If Jehovah’s Witnesses turn away?
It is easy to see why people join the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Many come from dry religious backgrounds that had notsatisfied them. Then they meet some enthusiastic people who take God seriously. Their devotion and hard work is attractive. So often it is this emotional draw that brings people into religion. I have just read Esther Baker’s book ‘I once was a Buddist Nun’. She describes how she had led a dissolute life as a student but found this did not satisfy her. Then she met some Buddhists who were looking for more and their self-denying altruism attracted her and for many years she was a devotee. Yet the search for truth led her to seek out some Christians and she eventually became a Christian missionary.
There are countless stories like this from those who were first attracted to the devotion of the Jehovah’s Witnesses but who later began to question whether this organisation really was the voice of God and whether Jesus is much more than they teach. Unfortunately there is a trap as friendships often become restricted to members of the Witnesses and people are warned that if they question the Watchtower or leave the fellowship their eternal destiny is at risk.
The Watchtower publications explicitly instruct members to cut off contact with disfellowshipped individuals, including family members in many cases. Below are quotes from official Jehovah’s Witness literature that confirm this teaching.
1. Ostracism (Shunning) of Former Members
“Apostates are ‘mentally diseased,’ and they seek to infect others with their disloyal teachings. Jehovah, the Great Physician, tells us to avoid all contact with them.” Watchtower, April 15, 1988, p. 27
This encourages total avoidance of those who leave or criticise the organisation.
“A simple ‘Hello’ could be the first step that leads to a conversation and even friendship with one who is disfellowshipped… Do we obediently avoid that first step?” Watchtower, September 15, 1981, p. 22
“Loyal Christians do not associate with anyone who was disfellowshipped or who has disassociated himself from the congregation.” Watchtower, April 15, 2012, p. 12
Even greeting a disfellowshipped person is discouraged and this internal manual used by elders reinforces the practice of shunning.
“Disfellowshipped and disassociated ones are shunned by those who wish to have a good relationship with Jehovah.” Shepherd the Flock of God (Elders’ Manual, 2019, p. 111)
Leaving the organisation is equated with leaving God
“Such ones wilfully abandoning the Christian congregation thereby become part of the antichrist. A Christian must hate (in the biblical sense) those who have become haters of Jehovah.” Watchtower, October 1, 1993, p. 19
2. They teach that there are eternal consequences for leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses:
“We must hate in the truest sense, which is to regard with extreme and active enmity, those who have left the organisation. For there is no place in God’s new world for them.” Watchtower, November 15, 1952, p. 703
Bullying those who leave or threaten to leave is considered acceptable if it keeps them in the organisation as salvation is dependent on remaining in the organisation.
“If we were to leave Jehovah’s organisation, there would be nowhere else to go for salvation.” Watchtower, July 15, 1961, p. 420
“Disfellowshipped ones are cut off from eternal life unless they repent.” Watchtower, August 15, 1981, p. 28
Less known to the general public, until November 2023 their adherents had been required for the past century to make regular reports to their congregation’s leaders on how many hours they put into such ministry. Those hourly reports were a key metric for a congregation’s spiritual vitality and a factor in deciding who rose to leadership. Former adherents tell of pressure to meet these quotas and guilt when they didn’t.
The Watchtower claims to have a monopoly on teaching the truth
“There is nowhere else to turn for true spiritual food and the words of eternal life.” Watchtower, September 15, 2011, p. 16
In contrast Jesus taught that the truth was to be found in him and in the Word of God.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6
When Jesus stood before Pilate facing crucifixion he said,
“For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” John 18:37
Jesus’ very mission is to reveal truth to the world, and those who seek truth will recognise His voice. Jesus does not just teach truth—He is the truth. This means that knowing Him personally is the key to knowing ultimate reality and salvation.
God’s truth is found in God’s Word (Scripture). It is only through Scripture that we can know the mind of God. We are made holy, sanctified, following Jesus his prophets and apostles:
“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”John 17:17
This means the Scriptures are the ultimate standard for truth.
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4
Jesus affirms that it is God’s Word that feeds us and sustains life, so highlighting its authority.
It is the truth that sets people free. So often being members of a cult is very restrictive as its rules have to be kept. In contrast a Christian is committed to living for a person, the Lord Jesus and it is in this relationship with him, as in a close marriage relationship, that there is great freedom
“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32
The Bible teaches that leaving Jesus from being the focus of our lives will result in our having to face eternity without God whereas the Watchtower organisation teaches that leaving them means losing the opportunity for eternal life.
This why any person even considering joining this sect should investigate closely whether what they teach is really what the Bible teaches.
True Christians will be enthusiastic about their Lord and will talk about Jesus and the salvation he gives to his people. here are many Bible teaching churches whose members demonstrate this zeal and love for God.
