have dragged in some of their family and friends. Sadly, the joy of learning basic Bible "truth" (which the Witnesses are pretty good at teaching) makes individuals want to rush to become members before they become aware of the "secret" teachings of the group. It is during that joyful process of learning some of what the bible teaches, while the real truth of the organization is hidden from them, that they are in turn used to indoctrinate others. Seemingly, that very deceit is the intent of their organizational arrangement. It is sad to see the glow of such Bible students fade, as they become members and are then gradually herded to make the change to become Doegs rather than continuing on as noble minded students of the Bible. Their joy is robbed away as they are forced to turn a blind eye to abuses like mentioned above; And much worse. They are forced to trade away their love of Bible truth in exchange for obeisance to the organization and it's writings. Since these secret writings are hidden from prospects and lower members, sometimes individuals don't realize for many years. Occasionally, they are able to remain sincere until they progress to oversight, such as elder, or even to circuit overseer. Finally, though, their glow fades as they are coerced to subjugate themselves as servants of the organization. They must abandon being servants of Christ Jesus by means of an application of their knowledge of God's written word. They must venerate the organization's writings. As individuals gradually become aware of these facts, [possibly taking many years,] they can no longer remain whole soled Bible students. Most don't know what to do! Soon they are crushed by the wayside in inactivity; Or they join the ranks of the growling snapping Doegs who hate and judge anyone that does not join with group standards. Not Bible standards, mind you, but their own organizational standards! All who remain approved by them must finally join the ranks of the Doegs, or become subservient to them. Otherwise, they are disfellowshipped by those who are Doegs by nature (by those who hate righteous ones simply because the righteous are not like them). (1 Peter 4:4-5) You can identify Doegs by the lack of love they display. Just as Jesus said you can identify those who are his sincere followers by the love they show others; So also you can identify by their lack of love those who are just pretending to be followers of Christ. (1 John 3:9-24) From what John says in verses 18 through 21 of Chapter 3, it seems to imply those without love know who they are - or they should. The Bible's teachings indicate we either love our brothers in Adam, or we judge them, but we can not do both. It is a spiritual balancing act, as we must judge what is truth from the Bible, and at the same time try to manifest love for others and avoid judging them. [We must be able to recognize (judge) bad acts of course!] This balancing act is no doubt impossible apart from Jehovah's spirit through faith in Christ Jesus. At the root of our refusing to judge others must be our love for them, and our personal faith in God's word. (Matthew 22:37-40 ; Mark 12:24 ; John 8:31-32) You must never let anyone take that love away from you. Remember: Even if they do you great wrong, it is "against their own soul" they commit the sin. (1_Kings_2:23-24) Jehovah is making it right for everyone who is trusting in him. (Isaiah 59:14-21) The righteous must remember always: God is good and he will help us! (Hebrews 11:6) If you let such Doegs make you bitter, you will turn to doing bad because of that bitterness. Love them through hope they will turn to the Bible as the source of their spiritual food.

It is questionable whether any organization (not individuals within that organization mind you, but the organization as an entity) who imagines it is producing new spiritual food, and proudly raises itself up to render public judgment over the spirituality of others, can ever repent. It is most likely their love of money and power that led them to abandon truth, and then to their resulting badness. Confessing their sins might leave them financially liable for the harm they have done. Whether they do or they do not repent, God will provide wisdom to deal with them; And He will fix what they have made crooked. (Proverbs 2:1-21) He will finally destroy wicked organizations along with those individuals who won't leave them. (Matthew 7:12-24 - [Matthew, there in chapter 7, gives us what amounts to a brief summation, or definition, of Christianity.])

