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The Watchtower Society's Doctrine of Submission and Fear

by Ruth Baker  
9/11/2008 / Christian Living

One of the most important core doctrines of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society concerns "Babylon the Great", the harlot that rides the scarlet colored beast (Rev. 17:-18:34). This is such importnt information to know since very few people outside the organization know about it or, if they do, they really don't understand what the full meaning it has to a Jehovah's Witness. It reality, this doctrine serves a two-fold purpose: it solidifies the power and authority of the WTBTS, and at the same time creates a fear within each one that results in isolation from society and into deeper reliance on the Society and other Witnesses.

The Watchtower Society's basic doctrinal concept of "Babylon the Great" begins with the recognition that there are two powers that rule and reign. On the one hand is Jehovah
God with His righteous kingdom. On the other hand is Satan with his kingdom of sin, evil, and darkness. Each of these powers have kingdoms, in J.W. views, which exist both in the spiritual and earthly realms with organizations that carry out each ruller's plans.

First, they teach that Jehovah has His heavenly Kingdom of the Heavenly Jerusalem and filled with spirit beings, angels who obey God. He also has a representation of His Kingdom on the earth, a chosen organization that has exclusive revelation and guidance from Jehovah: The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. They consider the Society as the only true Christian belief. Nearly all of their focus is concentrated on the earthly organization.

This is a pretty bold doctrine. So, how did they get there? They believe, as the Bible teaches, that Jesus spoke the Word of God's Truth while he was here on the earth. This is true. They also believe the prophecy stating that apostasy would enter the church through false prophets and false teachings which is also true. HOWEVER, they believe, not true, that the Church no longer contained the truth and God withdrew His favor, direction, and revelation until a later time: the time of the end, the end of the Gentile times.

According to their doctrine, Jehovah corrected this state of affairs and resored His Truth and the True Church just prior to the beginning of the end-times. Thus, they claim that Jehovah made this restoration through Charles Taze Russell who supposedly received special revelations. These "revelations" centered around the end of the Gentile Times, the second coming of Christ (invisible), and the invisible establishment of God's Kingdom. Therefore, they constantly drive it into the minds and hearts of Jehovah's Witnesses that the Society is the only true church that God has ordained; they have the only true doctrines; membership in the Society is the only hope a person has of protection from God's wrath of destruction and annihilation at Armageddon; the Society is the only protection you have from Satan. Consequently, the organization is your only hope of life.

On the flip side of this is Satan's kingdoms. He initially rules from heaven (in their view, this is in earth's outer atmoshpere) and has evil, unclean spirits--demons--that carry out his will. Now here is where things get interesting.

What is Babylon the Great? They claim that it is Satan's earthly empire of false religions, false teachings, and religious institutions. She is a harlot because she has prostitued herself with the world, and also parades under the guise of true Chrisitanity.

What about the scarlet-colored beast that the harlot rides on? The WTBTS believes that it is all the national governments, political ideologies, and worldly institutions. In essence, it is constituted of anything and everything that is outside of the WTS and its followers.

The bottom line is that all power and authority is given to the Society's president and board members. They are completely authoritarian and make all decisions regarding doctrines, biblical interpretations, rules, books, other literature, dress, leadership, meeting structure, and much more. No one can disagree with any of their decisions on any matter. It is instilled in every J.W. that to diagree or question them constitutes rebellion--not just against the Society--but against Jehovah God Himself.

They couple all of the above with the biblical warning that friendship with the world is enmity with God. Therefore, J.W.s are not to have anything more to do with people or worldly insitutuions, other than that which is absolutely necessary, that lies outside of the Witnesses and the organization. Otherwise, a person may find themselves in opposition to Jehovah and incure His wrath of destruction and annihilation at Armageddon, which is due to happen any minute.

Overall, it is very difficult and inconceivable for most non-J.W.s to understand how someone could willingly and completely submit to a religion that propigates such fear and domination over them. Believe me when I tell you that it is a slow and thorough process that takes place. One finds themselves embroiled in it before they know what happend. Many J.W.s never come to the realiztion or understand what has happened to them. They are complety blind to the fact that their devotion is not to Jehovah but to the WTS.

The major source of this fear comes the WTS's doctrine on Babylon the Great and the scarlet-colored beast. It consolidates fear of being outside of the WTS because it one's only hope for a future. It also creates the fear of questioning or disagreeing with the Society or its leaders. This is a reality to them: Jehovah doesn't deal with individuals, just the leaders of the organization. They are always constantly being told the individual has no power to help themselves. Now isn't that sad?

copyright 2009. Ruth Baker is author of Knock, Knock: Shedding light on Jehovah's Witness at the door, copyright 2007. http://www.livingproofofhope.net

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