Letter of Disassociation

To: the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witness's & The WTB&TS

To: the Elders of my Local Congregation !g!st "#$ "%%&
' have (een as)ed to have a meeting (y the elders of my local congregation* ' have (een +!eried a(o!t
my do!(t that Jehovah's Witness's are the one and only tr!e organi,ation* ' told an elder d!ring a
-!(lic meeting that ' .o!ld not meet .ith the elders in -rivate (!t a letter .o!ld (e forthcoming* ' .ill
s!mmari,e this matter as follo.s:
"* /ersonal Bac)gro!nd
0* 1y St!dy of Society 2istory
3* /rimary 'ss!es are as follo.s: a* 4ondisclos!re a(o!t history$ (* Disingen!o!sness (o!t
5inancial 1atters$ c* Doctrinal Changes$ d* Control and !thority$ e* /ro-hesy$ f* 1aintaining
--earances$ g* The /rimacy of the 6rgani,ation
#* Statement of Legal Directives
7* Concl!sion
' as) yo! to read this letter .ith an o-en mind* ' ho-e that yo! .ill consider ho. the iss!es ' raise have
affected me* ' also tr!st that yo!r love of tr!th .ill move yo! to thin) dee-ly a(o!t the matters '
disc!ss here$ inasm!ch as they concern any thin)ing Christian*
/ersonal Bac)gro!nd
When ' st!died and then 8oined this organi,ation* ' .as told .ith great !rgency that the end of the
system of things .as at hand* 1any s-ec!lators )e-t me at the edge of my seat thin)ing ' had to r!sh
to get on (oard this anti9ty-ical ar)* ' reasoned that the Society$ (eing God's so!l channel of
comm!nication on earth$ .o!ld (e a(le to .ithstand any investigation and come thro!gh .ith flying
colors* 'n Cha-ter 6ne of :The Tr!th That Leads to Eternal Life:$ it said that .e need to e;amine .hat
is ta!ght (y any religio!s organi,ation .ith .hich .e may (e associated* 't ass!red me that lovers of
tr!th had nothing to fear from s!ch an e;amination*
nther Society -!(lication said .e sho!ld learn everything .e co!ld a(o!t o!r religion* This
highlighted the need to :ma)e s!re of all things:* 't .as my res-onsi(ility (efore God to caref!lly
consider everything ' .as ta!ght* fter m!ch so!l9searching and -rayer$ ' have cond!cted a thoro!gh
investigation of the Society's activities and teaching$ (oth -ast and -resent* ' avoided .hat yo! term
:a-ostate: literat!re$ finding most of the information ' needed in the Society's .ritings*
1y St!dy of Society's 2istory
While going thro!gh a near com-lete loss of all ' o.ned and .ith no :(reath of fresh air in sight:* '
needed to gri- onto a firm (elief in .hat ' held my faith in* To my dismay$ ' fo!nd the e;act o--osite
of .hat ' had ho-ed for* The Society has a history of tem-orary theories and s-ec!lations $ along .ith
calc!lations$ chronologies$ and -redictions that are s!--orted in strange .ays <meas!rements inside a
-yramid$ meas!rements of distances (et.een t.o cities in 4e. =or) and /ennsylvania$ the alignment
of -lanets$ and so on>* ' .as st!nned to learn that the Society had s!ch o!tlandish ideas in the -ast*
5!rther com-arison of -ast and -resent Society literat!re !ncovered a tendency to re.rite history$
.ithholding information to ma)e things a--ear different than they really .ere* ' discovered co!ntless
doctrinal shifts99a grave disa--ointment to me$ since ' had ass!med o!r -rimary (eliefs .ere solid*
/erha-s the greatest disa--ointment to me .as the long list of -redictions made (y the Society that did
not come to -ass*
The Society asserts that it is :s-irit directed:99God's only :channel of comm!nication: at .hat they say
is the most critical time in history* Considering .hat ' learned of their -ast$ ' .as forced to as) some
