Is the Governing Body Committing Blasphemy?
© Jeffrey A. Thomas
The Primary Doctrine
A typical listing of the basic tenets of the Jehovah’s Witnesses (or their corporation, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society) is a laundry list of doctrinal matters: they do not believe in the Trinity, or Hellfire, they do believe in the coming destruction of wicked mankind, etc. (For example see http://www.religionfacts.com/jehovahs_witnesses/beliefs.htm) This author believes that THE central belief of the Witnesses, the core of their religion, is almost always left off of such a listing.
That belief is that Jehovah has an Organization, and that Organization is headed by the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witness.
This chart, published in the December 15, 1971 Watchtower, is a clear expression of how the Watchtower Organization views itself.
As we see God is at the top, then Jesus, then the “Faithful and Discreet Slave” of which the Governing Body is a part.
The idea of a class of people called the Faithful and Discreet Slave is in fact a convenient fiction for the Watchtower Society. According to Watchtower doctrine, over the course of time there have been 144,000 members of this class, selected and anointed by Jehovah to take charge of all his Earthly possessions. Currently there are about 8,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses claiming membership in this class.
When discussing the leadership of the WTBS, for a very long time it was stated that the F&DS was the real source of authority. The Governing Body was their instrument or administrative committee. For example: “ Today, that "slave" is represented by the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses." (The Watchtower, May 1, 1992, pg. 31).
There is no record that the members of the Faithful and Discreet Slave Class have met, or even communicated, as a body. Certainly the members of the Governing Body have not been selected by this group. However, it seems that the Watchtower does not want to reveal the fact that power has always been concentrated in a small group of men, or in the early days, one man. Therefore, it was always stated that Jehovah had given that class of people all authority.
In the last few years, the Watchtower has deemphasized the teaching that all authority has been granted to the Faithful and discreet slave. Unfortunately, the change has served only to concentrate power in the hands of Watchtower headquarters. For example the June 15, 2009 Watchtower states:
“Christians who have truly received this anointing do not demand special attention. They do not believe that their being of the anointed gives them special insight beyond what even some experienced members of the great crowd may have.”
In other words, all real authority to speak for God lies with the Governing Body. Additionally there is also growing anecdotal evidence that many of the decisions emanating from Watchtower headquarters have been generated by bureaucratic administrators, hence the notation in the quote above regarding the insight given long time members not of the “Slave” class.
Extent of the Governing Body’s authority
A few quotes from Watchtower publications will serve to demonstrate how the Organization views itself.
Note: the following are representative of a large body of information. The Last Popes of the Watchtower, a compilation of statements from Watchtower literature contains some thirty pages of quotes on the subjects “God’s Channel of Communication” “Jehovah’s Visible Organization” and “Jehovah’s Prophet”.
The Bible cannot be understood with the Organization:
“Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible. For this reason the Bible cannot be properly understood without Jehovah’s visible organization in mind.” The Watchtower, October 1, 1967, p. 587
The Organization will teach you everything you need to know:
"But in Jehovah's organization it is not necessary to spend a lot of time and energy in research, for there are brothers in the organization who are assigned to do that very thing, to help you who do not have so much time for this, these preparing the good material in The Watchtower and other publications of the Society.” Watchtower 1967 June 1
The Organization provides Salvation:
"And while now the witness yet includes the invitation to come toJehovah's organization for salvation ...”
Watchtower 1981 November 15 p.21
It must be obeyed:
“What, can we say, is the basic principle underlying the movement of Jehovah's living organization? It can be expressed in one word: OBEDIENCE.” Watchtower 1967 June 1
In 1985, the Watchtower solidified its place in the believer’s life when it changed the questions it asked baptism candidates prior to immersion. In order to be baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness one must affirmatively answer the following question.
“Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in association with God's spirit-directed organization?”
The question we must ask now is:
Does this edifice have any basis in Scripture?
The Watchtower booklet “Should You Believe in the Trinity” makes this statement in support of its claim that the Trinity is a false doctrine. “The New Encyclopedia Britannica observes: ‘Neither the word Trinity nor the explicit doctrine appears in the New Testament.’” (page 6)
A keyword search on www.biblegateway.com reveals that the terms “Governing Body” and “Organization” do not appear once in twenty-five different English language translations of the Bible. More significantly, the terms do not appear in the Watchtower’s own New World Translation.
Does the WTBS accept that their central doctrine is not found in scripture? Obviously not.
The WTBS cites the Jerusalem council described in the fifteenth chapter of Acts as evidence for a first century Governing Body. According to the WTBS, when a controversy over circumcision of gentile converts arose, the council decided on the correct course of action.
In fact, exactly the opposite happened. Paul and Barnabas related their activities and explained that non-circumcised gentiles were receiving the Holy Spirit. Clearly, God was making it known that circumcision was not required, as those in Jerusalem had been teaching. The group in Jerusalem recognized this and changed their teaching accordingly.
In modern terms, this is equivalent to a pair of circuit overseers traveling to Watchtower headquarters to offer up a correction to the Governing Body – and having it accepted.
