In 1972, the Watchtower’s Governing Body decreed that even for consenting, married Jehovah’s Witnesses anything other than “the natural way for a married couple to have sexual relations” was a disfellowshipping offense. Continue reading

Last time, I documented the Watchtower’s position that Jehovah’s Witnesses must not have any unnecessary contact with friends or family members who voluntarily left the Jehovah’s Witness religion.

I noted that they treat the same as they treat a former Jehovah’s Witness who has been disfellowshipped (excommunicated) for gross sin.

How far do they take this? Continue reading

Our examination of Watchtower legalism begins with the observation that the Watchtower organization doesn’t recognize any honorable way for someone to leave the Jehovah’s Witness religion.

This is in stark contrast to the way it views other people leaving their religion in order to become a Jehovah’s Witness. Continue reading

In 2016, a Royal Commission in Australia investigating sexual abuse cases against children stated, “At the time of the public hearing, the Jehovah’s Witness organization in Australia had recorded allegations, reports or complaints made against 1,006 members of the organization. There is no evidence before the Royal Commission that the organization reported any of those allegations to police or any other secular authority.”[1] Continue reading

Not only do Watchtower elders determine whether Jehovah’s Witnesses in their congregation have committed wrongdoing justifying disfellowshipping, but they are also called on to determine whether Witnesses have shown sincere and sufficient repentance. Continue reading