Confession of Adultery

From chapter 12, “Determining Whether a Judicial Committee Should Be Formed”:

For those unfamiliar, Jehovah’s Witnesses allow couples to divorce without sanction under certain circumstances, but they are not free to remarry unless adultery has taken place. If one spouse has committed adultery, the other is then “Scripturally free” to remarry.

That term, “Scripturally free,” is used often among Jehovah’s Witnesses and every congregant knows its meaning. If someone says that one of Jehovah’s Witnesses is divorced but not “Scripturally free,” it’s understood that the person’s spouse didn’t commit adultery.

By the same token, if one of Jehovah’s Witnesses says his or her spouse is “Scripturally free,” there is no ambiguity as to their meaning; they are saying that they’ve committed adultery. Period. This phrase does not mean that the unfaithful spouse doesn’t want their ex back, that they’re in a new relationship but haven’t yet been sexually intimate, etc.

Individual Jehovah’s Witnesses also know that they can’t simply decide that their ex-wife or ex-husband can get remarried; even someone who has left their spouse or the religion does not have the authority to say, “You’re free to do what you want.” Being “Scripturally free” does not refer to their own feelings or opinions; there is nothing other than adultery that would make a former spouse “Scripturally free.”

With all that in mind, I can think of no legitimate reason to view this statement as anything but a clear confession of adultery. The book offers no insights as to why this statement “would not by itself be viewed as a clear confession of adultery,” and says nothing about what other information is needed specifically to absolutely determine that adultery has taken place.

Intruding Into the Business of Third Parties

It’s also worth noting that elders asking for details beyond the statement that a spouse is “Scripturally free” would be intruding into the private business of an outside third party.

To illustrate, suppose congregation member John Smith has an affair with his coworker, Susan. John says that his Jehovah’s Witness wife is “Scripturally free,” but elders in his congregation decide to press him for added details.

However, anything John shares about his affair reveals details abut Susan’s sex life, not just his! If an elder tries to “clarify” John’s statement in any way, he’s asking about what Susan did sexually and that’s certainly not his business. It’s not even John’s right or privilege to reveal those details to anyone, much less an elder in his congregation.

Questioning an Engaged Couple

From chapter 27, “Weddings”:

I find this directive disturbing because it does not say to simply ask the couple if they have avoided misconduct or if there is anything “in general” that they want to discuss before their wedding. It also does not say to make inquiries if there is some legitimate reason to believe the couple is guilty of misconduct.

Instead, it proactively instructs elders to make “straightforward inquiries,” meaning to ask detailed and direct questions about sexual matters, without any reason other than the fact that the couple have been dating. There are also no guidelines set out as to the nature of these questions; elders have full freedom to demand the couple explain or talk about anything and everything, in as much graphic detail as the elder insists.

Let’s Go Fishing

The accusatory nature of this directive is also confounding; elders don’t necessarily “police” other matters to this extent. For example, if elders hear you say that you had a “great night on the town,” they won’t necessarily sit you down and ask how much you had to drink, what you drank, did you do drugs, did you dance provocatively, and so on. Unless someone reports to the elders that you acted inappropriately, you aren’t likely to face “straightforward inquiries” or a fishing expedition about your conduct.

Questioning Children

I can’t help but to note that many Jehovah’s Witnesses get married quite young, no doubt because of the religion’s prohibitions against sex before marriage, masturbation, etc. An elder might then be asking someone just seventeen, eighteen, or nineteen years old these pointed, direct, and even obscene and perverse questions. These teenagers would have no parents or anyone else there to protect them from this intrusive, disgusting line of questioning.

Are Jehovah’s Witnesses a Cult?

I’m no cult expert but I have always considered intruding into sexual matters like this a sure sign of a cult. Anyone in a sequestered group who misuses their authority to intrude into sexual matters without any legitimate reason is just like a cult leader, insisting that the organization and its adherents satisfy their perverse need for power or sexual gratification without any respect or consideration for them as individuals and adults.

See also: Beware the Cult-Like Control and Abuse of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Whether or not this type of directive is a sign of a cult, it’s definitely inappropriate, intrusive, and an obvious violation of privacy. It’s also not supported by any scripture I can find! Nowhere in the bible does it say to “go fishing” for potential misconduct between an engaged couple or to press for details about adultery. Remember that the next time Jehovah’s Witnesses tell you that they follow the bible more closely than any other religion, and when an elder wants to meet with your engaged son or daughter.

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As usual, the magazine says nothing about all the many reasons why a person might be disfellowshipped, including behaviors that are not condemned in the bible, such as gambling, “extreme physical uncleanness,” “obscene speech,” use of tobacco, taking up professional boxing, and disagreeing with the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses.¹ Child sex abuse victims have even been threatened with disfellowshipping for wanting to report their abuser to the authorities,² and a rape victim can be disfellowshipped if she did not scream and fight and resist her attacker enough to satisfy the elders of her religion (see this post).

All that having been said, an experience related in this particular article shows the disturbing, disgusting treatment of those who are disfellowshipped, as it endorses the practice of shunning, not just the disfellowshipped person himself or herself, but any extended family related to that person, including children:

Notice how this woman says she wouldn’t spend time with her disfellowshipped daughter, or her granddaughter. Not speaking to a family member because they’ve left or have been kicked out of a religion is bad enough, but this woman wouldn’t even speak to her own granddaughter, a child, simply because that child’s mother was disfellowshipped.

Granted, the magazine doesn’t say how old the granddaughter was, so we might assume that the grandmother would need to have some type of contact with her disfellowshipped daughter in order to see or speak with the granddaughter. However, this certainly doesn’t excuse this practice; in reality, if the grandchild is still a little girl, it actually makes this practice worse!

Being so cruel and arrogant that you won’t speak to your own adult child because they don’t share your religious beliefs is one thing, but if you refuse even just brief moments of contact in order to see your young grandchild, that is outright despicable. What did the granddaughter do to deserve to be punished and isolated from her own grandparents this way? Why would grandparents withhold their love and attention from a child, because of some supposed sin on the part of that child’s mother?

This is something to remember when Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that they “work to build up families,” as they boldly assert on their own website. They easily neglect family, even children, when they feel it’s their place to punish someone for no longer being in their religion.

