Back in 1976 a network of JWs began discussions on some subjects and were surprised their questions about the WT Society were similar. They sent out thousands of copies of a 20 page letter to Kingdom Halls in several countries. I remember hearing about it from a couple of elders when it happened. In those days, JW elders would read such stuff and did not automatically throw stuff away first without reading it. It's an interesting document. For those interested, it can be downloaded from the Internet Archive:
http://www.archive.org/details/QuestionsByJehovahsWitnesses
Probably the best mode to download on that page is PDF.
Here is a snippet of a couple sections of that letter. Remember, this was written by active JWs at the time:
PERSECUTION, BROUGHT ON BY WHOM?
Persecution has always been a part of serving God faithfully. However, is Christian
persecution to be expected primarily from the political or the religious enemies of God? Who
persecuted the prophets of old, the nations, or Jehovah's own people In His organization?
Who persecuted Jesus, Stephen and Paul, the nations, or the apostate leaders and their blind
followers in God's organization? On the other hand, hasn't Jehovah repeatedly used the nations
to punish his wayward idolatrous people? Was not Nebuchadnezzar used to punish the
rebel king Zedekiah who had rebelled against the "superior authority" of Babylon? Were not
the Roman armies in their role in destroying the "holy place" called "his (Jesus') armies in
70 CE? Is this why Paul could say that the superior authorities are "God's minister, an
avenger" to express wrath upon the one practicing what is bad"? So, according to Bible types,
do the nations usually serve as Christian persecutors, or as Jehovah's agents of judgement
on His people? If the ancient types are a pattern for today (Ro 15:4), what might we suspicion
if we are being persecuted by the nations? What should Jerusalem have suspicioned In 607 and
In 70?
The scriptures are clear in their admonition for Christians to be in subjection to the
superior authorities. Ro 13:l-4;Col 1:16;2:10; I Tl 2:1,2; Tit 3:1; I Pe 2:13.14; Pr 20:2
The Bible is not without its record of faithful men who served the superior authorities
closely, some even becoming superior authorities. Examples are Moses, Joseph, Daniel and
his three companions, Mordecai and the Christian "holy ones" of the household of Caesar.
Php 4:22 Elisha even permitted Naaman to subject himself to the king of Assyria to the
extent of aiding the king to bow to the false god Rlmmon. 2 Ki 5:18,19 If we take an un-
righteous stand against the nations, not properly subjecting ourselves to them, and they per-
secute us, is this "righteous Christian persecution," or actually punishment from Jehovah
and his ministers of wrath upon the ones practicing what is bad? Ro 13:1-4
Our brothers in Malawi are being persecuted because they will not purchase a party card.
The superior authorities of Malawi attach no religious significance to the card but rather
require the purchase of all who wish to be citizens. There is only one party in Malawi, and
thus the party is Malawi. (Awake! 12-8-75:4, para 3) Has the superior authority of Malawi
poked its finger in the eye of God by requiring this purchase in defiance of the directives
of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society? It is interesting that even Jesus' parents complied
with Caesar in registering, even though the registration was used in part for conscription
into the military. Lk 2:1-3; Aid, p. 1383 And Paul asserted his Roman citizenship. Acts 22:25
Brother Knorr and others at Bethel, readily sign passports which state: "I (e.g. N.H.Knorr)
a citizen of the United States..." "Citizenship" in itself is political. Can countries force
citizenship. Do the countries step on Jehovah's toes by so doing? Is it possible that we are
stepping on His toes by not being in subjection? Might it be, looking at the Bible types,
that the persecution in Malawi Is because of an unrighteous stand against God's superior
authorities? Is the stand of the brothers in Malawi, obedience to God or to the Watchtower
Society? The brothers readily carry WTBTS member cards. Is It any wonder our stand is viewed
as political? Are our brothers laying down their lives for Jehovah or for Brooklyn? Did
those in Jerusalem lay down their lives in 607 and 70 for Jehovah or their religious leaders?
If one feels it is the dictate of Brooklyn that is resulting in the persecution and death
of brothers, should we direct our letters of appeal to Malawi or to Brooklyn?
•WILL WE RECEIVE OUR JUDGEMENT WITHOUT MERCY?
There can be little question but that justice is extremely important to Jehovah.
Jesus came to send forth justice, and religions are to be Judged on the basis of their justice.
Deut 32:4; Isa 28:22; Jer 2:5;22:3.5; Mic 3:1,9; Mt 12:18-21; Lk 18:1-8; Ro 9:14 Would it
not follow that the matter of justice should be preeminently important to us? Would we not
want to make sure that we were just personally, and that we did not give support to a system
that was unjust or unscriptural?
When Jesus said that the third step of Mat 18 should be taken to the "congregation,"
why do we take It to a "committee?" Mat 18:17 Where Is the "judicial committee" found in
scripture? We reject the trinity partly because the term is not found In the Bible, do we
have a hypocritical double standard with regard to "judicial committee"?
