Rather than coming directly to Jesus for salvation, Jehovah’s Witnesses rely on their dedication and service to the organization they think he has chosen to represent him on earth—the Watchtower Society.

The Watchtower has said so directly: “No doubt, before the ‘great tribulation’ is finished, we will see the greatest witness to God’s name and kingdom in the history of this world. And while now the witness yet includes the invitation to come to Jehovah’s organization for salvation, the time no doubt will come when the message takes on a harsher tone, like a ‘great war cry.’” (The Watchtower, “Stay Awake and Keep Your Senses,”11/15/81, p. 22, emphasis added)

In John 6, after many people had left Jesus because he talked about the need to “eat my flesh” and “drink my blood,” he had this dialogue with Peter in which the apostle proclaimed that there was nowhere else to go for eternal life but to Jesus himself:

“So Jesus said to the Twelve: ‘You do not want to go also, do you?’ Simon Peter answered him: ‘Lord, whom shall we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting life. We have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.’” (John 6:67-69, Watchtower translation)

 Yet the Watchtower organization takes this affirmation and applies it to itself!

 …the record that the “faithful and discreet slave” organization has made for the past more than 100 years forces us to the conclusion that Peter expressed when Jesus asked if his apostles also wanted to leave him, namely, “Whom shall we go away to?” (John 6:66-69) No question about it. We all need help to understand the Bible, and we cannot find the Scriptural guidance we need outside the “faithful and discreet slave” organization. (The Watchtower, “Do We Need Help to Understand the Bible?” 2/15/81, p. 19)

 Why does it say this?

“Many… first-century Christians had known Jesus personally or had seen him after his resurrection. Obviously, we have not had that privilege. How, then, can we be friends of Christ? One way is to obey the direction provided by the faithful and discreet slave class, which consists of Jesus’ spirit-anointed brothers still alive on earth.” (The Watchtower, “You Are My Friends,” 10/15/2009, p. 15)

“How do the sheep respond to the Fine Shepherd, Jesus Christ? “My sheep listen to my voice,” said Jesus, “and I know them and they follow me.” (John 10:27) Listening to the Fine Shepherd’s voice means following his guidance in all things. This includes cooperating to the spiritual undershepherds whom he had appointed.” (The Watchtower, “Obey Jehovah’s Shepherds,”11/15/2013, p.22)

Directing the minds of God’s people

The Watchtower organization warns Jehovah’s Witnesses: “Consider some of the other ‘twisted things’ used to mislead God’s people today. On occasion opposers… may question the need for an organization to direct the minds of God’s people.” (The Watchtower, “What Is Our Position Toward Opposers of the Truth?” 3/1/83, p. 27)

To what extent do Watchtower writers believe the organization is authorized by Jehovah and Jesus to “direct the minds of God’s people”?

When people are being recruited into the Witnesses, the Watchtower exhorts them to examine everything they are taught by their religion:

We need to examine, not only what we personally believe, but also what is taught by any religious organization with which we may be associated. Are its teachings in full harmony with God’s Word, or are they based on the traditions of men? If we are lovers of the truth, there is nothing to fear from such an organization. It should be the sincere desire of every one of us to learn what God’s will is for us, and then do it.” (The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, p. 13)

But if a person has been raised or converts to become a Jehovah’s Witness, all independent thinking must stop because it is nothing but sinful pride:

As we study the Bible we learn that Jehovah has always guided his servants in an organized way. And just as in the first century there was only one true Christian organization, so today Jehovah is using only one organization (Ephesians 4:4, 5; Matthew 24:45-47) Yet there are some who point out that the organization has had to make adjustments before, and so they argue: “This shows that we have to make up our own mind on what to believe.” This is independent thinking. Why is it so dangerous?

 Such thinking is evidence of pride… If we get to thinking that we know better than the organization, we should ask ourselves, “Where did we learn Bible truth in the first place? Would we know the way of the truth if it had not been for guidance from the organization? Really, can we get along without the direction of God’s organization?” No, we cannot! (The Watchtower, “Armed for the Fight Against Wicked Spirits,” 1/15/83, p. 27, emphasis added)

Apostasy

Thinking independently of Watchtower teachings is deemed apostasy which can result in disfellowshipping (excommunication) and total shunning by obedient Jehovah’s Witnesses:

“Apostasy is abandoning or deserting the worship and service of God, actually a rebellion against Jehovah God. Some apostates profess to know and serve God but reject teachings or requirements set out in his Word. Others claim to believe the Bible but reject Jehovah’s organization.” (Reasoning from the Scriptures, p. 34)

The Watchtower warns about sects and cults

 The Watchtower warns about the dangers of sects and cults.

Sadly, it doesn’t see that it meets its own definitions of those terms:

A “sect” has been defined as “a group adhering to a distinctive doctrine or to a leader.” Similarly, those belonging to a “cult” have “great devotion to a person, idea, or thing.” Actually, the members of any religious group who strongly adhere to human leaders and their ideas are in danger of becoming slaves of men. A strong leader-oriented relationship can lead to an unhealthy emotional and spiritual dependency. The danger may be compounded when a person is reared in a sectarian atmosphere from childhood.

Those who have such concerns about a religion need reliable information. Some may have been told that the Witnesses belong to a religious organization that enslaves its members, exercises authoritarian control over them, unduly restricts their freedom, and throws them out of step with society as a whole.

Jehovah’s Witnesses know that these concerns are unwarranted. Therefore, they invite you to check for yourself. After careful consideration, draw your own conclusions. Are the Witnesses servants of God, as they claim, or actually slaves of men?” (The Watchtower, “Slaves of Men or Servants of God?” 3/15/98, pp. 10-11)

What should we do?

The Watchtower states: “When persons are in great danger from a source that they do not suspect or are being misled by those they consider their friends, is it an unkindness to warn them? They may prefer not to believe the warning. They may even resent it. But does that free one from the moral responsibility to give that warning?” (The Watchtower, “Can You Be True to God, Yet Hide the Facts?” 1/15/74, p. 35)

Next week, we will look at ways to get Jehovah’s Witnesses to question the validity of the organizational mindset I have documented in this post.