Literature Above the Bible

Note, too, that this woman says she looked for loopholes “in our publications,” meaning literature produced by Jehovah’s Witnesses. What she didn’t do was look for instruction and guidance from the bible.

This is very disturbing, as it actually elevates Watchtower literature above the bible itself. If she, or anyone who claims to be a Christian, needs guidance on what to do in a situation, I would think the first and only place they should look would be the bible. Yet, she doesn’t even say that she read the bible and Watchtower literature, but only looked at Jehovah’s Witness publications.

Endorsing this practice is pure blasphemy on the part of the writers of the Watchtower. The bible is supposedly god’s communication to humans, but it isn’t even mentioned when talking about what to do when someone in the family is removed from your religion.

Perhaps there is a reason the writers of the Watchtower don’t want someone in this situation to consult with the bible. If this woman had read it, she may have come across this scripture:

“Certainly if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith.”
– 1 Timothy 5:8

While this verse was talking about providing materially, I don’t think it’s a stretch to assume that it’s also talking about providing for them emotionally, as that’s the entire function of a family, to have strong emotional ties with each other.

Jesus himself also scolded the disciples who tried to keep young children away from him and told them how he felt about children, which is another scripture this woman might have come across, had she read the bible instead of Watchtower literature alone:

“Let the young children come to me; do not try to stop them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such ones. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a young child will by no means enter into it.”
– Mark 10:14-15

The Awake magazine of December 8, 2000, even included an article titled, “Children Deserve to Be Wanted and Loved,” and it said outright, with quotes from the bible:

“Child neglect is a form of mistreatment that betrays a lack of what the Bible calls ‘natural affection.’ (Romans 1:31; 2 Timothy 3:3) … Regardless of the form mistreatment takes, it sends children the message that they are unloved and unwanted.”

Despite this, the writers of the Watchtower literature endorse this very same child neglect when that child’s parent is disfellowshipped, completely ignoring how these grandparents are sending the message that their grandchild is “unloved and unwanted.”

The Ironic Hypocrisy

Ironically, Jehovah’s Witnesses also consistently admonish children to stay close with their grandparents; the April 22, 2001, Awake magazine featured the article, “Why Should I Get to Know My Grandparents?” which said, in part:

“In bygone days, grandparents were a foundation stone of family life, particularly among worshipers of Jehovah God. The Bible commanded the Israelites to respect and esteem older ones. (Leviticus 19:32) Grandparents were considered especially worthy of honor.—1 Timothy 5:4. … In many parts of the world, older ones—including relatives—are no longer treated with due respect. (2 Timothy 3:1-3) …there is great value in getting to know your grandparents—especially if they are God-fearing. And if you have not got to know them, you may very well be missing out.”

The hypocrisy is obvious and appalling. Jehovah’s Witnesses admonish children to care for and respect their grandparents, but endorse the idea of grandparents easily casting aside those same children if their mother or father leaves the religion.

Shunning a family member for not belonging to your religion is a form of emotional blackmail and abuse, and that alone is enough to demonstrate how cruel and unloving the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses is, but now we clearly see how far JWs will go to express  this draconian control and haughty self-righteousness of theirs. They endorse an example of someone who is neglectful and abusive to an innocent child; not only does that child miss out on the love and closeness you can get only from grandparents, but she may wonder what she’s done wrong, or what is wrong with her, so that grandma and grandpa won’t speak to her.

Whatever perceived sin this disfellowshipped daughter may have committed, I would say the grandparents in this example are the ones who are unforgivable.

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¹”Shepherd the Flock of God In Your Care”

²Australian Royal Commission Inquiry, Case Study 29, Transcript, Day 148, page 15291, lines 25-39:

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For those unfamiliar, the ARC was not a criminal trial; these Inquiries are conducted often in Australia, so an Inquiry can then make recommendations for new laws to be enacted, based on their findings.

After the Inquiry Into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse, the ARC released recommendations for dozens of new laws that would protect children from sex abuse in churches, orphanages, and other such institutions, and that would ensure these incidents are handled more appropriately, to preserve the feelings of the [alleged] victim first and foremost. (See this post.)

Along with these recommendations, this ARC outlined what is called a national redress scheme, or a program that “…provides access to counselling, a direct personal response from the institution and a monetary payment to survivors of institutional child sexual abuse.” (See this news article.) This redress scheme is (so far) voluntary, so that each state in Australia and each organization can decide if they will participate in this scheme.

The 30 institutions questioned during the ARC were asked if they would be willing to participate in this scheme, given the volume of historic abuse cases that were discovered and brought to light; this is the answer from Jehovah’s Witness governing body member Geoffrey Jackson when he was asked about this redress scheme¹:

On Thursday, May 31, 2018, the Salvation Army, the Scouts, the Anglican Church, and the YMCA joined this redress scheme, which had already been endorsed by the Catholic Church in that country. These organizations specifically and publicly offered apologies to child sex abuse victims as well.

Noticeably missing from those who have joined this scheme and offered their apologies? Jehovah’s Witnesses, of course:

While this redress scheme is a step in the right direction, even this news story above notes some criticisms from victims, including the somewhat low compensation amount they would each receive. However, that simply makes the lack of participation by Jehovah’s Witnesses even more reprehensible!

If this redress scheme promised millions of dollars for each victim, I might understand the hesitation of the Watchtower, but at a mere $150,000 [Australian] per victim, there is no reason for the organization to be holding out. This is especially true in light of the recent revelations that the organization has some $1.3 billion [U.S.] in real property, and I assume that number is for their United States properties alone. (See this post.) Note, too, that other smaller churches and organizations with far less property and wealth have already willingly joined the scheme, as this news report shows.

Not voluntarily joining a redress scheme is despicable enough on the part of Watchtower, as it’s their policies and practices that have created this issue. This includes their stubborn yet grossly hypocritical insistence on a victim producing a second witness to their abuse before they put the abuser out of the congregation.

See also: In a Shocking Hypocrisy, Watchtower Refuses to Apply Their “Two-Witness” Rule to Adults Committing Immorality!

