Have you ever gotten into a discussion with Jehovah’s Witnesses only to have them deny what you thought they believed? You may have been a subject of “Theocratic War Strategy” without realizing it. When a Jehovah’s Witness feels cornered, they often resort to this to defend what they believe. They feel it is imperative to defend the Watchtower Organization because they have been taught that it is Jehovah God’s Organization.

Understanding Theocratic Warfare

The Watchtower teaches a concept called Theocratic Warfare, which has been used to justify withholding or misrepresenting information.

But that’s a slippery slope. Where does it stop? As the decades went by, I repeatedly encountered Jehovah’s Witnesses who denied official teachings when those teachings became difficult to defend.

I ran into this again recently, while on campus. I saw a familiar Jehovah’s Witness couple and I asked the woman:

Me: “Say, you guys don’t believe in worshipping Jesus, do you?” To my amazement, she answered yes.

Me: “Shall I show you what it says on your website?”

She hung her head, unable to meet my gaze, and explained:

Jw: “I was just trying to come alongside you.”

After that, I was able to show her husband Philippians 2:10, which seemed to shock him as he said:

Jw male: “Wow! That sounds like a command!”

Me: “It is a command and further, in Revelation 5:13,14, Jesus is worshipped in heaven, so either Jesus is worthy of worship, or heaven is wrong!”

So, I’d like to help prepare you for spiritual warfare by giving you the background and Watchtower teaching on this subject. Forewarned is forearmed.

What is Spiritual Warfare?

Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught that they are engaged in “theocratic warfare” or “spiritual warfare” with the world. Watchtower teachings permit the withholding of information, evasive answers, and, in some circumstances, outright deception in order to advance or protect the interests of the organization.

I remember the first time I encountered the Jehovah’s Witness teaching on spiritual warfare. This was at a convention in the 1970’s. The illustration given was of a Jehovah’s Witness being questioned by the Nazi’s about the whereabouts of her fellow brothers and sisters. Withholding information from the Nazi’s protected them from being imprisoned, tortured, or put to death. A noble cause, or so it seemed. But we weren’t in Nazi Germany, we weren’t being persecuted, or under threat of a ban, so why present this? Use Theocratic War Strategy — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY

Fear of persecution was presented on a regular basis at the Kingdom Hall. Being fearful and ever vigilant was a constant state of mind. I had nightmares and lived in constant fear. As the decades rolled by, I saw Jehovah’s Witnesses use this “Theocratic War Strategy” not to protect themselves from the authorities, but to be deceptive about what they believed, when it seemed they were about to lose an argument.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught they are responsible for defending Jehovah. That Satan indirectly accused Jehovah of being an unfit ruler who maliciously withheld good things from humans. Satan’s accusation was that God was withholding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and therefore withholding something good from mankind. The Watchtower teaches that mankind’s suffering allows God to definitively prove that his rulership is best. Therefore, it is up to Jehovah’s Witnesses to defend Jehovah, to defend His honor, thus proving Jehovah is a righteous and just God. They do this by preaching and defending the Watchtower Organization to outsiders. If we lost an argument, we “lost face”. Winning an argument at all costs was imperative because we were defending God’s honor! This is part of the reasoning behind using anything to win an argument. Why Wickedness Continues — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY

See also— Defending Our Faith — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY

Theocratic warfare was viewed as withholding the truth from those who were undeserving of it. Who was undeserving? Anyone outside the Watchtower Organization! They were enemies of Jehovah’s Organization, apostates! Anyone questioning the teachings of Jehovah’s Organization was viewed with suspicion, viewed as an apostate, and not deserving of the truth. Biblical examples were even given to justify this deception.