hard +!estions* We are e;horted to acce-t$ .itho!t de(ate$ the c!rrent !nderstanding of the Governing
Body* We are e;-ected to (ehave as if they .ere directly ins-ired (y Jehovah* This a--lies to matters
of -rediction as .ell as to matters in .hich the Bi(le is not e;-licit* These directives are to (e follo.ed
even to the -oint of death$ .hich is es-ecially distressing in those cases .here the Society changes its
-osition a fe. years later*
/rimary 'ss!es
4ondisclos!re (o!t 2istory
' .o!ld li)e to as) .hy .e are not ta!ght that the Society firmly (elieved the follo.ing things:
a* The (eginning of the :last days: .ere in "?%%$ "&?#$ "%"7$ "%"#*
(* The end of the :last days: .ere in "%"#$ "%07$ and "%?7*
c* The time for Jes!s' -aro!sia: "&?#$ "%"#$ "%07*
d* The Watchto.er stated as :!ndis-!ted fact: that :(eyond a do!(t:**** Jes!s .o!ld a--ear in "&?#
and (egin to r!le as @ing in "&?&*
e* That Jer!salem .as destroyed in ABA BCE <later changed to AB? BCE>*
f* The time for rmageddon to (egin: "&?#$ "%"#$ "%0B$ "%07 <all s-ecified e;-licitly in .riting> and
"%?7 < also .ritten (!t -hrased more ca!tio!sly >*
g* The time for (raham$ @ing David etc* to (e res!rrected and live on the earth: "%07*
h* The end of the A$BBB years .as "&?# <later changed to "%?7>*
i* Jes!s ret!rned invisi(ly in "&?# <changed to "%0%$ .hich means that the Society .as :selected as
God's organi,ation: <"%"%>at a time .hen they did not even )no. .hen Jes!s had arrived*>
Why do most Witness's today not )no. these things .ere (elieved 8!st as firmly as .e (elieve in "%"#
no.C Sho!ld not the Society$ in f!ll h!miliation$ let !s )no. of these thingsC
Disingen!o!sness (o!t 5inancial 1atters
When the distri(!tion of literat!re .as changed to :donation only:$ .e .ere told that this .as done to
ma)e the information more accessi(le* =et .e .ere never told the .hole story* The Society and
vario!s other ch!rches filed a :5riend of the Co!rt: (rief on (ehalf of Jimmy S.aggart .hen the State
of California im-osed a AD sales ta; on his :1inistries:* When S.aggart lost the case$ the Society
co!ld no longer :sell: literat!re .itho!t -aying sales ta;*
Within one month of S.aggarts loss$ the Society changed to the :donation: -olicy$ .hich com-letely
solved the ta; sit!ation* This saved the Society a lot of money* Why did they not tell !sC The Society
-rovides the literat!re on a :donation: (asis in co!ntries that ta; :contri(!tions:* 'n co!ntries .itho!t
this ta; sit!ation$ ho!seholders are as)ed to contri(!te99even it the co!ntry is so -oor the contri(!tions
are a serio!s (!rden < tlanta Jo!rnal$ 1arch 3$ "%%B >* Why does the Society )ee- this information
-rivateC
We .ere told that the (rothers in 1e;ico had (een o--ressed (y the government$ so that they they
co!ld not sing or -ray at meetings* We .ere not told that the Society had registered as a :c!lt!ral:
organi,ation (eca!se religio!s organi,ations .ere not allo.ed to o.n -ro-erty in 1e;ico* s a
:c!lt!ral: organi,ation the (rothers .ere o(liged to do.n-laythe religio!s as-ect* The restrictions
!-on their actions derived -rimarily from a Society decision rather than government action*
2ere in 4orth merica yo! have nice$ comforta(le$ @ingdom 2alls .ith c!shioned air conditioned
comfort* There is not even one @ingdom 2all to share among 7B congregations in 1a-!ta* They have
to sit on stra. mats in the o-en air* They do not have eno!gh maga,ines$ so they have to either
memori,e or :listen caref!lly: in order to :ans.er correctly:* Why can't the Society send them free
literat!re* fter all it o.ns (illions of dollars .orth of real estate and holdings* Does Jehovah sho.