Also contributing to the suffering of child sex abuse victims within the walls of the Watchtower are horrifically untrained, angry, misogynistic, power-hungry, abusive, perverted men, put in the position of elders who act as investigators and judges of such incidents. These men often make it even worse for victims, with their accusatory questioning and sometimes perverse approach toward female victims in particular.

Jehovah’s Witnesses also refuse to give up on their stubborn insistence when it comes to protecting the abuser above the abused, even telling child abuse victims to “respect” their abusers, in the case of incestuous abuse:

What is also appalling, and what also adds to how they victimize these children all over again, is the callus disregard and disdain for those on the outside of the organization, including law enforcement, shown by the Watchtower, which has also created this problem for so many abuse victims under their roofs.

This situation in their organization is their mess; why shouldn’t they be willing and even eager to help clean it up?

No Apology From Jehovah’s Witnesses Either

That being said, it’s the lack of any apology or even acknowledgement of their responsibility for these issues that is the most disgusting. As I’ve brought out on this website before, the governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has simply blamed homosexuals for pedophilia in general (this post), and have referred to accusations that their organization is permissive toward pedophiles as “apostate-driven lies and dishonesties” (this post), in effect, calling the victims liars.

During the ARC Inquiry itself, it was apparent that Jehovah’s Witnesses feel no regret over their actions; this was demonstrated by Geoffrey Jackson, who hesitated over his answer when questioned about the Inquiry being the result of “apostate lies.”

The elders questioned during the ARC also showed not one shred of empathy or regret for their actions, even appearing angry and resentful over the questioning. When one elder was asked why they don’t alert authorities in cases of child sex abuse, he responded with the disgusting retort, “What ability have we got to protect every child in Australia?”, as if the inability to protect every child from sex abuse somehow justifies protecting no children from such abuse:

Anyone familiar with Jehovah’s Witnesses knows that they will address the epidemic of child sex abuse in their religion, and the horrific re-victimization of children by elders assigned to “investigate” such allegations, only when legally forced to do so, when dragged along by their nostrils, as it were. Jehovah’s Witnesses would rather blame apostates, homosexuals, or just Satan himself for any exposure of child sex abuse in the religion than admit culpability, and before they offer a simple apology to those victims.

The religion’s stubborn, self-righteous pride, and the need to preserve their own reputation, trumps everything, including the simple decency of paying into the fund used by victims to get counseling and support.

Any religion that is willing to call victims “apostates” and “liars” has shown their true colors when it comes to how they feel about those victims, and this gross lack of cooperation of Watchtower in paying a few dollars into this redress scheme, and their avoidance of offering even a token apology, speaks volumes.

Remember this, the next time Jehovah’s Witnesses tell you that theirs is an organization based on love of family, and love of neighbor. They don’t even love children in their religion enough to say they’re sorry for that child’s rape and abuse; how much love do you think they really feel for anyone else?

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¹Case study 29, Day 155, page 15986

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The article then made the bold claim, “By directing interested people to our official websites, we are connecting them with the one true source of spiritual food, ‘the faithful and discreet slave.'”

The Governing Body Above Jesus

For those unfamiliar, the governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses are talking about themselves as this “faithful and discreet slave,” based on Matthew 24: 45-47, “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time? Happy is that slave if his master on coming finds him doing so! Truly I say to you, he will appoint him over all his belongings.”

There is really very little support for applying this bible illustration to the governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses; yet, these men have presumptuously inserted themselves into this scripture, and have said that the “food” in this story refers to spiritual food, or interpretations and instructions about bible teachings.

In turn, the governing body has slowly, over the years, demanded that their followers adhere to their interpretations and teachings, saying that they have been appointed by Jesus to be this “slave,” and to dole out needed spiritual food. Following and obeying the governing body is a requirement for persons to be saved, and to have a relationship with god himself, or so they teach:

“That faithful slave is the channel through which Jesus is feeding his true followers in this time of the end. It is vital that we recognize the faithful slave. Our spiritual health and our relationship with God depend on this channel.”
Watchtower 2013 Jul 15 p.20

“We need to obey the faithful and discreet slave to have Jehovah’s approval.”
Watchtower 2011 Jul 15 p.24 Simplified English Edition

“But Jehovah God has also provided his visible organization, his ‘faithful and discreet slave,’ made up of spirit-anointed ones, to help Christians in all nations to understand and apply properly the Bible in their lives. Unless we are in touch with this channel of communication that God is using, we will not progress along the road to life, no matter how much Bible reading we do.”
Watchtower 1981 Dec 1 p.27

These are very interesting statements from them, as the bible says that Jesus is mankind’s mediator to god; 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus.”

One definition of the word mediate is to “convey (a message, gift, etc.) by or as if by an intermediary,” or to be a channel of communication between parties.

The bible does not say that any other man is needed for having this line of communication or relationship with god, or for having his approval. By making these statements, the governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses are speaking for god himself, making the decision about what Jehovah demands and approves of, and have presumptuously added themselves into this equation of how god communicates with humans.

By ignoring the scripture that says only one man, Jesus, is the mediator between god and men, and inserting themselves into a person’s relationship with god, the governing body are elevating themselves to the same position as Jesus. Also, by saying that they are a “channel of communication” that god is using, they are actually putting themselves above Jesus, circumventing this “mediator” position he’s been assigned.

The Governing Body Above the Bible

Saying that they, the governing body or this “faithful and discreet slave,” are the “one true source of spiritual food,” also elevates this group of men above the bible itself. The bible says that it alone is all that’s needed for Christians; 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, so that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.”

This scripture makes no mention of, and leaves no room for, other men or outside literature or websites or anything else to be a source of spiritual food, much less the “one true source” of that food. Yet, the governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses seems to be saying that the bible just isn’t enough; the bible is deficient when it comes to being a source of spiritual food, so you need their words and their literature, not just as a supplement to the food in the bible, but as a virtual replacement for that spiritual food!

Who Really is the Faithful and Discreet Slave?

If you were to consider the above illustration of the “faithful slave,” together with this scripture in Timothy, you might see how that slave could easily be Jesus, and the “master” is Jehovah. If Jesus is the mediator between god and men, that seems to imply that Jehovah has “appointed him over all his belongings,” meaning mankind. As this mediator, Jesus could very well have been the one instrumental in ensuring the bible was written, in order to provide needed “spiritual food.” By interpreting the illustration this way, it shows respect for the position of Jesus and the importance of the bible itself, without adding anything to those or other scriptures.

