Marital infidelity is an all-too-common social problem—even among Jehovah's Witnesses. Adultery is the subject of countless love-gone-wrong songs, tawdry novels and movies. Other than the actual death of a loved one, there is probably nothing as emotionally devastating to the innocent mate and family as matrimonial unfaithfulness and betrayal.

We might suppose that the heartbreak associated with the unfaithfulness of a spouse is confined to the human experience. However, through the prophet Hosea, God relates his own inner feelings to us in such familiar human terms, it allows us to appreciate that Jehovah also intimately knows the pain of a broken heart caused by the unfaithfulness of someone he loves very dearly.

But, who could possibly break Jehovah's heart? And how does God intend to remedy the distressing situation? Can there be any reconciliation in this type of estrangement? And, how does this extraordinary case of infidelity involve you? These questions will be considered based upon the book of Hosea.

Ironically, the Watchtower even featured the book of Hosea in a symposium at the 2004 "Walk With God" District Convention of Jehovah's Witnesses. While adding valuable historical insights, regrettably the Watchtower's exposition of the prophetic significance of Hosea woefully distorts and ultimately conceals the vital message contained in the prophecy.

For good reason, then, Jehovah poses the rhetorical question in the very last verse of Hosea: "Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Discreet, that he may know them?"

In the opening verse of Hosea Jehovah commands his prophet, saying to him: "Go, take to yourself a wife of fornication and children of fornication, because by fornication the land positively turns from following Jehovah."

The great Communicator, Jehovah, illustrates the state of his own relationship with his people so that we may more easily understand his feelings. By likening the nation of Israel to a cheating wife and himself to an offended lover, we get the picture. To further drive home the point, Jehovah again commands Hosea: "Go once again, love a woman loved by a companion and committing adultery, as in the case of Jehovah's love for the sons of Israel while they are turning to other gods and are loving raisin cakes."

Jehovah confesses his love for the "sons of Israel," but it is they who, like an adulterous wife, betray his love by worshipping other gods and loving the raisin cakes offered to their false gods in sacrifice. Hence, Jehovah says: "Do not rejoice, O Israel. Do not act joyful like the peoples. For by fornication you have gone from alongside your God."

Jehovah's Witnesses are well aware that through the prophets God unflatteringly compares the nation of Israel to an adulterous wife; due to their consistently practicing various forms of idolatry and for their faithlessly forging alliances with the surrounding nations. However, the Watchtower always applies such comparisons to modern-day Christendom.

But, is that really the way the prophecy is intended to be understood? Why does Jehovah repeatedly confess his love for the nation and call them "my people" and urge them to return to him? Was Christendom ever loved by Jehovah?

The intent of this article is to prove, scripturally and by reason, that it is actually Jehovah's Witnesses and the institution of the Watchtower Society that have, in reality, broken Jehovah's heart by our own acts of spiritual prostitution and faithlessness. If you are a humble lover of Jehovah, you will at least consider the possibility that Jehovah may have a few issues with the people who bear his name before the world.

But, how can we possibly compare the form of religion practiced today by Jehovah's Witnesses to the crude form of idolatry and baalism practiced by the ancient Israelites?

Idolatry comes in many forms. For example, after receiving the awe-inspiring apocalypse, the apostle John nearly succumbed to a form of idolatry when he twice attempted to prostrate himself before an angel. We read at Revelation 22:8-9: Well, I John was the one hearing and seeing these things. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel that had been showing me these things. But he tells me: "Be careful! Do not do that! All I am is a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who are prophets and of those who are observing the words of this scroll. Worship God."

However, idolatry can take a subtler form than that.

First, though, consider the definition of idolatry as stated in the Insight on the Scriptures volume under the heading of Idolatry: "An idol is an image, a representation of anything, or a symbol that is an object of passionate devotion, whether material or imagined. Generally speaking, idolatry is the veneration, love, worship, or adoration of an idol. It is usually practiced toward a real or supposed higher power, whether such power is believed to have animate existence (as a human, an animal, or an organization) or is inanimate (as a force or lifeless object of nature). Idolatry generally involves some form, ceremony, or ritual."

