Is Loyalty more important
than truth?
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What happens when the Watchtower Society makes a
mistake? In 1984, Karl Klein a member of the Governing
Body, addressed this issue in the October 1, 1984
Watchtower page 22. He says, "World War I was
raging, and even though the most prominent brothers had
been unjustly imprisoned over the war issue, the need for
Christian neutrality was not fully appreciated by those
taking the lead. A few who saw the issue clearly took
offense and separated themselves from the Bible Students,
calling themselves Standfasters. They warned me that if I
stayed with the Bible Students I would lose out on being
of the 'little flock' of Jesus' anointed followers."
Karl Klein although he appears to have agreed with the
Standfasters in principle, goes on to say, "Mother,
though not yet dedicated, helped me to make the right
decision. I could not see myself leaving those from whom
I had learned so much, and I decided to take my chances
with my Bible Student brothers. It was a test of loyalty."
Did the Watchtower
organization make a mistake? Apparently so because just
prior to World War II, they adjusted their viewpoint.
Their new viewpoint was now identical
to that of the Standfasters. (See the Watchtower, Dec. 1,
1981 pg. 29.) This is a perfect example of the
Watchtower's position that it is not important if the
organization is right or wrong. What is important is
loyalty to the Watchtower Society. The fact that faithful
followers of the organization believed in a position
before the organization did, was not looked at with
favour. Apparently it was not as important who was right
but who was loyal to the
organization.
Did the Watchtower
Society, realizing their error and changing their
doctrine, reach out to the Standfasters and ask them to
return to the fold? The offical history of the Society,
the Proclaimers book published in 1993 does not even
mention the Standfasters. The Society's 1930-1985 Index
lists the Standfasters as an apostate group. Apostate in
what way? Apostate in that loyalty was more important
than truth. Apart from the 1984 Watchtower there appears
to be only one other instance where Society literature
talks about the Standfasters. The reference is the July
15, 1964 Watchtower pages 441-3 where the Standfasters
are portrayed in a negative light. "As if
persecution was not enough trouble, the Devil began to
cause divisions and fighting within the ranks of God's
people in an effort to disrupt the organization from
within. Some ambitious individuals in the organization
began selfishly to seek power for themselves. They
claimed that those in the headquarters of the
organization, known as the Bible House, were compromising
and were too broad-minded. They called them 'broadviews.'
This, of course, led to confusion and misunderstanding
among the brothers. What were they to do? Should they
remain loyal to those in the Bible House or leave the
organization? A number of persons who had prominent
positions of oversight in the congregations left the
organization. They called themselves the 'Standfasters,'
getting their name from the Bible book of Galatians
where, in the Authorized Version of the Bible, it speaks
of standing fast in the 'liberty wherewith Christ hath
made us free.' (Gal. 5:1) The Standfasters soon began
wrangling among themselves." The nature of the
"wrangling" is not described. It is worth
noting that the writer said that the Standfasters
considered the Society too compromising without revealing
the specific issue. Nor does he mention that the Society
eventually decided that it was indeed too compromising
and changed their viewpoint on Christian neutrality.
This brings to
mind a quotation from the Watchtower Dec. 1, 1981 pg 30
discussing patriotism: "One patriot even expressed
it this way: 'Our country! . . . may she always be in the
right; but our country, right or wrong.'" Many
Jehovah's Witnesses still in the organization say "The
Watchtower Society! May she always be in the right; but I
will be loyal to her right or wrong!"
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