THE DESTRUCTION OF THE RIGHT CONDITION OF THE HOLY PLACE

THE DESTRUCTION THE RIGHT CONDITION OF THE HOLY PLACE BY UN-BIBLICAL LAWS

In the previous article, I showed that when the Governing Body was created, there were sincere attempts to uphold the right condition of the holy place. This is seen in the transfer of power from the leaders of the Watchtower Society to the bodies of elders in each congregation, to the point where the congregations, to a great extent, were independent of the Watchtower Society.

Raymond Franz, who was a member of the Governing Body for nine years, from 1971 to 1980, tells about a meeting of the Governing Body where the term “Governing Body” was discussed. In his book In Search of Christian Freedom (2007), page 41, we read:

I went on to say that I personally would welcome some term other than “Governing Body” since it had the ring of a group of men ruling over others. Klein’s response was that he did not feel the points I and others had expressed carried weight and that the matter was indeed serious. Speaking with considerable force, he concluded: “What’s wrong with the term ‘Governing Body’ anyway? That’s what we ARE. We DO GOVERN!” (Capitals in the originnal)

The sentiment of Karl Klein evidently became the view of the majority of the members of the Governing Body: They really started TO GOVERN, and this meant that they started to make laws and regulations that were binding for all Jehovah’s Witnesses. But this was a violation of their own maxim expressed in the Watchtower of October 1, 1972, page 589:

Where God’s Word does not itself ‘draw the line,’ no human has the right to add to that Word by doing so.

It takes several months, or a year or more, for an article to be written, accepted by the Watchtower leaders, and published in The Watchtower. The creation of the Governing Body was decided at the annual meeting of the Watchtower Society on October 1, 1971, and it was announced on December 15, 1971. The article with the maxim was published in The Watchtower of October 1, 1972. But it was evidently written before the creation of the Governing Body, or in its early days, when full Christian freedom for all Witnesses still existed. But even before this article was published, the members of the Governing Body made the first decision that led to the destruction of the right condition of the holy place.

I will now make a sketch of this decision and five others that took away the Christian freedom of Jehovah’s Witnesses:

1972-1975

PROHIBITION OF THE USE OF COAGULATION FACTOR VIII AND IX

Hemophilia is a condition where a person’s blood does not clot normally. External wounds are usually not serious, but internal bleeding in joints, tissues, and muscles may be serious, particularly bleeding in vital organs, such as the brain. Internal bleeding can be very painful, and it can also lead to death.  Hemophiliacs especially lack Factor VIII and sometimes Factor IX in the coagulation chain, and treatment involves giving these people infusions of Factor VIII or Factor IX.

In 1972, the members of the Governing Body decided that one injection of a coagulation factor was acceptable because the factor was used as medicine. But it was forbidden to take two or more injections because this was the same as eating blood, which is forbidden. In 1975, the prohibition was canceled, and it was now allowed to take as many injections as desired.[1]

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROHIBITION: Extreme pain for many hemophiliacs and death of others.

1973-2026

PROHIBITION OF SMOKING AND THE USE OF TOBACCO 

There is no doubt that the use of tobacco is a bad habit. However, in the 1942 Watchtower quotation above, the Watchtower Society says it had no right to prohibit the use of tobacco—this would violate Christian freedom.

Throughout the 1960s, several articles in the Watchtower and Awake! mentioned the use of tobacco as a filthy habit which Christians should avoid. But there was no prohibition against its use, because The Watchtower of February 15, 1969, page 129, said that “The Bible does not comment directly on the view that God’s servants should have concerning the use of tobacco.”

However, the view of the members of the Governing Body changed, and The Watchtower of June 1, 1973, page 340, made the use of tobacco a disfellowshipping offense:

²² What, then, of those who in the past were baptized while still using such addictive products as tobacco, other drugs, or who are on some treatment such as the “methadone program” and who continue in such practice? They may now be given a reasonable period of time, such as six months, in which to free themselves of the addiction. So doing, they will show their sincere desire to remain within Jehovah God’s clean congregation of dedicated servants…

²⁴ If persons already baptized are not willing to abandon their addiction to damaging and enslaving products, what then? Then they show that, like Esau, they do not ‘appreciate sacred things,’ preferring such habits to the privilege of being part of Jehovah’s clean people. They should therefore be removed from the congregation due to such conduct unbecoming a Christian.​—1 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 12:15, 16.