Another assertion Doegs will always make is that they are members of God's chosen people, likening themselves to the Israelite nation before Christ. (Romans 2:17-24) They will often use, to justify their bad acts, the fact that persons had to put up with the sins of the individuals in that Jewish nation; Such as the sins of King David of old. Some members of God's chosen nation of Israel had to witness David's sin with Bathsheba, for example; And then had to be aware, or even be involved, as David wickedly put her husband Uriah to death [as David attempted to hide he and Bathsheba's sin]. (2 Samuel 11:1-12:9) Only a few were directly involved in David's sin of course, but most of the nation likely became aware of what he had done after it was over. We are correct to note, along with these Doegs, that David's sin did not change the fact that the Israelite nation was God's chosen nation of people. We are today, however, no longer members of a nation organized under the Mosaic law, with eye for eye and tooth for tooth. Jesus came to change that and to make it better. We each have a personal relationship with God through our individual faith in his son. God's nation of Christians today are under the law of love established by Christ Jesus. We are also past the limited Bible understanding David and the men of his day had; Because much more of God's plan of salvation has been revealed over time. King David put men he judged as wicked to death without hesitation. (2 Samuel 1:14-15) Christians do not exercise such judgment today. We are under Christ's law of love, with that law being written on our hearts. (Romans 2:14-16 - 2 Corinthians 3:1-3) It is love for others [and obedience to God's word] which defines membership in God's nation today. When an organization promotes it's own teachings as above or equal to the Bible, they have clearly broken God's rule and gone beyond the things written in the Bible. (1 Corinthians 4:6) They appear to have abandoned being members of God's nation.

I am pleased many governments of our day limit the power of religious organizations, so as to prevent them killing those they judge wicked. (Some of these men seemed they could have harmed me just as easily as they publicly judged me wicked.) Most Bible scholars agree mankind is in what the Bible refers to as the last days of this old world system. If so, the Bible seems to indicate protection from destruction will be provided through individual faith in Christ Jesus. [Jesus will provide us help and protection through his established kingdom, and that help will be based on our personal faith. (Acts 3:16)] Personal faith in God's son is thus what defines membership in God's organization today. (Mark 14:61-62 ; Luke 9:35; Romans 5:1-2) All our actions and response must be motivated out of love for Jehovah God, and love for our neighbor. (Luke 10:27) We will keep living only through faith in Christ Jesus. (Acts 14:9) The law judged people under that old Jewish arrangement; But love does not under Christianity. Jesus (through his followers) taught the one who ate something forbidden by law was not to be judging the one not eating, and vice-versa. (Romans 14:1-4; Luke 9:49-50) Anyway, those who set themselves up as law givers and judges over others are missing the point: There is no new religion born in these last days, and no new spiritual food is being given; There is rather the faithful men and women who sincerely strive to be footstep followers of Christ Jesus. They are persons who strive to be members of the Christian organization Jesus himself established: Doing so by their faithful obedience to Jesus's teachings. Furthermore, leading men to the establishment of Christianity was in large measure the very reason the ancient Jewish nation was used as God's chosen nation. That Jewish arrangement protected "truth" and true worship down to the appearance of Christ. Christianity grew out of Judaism, in fulfillment of the Jewish law. Jesus was a Jew. (Matthew 1:1)

Even Jesus himself didn't imagine or assert he was creating new spiritual food, as he himself quoted only what his Father taught him, using God's inspired word as his authority. (Matthew 4:4) Jesus there said we must live by every word coming forth from our heavenly Father's mouth. We must be very careful then, not to let others put words in Jehovah's mouth: By asserting they are producing spiritual food in addition to, or instead of, the Bible.

