Look At It This Way

The Jehovah's Witnesses cite four biblical texts (Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 17:12-14, Acts 15:29 and Acts 21:25). They say these mean that blood, the life-force, belongs to God and is not there for human use. They believe it a sin to eat not just black pudding but also to eat the flesh of animals that have not been properly bled.

And they extend the ban to transfusions. They won't even allow some one's blood to be stored before an operation and then used after it to replace their own blood loss. Blood is not to be stored; it is to be poured out and returned to God. Some JWs even reject dialysis or cell salvage on these grounds. Some will not accept red cells, white cells, platelets or plasma, but accept "fractions" made from these components.

There is a philosophical problem here. When a substance is broken down into components does the original remain? Some 90-96 per cent of blood plasma consists of water. The remainder is albumin, globulins, fibrinogen and coagulation factors. JWs say these may be used, according to conscience, but only if taken separately. Opponents say is like outlawing a ham and cheese sandwich but allowing the eating of bread, ham and cheese separately.

They are criticised for other inconsistencies. Blood fraction products are only available because of blood donation – a practice JWs condemn as unethical.

Watchtower cult bloodless surgery propaganda
http://www.theopenpress.com/?a=articles&code=01&id=479

A cult does not require any set number of leaders, only the inerrant belief that they are the ONLY TRUE RELIGION. Nothing else matters once that ego kicks in and messes with their heads. Once that engages, it usually takes a life-changing event or change of circumstances to get them to reconsider their beliefs
The definition of a destructive religious cult is like alcoholism-if booze controls you instead of the other way around you are an alcoholic.

Religion can be benign then there are hard core Fundy groups that want to rule & control you like hard core alcoholism.
The Jehovah's Witnesses Watchtower society as an example is not benevolent and won't let you leave their organization in peace.

If they try to ruin your reputation and break up your family for trying to get out then they are a cult!
Whenever you surrender your logic and reason to anyone who asks you to believe something on "faith" and to trust them because they know better and to please donate generously

http://www.freeminds.org/psychology/mind-control/eight-marks-of-a-mind-c...

during the trial for your life, somebody testifies against you on a stack of bibles for doing what those bibles said to do....that's really funny.

And the bonobo banana monkey business, i appreciate you being for something rather than against something.

The WT Society is a man originating, man run, high control religious cult-like institution), rather than what they tell people they are (God's appointed Channel/Organization/People etc etc).

The facts prove without a doubt that God was never behind any of this:

http://www1.tip.nl/%7Et661020/wtcitaten/part1.htm

We got false predictions all over the place, medical disaster policies -FORCED on JW's.

We got flip flops, blinking lights, wacky science, historical failures, arrogance, judging and loads of WT Society embarrassments and humiliations.

God had nothing to do with all that nonsense that was called, "Food from God".

It was wrong when it first came off the presses.

So why are some today opposed to Jehovah's Witness and their policies?

Dead People is why.

Ruined lives is why.

False prophecies is why.

A controlling Religious Institution is why.

They are WRONG ON BLOOD TODAY (for 66 years now).

They are WRONG ON SHUNNING those that simply walk away from the JW religion today.

They are WRONG 607 BCE and 1914.

They were WRONG ABOUT FORBIDDING Vaccinations, Organ Transplants, Alternative Service.

They were wrong on ALL OF THEIR End of World Predictions. Wrong on marital infidelity rules, rape rules, beards, 1935, Beth Sarim and too many things to bother listing here.

Did God make all of these terrible decisions to force on all the JW's, and then change his mind?

Or did a few old MEN, that make up the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses (sitting up in some Brooklyn office) MAKE these poor decisions, FORCE them on all JW's and then afterwards conveniently change their mind?

Does God serve Bad Food like this?

Perhaps He is not a very good cook?

CHRISTIANITY IS GOD"S ORGANIZATION TODAY. That would mean being a follower of Christ. Not some fraction of Christianity, that has the absolute WORST record of them all in terms of false predictions, doctrinal, medical and oftentimes wacky published as "Food from God" teachings.

Shunning people for disagreements is NOT scriptural.

Shunning people for walking away from the JW faith is NOT scriptural.

This is a CONTROL mechanism. And it often works. It is a gross misapplication of scripture to keep the average JW towing the line. One cannot even think differently!

I WAS a JW, and an elder as well, until recently. I am very familiar with how they are actually WORSE than most other faiths today. I am shunned for walking away. People today and for the last 80 years have died, without reason, due to the WT medical policies forced on all JW's.