If a Witness had not stopped using tobacco after six months, he or she would be disfellowshipped.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROHIBITION: The prohibition did not lead to any physical harm, but it would prevent many sicknesses that are caused by using tobacco. The statistics shows that as of May 1974, 2,000 Witnesses in the USA were disfellowshipped because they used tobacco.

The problem was that the prohibition was an attack on Christian freedom. Because the Bible does not mention tobacco, the prohibition was a violation of biblical principles.

1973 — 2013

PROHIBITION OF THE USE OF METHADONE

Witnesses who become drug abusers did not plan to become abusers. Young people may, in a moment of carelessness, accept a tablet and later another, and suddenly they are hooked. Different tablets and pills containing morphine have been used as a treatment for chronic pain for many decades, and fentanyl started to be used as a painkiller in the 1990s. In a great number of cases, persons who used fentanyl and morphine as painkillers became abusers of opioids, and Witnesses who became abusers were disfellowshipped.

To be able to quit drug abuse is extremely difficult. But two resources can help people determined to quit achieve their goal. One resource is loving family members and friends who can continuously help and support the addict, even when there are relapses. And the other source is the chemical methadone. However, the Governing Body has prohibited both resources.

Because drug abusers are disfellowshipped, contact between the abuser and family and friends is prohibited. In 1973, the members of the Governing Body prohibited the use of methadone to help addicts to quit their habit and to help those who had quit their habit not to relapse. This prohibition lasted for 40 years until 2013.[2]

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROHIBITION: It is extremely difficult to quit the abuse of hard drugs such as heroin and fentanyl without help. By prohibiting contact between abusers and family and friends and the use of methadone, the members of the Governing Body have prevented thousands of ex-Witnesses from becoming clean of their habit. And they have caused the deaths of a great number of abusers.

1974 — 1978

PROHIBITION OF ORAL AND ANAL SEX

One of the disfellowshipping offenses mentioned in the Bible is expressed with the Greek word porneia. This word has only one meaning in The Christian Greek Scriptures: sexual intercourse between two persons who are not married to one another.

However, in 1974, the members of the Governing Body decided that oral and anal sex inside marriage was porneia as well. Those who practiced this could be disfellowshipped and the marriage could be dissolved.

The Watchtower of November 15, 1974, page 703, says:

As to Jesus’ statements about divorce, they do not specify with whom the “fornication” or por·nei’a is practiced. They leave the matter open. That por·nei’a can rightly be considered as including perversions within the marriage arrangement is seen in that the man who forces his wife to have unnatural sexual relations with him in effect “prostitutes” or “debauches” her. This makes him guilty of por·nei’a, for the related Greek verb porneu’o means “to prostitute, debauch.”

Hence, circumstances could arise that would make lewd practices of a married person toward that one’s marriage mate a Scriptural basis for divorce.[3] the vast majority of persons would normally reject as repugnant the practice of oral copulation, as also anal copulation.

But if persons willfully show disrespect for Jehovah God’s marital arrangements, then it becomes necessary to remove them from the congregation as dangerous “leaven” that could contaminate​ others.— 1 Cor. 5:6, 11-13.

This decision was taken out of thin air, and it caused many problems. After three and a half years, in 1978, the decision was reversed: Anal and oral sex were no longer disfellowshipping offenses that could dissolve marriage.

It is interesting to see the reason that was given for the reversal of the prohibition in The Watchtower of February 15, 1978, page 31:

A careful further weighing of this matter, however, convinces us that, in view of the absence of clear Scriptural instruction, these are matters for which the married couple themselves must bear the responsibility before God and that these marital intimacies do not come within the province of the congregation elders to attempt to control nor to take disfellowshipping action with such matters as the sole basis.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROHIBITION: The prohibition caused many problems. Because of fear of overstepping God’s law, the good sexual relations between many couples were destroyed. A great number of brothers were disfellowshipped because of their sexual relations with their wives, and men, women, and children were suffering.

1973 — 2026

NEW LAWS IN CONNECTION WITH SECULAR WORK

I have already quoted The Watchtower of February 1, 1954, page 94:

The Watch Tower Society does not decide as to an individual’s employment, as we previously stated in the  September 15, 1951, Watchtower, page 574.

