JOHN HANDLEY OWED ME THOUSANDS..... After crying on the phone about how poor he was, I told him I would wipe the debt.........a few weeks later he bought a MERCEDES!!!
He is an Elder with the Ramsgate East Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses who everyone knows as 'Billy Liar' but no one does anything about it.
I update this site a lot. When I have been paid what I am owed, I will transfer the site over to it's previous owner, John Handley. If you want to help John pay his bill, here is a donation button or the chance to buy it outright!!
Currently Needed: £2500.00
I had created this site to show who John really is and was aboout to upload more but, i had a bit of a revelation.
Yeah you scammed me good, well done you.....but i have to thank John for a lot.
John Handley,
Thanks to you, Tracey and most people at the Hall for treating me and my family the way you did because it has got me to where I am today. I had done nothing wrong and the lies that went around were shocking.
I heard so many from people who claim not to lie, it rocked my faith to the core.
I could have given up but I'm more of a fighter, so I decided to rebuild my faith by starting at the beginning, so i bought every copy of the Watchtower and awake publication and managed to get a few early books as well so i could rebuild from scratch.
It made for some interesting reading and made me research further into The Bible and Watchtower Society, and the TRUTH hit me in the face.
As you know, I used to hate staying for the watchtower on Sundays and would leave or doze off (even though I would tell Dave I was just deep in prayer!).
I don't fall for the psychological entrapments that the watchtower is full of but I was almost 'IN' and was thinking of getting baptised.
I am so glad that i didn't go through with it and I have you to thank for it.
Your lies will catch up with you John.
Since getting away for the Jehovah's Witness cult, I feel better about myself. I can see their lies and how rotten they all are. Its like I have bought myself some life insurance and do not have to worry about what will happen quite as much! I pity anyone who has dealings with John Handley. If you want to share your experiences, sign our guestbook and leave a comment or send me an email to the above address.
"By clever and persevering use of propaganda even heaven can be represented as hell to the people, and conversely the most wretched life as paradise." —ADOLF HITLER, MEIN KAMPF.
Jehovah's Witnesses originated with the religious movement known as Bible Students, which was founded in the late 1870s by Charles Taze Russell. A schism erupted in 1917 at the beginning of the presidency of Russell's successor, Joseph Franklin Rutherford. Those who remained supportive of the Watchtower Society adopted the name Jehovah's Witnesses in 1931 under Rutherford's leadership. Those who did not support Rutherford formed various Bible Student groups which have retained Russell's teachings. Jehovah's Witnesses no longer use "Bible Students" as a formal name for their religion.
Russell's break with Barbour
In July 1879, Russell broke with Barbour over the concept of substitutionary atonement and he soon began publishing his own magazine, Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence (now known as The Watchtower). After the break, Russell retained the bulk of Barbour's eschatological views. He also maintained the Adventist rejection of the traditional view of Hell and by 1882 had rejected the doctrine of the Trinity. He became known as "Pastor Russell", and in 1881 formed the legal entity which developed into the non-profit organization: The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania (currently headquartered in New York City). In 1884, it was incorporated, with Russell as president. He authored the six-volume series, Studies in the Scriptures. Early editions predicted that Armageddon would culminate in the year 1914. Russell also wrote regarding his expectations: "We are not prophesying; we are merely giving our surmises . . . We do not even aver that there is no mistake in our interpretation of prophecy and our calculations of chronology. We have merely laid these before you, leaving it for each to exercise his own faith or doubt in respect to them." In 1914, Russell founded the International Bible Students Association in the United Kingdom.
Presidency of Joseph Franklin Rutherford
Following Russell's death on October 31, 1916, an editorial committee of five was set up to supervise the writing of the Watch Tower magazine, as set forth in Russell's Last Will and Testament. On January 6, 1917, Joseph Franklin Rutherford (also known as "Judge" Rutherford) was elected second President of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. A power struggle soon developed between Rutherford and four of the seven-member Board of Directors of the Society. Matters reached a climax on July 17, 1917 as the book The Finished Mystery was released to the headquarters staff in Brooklyn. Rutherford announced to the staff that he was also dismissing the four directors and replacing them with new members, claiming they had not been legally elected. The four dismissed directors set up the Pastoral Bible Institute and began publishing their own religious journal. Dissension and schisms ensued in congregations worldwide as a result of these events, and of the consequences of new predictions made for the years 1918, 1920 and 1925.
