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Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses

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Jehovah's Witnesses have attracted criticism from mainstream Part of a series on
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has been accused of doctrinal inconsistency and reversals, failed Buddhism Christianity
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predictions, mistranslation of the Bible, harsh treatment of former

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Wikipedia store members and autocratic and coercive leadership. Criticism has also
Jehovah's Witnesses Protestantism
focused on their rejection of blood transfusions, particularly in life- Seventh-day Adventist
Interaction
Help threatening medical situations, and claims that they have failed to Unification Church
About Wikipedia Westboro Baptist Church)
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report cases of sexual abuse to the authorities. Many of the claims Islam
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are denied by Jehovah's Witnesses and some have also been Wahhabism)
Jainism Judaism
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disputed by courts and religious scholars. New religious movement Scientology
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What links here Aisha Charles Taze Russell
Related changes 1 Doctrinal criticisms
Ellen White Jesus Moses
Upload file 1.1 Failed predictions Muhammad Saul
Special pages 1.2 Changes of doctrine
By text
Permanent link 1.3 United Nations association Bible Quran Hadiths
Page information Mormon sacred texts
1.4 Fall of Jerusalem
Wikidata item (Book of Mormon)
Talmud
Cite this page 1.5 Evolution
2 Social criticisms Critics
Print/export Ayaan Hirsi Ali Ali Sina Arnold Leese
2.1 Authoritarianism and denial of free speech
Create a book Brigitte Gabriel B.R. Ambedkar
Download as PDF 2.2 Description as a "cult" Mikhail Bakunin Bat Ye'or
Printable version 2.3 Coercion Bruce Bawer Leah Vincent
2.4 Shunning Giordano Bruno Pat Condell
Languages Richard Dawkins Denis Diderot
Espaol 2.5 Blood Maryam Namazie Nonie Darwish
Franais 2.5.1 Fractions and components Oriana Fallaci Robert Spencer
Bahasa Indonesia 2.5.2 Storing and donation Epicurus Ibn Warraq
Interlingua Ludwig Feuerbach Theo van Gogh
2.5.3 Legal considerations
Italiano Pamela Geller Sita Ram Goel
2.5.4 Animal blood Emma Goldman Sam Harris
2.6 Reporting of sexual abuse Christopher Hitchens Daniel Dennett
Portugus 3 Biblical criticisms Salman Rushdie Baruch Spinoza
Suomi Baron d'Holbach David Hume
4 See also Robert G. Ingersoll Karl Marx

5 References Turan Dursun
Edit links
6 Further reading Periyar E. V. Ramasamy Magdi Allam
V. S. Naipaul Taslima Nasrin
7 External links
Friedrich Nietzsche Michel Onfray
Thomas Paine Walid Phares
Walid Shoebat H. L. Mencken
Doctrinal criticisms [ edit ] Pierre-Joseph Proudhon Ayn Rand
Dayananda Saraswati Arun Shourie
Failed predictions [ edit ] Andr Servier David Silverman
Victor J. Stenger Max Stirner
Main article: Watch Tower Society unfulfilled predictions A. C. Grayling Bertrand Russell
See also: Eschatology of Jehovah's Witnesses Voltaire Geert Wilders Wafa Sultan

The beliefs unique to Jehovah's Witnesses involve their Religious violence

Buddhism Christianity
(Mormonism)

interpretations of the second coming of Christ, the millennium and Judaism Islam Persecution
the kingdom of God . Watch Tower Society publications have (By Christians)
Sectarian violence
Segregation Terrorism
(Christian
made, and continue to make, predictions about world events they Hindu Islamic Sikh Jewish)
War
believe were prophesied in the Bible.[1] Some of those early (In Islam In Judaism)
predictions were described as "established truth",[2] and 'beyond a Related topics
[3] Abuse Apostasy
(In Islam

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doubt'. Witnesses are told to 'be complete in accepting the visible

In Christianity)
Crisis of faith
organization's direction in every aspect' and that there is no need to Criticism of atheism
question what God tells them through his Word and organization, Criticism of monotheism Sexuality
since love "believes all things."[4][5][6] If a member advocates Slavery
views different to what appears in print, they face expulsion.[7][8][9] vte

Failed predictions that were either explicitly stated or strongly

Part of a series on
implied, particularly linked to dates in 1914, 1915, 1918, 1925 and
Jehovah's Witnesses
1975, have led to the alteration or abandonment of some teachings.
The Society's publications have at times suggested that members had Overview
previously "read into the Watch Tower statements that were never Organizational structure
Governing Body
intended"[10] or that the beliefs of members were "based on wrong Watch Tower Bible
premises."[11] Critic Edmond Gruss claims that other failed and Tract Society
Corporations
predictions were ignored, and replaced with new predictions; for
example, in the book, The Finished Mystery (1917), events were History
Bible Student movement
applied to the years 1918 to 1925 that earlier had been held to occur Leadership dispute
prior to 1914. When the new interpretations also did not transpire, the Splinter groups
1926 edition of the book changed the statements and removed the Doctrinal development
Unfulfilled predictions
dates.[12]
Demographics
Raymond Franz, a critic and former member of the Governing Body By country
of Jehovah's Witnesses, has cited publications that claimed God has
Beliefs Practices
used Jehovah's Witnesses as a collective prophet.[13] Critics including
Salvation Eschatology
James A. Beverley have accused the religion of false prophecy for The 144,000
making those predictions, particularly because of assertions in some Faithful and discreet slave
Hymns God's name
cases that the predictions were beyond doubt or had been approved by
Blood Discipline
God, but describes its record of telling the future as
Literature
"pathetic".[14][15][16][17] Beverley says the Watch Tower Society has
The Watchtower Awake!
passed judgment on others who have falsely predicted the end of the New World Translation
world (he cites a 1968 Awake! that says other groups were "guilty of List of publications
Bibliography
false prophesying" after having "predicted an 'end to the world', even
announcing a specific date").[18][19] Teaching programs
Kingdom Hall Gilead School
The Watch Tower Society rejects accusations that it is a false
People
prophet.[20][21] It says its explanations of Bible prophecy are not
Watch Tower presidents
infallible[22][23][24] and that its predictions are not claimed explicitly W. H. Conley C. T. Russell
as "the words of Jehovah."[20] It states that some of its expectations J. F. Rutherford N. H. Knorr
F. W. Franz M. G. Henschel
have needed adjustment because of eagerness for God's kingdom, but
D. A. Adams
that those adjustments are no reason to "call into question the whole
body of truth."[25] Raymond Franz claims that the Watch Tower Formative influences
William Miller Henry Grew
Society tries to evade its responsibility when citing human fallibility George Storrs N. H. Barbour
as a defense, adding that the Society represents itself as God's John Nelson Darby
appointed spokesman, and that throughout its history has made many Notable former members
emphatic predictions. Franz adds that the organization's eagerness for Raymond Franz Olin Moyle

the Millennium does not give it license to impugn the motives of Opposition
those who fail to accept its predictions.[6] Criticism Persecution
Supreme Court cases
George D. Chryssides has suggested widespread claims that by country
Witnesses "keep changing the dates" are a distortion and
vte
misunderstanding of Watch Tower Society chronology. He argues
that, although there have been failures in prophetic speculation, the
changing views and dates of the Jehovah's Witnesses are more largely attributable to changed understandings
of biblical chronology than to failed predictions. Chryssides states, "For the Jehovahs Witnesses prophecy
serves more as a way of discerning a divine plan in human history than a means to predicting the future."[26]
In 1904 Zion's Watch Tower stated: "We have in the Scriptures what we think is clear testimony respecting
that date [1914], but no particulars or dates for the intervening time. It is not our intention to enter upon the
role of prophet to any degree, but merely to give below what seems to us rather likely to be the trend of
events."[27]

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Predictions (by date of publication) include:

1877: Christ's kingdom would hold full sway over the earth in 1914; the Jews, as a people, would be
restored to God's favor; the "saints" would be carried to heaven.[28]
1891: 1914 would be "the farthest limit of the rule of imperfect men."[29]
1904: "World-wide anarchy" would follow the end of the Gentile Times in 1914.[30]
1916: World War I would terminate in Armageddon and the rapture of the "saints".[31]
1917: In 1918, Christendom would go down as a system to oblivion and be succeeded by revolutionary
governments. God would "destroy the churches wholesale and the church members by the millions."
Church members would "perish by the sword of war, revolution and anarchy." The dead would lie
unburied. In 1920 all earthly governments would disappear, with worldwide anarchy prevailing.[32]
1920: Messiah's kingdom would be established in 1925 and bring worldwide peace. God would begin
restoring the earth. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and other faithful patriarchs would be resurrected to perfect
human life and be made princes and rulers, the visible representatives of the New Order on earth. Those
who showed themselves obedient to God would never die.[33]
1922: The anti-typical "jubilee" that would mark God's intervention in earthly affairs would take place
"probably the fall" of 1925.[34]
1924: God's restoration of Earth would begin "shortly after" October 1, 1925. Jerusalem would be made
the world's capital. Resurrected "princes" such as Abel, Noah , Moses and John the Baptist would give
instructions to their subjects around the world by radio, and airplanes would transport people to and from
Jerusalem from all parts of the globe in just "a few hours".[35]
1938: Armageddon was too close for marriage or child bearing.[36]
1941: There were only "months" remaining until Armageddon.[37]
1942: Armageddon was "immediately before us." [38]

1961: Awake! magazine stated that the heavenly kingdom "will, within the twentieth century, cleanse the
entire earth of wickedness."[39]
1966: It would be 6000 years since man's creation in the fall of 1975 and it would be "appropriate" for
Christ's thousand-year reign to begin at that time.[40] Time was "running out, no question about that."[41]
The "immediate future" was "certain to be filled with climactic events ... within a few years at most", the
final parts of Bible prophecy relating to the "last days" would undergo fulfillment as Christ's reign began.
1967: The end-time period (beginning in 1914) was claimed to be so far advanced that the time
remaining could "be compared, not just to the last day of a week, but rather, to the last part of that
day".[42]
1968: No one could say "with certainty" that the battle of Armageddon would begin in 1975, but time
was "running out rapidly" with "earthshaking events" soon to take place.[43] In March 1968 there was a
"short period of time left", with "only about ninety months left before 6000 years of man's existence on
earth is completed".[44]
1969: The existing world order would not last long enough for young people to grow old; the world
system would end "in a few years." Young Witnesses were told not to bother pursuing tertiary education
for this reason.[45]
1971: The "battle in the day of Jehovah" was described as beginning "[s]hortly, within our twentieth
century".[46]
1974: There was just a "short time remaining before the wicked world's end" and Witnesses were
commended for selling their homes and property to "finish out the rest of their days in this old system in
the pioneer service."[47]
1984: There were "many indications" that "the end" was closer than the end of the 20th century.[48]
1989: The Watchtower asserted that Christian missionary work begun in the first century would "be
completed in our 20th century".[49] When the magazine was republished in bound volumes, the phrase "in
our 20th century" was replaced with the less specific "in our day".

Changes of doctrine [ edit ]

See also: Development of Jehovah's Witnesses doctrine

History of Eschatological Doctrine

Startof Separating

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LastDays Christ Resurrection Judgmentof Great

Christ's Sheep
begin madeKing of144,000 Religion Tribulation
Presence &Goats
1914,
1879
1915,
1920 during 1918, 1920
Millennium
1920 1878
1923
1925
1923
1925 1799 1874
1925
1878
1927
1878
1927
1914 within
1930
generation
1930 during of 1914
1933 Christ's
1933 presence
1966
1966
1918 1975?
1975
1919
1914 within
1975
generation
1995
of 1914
during
1995
Great imminent
present
Tribulation

Although Watch Tower Society literature claims the Society's founder, Charles Taze Russell, was directed by
God's Holy Spirit, through which he received "flashes of light",[50] it has substantially altered doctrines since
its inception and abandoned many of Russell's teachings.[51] Many of the changes have involved biblical
chronology that had earlier been claimed as beyond question.[52][53][54][55][56] Watch Tower Society
publications state that doctrinal changes result from a process of "progressive revelation", in which God
gradually reveals his will.[57][58]
Date of beginning of Christ's kingdom rule. Russell taught that Jesus had become king in April
1878.[59][60] In 1922, Joseph Rutherford altered the date to 1914.[51]
Date of resurrection of anointed Christians. After the failure of predictions that Christ's chosen
"saints" would be carried away to heaven in 1878,[61] Russell developed the teaching that those "dying in
the Lord" from 1878 forward would have an immediate heavenly resurrection.[62] The Watch Tower
confirmed the doctrine in 1925,[63] but two years later asserted this date was wrong[64] and that the
beginning of the instant resurrection to heaven for faithful Christians was from 1918.[65]
Great Pyramid as a "stone witness" of God. Russell wrote in 1910 that God had the Great Pyramid of
Giza in Egypt built as a testimony to the truth of the Bible and proof of its chronology identifying the "last
days".[66][67] In 1928 Rutherford rejected the doctrine and claimed the Pyramid had been built under the
direction of Satan.[68]
Identity of "faithful and wise servant". Russell initially believed the "faithful and wise servant" of
Matthew 24:45 was "every member of this body of Christ ... the whole body individually and
collectively."[69] By 1886 he had altered his view and began explaining it was a person, not the Christian
church.[70] Russell accepted claims by Bible Students that he was that "servant"[71][72][73] and in 1909
described as his "opponents" those who would apply the term "faithful and wise servant" to "all the
members of the church of Christ" rather than to an individual.[74] By 1927 the Watch Tower Society was
teaching that it was "a collective servant."[75]
Beginning of the "last days". From the earliest issues of the Watch Tower, Russell promoted the belief
that the "last days" had begun in 1799 and would end in 1914. [76] As late as 1921 Watch Tower
publications were still claiming the last days had begun in 1799.[77] In 1930 that date was abandoned and
1914 was fixed as the beginning of the last days.