However, in 1973, the Governing Body started a crusade against different forms of employment. It began with forms of employment connected with the production or sale of tobacco. Kingdom Ministry for July 1973 showed how the congregation should deal with those who continued to use tobacco:

Since then [the two mentioned publications] a number of questions have been raised concerning the growing, selling and distributing of tobacco and tobacco  products in connection with one’s employment. There are some types of employment that are quite clearly in open conflict with the Bible standards. Thus, Jehovah’s witnesses have long refused to recognize as approved members of the congregation persons who make their living at gambling, or by producing idolatrous objects, or who do work that is directly contrary to the ways of peace described at Isaiah 2:4. When one’s work is clearly contrary to Bible standards, it can rightly result in one’s being rejected by the congregation, disfellowshipped. The Bible itself sets the standard or rule that is the basis for such action.

The next focus on secular work with rules made by the Governing Body is found in the Kingdom Ministry of September 1976, pages 3-6. Under the heading “The major questions,” we find the following:

The principal question is: “Does the work or activity to be performed in itself constitute an act condemned by God’s Word? Or, if it does not, is it nevertheless so directly linked to such condemned practices that it would make those doing such work actual accomplices or promoters of the wrong practice?” In such cases Christian conscience should surely cause them to reject such employment.

The book Aid to Answering Branch Office Correspondence, an instruction to the branch offices of the Watchtower Society, includes a long discussion of work that can be viewed as wrong. One subheading is: “Work that is not itself unscriptural but that links one with a wrong practice or makes one a promoter of it.”

The elders have the right to decide whether a particular employment is wrong and can lead to disfellowshipping. They can give a brother six months to change his employment. If he does not change, they will say that he voluntarily has left the congregation. But, in reality, he has been disfellowshipped because he will not be allowed to be a member of the congregation if he wants that.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROHIBITION: This is a good example of how the Christian freedom of the Witnesses has been restricted. It has not happened often. But elders have “disfellowshipped” a Witness because he refused to change his job.

 

[1]. All the five laws are discussed in detail in the article: “The implementation of the elder arrangement was a blessing — the creation of the Governing Body has been a disaster (Part III)” https://mybelovedreligion.no/2026/05/31/the-implementation-of-the-elder-arrangement-was-a-blessing-the-creation-of-the-governing-body-has-been-a-disaster-part-i/

[2]. See the article: «The 11 disfellowshipping offenses 3 (II): Drunkenness and drug intoxication.” (https://mybelovedreligion.no/2024/11/27/the-11-disfellowshipping-offenses-3-i-drunkenness-and-drug-intoxication/)

[3]. See the article “The 11 disfellowshipping offenses 2: illicit sexual intercourse (porneia).” (https://mybelovedreligion.no/2024/11/23/the-11-disfellowshipping-offenses-2-illicit-sexual-intercourse/)

 (1958) 1974-2026

THE PROHIBITION AGAINST RED BLOOD CELLS, WHITE BLOOD CELLS, PLATELETS, AND PLASMA

In 1944, when the holy place was brought into its proper condition, the doctrines of Jehovah’s Witnesses were based directly on the Bible, with few exceptions. One exception was the view that infusing blood components violated God’s laws.

The nature of this prohibition was not clear. The Watchtower of September 1958, page 575, mentions “the use of blood fractions” as wrong, and The Watchtower of November 1, 1961, page 670, used the expression “some blood fraction,” without specification.

In 1974, the members of the Governing Body considered the issue of blood, and we read in The Watchtower of June 1, 1974, page 352:

As initially stated, out of full respect for what the Bible says about blood, we refrain from endorsing any use of it outside the body of the animal or human to whom it naturally belongs. We believe that the use of blood as a transfusion, or the use of a blood component to accomplish a similar purpose, is obviously in conflict with the Scriptural command to “abstain . . . from blood.” (Acts 15:20) 

The components are not specified by name, but the reference must be to the four primary components of blood because these accomplish a similar purpose as full blood. In The Watchtower of June 15, 1978, page 30, these components were named:

In our issue of June 1, 1974, we presented in this column a detailed consideration of the use of vaccines (which do not contain blood) and of serums that are made from blood…

