Watchtower Dodges
Craig Branch
Birmingham, AL
The more Christians have been motivated and trained in cult
evangelism, the more cult members have been won to Christ. The
leadership of Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witnesses are becoming more
skillful at preventing their members from being exposed to people
and information which demonstrates the fraud, lies, errors, and
corruption of their organizations.
Two of the best methods of manipulation and control are to
isolate members away from meaningful outside contacts, and to
control what information the member sees or studies. For
instance, one technique these cults use is to brand members of
Watchman Fellowship as “apostates.” Since the Watchtower has a
perverted doctrine of shunning all ex-members (apostates) for
fear of “contamination” and as well as making contact a
disfellowshipping offense, the JW will run from such people.
To date, no Watchman staff member is an ex-JW, therefore no
apostate, but the Watchtower is not interested in honesty or
facts. If written information is handed or mailed to them which
documents from the Bible or from their own publication they are
instructed to treat it like “pornography” (Watchtower, 3/15/86,
pp.12-13).
Jehovah’s Witnesses must be helped to see the double standard
imposed by the Watchtower Society and be made suspicious as to the
reasons for the double standard. Have them look up and read the
contradictions from their own literature. For instance, in the
Watchtower book “The Trust that Leads to Everlasting Life,” they
write, “We need to examine not only what we personally believe,
but also what is taught by any religious organizations… If we
are lovers of the truth, there is nothing to fear from such an
examination” (p. 13).
Also in the book “Millions Now Living Will Never Die” is written
“Every man should be persuaded in his own mind and no man should
permit himself to be deterred from examining a question based
upon the Bible because a clergy man or any one else makes the
unsupported assertion that it is dangerous or unworthy of
consideration. Error always seeks the dark, while truth is
always enhanced by the light. Error never seeks to be
investigated. Light always courts a thorough and complete
investigation” (p.13).
In The Watchtower (11/15/63), we find, “It is not a form of
religious persecution to say and to show that another religion is
false… for an informed person to expose publically a certain
religion on being false, thus allowing persons to see the
difference between false religion and true religion” (p.688).
They write that any group that “claims to be the way of
salvation… should be willing to submit to scrutiny and
criticisms” (Awake!, 8/22/84, p.28). Amazingly, in their door-
to-door instruction book, “Qualified to be Ministers” they
actually are taught to meet with and discuss the issues, even
with “opposers” like Watchman staff.
They write, “Most of the argumentation used by Jehovah’s
Witnesses is at the house-to-house work or in return visits and
in the course of home Bible studies… sometimes one opposed to
the Kingdom message is on hand to prevent good-will persons form
hearing. In either case we want to apply the principles of good
argumentation to enable the honest hearer to see the truth”
(p.197).
“Get him to show you what evidence and reasoning he based his
conclusions upon… When you make reference to the Scriptures or
to any other authority, be definite. And use reliable, capable
authorities” (p.199).
Ask the JW, “Do you consider the Bible or Watchtower publications
to be apostate literature?” When he says no, then assure him
that is all you are going to use to examine the teachings of the
Watchtower.
Contact Watchman Fellowship for any needed documentation.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Copied with permission from the Watchman Expositor. *
* For a free subscription to this monthly newspaper *
* write the Watchman Fellowship office nearest you: *
* *
* W A T C H M A N F E L L O W S H I P, I N C. *
* P.O. Box 13251 P.O. Box 19416 P.O. Box 7681 *
* Arlington, TX 76094 Birmingham, AL 35219 Columbus, GA 31908 *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ͵ CHRISTIAN BBS ABBA II ÆÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
º º
º Where Christians find Fellowship, Information and Resources, º
º and where non-Christians find honest, reasonable answers to º
º their questions about what (and why) Christians believe. º
º º
º ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Providing High-Quality, Christian Files ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ º
º º
º þ Up-To-Date Christian News þ Bible Studies and Discussions º
º þ Abba II’s Christian Magazine þ Ministry Newsletters º
º þ Active Message Area þ On-Line Christian Directory º
º þ Specializing in Apologetics þ Christian Events Calendar º
º º
º ³ Immediate Access – No Ratios ³ º
ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ͵ 619-487-7746 – up to 14,400 baud ÆÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ
³ 619-487-6391 – up to 2,400 baud ³