"Jehovah's Spirit-Directed Organization"? — NOT!

Doug Checketts (aka Farkel)

The common JW expression "Jehovah's Spirit-Directed Organization" says quite a lot. If an Organization is not just merely the ONLY organization he approves, but it also is DIRECTED by His Holy Spirit, that means Jehovah is taking a personal interest and PERSONALLY DIRECTING HIS ORGANIZATION. This would be a powerful blessing, if it were true. But is it true?

Assume for a moment that Jehovah's Witnesses had never made one prophecy. Or assume for a moment that Jehovah's Witnesses had made dozens and dozens of prophecies, and every one of them had been fulfilled as predicted. (Of course, we all know they HAVE made dozens and dozens of prophecies, and they've ALL failed!) But assuming that all predictions had come true, would that be enough to justify that they were God's Chosen People? No. "By their fruits you will know them" is clear admonition that more is required.

Much has been written about failed JW prophecy. And much has been written about the many changes in JW doctrines over the decades. Let's set aside failed prophecy and look at some JW "fruits".

If the WTBS were "Jehovah's Spirit-Directed Organization" ("JSDO"), then WHY would Witnesses be all-but-forced to pay specified amounts for literature for so many decades?

In the 27 years I was in the organization, there was never any provision for donations for literature acquired at the Kingdom Halls I attended. We paid specified amounts for all literature. Would not Jehovah God see to it that HIS work would continue by using his Holy Spirit to influence Witnesses to contribute what was required to keep the "work" going?

Each week all previous issues of either the Watchtower or Awake! become more or less "obsolete", and Witnesses are constantly "encouraged" to obtain copies of the latest issue. (I love the JW term "encouraged".)

HOW many times has any Witness "run out" of literature while in the Service? That was a rare event in my experience. I personally have sent thousands upon thousands of un-sold (er "placed") magazines to the trash can. There is no reimbursement provision made for old "un-placed" literature. Since the financial loss to each member is quite small for people living in affluent countries, that does not create much of a burden. But multiply the number of un-placed magazines by the number of nearly 5,000,000 Witnesses, times 52 weeks in a year, times decades of dedicated service and the financial loss to the individual (but NOT the Society) becomes quite large.

IF Armageddon, has been just around the corner (that "corner" is now over 100 years and still counting!), then WHY does the Society own so much property, and continue to purchase property to this very day?

WHY did not the Society some time before 1879, er, I mean 1915, er, 1914, er, 1918, er was it 1919? er 1925, er, 1941, er 1975, oh WHENEVER! Why didn't the Society SELL all of its property and thereby provide the financial means for EVERYONE who was a Witness to preach full-time and gather in as many sheep as possible before the "end" came? That's what the Apostles did, was it not? The Society DID "encourage" JWs to sell their property, however.

IF the Society was "JSDO", then WHY would Jehovah "guide" them to forbid vaccinations for so many years? How many people died as a result of that "light"? WHY would the true God change his mind on such a life-or-death matter?

IF the Society was "JSDO", then WHY would Jehovah "guide" them to praise organ transplants, then later forbid organ transplants, then even later make organ transplants a matter of conscience? How many people did Jehovah, through his "SDO", effectively KILL as a result? How many people were disfellowshipped and had their lives and families ruined for doing something that today is fully accepted as a personal decision?

IF the Society was "JSDO", then WHY would Jehovah "guide" them to make absolute hard and fast rules regarding intimate and private consensual matters between a husband and wife? WHY would Jehovah destroy thousands and thousands of marriages, and families, by allowing over-zealous and even voyoureristic "elders" to probe into such matters, humiliate and even excommunicate members for engaging in conduct which is NOW a matter of personal conscience?

IF the Society was "JSDO" then WHY would Jehovah "guide" them to encourage the buying of War Bonds, then later forbid members to join the military, including alternative military service, disfellowship those who did, then later announce that alternative military service was no longer forbidden? Why would Jehovah allow many young men to be executed, imprisoned, and/or have their lives stained by having for life the stigma of a felony conviction? (I, for one, carry that stigma.)

IF the Society was "JSDO", then WHY would Jehovah chose the first historically documented "leader" of "his people" since Jesus (after nearly two thousand years of waiting), a man who used the word "Organization" with scorn, believed in the Cross (it's on his gravestone), encouraged members to eschew ALL organizations, told members to celebrate Christmas, believed in astrology, and claimed the Great Pyramid was inspired by Jehovah? Why would Jehovah choose such a man?

IF the Society was "JSDO", then WHY would Jehovah choose as the second leader of His Chosen People a man who had a drinking problem, wrote that prohibition was Satan-inspired, lived in a mansion, also celebrated Christmas, seized control of the Society, and subsequently lied about it, and who rejected many of the doctrines established by the first leader? Can you imagine any of Jehovah's true prophets, saying, "I made an ass out of myself", as he did with his failed 1925 "prophecy"? If he WAS inspired by God, but decided on his own to ignore God's Inspiration, and instead write his OWN words, then, why was he not disfellowshipped by the Organization, for apostasy? Oh, I forgot: he WAS the Organization!

IF the Society was "JSDO", then WHY would Jehovah chose a fourth leader who swore under Oath that Jehovah was the "editor" of the Watchtower, in effect saying, that whatever "wrong" thoughts an imperfect man might want to write, were somehow intercepted or "edited" by Jehovah, who never makes mistakes?