It acknowledged that the medical profession is increasingly turning from the use of whole blood transfusions. Instead, human blood is being separated into primary components that can be​transfused—red cells, white cells, platelets and plasma. On this we said: “We believe that the use of blood as a [life-sustaining] transfusion, or the use of a blood component to accomplish a similar purpose, is obviously in conflict with the Scriptural command to ‘abstain . . . from blood.’ (Acts 15:20)

The prohibition against red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma lasted for more than 50 years. But in September 2026, Geoffrey Jackson, a member of the Governing Body, gave a talk on JW Broadcasting, where he annulled the prohibition against the four main blood factors.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROHIBITION: My calculation based on the statistics in Norway is that during the 20 years from 1990 to 2010, about 3,000 Witnesses died in the world but could have survived if they had accepted one of the four blood components.

It is a fact that Witnesses who have refused to accept the four factors have received an inferior treatment in connection with operations and chemotherapy than those who accept these factors. This means that the Governing Body’s prohibition has reduced the length of life of tens of thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Table 1.1 The unbiblical prohibitions

1974— 2026	Red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and blood plasma are forbidden.
1972 — 1975	Coagulation Factors VIII and IX are forbidden.
1973 — 2026	Tobacco is forbidden.
1973 — 2013	Methadone is forbidden.
1974 — 1978	Oral and anal sex within marriage can dissolve marriage and are disfellowshipping offenses.
1973 — 2026	New strict laws regarding secular work.

THE DISCUSSION OF GEOFFREY JACKSON

I have discussed six laws decided by the members of the Governing Body in 1972, 1973, and 1974, that have no basis in the text of the Bible and therefore have destroyed the right condition of the holy place.

The last prohibition canceled was against red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. It is interesting to see that Jackson used almost the same words as the excellent article in The Watchtower of October 1, 1972, page 589:

Where God’s Word does not itself ‘draw the line,’ no human has the right to add to that Word by doing so.

Jackson refers to two scriptures, and I quote these: 1 Corinthians 4:6 (above) and 2 Corinthians 1:24 (below):

⁶ Now, brothers, these things I have transferred so as to apply to myself and A·polʹlos for YOUR good, that in our case YOU may learn the [rule]: “Do not go beyond the things that are written,” in order that YOU may not be puffed up+ individually in favor of the one against the other.

²⁴ Not that we are the masters over YOUR faith, but we are fellow workers for YOUR joy, for it is by [YOUR] faith that YOU are standing.

I quote Jackson’s words:

 This scriptural clarification allows each Christian to do a stated in Galatians 6 verse 5: “Each one will carry his own load.” After further prayerful consideration, the governing body has decided that this same principle applies to the four primary components of whole blood. That’s red cells, white cells, plasma, and platelets that are derived from another person’s blood.

Therefore, each Christian must make his own personal decision about the use of these four primary components in all medical and surgical care. Likewise, each Christian must decide whether to donate components or fractions derived from his own blood.

Now, does this mean that the governing body views lightly the matter of treatments involving one or more of the primary blood components? No, not at all. The governing body continues to regard this as a very serious matter.

However, since the scriptures don’t comment on the various products that may be derived from blood, we recognize that in harmony with 1 Corinthians 4 verse 6, we are not authorized to go beyond the things that are written.

We also recognize the importance of what is stated at 2 Corinthians 1 verse 24, not that we are the masters over your faith, but we are fellow workers for your joy, for it is by your faith that you are standing.

Everything Jackson said in this quotation is true. It means that the prohibition that was stressed in 1974 and 1978 were wrong and should not have been made. But the same is true the five other prohibitions I have discussed above, and a great number of other laws and prohibitions, including the 37 disfellowshipping offenses that are invented by the members of the Governing Body without any basis in the Bible.

And to go one step further: The members of the Governing Body have a great load of responsibility because they have destroyed the right condition of the holy place because of their personal views that contradict the text of the Bible. And their laws and regulations have ruined the lives of tens of thousands of Witnesses and caused thousands of deaths.

The right condition of the holy place is a theocratic organization with full Christian freedom. The introduction of human commandments not based on the Bible destroyed the Christian freedom and, therefore, destroyed the right condition of the holy place.