According to the Watchtower, making an organization the "object of passionate devotion" is idolatry. Would not that also include what is commonly called "Jehovah's visible organization"? After all, John was cautioned for bowing before a glorious angel who had revealed God's sacred secret to him. But, wasn't the angel part of God's loyal heavenly organization? Obviously, merely belonging to God's organization of heavenly sons does not make one worthy of veneration.

The Watchtower, though, occupies a similar position as the angel relative to Jehovah's Witnesses; in that, the Watchtower is commonly viewed as being God's "sole channel of communication" with his people—just as the angel was God's channel to John. What the Watchtower publishes carries much weight with Jehovah's Witnesses. Indeed, the Watchtower has been instrumental in enlightening Jehovah's Witnesses concerning many long-hidden, vital biblical truths. But, in so doing, how can any honest observer say that the Watchtower is not loved and adored by Jehovah's Witnesses and even imbued with a "supposed higher power" it simply does not possess?

Of course, idolatry does not necessarily mean that the idolater no longer worships Jehovah. It merely means that a measure of honor and affection due the Creator is misdirected to someone or something else. That being the case, who can deny that Jehovah's Witnesses surpass paying mere respect and regard for the Watchtower organization and offer what amounts to undue reverence and homage, which always comes at Jehovah's expense?

If that is not the case, then why is it that in all of the Watchtower's voluminous writings they have never, not even once, warned Jehovah's Witnesses against over-emphasizing the importance of the Watchtower Society? Surely, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is not greater than Jehovah's angel who cautioned the apostle John not to worship him? Why then has the Watchtower never showed the same humility before God? Knowing the human tendency toward idolatry, is it not the Watchtower's responsibility to make sure it does not receive any honors that rightfully belong to God—just as the angel refused to accept John's worship?

On several occasions the apostles prevented people from conferring god-like honors upon them. Why has the Watchtower not discouraged Jehovah's Witnesses from bestowing undo honor on "The Society"?

The Calf Idol of Bethaven

After Jehovah divided the kingdom of Israel into the northern 10-tribe kingdom of Ephraim (Israel) and the southern kingdom of Judah, king Jeroboam of the northern kingdom set up two golden calves at Bethel and Gilgal in order to keep the Israelites from reuniting in worship at Jerusalem.

The idols were merely a matter of convenience so that the Israelite worshippers did not have to travel all the way back to the temple in Jerusalem to worship Jehovah. For the reason that Bethel became a center of false worship, Jehovah aptly renamed the city—Bethaven—meaning: House of wickedness.

That's why we read at Hosea 10:5: "For the calf idol of Bethaven the residents of Samaria will get frightened; for over it its people will certainly mourn, as well as its foreign-god priests who used to be joyful over it, on account of its glory, because it will have gone into exile away from it."

Ironically, the world headquarters of the Watchtower Society is similarly named "Bethel." (Meaning: House of God) And although Jehovah's Witnesses may vigorously protest, Brooklyn Bethel is a modern-day Bethaven in God's eyes. Over the years, as the so-called hub of Jehovah's "visible organization," the Watchtower Society has gradually been transformed into a sophisticated version of a calf idol.

From its humble living-room Bible-study beginnings and rented store-front meeting places, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has grown to become an extremely successful international corporate entity. It is one of the largest publishing companies in the world. During a recent time of rapid expansion the Watchtower was also considered to be one of the largest construction companies in the world. It is even listed as the 37th most profitable corporation in New York City—raking in almost one billion dollars in 2001! That is quite something, indeed, seeing that New York City is home to many of the richest corporations in the world.

Apparently, the Watchtower even sponsors a car leasing program in order to profitably unload cars previously used by circuit and district overseers. There is no question but that the Watchtower has enormous holdings in real estate, cash, stocks and bonds—all the trappings of a successful worldly corporation.

The Governing Body and other officers of the Watchtower Society live quite comfortably and are regarded by Jehovah's Witnesses as princes and kings and are given generous gifts wherever they travel. The Watchtower's physical facilities around the world, particularly Brooklyn Bethel, the lavish Stanley assembly hall and more recently Patterson, are like holy shrines and Meccas beckoning the faithful to make their sacrificial pilgrimages—commonly called Bethel tours.