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Jews' role in God's Kingdom. Russell followed the view of Nelson H. Barbour , who believed that in
1914 Christ's kingdom would take power over all the earth and the Jews, as a people, would be restored to
God's favor.[78] In 1889 Russell wrote that with the completion of the "Gentile Times" in 1914, Israel's
"blindness" would subside and they would convert to Christianity.[79] The book Life (1929) noted that the
return of Jews to Palestine signaled that the end was very close, because Jews would "have the favors
first and thereafter all others who obey the Lord" under God's restoration of his kingdom.[80] In 1932 that
belief was abandoned and from that date the Watch Tower Society taught that Witnesses alone were the
Israel of God.[81]
Date of Christ's invisible presence. The Watch Tower Society taught for more than 60 years that this
began in 1874, insisting in 1922 that the date was "indisputable".[82][83] In 1943 the society moved the
event to 1914.[51][84][85]
Identity of the "superior authorities". Russell taught that the "superior authorities" of Romans 13:1, to
whom Christians had to show subjection and obedience, were governmental authorities. In 1929 The
Watchtower discarded this view, stating that the term referred only to God and Christ, and saying the
change of doctrine was evidence of "advancing light" of truth shining forth to God's chosen people.[86] In
1952, The Watchtower stated that the words of Romans 13 "could never have applied to the political
powers of Caesars world as wrongly claimed by the clergy of Christendom,"[87] and in 1960 The
Watchtower described the earlier view as a factor that had caused the Bible Student movement to be
"unclean" in God's eyes during the 19141918 period. Two years later, in 1962, The Watchtower
reverted to Russell's initial doctrine.[86]
Identity and function of the Governing Body. Frequent mentions of the term "Governing Body" began
in Watch Tower Society literature in the 1970s.[88] The Governing Body was initially identified as the
Watch Tower Society's seven-member board of directors.[89] However, at the time, the board played no
role in establishing Watchtower doctrines, and all such decisions since the Society's origins had been
made by the Society's president.[90][91] A 1923 Watch Tower noted that Russell alone directed the policy
and course of the Society "without regard to any other person on earth"[92] and both his successors,
Rutherford and Knorr, also acted alone in establishing Watch Tower doctrines. An organizational change
on January 1, 1976, for the first time gave the Governing Body the power to rule on doctrines[93] and
become the ruling council of Jehovah's Witnesses.[94] Despite this, The Watchtower in 1971 claimed
that a Governing Body of anointed Christians had existed since the 19th century to govern the affairs of
God's anointed people.[95]
Treatment of disfellowshipped persons. In the 1950s when disfellowshipping became common,
Witnesses were to have nothing to do with expelled members, not conversing with or acknowledging
them.[96] Family members of expelled individuals were permitted occasional "contacts absolutely
necessary in matters pertaining to family interests," but could not discuss spiritual matters with them.[97]
In 1974 The Watchtower, acknowledging some unbalanced Witnesses had displayed unkind, inhumane
and possibly cruel attitudes to those expelled,[98] relaxed restrictions on family contact, allowing families
to choose for themselves the extent of association,[99] including whether or not to discuss some spiritual
matters.[100] In 1981, a reversal of policy occurred, with Witnesses instructed to avoid all spiritual
interaction with disfellowshipped ones, including with close relatives.[101] Witnesses were instructed not
to greet disfellowshipped persons.[101][102][103] Parents were permitted to care for the physical needs of a
disfellowshipped minor child; ill parents or physically or emotionally ill child could be accepted back into
the home "for a time". Witnesses were instructed not to eat with disfellowshipped relatives and were
warned that emotional influence could soften their resolve.[104] In 1980 the Witnesses' Brooklyn
headquarters advised traveling overseers that a person need not be promoting "apostate views" to warrant
disfellowshipping; it advised that "appropriate judicial action" be taken against a person who "continues
to believe the apostate ideas and rejects what he has been provided" through The Watchtower.[105] The
rules on shunning were extended in 1981 to include those who had resigned from the religion
voluntarily.[106][107]
Fall of "Babylon the Great". Russell taught that the fall of the "world empire of false religion" had taken
place in 1878 and predicted "Babylon's" complete destruction in 1914.[108] Rutherford claimed in 1917
that religion's final destruction would take place in 1918, explaining that God would destroy churches
"wholesale" and that "Christendom shall go down as a system to oblivion."[109] In 1988 the Watch Tower
Society claimed that release from prison in 1919 of senior Watchtower figures marked the fall of Babylon

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"as far as having any captive hold on God's people was concerned",[110] with her "final destruction" "into
oblivion, never to recover", expected "in the near future."[111]

United Nations association [ edit ]

Main article: Jehovah's Witnesses and the United Nations
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the United Nations is one of the 'superior authorities' that exist by God's
permission, and that it serves a purpose in maintaining order, but do not support it politically and do not
consider it to be the means to achieve peace and security. Jehovah's Witnesses also believe that the United
Nations is the "image of the wild beast" of Revelation 13:1-18, and the second fulfillment of the
"abominable thing that causes desolation" from Matthew 24:15 ; that it will be the means for the
devastation of organized false religion worldwide;[112][113] and that, like all other political powers, it will be
destroyed and replaced by God's heavenly kingdom.[114] Jehovah's Witnesses have denounced other religious
organizations for having offered political support to the UN.[115]
On October 8, 2001, an article was published in the British Guardian newspaper questioning the Watch
Tower Bible and Tract Society's registration as a non-governmental organization (NGO ) with the United
Nations Department of Public Information and accusing the Watch Tower Society of hypocrisy.[116] Within
days of the article's publication, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society submitted a formal request for
disassociation, removing all association with the United Nations Department of Public Information,[117] and
released a letter stating that the reason for becoming associated with the United Nations Department of
Information (DPI) was to access their facilities, and that they had not been aware of the change in language
contained in the criteria for NGO association.[118] However, when the Watch Tower Society sought NGO
association, "the organization agreed to meet criteria for association, including support and respect of the
principles of the Charter of the United Nations", acknowledging that the purpose of membership is to
"promote knowledge of the principles and activities of the United Nations."[119] The official UN/DPI website
states that "association of NGOs with DPI does not constitute their incorporation into the United Nations
system."[120]

Fall of Jerusalem [ edit ]

Jehovah's Witnesses assert that Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 607 BC and completely
uninhabited for exactly seventy years. This date is critical to their selection of October 1914 for the arrival of
Christ in kingly power2520 years after October 607 BC.[121][122] Non-Witness sources do not support 607
BC for the event, placing the destruction of Jerusalem within a year of 587 BC, twenty years later.[122][123]
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that periods of seventy years mentioned in the books of Jeremiah and Daniel
refer to the Babylonian exile of Jews. They also believe that the gathering of Jews in Jerusalem, shortly after
their return from Babylon, officially ended the exile in Jewish month of Tishrei (Ezra 3:1). According to the
Watch Tower Society, October 607 BC is derived by counting back seventy years from Tishrei of 537 BC,
based on their belief that Cyrus' decree to release the Jews during his first regnal year "may have been made
in late 538 B.C. or before March 45, 537 B.C."[124][125] Secular sources assign the return to either 538 BC
or 537 BC.[126][127][128][129][130]
In The Gentile Times Reconsidered: Chronology & Christ's Return, Carl O. Jonsson, a former Witness,
presents eighteen lines of evidence to support the traditional view of neo-Babylonian chronology. He accuses
the Watch Tower Society of deliberately misquoting sources in an effort to bolster their position.[131] The
Watch Tower Society claims that biblical chronology is not always compatible with secular sources, and that
the Bible is superior. It claims that secular historians make conclusions about 587 BC based on incorrect or
inconsistent historical records, but accepts those sources that identify Cyrus' capture of Babylon in 539 BC,
claiming it has no evidence of being inconsistent and hence can be used as a pivotal date.[124][132][133]
Rolf Furuli, a Jehovah's Witness and a lecturer in Semitic languages, presents a study of 607 BC in support
of the Witnesses' conclusions in Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian, and Persian Chronology Compared
with the Chronology of the Bible, Volume 1: Persian Chronology and the Length of the Babylonian
Exile of the Jews.[134] Lester L. Grabbe, professor of theology at the University of Hull, said of Furuli's
study: "Once again we have an amateur who wants to rewrite scholarship. ... F. shows little evidence of
having put his theories to the test with specialists in Mesopotamian astronomy and Persian history."[135]
The relative positions of the moon, stars and planets indicated in the Babylonian astronomical diary VAT
are used by secular historians to establish 568 BC as the thirty-seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar 's

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4956
reign.[136] The Watch Tower Society claims that unnamed researchers have confirmed that the positions of
the moon and stars on the tablet are instead consistent with astronomical calculations for 588 BC; the Society
claims that the planets mentioned in the tablet cannot be clearly identified. [137] The Watch Tower Society's

article cites David Brown as stating, "some of the signs for the names of the planets and their positions are
unclear,"[137] however Brown indicates that the Babylonians also had unique names for the known
planets;[138] Jonsson confirms that the unique names are those used in VAT 4956.[139] According to the
Watch Tower Society, astronomical calculations based on ancient writings are unreliable and prone to
error.[140]

Evolution [ edit ]
Watch Tower Society publications attempt to refute the theory of evolution , in favor of divine
creation .[141][142] The Watch Tower Society's views of evolution have met with criticism typical of
objections to evolution . Gary Botting described his own difficulty as a Jehovah's Witness to reconcile
creation with simple observations of species diversification, especially after discussions with J.B.S. Haldane
in India.[143]
The Society's 1985 publication, LifeHow Did it Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation? is criticized
for its dependency on Francis Hitching, who is cited thirteen times. The book presents Hitchinga TV
writer and paranormalist with no scientific credentialsas an evolutionary scientist.[144] Richard Dawkins
also criticizes the book for implying that "chance" is the only alternative to deliberate design, stating, "[T]he
candidate solutions to the riddle of improbability are not, as falsely implied, design and chance. They are
design and natural selection ."[145]
The Watch Tower Society teaches a form of day-age creationism.[146] It dismisses Young Earth creationism
as "unscriptural and unbelievable", [147] and states that Jehovah's Witnesses "are not creationists", based on
the more specific definition of believers in a 'young' earth created in six literal days.[148] According to a 1986
article in The Watchtower, "Jehovah's Witnesses reject the unreasonable theories of 'creationism' in favor of
what the Bible really teaches about 'creation'."[149]

Social criticisms [ edit ]

Authoritarianism and denial of free speech [ edit ]

The religion's leadership has been described as autocratic and totalitarian , with criticism focusing on the
Watch Tower Society's demands for the obedience and loyalty of Witnesses,[150][151] its intolerance of
dissent or open discussion of doctrines and practices[152] and the practice of expelling and shunning
members who cannot conscientiously agree with all the religion's teachings.[153][154][155]
Raymond Franz has accused the religion's Governing Body of resenting, deprecating and seeking to silence
differences of viewpoint within the organization[156] and demanding organizational conformity that overrides
personal conscience.[157] He claimed the Watch Tower Society confirmed its position when, in a 1954 court
case in Scotland, Watch Tower Society legal counsel Hayden C. Covington said of Jehovah's Witnesses:
"We must have unity ... unity at all costs".[158] Sociologist James A. Beckford noted that the Watch Tower
movement demands uniformity of beliefs from its members;[159] George D. Chryssides has also reported that
Witness publications teach that individuals' consciences are unreliable and need to be subordinated to
scripture and to the Watch Tower organization.[160]
Sociologist Andrew Holden said that Witnesses are taught their theology in a highly mechanistic fashion,
learning almost by rote.[161] Raymond Franz and others have described Jehovah's Witnesses' religious
meetings as "catechistical" question-and-answer sessions in which questions and answers are both provided
by the organization, placing pressure on members to reiterate its opinions.[162][163] Former Witnesses
Heather and Gary Botting claimed Witnesses "are told what they should feel and think"[164] and members
who do voice viewpoints different from those expressed in publications and at meetings are said to be viewed
with suspicion.[165] Raymond Franz has claimed most Witnesses would be fearful to voice criticism of the
organization for fear of being accused of disloyalty.[157] Authors have drawn attention to frequent Watch
Tower warnings against the "dangers" and "infection" of "independent thinking", including questioning any
of its published statements or teachings,[166][167][168][169] and instructions that members refrain from
engaging in independent Bible research.[170][171][172] The Watch Tower Society also directs that members