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE RIGHT CONDITION OF THE HOLY PLACE BY INTRODUCING DICTATORSHIP

When the Governing Body was created in 1971, the members evidently sincerely wanted the right condition of the holy place to remain, and full Christian freedom for all. That is why the circuit servants, the Society’s extended arms, were stripped of their power in 1971, and the bodies of elders received full power over their congregations.

However, against the background of all the prohibitions they introduced, the members of the Governing Body evidently realized that giving away their power to the bodies of elders created problems. I was circuit overseer from 1965, district overseer between 1972 and 1974, and instructor for 30 two-week courses of elders in 1974 and 1975. For 35 years, from 1975, I was presiding overseer and coordinator in the Majorstua congregation in Oslo, so I saw the whole process leading to dictatorship from the inside.

The bodies of elders had full power over their congregations for four years, from 1972 to 1976. As an elder and a member of the congregation, I greatly appreciated the Christian freedom connected with the elder arrangement. Even though the body of elders had power over the congregation, and the elders and the congregation members could make their own decisions, we were still loyal to the Watchtower Society. We learned the truth through the Society’s publications and the preachers sent out. And we wanted to take part in the worldwide preaching of the kingdom of God.

In 1971, one year before the start of the elder arrangement, a government of Jehovah’s Witnesses was instituted. Until this time, the expression “the governing body,” which was rarely used, had been applied to the leaders of the Watchtower Society. And as I have shown in the first part of this study, these brothers did not govern the congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses. In other words, they did not make laws and rules that all Witnesses had to obey.

But now, in 1971, a group of 17 elders was instituted as the “Governing Body,” a government for the worldwide community of Jehovah’s Witnesses. These elders had meetings, and during these meetings, they made decisions that were binding for all Jehovah’s Witnesses. I will discuss different sides of their work and how members of the Governing Body began to change the organization’s power structure and give themselves more power.

The first time I realized any change in the power structure was in 1976, when a small step was taken to centralize the power of the organization. The Society had encouraged the bodies of elders to find new ways to preach the good news in our territory. We should consider which subjects could interest the public and prepare our own outlines for public talks to be held in the Kingdom Hall or other places in the territory. In 1976, this arrangement was canceled, and from then on we could use only the Society’s printed outlines for public talks, which could be held only in the Kingdom Hall. We were also told to “slavishly” follow these outlines in our talks.

The recommendation of new elders that would be appointed by the Society was made by the body of elders without the participation of the circuit overseer, as the organization book from 1972 says:

Appropriately, therefore, in each congregation of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses, once a year, about September 1, those who are already appointed elders prayerfully consider whether any additional brothers who are active in service on behalf of the congregation now qualify to become elders.[1]

A letter of August 1, 1976, made a change in the procedure expressed in the Organization book of 1972. It indicated that the circuit overseers would get more responsibility. It said that from now on, the circuit overseer could be present when the body of elders discussed if a brother was qualified to become an elder without saying anything. The letter said:

Even though the circuit overseer will not say anything when the elders make their final decision and will not have any part in the final decision in each case, he will give his opinion when he sends the recommendation on the forms that are made for this purpose.

This situation developed, and after some time, the elders would consider new elders when the circuit overseer visited the congregation. The circuit overseer discussed possible new elders with the body of elders, and he had the final say in the recommendation that would be sent to the Watchtower Society. Today, recommendations are no longer sent to the Society. But the circuit overseer himself appoints new elders, and then he notifies the Watchtower Society of which persons he has appointed.

The circuit overseer’s position as liaison between the Society and the congregations was now restored. Through the circuit overseer, the Watchtower Society has power over the congregations, but still no legal power.

While the members of the Governing Body in 1976 started to take back some of the power from the bodies of elders and transfer it to themselves, during the rest of the 20th century, the bodies of elders had much freedom, and the same was true with the individual Witnesses with the congregations.

It was first in the 21st century that the members of the Governing Body managed to make the community of Jehovah’s Witnesses into a fully-fledged dictatorial organization — the very opposite of the right condition of the holy place:

• In 1988, the first sign of questioning the full inspiration of the Bible appeared. In 2015, the members of the Governing Body rejected the full inspiration of the Bible.
• During the 20th century, until 1991, nine new actions had been defined as disfellowshipping offenses, in addition to the 11 disfellowshipping offenses mentioned in the Bible. Today, there are 37 disfellowhipping offenses created by the members of the Governing Body. Also, they have added 200+ non-biblical laws.
• Kingdom Halls and other property were owned by each congregation, and congregations’ money was used as the majority of members wanted. Through clever maneuvering, starting in 2013, the members of the Governing Body now control the congregations’ money and their Kingdom Halls. A detailed discussion of this is found in my book, My Beloved Religion — And The Governing Body, pages 141-151.