As an example of how the organization has taken such a prominent place in the spiritual lives of Jehovah's Witnesses, consider some of the following comments taken from the June 1st, 1967, Watchtower magazine, from the article entitled: "Move Ahead with Jehovah's Organization." In the 12th paragraph we read:

"We may think of study as hard work, as involving heavy research. But in Jehovah's organization it is not necessary to spend a lot of time and energy in research, for there are brothers in the organization who are assigned to do that very thing, to help you who do not have so much time for this, these preparing the good material in The Watchtower and other publications of the Society. But you do not study enough? Take this suggestion: Often the very best and most beneficial studying you do is that done when you read a new Watchtower or Awake! or a new book with the joy of getting the new truths and a fresh view"

Studying God's Word is part of our worship. God speaks to us individually through his Word, does he not? But, instead of buying out the opportune time for ourselves, as the apostle admonished Christians; and using our own mental energies and God-given powers of reason in researching the deep things of God's Word, the Watchtower has conveniently done everything for us—or so they would have us believe. We no longer even need to personally research the Bible for ourselves. By their own admission, "The Society" has already done it all for us.

Remember, please, the idol calf of Bethaven was intended to make the worship of Jehovah more convenient.

The Watchtower Society has surreptitiously superceded the authority of Jehovah's own precious Bible in the minds and hearts of Jehovah's own witnesses, so that all we have to do to gain Jehovah's approval is study the Watchtower and Awake and other publications of "The Society." Jehovah and his Bible are effectively relegated to the background; while the Watchtower is elevated to the most prominent place in our worship.

Let the anointed priests of Bethel who actually fear Almighty Jehovah God sit up on the edge of their chairs when contemplating the import of the Apostle's discomforting rhetorical question: "Are we inciting Jehovah to jealousy"? We are not stronger than he is, are we?"

According to the Insight volume previously quoted: "Idolatry generally involves some form, ceremony, or ritual."  Is that true of our worship?

Inarguably, what we call "theocratic arrangement" has become mere form and ritual. Take the weekly Watchtower Study as a case in point. Every week for over half a century, Jehovah's Witnesses have followed a very rigid choreographed ritual of discussing a select Watchtower article. The Watchtower Society actually takes pride in the fact that all congregations throughout the world are required to study the same material simultaneously—in the name of organizational uniformity.

As part of the ritual, everyone is expected to "study" the Watchtower before even coming to the meeting, and most of Jehovah's Witnesses underline the answers beforehand, usually with a yellow highlighter. During the meeting the paragraphs are read one or two at a time and then pre-scripted questions are asked. The audience is expected to briefly answer the questions from the material in the paragraph. Other meetings follow a similar format.

True, the Scriptures are discussed and read from the Bible as part of the Watchtower Study and other meeting programs, but by and large the focus is on the Watchtower publications—not the Bible. After all, it is called "the Watchtower Study"—not "the Bible Study."

Certainly the early Christian congregations were not burdened with the spirit-stifling formulaic worship that the Watchtower has imposed upon Jehovah's Witnesses. Paul's only counsel to the Corinthian congregation concerning their meetings was that they should not all speak at the same time and there were to be interpreters on hand when someone was speaking in tongues. Each congregation largely functioned autonomously; even though Christ was the head of each separate congregation. There is no scriptural basis for the scripted and rigid "theocratic arrangement" imposed on the meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses.

It is not at all uncommon to hear the brothers make comments and prayers expressing deep appreciation for the faithful slave and the Watchtower Society for providing an abundance of so-called "spiritual food." But, it is a rare occasion indeed when anyone thanks Jehovah for providing the Bible. And, as previously stated, no one has ever dared to caution the brothers not to lavish too much praise on the faithful slave or the Watchtower. Likewise, you will never hear a brother offering public prayer ask Jehovah to forgive the Watchtower for their sins. That would be considered a shocking blasphemy. Such is the sin of the calf worship of Bethaven!

