A Bible Student Writes to Her JW Teacher

This is a letter that a Bible student, who attends the Bereoan Pickets’ Zoom Meetings, sent to one of Jehovah’s Witnesses who had been conducting a long-term Bible study with her. The student wanted to provide a series of reasons for her decision not to pursure further Bible studies with this woman, who she respected and didn’t want to offend. However, the JW teacher didn’t respond but instead had her son, who serves as an elder, call this student and berate her for an hour. it is so sad that this type of response is no longer the exception but the rule, as JW’s find it more and more difficult to defend their positions in light of “the true knowledge becoming abundant.” We are sharing it here in the hope that it might serve as a template for others facing a similar situation. 

Dear Mrs. JP,

I thank you for your time and friendship over the years. I did go over the last few chapters in the book Enjoy Life Forever (as they were very self explanatory) and have proceeded to reading the Bible itself. I am thoroughly enjoying it and “soaking it up like a sponge”, but it is taking longer than expected as I am cross-referencing with other Bibles/ translations, but the meanings are clear in summary (God is Love). However, there are many issues with the organization of Jehovah Witnesses that I cannot reconcile. I have done extensive research over the ensuing months and disagreements relate back to your founder (JF Rutherford)

(1) Deuteronomy 18:22: When the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word is not fulfilled or come true, that is the word that Jehovah did not speak. There has been many false prophesies concerning the end times, more than one. In writing on January 1925 in The Watchtower he wrote that Christ’s millennial rule would be fully manifest on earth by that year. Mr. Rutherford was noted to have said afterward about his own predictions: “I know I made an ass of myself”- WT-10/1/1984- pg.24, per Fred Franz.

The predictions of 1975 (that obviously did not come true as we are still here today) was truly significant to some people. Many quit their jobs, and delayed/stopped education and this even was known to my mother who was working as a registered nurse at the local hospital in the small town that we lived in at that time. In the WT article- 1968 pp 272-273- Making use of the remaining time and WT-1968-pp500-501- Why are you looking forward to 1975- Bible chronology along with Bible prophecy said hat six thousand years of man’s existence would soon be up in this generation.

Over the past 4 years, I have heard multiple accounts of the end times being from “any day now” to being “seconds away”. As you know I have discussed a human being may only live 70 to 100 years and we experience time as humans (24 hours/day), and I cannot reconcile with the constant frenzy of it being “any moment now”. Your description of time must be converted into that which we as humans experience. When I have a conversation with someone who I detect is a Christian, I have asked them if they feel that we are in the end times? Many people say yes, but they are calm and collected with no signs of hysteria. This is how I feel and as we know no one knows the exact day or hour (not even Jesus) only the Father. Mark13:32 and Matt 24:36. For this reason I do not wish to participate with anyone acting as a “fortune teller”.

In summary, the Watchtower- May1,1997 pg. 8 said: Jehovah God is the Grand Identifier of his true messengers. He identifies them by making the messages he delivers through them come true.  Jehovah is also the Great Exposer of false messengers. How does he expose them?  He frustrates their signs and predictions.  In this way he shows that they are self–appointed prognosticators, whose messages really spring from their own false reasoning–yes, they are foolish, fleshly thinking. (This is from the organization itself.)

(2) Jehovah Witnesses discourage higher education (w16 June p.21 par.14 and w15 9/15 p.25 par11). This is unscriptural in that higher education and advanced learning in my opinion does not lead to a loss of of love for God, or worldly involvement. If I and others such as Audra Leedy-Thomas had never undergone higher education, how could we both cure/care for patients with cancer. We are both women of faith and this is an unscriptural thought. Currently there is an organization formed by seven billionaires who have chosen to remain anonymous. They have spent extensive amounts of money with large TV and media campaign to bring forth the knowledge of Jesus (in a nondenominational Christian view)

(3) Watchtower 1933: J.F. Rutherford said that saluting the flag was punishable by death. This is unscriptural and that saluting the flag is a gesture of recognition/respect (not a transference away from God) and being murdered for such an action is not a belief held by any Christian organization and should not be accepted by any JW.  Yielding to hypocrisy, Mr. Rutherford joined the U.S. Clergy for a National Day of Prayer for victory over the enemies in WWI. (Watchtower, June 1st, 1918)

(4) Adult Baptism (in full water immersion): As we discussed, I am in agreement with this. However in the book, Organized to Do Jehovah’s Will on pg. 206, ‘Baptism candidates must stand and answer the question in a loud voice, “Do you understand that your baptism identifies you as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in association with the organization.”’ This is NOT scriptural in that we are to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38; 8:16; 19:5; 22:16). The Bible states that God does not show favoritism (Eph. 6:9 and Acts 10:34) thus no organization can claim to be “God’s chosen people” or organization and force Christians to join their organization in order to be baptized.

(5) Multiple revisions to the Faithful and Discreet slave (Matthew 24:45), at least 12 in number. I can mail you a printed copy of all the changes, however below are some of the major revisions (I can send you a detailed print-out).

(a) November 1881 – The slave is a class of individuals and refers to all anointed Bible students, Zions Watch Tower October and November 1881.

(b) December 1896 – The slave is one individual and refers solely to Charles Taze Russell.

(c) February 1927 – The slave refers to an individual and two distinct classes Jesus Christ alone, Jesus Christ and anointed Bible students.

(d) August 1950 – The slave refers to anointed Jehovah’s witnesses who make up the 144,000.

(e) December 1951 – The slave is anointed Jehovah’s Witnesses who make up 144,000 and is led by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.

(f) November 1956 – The slave is anointed Jehovah’s Witnesses under the direction and authority of the Governing Body of the Watch Tower Bible and Track Society.

(g) June 2009 – The slave refers only to the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

(h) July 2013 – It is clearly defined that the slave is the Governing Body of the Jehovah’s Witnesses only. This occurred after the large lawsuit in Australia when over 1000 child sex abuse cases, which prohibited suing the organization.

In summary, as noted in a Kingdom Hall meeting this year (3/2022), the elder Mr. Roach said we must avoid Unscriptural Opinion”………meaning opinions we cannot scripturally prove:

(6) I cannot find any Bible Scripture that commands me to to get baptized into any specific human denomination.

(7) God did not specifically say there would be a human publication called The Watchtower coming out that would surpass the Bible.

(8) God does not show favoritism amongst any Christians (Acts 10:34 and Eph. 6:9) thus persons cannot call themselves “God’s Organization” nor does he rely on humans beings to reveal truth (Psalm146:3).

(9) The human beings who have appointed themselves (Governing Body) have no concrete proof that they are anointed and that God is speaking through them. (1 John 2:26,27… concerning the ones who mislead you) “…the anointing you received from him remains in you, and and you do not need anyone to be teaching you; but the anointing from him is teaching you about all things and and is true and is no lie.”

For these reasons, I will keep my heart open to the Holy Spirit, because my salvation is in the hands of the Lord and I will remain faithful, staying awake. I will continue to study the Bible, but like the Bereans, I will study and examine the scriptures for truth. My preaching work will not be door to door, (and will never promote a human denomination) but will be with the many suffering or terminal cancer patients (whose human lives are short) that I have graciously been entrusted to care for and who so desperately are needing to hear the “Good News.”

Jesus said (John14:6)- I am the Truth….and we can come to the Father through him (not an organization of men).

Respectfully yours,

M.H.

Meleti Vivlon

Articles by Meleti Vivlon.