Q. Unity at all costs?
A. Unity at all costs…
Q. And unity based on an enforced acceptance of false prophecy?
A. That is conceded to be true.
Q. And [the disfellowshipped person…] would be worthy of death?
A. I will answer yes, unhesitatingly. — Watchtower lawyer HC Covington, Douglas Walsh trial transcript, 1954
“The Irish people do very little independent thinking. They are victims of the clergy and fear.” — Watchtower August 1, 1958 p. 460
“In submitting to… [the] organization, we must be in full and complete agreement with every feature of its apostolic procedure and requirements.” — Watchtower October 1, 1967 p. 592
“How is such independent thinking manifested? A common way is by questioning the counsel that is provided by God’s visible organization.” — Watchtower January 15, 1983 p. 22
“Obviously, a basis for approved fellowship with Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot rest merely on a belief in God, in the Bible, [and] in Jesus Christ… Simply professing to have such beliefs would not authorize one to be known as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses… Approved association with Jehovah’s Witnesses requires accepting… beliefs that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses. What do such beliefs include?… That there is a “faithful and discreet slave” upon earth today… which slave is associated with the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses… That 1914 marked the end of the Gentile Times and the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the heavens, as well as the time for Christ’s foretold presence.” — Watchtower April 1, 1986 p. 31
“He does not advocate or insist on personal opinions or harbor private ideas when it comes to Bible understanding. Rather, he has complete confidence in the truth as it is revealed by… ‘the faithful and discreet slave.'” — Watchtower August 1, 2001 p. 14
“‘The spirit that now operates in the sons of disobedience’ is so widespread that it is like the air we breathe… That spirit can cause us to think that we do not need guidance from Jehovah’s organization… We need to guard against developing a spirit of independence. By word or action, may we never challenge the channel of communication that Jehovah is using today.” — Watchtower November 15, 2009 p. 147
“All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not.” — Watchtower November 15, 2013 p. 20
“Learn to trust those whom Jehovah and Jesus trust. At times, those appointed to take the lead may give direction that does not make sense to us. However, Jehovah blesses obedience… obedience saves lives… Doing so will strengthen your resolve to cooperate with organizational arrangements now and in the future. You will thus have no reason to fear the greater storm that is soon to come.” — Watchtower (Study Edition) November, 2021 p. 23