The Finished Mystery, published in 1917, was controversial in its criticism of Catholic and Protestant clergy and Christian involvement in war. Citing this book, the United States federal government indicted Rutherford and the new board of directors for violating the Espionage Act on May 7, 1918. They were found guilty and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. However, in March 1919, the judgment against them was reversed and they were released from prison. The charges were later dropped. Patriotic fervor during World War I fueled persecution of the Bible Students both in America and in Europe.
An emphasis on house-to-house preaching began in 1922. The period from 1925-1933 saw many significant changes in doctrine. Attendance at their yearly Memorial dropped from a high of 90,434 in 1925 down to 17,380 in 1928, due to the previous power struggle, the failed predictions for the year 1925, and the evolving doctrinal changes which alienated those who sided with Russell's views. By 1933, 1914 was seen as the beginning of Christ's presence, his enthronement as king, and the start of the "last days" instead of being considered the terminal date in their chronology. The editorial committee was disbanded with Rutherford having the final say regarding what went into Watchtower publications. The offices and election of elders and deacons were also discontinued during this era with all "servants" in local congregations being appointed by headquarters.
Hitler's Nazi Germany persecuted Jehovah's Witnesses and many were imprisoned in concentration camps. Their identifying badge was a purple triangle, In a book on Jehovah's Witnesses under the Nazi regime, Hans Hesse commented, "Some five thousand Jehovah's Witnesses were sent to concentration camps where they alone were 'voluntary prisoners', so termed because the moment they recanted their views, they could be freed. Some lost their lives in the camps, but few renounced their faith" During this time period, Witnesses also experienced mob violence in America and were temporarily banned in Canada and Australia because they were perceived as being against the war effort.
Under Rutherford, membership grew from about 21,000 in 1917 to about 115,000 at the time of his death in 1942.
Nathan Knorr, reorganization, and subsequent Presidents
Nathan Homer Knorr succeeded Rutherford as president of the Watch Tower Society. Known as an efficient administrator, Knorr founded the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead to train missionaries, as well as the Theocratic Ministry School to train preaching and teaching at the congregational level. Significant Supreme Court victories involving the rights of free speech and religion for Jehovah's Witnesses have had a great impact on legal interpretation of these rights for others. In 1943, the United States Supreme Court ruled in West Virginia State Board of Education vs. Barnette that school children of Jehovah's Witnesses could not be compelled to salute the flag.
Knorr's vice-president Frederick William Franz became the leading theologian, and is believed to have been the principal translator of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Also produced were a Greek-English New Testament interlinear (The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures) and a Bible dictionary (Aid to Bible Understanding). The offices of elder and ministerial servant (deacon) were restored to Witness congregations in 1972, with appointments being made from headquarters. Membership rose from 115,000 to over 2 million under Knorr's presidency.
During the 1960s and early 1970s, various references were made in Witnesses' literature and at assemblies, implying that Christ's thousand-year millennial reign might begin by 1975. The chronology pointing to 1975 was noted in the secular media at the time. From 1975 to 1980, there was a drop in membership following the failure of this prediction. In 1980, the Watchtower Society admitted its responsibility in building up hope regarding the year 1975.
In 1976, the leadership of Jehovah's Witnesses was reorganized, and the power of the presidency passed on to the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses of the Watch Tower Society after Knorr's death in 1977 have been Frederick William Franz, Milton George Henschel and Don A. Adams. However, since 1976, doctrinal and organizational decisions have been made by the Governing Body and they supervise the writing of Watchtower publications. Witnesses no longer teach that the generation of people alive in 1914 will survive until Armageddon, but are encouraged not to lose confidence in "the nearness of Jehovah's day of judgment"
Jehovah's Witnesses have an active presence in most countries, though they do not form a large part of the population of any country. Brazil, Mexico, and the United States are the only countries where the number of active Witness publishers exceeds half a million. As of August 2006, Jehovah's Witnesses have an average of 6.7 million members actively involved in preaching. Since the mid-1990s, the number of peak publishers has increased from 4.5 million to 6.7 million. However, there has been a decline in growth rates, from over 8% per annum in the mid 1970s, to 5% per annum in the mid 1990s, to about 2% per annum since 1999. Growth rates and activity reports tend to show significant geographical variation. The official published membership statistics only include those who have reported preaching activity. 'Inactive' members, who have either not been involved in preaching or have not submitted reports, are not included in the reported figures but may be reflected in the attendance at the Witnesses' annual Memorial, with over 16.6 million attending in 2006.
