Jehovah's Witnesses. How can you tell if the Governing Body errs in doctrinal matters?

The late Raymond Franz was a governing body member in the 1970's. Franz left the watchtower in 1980 because he could no longer believe what the watchtower taught as bible truth.

The watchtower/ G.B disfellowshipped Franz and branded him as an apostate and enemy of Jehovah and his people. Franz through his own bible studies did discern watchtower doctrine as being false. e.g 1914 was not a bible doctrine but a dogma invented by the watchtower itself.

Of interest Franz was on the writing team which published many of the articles featured in the watchtower magazines in the 1970's

How would JWs back then have known if Franz was writing apostate lies about Jehovah in those magazines ?

Of course there has been JWs who have left the watchtower over the years and become true christians because they have done their own bible studies separate to what the G.B teaches and discovered what they have taught is false.

But unfortunately for the majority of JWs they will never do this because of the FEAR that has been installed in them by their G.B.

Questioning anything the G.B teaches about Jehovah and the bible is the same as questioning Jehovah himself --- and the fear of disfellowship and being destroyed by Jehovah in the future.

btw- the watchtower also uses the old light/ new light teaching on its people. What was taught in the past was not error but old light replaced by new light.

Have you not not answered your own question? J/W's can tell if the governing body errs, becuase the governing body announce their errors. Is that not the same in most religious denominations?

Catholicism is the One True Faith and a person can know this with certainty by reciting daily and with care the angelic psalter of the Virgin Mary.

I suspect that any Jehovah Witness who openly disagreed with the Governing Body would soon find himself an ex-Jehovah witness, either by his own choice or the choice of the GB.

If they start teaching that Jesus is Jehovah, then I am out.

If they start teaching that God is three in one, I am out.

If they start teaching that hell is a place of eternal damnation and torture, I am out.

If they start teaching that we are not in the last days of this system of things, I am out.

If they start teaching that God is 100% man and 100% god, I am out.

We do have a choice. We can leave and never look back. If you do not agree with what we teach, move on, find other people who you think have Bible truth and stick with it.

The basics are there. I believe the Witness are the only Christians who are publishing Bible truths about God, Jesus, their promises, moralities in this system of things. They match what I believe. I enjoy their company. I enjoy the preaching work.

The JWs have been trained to wait on the Governing Body admitting to any errors it makes in doctrinal matters. When such admissions are made, it is at assemblies of JWs, followed by a printed article, usually in their Watchtower magazine, explaining how the GB didn't quite understand, fully, but that Jehovah has kindly made the light a bit brighter. This means that no JW can tell there was some error in doctrine until the GB tells them there was some 'confusion' or 'misunderstanding' which has now been clarified.

In addition to the 2017 quote you supply, here is one showing the same point, back in 1977, in the 1st March Watchtower para. 15 of the article, 'To Whom Shall we go but Jesus Christ?'

"...it must be observed that this 'faithful and discreet slave' was never inspired, never perfect... Things published were not perfect in the days of Charles Taze Russell.. nor were they perfect in the days of J.F. Rutherford, the succeeding president. The increased light on God's Word as well as the facts of history have repeatedly required that adjustments of one kind or another be made down to the very present time. But let us never forget that the motives of this 'slave' were always pure, unselfish... Actually any adjustments that have been made in understanding have furnished an opportunity for those being served by this 'slave' to show loyalty and love... For those who truly love God's law there is no stumbling block."

So, there you have it. The GB has given itself the green light to change any or all doctrines it sees fit, knowing it will still have over 8 million followers loyally applauding every book and magazine printed, enthusiastically exclaiming in delight at the newest 'revealed truth'. Such is this power of 'the slave class' - the GB in the main.

The members have been trained to see nothing but pure motives with the GB and that the members now have opportunities to show loyalty and love by unquestioningly agreeing with the changes and not even mentioning the old beliefs. The GB have identified themselves as the outlet for "God's law" and that to turn faithfully to them is equivalent to going to Jesus Christ. All JWs who do that can never, ever tell or spot any GB error in doctrinal matters.

They can't. They don't question it.

The ONLY honest answer is that they can't!

You see, JWorg has flipflopped on many doctrinal matters over it's history and yet not ONE JW is ever recorded as having pointed out such doctrinal errors... NOT ONE... EVER.

This is clear evidence that if there are any JWs who can discern errors they don't have the courage to speak out!

Now there could be two categoreis of JWs who respond to this truth...

i) Those that deny to demonstrate how delusion works

ii) Thos who admit it and are moving toward truth.

I suspect most, if not all, will simply avoid giving an answer in order to continue with their cognitive dissonance.

There are a multitude of bible churches in the world. Each has it's bible scholars which see the world so differently. This is the very reason why the church of Jesus Christ has always been led by revelation direct from God. God never intended for us to guess at which doctrine is true. Why would a God of perfect order do that? Without the gift of the Holy Ghost, we as individuals are nothing and our religion is just a shell of a church. There are no spiritual gifts, prophets, gospel knowledge or personal revelation and the heavens are closed until faith is once again on the earth.

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; Ephesians 4:11-14

Fear prevents them from questioning their authority. But love casts out all fear. Pray for them.