But, do Jehovah's Witnesses really serve the Watchtower Society? According to the same previously cited Watchtower article about moving ahead with Jehovah's organization, the answer is no. The 9th paragraph states: "So moving ahead is not a cold, calculated thing. It is a matter of coming closer to Jehovah, perfecting obedience, seeking and receiving Jehovah's spirit. We are dedicated to him, not to the organization."

However, that particular article was written in 1967. Has something changed since then? Yes, something has changed, at least in the relationship newly-dedicated Jehovah's Witnesses have with the Watchtower Society. In 1985, the Watchtower changed the baptism vows to include the phrase: "Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in association with God's spirit-directed organization?"

Prior to 1985, all newly-baptized witnesses were simply asked if they had repented of their sins and accepted Christ as their Ransomer and whole-heartedly dedicated themselves to do Jehovah's will. Since 1985, however, the Watchtower has insidiously insinuated itself into the solemn baptismal vows that all new Jehovah's Witnesses must publicly declare!

What gives the Watchtower the right to insert itself into the place exclusively reserved in Scripture for Jehovah, Jesus Christ and the holy spirit? Is it a trivial matter before heaven that persons desiring to dedicate themselves to Jehovah and Jesus are required to also publicly declare that they belong to the Watchtower organization? Each reader can decide for themselves.

But let it be noted that even the apostle Paul, who has arguably been the most prominent witness of Jehovah in the entire Christian era, did not presumptuously take to himself such high honors as the Watchtower has taken to itself.

Apparently, the same tendency toward organizational idolatry existed in the Corinthian congregation. Some disciples said they actually belonged to Paul; others claimed they belonged to Cephas and Apollos. That is why Paul issued a statement to the Corinthians disavowing any claim to their devotion, saying: "The Christ exists divided. Paul was not impaled for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I am thankful I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name."

While the Apostle gladly declared his relief that none of the Corinthians were "baptized in the name of Paul," why is it that Jehovah's Witnesses are compelled by the Watchtower Society to be baptized "in association with God's spirit-directed organization"? Wasn't the 1st Century congregation "spirit-directed," too? Why didn't Jesus or Paul command those Christians to recognize that their baptism identified them with such? Are we to assume that the spirit directed the organization in 1986 to insert itself into the Christian's sacred vows even though the Scriptures clearly do not allow for such a thing?

The apostle Paul described Satan as being capable of transforming himself into an angel of light. In other words, Satan can convince us that evil is good. That is why Paul expressed his deep concern that some of the Corinthians might be seduced by Satan's deceit. Paul knew full well that Satan exerted a powerful influence through the superfine apostles in the congregation; who, like Satan, also transformed themselves into ministers of righteousness. No doubt the tendency to follow men was encouraged by the demons as well.

While Satan the Devil was undoubtedly the unseen spirit instigating the Bethaven calf worship, it was the very king of Israel and the priests of God, the nation's leaders, who were instrumental in misleading Jehovah's people into the snare of idolatry. That is why God said to them: "Hear this, O priests, and pay attention, O house of Israel, and you, O house of the king, give ear, for with you people the judgment has to do; because a trap is what you have become to Mizpah and as a net spread over Tabor. And in slaughter work those falling away have gone deep down, and I was an exhortation to all of them." – Hosea 5:1-2

We should not suppose that the Devil is at all opposed to the idolization of "The Society" in modern times. That's because the demons promote anything and everything that detracts from Jehovah's glory—including the corrupting, subtle worship of Jehovah's "visible organization"! Satan the Devil is without doubt the most ardent promoter of "The Society"; cleverly disguising such organizational idolatry as pure worship! An angel of light indeed! And a potential snare for all of Jehovah's Witnesses during the judgment—as described at Hosea 5:1-2.

Let each Christian witness of Jehovah discern by the spirit of Jehovah the significance of Hosea 4:15, where we read God's stern warning to the faithful not to join in attaching the name of Jehovah to the golden calf of Bethaven: "Although you are committing fornication, O Israel, let not Judah become guilty, and do not you people come to Gilgal, neither go up to Bethaven nor swear 'As Jehovah is alive!'"

But, how can we be sure that the prophecy of Hosea applies to Jehovah's Witnesses and the Watchtower Society in our day?