-artiality to those in -oorer$ less affl!ent co!ntriesC
Doctrinal Changes
The Society has a long history of changing r!les$ .hich have had -rofo!nd effects on -eo-les' lives*
Consider the matter of (lood: t one time all (lood -rod!cts .ere !nacce-ta(le* Later$ it .as
acce-ta(le to ta)e on transf!sion <considered as medicine$ not n!trition>* Later still$ :small amo!nts:
.ere allo.ed$ then not even min!te fractions .ere allo.ed* 6ther changes follo.ed* 's this evidence
of g!idance from the God .ho never changesC 's the light :gro.ing (righter: .hen :ne. light:reverts
(ac) to :old light:C
t one time hemo-hiliacs .ere for(idden to ta)e (lood fractions* The J!ne "7$ "%?& Watchto.er
changed this r!le to :a matter of conscience:* /rior to that iss!e$ if someone had follo.ed their
conscience$ they .o!ld have (ecome disfello.shi--ed o!tcasts 99 (elieved .orthy of destr!ction (y
God* 6rgan trans-lants .ere called$ :.onders of modern s!rgery: in "%#% < .a)e "09"%9#% > 'n
"%A?$ organ trans-lants .ere for(idden: :Those .ho s!(mit to s!ch o-erations are th!s living off the
flesh of another h!man* That is canni(alistic*: 'n "%&B the -osition reverted (ac) to :a matter of
individ!al conscience*: Wo!ld God .ho does not change <1alachi 3:A>$ allo. -eo-le to die (eca!se of
the vacillation of his :faithf!l and discrete slave:C
Doctrines regarding vaccinations$ (irth control$ ra-e$ res!rrection$ and marital se; have (een changed
many times$ affecting millions of faithf!l Witnesses* 2o. many lives have s!ffered needlesslyC 's
Jehovah not ca-a(le of acc!rately relating to his :chosen: -eo-le .hat 2E .ants them to doC Can 2E
not reveal :ne. light: .ell eno!gh to -revent !s from seeing the e;act o--osite of .hat he is trying to
revealC '5 .e m!st have the tr!th revealed in stages$ can 2E not assist !s in seeing each incremental
-art of the .hole correctlyC There are no Bi(lical acco!nts of Jehovah relating messages to 2is -eo-le
.hich .ere then :mi;ed !-: along the .ay* 4oah didn't mis!nderstand 2im$ nor did 1oses$ s
h!mans$ they made mista)es$ (!t$ not in relaying messages from Jehovah*
Control and !thority
The governing (ody controls or attem-ts to control every as-ect of o!r lives: ho. .e s-end o!r time$
ho. .e dress$ .hat .e read and listen to$ ho. .e s-ea)$ .ith .hom .e s-ea)$ .ith .hom .e
associate$ ho. .e s-end o!r vacations$ .hat ty-e of .or) .e can do$ and even ho. .e thin)* We are
not really allo.ed to ma)e decisions (ased on o!r o.n consciences* '5 .e do not agree totally .ith the
c!rrent inter-retations of the Governing Body$ .e are disfello.shi--ed* Who are the -eo-le .ho e;ert
s!ch controlC Their a!thority derives from the organi,ation fo!nded (y Charles Ta, E!ssell$ a man
.ho !sed the meas!rements of the corridors of the Great /yramid in Gigeh to hel- -rove the validity of
the :end of the Gentile Times: <Watchto.er$ J!ne "7$ "%00>* Consider also .hat E!ssell .rote a(o!t
"%"#:
:When Fran!s and J!-iter meet in the h!mane sign of +!ari!s in "%"#$ the long -romised era .ill
have made a fair start in the .or) of setting man free to .or) o!t his o.n salvation$ and .ill ins!re the
!ltimate reali,ation of dreams and ideals of all -oets and sages in history*:
--arently astrology and -yramidology had a -art in the determination of the year "%"#* Co!ld that
have (een from GodC man s!ch as this .as chosen a(ove all others to (e :over all Christ's
(elongings:C ' have fo!nd thro!gh relia(le so!rces the Society +!oted in s!--ort of the dates AB? BCE
and "%"# CE* ' fre+!ently fo!nd that the information they -resented .as either incorrect$ or grossly
misconstr!ed$ in order to s!--ort C*T*E!ssell's -ersonal ideas*
The date "%"# is cr!cial to almost everything .e (elieve in* 't is scandalo!s .hen information from
+!oted so!rces is misre-resented to :-rove: a doctrine* nyone .ho ta)es the time to loo) these things
!- .ill s!rely feel angered at .hat a--ears to (e deli(erate dece-tion* Eet!rning to the matter of
a!thority: if the Bi(le isn't e;-licit a(o!t something$ isn't e;-licit a(o!t something$ isn't it