Organizational structure
The Watchtower Society was incorporated as Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society in 1884. Its directors served as the central Governing Body overseeing the global preaching of God’s Kingdom. This initial Governing Body was composed of five men and two women. As of 1971 the Governing Body consisted of the Board of Directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, a body of seven men, and the agenda of the Governing Body was set by the President of the Watch Tower Society, who was also a member. The Governing Body was enlarged by Nathan H. Knorr to include other members of the Society in 1971, and its membership rose to eleven men. In that year, the chairmanship of the group began to rotate annually.
Jehovah's Witnesses are currently led by a small Governing Body located at the Watchtower headquarters. The Governing Body operates in line with scriptual example. The number of men who make up the Governing Body has ranged from 9 to 17 and now stands at 9. The Governing Body, through the departments of its various legal organizations, directs the operation of the 112 branches throughout the world. Members volunteer to operate these facilities. Each branch assigns circuit overseers who travel among various congregations, spending a week with each. Within each local congregation, elders assigned by the branch organize the congregation's public ministry and schedule various speakers for congregational teaching. They also decide on qualified members of the congregation for the positions of elder or ministerial servant, requiring the approval of higher leadership.
Elders are prominent in congregational matters, particularly in religious instruction and spiritual counseling. Ministerial servants generally assist elders in a limited administrative capacity. Both roles are unpaid, but circuit and district overseers receive a small financial living allowance. All baptized Witnesses are considered to be ordained ministers and are expected to be able to provide religious instruction to others. Males are encouraged to qualify for responsibilities in the congregation and to work towards becoming ministerial servants or elders. Within local congregations the role of women is minimal in terms of responsibility. They cannot serve as elders or ministerial servants, though they carry out a large proportion of the preaching work, including helping others in the congregation to become more regular in preaching.
The legal instruments of Jehovah's Witnesses include corporations that represent the religion in legal matters. Most well known is the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. In 2000, three new non-profit corporations were organized:
Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Inc. coordinates all service (i.e., preaching) activities, including door-to-door preaching, circuit and district conventions, etc.
Religious Order of Jehovah's Witnesses, Inc. coordinates the activities of those involved in full-time service, including pioneers, missionaries, and circuit and district overseers.
Kingdom Support Services, Inc. controls construction of new Kingdom Halls and other facilities and holds the titles to Society-owned vehicles.
Publications
The publishing arm of Jehovah's Witnesses, known as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania engages in extensive publication work. In addition to their two magazines— 'The Watchtower' and 'Awake!' — they also publish many brochures, tracts, books, Bible maps, and encyclopedias including the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. All publications now available in 432 languages.
The Watchtower has been published since 1879. This magazine is published twice a month and is now available in 161 languages. It is the Witnesses' main journal and its articles are considered authoritative. It features articles primarily dealing with Bible topics and interpretation. Organizational news and biographies of various members are also occasionally included. Beginning in 2008, only the first issue of each month will be distributed to the general public. The second issue of each month will not be offered to the public but will contain congregational study articles and other inter-organizational information.
Awake!, a general interest magazine, has a wider scope than the Watchtower, publishing articles on science, nature, and geography, usually with a religious slant. Earlier titles for this magazine were The Golden Age (1919–1937) and Consolation (1937–1946). It is now published monthly and is available in 81 languages.
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures is a translation of the Bible by the New World Bible Translation Committee, last revised in 1984 in English. It extensively uses the name Jehovah, an English version of the Hebrew Tetragrammaton, also replacing the Greek word for "Lord" over 200 times in the New Testament. It is now available in 64 Languages. The translators have opted to remain anonymous but others have identified them as being prominent leaders of the movement.
Jehovah's Witnesses print all publications at 8 branch offices located around the world. Since 1 January 2000 all publications are offered free of charge world-wide.