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must not read criticism of the organization by "apostates"[173][174] or material published by other
religions.[175][176] Heather and Gary Botting declared: "Jehovah's Witnesses will brook no criticism from
within, as many concerned members who have attempted to voice alternative opinions regarding the basic
doctrine or application of social pressure have discovered to their chagrin."[177] Beckford observed that the
Society denies the legitimacy of all criticisms of itself and that the habit of questioning official doctrine is
"strenuously combated at all organizational levels".[178] Witnesses are said to be "under official surveillance"
within the congregation[179] and subject to a disciplinary system that encourages informers.[180][181]
Heather and Gary Botting argue that the power of the Watch Tower Society to control members is gained
through the acceptance of the Society "quite literally as the voice of Jehovah God's 'mouthpiece'."[164]
Franz claims the concept of loyalty to God's organization has no scriptural support and serves only to
reinforce the religion's authority structure, with its strong emphasis on human authority.[182] He has claimed
The Watchtower has repeatedly blurred discussions of both Jesus Christ's loyalty to God and the apostles'
loyalty to Christ to promote the view that Witnesses should be loyal to the Watch Tower organization.[183]
Religion professor James A. Beverley describes the belief that organizational loyalty is equal to divine
loyalty[184] as the "central myth" of Jehovah's Witnesses employed to ensure complete obedience.[185]
Sociologist Andrew Holden has observed that Witnesses see no distinction between loyalty to Jehovah and to
the movement itself;[186] Heather and Gary Botting have claimed that challenging the views of those higher
in the hierarchy is regarded as tantamount to challenging God himself.[187]
The Society has described its intolerance of dissident and divergent doctrinal views within its ranks as
"strict", but claims its stance is based on the scriptural precedent of 2 Timothy 2:17,18 in which the Apostle
Paul condemns heretics Hymenaeus and Philetus who denied the resurrection of Jesus . It said: "Following
such Scriptural patterns, if a Christian (who claims belief in God, the Bible, and Jesus) unrepentantly
promotes false teachings, it may be necessary for him to be expelled from the congregation ... Hence, the true
Christian congregation cannot rightly be accused of being harshly dogmatic."[188] Sociologist Rodney Stark
says that Jehovah's Witness leaders are "not always very democratic" and members are expected to conform
to "rather strict standards," but says enforcement tends to be informal, sustained by close bonds of friendship
and that Jehovah's Witnesses see themselves as "part of the power structure rather than subject to it".[189] In a
case involving Jehovah's Witnesses' activities in Russia, the European Court of Human Rights stated that the
religion's requirements "are not fundamentally different from similar limitations that other religions impose
on their followers' private lives" and that charges of "mind control" in that case were "based on conjecture
and uncorroborated by fact."[190] Despite the intolerance of dissident views within the organisation, the
Watch Tower Society and its affiliates have, through litigation, been instrumental in establishing civil
liberties in many countries, including Canada and the United States.[191]

Description as a "cult" [ edit ]

Authors Anthony A. Hoekema , Ron Rhodes [192] and Alan W. Gomes,[193] claim Jehovah's Witnesses is a
religious cult. Hoekema bases his judgment on a range of what he describes as general characteristics of a
cult, including the tendency to elevate peripheral teachings (such as door-to-door witnessing) to great
prominence, extra-scriptural source of authority (Hoekema highlights Watch Tower teachings that the Bible
may be understood only as it is interpreted by the Governing Body), a view of the group as the exclusive
community of the saved (Watch Tower publications teach that Witnesses alone are God's people and only
they will survive Armageddon) and the group's central role in eschatology (Hoekema says Witness
publications claim the group was called into existence by God to fill in a gap in the truth neglected by
existing churches, marking the climax of sacred history).[194]
Jehovah's Witnesses state that they are not a cult [195] and say that although individuals need proper guidance
from God, they should do their own thinking. [196][197]

American religious scholar J. Gordon Melton has stated that "the idea of calling [Jehovah's Witnesses] a cult
has fallen by the wayside".[198] He repeated this opinion when, called as an expert witness, he also denied the
People's Temple and the Children of God were cults. [199] Ex-cult watchdog John Bowen Brown II [200] and
Knocking producer Joel P. Engardio reject the claims that Witnesses are a cult.[201][202] The two volume
encyclopedia Contemporary American Religion stated: "Various critics and ex-members in recent years
have wrongly labeled Jehovahs Witnesses a 'cult.'"[203]

Coercion [ edit ]

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Since 1920 the Watch Tower Society has required all congregation members participating in the preaching
work to turn in written reports of the amount of their activity,[204] explaining that the reports help the Society
to plan its activities and identify areas of greater need[205] and help congregation elders to identify those who
may need assistance.[206] In 1943 the Society imposed personal quotas, requiring all active Witnesses to
spend at least 60 hours of door-to-door preaching per month, claiming these were "directions from the
Lord".[207] Although these quotas were subsequently removed, Raymond Franz claims "invisible" quotas
remained, obliging Witnesses to meet certain levels of preaching work to remain in good standing in the
congregation[165] or to qualify for eldership.[157] Franz describes repeated urging for adherents to "put
kingdom interests first" and devote increasing amounts of time to door-to-door preaching efforts as coercive
pressure. He says many Witnesses constantly feel guilty that they are not doing more in "field activity".[157]
Former Witnesses Heather and Gary Botting, claiming an emphasis on a personal track record would mean
that salvation is effectively being "bought" with "good works", observed: "No matter how long a Witness
remains an active distributor of literature, the moment he ceases to be active he is regarded by his peers as
good as dead in terms of achieving the ultimate goal of life everlasting in an earthly paradise ... Few realize
upon entering the movement that the purchase price is open-ended and that the bill can never be paid in full
until death or the advent of Armageddon."[164]
The Watchtower, however, noted that although public preaching is necessary, such works do not "save" a
Christian and it urged Witnesses to examine their motive for engaging in preaching activity.[208]
Russian religious scholar Sergei Ivanenko, in a dissenting opinion to a report by a panel of experts to
Moscow's Golovinsky Intermunicipal Court in 1999, stated, "It would be a serious mistake to represent the
Religious Organization of Jehovah's Witnesses as a religion whose leadership forces its rank and file
believers to engage in one form of activity or another, or place upon them strict restrictions or directives."
Ivanenko, who based his view on a study of Watch Tower Society literature, concluded: "Jehovah's
Witnesses strive to live in accord with Bible principles on the basis of an individual, voluntary choice ... This
also applies in full measure to preaching." [209] James A. Beckford , a professor at the University of Warwick,
England, who published a study of English Jehovah's Witnesses in 1975,[210] also told the court: "It is
important for each of them to exercise free moral agency in choosing to study the Bible and to live in
accordance with their interpretation of its message."[211] On June 10, 2010, the European Court of Human
Rights (ECHR) stated in regards to a charge of coercion of family members, that "Quite often, the opposite is
true: it is the resistance and unwillingness of non-religious family members to accept and to respect the
[Jehovah's Witnesses] religious relative's freedom to manifest and practise his or her religion that is the
source of conflict."[212]
Medical and legal commentators have also noted cases claiming that Witness medical patients were coerced
to obey the religion's ban on blood transfusions.[213][214][215] In a case involving a review of a Russian
district court decision, however, the ECHR found nothing in the judgments to suggest that any form of
improper pressure or undue influence was applied. It noted: "On the contrary, it appears that many Jehovahs
Witnesses have made a deliberate choice to refuse blood transfusions in advance, free from time constraints
of an emergency situation." The court said: "The freedom to accept or refuse specific medical treatment, or to
select an alternative form of treatment, is vital to the principles of self-determination and personal autonomy.
A competent adult patient is free to decide ... not to have a blood transfusion. However, for this freedom to
be meaningful, patients must have the right to make choices that accord with their own views and values,
regardless of how irrational, unwise or imprudent such choices may appear to others."[216]

Shunning [ edit ]
Main articles: Jehovah's Witnesses and congregational discipline and Shunning
Witnesses practice disfellowshipping of members who unrepentantly engage in "gross sin",[217] (most
commonly for breaches of the Witnesses' code of personal morality),[218][219] and "remorseless
apostasy".[220] The process of disfellowshipping is said to be carried to uphold Gods standards, preserve the
congregations spiritual cleanness, and possibly prompt a change of attitude in the wrongdoer.[217] The
practice requires that the expelled person be shunned by all members of the religion, including family
members who do not live in the same home, unless they qualify for re-admission. A person who dies while
disfellowshipped cannot be given a funeral at a Kingdom Hall.[221][222] Members often face difficulties and
trauma once expelled because of their previously limited contact with the outside world.[223][224] The
Watchtower's description of those who leave as being "mentally diseased" has drawn criticism from some

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current and former members; in Britain some have argued that the description may constitute a breach of
laws regarding religious hatred.[225][226]
The Watch Tower Society has attracted criticism for disfellowshipping members who decide they cannot
conscientiously agree with all the religion's teachings and practices. Sociologist Andrew Holden says that
because the religion provides no valid reason for leaving, those who do choose to leave are regarded as
traitors.[227] According to Raymond Franz, those who decide they cannot accept Watch Tower teachings and
practices often live in a climate of fear, feeling they must constantly be on guard about what they say, do and
read. He says those who do express any disagreement, even in a private conversation with friends, risk
investigation and trial by a judicial committee as apostates or heretics[228] and classed as "wicked". [229]
Franz argues that the threat of expulsion for expressing disagreement with the Watch Tower Society's
teachings is designed to create a sterile atmosphere in which the organization's teachings and policies can
circulate without the risk of confronting serious questioning or adverse evidence.[230] The result, according
to Holden, is that individuals may spend most of their lives suppressing doubts for fear of losing their
relationships with friends and relatives.[231] Penton describes the system of judicial committees and the
threat of expulsion as the ultimate control mechanism among the Witnesses;[232] Holden claims that
shunning not only rids the community of defilement, but deters others from dissident behavior.[223]
Sociologist Ronald Lawson has also noted that the religion allows little room for independence of thought,
and no toleration of doctrinal diversity; he says those who deviate from official teachings are readily expelled
and shunned.[233]
Watch Tower Society publications defend the practice of expelling and shunning those who "promote false
teaching", claiming such individuals must be quarantined to prevent the spread of their "spiritual
infection".[234] They have cited a dictionary definition of apostasy ("renunciation of a religious faith,
abandonment of a previous loyalty") to rule that an individual who begins affiliating with another religion
has disassociated from the Witnesses, warranting their shunning to protect the spiritual cleanness of the
Witness congregation on the basis of the reference in 1 John 2:19 that those who leave Christianity are "not
of our sort".[235] An individual's acceptance of a blood transfusion is similarly deemed as evidence of
disassociation.[236] They say Witnesses also obey the "strong counsel" at 1 Corinthians 5:11 that Christians
should "quit mixing in company" with people who unrepentantly reject certain scriptural standards.[237]
The Witnesses' judicial process has also been criticized. Hearings take place in secret,[232] with judicial
committees filling the roles of judge, jury and prosecutor.[222] According to Franz, witnesses may present
evidence but are not permitted to remain for the discussion.[238] Critics Heather and Gary Botting have
claimed that Witnesses accused of an offence warranting expulsion are presumed guilty until found innocent.
They say the onus is on the accused to prove their innocence and if they make no attempt to do soby
failing to appear at a hearing set by the judicial committeethey are assumed to be guilty and
unrepentant.[239]
When a decision is made regarding disfellowshipping or disassociation, an announcement is made that the
person is "no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses," at which point shunning is immediate. Members are not
told whether the person has disassociated or has been disfellowshipped. Neither testimony nor evidence in
support of the judicial decision are provided. Congregation members are told to accept the rulings without
question and Witnesses who refuse to abide by a judicial committee decision will themselves suffer
expulsion.[232] Members are forbidden to talk with the expelled member, removing any opportunity for the
person to discuss or explain their actions.[238][240] Penton claims judicial committee members and the Watch
Tower Society frequently ignore established procedures when dealing with troublesome individuals,
conspiring to have them expelled in violation of Society rules.[241] Critics claim that Witness policies
encourage an informer system to report to elders Witnesses suspected of having committed an act that could
warrant expulsion, including deviating from organizational policies and teachings.[242][243]
Criticism has also been directed at the 1981 change of policy [244] that directed that persons who disassociate
from (formally leave) the religion were to be treated as though they were disfellowshipped.[245][246] Holden
says that as a result, those who do leave the religion are seldom allowed a dignified exit.[223] Heather and
Gary Botting claim inactive Witnesses are often pressured to either become active or to disassociate
themselves by declaring they no longer accept key Watch Tower Society doctrines.[239]