Did not Rahab hide the Israelite spies by both action and word? Did not Abraham, Isaac, David and others likewise hide the truth at times when faced with a hostile enemy? They certainly did, and never do we read a word of censure for their doing so. Rather, we read of their being termed exemplary servants of Jehovah. Their actions were in line with Jesus’ wise counsel: “Look! I am sending you forth as sheep amidst wolves; therefore, prove yourselves cautious as serpents and yet innocent as doves.”—Matt. 10:16, NW. Use Theocratic War Strategy — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY

This was only the first step on this slippery slope. As the years went by, what the Watchtower did, but didn’t announce to their members, was withhold information from judges and prosecutors in court cases. The Watchtower’s legal department produced booklets designed to help Witness parents navigate custody disputes. Critics argue that these materials encouraged parents to present controversial beliefs in the most favorable light possible when speaking with judges and psychologists, effectively misrepresenting what they believe. Courts don’t like to award custody to cult members who withhold medical treatment, thereby allowing the child to die. At that time, it was the withholding of blood transfusions, even if it was necessary to live. Courts also don’t like to award custody to parents who would forbid children to celebrate Christmas, birthdays, or take part in after-school activities like sports. So, Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught how to answer questions in such a way as to make light of what they believe, and make it seem like a personal choice, instead of a strict rule they must obey.

“We must tell the truth to one who is entitled to know, but if one is not so entitled, we may be evasive. … As a soldier of Christ, he is in theocratic warfare, and he must exercise added caution when dealing with God’s foes. Thus, the Scriptures show that for the purpose of protecting the interests of God’s cause, it is proper to hide the truth from God’s enemies.” Watchtower 1960 Jun 1 pp.351-352

The problem with this is that to a Jehovah’s Witness, anyone outside of the Watchtower Organization is not entitled to know the truth, this includes courts, judges, and prosecutors.

“The faithful witness does not commit perjury when testifying. His testimony is not tainted with lies. However, this does not mean that he is under obligation to give full information to those who may want to bring harm to Jehovah’s people in some way. The patriarchs Abraham and Isaac withheld facts from some who did not worship Jehovah. (Genesis 12:10-19; 20:1-18; 26:1-10) Rahab of Jericho misdirected the king’s men. (Joshua 2:1-7) Jesus Christ himself refrained from divulging total information when doing so would have caused needless harm. (John 7:1-10) He said: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, neither throw your pearls before swine.” Why not? So that “they may never . . . turn around and rip you open.”—Matthew 7:6.” Watchtower 2004 Nov 15 p.28

The Watchtower also published several booklets compiled by its legal department in the late 1980s titled Preparing for Child Custody Cases. A copy of one of these booklets can be viewed here.

Critics, attorneys, and former Jehovah’s Witnesses say these booklets helped parents avoid criticism during custody disputes. They encouraged Witness parents to present their beliefs in the most favorable light when talking to judges or psychologists, especially on controversial issues like refusing blood transfusions or participating in door-to-door preaching. According to critics, the goal was to make these practices seem more reasonable and less likely to raise concerns about a child’s well-being.

It’s hard to imagine someone claiming to be a Christian resorting to these kinds of tactics. Yet critics argue that such behavior is not uncommon in high-control religious groups, where loyalty to the organization can sometimes take precedence over honesty and transparency.

To be fair, not every Jehovah’s Witness intentionally misrepresents what they believe. Many are sincere people who simply trust what they have been taught and may not be familiar with older Watchtower publications. Nevertheless, the organization’s own teachings on “theocratic warfare” have created a culture in which withholding information, redefining terms, or presenting beliefs in the most favorable light possible can be viewed as acceptable when dealing with outsiders.

For Christians, the lesson is simple: don’t assume that the answer you receive from an individual Witness accurately reflects official Watchtower doctrine. Verify important claims by checking the organization’s own publications, both current and historical. Most importantly, remember that the Jehovah’s Witness standing before you is not your enemy. He or she is a person created in God’s image, often trapped in a system that discourages questioning and independent investigation. Speak the truth, be patient, and let the evidence speak for itself. Remember, Jehovah’s Witnesses are people to be reached, not enemies to be defeated.