Beliefs and practices
Witnesses consider the entire Biblical canon, excluding the Apocrypha, to be the inspired word of God. They interpret many scriptures literally, though they acknowledge that biblical writers and characters also employed symbolism, parable, figures of speech, and poeticism. They hold that the Bible alone should be used for determining issues of doctrine. Interpretation of scripture and codification of doctrines is considered the responsibility of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses. Jehovah's Witnesses view God as the creator of everything and supreme being, the sovereign of the universe. They believe that God's name is Jehovah (an English form of the Hebrew Tetragrammaton), and that its use is a requirement for true worship. Jesus is believed to be God's first creation, and thus is considered to be an independent entity from God who was used by Him to create everything else. Jesus is literally the only begotten Son of God, is considered to be the archangel Michael and received his life from God. He is the only means by which to approach God in prayer, and is also the means of salvation for all worthy mankind. They believe that Jesus Christ is head of the Congregation, and all must obey him. His role as mediator of the "new covenant" is limited to those going to heaven to rule along with Christ, whose number totals 144,000. The vast majority of Jehovah's Witnesses expect to live on a renewed paradise on Earth. They believe that Jesus did not die on a cross but on a "torture stake". The holy spirit is not a person but is God's active force. The soul is the person itself, not an immortal immaterial entity that dwells inside the body. Thus, souls of deceased persons are considered dead, and death itself is a state of non-existence with no consciousness. Hades or Sheol is the designated common grave of all mankind. They do not believe in any Hell of fiery torment. The year 1914 marks the return of Christ, which is understood to have occurred invisibly in heaven. At that time Christ became Earth's king and the "last days" began. In 1918, those of the 144,000 who had died were resurrected as spirit creatures to heavenly life. Since then, any remaining members of the 144,000 who die are instantaneously resurrected to heavenly life. Armageddon is considered to be imminent. After false religion is destroyed, governments also face destruction. Any who are not deemed faithful by God will be destroyed with no hope of resurrection. The fate of some, such as small children or the mentally ill, remains to be decided by God. After Armageddon, an unknown number of people, both righteous and unrighteous, who had died (prior to Armageddon) will be resurrected, with the prospect of living forever in paradise.
Their view of morality sometimes reflects conservative Christian views, in other cases it is radically different. Homosexuality and premarital sex are considered sins. Abortion is considered murder. Modesty is heavily encouraged in dress and grooming. Gambling is strictly forbidden. The family structure is patriarchal. The husband is considered the final authority on family decisions, but is encouraged to solicit his wife's thoughts and feelings. Marriages are required to be monogamous. Blood is not to be eaten, stored or transfused. Medical procedures involving certain blood fractions are left to conscience. Practices associated with nationalism or other religions are avoided. Weddings, anniversaries, and funerals are typically observed; however, common celebrations and religious or national holidays such as birthdays and Christmas are regarded as unchristian and are not celebrated. Witnesses are perhaps best known for the efforts to spread their beliefs throughout the world. They do this mainly by visiting people house to house, but also in a variety of other ways. They use Watchtower publications to explain their beliefs. Literature is published in many languages through a wide variety of books, magazines and other publications, with some publications being available in as many as 410 languages. Witnesses are encouraged to devote as much time as possible in preaching activities. College and university education is discouraged due to the nearness of Armageddon, and a perceived immoral atmosphere at these institutions.
Jehovah's Witnesses are politically neutral. They feel that their allegiance belongs to God's Kingdom, which is viewed as an actual government. Thus they refrain from saluting the flag of any country or singing nationalistic songs. They believe that such an act would be tantamount to worshipping an idol. Members are expected to obey all laws, including the paying of taxes, of the country in which they reside, so long as these do not violate what they view as God's law. The political neutrality of Jehovah's Witnesses is also expressed by their refusal to participate in military service, even when such is of a compulsory nature, and by their detachment from secular politics. Since 1996, alternative military service is viewed as acceptable. Since 1999, Jehovah's Witnesses are discouraged, but no longer prohibited, from voting in elections.
Aid work after large natural disasters is considered an important part of their work, though secondary to their preaching effort. Large sums of donated money are used in the affected areas to rebuild communities and provide aid. The focus of relief efforts is primarily on helping fellow members and rebuilding Kingdom Halls, while occasionally providing assistance to non-members in need near the area in which they are working. Examples of relief work include that provided to Hutu and Tutsi victims during the Rwandan genocide, as well as to Congo refugees. Witnesses have also had an active share in the relief work of Hurricane Katrina in the United States of America. The preaching work is promoted to members as a form of humanitarian effort by purportedly giving people hope for the future based on God's Kingdom. Members are encouraged to participate in the preaching work and to donate to the Watchtower Society's "Kingdom Work" fund.