Blood [ edit ]
Main article: Jehovah's Witnesses and blood transfusions

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Jehovah's Witnesses reject transfusions of whole allogenic blood and its primary components (red blood
cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma), and transfusions of stored autologous blood or its primary
components. As a doctrine, Jehovah's Witnesses do not reject transfusion of whole autologous blood so long
as it is not stored prior to surgery (e.g. peri-operative extraction and transfusion of autologous blood). This
religious position is due to their belief that blood is sacred and represents life in God's eyes. Jehovah's
Witnesses understand scriptures such as Leviticus 17:10-14 (which speaks of not eating blood) and Acts
15:29 ("abstain from blood") to include taking blood into the body via a transfusion.[247] Controversy has
stemmed, however, from what critics state are inconsistencies in Witness policies on blood, claims that
Witness patients are coerced into refusing blood and that Watch Tower literature distorts facts about
transfusions and fails to provide information that would allow Witnesses to make an informed decision on
the issue.[155]

Fractions and components [ edit ]

In the case of minor fractions derived from blood , each individual is directed to follow their own conscience
on whether these are acceptable.[248][249] Consequently, some Jehovah's Witnesses accept the use of blood
fractions and others do not. However, fractions that carry out "the key function of a primary component" or
make up "a significant portion of that component" are not permitted.[250]
Such a stance of dividing blood into major components and minor fractions rather than either accepting all
blood or requiring all blood components to be poured out onto the ground has led to criticism from
organizations such as the Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform on Blood.[251] Witnesses respond
that blood as the fluid per se is not the real issue. They say the real issue is respect and obedience
regarding blood, which they perceive as being God's personal property.[252][253] Members are allowed to eat
meat that still contains small traces of blood remaining. Once blood is drained from an animal, the respect
has been shown to God and then a person can eat the meat. Jehovah's Witnesses view of meat and blood is
therefore different from the Jewish view that goes to great lengths to remove even minor traces of
blood.[254][255]
According to lawyer Kerry Louderback-Wood, a former Jehovah's Witness,[256] the Watch Tower Society
misrepresents the scope of allowed fractions. If taken together, they "total the entire volume of blood they
came from".[257] An example of this can be seen in blood plasma, which consists of 90-96% water. The
remaining amount consists mainly of albumin, globulins, fibrinogen and coagulation factors. These four
fractions are allowable for use, but only if taken separately. Critics have likened this to banning the eating of
a ham and cheese sandwich but allowing the eating of bread, ham and cheese separately.[258]

Storing and donation [ edit ]

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that storing blood violates direction from the Bible to 'pour blood out onto the
ground'. They do not donate blood except for uses they have individually pre-approved.[259] However, they
are told that acceptance of blood fractions from donated blood is a matter of conscience. A 2006 issue of
Jehovah's Witnesses' newsletter Our Kingdom Ministry stated, "Although [Jehovah's Witnesses] do not
donate or store their own blood for transfusion purposes, some procedures or tests involving an
individuals blood are not so clearly in conflict with Bible principles. Therefore, each individual should make
a conscientious decision" [emphasis added].[260] Critics have challenged these policies because acceptable
blood fractions can only be derived from stored blood provided by donors.[261]

Legal considerations [ edit ]

Regardless of the medical considerations, Jehovah Witnesses advocate that physicians should uphold the
right of a patient to choose what treatments they do or do not accept (though a Witness is subject to religious
sanctions if they exercise their right to choose a blood transfusion).[262] Accordingly, US courts tend not to
hold physicians responsible for adverse health effects that a patient incurred out of his or her own
requests.[247] However, the point of view that physicians must, in all circumstances, abide by the religious
wishes of the patients is not acknowledged by all jurisdictions, such as was determined in a case involving
Jehovah's Witnesses in France.
The situation has been controversial, particularly in the case of children. In the United States , many
physicians will agree to explore and exhaust all non-blood alternatives in the treatment of children at the
request of their legal guardians. Some state laws require physicians to administer blood-based treatment to
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damage.[citation needed]
Kerry Louderback-Wood has claimed that Jehovah's Witnesses' legal corporations are potentially liable to
significant claims for compensation if the religion misrepresents the medical risks of blood transfusions.
Wood claims that constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion do not remove the legal responsibility that
every person or organization has regarding misrepresenting secular fact.[263]

Animal blood [ edit ]

The Watchtower has stated that "Various medical products have been obtained from biological sources,
either animal or human ... Such commercialization of ... blood is hardly tempting for true Christians, who
guide their thinking by God's perfect law. Our Creator views blood as sacred, representing God-given life ...
blood removed from a creature was to be poured out on the ground, disposed of."[264]

Reporting of sexual abuse [ edit ]

Main articles: Jehovah's Witnesses and child sex abuse and Silentlambs
Critics such as Silentlambs have accused Jehovah's Witnesses of employing organizational policies that
make the reporting of sexual abuse difficult for members. [265][266] Some victims of sexual abuse have
asserted that when reporting abuse they were ordered to maintain silence by their local elders to avoid
embarrassment to both the accused and the organization.[267][268][269][270]
The religion's official policy on child protection, which discusses the procedures for reporting child sexual
abuse, states that elders obey all legal requirements for reporting sex offenders, including reporting
uncorroborated or unsubstantiated allegations where required by law. Elders are to discipline pedophiles in
the congregation. Victims are permitted to notify the authorities if they wish to do so.[271]
While a Witness may lose congregation privileges following a single credible accusation of abuse,[272]
Jehovah's Witnesses claim to be scripturally obliged to require corroboration ("two witnesses") before
applying their severest forms of congregational discipline.[273] If there is not an actual second witness to an
incident of abuse, a congregation judicial committee will accept medical or police reports, or a witness to a
separate but similar incident as such a second witness against a member accused of sexual abuse.[274]

Biblical criticisms [ edit ]

The Watch Tower Society has been criticized for its refusal to reveal the names and academic credentials of
the translators of its New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NWT). [275] The Society has claimed
members of the NWT's translation committee wished to remain anonymous in order to exalt only the name
of God,[276] The Watchtower stating that the educational qualifications of the translators were unimportant
and that "the translation itself testifies to their qualifications".[277] Raymond Franz , a former member of the
Governing Body , has claimed that of the four men he says constituted the committee, only oneits principal
translator, his uncle Frederick Franz had sufficient knowledge of biblical languages to have attempted the
project.[278] Frederick Franz had studied Greek for two years and was self-taught in Hebrew.[279]
Much criticism of the NWT involves the rendering of certain texts considered to be biased towards specific
Witness practices and doctrines.[275][280][281][282][283][284] These include the use of "torture stake" instead of
"cross" throughout the New Testament;[275] the rendering of John 1:1 , with the insertion of the indefinite
article ("a") in its rendering to give "the Word was a god"; [275][285] Romans 10:10, which uses the term
"public declaration", which may reinforce the imperative to engage in public preaching;[275] John 17:3,
which used the term "taking in knowledge" rather than "know" to suggest that salvation is dependent on
ongoing study,[275] and the placement of the comma in Luke 23:43, which affects the timing of the
fulfillment of Jesus' promise to the thief at Calvary .[286]
Also criticized is the NWT's insertion of the name Jehovah 237 times in the New Testament without extant
New Testament Greek manuscript evidence that the name existed there.[287][288][289] Watch Tower
publications have claimed that the name was "restored" on a sound basis, stating that when New Testament
writers quote earlier Old Testament scriptures containing the Tetragrammaton (), "the translator has the
right to render Kyrios ("LORD") as Jehovah." [290] The NWT mentions twenty-seven other translations
which have similarly rendered Kyrios as a form of the name Jehovah, stating that there is only one verse
where the NWT does so without agreement from other translations.[291]
The Society has claimed its translation "courageously restores Gods name, Jehovah, to its proper place in

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the Biblical text, is free from the bias of religious traditionalism, and ... gives the literal meaning of Gods
Word as accurately as possible."[292] Jason BeDuhn, associate professor of religious studies at Northern
Arizona University, in Flagstaff, Arizona , compared major translations for accuracy. He wrote that the
NWT's introduction of the name "Jehovah" into the New Testament 237 times was "not accurate translation
by the most basic principle of accuracy".[293] BeDuhn also stated that whilst there are "a handful of examples
of bias in the [New World Translation (NW)]", that "most of the differences are due to the greater accuracy
of the NW as a literal, conservative translation of the original expressions of the New Testament writers." He
concluded that "the NW and [another translation] are not bias free, and they are not perfect translations. But
they are remarkably good translations ... often better than [the other six translations analyzed]."[294]

See also [ edit ]

Anti-cult movement
Beth Sarim
Charles Taze Russell controversies
Christian countercult movement
Heresy in Christianity
Heterodoxy
History of Jehovah's Witnesses
Watch Tower Society presidency dispute (1917)

References [ edit ]
1. ^ Crompton, Robert (1996), Counting the
Days to Armageddon, Cambridge: James
Clarke & Co, pp.9, 115, ISBN0-227-67939-3
2. ^ The Time is at Hand, Watch Tower Society,
1889, pages 99 "In view of this strong Bible
evidence concerning the Times of the
Gentiles, we consider it an established truth,
that the final end of the kingdoms of this
world, and the full establishment of the
kingdom of God will be accomplished by A.D.
1914."; cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of
Conscience, page 193.
3. ^ In 1892 Zion's Watch Tower stated that
God's battle, Armageddon, which was
believed to be already under way, would end
in October 1914, a date "definitely marked in
Scripture," (15 January 1892, page 1355
reprint) and Watch Tower editor Charles Taze
Russell declared: "We see no reason for
changing the figuresnor could we change
them if we would. They are, we believe, God's
dates, not ours." (The Watchtower, 15 July
1894, page 1677). After comparing "unreliable
secular chronology" to reliable "Bible
chronology" The Watchtower stated, It was
on this line of reckoning [using the chronology
of the Bible as an established fact] that the
dates 1874, 1914, and 1918 were located;
and the Lord has placed the stamp of his seal
upon 1914 and 1918 beyond any possibility of
erasure....Using this same measuring line,
beginning with the entry...of Israel into
Canaan, and counting the full 70 cycles...,as
clearly indicated by Jehovah's sending of the
Jews into Babylon for the full 70 years, it is an
easy matter to locate 1925, probably the fall,
for the beginning of the antitypical jubilee.
150. ^ "Following Faithful Shepherds with Life in
View", The Watchtower, October 1, 1967,
page 591, "Make haste to identify the visible
theocratic organization of God that represents
his king, Jesus Christ. It is essential for life.
Doing so, be complete in accepting its every
aspect ... in submitting to Jehovah's visible
theocratic organization, we must be in full and
complete agreement with every feature of its
apostolic procedure and requirements."
151. ^ "Loyal to Christ and His Faithful Slave", The
Watchtower, April 1, 2007, page 24, "When
we loyally submit to the direction of the faithful
slave and its Governing Body, we are
submitting to Christ, the slave's Master."
152. ^ Beckford, James A. (1975), The Trumpet of
Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's
Witnesses, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, pp.89,
95, 103, 120, 204, 221, ISBN0-631-16310-7
153. ^ Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's
Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary
Religious Movement, Routledge, pp.22, 32,
150170, ISBN0-415-26609-2
154. ^ Alan Rogerson, Millions Now Living Will
Never Die, Constable, 1969, page 50.
155. ^ a b Osamu Muramoto, "Bioethics of the
refusal of blood by Jehovah's Witnesses, part
1", Journal of Medical Ethics, August 1998,
Vol 24, Issue 4, page 223-230.
156. ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of
Christian Freedom (2nd ed.), Commentary
Press, pp.98100, 104107, 113, ISBN0-
914675-17-6
157. ^ a b c d R. Franz, In Search of Christian
Freedom, chapter 6.
158. ^ Court transcript as cited by Heather & Gary
Botting, The Orwellian World of Jehovah's

