To understand [or to be able to help] Jehovah's Witnesses, you must start by realizing they are one of the most sincere and devout organizations you will be exposed to. Most of them sincerely want to help you! When they leave your door, no matter what your response to their message has been, they leave believing they have done all in their power to expose you to God's Bible truth. They believe the teachings of their group [and their personal effort in coming to your door] is your only hope! Most imagine themselves humble: Some have compared themselves to donkeys bringing bags of gold to your door. (Luke 18:9-14) Most of them don't realize they have been misled. What they actually bring to your door is Watchtower truth, not Bible truth. They have been led to imagine it is one and the same thing. The men with oversight of the organization keep secret books which the lower class members can't even see. If any of their group assert that is not true, ask them to obtain a copy of an "elder book." [Titled "Shepherding the Flock of God" or something like that.] They want to share their literature with you, but they won't share that one. Even if you find one who will acquiesce to that request, ask them if they believe the literature they produce is "spiritual food." Where then does their "spiritual food" come from: From the Bible, or from their organizations writings? Similar to the Mormons with their book of Mormon, or the Catholics with their faith in the infallibility of the Pope [in spiritual matters], JW's believe all the literature published by their group is "spiritual food." Different from Mormons and Catholics however, JW's try to hide the abject faith they must express in the writings of the men who lead them; openly claiming they are Bible students. They are not! If you truly are a student of the Bible, no reasonable person should expect you to join, [or even associate with,] any group who hides secret teachings from you. If the publications being produced by JW's really were "spiritual food," that would make them extensions of the Bible. They are not! Because Jehovah's Witnesses have learned and use God's personal name, does not indicate all their literature is "spiritual food" and above being questioned. (Acts 17:11 ; 1 Corinthians 4:6) What they are actually doing, is burying their prospective "sheep" in their organizations writings, and thereby hiding the beauty of Bible truth from them. (Matthew 23:15 ; Mark 7:1-8) If you sincerely expect Jehovah's Witnesses to explain or talk about this with you, they will likely refuse to call on you again.

It is hard to have to speak so harshly of a group of people, at the same time believing many or even most of those who come to your door are sincere [and trying to express love]. The problem is, sincerity isn't enough! (Matthew 7:22) If you are looking for fellowship among men, and are willing to bow before the writings of imperfect men among a group who has tried to put those writings in the mouth of Almighty God, they will be as good as any. If you are determined to remain a student of the Bible, relying on it and it alone for guidance, it is better you know who they are sooner better than later. There has been a war going among the men who run the organization for many years, between those determined to look only to the Bible, and those who want to elevate their own written materials to the status of spiritual food. Sadly, the Doegs seem to have won. If you get sucked into this group as a sincere Bible student, you will be disfellowshipped for refusing to express faith all their writings are spiritual food. As they disfellowship you, they will do all in their power to destroy your relationship with family and friends. Please consider in more detail:

Jehovah has, for the purpose of our consideration of the Bible and it's teachings, used two organizations of men throughout recorded Bible history: Jewish and Christian. The imperfect men who have asserted themselves as leaders over Jehovah's Witnesses seem to believe they are a third group, established by God. They have declared themselves the lone judges of who are upright and true Christians. They believe they hold membership over all who are faithful. They believe they have become God's true organization of these last days. "Christian" however, was the name adopted under influence of holy spirit by the first century followers of Jesus as recorded in the Bible. (Acts 11:26) Those who are Christian followers of Jesus then, represent the second and last group used by Jehovah since the establishment of Christianity; From 29 CE to our day.

This exposes JW's as a danger for sincere Bible students: Jesus and his followers taught about an apostasy that would set in after Jesus was killed and resurrected to heaven. (2 Thessalonians 2:3) It took the congregation Jesus left behind about 300 or 400 years to take the first giant step into apostasy: Doing so by joining with the Roman state to form the apostate "Holy Roman Church" of the dark ages. That apostate state church of the Roman empire held all the earth in its iron grip for over 1000 years. Its effects are still seen today. They exterminated and trampled down all forms of worship except what they judged "Holy Roman Christianity." There were some individual faithful Christians in their day of course, but their apostate church was the only organized group left. All Christian groups of our day then, are the result of the protestant break from that apostate church. [Protestant herein used to indicate any group of protesters who broke away from the apostate church of 300-1300+ AD, thus bringing an end of the Dark Ages.] Most of those groups, who broke away seeking a return to the simple and clear teachings of Jesus, soon returned to the apostate teachings they had left. Most did so within a much shorter time than the 300 or 400 years it took the church Jesus left [to turn to apostasy]. (As an example please see: John Calvin.) History thus shows us: It has been difficult for any organized "group of men," [not speaking of individuals mind you, but of organizations] to remain faithful to the teachings of Christ.