Each week is filled with a list of JW obligations that basically OWN YOU. You are told what you can read, what movies are acceptable, what association is acceptable, what facial hair is okay. What you can celebrate and cannot. What words you are allowed to use.

What is allowed in your own bedroom with your wife. And too many other things to list here again. Before knowing all the facts and believing they were God's True Channel, one can go a very long way to justify all of these things. Take away that one true faith belief and so falls the rest.

I have been there and done all that.

JW's are told they cannot take blood transfusions in situations where they might need one (such as through complications with pregnancy or child birth).

So, naturally, more JW mothers will die.

Just like this mother died unnecessarily!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-491791/Jehovahs-Witness-mother-d...

And now her husband has no wife and her two new twins have no mother.

And all for what?

This is why I suggest to anybody thinking of becoming a JW ... to READ READ AND READ UP ON THIS RELIGION FIRST!

The proof will clearly stand out that the JW faith is not what they try to tell people they are!

And for all this nonsense about bloodless medicine and surgeries somehow meaning God is with JW's... (that's a joke, right?)

In many places around the earth they are fortunate to have ANY BLOOD AT ALL TO SAVE A DYING VICTIM IN NEED ... or even a clean, working hospital to go to.

Much less bloodless surgery, fractions of blood or any other options that JW's are forced to look for.

There are times when the only thing that will save a human being is blood right now.

People bleed to death. If they cannot stop the bleeding in time, and with no blood transfusion, then as a JW you will simply die.

Leaving behind all sorts of broken hearts and many tears from loved ones, friends and close family.

If they CAN stop the bleeding, then many times they will still need a blood transfusion to save your life because it takes TIME for your body to generate the new blood and cells that have been suddenly lost.

This is very simple. JW's needlessly die for this sorry blood policy today.

From the same organization that has an entire 100 + year history of similar bad policies.

The facts are irrefutable.

Vinny

Several months ago, there was a column dealing with the Miracle at Fatima. Almost 50 readers wrote to the comments page and several of those specifically mentioned the Jehovah's Witnesses. As you might suspect, a few were quite heated. In any case, the bottom line consensus seemed to be...Yes, it's a cult.

You can find the column at: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/look-it-way/200910/the-miracle-fatima

No doubt Kato would disagree with that conclusion yet Vinny does appear to have his facts in a row. So wouldn't it be nice if God signed in and said: Enough Already...Yes it is or No it isn't...and then we'd know.

Why do you suppose he never does that?

Only a hundred years, now that is a wonderful record, when you consider what faithful individuals had to sort through— centuries of barnacle encrusted layers of false teachings, enforced upon the world by fanatical religious organizations, such as the Catholic Church and break away Protestant cults, that had the power to burn you at the stake—I think that Jehovah’s Witnesses have done a great job in such a short time. The best is yet to come.

Jehovah's Witnesses controversy in a nutshell:
Cult-like hard core apocalyptic Fundy Watchtower is an 1870 splinter group from the William Miller *great disappointment* fallout.
They have kept followers on the edge of the seat and drained them dry after pinning all their hopes and dreams on the always just around the corner post Armageddon *paradise".

They took everything from many followers including lots and lots of money.Now bloated with wealth... all they can do is stagger around and shoot critic messengers and say the Catholic church was worse with it's atrocities and exaggerate some of the few beneficial JW legacies.
They ripped off millions most who just grew old and died so can't say anything back now.
The A number one fear of the Watchtower is bad PR and lawsuits for fraud,just like Scientology same lawyers same spin doctors same shills same everything.
http://www.jwfiles.com

[sour grapes and propagander
Submitted by kato ]
---
HUH? Steve Klemetti You have NOT REFUTED one charge against the Jehovah's Witnesses cult all you did was shoot the messengers.

JW go door to door with absolute proven to be bogus false doctrines that KILL people.
You are 'jonestown without the kool aid'

http://www.silentlambs.org

I have no patience for a religious group that separates families - in Scientology it's called disconnection, in JW it's disfellowshipping and shunning. And I resent that such groups cause such turmoil in international "civil rights" law for the express purpose of being allowed to continue to deny their own members freedom.

Family is the most sacred nucleus of society, not religion, and belief in doctrine should not come before a family's love.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah%27s_witnesses#Disciplinary_action
http://www.xjw.com/shunning.html

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not split families. Where I work, the only two Jehovah’s Witnesses are the only men who don’t have broken families, while only one other man, out of a group of about fifteen, is actually married to the women he lives with.