The most important annual event is the commemoration of Jesus' death (referred to as "the Memorial") held after sundown on the date corresponding to Nisan 14 on the Hebrew calendar (usually in March or April). Onlookers do not partake of the emblems representing Christ's flesh and blood unless they believe they have the heavenly hope. Typically, in most congregations no one partakes since almost all Witnesses today believe their hope is to live on a paradise earth. Weekly meetings are held in buildings called Kingdom Halls and in private homes, featuring a variety of discourses. Elders and ministerial servants deliver the majority of these. Training in public speaking is provided for all members to aid them in their preaching activities. Larger conventions are also held periodically in special Assembly Halls or in rented facilities.
Congregational discipline
Jehovah's Witnesses employ various levels of congregational discipline as formal controls administered by elders in the congregation. The determination of guilt or innocence is judged by a tribunal of elders. A variety of controls can be enforced, from a restriction of duties performed in the congregation to excommunication, known as disfellowshipping, and shunning by the congregation. Members who are disfellowshipped have an opportunity to regain membership.
Congregational discipline is administered by congregation elders through a 'judicial committee'. If an accusation (or confession) of what the religion regards as serious wrongdoing is made against a baptized member of the congregation, and there appears to be sufficient substance to the accusation, then a judicial committee (usually consisting of three elders) formed to review the facts and to determine if there is sufficient proof of evidence or admission to offer counsel or to administer discipline. Marking is employed when a member persists in conduct that is considered a clear violation of Scriptural principles, yet not of a sufficient seriousness to warrant disfellowshipping. If the conduct of the individual is considered a danger to the members of the congregation, a talk may be given regarding the conduct (without naming the individual), thus 'marking' the member in the minds of those who know of the conduct, based on their interpretation of 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 13-15. Though such a person would not be shunned, social interaction outside of formal worship settings would be minimized. Reproof involves sins which are more serious than those for which one would be "marked". Reproof is given before all who have knowledge of the transgression. The most severe discipline is disfellowshipping. The factor determining whether an individual would be disfellowshipped or not is based on the Judicial Committee's assessment of whether the wrongdoer shows evidence of repentance by his actions. The Judicial Committee asks probing questions and reviews actions of the member being considered, ascertaining which scriptural law has been violated in consultation with guidelines provided by the Governing Body. Baptized members who oppose essential Scriptural doctrine, or organizational teachings may be disfellowshipped for apostasy after repeated admonitions. Once the decision to disfellowship has been made, a person has seven days to appeal. If no legitimate appeal is made, the disfellowshipping will be announced to the congregation by letting them know that the person "is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses". If a member does appeal the decision a special Judicial committee is formed of at least 3 different elders, typically from neighboring congregations. After a member has been disfellowshipped, all congregation members avoid all association with that person. Exceptions are made in business and family household situations. If the disfellowshipped person is living in the same home with other baptized family members, religious matters are not discussed, with the exception of minors, for whose training parents are still responsible. Disfellowshipped family members outside the home are shunned. Disfellowshipped members are encouraged to attend Kingdom Hall meetings, but are not allowed to take an active part in meetings or the ministry. Members can officially leave the religion by writing a letter stating that they no longer wish to be known as Jehovah's Witnesses, 'disassociating' from the congregation; Thereafter, they are treated in the same way as those who are disfellowshipped. In rare cases elders may also determine a member has disassociated himself by their actions. Both result in shunning. If a disassociated or disfellowshipped individual requests reinstatement to the congregation, a Judicial Committee, usually consisting of the elders who sat on the original committee if available, is formed to review the evidence. Once a decision is made to reinstate, a brief announcement is made to the congregation that the disfellowshipped member is once again one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Each year, the elders make an attempt to remind disfellowshipped ones of the steps they can take to qualify for reinstatement.