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There can be no more question about 1925 Witnesses, 1984, page 67-68, also at
than there was about 1914.... Looking back
Pursuer's Proof: Lord Strachan vs. Douglas
we can now easily see that those dates were
Walsh Transcript, Lord Strachan vs. Douglas
clearly indicated in Scripture and doubtless
Walsh, 1954 .
intended by the Lord to encourage his
159. ^ Beckford, James A. (1975), The Trumpet of
people....That all that some expect to see in
Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's
1925 may not transpire that year will not alter
Witnesses, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, p.103,
the date one whit more than in the other
ISBN0-631-16310-7
cases.(The Watch Tower, May 15, 1922, p.
160. ^ Minority Religions, Social Change, and
150; Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience,
Freedom of Conscience
page 224).
161. ^ Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's
4. ^ "Following Faithful Shepherds with Life in
Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary
View", The Watchtower, October 1, 1967,
Religious Movement, Routledge, p.67,
page 591, "Make haste to identify the visible
ISBN0-415-26609-2
theocratic organization of God that represents
162. ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of
his king, Jesus Christ. It is essential for life.
Christian Freedom (2nd ed.), Commentary
Doing so, be complete in accepting its every
Press, pp.419421, ISBN0-914675-17-6
aspect. We cannot claim to love God, yet
163. ^ Stevenson, W.C. (1967), Year of Doom
deny his Word and channel of
communication....Jehovah's visible 1975: The Inside Story of Jehovah's
organization is based firmly on the twelvefold Witnesses, London: Hutchinson & Co, pp.33
foundation of the apostles of the Lamb with 35, "The inevitable result of a person's
Jesus Christ himself being the foundation submitting to (the home Bible study)
cornerstone.(Rev. 21:14,19;Eph 2:20-22) arrangement is that eventually all his own
Therefore, in submitting to Jehovah's visible thoughts will be replaced by the thoughts
theocratic organization, we must be in full and contained in the book he is studying ... if one
complete agreement with every feature of its were able to watch this person's development
apostolic procedure and requirements." ... it would be quite obvious that he was
gradually losing all individuality of thought and
5. ^ "The Godly Qualities of Love and Hate", The
action ... One of the characteristics of
Watchtower: 441, 15 July 1974, "Christians
Jehovah's Witnesses is the extraordinary
have implicit trust in their heavenly Father;
unanimity of thinking on almost every aspect
they do not question what he tells them
of life ... in view of this there seems to be
through his written Word and organization."
some justification for the charge that their
6. ^ a b Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience,
study methods are in fact a subtle form of
2007, page 174, "No less serious is it when a
indoctrination or brainwashing."
group of men have divided views on
164. ^ a b c Botting, Heather & Gary (1984), The
predictions related to a certain date and yet
Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses,
present their adherents an outward
University of Toronto Press, p.153, ISBN0-
appearance of united confidence, encouraging
8020-6545-7
those adherents to place unwavering trust in
165. ^ a b R. Franz, In Search of Christian
those predictions."
Freedom, chapter 16.
7. ^ Jehovah's Witnesses Proclaimers of God's
166. ^ "Exposing the Devils Subtle Designs" and
Kingdom, p.629 "people certainly ha[ve] the
"Armed for the Fight Against Wicked Spirits",
freedom to believe what they chose. But
Watchtower, January 15, 1983, as cited by
anyone who publicly or privately advocates
Heather and Gary Botting, The Orwellian
views that are divergent from what appears in
World of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1984, page 92.
the publications of an organization, and who
does so while claiming to represent that 167. ^ "Serving Jehovah Shoulder to Shoulder",
organization, causes division." The Watchtower, August 15, 1981, page 28,
"Jehovah's Theocratic Organization Today",
8. ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of
The Watchtower, February 1, 1952, pages
Christian Freedom, Atlanta: Commentary
7981.
Press, pp.1828, ISBN0-914675-17-6
168. ^ James A. Beverley, Crisis of Allegiance,
9. ^ Botting, Heather; Gary Botting (1984), The
Welch Publishing Company, Burlington,
Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses,
Ontario, 1986, ISBN 0-920413-37-4, pages
University of Toronto Press, pp.6669,
25-26, 101, "For every passage in Society
ISBN0-8020-6545-7
literature that urges members to be bold and
10. ^ Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose,
courageous in critical pursuits, there are many
Watch Tower Society, 1959, page 52.
others that warn about independent thinking
11. ^ "A Solid Basis for Confidence", The
and the peril of questioning the organization ...
Watchtower, July 15, 1976, page 440.
Fear of disobedience to the Governing Body
12. ^ Gruss, Edmond C. (1972), The Jehovah's
keeps Jehovah's Witnesses from carefully

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses[07/28/2016 8:09:00 PM]

Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Witnesses and Prophetic Speculation,
Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co,
pp.8788, ISBN0-87552-306-4
13. ^ In Crisis of Conscience, 2002, pg. 173,
Franz quotes from "They Shall Know That a
Prophet Was Among Them", (The
Watchtower, April 1, 1972,) which states that
God had raised Jehovah's Witnesses as "a
prophet to help [people], to warn them of
dangers and declare things to come". He also
cites "Identifying the Right Kind of Messenger"
(The Watchtower, May 1, 1997, page 8) which
identifies the Witnesses as his "true
messengers ... by making the messages he
delivers through them come true", in contrast
to "false messengers", whose predictions fail.
In In Search of Christian Freedom, 2007, he
quotes The Nations Shall Know That I Am
Jehovah - How? (1971, pg 70, 292) which
describes Witnesses as the modern Ezekiel
class, "a genuine prophet within our
generation". The Watch Tower book noted:
"Concerning the message faithfully delivered
by the Ezekiel class, Jehovah positively states
that it 'must come true' ... those who wait
undecided until it does 'come true' will also
have to know that a prophet himself had
proved to be in the midst of them." He also
cites "Execution of the Great Harlot Nears",
(The Watchtower, October 15, 1980, pg 17)
which claims God gives the Witnesses
"special knowledge that others do not have ...
advance knowledge about this system's end".
14. ^ James A. Beverley, Crisis of Allegiance,
Welch Publishing Company, Burlington,
Ontario, 1986, ISBN 0-920413-37-4, pages
86-91.
15. ^ Criticisms of statements, such as those
found below, are found in a number of books
including Penton, M. James (1997)
Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto
Press; Franz, Raymond, In Search of
Christian Freedom (2007) Commentary Press;
Watters, Randall (2004) Thus Saith Jehovah's
Witnesses, Common Sense Publications;
Reed, David A. (1990) Index of Watchtower
Errors, 1879 to 1989, Baker Books and at
websites including Watchtower Information
Service ; Quotes-Watchtower.co.uk ;
Reexamine.Quotes .
16. ^ Waldeck, Val Jehovah's Witnesses: What
do they believe?. Pilgrim Publications SA.
ISBN 1-920092-08-0.
17. ^ Buttrey, John M (2004). Let No One Mislead
You. iUniverse. ISBN 0-595-30710-8.
18. ^ Awake!, October 8, 1968, p. 23.
19. ^ James A. Beverley, Crisis of Allegiance,
Welch Publishing Company, Burlington,
Ontario, 1986, ISBN 0-920413-37-4, page 87.
20. ^ a b "Why So Many False Alarms?", Awake!,
March 22, 1993, pages 3-4, footnote.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses[07/28/2016 8:09:00 PM]
checking into biblical doctrine or allegations
concerning false prophecy, faulty scholarship,
and injustice. Witnesses are told not to read
books like this one."
169. ^ According to Randall Watters, who in 1981
published a pamphlet, "What happened at the
world headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses in
the spring of 1980?", cited by Heather and
Gary Botting, a former Governing Body
member is said to have referred Brooklyn
headquarters staff to an organizational
handbook containing 1,177 policies and
regulations, telling them: "If there are some
who feel that they cannot subject themselves
to the rules and regulations now in operation,
such ones ought to be leaving and not be
involved here."
170. ^ Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed
(2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press,
pp.107108, 122, 298.
171. ^ "Walk With Confidence in Jehovahs
Leadership", The Watchtower, June 1, 1985,
page 20, "To turn away from Jehovah and his
organization, to spurn the direction of the
faithful and discreet slave, and to rely simply
on personal Bible reading and interpretation is
to become like a solitary tree in a parched
land."
172. ^ Question box, Our Kingdom Ministry,
September 2007.
173. ^ "Do not be quickly shaken from your
reason", Watchtower, March 15, 1986
174. ^ "At which table are you feeding?"
Watchtower, July 1, 1994
175. ^ Watchtower, May 1, 1984, page 31, as cited
by R. Franz, "In Search of Christian Freedom",
chapter 12
176. ^ "Firmly uphold godly teaching," Watchtower,
May 1, 2000, page 9.
177. ^ Heather & Gary Botting, The Orwellian
World of Jehovah's Witnesses, University of
Toronto Press, 1984, page 143, 153.
178. ^ Beckford, James A. (1975), The Trumpet of
Prophecy: A Sociological Study of Jehovah's
Witnesses, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, pp.204,
221, ISBN0-631-16310-7
179. ^ Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's
Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary
Religious Movement, Routledge, p.30,
ISBN0-415-26609-2, "At every level of the
organisation, those in authority oversee those
below them, which means that every Witness
is under official surveillance."
180. ^ R. Franz, In Search of Christian Freedom,
chapter 11.
181. ^ Muramoto, O. (January 6, 2001), "Bioethical
aspects of the recent changes in the policy of
refusal of blood by Jehovah's Witnesses",
BMJ 322 (7277): 3739,
doi:10.1136/bmj.322.7277.37 ,
, .
Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
21. ^ Reasoning From the Scriptures, Watch
Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1989, pg 137.
22. ^ Revelation - Its Grand Climax, Watch Tower
Bible & Tract Society, 1988, page 9.
23. ^ "Views From the Watchtower", Zion's Watch
Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence,
January 1908, "We are not prophesying; we
are merely giving our surmises ... We do not
even [assert] that there is no mistake in our
interpretation of prophesy and our calculations
of chronology. We have merely laid these
before you, leaving it for each to exercise his
own faith or doubt in respect to them."
24. ^ "Preaching ChristThrough Envy or
Goodwill?", The Watchtower, May 15, 1976, p.
297, "Jehovahs Witnesses as modern-day
Christians are working hard to get this good
news preached to every individual. They do
not claim infallibility or perfection. Neither are
they inspired prophets."
25. ^ "Allow No Place for the Devil!", The
Watchtower, March 15, 1986, page 19, "Some
opposers claim that Jehovahs Witnesses are
false prophets. These opponents say that
dates have been set, but nothing has
happened. ... Yes, Jehovahs people have had
to revise expectations from time to time.
Because of our eagerness, we have hoped for
the new system earlier than Jehovahs
timetable has called for it. But we display our
faith in Gods Word and its sure promises by
declaring its message to others. Moreover, the
need to revise our understanding somewhat
does not make us false prophets or change
the fact that we are living in 'the last days,' ...
How foolish to take the view that expectations
needing some adjustment should call into
question the whole body of truth! The
evidence is clear that Jehovah has used and
is continuing to use his one organization."
26. ^ George Chryssides, They Keep Changing
the Dates, A paper presented at the CESNUR
2010 conference in Torino. How Prophecy
Succeeds:The Jehovah's Witnesses and
Prophetic Expectations
27. ^ March 1, 1904 Zion's Watch Tower p. 67
28. ^ Charles Taze Russell and Nelson H.
Barbour, The Three Worlds (1907) as cited by
James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, pages
21-22.
29. ^ Charles Taze Russell, The Time Is At Hand
(1891) as cited by James Penton, Apocalypse
Delayed, page 44.
30. ^ Melvin D. Curry, Jehovah's Witnesses: The
Millenarian World of the Watch Tower,
Garland, 1992, as cited by James Penton,
Apocalypse Delayed, page 45.
31. ^ Penton, James (1997). Apocalypse
Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses.
University of Toronto Press. p.46. ISBN978-
0802079732.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses[07/28/2016 8:09:00 PM]
PMC 1119307 PMID 11141155
182. ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of
Christian Freedom (2nd ed.), Commentary
Press, pp.449464, ISBN0-914675-17-6,
"Loyalty to the organization becomes the
touchstone, the criterion, the "bottom line",
when it comes to determining whether one is
a faithful Christian or not ... to make any
organizational loyalty the criterion for judging
anyone's Christianity is, then, clearly a
perversion of Scripture ... Read the whole of
those Scriptures ... nowhere are we taught to
put faith in men or in an earthly organization,
unquestioningly following its lead ... the entire
Bible record is a continual reminder of the
danger inherent in that kind of trust."
183. ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of
Christian Freedom (2nd ed.), Commentary
Press, p.458, ISBN0-914675-17-6
184. ^ "You Must Be Holy Because Jehovah Is
Holy", The Watchtower, February 15, 1976,
page 124, "Would not a failure to respond to
direction from God through his organization
really indicate a rejection of divine rulership?"
185. ^ James A. Beverley, Crisis of Allegiance,
Welch Publishing Company, Burlington,
Ontario, 1986, ISBN 0-920413-37-4, pages
25-26, 101.
186. ^ Holden 2002, p.121.
187. ^ Botting, Heather; Gary Botting (1984), The
Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses,
University of Toronto Press, p.156, ISBN0-
8020-6545-7
188. ^ "Questions from readers", Watchtower, April
1, 1986.
189. ^ Stark and Iannoccone (1997), "Why the
Jehovah's Witnesses Grow So Rapidly: A
Theoretical Application" (PDF), Journal of
Contemporary Religion (PDF), pp.142143,
retrieved 2008-12-30.
190. ^ ECHR Point 130, 118
191. ^ Gary Botting, Fundamental Freedoms and
Jehovah's Witnesses, (Calgary: University of
Calgary Press, 1993.
192. ^ Rhodes, Ron (2001), The Challenge of the
Cults and New Religions, Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Zondervan, pp.77103, ISBN0-
310-23217-1
193. ^ Gomes, Alan W. (1995), Unmasking the
Cults, Zondervan, pp.22, 23, ISBN0-310-
70441-3
194. ^ Hoekema, Anthony A. (1963), The Four
Major Cults, Grand Rapids, Michigan: William
B. Eerdmans, pp.18,223371, 373388,
ISBN0-8028-3117-6
195. ^ "Are Jehovahs Witnesses a Cult?", The
Watchtower, February 15, 1994, pages 5-7
196. ^ "Do Others Do Your Thinking?", Awake!,
August 22, 1978, page 4.
197. ^ "Who Molds Your Thinking?", The
Watchtower, April 1, 1999, page 22, "You
Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
32. ^ The Finished Mystery, 1917, p. 485, 258, as
cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of
Conscience, pages 206-211.
33. ^ J. F. Rutherford, Millions Now Living Will
Never Die, 1920, as cited by Raymond Franz,
Crisis of Conscience, pages 212-214.
34. ^ Watch Tower, May 15, 1922, as cited by
Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page
224.
35. ^ The Way to Paradise booklet, Watch Tower
Society, 1924, as cited by Raymond Franz,
Crisis of Conscience, pages 230-232.
36. ^ Face the Facts, 1938, pp. 46-50
37. ^ The Watchtower, September 15, 1941, p.
288
38. ^ The Watchtower, May 1, 1942, p. 139
39. ^ Awake!, February 22, 1961, p. 7
40. ^ Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of
God (PDF), Watch Tower Society, 1966,
pp.2935, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis
of Conscience, pages 238-239.
41. ^ Talk by F. W. Franz, Baltimore, Maryland
1966, cited by Jehovah's Witnesses
Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower
Society, and by Raymond Franz, Crisis of
Conscience, pages 238-239.
42. ^ Did Man Get Here By Evolution Or By
Creation?, Watchtower Bible & Tract Society,
1967, pg 161.
43. ^ The Watchtower, May 1, 1968, page 273
44. ^ Kingdom Ministry, Watch Tower Society,
March 1968, as cited by Raymond Franz,
Crisis of Conscience, pages 246.
45. ^ Awake!, May 22, 1969, p. 15
46. ^ The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah
How?, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society,
1971, pg 216.
47. ^ Kingdom Ministry, Watch Tower Society,
May 1974, page 3.
48. ^ The Watchtower, March 1, 1984, pp. 18-19
49. ^ The Watchtower, January 1, 1989, pg. 12.
50. ^ "Flashes of Light - Great and Small", The
Watchtower, May 15, 1995, page 17.
51. ^ a b c Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience,
page 184.
52. ^ The Watchtower: 1677, July 15, 1894, "We
see no reason for changing the figuresnor
could we change them if we would. They are,
we believe, Gods dates, not ours. But bear in
mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for
the beginning, but for the end of the time of
trouble." Missing or empty |title= (help)
53. ^ The Watchtower: 292, September 15, 1901,
"The culmination of the trouble in October,
1914, is clearly marked in the Scriptures;"
Missing or empty |title= (help)
54. ^ The Time Is at Hand, 1907, p.101, "The
battle of the great day of God Almighty (Rev.
16:14), which will end in A.D. 1914 with the
complete overthrow of earths present
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses[07/28/2016 8:09:00 PM]
have free will. Exercising it, you can choose to
respond to Jehovahs molding influence or
deliberately reject it. How much better to listen
to Jehovahs voice instead of arrogantly
asserting, 'No one tells me what to do'!"
198. ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses Wish You Would
Answer The Door" (PDF). The Grand
Rapids Press. 2006.
199. ^ "Evidence of expert witness attacked". The
Straits Times. 1997-07-17.
200. ^ Brown II, John Bowen (2008-04-16), "Cult
Watchdog Organizations and Jehovahs
Witnesses" , Twenty Years and More:
Research into Minority Religions, New
Religious Movements and 'the New
Spirituality', London School of Economics,
London, UK: Center for Studies on New
Religions, retrieved 2010-03-03
201. ^ Engardio, Joel P. (2007-04-17). "Myths &
Realities" . PBS Independent Lens. Public
Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
202. ^ Brown II, John B. (2005-06-02), "Jehovah's
Witnesses and the Anti-cult Movement: A
Human Rights Perspective", Religious
Movements, Globalization and Conflict:
Transnational Perspectives, Palermo, Sicily:
Center for Studies on New Religions
203. ^ Raschke, Carl A. (2013-07-19),
"Contemporary American Religion Volume 1",
in Catherine L. Albanese, Randall Balmer,
Frederick M. Denny, Cheryl Townsend Gilkes,
Ana Maria Diaz-Stevens, Anthony M.
Stevens-Arroyo, Ellen M. Umansky, Jehovah's
Witnesses, New York: Macmillan Reference
USA An Imprint of the Gale Group, p.343,
ISBN0-02-864926-5
204. ^ Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose,
page 96, as cited by R. Franz, In Search of
Christian Freedom, chapter 4.
205. ^ Question Box, Our Kingdom Ministry,
September 1979, page 4.
206. ^ "Do You Contribute to an Accurate
Report?", Our Kingdom Ministry, December
2002, page 8.
207. ^ "Righteous requirements", Watchtower, July
1, 1943, pages 204-206, "Jehovah ... has
appointed his 'faithful and wise servant, who is
his visible mouthpiece ... These expressions
of God's will by his King and through his
established agency constitute his law or rule
of action ... The Lord breaks down our
organization instructions further ... He says
the requirements for special pioneers shall be
175 hours and 50 back-calls per month ... and
for regular pioneers 150 hours ... And for
company publishers he says, 'Let us make a
quota of 60 hours and 12 back-calls and at
least one study a week for each publisher'.
These directions come to us from the Lord
through his established agency directing what
is required of us ... This expression of the
Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
rulership, is already commenced."
55. ^ The Watchtower: 346, November 1, 1922,
"We understand that the jubilee type began to
count in 1575 B.C.; and the 3,500 year period
embracing the type must end in 1925. It
follows, then, that the year 1925 will mark the
beginning of the restoration of all things lost
by Adam's disobedience." Missing or empty
|title= (help)
56. ^ The Watchtower: 333, November 1, 1922,
"Bible prophecy shows that the Lord was due
to appear for the second time in 1874. Fulfilled
prophecy shows beyond a doubt that he did
appear in 1874 ... these facts are
indisputable." Missing or empty |title=
(help)
57. ^ Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's
Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, 1993, page
708.
58. ^ "Impart Gods Progressive Revelation to
Mankind", The Watchtower, March 1, 1965, p.
158-159
59. ^ Studies in the Scriptures Vol. II 1889 p. 239,
Studies in the Scriptures Volume III 1891 p.
234, Studies in Scriptures Vol. IV 1897 p. 621.
60. ^ Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's
Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, 1993, page
632.
61. ^ M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed,
University of Toronto Press, pages 20, 23.
62. ^ M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed,
University of Toronto Press, page 23.
63. ^ Watchtower, February 1, 1925, page 371.
64. ^ Watchtower, May 15, 1927, page 151.
65. ^ Watchtower, June 1, 1927.
66. ^ "The Corroborative Testimony of God's
Stone Witness and Prophet, The Great
Pyramid in Egypt", Chapter 10, Thy Kingdom
Come, third volume of Studies in the
Scriptures, 1910 .
67. ^ Watchtower, June 15, 1922, page 187, as
reproduced by Raymond Franz, Crisis of
Conscience, page 225, 226.
68. ^ Watchtower, 1928, pages 339-45, 355-62,
as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse
Delayed, University of Toronto Press, page
170.
69. ^ Watch Tower, OctoberNovember 1881, as
cited by Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of
God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, 1993,
page 142.
70. ^ The Battle of Armageddon by C. T. Russell,
1886, page 613, as cited by M. James
Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, footnote, page
345.
71. ^ Watch Tower, December 1, 1916, as cited
by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed,
page 34.
72. ^ Watch Tower, March 1, 1923, pages 68 and
71, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses[07/28/2016 8:09:00 PM]
Lord's will should be the end of all controversy
... The Lord through his 'faithful and wise
servant' now states to us, Let us cover our
territory four times in six months. That
becomes our organization instructions and
has the same binding force on us that his
statement to the Logos had when he said, 'Let
us make man in our image'. It is our duty to
accept this additional instruction and obey it."
208. ^ "Saved, Not by Works Alone, But by
Undeserved Kindness", The Watchtower,
June 1, 2005, pages 17-18.
209. ^ Expert Opinion by S. I. Ivanenko, p. 10,
Golovinsky Intermunicipal Court, in the
application of the Moscow Northern
Administrative District prosecutor to liquidate
the Religious Congregation of Jehovah's
Witnesses in Moscow
210. ^ The Trumpet of Prophecy: A Sociological
Study of Jehovah's Witnesses, John Wiley
and Sons, 1975, as cited by M. James
Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of
Toronto Press, 1997. Penton describes
Beckford's book as "uneven" and marred by
errors and a misunderstanding of certain basic
Witness doctrines.
211. ^ Sworn Expert Opinion, prepared by
Professor James Beckford, University of
Warwick, Coventry, England, November 1998,
Golovinsky Intermunicipal Court, in the
application of the Moscow Northern
Administrative District prosecutor to liquidate
the Religious Congregation of Jehovah's
Witnesses in Moscow
212. ^ ECHR Point number 111
213. ^ Jehovah's Witnesses case heads to B.C.
court, Vancouver Sun, April 1, 2007
214. ^ Medical emergencies in children of orthodox
Jehovah's Witness families: Three recent legal
cases, ethical issues and proposals for
management, by J Guicho and, I Mitchell,
Paediatrics & Child Health, Canadian
Pediatric Society, December 2006.
215. ^ "Bioethics of the refusal of blood by
Jehovah's Witnesses, part 2." Journal of
Medical Ethics, October 1998, pages 295-301.
216. ^ ECHR Point number 136, 139
217. ^ a b "Always Accept Jehovahs Discipline",
The Watchtower, November 15, 2006, page
26.
218. ^ "Cultivate Obedience as the End Draws
Near", The Watchtower, October 1, 2002,
page 21
219. ^ Beckford, James A. (1975), The Trumpet of
Prophecy, A Sociological Study of Jehovah's
Witnesses, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, p.55,
ISBN0-631-16310-7
220. ^ "Elders, Judge With Righteousness", The
Watchtower, July 1, 1992, page 19.
221. ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of
Christian Freedom, Commentary Press,
Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Conscience, page 63.
73. ^ Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's
Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, 1993, page
626, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of
Conscience, page 67.
74. ^ Watch Tower, October 1, 1909, as cited by
Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page
67.
75. ^ Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's
Kingdom, Watch Tower Society, 1993, page
626.
76. ^ Thy Kingdom Come, 1891, page 23.
77. ^ The Harp of God, (1921), 1924 ed., p. 231.
78. ^ M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed,
pages 21, 46.
79. ^ C.T. Russell, The Time Is At Hand (Watch
Tower Society, 1889, as cited by Raymond
Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 190, 204.
80. ^ Life, Watch Tower Society, 1929, page 170,
as cited by Edmond C. Gruss, The Jehovah's
Witnesses and Prophetic Speculation,
Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co,
1972, page 87.
81. ^ J.F. Rutherford, Vindication - Book II, pages
257-258, as cited by M. James Penton,
Apocalypse Delayed, page 65.
82. ^ Watch Tower, November 1, 1922, page 333,
as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of
Conscience, page 228.
83. ^ The Watchtower, March 1, 1922, "The
indisputable facts, therefore, show that the
time of the end began in 1799; that the Lord's
second presence began in 1874".
84. ^ M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed,
University of Toronto Press, pages 18-22.
85. ^ "No Spiritual Energy Crisis for Discreet
Ones", The Watchtower, August 15, 1974,
page 507, footnote.
86. ^ a b Raymond Franz, In Search of Christian
Freedom, 2007, page 484.
87. ^ The Watchtower, June 15, 1952, page 376.
88. ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of
Christian Freedom, Commentary Press,
p.107, ISBN0-914675-17-6
89. ^ Qualified To Be Ministers, Watch Tower
Society, 1955, page 381, as cited by
Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007,
page 74.
90. ^ Marley Cole, Jehovah's Witnesses - The
New World Society, Vantage Press, New
York, 1955, pages 86-89, as cited by
Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007,
page 74.
91. ^ Testimony by Fred Franz, Lord Strachan vs.
Douglas Walsh Transcript, Lord Strachan vs.
Douglas Walsh, 1954, as cited by Raymond
Franz, Crisis of Conscience, 2007, page 75-
76.
92. ^ Watch Tower, March 1, 1923, page 68, as
cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses[07/28/2016 8:09:00 PM]
p.354, ISBN0-914675-17-6
222. ^ a b Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse
Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto
Press, p.89
223. ^ a b c Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's
Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary
Religious Movement, Routledge, p.163,
ISBN0-415-26609-2
224. ^ Osamu Muramoto, "Recent developments in
medical care of Jehovah's Witnesses",
Western Journal of Medicine, May 1999, page
298.
225. ^ Taylor, Jerome (27 September 2011). "War
of words breaks out among Jehovah's
Witnesses" . The Independent.
226. ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses church likens
defectors to 'contagious, deadly disease'",
Sunday Herald Sun, page 39, October 2,
2011.
227. ^ Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's
Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary
Religious Movement, Routledge, p.150,
ISBN0-415-26609-2
228. ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of
Christian Freedom, Commentary Press,
p.384, ISBN0-914675-17-6
229. ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of
Christian Freedom, Commentary Press,
p.351, ISBN0-914675-17-6
230. ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of
Christian Freedom, Commentary Press,
p.359, ISBN0-914675-17-6
231. ^ Holden, Andrew (2002), Jehovah's
Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary
Religious Movement, Routledge, p.151,
ISBN0-415-26609-2
232. ^ a b c Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse
Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto
Press, p.249
233. ^ Ronald Lawson, "Sect-State Relations:
Accounting for the Differing Trajectories of
Seventh-day Adventists and Jehovah's
Witnesses," Sociology of Religion, 1995, 56:4,
pg 371.
234. ^ "Maintain Your Faith and Spiritual Health",
The Watchtower, October 1, 1989.
235. ^ "Questions From Readers", The
Watchtower, October 15, 1986, page 31.
236. ^ Osamu Muramoto, "Bioethical aspects of the
recent changes in the policy of refusal of
blood by Jehovah's Witnesses", British
Medical Journal, January 6, 2001, page 37.
237. ^ Donald T. Ridley, "Jehovah's Witnesses'
refusal of blood: Obedience to scripture and
religious conscience", Journal of Medical
Ethics, 1999:25, page 470.
238. ^ a b Franz, Raymond (2002), Crisis of
Conscience, Commentary Press, p.38,
ISBN0-914675-23-0
239. ^ a b Botting, Heather; Gary Botting (1984),
Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Conscience, 2007, page 59.
93. ^ Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience,
2007, pages 58-79.
94. ^ M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed,
1997, page 216.
95. ^ The Watchtower, December 15, 1971, as
cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of
Conscience, 2007, page 78.
96. ^ The Watchtower, July 1, 1963, page 412.
97. ^ The Watchtower, July 15, 1963, page 443.
98. ^ "Maintaining a Balanced Viewpoint Toward
Disfellowshiped Ones", The Watchtower,
August 1, 1974, pages 467, "It is right to hate
the wrong committed by the disfellowshiped
one, but it is not right to hate the person nor is
it right to treat such ones in an inhumane
way."
99. ^ "Maintaining a Balanced Viewpoint Toward
Disfellowshiped Ones", The Watchtower,
August 1, 1974, pages 471-472.
100. ^ "Maintaining a Balanced Viewpoint Toward
Disfellowshiped Ones", The Watchtower,
August 1, 1974, page 471, par 19.
101. ^ a b "If a Relative Is Disfellowshiped", The
Watchtower, September 15, 1981, page 28.
102. ^ "DisfellowshipingHow to View It", The
Watchtower, September 15, 1981, pages 24-
25.
103. ^ "If a Relative Is Disfellowshiped", The
Watchtower, September 15, 1981, page 30.
104. ^ The Watchtower, September 15, 1981,
pages 20-31, as cited by M. James Penton,
Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto
Press, page 299-300.
105. ^ Letter to all circuit and district overseers
from Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of
New York, September 1, 1980, as reproduced
by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience,
page 341.
106. ^ "DisfellowshipingHow to View It", The
Watchtower, September 15, 1981, pages 23,
as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse
Delayed, University of Toronto Press, page
299-300.
107. ^ Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page
357-359.
108. ^ Watch Tower, June 15, 1911, as cited by
Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page
188.
109. ^ The Finished Mystery, 1917, p. 485, 258,
513 as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of
Conscience, pages 206-211.
110. ^ Revelation - It's Grand Climax at Hand!,
Watch Tower Society, 1988, page 209.
111. ^ Revelation - It's Grand Climax at Hand!,
Watch Tower Society, 1988, pages 266, 269.
112. ^ "No Calamity Will Befall Us"
(Subheading) . (Nov. 15, 2001). The
Watchtower, p.19
113. ^ "Let the Reader Use Discernment",
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses[07/28/2016 8:09:00 PM]
The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses,
University of Toronto Press, p.91, ISBN0-
8020-6545-7
240. ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of
Christian Freedom, Commentary Press,
p.371, ISBN0-914675-17-6
241. ^ Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed
(2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, p.248
242. ^ Raymond Franz, In Search of Christian
Freedom, Commentary Press, pages 365-
385, citing "A Time to Speak When?", The
Watchtower, September 1, 1987.
243. ^ Osamu Muramoto, "Bioethics of the refusal
of blood by Jehovahs Witnesses, Part 1",
Journal of Medical Ethics, August 1998.
244. ^ "DisfellowshipingHow to View It", The
Watchtower, September 15, 1981, page 23.
245. ^ Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed
(2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, p.319
246. ^ Franz, Raymond (2002), Crisis of
Conscience, Commentary Press, p.357,
ISBN0-914675-23-0
247. ^ a b How Can Blood Save Your Life?. Watch
Tower Society. p.22.
248. ^ "Be guided by the Living God" (Jun. 15,
2004). The Watchtower
249. ^ "Questions from readers: Do Jehovah's
Witnesses accept any minor fractions of
blood?" (Jun. 15, 2000). The Watchtower
250. ^ Awake! August 2006 box on P. 11
251. ^ Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform
on Blood
252. ^ The Watchtower November 1, 1961, p. 669
Questions From Readers
253. ^ What Does The Bible Really Teach? 2005
P.128
254. ^ "OK Kosher Certification Salting of
Meat" . Ok.org. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
255. ^ "Making Meat Kosher: Between
Slaughtering and Cooking" . My Jewish
Learning. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
256. ^ "Religion Today", New York Times, January
6, 2006
257. ^ Jehovah's Witnesses, Blood Transfusions
and the Tort of Misrepresentation, Journal of
Church and State Vol 47, Autumn 2005 p. 815
258. ^ Franz, Raymond. "In Search of Christian
Freedom" - Chapter Nine . Atlanta:
Commentary Press, 1991. ISBN 0-914675-16-
8. p.732.
259. ^ "Questions From Readers", The
Watchtower, October 15, 2000, page 31,
"Jehovahs Witnesses...do not donate blood
[without preconditions on its use], nor do we
store for transfusion our blood that should be
poured out. That practice conflicts with Gods
law. Other procedures or tests involving an
individuals own blood are not so clearly in
conflict with Gods stated principles. ...the goal
may be to isolate some of a blood component
Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Subheading "A Modern-Day 'Disgusting
Thing'"). (May 1, 1999). The Watchtower, p 14
114. ^ "A World Without War-When?" Oct.1, 1991,
pp.5 The Watchtower
115. ^ The Watchtower, 1 June 1997, p. 17 par.
15: "In the first place, what lies ahead for the
world's false religions that have so often been
extremely friendly with the UN? They are the
offspring of one idolatrous fountainhead,
ancient Babylon. Appropriately, they are
described at Revelation 17:5 as "Babylon the
Great, the mother of the harlots and of the
disgusting things of the earth". Jeremiah
described the doom of this hypocritical
conglomerate. Harlotlike, they have seduced
earth's politicians, flattering the UN and
forming illicit relations with its member political
powers."
116. ^ Bates, Stephen (Oct. 8, 2001) "Jehovah's
Witnesses link to UN queried" , The
Guardian
117. ^ Bates, Stephen (Oct. 15, 2001) "'Hypocrite'
Jehovah's Witnesses abandon secret link with
UN" , The Guardian
118. ^ Letter to Editor - The Guardian" (Oct. 22,
2001) Office of Public Information
119. ^ Letter from United Nations DPI/NGO
Resource Centre
120. ^ UN DPI/NGO
121. ^ Pay Attention to Daniel's Prophecy! chap. 6
par. 25-29
122. ^ a b Edmond C. Gruss, Jehovah's Witnesses
and Prophetic Speculation, Presbyterian and
Reformed Publishing Co, 1972, ISBN 0-
87552-306-4 Page 42.
123. ^ Alan Rogerson, Millions Now Living Will
Never Die, Constable, 1969, page 105,
"Secular historians put this date as 586 or 587
BC but the Witnesses, following Russell, place
it at 607 BC."
124. ^ a b "When Was Ancient Jerusalem
Destroyed?Part One" The Watchtower,
October 1, 2011, page 26
125. ^ "Evidences of the Years Correctness". The
Watchtower: 2712. May 1, 1952. "It was in
this first regnal year of Cyrus that he issued
his decree to permit the Jews to return to
Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. (Ezra 1:1)
The decree may have been made in late 538
B.C. or before March 45, 537 B.C. In either
case this would have given sufficient time for
the large party of 49,897 Jews to organize
their expedition and to make their long four-
month journey from Babylon to Jerusalem to
get there by September 2930, 537 B.C., the
first of the seventh Jewish month, to build their
altar to Jehovah as recorded at Ezra 3:1-3.
Inasmuch as September 2930, 537 B.C.,
officially ends the seventy years of desolation
as recorded at 2 Chronicles 36:20, 21, so the
beginning of the desolation of the land must
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses[07/28/2016 8:09:00 PM]
and apply that elsewhere... A Christian must
decide for himself how his own blood will be
handled... Ahead of time, he should obtain
from the doctor or technician the facts about
what might be done with his blood during the
procedure. Then he must decide according to
what his conscience permits."
260. ^ "How Do I View Blood Fractions and
Medical Procedures Involving My Own
Blood?", Our Kingdom Ministry, November
2006, page 4.
261. ^ Franz, Raymond. "In Search of Christian
Freedom" - Chapter Nine . Atlanta:
Commentary Press, 1991. Pbk. ISBN 0-
914675-16-8. pp.732.
262. ^ Ivanhoe's Medical Breakthroughs - When
Religion and Medicine Collide
263. ^ Jehovah's Witnesses, Blood Transfusions
and the Tort of Misrepresentation, Journal of
Church and State Vol 47, Autumn 2005
264. ^ The Watchtower (Feb. 1, 1997) p30
265. ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses (WTS) Handling of
Child Sexual Abuse Cases" , Religious
Tolerance.org Retrieved Mar 3, 2006.
266. ^ Tubbs, Sharon (Aug. 22, 2002), "Spiritual
shunning" , St. Petersburg Times.
267. ^ "Another Church Sex Scandal" (Apr. 29,
2003). CBS News.
268. ^ Cutrer, Corrie (Mar. 5, 2001). "Witness
Leaders Accused of Shielding Molesters" ,
Christianity Today.
269. ^ Channel 9 Sunday, November 2005.
270. ^ "Secret database protects paedophiles",
BBC Panorama, 2003.
271. ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses and Child
Protection" (2003). Jehovah's Witnesses
Office of Public Information.
272. ^ Let All Things Take Place for Upbuilding,
Our Kingdom Ministry, July 2000, page 1
273. ^ "Comfort for Those With a Stricken Spirit",
The Watchtower, November 1, 1995, page 28,
"If the [lone] accusation is denied [by the
accused], the elders should explain to the
accuser that nothing more can be done in a
judicial way. ...The Bible says that there must
be two or three witnesses before judicial
action can be taken. (2 Corinthians 13:1; 1
Timothy 5:19)"
274. ^ Jehovah's Witnesses Office of Public
Information, Press Release "Jehovah's
Witnesses and Child Protection," 2003.
275. ^ a b c d e f Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse
Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto
Press, pp.174176
276. ^ "New World Translation of the Christian
Greek Scriptures", The Watchtower,
September 15, 1950, page 320.
277. ^ Questions from readers, The Watchtower,
December 15, 1974, page 767.
278. ^ In a 1954 court case, Franz was invited to
Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
have officially begun to be counted after
September 2122, 607 B.C., the first of the
seventh Jewish month in 607 B.C., which is
the beginning point for the counting of the
2,520 years."
126. ^ [1] "Babylonian Exile." Encyclopdia
Britannica Online. Encyclopdia Britannica,
2010.
127. ^ "Timeline of Judaism after the Babylonian
Exile (538 BCE-70 CE)" .
Jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved
2012-10-27.
128. ^ Keller, Werner (1983). The Bible As History.
Bantam; 2 Revised edition. p.352. ISBN0-
553-27943-2.
129. ^ Dictionary of the Bible: Biographical,
Geographical, Historical and Doctrinal by
Charles Randall Barnes, Page 247.
130. ^ Dyer, Charles (2003). Nelsons Old
Testament survey: Discovering essence,
Background & Meaning about Every Old
Testament book.
131. ^ The Gentile Times Reconsidered:
Chronology & Christ's Return by Carl O.
Jonsson. ISBN 0-914675-06-0 Publisher:
Commentary Press (July, 1998, Fourth edition
2004)
132. ^ "When Was Ancient Jerusalem Destroyed?
Part Two" The Watchtower, November 1,
2011, page 22
133. ^ Insight from scriptures. Vol.2 page 458,
"secular chronologers calculate the 16th day
of Tashritu (Tishri) as falling on October 11,
Julian calendar, and October 5, Gregorian
calendar, in the year 539 B.C.E. Since this
date is an accepted one, there being no
evidence to the contrary, it is usable as a
pivotal date in coordinating secular history
with Bible history."
134. ^ Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian, and Persian
Chronology Compared with the Chronology of
the Bible, Volume 1: Persian Chronology and
the Length of the Babylonian Exile of the Jews
(2003) ISBN 82-994633-3-5
135. ^ Journal for the Study of the Old Testament
28:5 [2004], p. 42-43
136. ^ Under One Sky: Astronomy and
Mathematics in the Ancient Near East,
Mnster 2002, pp. 423-428, F. R. Stephenson
and D. M. Willis.
137. ^ a b "When Was Ancient Jerusalem
Destroyed?Part Two" The Watchtower,
November 1, 2011, page 25, 28, footnote 18
138. ^ Mesopotamian Planetary Astronomy
Astrology, David Brown, pages 5356; 2000
139. ^ When Was Ancient Jerusalem
Destroyed , page 21, Carl O. Jonsson.
140. ^ Insight from scriptures, Vol. I, Astronomical
Calculations, page 454
141. ^ Life How Did It Get Here? By Evolution
Or By Creation?, Watchtower Bible & Tract
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses[07/28/2016 8:09:00 PM]
translate a passage of Genesis from English
to Hebrew. (Translator's proof, page 102-103).
He declined, saying he would not attempt it.
Heather and Gary Botting wrongly claim (page
98) he could make no sense of "an
elementary passage of Hebrew from
Genesis".
279. ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), Crisis of
Conscience, Commentary Press, p.56,
ISBN0-914675-23-0
280. ^ Robert M. Bowman Jr, Understanding
Jehovah's Witnesses, (Grand Rapids MI:
Baker Book House, 1992)
281. ^ Samuel Haas,Journal of Biblical Literature,
Vol. 74, No. 4, (Dec. 1955), p. 283, "This work
indicates a great deal of effort and thought as
well as considerable scholarship, it is to be
regretted that religious bias was allowed to
colour many passages."
282. ^ Ankerberg, John and John Weldon, 2003,
The New World Translation of the Jehovah's
Witnesses, accessible online Archived
October 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
283. ^ Rhodes R, The Challenge of the Cults and
New Religions, The Essential Guide to Their
History, Their Doctrine, and Our Response,
Zondervan, 2001, p. 94
284. ^ Bruce M Metzger, "Jehovah's Witnesses
and Jesus Christ," Theology Today, (April
1953 p. 74); see also Metzger, "The New
World Translation of the Christian Greek
Scriptures," The Bible Translator (July 1964)
285. ^ C.H. Dodd: "The reason why [the Word was
a god] is unacceptable is that it runs counter
to the current of Johannine thought, and
indeed of Christian thought as a whole."
Technical Papers for The Bible Translator, Vol
28, No. 1, January 1977
286. ^ Botting, Heather; Gary Botting (1984), The
Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses,
University of Toronto Press, pp.98101,
ISBN0-8020-6545-7
287. ^ Franz, Raymond (2007), In Search of
Christian Freedom, Commentary Press,
pp.494505, ISBN0-914675-17-6
288. ^ G. HBERT/EDS, "Jehovah's Witnesses",
The New Catholic Encyclopedia, Gale, 20052,
Vol. 7, p. 751.
289. ^ Metzger, Bruce M., The New World
Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures,
The Bible Translator 15/3 (July 1964), pp.
150-153.
290. ^ "Gods Name and the New Testament", The
Divine Name That Will Endure Forever, Watch
Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1984, pages 23-
27
291. ^ "Appendix 1D The Divine Name in the
Christian Greek Scriptures", New World
Translation of the Holy Scriptures - With
References, page 1565
292. ^ "Your BibleHow It Was Produced", The
Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Society, 1985 Watchtower, December 15, 1981, page 15