While the prophecy of Hosea is set in ancient times, the relevant issues between Jehovah and his people have not changed. Jehovah's people today face the very same challenges to our faith as did the Israelites. For that reason, the message of Hosea and the other prophets are just as vital today as they were when they were first written.

In fact, the book of Hosea seamlessly connects the primitive worship practiced by Israel with the time of Christ's arrival. Hence we read at Hosea 3:4-5: "It is because for many days the sons of Israel will dwell without a king and without a prince and without a sacrifice and without a pillar and without an ephod and teraphim. Afterwards the sons of Israel will come back and certainly look for Jehovah their God, and for David their king; and they will certainly come quivering to Jehovah and to his goodness in the final part of the days."

"The final part of the days" has reference to a specific period of time when God commences his judgment—beginning with his own house first. (See I Peter 4:17-18) Contrary to the Watchtower's teaching, "the final part of the days" has not commenced yet. (See essay: "The Final Part of the Days".) That being the case, "the sons of Israel" are in reality spiritual Israelites and "David their king," is, of course, Jesus Christ. Seeing that the prophecy foretells "the sons of Israel will come back and certainly look for Jehovah their God" it indicates that spiritual Israel is presently estranged from Jehovah—they simply have not come to that realization yet.

Through Hosea, Jehovah declares that the purpose of the words of the prophets is to correct and discipline his people. At Hosea 6:5 God says: "That is why I shall have to hew them by the prophets; I shall have to kill them by the sayings of my mouth. And the judgments upon you will be as the light that goes forth. For in loving-kindness I have taken delight, and not in sacrifice; and in the knowledge of God rather than in whole burnt offerings. But they themselves, like earthling man, have overstepped the covenant. There is where they have dealt treacherously with me."

The words of God through the Hebrew prophets are intended to chisel and shape God's people and kill off, through judgment, the tendency to rebel against him. No other people, other than the Israelites and their priests, could overstep God's covenant for the simple reason that no other people were in a covenant with Jehovah. The same holds true today. The words of the prophets are likewise directed to the congregation of anointed Christians, who, like the ancient Israelites, are also in a covenant with God.

For example, Jesus also says that he will wage a war of words against anointed Christians who do not repent of their idolatry, saying at Revelation 2:16: "Therefore repent. If you do not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will war with them with the long sword of my mouth." 

Should we suppose Jesus is calling Christendom to repentance?

Or could it be that the sacrifices and "whole-burnt offerings" of Hosea 6:5 pertain to the ritualistic worship of Jehovah's Witnesses? Could it be that God is not so pleased with the millions of hours Jehovah's Witnesses boast of sacrificing in preaching because of our neglect in more important matters?

Clearly, to "have overstepped the covenant" a people must first be in a covenant with Jehovah. Only anointed Christians (spiritual Israel) are in a covenant with God through their Mediator—Jesus Christ. That means that those who "have dealt treacherously" with Jehovah are Jehovah's Witnesses. But in what way have Jehovah's Witnesses dealt treacherously with Jehovah by overstepping his covenant with them? Hosea highlights two specific areas.

"As in the days of Gibeah"

Hosea 9:9 reads in full: "They have gone down deep in bringing ruin, as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their error; he will give attention to their sins."

"The days of Gibeah" have to do with a gross sin that took place there during the time of the judges. The account in the 19th chapter of Judges records for us that some "good-for-nothing" sexual perverts wanted to rape a man who was staying overnight as a guest in Gibeah. Instead, though, the mob ended up raping his concubine to death.

Outraged by the atrocity, the man cut the dead woman's body up into 12 parts and sent a piece to each of the 12 tribes. (Remember, please, this was long before the electronic media; people back then might justifiably have done unusual and bizarre things by today's standards in order to publicize newsworthy events.)  The result was that all the tribes of Israel were shocked by the crime and came against the tribe of Benjamin and demanded that they hand the guilty men of Gibeah over to them to be put to death in accord with the Law.

Judges 20:13 reports: Accordingly the tribes of Israel sent men to all the tribesmen of Benjamin, saying: "What is this bad thing that has been brought about among you? And now give over the men, the good-for-nothing men, that are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and let us clear out what is bad from Israel."