Organizational Laws: We do understand that this and other organizations imagine the need to have their laws (or rules) in place to govern member conduct; This to be able to control and maintain their organization.* It seems altogether unreasonable though, to imagine that the "perfect law" given directly by God through Moses was done away with in favor of faith in Christ Jesus; only to now turn backward by replacing that "law of love" given us by Christ with a new set of laws concocted by imperfect men. (Galatians 2:18) No matter how well meaning such men might be, it is absurd. What these ones seem to fail to grasp is that Christianity as an organization was started by Jesus, and that God maintains the membership roll. Imperfect men can not create laws to define or judge who are Christians; Or who are not. The perfect Jewish law given by God was fulfilled and put away in favor of faith in the teachings of Christ. We would be foolish to return to a new law given by men. If some individual or group among those who are faithful Christians take a stand against the teachings of Jesus, [as recorded in the Bible,] it will be clear to those who remain faithful, simply because any stand by apostates is against the scriptures. Sincere ones will recognize the master's voice and follow him: They will follow Christ through their knowledge of, and their faith in, Jesus's Bible teachings. (John 10:27-29) Reading the Bible is the method by which we today can choose to sit at the feet of Christ Jesus and listen to his voice. (Luke 10:38-42) The Bible is the only spiritual food available to us. (Mark 12:24)
*[Of course, rules for organizational meeting times and so forth must exist. No one should ever assert such rules are spiritual food though; Or judge others as unworthy of life because of such rules.]

Remember: What ever you do and who ever you associate with, it is the Bible and only the Bible that is alive and exerts power to guide your life. Only the Bible can help you become a friend of Jehovah, and make necessary changes to become a foot step follower of Christ Jesus. Jehovah's eyes are roving about in the earth to show his power in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him. (2 Chronicles 16:9) Do you want that protection in your life? If so, you must not allow yourself to be misled, it is only the Bible that is spiritual food! (Deuteronomy 4:2 ; Deuteronomy 12:32 ; Revelation 22:18-19) Remember also, Christ Jesus is appointed judge of who is righteous. Never allow imperfect men to render judgment over your faith. (1 Corinthians 4:3) If you join yourself to such men, and submit to their laws of judgment, you are likely responsible when they do harm; Just as every member of the Jewish nation under their law was responsible when any one of them sinned. (Joshua 7:1) That is one of the reasons Jesus came to fulfill the law and put it aside. Jesus said it was his word that would be judge of us all. (John 12:48) The Bible likens truth to light, and then indicates that light [his word] forms the basis of judgment. (John_3:19-21 ; John_5:33-36) Know for yourself what Jesus teaches! Study your Bible and know what it says. It is the goal of those supporting this web site to assist individuals doing so. Always be ready to make a defense (1_Peter_3:15) for your faith, and then, after you have prayerfully considered scriptural counsel, don't worry about what any men may say in judgment against you. (1 Corinthians 4:3) Such self appointed lords among men are having their reward in full. (Matthew 6:2)

The harm done by this organization might best be summarized in their own words. In typical fashion, they ended a recent study article with this admonition: "May each one of us keep pace with Jehovah's organization." (Watchtower, March 15, 2012, P29, p20) You will note that is not an encouragement to keep pace with Jehovah through personal Bible knowledge; But to keep pace with their organization of imperfect men. By this "command" to their sheep, they misdirect all those people from their conscious need to become friends with Jehovah based on their personal faith in [and knowledge of] the teachings of Christ Jesus. They have turned those in their care from being concerned with pleasing Jehovah God, to trying to please the "elders" of their group. If their "sheep" have the approval of their group, they are led to believe, they are OK. What the organization actually has, however, is at least one Doeg placed in each congregation; To enforce that all manifest the same mentality as the Jim Jones disciples. They must all accept what ever their organization chooses to do as being good! Such ignorance can not be overlooked by any who truly love Jehovah!