Yet, with absolutely no proof and apparently no understanding of the gravity of their words, the governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses have usurped Jesus’ position as the one who mediates between god and men, and have elevated their own words above the bible as the “one true source of spiritual food.” If any Jehovah’s Witnesses still read the bible, they might seriously consider the words being said by their leaders, and how they should feel about it, in light of these words:

“However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond the good news we declared to you, let him be accursed.” (Galations 1:8)

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Fascism: a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.

At first glance, Jehovah’s Witnesses may not seem to fit this definition of fascism, and may not readily resemble known fascist governments, such as Mussolini’s Italy or Hitler’s Germany.

However, while researching the subject of fascism for another matter, I came across an article on Live Science, titled “What is Fascism?” This article quoted Robert Paxton, “a professor emeritus of social science at Columbia University in New York who is widely considered the father of fascism studies.”

According to this article, in 1998, Paxton published an essay, “The Five Stages of Fascism,” in the Journal of Modern Medicine, and noted seven feelings that work as “mobilizing passions” for fascism:

“1. The primacy of the group. Supporting the group feels more important than maintaining either individual or universal rights.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses are constantly told to be cautious of behavior that would “bring reproach on the congregation,” even if it means giving up their own individual rights. For example, the November, 2016, Watchtower simplified edition, pp. 12-13, paragraph 9, says, “At times, peace among spiritual brothers has been disrupted because a failed business venture led to loss of money and perhaps to accusations of fraud. Some have taken their brothers to court, but God’s own Book helps us to see that it is better to suffer loss than to bring reproach on God’s name or disturb the peace of the congregation.”

Also, as I bring out in this post, women who are victims of domestic violence are encouraged to put up with this violence, in the hopes of recruiting their abusive husbands to the religion.

Additionally, children are strongly encouraged to forego higher education in exchange for time spent in the religion’s activities. The October 15, 2013, Watchtower simplified edition, p. 12, says, “…much of today’s higher education does not leave much time for a servant of God to meditate on God’s Word and to serve Jehovah.”

“2. Believing that one’s group is a victim. This justifies any behavior against the group’s enemies.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses are consistently told that they are under attack by Satan himself, and that Satan uses many methods or outlets for his attacks; the May 15, 2015, Watchtower simplified edition, pp. 3-8, claims that Satan “controls the whole world,” and that he uses “false religion” to attack Jehovah’s Witnesses.

In this post, I bring out how Jehovah’s Witnesses have also likened those outside their religion to “pests” who need exterminating, justifying their belief that god will soon step in and destroy everyone who is not one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

“3. The belief that individualism and liberalism enable dangerous decadence and have a negative effect on the group.”

Independent thinking or behavior are seen as a hazards in the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses; the July 15, 2006, Watchtower, p. 22, says, “In modern times, a very small number among God’s people have become disgruntled with some aspect of Christian teaching and have murmured against the earthly part of Jehovah’s organization. … Pride may play a role, and some fall into the trap of independent thinking.”

The January 1, 2006, Watchtower, pp. 28-29, says, “When it comes to pure worship, it is vital that we look to Jehovah for direction and cooperate with ‘the faithful and discreet slave’ and the congregation elders. That is a way to seek righteousness, and it protects us from developing an independent spirit.”

“4. A strong sense of community or brotherhood. This brotherhood’s ‘unity and purity are forged by common conviction, if possible, or by exclusionary violence if necessary.'”

Jehovah’s Witnesses outright refer to their religion as a brotherhood; from the April, 2018, Watchtower, p. 19, “Today, the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses gives encouragement to Bethel family members, to special full-time field workers, and indeed, to the entire international brotherhood of true Christians.” The January, 2018, Watchtower simplified edition, p. 19, says, “…as soon as we watch the various programs on JW Broadcasting, we remember that we are part of an international brotherhood.”

The unity of this brotherhood is also often emphasized; the August, 2017, Watchtower study edition says, “You get to experience our worldwide brotherhood and see its miraculous unity firsthand.” The April, 2016, Watchtower, p. 20, says, “When we attend a meeting, we contribute to the unity of our brotherhood.”

The “common conviction” that is shared among Jehovah’s Witnesses is to further the interests of the religion; this is even described as their purpose in life. The October 1, 2007, Watchtower, pp. 18-19, says, “Only God’s Kingdom will have complete success in solving mankind’s problems. Working to advance the interests of God’s Kingdom is thus the most purposeful endeavor anyone can pursue. (John 4:34) While we engage in that work, we enjoy a blessed relationship with our heavenly Father. We also have the joy of serving alongside millions of spiritual brothers and sisters, who pursue the same purpose in life.”

“5. Individual self-esteem is tied up in the grandeur of the group. Paxton called this an ‘enhanced sense of identity and belonging.'”

The February 15, 2015, Watchtower, pp. 12-13, says, “To fight spiritual apathy, Christians need to have a clear view of who they are, and they must take reasonable pride in their distinct identity. As servants of Jehovah and disciples of Christ, we can find in the Bible descriptions of who we are. We are “witnesses” of Jehovah, “God’s fellow workers,” as we actively share the “good news” with others.”

The February 15, 2005, Watchtower contains an entire article titled, “Safeguarding Our Christian Identity.” The article noted that the Christian identity of Jehovah’s Witnesses was made up of their activities and their “Christian heritage,” and that they “have the privilege of being personally recognized by Jehovah.”

“6. Extreme support of a ‘natural’ leader, who is always male. This results in one man taking on the role of national savior.”

The religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses is actually led by a small group, called a governing body, the members of which are always men. This group refers to themselves as the “faithful and discreet slave,” and demands strict obedience to their instructions and interpretations of the bible, even associating that obedience with a person’s salvation.

For example:

“Anointed Christians and those of the great crowd show that they are ready by obeying what Jehovah teaches through the faithful and discreet slave.”
September 15, 2012, Watchtower simplified edition, pp. 25-26

The February, 2017, Watchtower simplified edition contains an entire article regarding this group, titled “Who Is Leading God’s People Today?” The article states that angels assist the governing body, that they are directed by holy spirit, and that Christians need to obey this governing body today.