The Governing Body was created in 1971, and the first actions of the members indicate that they sincerely wanted the theocratic organization with full freedom for the members — the right condition of the holy place — to continue. But their next actions—creating laws not based on the Bible—showed that their thirst for power canceled all their good intentions. It is hardly possible to move farther away from the theocratic organization established in 1938 and 1944 than the dictatorial organization today, where the members of the Governing Body have all power over the doctrines, the properties, and the money.

The right condition of the holy place is a theocratic organization with full Christian freedom. The introduction of human commandments not based on the Bible together with the dictatorship of the members of the Governing Body have  destroyed the right condition of the holy place.

 

[1]. Organization for Kingdom-Preaching and Disciple-Making, page 61.

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE RIGHT CONDITION OF THE HOLY PLACE BY CLAIMING INSPIRATION

The members of the Governing Body overtly deny that they are inspired by God. But covertly they do claim inspiration. They use two methods to gain full control over the minds of the Witnesses:

• From the first Bible studies until their baptism, the members of the Governing Body are portrayed like prophets to whom they must be completely loyal.
• Talks of members of the Governing Body and their writings imply that they are inspired by God. They demand that all Witnesses follow their 200+ extra-biblical laws with the threat of disfellowshipping for those who do not comply.

BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND “THE GOVERNING BODY”

Baptism is the step that makes a person a part of a congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Before a person is baptized, three different elders meet with him or her to find out whether he or she has the right faith to be baptized. Sixty questions about the Christian faith and life, found in the book Organized to do Jehovah’s will (2015, revised 2023) are discussed with the candidate.

Quite early in his Bible study, the interested person is introduced to Jehovah’s organization and the role of the Governing Body. In the Organization book, the questions the candidate for baptism must answer stress submission to the Governing Body. Chapter 3 is entitled, “Remember those who are taking the lead among you,” and we read:

5 So “the faithful steward, the discreet one,” is made up of a small group of anointed brothers who are directly involved in preparing and dispensing spiritual food during Christ’s presence. (Luke 12:42) Throughout the last days, the anointed brothers who constitute “the faithful and discreet slave” have served together at headquarters. Today, these anointed brothers make up the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

6 Christ uses this body to publish information about the fulfillment of Bible prophecies and to give timely direction regarding the application of Bible principles in daily life. This spiritual food is distributed through the local congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Isa. 43:10; Gal. 6:16)

10 It is vital for us to be submissive to those who keep watch over us for our spiritual well-being.

The 11 members of the Governing Body apply the expression, “The faithful and discreet slave” to themselves. They claim they are appointed by God to serve as a government for Jehovah’s Witnesses as well as interpreters of the Bible. The extreme reverence the Witnesses have for the members of the Governing Body is transferred early in the interested person’s Bible study. This is also reflected in the questions he or she must answer at baptism.

Today, the person is baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the organization (read: “the Governing Body”).

I was baptized on November 30, 1961, and while I do not remember the exact words in the questions that I answered, I am certain that they harmonized with the words of The Watchtower of December 15, 1956, page 763:

A Christian . . . cannot be baptized in the name of the one actually doing the immersing or in the name of any man, nor in the name of any organization, but in the name of the Father, the Son and the holy spirit. This shows, among other things, that Christianity is not a denominational affair.

I have given the talk in connection with baptisms at several assemblies, and I remember that my outline several times has said something like: “You are not symbolizing your dedication to a work, or to an organization, but to a person, to Jehovah God.” Corroborating these words in the outline are the questions that I asked at the end of the talk:

• Have you recognized yourself before Jehovah as a sinner who needs salvation, and have you acknowledged to him that this salvation proceeds from him, the Father, through his Son Jesus Christ?
• On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for salvation, have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to God to do his will henceforth as he reveals it to you through Jesus Christ and through the Bible under the enlightenment of the holy spirit?[1]

In 1985, the words of the baptismal questions were changed, and the focus was now on the organization instead on the holy spirit. The questions are listed in The Watchtower of June 1, 1985, page 31:

1) On the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, have you repented of your sins and dedicated yourself to Jehovah to do his will?

2) Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in association with God’s spirit-directed organization?

On the website jw.org, we find an article entitled “Choose to serve Jehovah” from January 2021. It contains the two baptismal questions:

1) Have you repented of your sins, dedicated yourself to Jehovah, and accepted his way of salvation through Jesus Christ?

2) Do you understand that your baptism identifies you as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in association with Jehovah’s organization?[2]

The questions from 1985 and 2019 are quite similar; the difference is that the second question from 1985 uses the expression “God’s spirit-directed organization,” but the question from 2019 uses “Jehovah’s organization.” Jesus said that his followers should be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit. (Matthew 28:19) Between 1956 and 1985, the holy spirit was mentioned in the second question. From 1985 on, the holy spirit was implied by the use of the expression, “God’s spirit-directed organization.” But in the questions from 2021, the holy spirit is not mentioned at all.

However, the biggest difference between the two questions that were asked before and after 1985 is that after that time, persons were baptized to, or into the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses. So, formally speaking, Jehovah’s organization had taken the place of the holy spirit. Why was this change made? The Watchtower of April 15, 1987, page 15, footnote, has an explanation:

Recently the two questions addressed to baptismal candidates were simplified so that candidates could answer with full comprehension of what is involved in coming into intimate relationship with God and his earthly organization.

This explanation is strange indeed. The word “simplified” means a saying is expressed in basic, simpler words, or abbreviated, so it is easier to understand. But what actually has happened with the baptismal questions is that something has been deleted, namely, the holy spirit, and something has been added, namely, (first) “in association with God’s spirit-directed organization,” and (second) “in association with Jehovah’s organization.”

These additions change the focus of one’s dedication. My focus when I gave the baptismal talks was: “You are not symbolizing your dedication to a work, or to an organization, but to a person, to Jehovah God.” Now the focus is that a person has dedicated himself to Jehovah and to Jehovah’s organization, which means that the dedication is really to the Governing Body who has dictatorial power in that organization. This is a clear violation of the command of Jesus to baptize persons in the name of the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit. And in the baptismal questions that are used at present, the holy spirit is no longer even mentioned.

So, even before a believer has dedicated his or her life to Jehovah and has become baptized, the oppressive and totalitarian spirit of the members of the Governing Body are forming his or her mind to become a submissive member of the dictatorial organization.

From 1956 to 1985, believers were baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the holy spirit. From 1985 to 2021, believers were baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and God’s spirit-directed organization. From 1921 to 2024, believers were baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and Jehovah’s organization. Because “Jehovah’s organization” stands for the Governing Body, believers today are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Governing Body.

THE MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BODY COVERTLY CLAIM INSPIRATION — DEMANDING TOTAL LOYALTY

All Jehovah’s Witnesses are expected to believe everything the members of the Governing Body say and write. The Watchtower of February 2022 has the title: “Do you trust in Jehovah’s Way of doing things?” On pages 4-6 we find the following comments:

⁷ We no doubt wholeheartedly agree that Jehovah always does what is right. The challenge for us, however, might be to trust in his human representatives. We might wonder whether those with a measure of authority in Jehovah’s organization really act according to Jehovah’s direction or their own. That could have been the thinking of some who lived in Bible times… The plain truth is that we cannot say that we trust in Jehovah if we do not trust in his earthly representatives—those whom Jehovah trusts. 

⁸ Today Jehovah leads the earthly part of his organization by means of “the faithful and discreet slave.” (Matt. 24:45) Like the first-century governing body, this slave oversees God’s people worldwide and gives direction to congregation elders.

¹⁵As the end of this system of things draws near, we need to trust in Jehovah’s way of doing things as never before. Why? During the great tribulation, we may receive instructions that seem strange, impractical, or illogical. Of course, Jehovah will not speak to us personally. He will likely provide direction through his appointed representatives. That will hardly be the time to second-guess the direction or to view it with skepticism, wondering, ‘Is this really coming from Jehovah, or are the responsible brothers acting on their own?’ How will you fare during that crucial time in human history? The answer might be indicated by how you view theocratic direction now. If you trust the direction we receive today and readily obey, you will likely do the same during the great tribulation. — Luke 16:10. (The word “now” is in bold script in the original)

The members of the Governing Body expect that during the great tribulation, they will give instructions that “may seem strange, impractical, or illogical,” but still, these must be accepted as truth and followed.