As there are individuals who I believed were friends of many years in this group, I personally want to believe the organization will return to the Bible as their source of truth; Or that those who are upright will come out. (Revelation 18:4) Because of that belief, I still sit in on their studies from time to time, hoping to see change. In the Watchtower study from their April 15, 2012 magazine, they begin a study with an accurate consideration of 3 Bible characters who were wickedly disloyal to persons they should have been loyal to. Their study goes on to consider how Jesus said some things which were hard for his followers to understand, and that Peter remained loyal, which was again true. Then on page 11, paragraph 11, they show what their lesson had been actually building toward when they make the statement: ...'Peter humbly recognized that Jesus had the "sayings of everlasting life." Likewise today, how do we react if we encounter a point in our Christian publications from "the faithful steward" that is hard to understand or that does not match with our thinking? We should try hard to get the sense of it rather than merely expecting that there will be a change to conform to our viewpoint.' They have actually come to imagine that someone questioning their writings would be comparable to Peter questioning the perfect son of God. Their publications have been rife with errors over the years. The teachings of Jesus are perfect. There is no sensible basis for comparing the inspired word of God [the Bible] with their publications. If one of their members is trying to align his or her thinking with the Bible, and the point they can't accept from their magazines has no scriptural support, they would be disloyal to Jehovah if they went along with an unscriptural teaching for the sake of organizational unity. The only source of scriptural teachings is the Bible, not their self proclaimed "Christian publications." Any reasonable person can see, they show no signs of change, but seem more and more hardened to their course: Determined that everyone in their company accept all they put in their magazines as spiritual food [coming from Jehovah]. If it is their determined course to continue to equate their publications with the Bible, I am pleased to be of use to them by making clear what they are doing; Then to help them contemplate and clearly decide where they have placed their faith, and finally, to expose themselves for what they truly are: Authors of their own faith. I am most pleased to have learned for myself they are not the Bible students I had imagined them to be; And I am sure other Bible students in their midst will be pleased to learn that as well. They try and make it seem complicated, and so imply their "sheep" are too simple to understand the Bible on their own. It is not difficult at all unless you try to believe their lies. Everyone simply needs to learn the Bible rule: "Do not go beyond the things written." (1 Corinthians 4:6)

Some among Jehovah's Witnesses will assert my talking about these things is just my nit picking on the sins of imperfect men. All men make mistakes they will assert, and I am just shining light on such sins of imperfection. That argument might be worth considering, right up to the point where they assert they are creating new spiritual food and that none of their writings are to be questioned. In doing so, they appear to take responsibility to themselves for putting their words in the mouth of Jehovah God. That can not be overlooked! God is not responsible for the errors in their publications! All through the couple of years during which I considered becoming a member of this group, and all during the thirty years of my association with them, I made it abundantly clear I believed the literature produced by them to be only uninspired aids to Bible study. I made clear I believed only the Bible is inspired by God. To now find they have changed, and started to assert the material they are producing is spiritual food and thus beyond question is too terrible to consider. To learn they have been teaching such in secret among their governors for all the years of my association, and that I was deliberately [and maliciously] deceived; well, that appears criminal.

In closing let me recognize many among this group will assert what I say is only representative of my pride and arrogance: That I just want to toot my own horn; or that I want to gather followers to myself. They will say I am speaking against the anointed of Jehovah. I can't imagine the faithful anointed of Jehovah would condone or even allow the above mentioned abuses; Any more than a faithful anointed king would have ordered the murder of Jehovah's faithful priests by Doeg. I certainly pray my actions are not in seeking my own glory. What I believe in is the Bible, and what I say is in support of what I believe the Bible teaches. That same responsibility falls to each of us: To me, to them, and to you! Learn what the Bible teaches and it will set you free of being misled or enslaved by the teachings of men. (John 8:32)

Use browser "Back Arrow" or "Alt+Left_Arrow" keys to previous page.   |   Home Page