“7. ‘The beauty of violence and of will, when they are devoted to the group’s success in a Darwinian struggle,’ Paxton wrote. The idea of a naturally superior group or, especially in Hitler’s case, biological racism, fits into a fascist interpretation of Darwinism.”

Biological racism is the belief that science somehow proves that some races are superior to others in intelligence, moral characteristics, and so on. This thinking was promoted by Hitler’s teachings that whites, and especially Germans, were a “master race.”

The term “Darwinian struggle” and “Darwinism” refers to the “survival of the fittest” thinking, or the belief that a stronger, faster, or smarter animal species would naturally conquer other species.

A fascist government might apply both these areas of thinking; they believe they are superior to others in intelligence or morality, and this supposed superiority then allows, or even obligates, them to conquer other races. They then feel justified in exterminating or somehow subjugating another race; this thinking is what allowed the Nazi regime to imprison or exterminate Jews, gypsies, and others, and was applied in the United States in order to justify the genocide of Native Americans and the owning of blacks as slaves.

It’s vitally important to note that Jehovah’s Witnesses today do not endorse racism of any sort, although early writings from the religion did include significant prejudice against black persons and those of mixed races (see this site for information and quotes from Watchtower literature). They also do not believe that they will be involved in some type of “holy war,” where they as individuals will need to personally kill anyone else.

That being said, Jehovah’s Witnesses do firmly believe that god is going to step in, any day now, and literally slaughter every single person on the planet who is not one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, so that they alone can then reside on the planet and enjoy a paradise earth. The religion teaches that this extermination will be violent and horrific for non-Jehovah’s Witnesses, such as in the illustrations used in their literature.

Jehovah’s Witness governing body member Anthony Morris even described this upcoming doomsday as being “numbing” for the Witnesses who would see it, and graphically likened what would happen to the atrocities he saw during the Vietnam War:

As mentioned above, Jehovah’s Witnesses think of people on the earth as pests, as lowly cockroaches that need exterminating, in order to justify this thinking that they are morally superior, and that those outside their religion deserve death.

While this is obviously very different than a fascist state that outright declares war on a certain race or group of people, the thinking that Jehovah’s Witnesses are morally superior to other people, and that everyone outside their group deserve a horrific, violent death, is the same. While Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that god will do this killing, they actually welcome this horrific act, and wait to build their paradise on the bones and dead bodies of everyone who isn’t in their religion.

While Paxton hits on these seven “mobilizing passions” for fascism, it’s worth noting the fascist control that the governing body has over its members. As I bring out in this post, the governing body forcibly suppresses the information their members can take in, they have complete power over other people’s lives by dictating a long list of reasons for which someone might be ousted from the religion and then shunned by their entire family, and even demand that elders in congregations make decisions based on what they’ve written in Watchtower publications:

Fascism is, in of itself, a type of cult, and cults can often be described as fascist in their thinking and in control of their adherents. While the two are often thought of as being very different, however you dissect their lines of thinking, it seems that Jehovah’s Witnesses easily fit both these descriptions!

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Today, book burning and bans are not quite as common, but controlling information is a sure sign of a cult. Steven Hassan, a well-known commentator on cults, mentions information control in his BITE model; note one excerpt that he considers the sign of a cult:

Minimize or discourage access to non-cult sources of information, including:
a. Internet, TV, radio, books, articles, newspapers, magazines, other media
b. Critical information
c. Former members

Information Control

The Watchtower Society has been very guilty of information control, and especially in the last few years, as more and more news stories about their mishandling of child sex abuse and other such scandals have surfaced:

To keep their congregants in the dark about these types of things, the July 15, 2011, Watchtower said that Jehovah’s Witnesses should not “speak to [apostates] or invite them into our houses. We also do not read their books, watch them on television, read what they write on the Internet, or add our own comments about what they write on the Internet.”

Note the key point here; the Watchtower doesn’t tell its members to carefully consider and fully research anything they might see and hear from these apostates. Instead, Jehovah’s Witnesses are to not even listen to those words, or to any argument against Watchtower doctrine.

This is pure, blatant information control, and something that should get members thinking. If Watchtower has the truth, wouldn’t their practices, teachings, and doctrines stand up to any scrutiny, by any member?

Paranoia

Leaders of the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses also tend to add an element of paranoia in their warnings about critics; the July 15, 2011, Watchtower referred to apostates of their religion as “mentally diseased,” and the February 15, 2004, Watchtower said that apostates of the religion have “poisonous reasoning.”

This paranoia, and the information control that goes with it, has recently been ramped up in the August 2018 Watchtower study edition, in the very first article, “Do You Have the Facts?” In this article, the magazine stated:

“It is especially important to avoid websites promoted by apostates. Their whole purpose is to tear down God’s people and to distort the truth. Poor quality information will lead to poor decisions. Never underestimate the powerful effect that misleading information can have on your mind and heart.”

This is, first of all, insulting to Jehovah’s Witnesses. Congregation members are apparently not adults with strong minds who can discern truthful information and decide for themselves how to act, but are just impressionable children, believing everything they see and hear. Like children, congregants need the governing body to sift and sort through information and news stories, and then dole it out to them as they see fit.

These words also create a horrific fear of apostates, who might apparently have a “powerful effect” on someone, as if apostates play Jedi mind tricks through the internet. You shouldn’t just be skeptical of apostates, or so the Watchtower teaches, but should be outright afraid of losing your thinking abilities when listening to them.

Also, according to this magazine, anyone who speaks out against the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses has one purpose, and that’s to “tear down” Witnesses and “distort the truth.” This is an outright, blatant lie on the part of the Watchtower. First, I have no desire whatsoever to distort anything, and try very hard to include quotes and sources for my information, and ensure that I also offer them in context:

The second inaccuracy is that apostates want to “tear down God’s people.” Many apostates simply want the religion to change policies regarding some of its most harmful practices. Others may want the religion to dissolve since its practices are so hurtful, but they still have no interest in hurting people’s spirituality, interfering with their relationship with god, and so on.

