I was wondering about this because I don’t ever recall reading an apology from the Governing Body when it feels the need to change its understanding of scripture. I mean, has the Governing Body ever issued an apology to God and their fellow Jehovah’s Witnesses – begging for forgiveness – for the many errors in Bible doctrine that they want others to believe and insist came from God? We’ve all read their glaring mistakes on doctrine:
- Millions now living will never die
- Supposed dates when the end would come
- The timing of the end of the gentile times
- Timing of Christ’s inspection
- When and how Christ would return
- Identifying the superior authorities
- Declaring who will come back in the resurrection
- The use of the word “minister”
- The use of blood, and later, blood fractions
- This generation
- Condemning the United Nations while being members of that organization
- Teachings regarding the anointed, little flock and great crowd
- Identifying faithful and discreet slave
- Inventing a “Governing Body”
- And the list goes on and on
But have they ever said they are sorry for their hundreds of public talks, Watchtower studies, assembly and convention parts, and books that promoted these teachings, only to have them change later? Has the Watchtower ever printed an apology? Have they ever admitted that the information they preached – and threatened with disfellowshipping those who refused to believe – was merely made up, and that God isn’t to blame? Or have they instead insidiously suggested that GOD IS to blame because he gave them light, “light that gets brighter and brighter” (Prov. 4:18)? Since it is “impossible for God to lie” (Heb. 6:18), are they not calling God a liar by twisting that verse in Proverbs, thus tainting God’s “holy” name? Aren’t they just like the Pharisees and other religious leaders in Jesus’ day whom he condemned for lording it over the flock (Matt. 9:36) with their myriad laws and teachings?
Many Jehovah’s Witnesses seem intelligent. Don’t they ever wonder about these things?