     I believe I have been slandered; and I and my family have suffered emotionally over this matter more than I can put in words. Please imagine for yourself: Having most persons you are close to, including your own wife and family, told in public assembly you are an apostate and too wicked even to speak to. Then imagine being shunned by most all of them. Most of your former friends of many years will no longer even speak to you. Imagine this public announcement stemming from a judgment having been rendered in secret by leaders of a group you suddenly find you were deceived into joining many years earlier. Imagine they have judged you wicked because you refuse to renounce your faith in the Bible, and subjugate yourself to them: By joining them in asserting all the literature they are producing is spiritual food equal with the Bible. This judgment rendered, even though you made clear you had not believed such a thing all the while they welcomed you as a member. Because of their secrecy and deceit, everyone except your tormentors believe you to be an unrepentant thief, or adulterer, or guilty of some other scriptural crime. Your family and friends will be encouraged to believe such, because that is what the group openly assert all disfellowshipped persons are.
      In addition to educating every person I can about this hateful practice, this webpage is to serve as an open letter to any attorney with an interest in helping stop or modify this wicked practice. As they distribute lists of those they have judged wicked [and disfellowshipped] throughout their congregations, their abuse toward me continues. They undermine my marriage as they continue to teach my own wife to have only "necessary familial dealings" with me, and then commend her for following their wicked lead. The governors of this organization need to be held accountable. They don't care who they harm or even kill. [It is said some have committed suicide after being molested in this way.] The pathetically sad truth I have come to believe is this: Making them pay in dollars is what will make them stop! Most of mankind has grown sick at heart over the harm done throughout the earth by hateful and judgmental religious zealots [supported in their badness by those who help them hide what they have done]. Sometimes they blow up buildings and kill hundreds, and sometimes they gather in secret in a dark corner and beat a person to death emotionally. The U.S. courts have recently entertained lawsuits against religious organizations for child abuse; including this organization. Immediately following those lawsuits, the cult members of this group made procedural changes to protect themselves from financial loss; And thereby protected their children as well. Since the evidence indicates they purposely deceived me, and continue to deceive others as well; it seems a crime and it needs to be stopped. Please help! [Any attorney who would develop skills to help me could likely make a good living helping others as well. While providing religious freedom, the U.S. Court system stands as a shelter against such abuse, assuring that even their battery of lawyers (a group of men who still imagine they fight for righteousness by protecting the abuses of this group) can not protect them when they are deliberately slandering people. This is your chance to do good.]

Please direct any U.S. attorney who might have interest to this web page for an explanation of the harm done me:
           ***       http://justbibletruth.com/Disfellowship.html      ***
Simply copy and paste the above address into your web browser [or type it in if you are reading this on paper]. The explanation of how I was legally wronged is here, intermixed with my scriptural defense [giving the reasons I could never submit to their absurd demands]. This webpage includes my best effort at a concise explanation of their abuse.

Contact Joe at: (support@justbibletruth.com)

One last personal note: I was inclined to post the name of the old man who was primarily responsible for disfellowshipping me. He started the process to remove me about four or five years before he finally got it done. To start his efforts, he gave me my "first admonition" [and commanded I not write a letter to anyone in the organization except him.] When he did so, I requested a meeting with the Circuit Overseer, based on the foolishness of that "first admonition" by him. The C.O. met privately with the two of us, and humiliated him by telling me to feel free to write to whom ever I chose. The old man sat quietly and did not say a word. He would not take the counsel however, and when we got a new Circuit Overseer he continued to pursue and finally achieved his purpose. Since he publicly announced me as wicked and an apostate enemy of God, I at first thought it proper to post his name here to expose what and who he is. I realize though, he is not the root of the problem. He may just be ignorant. [He may wicked to the core of course, I simply realize I am not his judge.] It is possible he may imagine he is serving God by his actions. [The old man didn't like me personally, and wanted to be rid of me. I can understand that. That is just an example of the imperfections among men, and of our need to put up with each other in love. (Ephesians 4:2) I can defend my faith using the Bible, however, and the old man could not have gotten rid of me except for the magazine article he and his fellow Doegs used {or even requested to have printed}. His asserting publicly they are producing new spiritual food certainly and finally exposes them as to what they worship. Demanding I support such an ignorant statement clearly separates me from them. I could never join them to imagine such a thing - unless of course, Jehovah said it was so.] The old man might be deluded to imagine his own righteousness, so the greater responsibility for his abuse lies with the men who promote and empower Doegs such as he. (Matthew 7:22-23) Those men who assert themselves as leaders of the group are the ones who need to be exposed, and who need to be held accountable. [Jehovah will of course hold us all accountable for our individual actions!] I tried to convince myself it was just the imperfections of men for far too long. If I am mistaken in these assertions, if they really don't equate their own writings with the Bible, they would publish a retraction or at least a clarification of the above cited watchtower article. The evidence suggests, however, they really do imagine they are producing new spiritual food. I have no interest in judging whether a wicked heart condition led them to abandon being Bible students, but I must do my very best to base my own faith on the Bible. I must do my best to help others do the same. I move forward in the hope they are just ignorant and not wicked. My [optimistic or ignorant] hope remains that they really do want to return to the Bible as their only source of spiritual food. We will see!!!