Taking a slice of say a hundred people from the town where I live and then comparing those with an equal number of people from the congregation, I can guarantee that the Witnesses will always have stronger and more intact families.

Shunning does not split families. If a wife, for instance, has been dissfellowshiped, and this can only be for unrepentant sin of a serious nature, this does not mean that her husband has to leave her. No matter what disciplinary measures may come from the congregation there are always family responsibilities individuals have to see to, whether to children or parents.

The Watchtower society Jehovah’s Witnesses cult organization actually employs three psychological tools to maintain control and subjugation to their policies and rules.

1. Fear
2. Humiliation
3. Exaltation

Fear of being lost or destroyed in the upcoming, pending great battle of Armageddon where the possibility of suffering a horrendous death according to them, is a very real fear. Such a fate awaits anyone who is not counted among JW’s!

Those who are considered spiritually strong are exalted to an elevated status within their respective congregation. Brothers can advance to the lofty position of ministerial servant, elder or overseer at which time they command the respect of all in the congregation. Sisters can achieve a highly respectable status as well, though they are not appointed to a position. Those who spend considerable time in the field ministry, pioneering for example (spending a predetermined amount of time door knocking) are considered very strong spiritually.

Those who are deemed unfit or unrepentant non conformist can suffer the punitive measure of disfellowshippment. For most JW’s, this is a fate worst than death, to be avoided at all cost. The psychological impact this can have on an individual is immeasurable. Most JW’s will do anything in their power to avoid this type of humiliation.

[So it is very easy to become psychologically locked into a specific action (work) with the expectation of a specific reward.

http://www.jwfiles.com

Take some cult leaders add some disciples/followers and get culture.

I went to a museum in New York and saw a Grateful Dead exhibit. I would call them a cult band. Their music and art created a sub-culture heavy on the acid.

I went to another museum in New York and saw a Confucious exhibit. I would call Confucious a cult leader. His ideas created a sub-culture heavy on wisdom.

Take Jesus add some followers and get another sub-culture called Christianity.

Add all three shticks and get the word culture.

How was fun in Kansas City, Misery I hope not?

Other sects can say they're right and you're wrong because they never make predictions that can be checked. This is a lesson right out of the Religion 101 Handbook.

So my question is: Why has your group made, what appears to be, an embarrassingly long list of failed prophesies? I found the following at: http://blogs.salon.com/0001561/stories/2005/01/09/watchtowerDatesTheJeho...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Watchtower Dates - The Jehovah's Witnesses and prophetic years

The Watchtower Society (WTS) - the leadership of the Jehovah's Witnesses (JW) - is famous for its dates. Individual Witnesses know about the current prophetic years (1914, 1918, etc) but are mostly completely ignorant about the history of their movement, and when asked is most likely to deny that the WTS ever said anything about the end of the world in 1914 and 1925. Even for a recent episode like 1975, the JWs will often flatly deny that the WTS ever proclaimed Armageddon within no more than a few months from October 1975.

1798
End of 1260 days of Rev 12. Start of "the last days". Three Worlds (1877), p114. (see Key to publication codes)
Replaced by 1799 no later than 1889, with SiS2. [Note 1]

1799
Start of "the last days". Napoleon debased the pope and ended the 1260 days of Dan 7:25; 12:7; Rev 11:1-3. WT Jan-Feb 1889 [repr p1093]. SiS2 p256. SiS3 p58,63,64
Replaced by 1914 in 1930 [Note 2]
1829
End of the 1290 years (from 539AD) of Daniel 12:11, when Miller's movement started. SiS3 p84, SiS7 p40, 60, 163. Our Lord's Return (1929) p27.
Abandoned in 1930

1844
Miller's "end of the world." To Russell, start of 30 year "tarrying time," corresponding to 30 years from Jesus' birth to his baptism. SiS2 p240
Abandoned in 1930

1846
End of the 2300 days, G. Storrs and others abandoned false doctrines, "sanctuary cleansed". Also start of "evangelical alliance" between protestant churches, called "spiritistic". SiS3 p108, SiS7 p163.
Abandoned in 1930

1873
6000 years of human existence ends, start of seventh millenium: THE millenium of Revelation; the Day of the Lord. See SiS2 foreword, p39. (New chronology making 1975 the end of 6000 years was adopted in 1943, but 1975 was not made an official prophetic date until 1966, with Life Everlasting.)
Abandoned in 1930