However, the verse goes on to say: "And the sons of Benjamin did not want to listen to the voice of their brothers, the sons of Israel."

As a consequence of Benjamin's foolish refusal to do justice, war erupted; and as a result, the city of Gibeah was burned to the ground and the tribe of Benjamin was nearly wiped out of existence. It should be noted, though, that Jehovah sanctioned the war against Benjamin.

Something similar to the horrific sex crime of Gibeah has happened among Jehovah's Witnesses today—only on a much grander scale. Shockingly, in recent years thousands of cases of child abuse have come to light within the organization. And as was the case of the original sex crime in Gibeah, the Watchtower's scandalous pedophile problem has been broadly publicized.

First, though, it must be pointed out that the sex crime of Gibeah was not the reason for the civil war—nor was it the reason Jehovah called attention to Gibeah centuries later. Had the Benjaminites turned the guilty men over to be executed, as the Law prescribed, the sex crime, as shocking as it was, may not have even been mentioned in the Bible. It was the Benjaminites' stubborn refusal to allow justice to take place that was the real sin of Gibeah.

So, too, in a similar manner, the Watchtower Society and Jehovah's Witnesses "have gone down deep in bringing ruin" upon the organization by stubbornly refusing to do justice in the eyes of God in behalf of the many thousands of children of Jehovah's Witnesses who have been victimized by pedophiles and rapists in our congregations.

How "deep down" has the Watchtower gone in brining ruin? Consider a few facts:

According to Bill Bowen and Silentlambs, inside sources at Bethel headquarters have revealed that the Watchtower has a secret database of over 23,000 known child sex offenders! And apparently, that is only the known molesters in North America and Europe. Not only that, but over 5,000 abuse victims have come forward in recent months as a result of the efforts of Silentlambs to publicize the problem. Many of their personal stories of abuse and cover-up are archived on Silentlambs website.

The elders and Watchtower Society would have us believe that everything on the Internet is a web of lies spun by opposers. Common sense, however, tells us that abuse victims are actually reluctant to talk about their experiences and only do so because of the support and encouragement of others. No doubt there are many more abuse victims who suffer in silence—as the term "silent lambs" implies.

As is the Watchtower's policy, and as numerous experiences testify, the congregations and often even family members are not even warned when a known pedophile is in their midst. As a consequence, the Watchtower is directly responsible for giving abusers safe haven to practice their vile sins upon Jehovah's innocent lambs.

Considering that the sin of Gibeah involved a relative handful of good-for-nothing perverts and only one victim, we may begin to get some approximation of Jehovah's displeasure over the Watchtower's misguided efforts to prevent justice from being done to the many thousands of victims of child abuse.

While the Watchtower insists it has handled everything properly, the very fact that the Society ordered the disfellowshipping of longtime faithful Jehovah's Witnesses, such as Bill Bowen and Barbara and Joe Anderson, who took the lead in championing the cause of child protection, speaks volumes as to the Watchtower's inclinations. It is as if Bethel has murdered the reputations of victims' advocates; stealing from them their good names and their right to associate with their congregations and families. The Watchtower has placed its curse upon anyone who dares to break rank and do what is right.

One of the Watchtower’s spokesmen, J.R. Brown, states that the Watchtower has published much information to help parents to protect their children from pedophiles. True, the Society’s website does indeed have a number of Awake articles dealing with child abuse prevention. However, most of the articles do not deal with the problem of pedophilia among Jehovah’s Witnesses; nor do they specifically warn parents of the dangers from within the congregations. The Watchtower article entitled “Let Us Abhor What is Wicked” specifically deals with instances when one of Jehovah’s Witnesses commits an act child abuse, but the article makes no clear acknowledgment that the victim could well be a child in the congregation. The Watchtower’s Public Relations and Legal departments are obviously intent on leaving the misleading impression that the perpetrators of child abuse are either not Jehovah’s Witnesses; or if they are, then their victims are not.

