Those Jehovah’s Witnesses who claim to be of the 144,000 refer to themselves by many titles: the remnant, the faithful and discreet slave, and the anointed to name a few. I say that they refer to themselves by these titles because the governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses who claim to be the spokesman for the 144,000 teaches that it is the remnant of the 144,000 in their role as the faithful and discreet slave who are responsible for the teachings put forth in the pages of The Watchtower and other publication of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. So when Watchtower publications speak of the faithful and discreet slave or the remnant or the anointed, the writers are referring to themselves.
Tag: Organization
Behavior (Control) During Prayers
I generally avoid using terms such as mind control cult when talking about Jehovah’s Witnesses, but every so often the writers of the Watchtower publish something that makes it hard not to.
Jehovah’s Witnesses & Clergy – Part 5
In their sixth and final point, the writers of the Awake! article tell us, “6. When the laity are Biblically uniformed, they can be easily be misled by clerics. Indeed, history contains may examples of such abuses.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses & Clergy – Part 4
In the third and fourth points that were presented, the writers of the Awake! article bring up the subject of finances and the clergy.
Jehovah’s Witnesses & Clergy – Part 3
The third in a series of articles commenting on an article from the August 2009 issue of the Awake! magazine that raises 6 points where they say that the churches have deviated from the Bible and where harm has been the result.
Jehovah’s Witnesses & Clergy – Part 2
As we examine what the Jehovah’s Witness’ leadership have to say about the clergy of the Christian churches, we need to look at whether or not they have their own clergy.
Jehovah’s Witnesses & Clergy – Part 1
The August 2009 edition of the “Awake!” magazine contains an article entitled “Should There Be a Clergy-Laity Distinction?” This article is rife with inaccuracies and generalizations. I will attempt to cover these in a series of posts. In this first post, we will look how Jehovah’s Witnesses view the clergy of Christendom.
Has the Watchtower Society Ever Lied?
Has the Watchtower Society ever lied to its readers?
Kennebunk Maine Kingdom Hall Burning – 1940
Living just south of Kennebunk Maine as I do, I often heard the story of how a mob, irrate over Jehovah’s Witnesses’ refusal to salute the flag, attacked and burned the Kingdom Hall there on June 9, 1940. As is the case with so many things, there is more to the story.
Witnesses Comply with South’s Laws, Quiet on Rights Front
Amsterdam News (New York)
June 29, 1963
p. 22
Jehovah’s Witnesses condone the separation of their Negro and white members in the South, merely out of compliance with Southern segregation law. “But compliance with that law doesn’t mean that we believe that the races were meant by God to be separated or that we believe that Negroes are inferior to whites.” Ulysses Glass, an official of the sect, told The Amsterdam News this week while acknowledging the veracity of charges of segregation.
“The law doesn’t interfere with our mission of teaching God’s word. He doesn’t require that everybody must be together in order to teach his word,” continued Glass, adding that those are the reasons why Witnesses have not taken any position against the Southern law or advocate violation of it.
Won’t Fight
On the other hand, Witnesses refuse to serve in the nation’s fighting forces and salute the American flag, the first of which is mandatory of every healthy American of draft age.
They reconcile compliance with the Southern segregation law with their failure to serve in the armed forces and salute the American flag on the grounds that military service compels them to slay their fellow men while saluting of the flag abridges their religious freedom, Glass explained.
“We believe in Jesus’ teaching: ‘Give unto Caesar those things which are Caesars and to God those things which also are his,” said Glass.
“That is why we comply with Southern law and will not recognize segregation when the law is changed.” he added.
No Government
“We don’t recognize government by man, only government by God,” Glass continued.
That is also the reason why the Witnesses have not taken any position on the civil rights struggle, as also charged, said Glass.
“Throughout the remainder of the country,” Witnesses are all treated alike,” Glass stated. “Witnesses are also district supervisors (one of the high leadership positions) and are integrated here in our staff at headquarters (77 Sands St., Brooklyn).”
The charges of segregation were made by Jackie Williams, a young woman of 1296 Dean St., Brooklyn, who said she had asked clarification in a recent letter to the Watchtower Bible and Trace Sciety [sic].
Miss Williams said she never received a reply.