Last part on this thread but more to come--From Captives of a concept:
O NE of the things that keeps Jehovah’s Witnesses con- vinced that the Watchtower Society is God’s organiza- tion is the fact that no matter where they live on earth they all believe the same. But the question is, Why do they have their “unity of belief”? They will answer this question the same way the July 15, 1996 Watchtower answers it...
But this too is just an illusion. The real reason why they all “speak in agreement” can be seen by looking at their teachings that have changed, such as those mentioned in Chapter 3. What Witnesses don’t notice is that they have always had this same unity of belief even when the Soci- ety’s teachings have not been based on the Bible. 142 This means that there must be another fundamental reason why they all believe the same.
One of the times this reason showed up was in a court case in Scotland in 1954. Although this example has to do with just one of their former teachings, the principle that came out of that trial applies to all their teachings whether they have ever changed or not.
The Walsh Court Case
During that trial former Vice President Hayden Coving- ton 143 was being questioned about the Society’s former
Since our beliefs are based on God’s Word, all of us speak in agreement.
teaching that Jesus had returned in 1874 to begin his Sec- ond Coming. Note carefully the reason he gave as to why Jehovah’s Witnesses had unity of belief about that teaching even though it was not true and therefore had not been based on the Bible...
Q: It was promulgated as a matter which must [have been] believed by all members of Jehovah’s Witnesses that the Lord’s Second Com- ing took place in 1874...? A: It was a false statement or an erroneous statement in fulfillment of a prophecy that was false or erroneous.
Q: And that had to be believed by the whole of Jehovah’s Witnesses? A: Yes, because you must understand we must have unity ... Q: Back to the point now. A false prophecy was promulgated? A: I agree to that. 144
Q: It had to be accepted by Jehovah’s Witnesses? A: That is correct. Q: If a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses took the view himself that that prophecy was wrong and said so, he would be disfellowshipped? A: Yes ... Our purpose is to have unity. Q: Unity at all costs? A: Unity at all costs... Q: A unity based upon an enforced acceptance of false prophecy? A: That is conceded to be true . 145
There was no suggestion that their unity of belief on this subject was because it was based on the Bible. Covington knew that if it was the Society would still be teaching it in 1954 just as they would still be teaching it today. The rea- son he ultimately had to concede was that their unity of be- lief was “based on enforced acceptance.” Witnesses were forced to either (1) accept that admitted “false prophecy” so the Society could maintain its “unity at all costs” or else (2) be disfellowshipped so the Society could maintain it.
In order to see that this is still the reality today, the fol- lowing example will deal with their more recent former teaching that the generation of 1914 would not pass away before the “new world” will be here.
So the boik then goes on to point out excellent examples of hypocrisy but alarmingly, how Jehovajs followers follow ideas that now are acceptable but ten, twenty, thirty years ago, have rejected....point blank like Captuves says: it diesnt matter if the doctrine is true or false bit rather if the GB teaches if its ture...peruod. To stray is to alienate and apostacise from "the truth".
So my flow friends, what do u make of it? Do witnesses foklow God or what men say God says?