I must confess another reason I don't publish the old man's name. He would probably enjoy that I did so, viewing it as a badge of honor. He appears to have no concept of love and forgiveness, or certainly of tolerance. It seemed his only concern through the whole ordeal was that I show him "proper respect." For him, there is only the matter of enforcing the little law he has manufactured for himself out of the organizational writings. This old Wolf in sheep's clothing imagines himself righteous and doesn't realize they have at least one just like him in every congregation throughout the earth. If he exposes himself as wicked to the congregation, his handlers will simply hang him out to ridicule while replacing him with another proven Doeg. In this way, they have those who are upright in his congregation believing the wicked man is being punished; or get them to believe they are only being witness to an argument between stubborn men who can't get along. That is true only if you can imagine the argument between Mordecai and Haman was just an argument between stubborn men. (Please see the Bible book of Ester.) The organization leaving the old wolf to take responsibility is just a ruse by the men who govern the organization, so as to keep "their sheep" from seeing what is really happening: To keep them blind to the fact only Doegs are in oversight. [The old Wolf doesn't mind, he is a martyr in his own mind after all.] All they have to do to replace men like him is to select some slug who has unwavering loyalty to their organization, no matter what the group does. In the event they get a group of righteous elder men who will not submit themselves to a Doeg they insert into their congregation; the organization simply closes that congregation. If those righteous men want to remain in the organization, they must move to some other congregation under a cloud of suspicion. It would seem any righteous elder body who find themselves in that situation should take a vote of no confidence in the Doeg governors who have usurped control of the organization; And, who have become so exalted in their own eyes as to imagine the are producing new spiritual food. This organizational problem has been escalating for many years. Mankind has likely been wandering in the wilderness [figuratively] during the time faithful Bible students have been turned away from seeking Bible truth; driven to pursue organizational unity instead. It is only sincere Bible students who can aid mankind to continue their trek out of the dark ages. It seems formal organizations of imperfect men just can not help: Such groups always get turned aside after their own glory. Remember: Your loyalty must rest in Jehovah through personal knowledge of Bible teachings; (Mark 12:24) You can not worship men who have become so puffed up as to imagine their own writings are spiritual food. Remember too: While it was Jehovah's anointed [but misdirected or wicked] king who gave the order to kill the priests of Jehovah; it was Doeg and Doeg alone who is responsible for following that wicked order. Help lead those you can influence back to being sincere Christian (Acts 11:26) Bible Students; with the simple goal of learning and sharing what the Bible teaches. Think how much good your congregation could do if their effort was directed toward encouraging people toward faith in the good news of the Bible; rather than continuing your membership drive to bring people under subjection to your organizational writings. You have been led to imagine following those who promote and protect the Doegs in your midst, and being a student of the Bible, is one and the same thing. It clearly is not! Stop gathering wealth and power to this organization, and start teaching people Bible truth. It is faith built on personal knowledge of the Bible that can help people. It is not membership in some group of men. It seems people still have a love for the Bible; or Jehovah would bring an end to the suffering of this system! Help everyone you know to understand, we do not need the approval of any imperfect men to be a Christian; or to teach others the truth. (1 Corinthians 4:3) What each of us needs is faith in Christ Jesus through knowledge of God's word, not an approved membership card from some group of men.