As mentioned: Many or most members of the organization representing themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses present as sincere. Most non elder members of this group (members not privy to all the organization's secret teachings) display love for their neighbor, and that makes them attractive to associate with. They all like to present themselves as Bible students at the doors of the people they call on. The group does have some Bible study aids which might be a help to learn the theme and basic teachings of the Bible; And they are anxious to help individuals learn. As with all groups of imperfect men though, one must be very cautions that everything they present in their literature is actually what was taught by Jesus; and that it finds support in the Bible. All should be especially cautious about being rushed to membership. (Proverbs 20:25) While the group is hesitant to openly admit it: Becoming a member means going along with what ever the organization says, whether there is scriptural support or not! Their literature will be constantly pushing and shoving you toward abject submission to their writings: Demanding you equate those teachings with the Bible. Their leaders will say otherwise of course, but much of the literature they produce is geared toward gaining and controlling members; rather than studying the Bible and building faith in it. They will disfellowship any who question anything they say! [They claim they have no clergy, laity, class distinctions. While many of their prominent ones don't draw a pay check, they have very clear class distinctions. Those distinctions will be made clear.]

Jehovah's Witnesses trace their start to the late 1800's. The individuals who founded The International Bible Students [later to become Jehovah's Witnesses] tried with considerable success to break away from the apostate teachings of the dark ages. They are a relatively young group among the Protestants; about 135 years. As with other Protestant groups, they got their start by asserting simply that they would believe the Bible, and only the Bible, as the source of truth. [A simple return to the Bible was the key to the success of most or all of those protestant reformation groups. That reformation mercifully lifting mankind out of the Dark Ages. Any clear understanding you have of the Bible, you owe in large measure to the reformation movement. The only openly asserted Christians, and the only organized form of worship during the dark ages, was that apostate church. The apostate "holy Roman empire" made it to be so at the point of a sword. The groups claiming to be Christian today therefore, are ones who have broken away from that dark apostate church. The splendid efforts of those reform groups resulted in false religion being exposed, (2 Thessalonians 2:3) and in a much clearer understanding of the Bible and it's theme being available to faithful Bible students in our day.] Here though, is the problem with Jehovah's Witnesses [and most other Christendom groups as well]: The individuals who have raised themselves up to usurp authority over the organization seem to have abandoned their search for the truth of the Bible. While most of their group still assert openly they are Bible students, the organization secretly maintains books not seen by the public, or even by the majority of their members. Those secret books are what define truth for them. Those secret publications are obviously different from Bible teachings, or there would be no reason to keep them hidden. Because of their secrecy and deceit, it seems appropriate to give special attention to this group. Most of their members are not even aware of what is here presented. They will be terrified even to think such thoughts. Our effort with this webpage, is to help potential members know what they are really joining themselves to: Or rather actually; to help them realize they can not know what they are joining at all. Most members will not be able to discuss this, either because they don't realize themselves, or because they are terrified to talk about it. They are afraid of being brainwashed... Seems that ship sailed! We want to help everyone, including them, break free of fear of the threats and lies of men. (John 8:31-32) We must all realize our hope is not tied to the approval of any man or men! After considering what is here presented, if it represents a dishonest or malicious attack against their organization, it should be readily apparent. If on the other hand, the organization actually has begun to assert their own writings as spiritual food, that should be apparent as well. It should alarm you about the integrity of any who seem afraid for you to even consider the material here presented. Either there is scriptural support for what we say, or there isn't. A person who asserts a lie as truth does nothing to confuse individuals who base their hope in the Bible. (Mark 12:24) Those who demand you listen only to what they have to say on the other hand, are the ones to fear! (Acts 17:11) Please consider:

While Jehovah's Witnesses publicly assert they believe only the Bible is inspired, and it is their only source of scriptural knowledge, they also assert in near secrecy that all their organizational writings are "spiritual food" as well. So as to prove and make plain our assertion in their own words, we have included a copy of a page from their Watchtower magazine of June 15, 2009. Their organization provides computerized Bible study material which they refer to as the "Watchtower Library." It contains most of their writings over the last 60 or so years, although they have chosen to omit some materials. A simple search for the term "spiritual food" in their own literature will show the above copy of page 24 [from the June 15, 2009 Watchtower magazine] is the first and only time they have openly asserted they are producing, or creating, [new] spiritual food. (Galatians 1:8) Within their secret books and writings however, they have taught it for years. [Think about what that means: They taught for years all their written materials are spiritual food, but only to the elevated members who have access to their secret teachings. It has been a program of control by deceit.] Those secret publications will not be in the watchtower library [computer software] for your consideration of course. We can't judge their intentions are bad, but their results in hiding secret teachings certainly are. Many of the judges among them ["elder" men appointed by their leaders, and who assert themselves as judges over their congregations] have become Doegs; one likely result of the organization keeping secrets only they (as the elect) are privy to. How could it not puff someone up to have secret publications to govern others, which secrets only they could see? If that is not a class distinction, we can't imagine what would be! Jesus and his early followers were very different. They were open and out in the light with all. (Galatians 2:11)

