Does being a Jehovah’s witness give permission to tell untruths if they support the belief?

I’ve had many experiences as a Jehovah’s witness, being born and raised into the faith until the age of 15. That’s when I started to question the teaching. One thing always I questioned is, it seemed they always tried to hide or tried to dismiss or evade actions or events that shed a negative perspective on members or the faith. I first saw that as a youngster and the events of elder Price. My mother always evaded a conversation on what happened to him even though I was inquisitive and kept asking. We consistently went to Tuesday bible study at his house and all of a sudden, we didn’t. Later we were transferred to a new bible study minister. But I wanted to know what happened. No one would tell me. When I got older, I found out that Elder Price had an affair and got one of the follower’s young ladies pregnant. However, any conversation about what really happened was hush hush. Its like if they didn’t talk about it did not happen and they could maintain this image that all Jehovah’s witnesses were perfect and better people than everyone else.  I have found that protection of that image is very important to Jehovah’s witnesses and it’s like a badge of honor.

Anytime an issue came up with a negative spin to what a Jehovah’s witness did or were involved with she never wanted to admit or have a conversation about it.  Later in life this issue became more blaring.  My mother only wanted to hire JWs as her caretaker But the JW caretaker she hired proved to be very problematic. She became a bullying caretaker, often scolding my mother and talking very harshly to her. While the non-Jehovah’s witness caretaker was much more loving and patient.  However, my mother wanted for to always promote the idea that Jehovah’s witness are always better. Finally, the situation became so hostile that my mother came to her boiling point and fired the Jehovah’s witness caretaker and became more open to non-Jehovah’s witnesses being good helpers.

it was her dream to have all her family be Jehovah's Witnesses. I understand that and respect her for that. Although I left the faith essentially at 15, I always respected my mother’s love and commitment. She never wavered in her love for me even though I renounced the JW faith in my life, she always showed me love and justice.  Even though I did not believe the Jehovah Witness faith was best for me or the full truth. When I got older and had more conversations with her, I gained even more respect for faith and commitment because it was genuine and she was genuine. She never actually lied about a Jehovah’s witness event or member action. In later conversations she would be more open about negative things Jehovah’s Witnesses did. I came to understand she had wanted to protect me from the negative and wanted me to aspire to be a good Christian boy. I often failed in that. No other spirit of pure love in my opinion has ever been created like my mother. She would laugh to great joy of tears She cared so deeply her warmth kept our family soothed. Forgiving in love but keeping us accountable in truth was how she lived her life in integrity.

However, I did not find this love and integrity across the board in the Jehovah’s Witness faith. I found many Jehovah’s witness believed their belief gave them permission to tell untruths if it supported the belief. There are many different personalities within the Jehovah’s witnesses as there are in any faith. However, most Christians admit to imperfections, but the Jehovah’s witnesses try to say we are in the world but not part of the world. That mantra says we are better because of what we believe. But in saying that their public perspective is to hide from questioning and indoctrinate by excluding outside the doctrine teaching or research. And in this cocoon bubble there have been many instances of outright lies to try to promote or protect the faith and their aura of divine connection. The bible mentions there have been many who say they are of God but drastically fall short.

Luke 18:10-14, Jesus talked about people who arrogant believe they are righteous, but their actions are those of sinners.

¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

¹³ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

¹⁴ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

If you’re saying by your label that you’re better than everyone else, could you not fit into the latter category?

Jesus further talked to those that maintained they were better than everyone, the Pharisees, he said Matthew 23

¹³ “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter it yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.^[g]

¹⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one ^[h]proselyte; and when he becomes one, you ^[i]make him twice as much a son of ^[j]hell as yourselves.

the one who swears by ^[v]heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.

²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and ^[w]cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. ²⁴ You blind guides, who ^[x]strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

²⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full ^[y]of robbery and self-indulgence. ²⁶ You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the ^[z]outside of it may also become clean.

²⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. ²⁸ So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

²⁹ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, ³⁰ and you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹ So you testify against yourselves, that you are ^[aa]sons of those who murdered the prophets. ^32 [ab]Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. ³³ You snakes, you ^[ac]offspring of vipers, how ^[ad]will you escape the ^[ae]sentence of ^[af]hell?

When you as a faith are willing to lie, fabricate views and promote untruths to be seen as righteous and better than everyone, are you really showing integrity in serving God.

A specific instance I can point to is of a Jehovah witness minister telling blaring lies that happened in Houston. Minister Phillip Alexander has told so many outright lies and then refuses to engage to clarify. He is one of the leaders of the Sunnyside and Macgregor congregation in Houston, Texas. His lies are to protect his leadership in faith but mostly to protect his ego. Like elder Price, he is human and not God, so he is fallible. The specific lies are too many to mention but if you wish to see them or hear about the specific lies please email me at Sourceinternational7@ymail.com or read about them at https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AwEmTMdM9/ 

I talk about the lies in my book, The Heart of A Strong Sourceseeker (Paradox of existence) -Clear Statement and more reference about religion is added in Biblical Understanding. This minister will tell any lie about anyone who threatens his status and authority of his ministry by asking questions and using research outside of his approved documents. He has to use these tactics because his skill level is low and he is threatened and will try to drown out or hide any discussion that does not fit into his belief system. Is this a religion with Integrity?