The current procedure that is followed when allegations of abuse are reported is based on a strict application of the principle at Deuteronomy 19:15: "No single witness should rise up against a man respecting any error or any sin, in the case of any sin that he may commit. At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses the matter should stand good" (New World Translation). If an allegation of child abuse is made, and the alleged perpetrator denies it, the local congregational elders will investigate to see if there can be any others who can substantiate the claim. If there are none, the elders do not disfellowship the accused individual, since the accusation may have no merit. The religion will act only on cases where there have been two witnesses to child sex abuse to protect their flock. However, according to the Jehovah's Witness Office of Public Information: "Even if the elders cannot take congregational action, they are expected to report the allegation to the branch office of Jehovah's Witnesses in their country, if local privacy laws permit. In addition to making a report to the branch office, the elders may be required by law to report even uncorroborated or unsubstantiated allegations to the authorities. If so, we expect the elders to comply. Additionally, the victim may wish to report the matter to the authorities, and it is his or her absolute right to do so." In 1997 it was also stated that, "for the protection of our children, a man known to have been a child molester does not qualify for a responsible position in the congregation" (e.g. serving as elders, ministerial servants, or pioneers). A similar stand is taken as regards a woman known to be a child molester. However the matter is not made public to the congregation to avoid negative feelings developing amongst the members. This would be upheld even if the crime was committed years before, or prior to the person's becoming a Witness. The general policy is not premised as punishment to the offender, but seen rather, by the religion, as a means of protecting the congregation's members.
The official teaching of Jehovah's Witnesses regards blood as sacred and rejects allogeneic and pre-operative autologous transfusions of whole blood, red cells, white cells, platelets or plasma. This is based on an understanding of the Biblical admonition to " abstain from ... blood," based on Acts 15:28, 29, and also on Leviticus 17:11,12, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood ... No soul of you shall eat blood," and of Genesis 9:3, 4, which they understand to be the first instance of "the Bible’s clear prohibition against taking blood into the body." Although accepted by a majority of Jehovah's Witnesses, evidence indicates a minority does not wholly endorse this doctrine.
Baptized Witnesses who violate the prohibition on blood are subject to organized communal shunning. However, it is a personal decision on how their "own blood will be handled in the course of a surgical procedure, medical test, or current therapy." This is qualified by their understanding that "collecting, storing, and transfusing of blood directly contradicts what is said in Leviticus and Deuteronomy," so their position is they do not "store for transfusion our blood that should be ‘poured out." Of course, in current medical practice, whole blood transfusions are very rare, and individual blood components are used instead. While Witnesses may not accept red cells, white cells, platelets or plasma, they may accept any fractions made from these components. However, if a fraction, "makes up a significant portion of that component" or "carries out the key function of a primary component" it may be objectionable to them but is permissible.
Jehovah's Witnesses have been known to highlight dangers of blood transfusions. Witness representatives have stated that plasma volume expanders are often sufficient to take care of various medical emergency situations. However, Witnesses explain that their objections to blood transfusions are for religious reasons.
A growing number of hospitals are offering bloodless techniques in medicine and surgery. A number of medical professionals have credited Jehovah's Witnesses and their related organizations for their contribution to the dissemination of information regarding bloodless surgery techniques. Experts in the medical surgical profession have collaborated with Jehovah's Witnesses to produce information regarding the benefits of bloodless techniques and therapies.
Witness publications have acknowledged that abiding by this doctrine has led to premature deaths due to blood loss, but there are no published statistics on total deaths. However, regarding the single patient presentation of pregnancy, a 2002 medical journal stated: "In the CEMD the very high risk of mortality in women who refuse blood transfusion was highlighted. The death rate in this group was 1 per 1,000 maternities compared with an expected incidence of less than 1 per 100,000 maternities."
In her article in the Journal of Church and State, Kerry Louderback-Wood alleges that labeling the currently acceptable blood fractions as "minute" in relation to whole blood causes followers to misunderstand the scope and extent of allowed fractions. She also claims that Witness publications exaggerate the medical risks of taking blood and the efficiency of non-blood medical therapies in critical situations. However, blood transfusions still pose risks and can lead to complications, including death. Many hospitals require close monitoring of patients who have received blood transfusions up to 24 hours after treatment.
Ethical concerns in managing blood crisis situations in pediatric cases has sometimes led to transfusions being administered to children against family wishes. Some medical ethicists contend that "serious ethical violations are currently used to enforce the blood policy" among Jehovah's Witnesses, including the suppression of dissident views within the religion. Witness leaders have defended these policies as obedience to scripture and religious conscience.