While they try and pretend otherwise, the old wolves used by the society for control are mostly hateful and mean spirited men. Those in their charge have grown up and live in a vacuum separated from tenderness, compassion, and care. All such Doegs do their best to produce new little Doegs. It's all okay in their mind, though, as they imagine themselves the stern protectors of the flock. (Matthew 23:23-24) Since they have turned to organizational writings for direction, and have not learned the loving qualities we can learn only from the Bible, they can't teach love to others. Such men may not, however, be responsible in their heart for their wickedness. (1 Timothy 1:12-13) Leaders who have convinced the local congregation elders they are producing new spiritual food, so as to maintain control over those elders, certainly are responsible. What is most sad is this: They all seem to love it that way. Whether governor or elder, it seems their glorious position of oversight is all they really care about... (John 11:47-48) In the imagination of such men, they must disfellowship any who opine against the organization in any way, to avoid what they would consider disruption. It would seem they are overlooking the fact Jehovah is watching and is in charge. An open and honest consideration of truth is never a disruption. (Galatians 2:11-14) In any case, it is never acceptable to go along with men who cause harm by their judgment over others; going along for the sake of organizational unity. Those who give their allegiance to a group of men, are actually bowing down to the God that group has chosen for itself, or maybe even to the group itself. I fear it is not Jehovah they bow to. Don't allow yourself or your family to be caught up in this turmoil. Consider all this carefully before you entertain becoming a card carrying member of this group. A very simple way of protecting yourself, and your loved ones, is to take the wise course of refusing to become a member of any group who doesn't open all their secret writings for everyone to examine. Understanding the difference between Bible teachings and the laws of men means your life: - Learn and personally apply the rule not to go beyond what is written in the Bible. (1 Corinthians 4:6) You will not be able to remain a member of Jehovah's Witnesses if you abide by that Bible rule.

To sincere Jehovah's Witnesses who have placed faith in what you refer to as the anointed: I fear you are being deceived. For thirty years I never doubted the anointed were who they claimed to be. They freely admit however, their group was likely selected and sealed by or shortly after 1914. Believing some of them are still alive and actively exercising control over the organization after 100 years seems a stretch. I stopped placing faith in them when I realized they were not protecting Jehovah's sheep (beyond skinning them). If they were who they claimed to be, they would not allow such abuse. When I realized they are deceitful, it reaffirmed something was wrong. It seems reasonable they should by now have relinquished control of the other sheep to Jehovah, through individual faith in his Christ. Be careful in blindly following after them. It's simple really, follow the patter of the early Christians: Make the Bible your only source of spiritual food.

Use browser "Back Arrow" or "Alt+Left_Arrow" keys to previous page.   |   Home Page

1* Disfellowshipping is designed to generate emotional pain [and to insulate their (misguided) members from being exposed to the truth]. Remember: During the dark ages, the apostate church inflicted physical pain on those who tried to expose them. They created machines of torture for putting people to death in ways too horrendous to imagine; and to take as much time as possible to kill them - sometimes days. The purpose of such public killings was to inflict terror in the minds of their "sheep," such that other members would do anything they were told by church officials without question. People knew if they even listened to anything said against the church, they might be tortured to death for apostasy or witchcraft; or what ever other charge the church wanted to dream up against them. The United States in our day, [as well as many other countries,] took away the church's power to kill dissenters. In most lands, they can no longer judge as wicked and then kill those who try to expose what their leaders really are. Disfellowshipping is the absolute worst punishment most governments will allow Jehovah's Witnesses to inflict. It would be a real protection if the governments would put an end to that abuse as well. Remember, little children are caught up in this abuse, being told their own parents are enemies of God and unworthy of life! All that is needed is for the group to be held financially responsible for their abuses. All such hypocritical religious zealots need to be exposed. Along with those who are physically blowing up our world; Recognize those who are emotionally blowing up the lives of their "sheep."