Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2002, Page 81
(Ephesians 4:5) Likewise in our day Jesus Christ foretold that there would be
only one source of spiritual instruction for God‘s people. ...there are [not]
different roads, or ways, that you can follow to gain life in God‘s new system.
There is only one. There was just the one ark that survived the Flood, not a
number of boats. And there will be only one organization—God‘s visible
organization—that will survive the fast approaching ―great tribulation.‖ It is
simply not true that all religions lead to the same goal. … You must be part of
Jehovah‘s organization, doing God‘s will, in order to receive his blessing of
everlasting life (Watch Tower, 1982, pp. 192, 193, 255-256).
In an excellent summary of the Preparing for Child Custody Cases booklet, former
Watchtower governing body member Raymond Franz notes the 60-page booklet is a guide
for Witnesses who may testify in court. The booklet reviews questions that
may be presented by the opposing side and then offering suggested sample
responses … Watchtower … [teaching] on honesty ...[is to] respect the truth,
[not] ...willing to twist the truth a little bit, to get out of an inconvenient
circumstance, or to get something we want … Compare that with some of
the responses suggested in the Society‘s manual. Under ―APPROACH BY
WITNESS PARENT TO CROSS-EXAMINATION,‖ we find this question ...Will all
Catholics (or other) be destroyed? … [and the suggested answer on Page 12
is]: Jehovah makes those judgments, not we. This sounds good, implies
freedom from a dogmatic, judgmental attitude. Yet the Witness so
responding knows that his organization‘s publications clearly teach that only
those who are in association with ―Jehovah‘s organization‖ will survive the
―great tribulation,‖ and that all those who fail to come to that organization
face destruction. (Franz, 1991, p. 283)
Franz then evaluates the section ―DIRECT EXAMINATION AND RESPONSES FOR LOCAL
ELDER,‖ in which the booklet presents the ―proper‖ responses in parenthesis to common
questions:
What view does ...[the Witness religion] take toward people of other
religions? (Jesus taught love neighbor as self, includes all we respect others‘
rights to worship as they choose) … [Do Witnesses] teach that young people
should learn only about religion of Jehovah‘s Witnesses? (No. Consider
following objective consideration of other religions in our publications).
(Franz, 1991, pp. 29-31)
In response to this section of the booklet, Franz notes that the Watchtower implies an
attitude of considerable tolerance about religion but
… the Witness elder responding knows that his religion teaches that ―people
of other religions‖ are all within ―Babylon the Great,‖ the empire of false
religion, depicted as a ―great harlot‖ in Scripture, that the worship they have
chosen is considered unchristian and if continuing in it, they face destruction.
He also knows that Witnesses are urged not to have social relations with such
―people of other religions,‖ since such would have a ―corrupting‖ effect, the
only approved association with such being in ―witnessing‖ to them in the hope
of changing their religion. He knows that all the articles set out in the
brochure‘s list emphasize negative aspects of the ―other religions‖ discussed
and that the organization discourages reading literature directly proceeding
from other religions only what it itself publishes about such religions is
viewed as safe reading (Franz, 1991, p. 284).
In summary, Franz concludes that people counseled to respond in this way
(Ephesians 4:5) Likewise in our day Jesus Christ foretold that there would be
only one source of spiritual instruction for God‘s people. ...there are [not]
different roads, or ways, that you can follow to gain life in God‘s new system.
There is only one. There was just the one ark that survived the Flood, not a
number of boats. And there will be only one organization—God‘s visible
organization—that will survive the fast approaching ―great tribulation.‖ It is
simply not true that all religions lead to the same goal. … You must be part of
Jehovah‘s organization, doing God‘s will, in order to receive his blessing of
everlasting life (Watch Tower, 1982, pp. 192, 193, 255-256).
In an excellent summary of the Preparing for Child Custody Cases booklet, former
Watchtower governing body member Raymond Franz notes the 60-page booklet is a guide
for Witnesses who may testify in court. The booklet reviews questions that
may be presented by the opposing side and then offering suggested sample
responses … Watchtower … [teaching] on honesty ...[is to] respect the truth,
[not] ...willing to twist the truth a little bit, to get out of an inconvenient
circumstance, or to get something we want … Compare that with some of
the responses suggested in the Society‘s manual. Under ―APPROACH BY
WITNESS PARENT TO CROSS-EXAMINATION,‖ we find this question ...Will all
Catholics (or other) be destroyed? … [and the suggested answer on Page 12
is]: Jehovah makes those judgments, not we. This sounds good, implies
freedom from a dogmatic, judgmental attitude. Yet the Witness so
responding knows that his organization‘s publications clearly teach that only
those who are in association with ―Jehovah‘s organization‖ will survive the
―great tribulation,‖ and that all those who fail to come to that organization
face destruction. (Franz, 1991, p. 283)
Franz then evaluates the section ―DIRECT EXAMINATION AND RESPONSES FOR LOCAL
ELDER,‖ in which the booklet presents the ―proper‖ responses in parenthesis to common
questions:
What view does ...[the Witness religion] take toward people of other
religions? (Jesus taught love neighbor as self, includes all we respect others‘
rights to worship as they choose) … [Do Witnesses] teach that young people
should learn only about religion of Jehovah‘s Witnesses? (No. Consider
following objective consideration of other religions in our publications).
(Franz, 1991, pp. 29-31)
In response to this section of the booklet, Franz notes that the Watchtower implies an
attitude of considerable tolerance about religion but
… the Witness elder responding knows that his religion teaches that ―people
of other religions‖ are all within ―Babylon the Great,‖ the empire of false
religion, depicted as a ―great harlot‖ in Scripture, that the worship they have
chosen is considered unchristian and if continuing in it, they face destruction.
He also knows that Witnesses are urged not to have social relations with such
―people of other religions,‖ since such would have a ―corrupting‖ effect, the
only approved association with such being in ―witnessing‖ to them in the hope
of changing their religion. He knows that all the articles set out in the
brochure‘s list emphasize negative aspects of the ―other religions‖ discussed
and that the organization discourages reading literature directly proceeding
from other religions only what it itself publishes about such religions is
viewed as safe reading (Franz, 1991, p. 284).
In summary, Franz concludes that people counseled to respond in this way