That the members of the Governing Body expect the Witnesses to believe what they do not understand is the same as claiming that these words are divinely inspired.

Jeffrey Winder is one of the 11 members of the Governing Body. In January 2024, he gave a video presentation entitled “How does the light get brighter?” on JW Broadcasting. In this presentation, he said that the phrase “the holy spirit helps” in The Watchtower of July 15, 2010, which he referred to, is not the same as divine inspiration.[1]

In this presentation, Winder quoted from the July 15, 2010, article and said that the Governing Body is not inspired by God and can err in doctrinal and organizational matters. Nevertheless, on several occasions, he claimed that the members of the Governing Body are inspired by God. Below I quote a few of these sayings:

To whom does Jehovah reveal clarified understanding?

It is very clear how Spiritual truth, new understanding, is communicated from heaven to earth by means of the holy spirit through the channel of the faithful and discreet slave.

Jehovah reveals clarified understanding at his time when it is needed and when it will help us to carry out his will.

With this thorough process under prayer, and when there is unanimous support, the brothers see this as Jehovah’s direction.

The words “does Jehovah reveal,” and “communicated from heaven” show that Winder claims divine inspiration for the Governing Body’s clarified understandings.

The extreme loyalty of the majority of Witnesses to the Governing Body was expressed by Kenneth Flodin, who was the overseer of the Bethel Home at Watchtower Farms, in his presentation “Jesus’ yoke is kindly” on JW Broadcasting on April 24, 2023:

The Governing Body could be likened to the voice of Jesus, the head of the congregation. So, when we willingly submit to the faithful slave, we are automatically submitting to Jesus’ authority and direction.

The words that the Governing Body “could be likened to the voice of Jesus,” is the same as claiming divine inspiration for the members of the Governing Body. The claim is that Jesus speaks through them.

The position of the members of the Governing Body today is the diametrical opposite of the leaders of the Watchtower Society before the creation of the Governing Body in 1971, as we see from the following quotations: She [the Christian Church] is not the teacher of God’s servants and witnesses. (The Watchtower of November 1, 1946, page 331) To be sure, the Society has no power or authority or desire to say that a person who wishes to use tobacco may not do so. (The Watchtower of 1942, page 206) The Watch Tower Society does not decide as to an individual’s employment, as we previously stated in the  September 15, 1951, Watchtower, page 94. (The Watchtower of February 1, 1954, page 206) It would therefore be wrong in such matters to try to extract from someone else, from a body of elders or from the governing body of the Christian congregation, some rule or regulation that ‘draws the line’ on matters. Where God’s Word does not itself ‘draw the line,’ no human has the right to add to that Word by doing so. (The Watchtower of October 1, 1972, page 589)

CONCLUSION

The holy place was brought into its right position in 1944. For 27 years, this right condition continued. Jehovah’s Witnesses increased by 500% between 1938 and 1948, and they had full personal freedom. The right condition of the holy place stopped in 1971 when the Governing Body was created:

• The members of the Governing Body introduced laws that were not based on the Bible, which took away the Christian freedom of the Witnesses.
• The members of the Governing Body gradually took away the power of the bodies of elders in the congregation and transferred it to themselves. The theocratic organization that was a part of the right condition of the holy place was replaced by a dictatorial organization.
• By clever maneuvering, the Witnesses were led into a situation of total obedience to the Governing Body, and they were taught to believe that the members of the Governing Body were in the same position as inspired prophets.

The right position of the holy place means that the Christian community is theocratically organized and that each member has full Christian freedom. Each of the three points destroyed the right condition of the holy place. Taken together, the three points show how far away the right condition of the hole place the members of the Governing Body have led the community of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Because more than 90% of the doctrines of Jehovah’s Witnesses are based on the Bible, they are still God’s people. But because of the abuse of their power, the members of the Governing  Body have destroyed different sides of the community from the inside.

 

 

[1]. The Watchtower of July 1, 1956, page 407.

[2]. Organized to Do Jehovah’s Will (2019).