Mentioning Reports Specifically

One noteworthy aspect of this article was that it specifically mentioned “reports” about the religion; no doubt this would mean news stories, exposés, and documentaries, and not just small-potatoes blogs. It’s interesting that these types of reports are mentioned, since many of these productions are not made by former Jehovah’s Witnesses, but by actual journalists with no ax to grind, no dog in this fight. This would give those reports, such as the W5 documentary shared above, even more credibility when it comes to the stories they share, and the information they expose.

As said above, if Jehovah’s Witnesses had nothing to hide and nothing to fear from those reports, they would have no reason to tell their members to avoid them. Instead, this Watchtower article says that “opposers … ‘lyingly say every sort of wicked thing’ against us.” Without answering the claims made in such documentaries, Watchtower simply calls them wicked lies. This ensures that their followers don’t even bother to listen to these reports; in turn, those followers can’t make their own decision about whether or not such reports are lies.

All of this information control, deceit, and paranoia is a sign of a controlling and abusive dictatorship, one that can’t answer to accusations made, but which simply wants its members to put their fingers in their ears and not hear those accusations in the first place. Jehovah’s Witnesses insult members by deciding that they’re not smart enough or strong enough to listen to challenges to their religion, insult those speaking out against it by saying that they’re just lying and wicked, and don’t answer those challenges and accusations. Like any dictatorship or fascist government, they’ve decided that people beneath them need to be harshly controlled and kept in the dark, and that it’s better to simply burn the book or censor the information, than risk losing followers who may find out the truth about their harmful, hurtful cult.

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Another way the religion earns money is through property flipping; volunteers build their Kingdom Halls, convention centers, and other structures, which are then often sold for a hefty profit that goes back to the religion’s headquarters. Don’t underestimate the value of the Watchtower’s portfolio of properties; a recent court case in California revealed that the religion has $1.3 billion in real property alone, and that was probably just for the United States, not for overseas holdings. (See this post for a copy of that court document.)

As I bring out in that post above, Watchtower has actually been working very hard to make their property flipping easier, designing new Kingdom Halls to resemble a bank or small office than any type of church. This is a mock-up from the video they posted on their site:

New Kingdom Halls with this design are already being constructed; this one was spotted in New Jersey, USA:

I was also just recently sent a picture of a Kingdom Hall from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, USA, which is also very businesslike:

You can see how easily the religion might flip these properties, as these buildings could quickly be converted into any number of generic businesses; this Kingdom Hall above doesn’t even have an elevated stage, which is commonly found in other Halls.

While the amount of profit that the religion earns from such property sales is important to consider, I also noticed something else in these photos, and that’s just how cold and impersonal these buildings are, both inside and out. Keeping buildings this generic might be part of flipping the properties for a quick sale; the less personalized a building, the easier it is for a potential buyer to imagine their own business in the space, with fewer needed changes and fit-outs.

The greed of the Watchtower Corporation in building these so-called places of worship with the idea of how much profit they can get from them is bad enough, but this also betrays a horrific attitude the religion has toward its members. How so?

When you’re planning on staying at a home or apartment for any length of time, you make it your own. You put artwork on the walls, add plants, hang curtains, and soften the exterior with landscaping and flowers. This is done so that you feel relaxed, welcomed, and comfortable in your own space.

Businesses even do the same; they’ll paint a building the colors of their logo, add signs with their slogan everywhere, bring in plants and landscaping, and customize the interior, so the staff feels comfortable while working.

Churches will also enrich their buildings, inside and out, with stained glass artwork, thick columns and heavy wood doors, artwork painted on the walls, and stunning light fixtures. These features and details all create a hospitable environment that makes attendees feel welcomed, comfortable, and appreciated.

Yet, you see none of that, inside or outside of these Kingdom Halls. There is little to no landscaping or color outside the buildings, and nothing personable, attractive, or welcoming about their interiors.

The more I stared at these pictures, the more I realized that these new Kingdom Halls actually look more like prison chapels than real churches:

Local prison chapel.

A chapel in a prison is usually very basic and cheap, but not just because of the prison’s limited budget. This space is impersonal because the people sitting in those chapels are criminals, not respected members of society. Prisoners are, quite literally, just numbers to their caretakers, so their individual comfort, emotional health, and feelings in general are not important to the wardens. Prison administrators feel no obligation to make a chapel any more cozy and personal than the prison itself, because they think so little of the people sitting inside.

Lacking care for the feelings of their congregants was always a trademark of the religion when I was in; a woman was expected to stay with an abusive husband, even being blamed for her abuse, no matter her feelings or the feelings of the children in the home. My own mother was outright suicidal, in and out of mental treatment centers, and I obviously had issues dealing with my stepfather’s temper and my mother’s own treatment of me, but elders were still angrily insistent that she stay, and even yelled and bellowed at her and I when the subject was ever brought up. Our feelings were nonexistent throughout my entire childhood.

The religion also makes incessant demands on its congregants, for them to preach and recruit, with little regard for their physical health or mental and emotional makeup, which often makes this work very difficult for them. Doing more of this difficult preaching is even recommended for those who are feeling depressed or anxious, as if it would help them, when it often makes their feelings even worse!

As I bring out in this post, a video to be shown at the 2018 regional conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses included a skit of a congregation being split into two, and of families being sent to different congregations, including an elderly woman being separated from her children and grandchildren. As I mentioned in that post, splitting up families this way is cruel and negligent, but the elders made this decision, and so many decisions like it, without ever consulting with congregants about their feelings, and expecting those congregants to just blindly obey, no matter what.

This lack of personal warmth or concern for their congregants is demonstrated right down to the decor of their Kingdom Halls. There is nothing to make their members or visitors feel invited, welcomed, relaxed, and cared for in these buildings. Everything is stripped bare and utilitarian, merely functional, ready to serve the religion and not the congregants, much like how everyday rank-and-file members are meant to serve and recruit for the religion, and not the other way around. A prison chapel is not such a poor description of their buildings after all.

