Are you a Friend or Just Friendly?
One expression I heard thousands of times as one of Jehovah's Witnesses was simply this:
"Friends..."
Read moreThe Dichotomy of Belief: When Trust in Jehovah Becomes Trust in Men
One sentence in this week's Treasures From God's Word workbook caught my attention because it Is a contradiction. Although in saying that I know not many Jehovah's Witnesses will know it is a contradiction.
Read moreWhen Principles Become Laws
There is nothing wrong with Bible principles. In fact, principles are one of God's greatest gifts to mature Christians.
A principle teaches us how to think, not merely what to do.
Read moreTen Major Changes to the Watchtower Blood Doctrine Since 1945
"Keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality." — Acts 15:29
For Jehovah's Witnesses, these words form the foundation of one of the organization's most distinctive teachings: the refusal of blood transfusions.
Read moreWatchtower Removed the Scaffolding — The Building Still Stands
For decades, Jehovah’s Witnesses were taught to see hidden prophetic patterns throughout the Bible. Nearly every major Old Testament account could become a “type” pointing to a larger “antitype” in modern times. These prophetic parallels were not treated as interesting possibilities — they were presented as evidence that Jehovah’s Witnesses occupied a central role in God’s purpose.
Read moreEverything You Need to Know About “Overlapping Generations”
In 2014, David Splane of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses released a video attempting to explain why Jehovah’s Witnesses still claim we are living in “the last days.”
Read moreFrom Martin Luther to 1914: How Centuries of Upheaval Led to a Prophetic Date
The year 1914 is one of the most important dates in the theology of Jehovah’s Witnesses. According to their teaching, 1914 marked the beginning of Christ’s invisible heavenly reign and the start of the “last days.” To many people, that doctrine can seem like it appeared suddenly from a complicated Bible calculation. But historically, the road to 1914 stretches back through centuries of religious upheaval, political revolution, social anxiety, and prophetic interpretation.
Read moreThe Abrahamic Covenant, the 144,000, and the Kingdom of Heaven
To understand what God offers humanity today, we must begin with the covenant God made with Abraham. The Bible presents the Abrahamic covenant as the foundational promise, while the Mosaic Law served a temporary role within that larger purpose.
Read moreSo, You’re Going to the Memorial
So, you’ve been invited to the Memorial of Christ’s death at your local Kingdom Hall. Good for you! It’s the biggest night of the year for Jehovah’s Witnesses. But before you grab your Bible and head out the door, there are a couple of things you should know.
Further reading
If you are interested in testing whether you are truly "in the truth," supplemental reading is an essential first step.
Recommended Resources
- Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz: While many Jehovah’s Witnesses are told that Franz was an apostate, this is simply not the case. He was actually disfellowshipped for the simple act of having lunch with his employer. To understand the full story, you must read the book.
- In Search of Christian Freedom by Raymond Franz: This follow-up is available on his website. Both of these titles can be downloaded for free as PDFs. There is no reason to remain uneducated on these matters.
- The Gentile Times Reconsidered by Carl Olof Jonsson: This is a vital resource for dismantling the "foundation of sand" that is the 1914 doctrine. Whether you read it for a simple overview or study his lines of reasoning with enthusiasm, it proves that 1914 has no biblical basis. I realize these may sound like wild claims, but I urge you to study the evidence for yourself.
- Shutting the Door to the Kingdom of God by Eric Wilson: Published recently, this book uses the Watchtower’s own Bible translation (The New World Translation) to prove that the scriptures do not support the organization's traditional interpretations.
- Another paper that is very helpful. It’s not really a book so much. It’s 140 page PDF written by Don Cameron, who was circuit overseer for a time. His publication is called “Captives of a Concept”. I’m pretty sure a Google search will reveal the origin of this document where you can download it. If you do run into trouble, please email me and I will send you a copy.
The Importance of an Honest Heart
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society and the Governing Body frequently recommend seeking out those with "honest hearts." However, we must ask ourselves: Do we have honest hearts? Do we take the time to truly understand and verify what we believe?
The Apostle Paul found a wonderful group of believers in the ancient town of Berea. The Bible records that these brothers and sisters didn’t just take Paul at his word; they diligently searched the Hebrew Scriptures to ensure that what he was teaching was the truth. Unfortunately, we have moved away from that practice to our own detriment.
Here is Brother Franz's website: https://friendsofraymondfranz.com
Here is Brother Wilson's website, full of exegetical (aka the good kind of) reasoning on the scriptures.
Disclaimer: I use AI to clean up my text and make it readable. Im a lousy typist.