Controversy
Main article: Controversies regarding Jehovah's Witnesses
Witnesses teach that after the death of the last apostle, the Church gradually diverged, in a Great Apostasy (2 Thessalonians 2:6-12), from the original teachings of Jesus on several major points. Thus most of the doctrines of Jehovah's Witnesses differ from those of mainstream Christianity, and are considered heresy by most mainstream Christian scholars. Possibly the most controversial doctrinal differences relate to the nature of God and of Jesus, particularly the Jehovah's Witnesses' rejection of the Trinity. In contrast with trinitarian doctrine, they believe that Jesus was not God in a human body, but rather that he was created by God. The beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses about hell, the immortality of the soul, the return of Jesus to the earth, and salvation are also controversial.
Some scholars have criticized the New World Translation, the translation of the Bible published by Jehovah's Witnesses, stating that the group has changed the Bible to suit their doctrine and that the translation contains a number of errors and inaccuracies.
A number of books have been published that are critical of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society. Critics state that the Watchtower Society has made a number of unfulfilled predictions and doctrinal changes over the years, while claiming that it is the "one and only channel" used by God to continually dispense truth.
Raymond Franz, a former member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, has challenged the Witnesses' policies on blood transfusions, stating that their requirements are inconsistent and contradictory. However, to Witnesses blood as the fluid per se is not the real issue, it is what it represents. They say that "the important thing is that respect has been shown for the sanctity of blood, regard has been shown for the principle of the sacredness of life" represented by the blood. When the blood has been drained from an animal, the respect has been shown to God and then a person may eat the meat even though it may contain minute traces of blood.
Critics have also argued that various Witness policies and practices — including the treatment of members who dissociate themselves or who have been disfellowshipped by the congregation, limiting of external information about the group from former members, and the regulation of members' lives — limit the ability of members to exercise personal freedom. Witnesses teach that "freedom to make decisions [is] to be exercised within the boundaries of God’s laws and principles." And that “only Jehovah [is] free to set the standard of what is good and bad.” However, the leadership promotes itself as the channel God uses to interpret and instruct members about "what is good and bad."
Some countries such as Uzbekistan, Cuba, Belarus, and the city of Moscow have opposed the building of facilities (such as Kingdom Halls) and the holding of large conventions in their territory. Though such opposition is at times specifically directed at the religious group, at other times more mundane concerns are involved, such as traffic congestion and noise. In some legal cases, such as Congrégation des témoins de Jéhovah de St-Jérôme-Lafontaine v. Lafontaine (Village), disputes that have apparently been about appropriate land use have come out of religious bias, according to Jehovah's Witnesses' claims.
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (the organization run by the Governing Body of the Jehovah's Witnesses) claims that it is the sole channel of information between God and humanity.
They base this claim on a complicated, Bible-based chronology devised by the Adventist N.H. Barbour in 1875. The founder of Jehovah's Witnesses, Charles Taze Russell, obtained many of his ideas from Adventists and others who speculated in Bible prophecy. In 1884, Russell founded the Watchtower Society, which became the legal corporation used by the International Bible Students, the early name for Jehovah's Witnesses.
The chronology stated that Jesus had invisibly returned to earth in 1874 to set up his kingdom, and that in 1914, at the end of the "Gentile Times", Jesus would come to judge the earth and annihilate the wicked.
When nothing supernatural happened in 1874, the Watchtower Society started transferring all of the doctrines about 1874 to 1914. They explained that Christ's kingdom had been set up invisibly in 1914, and that although secular governments were still in place, their rule was no longer valid. Based on the Society's writings, Jehovah's Witnesses looked forward to momentous events in the year 1918.
When nothing supernatural happened in 1918, the Watchtower Society looked forward to momentous events in 1925.
When nothing supernatural happened in 1925, the Watchtower Society lost three quarters of its members.
Charles Taze Russell had been held to be the "Faithful and Wise Servant" of Matthew 24:45-47, but by 1928 the Society applied that to its leaders. They taught that the scripture was a prophecy, and that in 1918 they had been chosen by Jesus "over all that he hath". Since they believed Jesus was ruling the world invisibly, they claimed for themselves a position as God's channel of communication with mankind.
The Society checked its predictions and explained that all of the prophecies in Matthew 24 and 25 would take place within a "single generation" (Matthew 24:34), so the time of "the end of the world" (Matthew 24:3) could be delayed as long as 30 or 40 years. In 1929, the Society built a mansion ("Beth Sarim") to house the resurrected prophets, who were expected to arrive soon. The new definition of "generation" promised momentous events during the 1940's.