Have you who are involved with the Jehovah’s Witness faith seen instances of members or leaders willing to lie and tell untruths to promote or protect their image of divine connection and being the chosen people of God?

It is very ironic that the Jehovah’s Witnesses limit and forbid open debate and questioning about their faith given that they evolved from questioning and debate.

Charles Taze Russell was involved in several splits throughout his life and after his death. While the most famous schism occurred after he died, he faced a significant doctrinal "split" during his lifetime that nearly broke his movement apart.

"New Covenant" Split (1909) The most significant split while Russell was still alive is known as the New Covenant Schism. In early 1909, Russell introduced a major change to his teaching regarding the "New Covenant." He began to argue that the New Covenant belonged exclusively to the nation of Israel and that Christians were not currently under it. He also changed his view on Christ as the "Mediator" for all of humanity. Many prominent leaders in his movement, including E.C. Henninges (the branch manager in Australia) and M.L. McPhail (a prominent traveling preacher), felt this was a departure from basic Bible truth. Thousands of "Bible Students" left the Watch Tower Society. After Russell died in October 1916, a fierce power struggle broke out for control of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.  Joseph Franklin Rutherford* (known as "Judge Rutherford") was elected as the new president. moved quickly to consolidate power, firing four of the Society's board of directors who disagreed with his management style and new doctrinal interpretations. This created a massive divide. Between 1917 and 1931, as many as 75% of the original Bible Students left the organization in protest of Rutherford’s changes. In 1931, to distinguish his followers from the many other "Bible Student" groups that had split off, Rutherford renamed his group *Jehovah's Witnesses.

So, the Jehovah’s witnesses started from debate, questioning and dissension but today they don’t want anyone questioning or using any outside sources to find answers that differ from their doctrine. Only acceptable participants are those that strictly follow the dogma that is doctrine for the faith. I question whether that is very hypocritical and has any integrity. Phillip Alexander is certainly hypocritical and has zero integrity.

It is important to consider that throughout history, individuals have consistently sought to shape and influence the perception of God. Numerous figures have claimed divine inspiration or direct communication with God. For example, Abraham stated that God spoke to him and promised leadership over a great nation. Elijah Muhammad reported encountering God in the person of Master Fard Muhammad. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, Moses asserted that he communicated directly with God, receiving the Ten Commandments and guidance for leading the Israelites out of Egypt. Where these were actual encounters or personal interpretations of spiritual inspiration remains a subject of discussion.

One more thing is clear, all scripture everywhere is an interpretation of man. Do you really believe that God the creator of the world needs a book to convey his or (its) message? He created us. He could have programmed any message he wanted. But that is not how God works or ever worked. God is not anthropomorphic having human emotions and qualities that’s mans interpretation of God. God is much more. He is Cosmic Energy and Creative intelligence.

The Bible says God regretted he made the world. Can an entity as immense to make the stars, the moon and the sun regret making man? That is again giving human characteristics to man. Many say the Bible has to followed in its entirety without question or your questioning God. How can that be?

The Bible is a manifestation of man’s yearning for connection to a creator and there has always been attempts by man to use sacred text to political and socio-economic advantage. Biblical understanding takes a wide range of understanding.

First the Romans were conquerors who conquered large parts of Africa, The Middle east and Europe. They decimated the African mystery temples, but when they did, they learned and started incorporating a wide range of views as did the Jewish remnant that was under their persecution. When Roman Emperor Constantine wanted to make Christianity Rome’s National religion, many influences came through. As Roman power began to decline, Constantine sought a means to strengthen and unify the empire.  This faith of Christianity, despite the persecution that the Romans tried to instill, was still gaining popularity throughout the empire. The First Nicene conference was held to indoctrinate what would be the tenets of the newly incorporated religion. All the books of the bible were taken from the available spiritual literature during the time of The Nicene creed. Out of 6000 available documents they settled on 78, 72 or 66 books according to which book is being used. Out of the 84 Gospels of Christ or about Christ they settled on 4. Essentially, their aim was to steer everything away from the philosophy that Arias advocated during the Nicaean period.  He stated that Christ was a man and not divine. He was excommunicated and exiled and only the doctrine that stated Christ was divine was promoted. For more on this subject. read about at https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AwEmTMdM9/ Biblical Understanding

I have great respect and reverence for the Bible. My mother instilled that in me. It has very good tenets to live across the board. If we can learn to use those tenets in our life, we can be very good human beings. The problem has always been man has always tried to use his interpretation of the Bible and other divine inspire3d materials to try and control and exploit others.

My mother was Pioneer in the Jehovah’s Witness faith. They would attract and retain more followers if all the Jehovah’s Witnesses were like her. She started with love first as opposed to Phillip Alexander, who starts with ego, seeing how many people he can get to follow him using any manipulation and tricks to persuade. But he and many others are very afraid to engage in discourse and only want a protected platform to discourse. Is that a true GOD format?

How can a true God who created the world and the Cosmos be represented as so weak and fragile? Answer God the creator of the World is not weak and can stand against any hurricane of doubt and any amount of question and discourse.

I hope one day Minister Phillip Alexander receives enlightenment. I care about him and his family. He is my brother. But his closed mind and diabolical and manipulative actions are dangerous to the community and is giving a bad name to the Jehovah’s Witnesses. For my mother’s sake I asked you world of JW to reassess and improve your strong mission. May God Blees you Peace and Power.