The significance of this new public stand by their group, that all their literature is spiritual food, is not small and should not be dismissed as unimportant. By taking that action, they make clear to all their members there is no room to question anything they put in print. In this (June 15, 2009 watchtower) magazine assertion, and by using the term "spiritual food" to define it, all their literature is declared to come directly from God by holy spirit. Thus they assert the infallibility of their literature. The Bible claims [and we believe] it was written by men under the influence of holy spirit: We have faith the Bible was therefore, written actually by God. (2 Peter 1:21) That is what the term "spiritual food" means and conveys. The literature produced by the imperfect men of this organization is not spiritual food! (Galatians 1:8) Their literature has contained many errors over the years. Even with knowledge of those errors, they will summarily disfellowship as apostate any member who questions anything they put in print. By extension, they will disfellowship any member who questions anything that is said by any "elder" or other elevated member of the governing class of the organization. Their literature teaches such elevated ones are appointed by Holy Spirit, and questioning any of them is considered apostasy. They thus appear to place their desire to protect organizational unity above their love for truth. Jesus started Christianity, and that is the organization all should strive to be members of. The Bible, as the inspired word of God, is the one and only judge of membership in the group who sincerely love our Creator. (Please note John 12:48) No uninspired writings of men can give us God's commands or thoughts, or judge who is righteous. (Jeremiah 7:23)

By saying their organizational writings are spiritual food from God, and placing in oversight only men who express allegiance to those writings, they effectively have in place a judgmental machine that will carry out any order what so ever; without question and without hesitation. Surely everyone can see the danger! By such action they make themselves a cult. Jim Jones had just such an organization of Doegs when he directed his membership to drink poison kool-aid. No doubt his zealous true believers were there to assist any who had second thoughts about drinking the poison. Perhaps the elect of Jones' cult did not even let "their sheep" know what they were drinking. They probably kept it secret! Secrets among men is never a good thing! (Mark 4:21-23)

Please let us illustrate this problem through a true personal experience. A teenager was asked by his uncle to join an organization of which the uncle was a member. "What is the organization about?" the young man naturally asked. The uncle explained it didn't work like that. The young man first had to ask to become a member: Then, and only after he was voted into their group and sworn to secrecy, they would explain what the organization was about. The teenager's father was also a member of the organization. Even though he deeply respected his father and respected his uncle as well, the young man was not about to ask to become a member of an organization he didn't know anything about. Would he even be able to leave such an organization if he learned they were bad in some way; or they were taking some bad course? Would such an organization encourage persons to stand up for what is right? Or would they rather encourage ones to stand up for organizational unity without question? It is well known some organizations will not allow one to leave after they have become a member. Some religious organizations of the dark ages burned members alive if they wanted to leave; or even wanted to expose some unscriptural error. In declaring all their literature spiritual food, and at the same time keeping secret writings (Matthew 10:26-27) which are only available to their elect governing class, Jehovah's Witnesses have made themselves a sect - in the same way as that group the uncle asked the young man to join. Take heed!!! You can't know what you are joining unless you are privy to all their teachings. There is no room for secret writings among any group you might consider joining. With the declaration that all their writings are spiritual food, those (secret) writings have now come to dictate what Jehovah's Witnesses actually believe. Their "Ah shucks, just trust me." attitude doesn't measure up when lives are at stake. Our Creator expects us to be "Noble Minded." If this organization was upright, they would expect it too! We can be very thankful that in our day, most governments have limited the power of organized religion to cause harm to individuals they consider wicked or apostate. The United States was the first great power to make a strong division between church and state, while still trying to maintain personal freedoms, including freedom of worship. There is no "church of the United States" as there is or was with many nations. Most of the founding fathers of the United States believed in God; they were just not so arrogant as to imagine all had to share their personal faith under penalty of death. Many other nations have followed the pattern of separating church and state to the uplifting of humanity. Governmental power most notably; but any form of power in the hands of religious fanatics [any who imagine they are judges of who are good and who are wicked] has and does cause more harm to humanity than any other thing. At God's hand, Christianity survives under the wings of nations like the United States, which nations protect Christians from the religio-political states and organizations that would destroy them.

