Organization - The Keystone of JW Belief ---------------------------------------- Here are some WT's to back up my view on what I feel the keystone is. WT. 2/15/83 p.12 Must associate with organization to get life. WT. 11/15/81 p.21 Come to Jehovah's organization for salvation. WT. 3/1/79 p.1 Put faith in a victorious organization. WT. 6/15/38 p.182 Organization is God's not man. WT. 6/15/57 p.370 Respond to organization as you would God. WT. 3/15/69 p.172 Should influence our every decision. WT. 2/15/76 p.124 To disobey is to disobey Jehovah. WT. 12/1/81 p.14 Be ready to obey. Just as people in this country pledge allegiance to their nation JW'S do so to the WT organization. Notice how the baptism questions were changed to accomplish this. Now you get baptized to the spirit directed organization. See Old baptism question WT.5/1/73 p.280, New baptism question 6/1/85 p.30. Whereas up until 1985 your baptism was to Jehovah and Jesus. Would you call this subscribing to a man made creed? Or how about idol worship? Witnesses have been counseled about the taking of oaths to certain earthly organizations but fail to see the oath they take to the WT organization. Why was this done? It was to protect the WT organization from lawsuits from disgruntled members who try to sue the organization when they are kicked out. Remember the oath taken at baptism was an allegiance to obey the WT(F+DS) including all their unique teachings or take the severe consequences. See 4/1/86 WT p.31. The courts have sided with the WT and recognized this point also saying, you made a conscious oath and must follow through with it. The question is did they make a conscious oath or were they fooled? There are many JW'S who disagree with the WT on various issues but for them to speak out would mean possible disfellowshipping. So they meekly go along, even if it means going against their conscience. This is what you call being loyal to the cause, in fact when you think about the songs in the song book #8,#38,#42 these have to do with being loyal to the organization. Song #38 line 2 tells us to give the congregation our steadfast allegiance, but how far does that allegiance go. If the WT told us to do something that was against our conscience would we do it. Yet every member is told to believe in doctrines that are unique to JW'S even if the backing for them lacks substance see WT. 4/1/86 p.31. Did you know you could be disfellowshipped for not going along with all the dates and views of the organization even if they are proven wrong? Can you understand the Bible on your own? The 7/1/1943 WT. p.201-2 criticizes the Catholic Church for saying they are the only ones that can interpret the Bible. Notice the Quote " No creature or organization on earth can truly presume to sit as the supreme tribunal of interpretation of the Holy Bible." Even the 6/8/94 AW p.20 #6 said that the Jesus and the Apostle Paul did not view themselves as the sole authority on right and wrong. But what does the WT say about themselves, interpreting the Bible. WT. 9/15/1910 p.298-9 People cannot see the divine plan in studying the Bible alone. WT. 9/1/54 p.529 Bible cannot be fully understood without the Organization. WT. 7/1/73 p.402 Organization only one that understand deep things. WT. 2/15/81 p.17,19 Bible can only be understood by God's human channel. WT. 5/1/57 p.274 Same thought WT. 11/1/61 p.668 Same thought WT. 7/1/73 p.402 Same thought WT. 12/1/90 p.19 No matter how much Bible reading we do we would of never learned the" Truth" on our own. It sure sounds a lot like the Catholic Churches view. What happened to the millions of people in the past who never heard of Jehovah's Witnesses, or read any of their writings but studied the Bible with much more zeal and enthusiasm than anyone in our day? SEE Hebrews 6:10. How does the Watchtower feel about an examination of their beliefs? WT. 3/1/1894 p.1629 If you find something written by us that's not in harmony with the Bible don't circulate it. WT. 12/15/1914 p.377-8 Says if you find something better let us know. (Quote also in the 12/1/90 WT p.19} WT. 5/1/34 p.131 Encourages us to use our Bible to prove if what the WT says is wrong. WT. 8/1/78 p.12 We are not afraid of being exposed. AW. 8/22/84 p.28 Must be willing to submit to scrutiny. Riches book p.178 Says if you find a lie forsake it. WT. 8/15/50 p.263 Invites critical examination. WT. 11/15/63 p.688 It's not wrong to expose false religion. Truth book p.13 Tells us to examine our religion. AW 10/22/73 p.6 Examine both sides of a matter. WT. 6/15/85 p.12 Refer to older publications if needed. WT. 11/22/84 p.3-4 Article on having an open or closed mind. AW. 6/8/94 p.21 Encourages us to have freedom of thought. These are great articles but how does the WT really feel about people looking critically at their writings. WT. 5/1/57 p.284 Do not criticize the organization. WT. 3/15/86 p.16 Any questioning of the organization reveals a Satanic influence. WT. 2/1/52 p.80 We should meekly go along with the organization. Qualified Ministers book 1955 p.156 We should believe all things the WT says. WT. 2/15/81 p.18 Tells us not to be skeptical of slave class. WT. 1/15/83 p.22-27 Avoid independent thinking. WT. 6/1/67 p.338 Heavy research not needed only WT publications. WT. 4/1/86 p.31 Must accept beliefs unique to JW'S. WT. 5/1/84 p.31 Stay away from literature that deceives So as you can see what the WT says and what they mean is two different things. So I guess the WT battle cry can be summed up as follows UNITY AT ALL COST RIGHT OR WRONG. If this isn't a keystone than what is????? JIRIZ of the jesus-witnesses list ---------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/apl/jw: keystone.txt .