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Obey, Obey, Obey

One video and discourse, “Future Events That Will Require Courage—The Attack by Gog of Magog,” yet again demanded that congregants blindly obey the organization and congregation elders, even if the instructions given make no sense, or are downright hurtful, as the video itself demonstrated. The video skit showed one congregation being divided into two separate congregations, and a woman being concerned for how families in that congregation were being split up accordingly. This included one elderly woman whose children and grandchildren would be going to a different congregation!

I personally would need to question why elders would split up families like this; I might understand certain scenarios, such as two men from the same family who were both elders, and a need to spread those elders across separate congregations. However, an elderly woman being isolated from her children and grandchildren sounds downright cruel and even negligent; seeing your elderly relative at congregation meetings not only reinforces family bonds, but it can also ensure that the family is keeping watch over her!

When someone is of a particular age, it’s good for family to note any changes in their physical health, mental clarity, and the like. Without seeing this woman at congregation meetings, this might necessitate the family going out of their way to visit her more often throughout the week, to ensure she’s in good health. Yet, despite this outrageous arrangement, the elderly woman was blindly resolute to simply do as she was told.

It was also obvious from this skit that the elders never consulted with anyone in the congregation that was being split as to their preferences or feelings. They simply made their decisions without concern for the opinions of the people actually being affected by those decisions, and then expected those ones to fall in line and blindly, mindlessly obey.

(Please see the YouTube video below for a snippet of this skit.)

Stop Elevating Them; They’re Just Men

Jehovah’s Witnesses might be quick to jump to the defense of elders and say that they need to make decisions as to what’s best for a congregation, but there are a few problems here. Number one, who are they to arbitrarily decide this? Elders are amazingly imperfect men, no more able to make a good decision than anyone else!

Congregation members are just as intelligent, mature, wise, and able to make good decisions as these elders, so why wouldn’t they be consulted, and allowed to be part of that process? For elders to make these decisions on their own is insulting to congregants, infantilizing them, treating them as children who need direction and control.

I would also think that what’s “best” for a congregation is to listen to each member, and let their feelings and opinions dictate these decisions! A religion is not a business, where decisions are made based on what will bring in the most profit; a religion is supposed to exist for the spiritual needs of congregants, so that it can comfort and console people during troublesome times, bring them closer to their god, and strengthen family bonds.

Running a religion like a business, with elders making arbitrary decisions without any concern for the opinions of those below them, just demanding that these ones toe the line, makes that religion… well, a business, not a religion, and certainly not one that exists to care for individuals and their needs.

And Obey Some More

This skit then showed the elders discussing how important it was for congregation members to blindly obey them, now and in the future, as surviving the end of the world might depend on that blind obedience. This fear tactic is shameful and disgusting, but is also nothing new; Jehovah’s Witnesses have been predicting the end of the world, with these same demands for blind obedience in order to survive this upcoming doomsday, for decades.

From Watchtower literature of 1982.

“Obey me so you survive the horrible doomsday that is about to be upon us” is not only unhealthy, insulting, and abusive to congregants, but it’s also a sign of a damaging, dangerous cult. Once followers are indoctrinated to believe that their religion’s leaders know more than them, that they cannot or should not rely on their own intellect or feelings, and that they must obey those leaders no matter the instructions, poisoned Kool-Aid is not usually far behind.

No, I don’t truly believe that Jehovah’s Witnesses would ever become a suicidal cult, but members already sacrifice their time, money, chance at a higher education or for bringing children into this world, friendships, hobbies and interests, and even their family to the religion. Since Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t allow blood transfusions even in emergency situations, they can also literally sacrifice their life, and a child’s life as well. This strict and unquestioning obedience demanded by Jehovah’s Witnesses doesn’t then need to involve poisoned Kool-Aid for the religion’s members to lose everything for the sake of this blind obedience.

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A cult or church might say things such as, “We know that all signs point to…” and then finish the phrase with something that supports their teachings and doctrines.

Pick apart these phrases carefully; these sayings tell someone how to think, what to believe, what to feel. A person who says, “But you like my family!” isn’t asking their partner how they really feel about the family, but is telling them what to feel. The phrase, “Don’t you think…” doesn’t really ask someone what they think, taking in new information and learning about what is going on in that person’s head, but is telling the other person what to think.

Simply telling congregants or adherents what to think is part of the mind control, brainwashing, or indoctrination that is common with cults and high-control religions. The religion will make an assertion, and then keep repeating it as being true, often with little to no backing. Church leaders might cherry-pick scripture and apply it to this doctrine, or find other supposed “proof” that may, or may not, back up their claim. In the end, the congregant or follower hasn’t really been allowed to reason on a matter, and hasn’t been taught any true critical thinking skills, but has simply been told what is true, what to think, or what to feel.

Jehovah’s Witnesses and Thought Control

I noticed this technique used recently in a short discourse in the online TV channel of Jehovah’s Witnesses, tv.jw.org, titled “Following Direction Saves Lives.” The speaker starts out with the illustration of a railroad crossing warning sign, which tells drivers to “stop, look, and listen.” He then notes that followers of the bible similarly need to use their “perceptive powers,” and that Jehovah and Jesus tell followers to “discern the times that we’re living in.”

It’s interesting that the speaker would say that, as he then shuts down any chance at using discernment or “perceptive powers” during the rest of his presentation! He goes on to say, very boldly, “The faithful and discreet slave [referring to the governing body of Jehovah’s Witness], they’re guided by the head of the congregation, Jesus Christ.” He also says that Jesus is giving congregation members assistance in using discernment through the pages of the Watchtower, their meetings, assemblies, and conventions, and then says outright that explanations for what is found in the bible is provided through that “faithful and discreet slave.”

See also: Beware the Cult Like Control and Abuse of Jehovah’s Witnesses

To which I might respond, Says who? What proof is there that the governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses is getting direction from god or Jesus or anyone? To use “discernment,” a person would need more proof than just someone’s else’s word and assertion.

Not only is there a distinct lack of proof for this claim, but the governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses have failed repeatedly in their predictions about the end of the world, have had to flip-flop or change many doctrines over the past decades, and are being exposed throughout the world for their obscene failings when it comes to protecting children from sexual abuse in the religion. “Discernment” and “perception” should tell anyone that this claim of theirs, that they’re somehow guided by god or Jesus, is negligible at best.