1874
The start of Christ's invisible presence. Russell's most important date. Three Worlds p175, SiS2 p170, Our Lord's Return p27, Proclaimers p133 footnote. Until around 1904, Russell taught that this year marked the start of the Battle of Armageddon, WT 1/15/92 p21-3 [repr p1355]. SiS2, p101.
Abandoned in 1930; [Note 2] WTS itself claims it was abandoned in 1943

1875
End of "Great Jubilee Cycle." End of 1335 days in Dan 12:12. The invisible resurrection of the saints started. (Note also that Russell held that the "Biblical year" 1875 started Oct 1874.) Three Worlds p108.
Idea of invisible resurrection in 1875 replaced by 1878 in 1881?

1878
End of gospel age, the rapture of the saints. Three Worlds p68; Proclaimers p632; Divine Purpose p19.
Naturally abandoned after 1878

1878
Heavenly resurrection of dead saints. God's favor returning to the Jews. Kingdom of God started to exercise power. WT Oct 1879 [repr p39]. SiS2 p101. SiS6, p663. Millions (1920) p27-8. 1928 editions of The Harp of God had removed this date from the text (see pp236, 244 in earlier editions).
Abandoned in 1928

1881
Rapture of the saints, including Russell and other Bible Students. WT Jan 1881 [repr p180], Dec 1880 [repr p172], compare May 1881 [repr p224].
Abandoned and even denied from May 1881

1881
Close of "high calling" to be among 144.000. Fall of Babylon. Proclaimers p632.
Replaced by 1918 in 1922?. Close of "high calling" later moved to 1935

1910
Expected rapture of the Saints, based on measurments in corridor in the Great Pyramid of Gizeh. SiS3, p364, versions issued before 1910.
Naturally abandoned after 1910

1914
The end of this world, Christ's literal return, the end of Armageddon and latest possible date for rapture. Jews expected to return to God's favour.
"Present truth" until the end of 1914, but replaced by 1915 from around 1912 to Aug 1914 (start of WWI, which was felt to somehow fulfill the above prophecies about 1914).

1914
Christ's invisible return, start of reign as King, end of last days. "Gentile times" ended, but this has no visible effect, except an (JW-imagined) increase in violence, wars, pestilence, earthquakes and other calamities since that year.
Current JW doctrine. From 1922 this was held to be start of Christ's *reign*, from 1930 also the start of invisible presence (earlier held to be 1874). [Note 2] Until recently, the WTS taught that some of those who experienced the events in 1914 would be alive to see the end of the world. This "1914 generation" doctrine was removed in November 1995. See WT 11/1 1995 p17. The "Creator's promise" about the end of the world before the 1914-generation died was removed from masthead (p4) of Awake! in 11/8 1995 issue. Whole idea of "generation" in Mt 24:34 being specific individuals is now abandoned.

1915
The end of the world. From ~1912 until start of WWI this year replaced 1914 in Russell's writings, since 2520 years from 606BC ends in 1915 not 1914 as Russell had thought. The fact that there is no zero year was "forgotten" when some events happened in 1914. In 1943 the idea that had been promoted in SiS7, namely to move Jerusalem's destruction from 606 to 607BC, was officially adopted (The fact that Jerusalem according to Bible chronology fell in 587BC does not interfere with Watchtower chronology.)
Year abandoned after start if WWI

1918
False religion, especially Christendom, to be destroyed. Demons would enter the minds of clergy, the "swine class", causing them to do stupid things that provokes "the masses" to destroy them. "Church members by millions" thus killed by God. SiS7 p128, 485.
Naturally abandoned after 1918

1918
Fall of Babylon, close of call to be among 144.000. This year is still held by JWs to be date for fall of Babylon, "all false religion." See Revelation Climax p260 which says "So by 1919 Babylon the Great had fallen".
Current JW doctrine. Close of "high calling" was later moved to 1935.

1919
The Bible Student/Watchtower movement chosen by Christ to be only "channel" of communication from God to men.
Current JW doctrine.

1920
Worldwide anarchy, collapse and fall of all earthly governments. SiS7 p258.
Naturally abandoned after 1920

1925
The end of the world immediately following the resurrection of "men of old" (Biblical heroes listed in Hebrews chapter 11). Establishment of Kingdom in Palestine. SiS7 p128, Millions p88,97. Very definite statements in WT 6/15 1922; 4/1 1923, elsewhere.
Naturally abandoned after 1925, even though the date itself was held to be somehow fixed in the Scriptures even as late as in 1931 (Vindication I p338).