As an example, the April 8th, 1999, Awake magazine has an article entitled "Who Will Protect Your Child?" On page four the article states: "Think of the heartbreak of parents who have discovered, too late, that their children have been abused by trusted clergymen, teachers, or even close family members. It would be good for you as a parent to ask yourself, 'Does my church tolerate or cover up child abuse? Is my religion holding firmly to high moral principles?' Answers to such questions could help you to make wise choices in protecting your children."

The Watchtower's hypocrisy in this regard is positively staggering. Considering that the Awake magazine is written primarily for Jehovah's Witnesses, it is very unlikely that the children of Jehovah's Witnesses will ever be sexually molested by "trusted clergymen." However, as the Watchtower is well aware, many thousands of our children have already been molested by men who call themselves Jehovah's Witnesses; and yes, some of the perpetrators have been trusted elders and ministerial servants and otherwise respected brothers in the congregation.  

If the Governing Body is really interesting in helping Jehovah's Witness parents protect their children from pedophile predators, why doesn't the Awake magazine warn parents to be on guard against leaving your child with brothers in the congregations? Wouldn't that be the honest and responsible thing to do—seeing that the Society is fully aware that thousands of pedophiles lurk within the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses? And instead of posing the question "does my church tolerate or cover up child abuse?" why doesn't the Awake magazine pose the much more relevant question: 'Does my kingdom hall tolerate or cover up child abuse?' Truly, the Watchtower has "gone deep in bringing ruin" upon themselves.

Jehovah, of course, sees through all pretenses—Jehovah sees inside our very hearts. That's why we read in Hosea 10:2: "Their heart has become hypocritical; now they will be found guilty."

Interestingly, in the New International Version of the Bible, Hosea 10:4 states: "They make many promises, take false oaths and make agreements; therefore lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field." (NIV)

While the Watchtower's oath-bound lawyers and public relations men promise trusting parents that the Society has always done everything possible to protect our children from being victimized by pedophiles, numerous victims of abuse insist otherwise. More ominously—so does Jehovah God.

True to the prophecy of Hosea, numerous lawsuits against the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses and the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society are popping up like weeds in a plowed field due to Bethaven's stubborn refusal to do what is right.

How appropriate, then, that Jehovah likens his organization to a dumb, stubborn cow, saying at Hosea 4:16: "For, like a stubborn cow, Israel has become stubborn." And again at Hosea 9:15: "On account of the evil of their dealings I shall drive them away from my own house. I will not continue on loving them. All their princes are acting stubborn."

As the most recent example of such evil stubbornness, the Watchtower's legal counsel is presently arguing before the New Hampshire Supreme Court that our shepherds bear no community or congregational responsibility to report suspected abusers to authorities, even when the law calls for them to do so.

Admittedly, in the universal scheme of things the ongoing lawsuits the Society is embroiled in are a relatively trivial thing. However, what defense will Bethel's attorneys present before the supreme court of heaven when called to account for the thousands of innocent children who have been raped on their watch? Hosea answers: "In this way one will certainly do to you people, O Bethel, because of your extreme badness. In the dawn the king of Israel will positively have to be silenced."— Hosea 10:15

We may be sure that Bethel's institutional prophets and our so-called organizational mother, along with all those whom Jehovah presently recognizes as his people, will be silenced during the oncoming judgment, even as Hosea foretells: "And you will certainly stumble in the daytime, and even a prophet must stumble with you, as at night. And I will put your mother to silence. My people will certainly be silenced…" Hosea 4:5-6

But organizational idolatry and injustice are not the full measure of Bethaven's sin. It gets worse.

Jehovah had, on many occasions, rescued his people from powerful enemy nations. Eventually, though, Israel no longer trusted his God to protect him and so he foolishly sought to make political alliances with his enemies—imagining that that would provide him with security. What a deplorable lack of faith was demonstrated by the kings of Israel when they made treaties with the ascending Assyrian Empire and sought favor with Egypt.

There is much available evidence that Jehovah has in the past blessed the work of Jehovah's Witnesses and delivered us from our many powerful enemies—just as he did Israel. The harrowing accounts of Jehovah's Witnesses in Nazi Germany and Russia, for instance, are truly inspiring. The Yearbooks of Jehovah's Witnesses have literally hundreds of experiences that show Jehovah has blessed us in small and large matters.