Are these three leaders of "JSDO" now in Heaven, reigning with Jesus Christ? If YES, then WHY, if they were alive today, would they would HAVE to be disfellowshipped for apostasy and cast out from God's EARTHLY organization for what they've said and written? How can that contradiction be resolved? If NO, then WHY would Jehovah chose them to BEGIN WITH as the first historically documented Earthly leaders of His chosen people in nearly two thousand years?

WHY did Jesus Christ forgive one of his Apostles for the "apostasy" of denying he knew him? Because the Apostle wept, and had deep remorse for what he had done. WHY, then do appointed Elders of "JSDO" NOT follow that example and also lovingly forgive people who "sin"? WHY rather do they disfellowship them in thousands upon thousands of instances, where the Elders and the Elders ONLY have the authority to decide whether repentance is sincere, or not. Since ONLY Jehovah can read the heart, WHY does "JSDO" allow Elders to determine what only Jehovah can determine?

WHY does "JSDO" strongly encourage members of other faiths to rigorously search their own doctrines and history, but disfellowship for "apostasy" those in their own organization who try to do exactly the same thing? WHY are people even disfellowshipped who merely disagree with JW teaching, but never once try to pursuade any other JW in that regard? WHY does "JSDO" discourage its members to NOT "make sure of all things" by studying old WTBS publications? WHY are WTBS publications altered ex-post facto without any acknowledgement from "JSDO"?

WHY does the God of Unconditional Love, through his Spirit-Directed Organization teach JWs to HATE? To hate other Religions, the "World", people in the "World", political organizations which are necessary for a civilization to exist, and former Witnesses, including former Witnesses who are close family members?

WHY does the God of Unconditional Love need to be "loved in Fear"?

WHY did "JSDO" change the baptism vows from pledging one's life to Jehovah God to, in essence, pledging one's life to his "Spirit-Directed Organization"?

WHY does "JSDO" always blame its loyal and faithful members for acting in accordance with, what turns out to be the Organization's OWN mistakes? Why do they do this time and time again?

WHY did Jehovah inspire His "SDO" to write a letter to Adolf Hitler praising Hitler's Nazi government, while at the same time expressing scorn towards the United States, Great Britain, and the Jewish people?

WHY was not the second leader of "JSDO" disfellowshipped for smoking cigars? WHY was not smoking a disfellowshipping offense for many years, while today, Witnesses have been disfellowshipped for the mere act being "caught" buying a pack of cigarettes?

WHY would Jehovah condemn to eternal death any teenager who admits to masturbation without admitting feeling guilty about it?

WHY, at Armageddon, would Jehovah make dead wicked ones alive, yet make live wicked ones dead, as taught by "JSDO"?

What kind of a blessing would it be which would allow for a scenario where JWs could end up having to step over the slaughtered body parts of their non-believing spouses, parents, siblings, and children on that "happy" day after Armageddon ends, as taught by "JSDO"?

WHY would "JSDO" decide that Jehovah WOULD resurrect all inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, er I mean NOT resurrect them, that is, I mean WOULD resurrect them, no NOT, no WOULD, no NOT. Oh, nevermind.

WHY would Jehovah decide the fitting punishment is SLAUGHTER when someone receives a few presents, is sung a song which emphasizes human happiness, and is wished to have many more happy years of life on the anniversary of His or Her birth?

WHY, in light of the Bible's admonition to, above all things, "have Love among yourselves" would "JSDO" encourage JWs to vigilantly SPY on their own Brothers and Sisters in the Congregation, and which runs Bethel in a fashion which would make the KGB proud?

How is it possible that, for two thousand years, Jehovah's "faithful and discrete slave" was able to accomplish Jehovah's work with ONLY the Bible and His Guidance, while for the past 100 years that has become FORBIDDEN by "JSDO"? WHY is ONLY reading Jehovah's Own Word something that NOW leads one into darkness and Satan's grip?

Take the JW Challenge!

If Jehovah chose one and ONLY one group of people to be His Chosen People, then it means that Jehovah has REJECTED all other faiths, including other Christian ones. Since Jehovah's Witnesses fervently believe this is the case, then I have a question.

I would like to ask any sincere Jehovah's Witness: can you name just ONE core belief which has remained UNCHANGED since the time C.T. Russell started his work, and which is unique to ONLY Jehovah's Witnesses and which would justify WHY God chose ONLY Jehovah's Witnesses to be HIS people? Can you do that?

Not celebrating Christmas? Nope. Been there, done that.

Not celebrating Birthdays? Been there, done that.

Not worshipping Jesus? Been there, done that.

Not believing in the cross? Been there, done that.

All members are preachers? Sorry. A lot of other faiths beat you to that one by hundreds of years.

The "name" Jehovah's Witnesses? Nah. That came 50 years after Russell started his work.

The "two class" system? Nope. That belief only came about when the number of Witnesses alive got dangerously close to 144,000, also some 50 years after Russell started his work.

1914? Nope. Try 1799: that was the first year Christ began his "reign", according to Russell's original "prophecy".

The "Last Days"? Nope. Stole that one from the Second Adventists.

The Earthly Resurrection? Wrong again. That was a result of the change to the "two class" system.

The "faithful and discreet slave"? Nope. That was originally attributed to Russell.

Not serving in the military? Not! The Quakers beat you to that one, and THEY don't encourage their people to buy war bonds!

Disfellowshipping? Dissed again! Pilgrims and others did that first. Moreover, that practice did not start until many years after Russell was "chosen".

Fulfilled prophecy? Pleeeeeeze! Get real!