What’s Your Point?

This may seem like a minor, unimportant point, but it’s vital for people in any religion, church, or self-help group, who follow a self-help leader or use the services of a coach or counselor, or even for those in a relationship of any sort, to understand this type of thought-control technique. Making an assertion or outright statement is fine, if you have reliable, credible, valid proof, or some type of substantial information, to support your argument.

However, even in that case, followers or adherents, or someone in a relationship, should have room to ask questions, do further research, disagree, state their own findings or feelings, and come to their own conclusions. If not, this is called thought control, or brainwashing. It’s very disrespectful, overly controlling, unhealthy, and even outright abusive. It’s also a sign of a damaging cult.

While those words sound very blunt and very scary, this technique, of controlling another person’s thinking and feelings, can be very subtle, as this example alone illustrates. Jehovah’s Witnesses are just told that their governing body is god’s mouthpiece, in the same message that tells them that Armageddon is soon to be here, so if they don’t act in a certain way, they may lose their lives. An active Witness may not realize that they’ve been given no proof of this claim, and may not consider that they should demand that proof before doing what the governing body asks of them. If they don’t, they are then blindly following a group of men who have simply indoctrinated them into obedience.

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View the entire 10-minute video of the JW presentation above at this page. 

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One such tactic is fear mongering, or teaching their members that other people are out to hurt them in some way, or keep them from reaching their true potential.

Another tactic common with cults is to teach its followers that they are somehow better than others, that they’re smarter, that they know certain secrets or have special understanding that others don’t, or that they’re more moral and pure than the rest of the world.

These cult-like tactics were demonstrated in some disturbing anti-masturbation videos that were recently leaked from Bethel, the headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and which are apparently being shown to new members. Note this snippet of one video below, which is shown to the women only, and the cult-like tactics used in these few short minutes alone:

Fear Mongering

It takes literally one minute for the man in this video to use a fear mongering tactic, by saying that the whole world is bent on making someone unfit for god’s service, and that Jehovah’s Witnesses live in a “wicked world that actively tries to mold everyone into its ways.”

Consider the lunacy of these very broad, sweeping statements; many people in the world are atheists who don’t believe in god in the first place, so how and why would they be concerned if someone is “unfit” for service to that god? Many Christians I know also think that any good and decent person is in line for salvation, no matter their religion, so no, they are not “bent” on making people unfit for their god’s service.

It’s also very bold to say that the “world” is “actively” trying to mold everyone into “its” ways. Citizens of just one country, much less the whole world, don’t think the same way when it comes to laws, taxation, healthcare, socialism, capitalism, if the earth is flat, and whether or not you can buy beer on a Sunday. The “world” hasn’t even picked a mold for themselves, much less is that whole world, as a collective, trying to squeeze Jehovah’s Witnesses into “its” thinking.

While we’re on the subject, stick your own head out the window and look left, then look right. Do you see anyone “actively” trying to mold you into anything? Sure, advertisers want to sell you on a product, and some people may be more vocal about their political or social agendas, but how often do you come across these people in your daily life?

Most people I know are just gliding through life, going to work in the morning and then sitting on their porches and drinking their Saturday-bought beer for the rest of the day. They’re too lazy to even be actively “molding” their own children, much less are they concerned about Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Note, too, that this speaker, as is common with cults, doesn’t provide one shred of evidence for his statements! He reads a scripture about no longer being “molded,” but this alone offers no proof that the entire world is trying to do this molding, much less that Jehovah’s Witnesses are somehow a special target. Instead, the speaker simply frightens the audience into full-blown paranoia about the whole world around them, and then uses this fear to convince them that they should listen to the counsel he’s about to provide.

You’re Special

Cults often convince their members, or potential members, that they’re special; this is something I’ve seen especially with Tom Cruise, when talking about Scientology:

So, according to Top Gun here, Scientologists are the only ones who can help in an accident. Color me crazy, but I would prefer a paramedic, nurse, doctor… heck, even a veterinarian… to help me after an accident, versus someone whose sole claim to expertise is reading the ramblings of a two-bit science fiction writer who thought tomatoes feel pain.

It’s also obscenely insulting of Cruise to think that Scientologists are the only non-medical personnel who can help in such situations; there are many, many stories you can easily find of everyday civilians rescuing accident victims, stranded animals, etc., even at great risk to their own safety.

Back to the point; this is part of how cults operate, by convincing their members that they’re somehow special and “above” other people, and that people outside their cult are somehow less intelligent, less capable, blind to what’s going on around them, immoral, and the list could go on.

This cult-like indoctrination method can be seen in this video to Jehovah’s Witness women, where the man talks about the world being “unclean,” while the women watching the video have a “clean standing” before god. Late in the video, he states that “Satan has managed to influence the world’s thinking on the subject of sexual immorality…,” and also says that the audience should outright “feed” their “hatred for the perversions of Satan’s system.”

In other words, Jehovah’s Witnesses are the only “clean” persons in the world, while everyone else is “unclean,” or dirty, controlled by the devil, and perverse. Much like creating a fear or paranoia, this type of teaching creates an arrogance in cult members, and a distaste or disgust for those outside their religion.

This, too, keeps cult members from even considering what people outside the cult have to say on the subject, allowing the cult to then more easily control a person’s thinking and reasoning. No matter what a nonmember may say, it’s already been determined that their opinion and viewpoint are perverted and immoral and from Satan himself. This makes it even easier for cult members to simply put their fingers in their ears and ignore anything and everything that outsiders try to share, no matter how logical or reasonable, and no matter how much fact or proof they might offer.

The Hypocrisy

All of these cult indoctrination methods aside, this video itself is an ironic hypocrisy. Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that the world outside of their religion is trying to “mold” people into their ways, but what are they themselves doing with these anti-masturbation videos alone? They refer to masturbation as “self-abuse,” and say that this habit might make them “unfit” for service to god; this is despite the fact that masturbation is not mentioned anywhere in the bible. That makes these teachings nothing but their opinion alone!

So, while working hard to create a severe and disturbing paranoia about the influence of nonmembers, the religion does exactly what it warns against, and works just as hard to mold and control the thinking, and even the sexuality, of its own members … which is exactly what you would expect from a cult.

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