Regrettably, though, we find the very same pattern of faithlessness and presumptuous disobedience followed by the leadership of the Watchtower Society today. How so?

In spite of all that God has done for us, in 1992, the Watchtower signed a political alliance with the United Nations and became an NGO. (Non-Governmental Organization) By becoming an NGO, the Watchtower Society agreed to use their resources (which are unreservedly dedicated to announcing Jehovah's kingdom) in order to conduct an information campaign in behalf of the United Nations. In Jehovah's eyes that amounts to spiritual prostitution. (See essays: "Plumbing the Depths of the Watchtower's Prostitution" & "The Watchtower as an NGO" & "Commentary on the Watchtower's NGO Statement")

Again, the Watchtower's hypocrisy is positively jaw-dropping. As all of Jehovah's Witnesses know, the Watchtower has for many years identified the United Nations as a devilish counterfeit of God's kingdom. And we believe that just as Assyria and Babylon were used by Jehovah to execute divine judgments against the nations back then, so too, eventually, the United Nations will become the 8th king of Bible prophecy and carry out the words of God written in Revelation concerning the destruction of Babylon the Great.

The Watchtower is well aware that Christ's kingdom is no part of this world and that if any Christian wants to be a friend of this world he unavoidably makes himself an adulterous enemy of God. That's why Jehovah's Witnesses scrupulously avoid becoming involved in politics and are even willing to die rather than compromise our Christian integrity and violate the covenant of Christ that requires us to be no part of the Devil's political system.

Yet, in spite of that knowledge the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, representing the anointed of spiritual Israel earth-wide, signed an agreement with the modern counterpart of the king of Assyria. Such an agreement, or pact, amounts to what the Bible calls a covenant. The Watchtower was bound by the terms of their covenant with the UN and would have been deleted as an NGO had they not abided by it. According to the United Nations, though, for ten years the Watchtower faithfully met all the requirements of their covenanted agreement.

Not only that, but all of Jehovah's Witnesses have unknowingly participated in Bethel's wicked scheme; because by our distributing copies of the Watchtower and Awake magazines in our ministry, many articles being written  specifically for the purpose of disseminating UN propaganda, we have all become guilty in the eyes of God. (Click here for an example of how the Watchtower submitted its work to the UN in order to continue to qualify to serve as an NGO)

According to the Watchtower's official statement issued to select branch offices, there was nothing at all improper with the NGO arrangement. Supposedly, the only reason the Watchtower became an NGO was so that Bethel's researchers could obtain access to the Dag Hammarskjöld Library facilities at the UN headquarters. However, the UN library has stated it was not necessary to become an NGO to use the library and the United Nation's official statement verifies that the Watchtower willingly complied with the UN's requirements for NGO's.

The only conclusion that can be drawn is that Bethel is lying.

The Watchtower has the audacity to imply that their NGO affiliation was not secret; this in spite of the fact that the vast majority of Jehovah's Witnesses still have no knowledge of it and the Watchtower has never published it in any of their publications. Bethel's letter to the branches states: "Because of published allegations by opposers that we have secret links to the United Nations, a number of branches have inquired about the matter and we have replied."

Let Bethel reply to these questions: If the Watchtower's NGO links to the United Nations were not secret, why did the branches even have to inquire about the matter in the first place? If it were not secret, shouldn't at least the 100 Bethel branch committees around the world have known about it?

While there is no question that the many opposers of Jehovah's Witnesses are delighted that the Watchtower is presently wracked by numerous scandals, they simply do not understand Jehovah's purpose.

On the other hand, the Watchtower's lying insistence that it has done no wrong cannot possibly be pleasing to Jehovah either.

As people of faith, it should be our desire to know God's mind on these matters. If the Watchtower is as corrupt as is presented in this essay, does that mean that we are not the right religion after all? What might we expect from the hand of Jehovah in the future? Really, what realistic hope is there? These questions will be discussed in the second part of the consideration of the prophecy of Hosea.

Copyright © 2004, by Robert King
All Rights Reserved.