-res!m-t!o!s for a do,en men in Broo)lyn$ .ho have decided they are Jehovah's sole channel$ to iss!e
their -ersonal inter-retations regarding matters that r!n from -etty little details to matters of life and
deathC 1illions of -eo-le are (asing almost every decision they ma)e on the ever9changing
inter-retations of these men*
/ro-hecy
While the Society generally avoids calling itself a :-ro-het:$ it nevertheless -!ts on the -ro-het's
mantle* 2ere are some e;am-les:
:The indis-!ta(le facts$ therefore$ sho. that the :time of the end (egan in "?%%Gthat the Lord's second
-resence (egan in "&?#*: 4ote the .ords$ :indis-!ta(le facts:*
:We see no reason for changing the fig!res9nor co!ld .e change them if .e .o!ld* They are$ .e
(elieve$ God's dates$ not o!rs* B!t (ear in mind that the end of "%"# is not the date for the (eginning$
(!t for the end of the time of tro!(le*:
:We have no do!(t .hatever in regards to the chronology relating to the dates of "&?#$ "%"#$ "%"&$ and
"%07***The Lord has -laced the stam- of his seal !-on "%"# and "%"& (eyond any -ossi(ility of
eras!re***: :There can (e no more +!estion a(o!t "%07 than there .as a(o!t "%"#*: Since it is o(vio!s
that "%07 .as invalid$ in line .ith their reasoning .o!ld it not also mean "%"# is invalid as .ellC
:Tr!e$ it is e;-ecting great things to claim$ as .e do$ that .ithin the coming t.enty si; years all the
-resent governments .ill (e over9thro.n and dissolved*: Were they in fact$ overthro.n and dissolvedC
:We are already living in the seventh milleni!m since 6cto(er$ "&?0*:
:The -eriod m!st end in "%07$$$millions no. living on earth .ill (e living then and those .ho o(ey the
righteo!s la.s of the ne. arrangement .ill live forever* Therefore it can (e confidently said at this
time that millions no. living .ill never die*:
:We may e;-ect "%07 to .itness the ret!rn of these faithf!l men of 'srael from the condition of death$
(eing res!rrected and f!lly restored to -erfect h!manity and made the visi(le$ legal re-resentatives of
the ne. order of things on earth*:
6(vio!sly$ rmageddon didn't occ!r in "%07$ nor .ere the :saints: res!rrected* Tho!sands left the
Society as a res!lt of these failed -redictions* 2o. can .e condemn those .ho de-arted after s!ch a
dismal -erformance (y the SocietyC
1aintaining --earances
5or those .ho left and those .ho stayed everyone tried to forget .hat ha--ened in "%?7***' can
remem(er ho. eminent the end .as (eing -ainted to me (y many elders** The sense of !rgency to
/reach the :good ne.s:* Did these elders dream this st!ff !- or did the 6rgani,ation give clear
indications of ho. .e sho!ld thin)*
:ccording to this tr!st.orthy Bi(le chronology$ si; tho!sand years from man's creation .ill
end in "%?7$ and the seventh -eriod of a tho!sand years of h!man history .ill (egin in the fall of "%?7
CE* So si; tho!sand years of man's e;istence on earth .ill soon (e !-$ yes .ithin this generation* So
in not many years .ithin o!r o.n generation .e are reaching .hat Jehovah God co!ld vie. as the
seventh day of man's e;istence*:
The 1ay "%?# :@ingdom 1inistry: said this:
:Ee-orts are heard of (rothers selling their homes and -ro-erty and -lanning to finish o!t the
rest of their days in this old system in the -ioneer service* Certainly this is a fine .ay to s-end the
short time remaining (efore the .ic)ed .orld's end*:
Was this not a clear mandate from the SocietyC Why did the Society enco!rage s!ch (ehaviorC Where
are these (rothers no.$ t.o decades laterC 2o. .ere they re.arded for their sacrificeC 'n the .a)e of
the "%?7 de(acle$ the Society (lames those .ho heeded their call* They are acc!sed of :reading more
into it than .as act!ally said:$ not .anting to :.ait on Jehovah:* They say :never did .e -ro-hesy in
:Jehovah's name:* 4ever did .e say$ :Jehovah said this: =et consider the monthly masthead in
.a)eH$ -rior to 6cto(er "7$ "%%7:
:1ost im-ortant$ this maga,ine (!ilds confidence the Creator's -romise of a -eacef!l and sec!re ne.