To reiterate this very serious problem: If you are not an elevated member of the governing body, with full access to all their literature, you don't know what this organization teaches at all. For more information please see the page on disfellowshipping. Becoming a member of this group is a serious decision, as there is no way to back out. Once you become a member, the only way out is to be disfellowshipped or die. Once disfellowshipped, they will do their level best to separate you from your own family, and from everyone you are close to. All their members will shun you as wicked. (To show how they feel toward disfellowshipped individuals, we quote from 1997 Watchtower, April 15, page 25, titled "Weddings That Honor Jehovah" - "Written [wedding] invitations also help us to avoid the embarrassment of having a disfellowshipped person show up at the reception, for if that happened, many brothers and sisters might choose to leave." - Please take special note: All their literature being proclaimed "spiritual food" causes this magazine statement to become a command for the "faithful" to leave such a wedding or reception!) There is no room to question their teachings, even when such teachings are not supported by or are contrary to, the Bible. There have been many errors in their literature over the years, and yet they demand members accept it all as spiritual food coming from God. Make no mistake: While it is a hard thing to realize before one is indoctrinated; those who become members, and then assert they will base their beliefs and teachings on the Bible and only the Bible, will be disfellowshipped. If you are determined to hold the organization to the standard of proving everything in their literature comes from the Bible, you will be disfellowshipped. This makes it horrible for individuals who get caught up in the organization imagining the group is based on a study of the Bible [as the organization publicly asserts they are]. Such new members imagine they will be at home among other students of the Bible, as they strive to be/become noble minded. They will be sad and surprised to find wolves dressed as sheep (Doegs) snapping at them from all sides, as they are gradually herded toward putting organizational unity above Bible "truth." The Doegs among them will assert [and probably believe] organizational unity and truth are one and the same thing. That is true only as long as they recognize the Bible as the only source of spiritual food, and realize judging the membership of who are righteous rests with God. (Mark 12:41-44; Acts 10:34-35) Do not be deceived by the teachings of men, but rather become noble minded. As mentioned, most of Jehovah's Witnesses have a good deal of Bible knowledge and that can be a good thing. Having Bible knowledge does not make one upright however, any more than does membership in some group of men. Sincere love of God and neighbor through faith in Christ Jesus is what defines one as righteous. (Luke_10:27-28) Bible knowledge can help one to develop such love, if they put forth the effort to do so by imitating Christ Jesus. (1 Corinthians 11:1) Other literature (such as this web site) can help one to learn what the Bible teaches, but it is only the Bible that is spiritual food. Do not confuse "Bible study aids" with "Bible truth." The Jewish nation of Jesus's day were the guardians of truth. It was to them Jehovah gave the law code (a large portion of the old testament - the Bible as it existed in their day). Regarding those Jewish religious leaders however, Jesus indicated they had set themselves in the judgment seat of Moses. Jesus further said about them: "Therefore all the things they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds." (Matthew_23:1-3) We must recommend everyone measure these men, and all who profess to be Bible scholars, by that same Bible standard Jesus taught: Know what the Bible teaches, and recognize the Bible as the only spiritual food available to us. (John 4:34 ; John 17:17) That Bible knowledge will allow you to see wolves for who they really are. (Matthew 7:15)

Regarding the organization representing themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses therefore, it would seem prudent to understand these facts, and the organizational policy of Disfellowshipping, before considering membership. It can be dangerous not to know the "truth."

Enough energy spent talking about what is wrong though; let us return to learning what is right. Learn the "truth" of the Bible and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32) The truth of the Bible helps one to recognize and to rise above such snares of men: 'It is a snare when earthling man has rashly cried out, "Holy!" and after vows [he is disposed] to make examination.' (Proverbs 20:25 NWT) Be careful to examine thoroughly the teachings of men who claim to be Jehovah's servants, before you join them in "crying holy" by becoming a member. Only the teachings of the Bible are spiritual food and are holy. Only the teachings of the Bible can protect you against being led along to believe a lie. During the dark ages, the apostate church literally hid the Bible from the commonplace men by making it illegal for common persons to own one. Today, such vile men strive to hide the Bible in plain sight by claiming to have extensions, or additional writings, to the Bible: Stating they have other sources of spiritual food. They hide the Bible in plain sight by leading you to believe you need them to interpret scripture for you. Let the Bible, and only the Bible, be your guide. (Psalms 119:105) Pay serious attention only to those who strive to teach the Bible, and who look to it for guidance. Be one of them yourself! (Acts 4:13) By putting forth effort to learn what the Bible teaches, you effectively become one choosing to sit at the feet of Jesus. (Luke 10:42) People can help us learn what the Bible says of course, but the teachings of Jesus then need no interpretation by other men. Those teachings need to be understood by you personally, as you simply read and re-read them. Bible study truly is one thing you can never have too much of. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 ; Philippians 4:8) The more knowledge of Jehovah you gain through Bible truth, the more you will love Him; and the truth! (Psalms 119:97) The most important teachings of the Bible are the teachings of Jesus contained in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Ask Jehovah's Witnesses to join you in reading those. Then a second time... They won't spend long with you doing that! If they do, it will help everyone.

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