142. ^ Was Life Created?, Watchtower Bible &
Tract Society, 2010
143. ^ Gary Botting, "Preface" to The Orwellian
World of Jehovah's Witnesses, pp. xiv-xvi
144. ^ Hitching is first introduced as an
"evolutionist" (p. 15). A Hitching quote on
page 71 is repeated on page 73, in the latter
case presented as the statement of "a
scientist". The 1986 Watchtower book The
Bible God's Word or Man's? likewise refers
to Hitching as a scientist (p. 106).
145. ^ Richard Dawkins: The God Delusion, p. 145.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 2006. ISBN 0-618-
68000-4.
146. ^ Is There a Creator Who Cares About You?.
Watch Tower Society. p.93.
147. ^ The Watchtower, April 1, 1986, pp. 12-13
148. ^ Awake!, May 8, 1997, p. 12
149. ^ The Watchtower, September 1, 1986, p. 30
293. ^ Jason D. BeDuhn, Truth in Translation:
Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of
the New Testament, 2004, pages 165, 169,
175, 176. BeDuhn compared the King James,
the (New) Revised Standard, the New
International, the New American Bible, the
New American Standard Bible, the Amplified
Bible, the Living Bible, Today's English and
the NWT versions in Matthew 28:9,
Philippians 2:6, Colossians 1:15-20, Titus
2:13, Hebrews 1:8, John 8:58, John 1:1.
294. ^ Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in
English Translations of the New Testament by
Jason BeDuhn, 2004, pages 165, University
Press of America, ISBN 0-7618-2556-8, ISBN
978-0-7618-2556-2