There is no other record of any kind of council in Jerusalem or anywhere else, making rulings on conduct or doctrine that are applicable to all Christians. It would seem that the meeting the WTBS uses to justify the existence of the Governing Body was a one-off to decide this particular issue.
Additionally, the Bible offers up qualifications for episkopoi (Elders) and diakonoi (Ministerial Servants) at 1 Timothy 3:1-12. No where do we find qualifications for members of a Governing Body, or instructions on how to select them. Although the New Testament contains some general instructions as to how the Elders and Ministers are to run their churches, we find no instructions as to how a Governing Body should conduct its business.
For such an all-important body – we can’t understand scripture, or get saved without obeying its every dictate – would it not be logical that the Bible would give us some detail on the functioning of a “Governing Body.”
A similar point can be made regarding the so-called Faithful and Discreet Slave class. We are given no instructions as to how to recognize one, and they are given no instruction as to how they are to conduct God’s business for Him.
Abuse of scriptural support
A disturbing trend emerges when the Watchtower’s use of scripture to support its position is examined closely.
I have not been able to locate a scriptural source for the Watchtower’s assertion that the Bible cannot be understood without the Watchtower. This teaching seems to be based on circular reasoning: God is organized, therefore we are His organization, and His book can’t be understood without us.
A favorite verse regarding obedience is Acts 5:29 in which Peter tells the Jewish leaders “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.” But in Watchtower literature this verse is turned on its head, Jehovah’s Witnesses must obey a group of men, the Governing Body, over the dictates of their own consciences. The Watchtower Organization turns a scripture about obeying God into a commandment to obey the Watchtower.
The Bible is clear that salvation proceeds from faith, not membership in an Organization. (Romans 10:9,13 Ephesians 2:5,8) Yet the Watchtower insists that only by following the Watchtower can one be saved.
The Bible is also explicit in showing that God will be our teacher: “But the Advocate, the HolySpirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26
Another favorite scripture of the Watchtower’s is John 6:68. For example: "Furthermore, suppose a person was to separate himself from Jehovah's people. Where could he go? Is he not faced with the same issue that confronted Jesus" apostles when he asked them if they also wanted to leave him? The apostle Peter rightly replied: ‘Lord, whom shall we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting life.’" John 6:68
Watchtower 1988 March 15
Although Peter is speaking of Jesus, the Watchtower turns it into a comment about the Organization.
The examples above are a small sample of the numerous instances in which the Watchtower applies a scripture speaking of God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit to itself.
Is the Watchtower committing Blasphemy?
“Blasphemy includes the act of claiming the attributes or prerogatives of God, or ascribing these to another person or thing” Insight on the Scriptures P339
As we have seen the Watchtower has placed itself in a position of complete authority in the lives of its followers. It teaches them, they must obey it, they are dependent on it for understanding and salvation. These are clearly the attributes and prerogatives of God. By its own definition, quoted above, the Watchtower is committing blasphemy.
The Bible warns against such conduct.“I knowthat after my going away oppressive wolves will enter in among YOU and will not treat the flock with tenderness, and from among YOU yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.” Acts 20:29-30 NWT
Jesus also warns: “Look out that YOU are not misled; for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The due time has approached.’ Do not go after them” Luke 21:8 NWT
Is this not precisely what the Watchtower organization is doing, crying that we are to follow them as God’s personal representative, while proclaiming (falsely) that the end is here?
The problem with the Governing Body’s insistence on blind obedience (in my opinion) is that people believe what they say and arrange their lives accordingly. In the May 22, 1969 Awake Magazine, the Governing Body told young people that there was no need to go to college – the new system might well arrive before that they graduated. Now forty-three years later, those that took that advice are no doubt trying to determine how they will live when they retire. (This author was eighteen, and about to graduate high school when those words were written. I am now sixty.)
The May 22, 1994 Awake applauded children and their parents who accepted the Governing Body’s prohibition on blood transfusions. The cover of that issue featured pictures of a number of children who gave their lives in pursuit of perfection in following the Watchtower Society’s medical advice.
I believe that each of us is given free will for a purpose, that we find our own path to God, or if we wish, not to take any path at all. Any time we surrender a bit of our free will to someone – anyone – we give up a part of that God-given right, and gift, to be ourselves.
The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has made subtracting that gift from the lives of others its mission. And by accepting the dictates of the Governing Body, by adhering to the central doctrine of Watchtowerism, the Witnesses have allowed this to happen.
I can only hope that my words on this subject will, in some small way, cause some to question those that demand unswerving allegiance from them.
A personal comment: Having accused the Governing Body of blasphemy, I feel a need to tread lightly about my own qualifications on the subject. My college education was in English and Business. My occupation for the last thirty years or so has been as an accountant. I have, however, been an avid student of the Bible for a very long time. I am therefore (at most) an interested and informed theological amateur. The foregoing should be considered “food for thought” not a professional analysis of scripture.
I make no pretense of speaking for God, or acting in His stead.