.orld (efore the generation that sa. the events of "%"# -ass a.ay*:
They are e;-licitly stating that it is Jehovah .ho is ma)ing the -romise* They are s-ea)ing in 2is
name* <Com-are De!teronomy "&:0"> The masthead has no. changed$ along .ith the !nderstanding
of the meaning of :this generation'* 't had to (e so$ since the generation alive in "%"# .as dying off*
Jehovah never changes* 2is -romises never fail* So .hy the changeC Co!ld it (e that Jehovah never
-romised .hat the .a)e masthead claimedC Do .e say the Society achieved a :clearer
!nderstanding:$ or do .e say$ .ith h!mility$ that they .ere 8!st -lain .rongC Why does the Society
.or) so hard to hide its errorsC
The /rimacy of the 6rgani,ation
We are ca!tioned against individ!al st!dy of the Bi(le* We are told that .itho!t the organi,ation$ the
Bi(le cannot (e !nderstood$ and that is an :organi,ational (oo)$ not (elonging to the individ!al:* This
-laces more im-ortance on the Watchto.er and the organi,ation that on the Bi(le itself* 'n o!r :Bi(le
st!dies:$ .e act!ally read h!ndreds of .ords of Society inter-retation for every .ord .e read from the
Bi(le* 6ver the -ast cent!ry$ the Society has (!t forth co!ntless failed -redictions* 't seems clear to
me that the men in charge are 8!st that: ordinary men* ' see no indication that they are (eing directed
(y a -erfect God .ho never changes* Des-ite this$ they demand e;cl!sive devotion to the
organi,ation* n organi,ation created (y$ and r!n (y$ mere h!mans*
Statement and Legal Directives
' here(y firmly assert that ' no longer .ish to (e affiliated .ith the Watchto.er and Bi(le and Tract
Society in any .ay* The Watchto.er and Bi(le and Tract Society demands devotion almost
indisting!isha(le from the devotion that sho!ld (e accorded only to God* ' consider the idolatry$ of
.hich ' .ill have no -art* 4or .ill ' (e a :follo.er of men: <i*e* the Governing Body>*
' do not acce-t the Watchto.ers definition of :a-ostate: ' am not forsa)ing my faith in God* ' an not
denying Jes!s Christ or Jehovah$ ' am forsa)ing the Watchto.er Society and that is not a-ostasy* 'f
yo! consider me an a-ostate this is a -ersonal o-inion$ (!t yo! have no right to im-ose that vie. on
anyone else$ incl!ding any family mem(er of mine*
' e;-ressly for(id yo! to refer to me as an :a-ostate:$ either -!(licly or to my children$ !nless yo! are
.illing to acce-t -ossi(le litigation* ' also ref!se to allo. yo! to have an f!rther -rivate meetings .ith
of any )ind .ith any !nderage children of mine
' (elieve that the ma8ority of Jehovah's Witness's are good and sincere -eo-le .ho tr!ly (elieve they
are doing .hat is right* 2o.ever$ ' am no. convinced that the Watchto.er Society is 46T God's
organi,ation* Since the Society demands total devotion$ this decision .as the only one ' co!ld ma)e in
all good conscience* ' have not made this decision lightlyG it .as arrived at only after m!ch tho!ght
and -rayer* Eegardless of .hat decisions my (rothers and sisters are directed to do regarding
affiliation or association .ith me ' .ill al.ays love them and if one day they decide that this
organi,ation is not for them either ' .ill (e there for them and .ill enco!rage them*
Concl!sion
=o! as) me$ m ' no!rishing my s-irit!alityC Where .ill ' goC nd if this is not the tr!th$ .hat isC
/eter as)ed Jes!s$ not .here$ (!t :.hom shall .e go a.ay toC: :5or yo! have the sayings of
everlasting life*: /eter .as not s-ea)ing of an organi,ationG he .as s-ea)ing of Jes!s$ .ho himself
said$ :' am the .ay$ the tr!th$ and the life****no man comes to the father e;ce-t (y me*:
The Bi(le is clear on .hat .e need to gain life* 't does not mention an organi,ation* The Society has
inter-reted the :faithf!l and discrete slave: -ara(le very (roadly indeed* ' do not have all the ans.ers
(!t it is clear that the society s!rely doesn't have them either* ' am than)f!l that regardless of the
negative images yo! may -ro8ect !-on me$ only God is a(le to loo) into the heart* 6nly 2E stands as
my 8!dge*
The Bi(le says$ :)ee- on as)ing$ and it .ill (e given yo!G )ee- on see)ing and yo! .ill findG )ee- on
)noc)ing and it .ill (e o-ened !nto yo!*: 1y heart is in the right -lace$ ' (elieve it .ill (e so*
Sincerely$
EI9JW