Further reading [ edit ]

Botting, Gary and Heather. The Orwellian World of Jehovah`s Witnesses (Toronto: University of
Toronto Press, 1984). ISBN 0-8020-6545-7. The Bottings compare the social, cultural and political
paradigms of Jehovah's Witnesses to those set out in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. Both
authors were raised Jehovah's Witnesses and are trained scholars (Heather Botting is a professor of
anthropology and Gary Botting is a lawyer and legal scholar). The book is based in part on a doctoral
dissertation by Heather Botting. Read selections from: The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses
(Google book search) University of Toronto Press, ISBN 978-0-8020-6545-2
Botting, Gary. Fundamental Freedoms and Jehovah's Witnesses (Calgary: University of Calgary
Press, 1993). ISBN 1-895176-06-9. Botting considers the irony of Jehovah's Witness insisting on a
closely regulated society while at the same time fighting for freedom of association, freedom of
conscience, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of the press. It is available on-line at
http://www.questia.com/library/102111748/fundamental-freedoms-and-jehovah-s-witnesses .
Castro, Joy. The Truth Book: Escaping a Childhood of Abuse Among Jehovah's Witnesses,
adopted as a baby and raised by a devout Jehovah's Witness family. Read selections from: The Truth
Book: Escaping a Childhood of Abuse Among Jehovah's Witnesses (Google book search) Published
2005 Arcade Publishing, ISBN 1-55970-787-9
Franz, Raymond. Crisis of Conscience Franz, a former Jehovah's Witness and Governing Body
member, and nephew of the fourth president of the Watch Tower Society. This book gives a detailed
account of the authority structure, practices, doctrines and decision-making practices Franz experienced
while serving on the Governing Body. Sample chapters online: 1 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 . Publisher:
Commentary Press. 420 pages. Hardback ISBN 0-914675-24-9 . Paperback ISBN 0-914675-23-0. 4th
edition (June 2002)
Franz, Raymond. In Search of Christian Freedom. 2nd ed., 2007. ISBN 0-914675-17-6 (Further
critique and analysis by this author)
Gruss, Edmond C. Apostles of Denial ISBN 0-87552-305-6 / ISBN 978-0-87552-305-7 .
Harrison, Barbara Grizzuti. Visions of Glory: A History and a Memory of Jehovah's Witnesses.
New York: Simon and Schuster, 1978. ISBN 0-7091-8013-6 (An account by an American journalist and
essayist of growing up in the JW religion, which she left at age 22)
Hewitt, Joe. I Was Raised a Jehovah's Witness Hewitt gives a frank and compelling account of his
life as a Jehovah's Witness and his subsequent persecution and excommunication after he decided to leave
the Jehovah's Witness movement. Read selections from: I Was Raised a Jehovah's Witness (Google
book search) Published 1997, Kregel Publications, ISBN 0-8254-2876-9
Jonsson, Carl O. The Gentile Times Reconsidered: Chronology & Christ's Return Jonsson considers

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses[07/28/2016 8:09:00 PM]

Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

the origin of the belief that the Gentile Times began in 607 B.C. and examines several lines of evidence
and the methodology for deriving it. ISBN 0-914675-06-0 Publisher: Commentary Press (July, 1998,
Fourth edition 2004)
King, Robert. Jehovah Himself Has Become King The author considers himself one of Jehovah's
Witnesses but was disfellowshipped after publishing his review and criticisms of current Watchtower
interpretations related to Bible prophecy, and documentation regarding the Watch Tower Bible and Tract
Society's involvement with the United Nations. He is preparing an updated, second edition. ISBN 1-4208-
5498-4 / ISBN 978-1-4208-5498-5 / Publisher: AuthorHouse (September 14, 2005, First Edition)
(Available from Amazon.com)
Kostelniuk, James. Wolves Among Sheep. Harpercollins Trade Sales Dept, ISBN 978-0-00-639107-4
Penton, M. James. Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses . Toronto: University
of Toronto Press, 2nd ed., 1997. ISBN 0-8020-7973-3 (Scholarly examination of JW history and
doctrines)
Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses by M. James Penton. Penton, who is a
former Jehovah's Witness and a professor emeritus of history at University of Lethbridge, examines the
history of Jehovah's Witnesses, and their doctrines. Read selections from: Apocalypse Delayed: the Story
of Jehovah's Witnesses University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0-8020-7973-3 (Canada, 1998) (Google
book search)
Schnell, William J. 30 Years a Watchtower Slave Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1956, 1971,
reprinted 2001. ISBN 0-8010-6384-1 (One of the first book-length critiques of the organization to be
written by a disaffected former Witness)
Stafford, Greg. Jehovah's Witnesses Defended and Three Dissertations. The author considers
himself one of Jehovah's Witnesses but has renounced affiliation with the Watch Tower Bible & Tract
Society. He now considers himself a Christian Witness of Jah, or one of Jehovah's Witnesses who rejects
beliefs specific to Jehovah's Witnesses. These books review and thoroughly explore some of the most
common, and/or prevalent, criticisms made about Jehovah's Witnesses and the Watch Tower Bible &
Tract Society. http://www.elihubooks.com/content/books_media.php

External links [ edit ]

Supportive
Official Jehovah's Witnesses website
Jehovah's Witnesses response to child abuse allegations (video)
Jehovah's Witnesses Official Policy on Child Protection
Critical
Apologetics index - Criticisms of Jehovah's Witnesses from a mainstream Christian viewpoint.
Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform on Blood - A site that promotes reform of the Watch Tower
Society's blood doctrine.
Expos on the Jehovah's Witnesses - From Blue Letter Bible . An examination of the Watch Tower
Society. Contains relatively brief explanations of each point.
Free Minds, Inc - the largest Watchtower dissident site
Historical Idealism and Jehovah's Witnesses - Documents the historical development of Jehovah's
Witness chronology and the claimed "idealized" history of it by the Watch Tower Society
JW Files--Research on Jehovah's Witnesses - A site "dedicated to research on Jehovah Witnesses".
jwfacts.com - Information about Jehovah's Witnesses
JWRecovery Magazine - An ex-JW community contributed magazine / journal which provides
information and support assistance to former Jehovah's Witnesses.
Religious Tolerance.org Jehovah's Witnesses Policies & examples of child sexual abuse.
Silentlambs.org Silentlamb's official web site.

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Why I Am Not a Muslim
Antitheism Atheism Criticism of atheism Crvka Church of the SubGenius
Movements Flying Spaghetti Monster Invisible Pink Unicorn New Atheism Nontheistic religions
Abraham Kovoor Andr Servier Annie Laurie Gaylor Arun Shourie Ayn Rand
B.R. Ambedkar Baron d'Holbach Bertrand Russell Bill Hicks Bill Maher Carl Sagan
Christopher Hitchens Dan Barker Daniel Dennett David Hume Dayananda Saraswati
Debiprasad Chattopadhyaya Denis Diderot Epicurus Frank Zappa Friedrich Nietzsche
George Carlin Greta Christina Greydon Square Herman Philipse Howard Stern
People James Randi Jamila Bey Joxe Azurmendi Kancha Ilaiah Karl Marx Ludwig Feuerbach
Madalyn Murray O'Hair Magdi Allam Mandisa Thomas Mark Twain Max Stirner
Michael Shermer Michel Onfray Nonie Darwish Oriana Fallaci Pat Condell
Penn & Teller Periyar E. V. Ramasamy PZ Myers Richard Dawkins Salman Rushdie
Sam Harris Sigmund Freud Sikivu Hutchinson Socrates Taslima Nasrin Thomas Paine
Victor J. Stenger Voltaire Walter Kaufman

Categories : Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses Criticism of religion

This page was last modified on 21 July 2016, at 13:07.

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