"Making sure of ALL things..."

Dear Watchtower Friends, and fellow seekers of Truth,

I write this letter out of the sincerity of my heart, having spent many hours working on it, praying over it, and seeking to present these issues in humility and honesty.

I WANT to follow TRUTH with all of my heart! Therefore, I MUST, CAREFULLY EXAMINE all claims of Truth with an open mind. The Bible, certainly, is TRUTH. On that issue, we agree. Since the Watchtower claims to be "Jehovah’s sole channel of Truth", it is in my best interests to compare this claim WITH SCRIPTURE, and to carefully examine the Watchtower’s own teachings during the course of its history. If they are, indeed, "Jehovah’s sole channel of Truth", their claim should stand up to this careful scrutiny (Make sure of ALL things...) If it does, then one should embrace it with gladness and "hold fast to what is fine"!

By the way, to avoid any confusion regarding "translational accuracy", I will refer to the New World Translation for all of my Scripture quotations in this letter.

First, I wish to examine the subject of "The Light is getting brighter", and the passage that this concept was derived from:

(14) "Into the path of the wicked ones do not enter, and do not walk straight on into the way of the bad ones. [...] (18) But the path of the righteous ones is like the bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established. (19) The way of the wicked ones is like the gloom; they have not known at what they keep stumbling"

The context of this passage refers specifically to the differences in the PATHS of the wicked, versus the PATHS of the righteous. It does not refer to the issue of Truth or Doctrine, per se. If this WERE to refer to Doctrinal "light" (which is claimed to be coming from God) becoming brighter, then such light must be TRUE, whether it is "old" or "new", because GOD CANNOT LIE. Jesus Christ is the Way, the TRUTH and the life. (John 14:6)

In my research, I discovered that Charles Taze Russell left the 7’Th Day Adventists in the late eighteen hundreds, and founded the Watchtower Society. He was concerned by the Adventist’s claims of "new light" which contradicted themselves. In his publication, Zion’s Watchtower, he denounced that practice. He published this statement less than two years after starting his magazine, as quoted here:

"If we were following a man undoubtedly it would be different with us; undoubtedly one human idea would contradict another and that which was light one or two or six years ago would be regarded as darkness now; But with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, and so it is with TRUTH; any knowledge or light coming from God must be like its Author. A new view of Truth never can contradict a former Truth. ‘New Light’ never extinguishes older ‘light’, but adds to it."

( Zion’s Watch Tower: February 1881, page 3, EMPHASIS mine. )

I have been told that the question "Will the Sodomites be resurrected?" was a "gnat", and I do tend to agree. HOWEVER, the issue is not so much the actual QUESTION, as it is the documented FACT that the Watchtower has REVERSED its answer to this, not once, but SEVERAL TIMES since it was first answered! This issue of completely changing the answer gives me some reason for concern. If this were an isolated incident, I could accept that. However, because I am very serious and devout in my search for TRUTH, Scripture compels me to "dig deeper". (Make sure of all things...)

In a much more recent edition of the Watchtower, they made a statement that really got my attention in a good way:

"It is a serious matter to represent God and Christ in one way, then find that our understanding of the major teachings and fundamental doctrines of the Scriptures was in error, and then after that, to go back to the very doctrines that, by years of study, we had thoroughly determined to be in error. Christians should not be vacillating - ‘wishy-washy’ - about such fundamental teachings. What confidence can one put in the sincerity or judgement of such persons?"

( Watchtower May 15, 1976 page 298, EMPHASIS mine. )

In the early days, the Watchtower originally taught that the "superior authorities" referred to in Romans 13:1-7 were human rulers. Then, a decade after World War 1, they changed this to say that these "superior authorities" were God the Father and Jesus Christ. (The truth Shall Make You Free 1943 edition, page 312.) This was also stated in the 1952 edition of Let God be True, Page 248.

Then, according to the 1959 edition of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, on page 91, the previous view (human rulers) was strongly denounced:

In the Watchtower May 15, 1980, page 4, the "superior authorities" of Romans 13 are once again referred to as human governments, reversing the strong condemnation of 1959 (which was, itself, a reversal of the original belief!)

In the 1993 edition of Jehovah’s Witnesses - Poclaimers of God’s Kingdom please look on pages 146-147, under the heading "The Light Shines More and More". Here, the book explains these doctrinal changes as "progressive understanding". It goes on to cite this particular example as a case-in-point:

"For example, in 1962, there was an adjustment of understanding regarding ‘the superior authorities’ of Romans 13:1-7.

For many years the Bible Students had taught these ‘superior authorities’ were Jehovah God and Jesus Christ. [...] Years later, a careful reanalysis of the Scripture was made [...] As a result, in 1962 it was acknowledged that the ‘superior authorities’ are the secular rulers..."