When nothing supernatural had happened by 1945, the Society extended the meaning of "generation" to 80 years (the maximum lifespan of a typical man, as explained in Psalms 90:10). "Beth Sarim" was eventually sold.
Although 1914 plus 80 equals 1994, in 1966 the Watchtower Society decided that the year 1975 was "significant", because they had calculated that it marked the end of six thousand years since the creation of Adam and Eve. Watchtower publications strongly hinted that "the end" would come in 1975.
When nothing supernatural happened in 1975, the Watchtower Society lost many members. It explained that the time between Adam's creation and Eve's creation was not known, so the 1975 date was only speculative.
In 1980, the Society suggested that the Witnesses and the publishing staff had been overly enthusiastic about the "possibility" of Armageddon in 1975. This failed to lure back thousands who had left, but regular door-to-door preaching restored the rapid growth the Witnesses had enjoyed since the "significance" of 1975 had been announced.
When the year 1994 arrived (1914 plus 80 years), nothing supernatural happened. The Society had not ascribed any special significance [1] to 1994, but the "generation" issue was becoming awkward. The ranks of the Society's special members (the 144,000 who were "anointed", based on an interpretation of Revelation) were dying out. The claim that Jesus had appointed the Watchtower Society special status in 1918 was becoming hard to defend.
In 1995, the Watchtower Society decided that "generation" did not mean a physical generation (i.e. 80 years) but meant "age", as in "era". This extended the "end times" indefinitely, although when the last of the 144,000 special members die out, the Society will have to be run by regular members.
A close inspection of Matthew 24:34 in context makes the "age" interpretation hard to understand, since Jesus speaks of the generation "passing away" (which sounds like a physical event). The Watchtower Society states that it alone understands that "generation" means "age" because it has special status, which was granted to it in 1918.
The Watchtower magazine, published by the Society, has said the end is "soon", in every issue since it was first printed ... in 1879.
The Watchtower and Tobacco.
The H M Riley Trust is a U.S. trust that has the Watchtower Society as the sole beneficiary. Basically, it is a vehicle to make income for the Watchtower, using assets left by Henrietta Riley. The income generated by the trust is transferred to the Watchtower by means of a "donation". For the year ended April 30, 2002, the trust generated income of $1,740,127 and donated $1,945,645 to the Watchtower. In comparison, for the 2001 year the trust generated $2,939,731 in income, and donated $3,285,050 to the Watchtower. The difference between income and expenditure is made up by realising gains on the assets held.
One name that jumps out from the list above: Philip Morris Companies Inc, one of the world's largest manufacturers of cigarettes and tobacco products. Philipmorris.com states:
The Philip Morris name has long been associated with high quality tobacco products and globally recognized cigarette brands. Today the name is proudly carried by the leading cigarette manufacturer in the United States, Philip Morris USA, and by Philip Morris International, the world’s leading international cigarette business with products sold in 160 countries worldwide.
Thus, the trust has made an investment in a cigarette company, with the object of generating income which will be transferred to the Watchtower Society.
The Watchtower and Smart Bombs
The Watchtower Society owns 50% stock in Rand Cam - so much for its pacifist claims and prohibitions on political involvement. Among their products is an engine used in smart bombs.
“On December 6, 2001 we announced that a U.S. Navy contract (SBIR No1-144) has been awarded to Advanced Ceramics Research (prime contractor) and REGI U.S., Inc. to build and test a Naval 0.5 horsepower ceramic engine. The proposed engine is a four stroke Rand Cam engine utilizing continuous injection and combustion in a single combustion chamber. The engine will be of all ceramic construction to permit high temperature operation, without cooling, to effectively burn heavy oil. This new motor will be developed for powering the U.S. Navy’s new Smart War-fighter Array of Re-configurable Modules (SWARM) low cost unmanned aerial vehicle. On April 4, 2002 we announced that we signed an agreement to grant a license to Advanced Ceramics Research, Inc. (”ACR”) for the Rand Cam based motors for 10 H.P. or less for the SBIR No 1-144 Navy Contract for the remote piloted applications. We agreed that a 5 year contract will also be granted to ACR for the Rand Cam concept motors for the commercial and military rights for the applications developed under the Navy contract for 10 H.P or less.”