If open hearings ("taking it to the congregation" Mat 18:17) help to insure justice,
and this was the clear pattern Jehovah has set for handling hearings, as the "Aid" book
clearly indicates (p. 384, last paragraph; p. 1053, paragraphs 3 and 4), why do we not follow
it if we are keenly concerned with justice being met? Why did Paul write: "reprove before
all onlookers. . .rebuke before the majority," if he had the idea of secret "judicial committee
hearings"? 2Co 2:6; I Ti 5:20 Why did Jesus condemn the things done in secret? Lk 22:53;
Jo 3:20,21;18:20 Were not the Injustices done to Jesus in large part due to stealth and
secrecy? Mat 26:4,5; Mr 3:6;12:13;14:i;26:65
If the committee commits injustice against "innocent blood, "(committees, made up of
sinful fallible men, are certainly not above committing injustices) and the congregation
follows suit by spiritually stoning the innocent one — they, of course, not knowing innocence
or guilt due to the secret nature of the hearings — where does the congregation stand in
Jehovah's eyes? Does not Jehovah "hate those shedding innocent blood"? Pr 6:7; See also
Jer 19:4;22:3,16,17;26: 15 Is the congregation removed from guilt because they were "only
following orders"?
Does the system of adjudication we presently have allow for gross Injustices? We know
that there are vast throngs of disfellowshipped ones out In the world, and is it possible
that in many of their cases "the way of the wicked ones is what has succeeded, that all those
commltting treachery are the unworried ones"? Jer 12:1 Is it possible of some of our dis-
fellowshipped brothers: "Look! the tears of those being oppressed, but they have no comforter;
and on the side of their oppressors there was power, so that they had no comforter"? Ec 4:1
Is it by accident that the secret system of disfellowshipping protects the brothers in
Brooklyn and their teachings from the critical eyes of those "testing the Inspired expression"?
I Jo 4:1 Is it not true that the Society and their representatives in the congregations are
trained to ferret out any who do not conform, who question, who alert others to error? Does
not the secret nature of hearings pretty much guarantee the Society protection, while the
brothers at large remain blind to the issues, the criticisms, perhaps even the truth? Does
not the system result in the casting out of any who challenge the position of those who like
the first place among us? 3 Jo 9,10
If only elders can restore sinners, why are the "incompetent sheep" allowed to study with,
teach and guide sometimes grossly debauched sinners from the world into the organization?
Are only the elders able to "save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins,** by "turn-
ing a sinner back from the error of his way"? Js 5:20 Why do the scriptures tell us ALL to
admonish one another? Ro 15:14; Col 3:16; I Thes 5:14
Where does the Bible say that disfellowshipped ones should be spiritually disfellowshipped
in addition to being socially disfellowshipped? Does our knowledge of God allow us to ever
stop from attending to help ailing ones? Why did Paul tell us to admonish such ones as
"brothers"? 2Thes 3:14,15 Why did Paul state that It was the OVERLY SEVERE TREATMENT OF AILING
ONES, DISFELLOWSHIPPED ONES, that was a design of Satan? 2Co 2:11 Jesus ate with harlots and
tax collectors and even said that these would go ahead of the self-righteous presumptuous
hypocritical leaders of God's organization into the Kingdom? Mr 2:16,17; Mat 21:31 If Jesus
would associate with such ones, admittedly not for social reasons, but to spiritually instruct
them, why do we treat wayward sick ones differently? It is true that those who have committed
the unforgivable sin are beyond forgiveness, but are we in a position to read hearts and
determine who has committed this sin and then cut brothers off assuming Jehovah's mercy has
run out for them? Heb 10:26; I Jo 5:16 Should Christian emphasis be on judging, cutting
brothers off, "keeping the congregation clean" (a phrase not found in the Bible), or on mercy,
humility and love? Mat 9:12,13;12:7; Jo 13:35 If Jesus' sacrifice was for us while we were
yet sinners, and Jehovah continued to approach his wayward, idolatrous, "disfellowshlpped"
nation of Israel, who are we to eschew and condemn by our actions those related to us in the
faith? Ga 6:10; Jer 3:12,13,22; Ez 18:23,30-32; WT 8-l-74:461
Is it our position to Judge, or Jehovah's? See Lk 6:33-37; Ro 5:6;8-10; Heb 10:30;
Js 4:11,12; 2Pe 3:9 Is it consistent with mercy, or even with logic, for us to treat those
who are most ill— which hard-core sinners are — the harshest? Is it sound medicine to with-
draw treatment when the patient becomes desperately ill? Who of us are without sin? Who of
us could stand If Jehovah did not extend repeated mercy? Who are we to do less to fellow
sinners? Mtt 7:1-5
If we must be at peace with our brother before our worship is acceptable, but we have
condemned by our actions and even words those who are spiritually ailing — and for those in the
congregation. Judgment has been made without knowledge of whether justice has been accomplished —
how do we stand with our God? How do we stand if we acquiesce to a system that may be un-
scriptural, unmerciful and tolerates injustice? Mat 5:23,24; Lk 6:27,28,32,33; Ro 13:10
Why is there no system of discipline for "committees" or the "Society" if they have
acted wrongly?