In this same volume, on pages 189-190, an unrelated discussion inadvertently acknowledges this:

"...in the period leading up to World War 1 [...] at that time they understood that the ‘superior authorities’ referred to at Romans 13:1-7 were the secular rulers".

This is the same conclusion allegedly made in 1962, and called "new light", but it was actually the ORIGINAL teaching. What disturbs me is that it appears as though they are ignoring the earlier flip-flop as though it did not occur. (Because to point it out would be an embarrassment.) It reminds me of the child who tries to get out of a lie by crossing his fingers behind his back, then when he gets caught, proclaims, "What I said before doesn’t count, because I had my fingers crossed behind my back!"

When we are dealing with something as significant as the TRUTHS of God’s Word, we cannot allow ourselves to ignore or quickly dismiss such serious issues as these. If the TRUTH is genuinely coming from Jehovah, then it should NOT be changed, then CHANGED BACK. For example:

James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect present is from above, for it comes down from the Father of the [celestial] lights, and with Him there is not a variation of the turning of the shadow." (Emphasis mine)

Malachi 3:6 "For I am Jehovah; I have not changed..."

Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever."

Scripture makes it quite clear that God does not change. His Word has remained unchanged since the writers first wrote it so long ago. My Faith rests firmly in the Lord and His Word, the Bible. The closer I examine the Bible, and the more I scrutinize it, the more I see the incredible way God has wrought TRUTH into every page! There are no contradictions in His Word! It is a wonderful and consistent revelation of Who He is, how much He loves us, and wants us to love Him. Even though centuries and even millennia had passed between the writing of the various "books" of the Bible, their harmony is undeniable, indicating that the Author TRULY IS JEHOVAH. ("For I am Jehovah; I have not changed...")

I cannot help but wonder about the Watchtower’s claim to be "Jehovah’s sole channel of truth" in light of the fact that they have contradicted themselves MANY times. God’s Word has never contradicted itself. I definitely feel better putting my Faith into that which we already know is infallible, The Bible.

The Watchtower has (correctly) criticized the Roman Catholic Church for the following:

"the religious hierarchy of the Vatican [...] belittles Bible study by the common people [...] by claiming that it is the only organization authorized and qualified to interpret the Bible." (Watchtower, July 1, 1943, page 201, EMPHASIS mine. )

However, they also made some statements which DEEPLY troubled me:

"God wants His earthly servants united, and so He has made understanding the Bible today dependent upon associating with His organization."

(Watchtower Nov 1, 1961, page 668)

"He does not impart His Holy Spirit and an understanding and appreciation of His Word apart from His visible organization" (Watchtower July 1, 1965, page 391)

"The Bible is an organizational book [...] for this reason the Bible cannot be properly understood without Jehovah’s visible organization in mind."

(Watchtower, Oct 1,1967, page 587, EMPHASIS mine. )

"... Jehovah God has also provided His visible organization [...] Unless we are in touch with this channel of communication that God is using, we will not progress along the road of life, no matter how much Bible reading we do."

(Watchtower, Dec 1,1981, page 27)

Is the Watchtower implying that God’s Word is inadequate??? I will allow the Bible to speak for itself:

2 Tim 3:16-17 (16) "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, (17) that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work."

2 Tim 4:1- (1) "I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, Who is destined to judge the living and the dead, and by his manifestation and His Kingdom, (2) preach the Word, be at it urgently in favorable season, in troublesome season, reprove, reprimand, exhort, with all long-suffering and [art of] teaching. (3) For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; (4) and they will turn their ears away from the Truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories.

1 John 2:26-27 (26) "These things I write you about those who are trying to mislead you. (27) And as for you, the anointing that you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to be teaching you, but, as the anointing from Him is teaching you about all things, and is true and is no lie, and just as it has taught you, remain in union with Him."

Hebrews 4:12 "For the Word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints and [their] marrow, and [is] able to discern thoughts and intentions of [the] heart."

There are other Scriptures, both in the Old and New Testaments, which build upon the fact that the Bible IS GOD’S WORD, and that it, alone, is sufficient for "teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness..." (2 Tim 3:16)

One should have serious concerns about placing ANY trust in an organization which has a very obvious tendency of changing some of its doctrines repeatedly, and reversing itself more than once on more than one issue.

I sincerely hope that I have expressed my concerns accurately. It is not my desire to be contentious or confrontational in any way. Instead, my desire is to be obedient to God’s Word, to "Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is fine." (1 Thes 5:21 )

Sincerely yours,

William Barnett III