1931/32
The "establishment of the Kingdom in Power." Based on Ezek 40:1, which dates a certain prophetic message to "the fourteenth year after the city was conquered", Rutherford added 14 years to 1918 to get 1932. See SiS7 p569. Later printings and translations of this book seems to have brought the realization that to get to the 14th year one adds 13, not 14, so the prophecy was changed to point to 1931.
Silently abandoned after the other prophecies, notably 1918 and 1925, failed to be fulfilled.

1935
Close of "high calling" to be of the 144.000. From this date, JWs have taught that the "great Company/Crowd" in Rev 7 will live on Earth, not in heaven. The "Great Crowd", all JWs except ~8000 living now, is not considered anointed Christians, is not "born again," do not partake in communion and does not have Christ as mediator. They expect eternal life on Earth. See WT 6/15 1992 p23; Proclaimers (1993) p166. This date is justified only on the fact that the doctrine about earthly hope for "great crowd" was created in 1935.
Current JW doctrine

~1941
WW2 was expected to end in Armageddon, God's War. WT 9/15 1941 p288 talked about the "remaining months before Armageddon."
Idea abandoned in 1943, after death of Rutherford, when the Watchtower Society started to proclaim a "very short" period of peace after WWII.

1951
This was 37 years after 1914, like Jerusalem was destroyed in 70AD, which was 37 years after Christ's death (WTS chronology). Some WT articles in 1950 hinted strongly to this parallell. WT 11/1 1950 p407; 9/1 1950 p277; compare WT 3/15 1951 p179 and 4/1 1951 p214 both pointing out that "we are 37 years into the 'time of the end' of this world."
Idea was abandoned in WT 9/1 1952 p542

1954
Theoretical length of 1914-generation after the old "30-40 years" definition. See WT 9/1 1952 p542. "Generation" idea based on Matt 24:34, but it was finally abandoned in WT Nov 1, 1995.
Replaced by 70-80 year generation in 1952

1975
End of 6000 year of human history after WTS chronology. Strongly hinted to be end of the world; could only be a matter of "days and months, not years" before Armageddon. Life Everlasting p26-30; WT 7/15 1967 p446-7; 8/15 1968 p499; 5/1 1975 p 285. See also YB 1980 p30-31. (See What Happened in 1975?)
Abandoned and sometimes even denied after 1975

1984
Object for much speculation about maximum length of generation, based on 70 years from 1914 and Psalm 90:10. See WT 9/1 1952 p542; WT 12/1 1968 p715.
Abandoned silently as date approached.

1986
Declared by United Nations to be "International Year of Peace," which caused much expectations with JWs about the expected declaration of "peace and security", a sign of the imminent end based on a special interpretation of 1Th 5:3. WT 10/1 1985 p18.
Silently forgotten after 1986 [this was Danny's 3rd year of being guilt goaded to sending the Watchtower $1,000.00 month for the worldwide work ]

1994
Object for much speculation about maximum length of generation, like 1984. See WT 9/1 1952 p542; WT 12/1 1968 p715.
Abandoned silently as date approached.

2000
End of world expected to come before end of century. WT 1/1 1989 p12 (work to be completed "in our 20th century", text changed in bound volume); WT 10/15 1980 p31 ("highly improbable" that this world continues to 2000); 3/1 1984 p18-19 ("end much closer than [2000]").

Hellow Stephen, The problem here is perspective. What you are trying to pass off as whacky end time predictions are to me honest and sincere bible commentary.

Have you even read the articles from which these scraps were taken and considered the whole context, or do you just assume this is damning to us because it’s borrowed from the web sites of others who say that it is.

To answer your question: No, I haven't read the original articles. I merely reproduced the list from another site wondering if you would want to comment?

You pointed to "honest and sincere bible commentary" which certainly allows for occasional flaws in interpretation but is that a reasonable rationale in light of so many groups apparently allied against you - the scientific community, the medical establishment, cult watchers and assorted whistle blowers along with many other Christian sects? An objective observer might conclude that your underlying paradigm, indeed, your basic belief is somehow defective. Have you ever considered this as a possibility?

And, may I ask, what is your relationship to the Jehovah's Witnesses? Are you an official spokesperson or a member expressing an honest and sincere belief?

Thank you for your continuing comments.

Steve Mason