Do Jehovah's Witnessses use their doctrines as the only source of information?

Answer 1

The "doctrines" JWs follow most JWs really believe sincerely are all from The Bible. In reality many are directives from the Governing Body and not explicitly found in the bible. As an example, absolutely nowhere in the bible does it command that a man and woman properly married to each other should not have oral sex if both are agreeable. Yet the organization strongly condemns this practice. There are directives given to travelling overseers that also fit in this class. The recent move to call the Presiding Overseer (which is in the bible), the Co-ordinator of the body of elders (which is not in the bible) is another such example.

The fact is that one of Jehovah's Witnesses is trained to view all other information through the filter of the Watchtower doctrine. All Biblical "interpretation" comes from the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. So when a JW does read the Bible it is sometimes as a point of reference in conjunction with Watchtower publications.

Reading "Crisis Of Conscience" by Raymond Franz would be stricly forbidden.

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that one cannot truly understand the Bible without the aid of the 'faithful and discreet' slave class.

Watchtower 1st Oct '94 p8 says, ''All who want to understand the Bible should appreciate that the "greatly diversified wisdom of God" can become known only through Jehovah's channel of communication, the faithful and discreet slave.''

The 'faithful and discreet slave' are represented by the seven member Governing Body.

Watchtower 15th June '09 p24, ''today a limited number of anointed men have the responsibility of representing the slave class. They make up the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses.''

Answer 2

The Bible is considered the ultimate source of information when it comes to doctrine hierarchy of Jehovah's Witnesses. As far as their other publications, it is the official stance of Jehovah's Witnesses that the governing body (a group of men who are believed to have a heavenly hope and oversee the organization) is the "faithful and discreet slave" mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24:45-47. Hence, the publications they print, have all been directed for publishing by the governing body. However, the governing body are not considered infallible or inspired and in fact, have recanted on many understandings over the years. In recent years, they have refrained from trying to decipher every little detail of prophecy and have taken a more broad approach. They have also refrained from directing witnesses in various aspects of their lives not mentioned in the Bible, instead encouraging them to go about their lives on the basis of conscience that is well trained by the Bible.


In their publications, there are many references to outside work such as scientific discoveries, archeological finds, and historical accounts outside of the Bible. So, although they do put much more emphasis on the Bible and their own publications, they do not use them as the only source of information.