Stan and Linda Covell
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Stan and Linda Covell |
Testimony of Stan Covell
Being raised in a religious system that hinders
freedom destroys the will and mind of an individual to see the world as it is
and the reality of what life actually contain. My years being raised as a
Jehovah's Witness impressed upon me that outside the Watchtower organization,
there was no life that contained meaning. To leave the mother organization, as
the Watchtower has been referred to, is to leave Jehovah God and the truth. This
line of thought being dictated year after year, service after service, meeting
after meeting to a child being raised as a Jehovah Witness leaves the child or
adult for that matter with no sense of hope outside the Watchtower.
I was raised a Jehovah's Witness with my two brothers, one older, one younger. I
went to the door to door service as a young child. I first started handing
Watchtower literature out to householders at the age of 5 and was giving
presentations at the door at the age of 8 selling (placing) the Watchtower and
AWAKE magazines. From what I remember, my first public talk at the Kingdom Hall
was at the age of 9. I was speaking to audiences of a hundred people or more at
the age of 10. I always thought my brothers were much better speakers than I
was. I never really cared for the door to door work as well as most of the
duties that came with being a Jehovah's Witness.
My brothers and I were raised very strict. My father was disfellowshipped for
adultery when I was about 7 years old. Our mother who ran a tight ship so to
speak raised us. During the meetings at the Kingdom Hall (The place where
Jehovah's Witnesses meet for worship) my brothers and I had to sit through two
hours of meetings, two days a week as a child. Also, there was another one-hour
study during the week where we met at someone's home as well as preparing for
the meetings by studying the aids provided by the Watchtower.
During these meetings, we were made to sit and listen as well as participate by
answering questions from a publication by the Society (WT) or reading a Bible
verse. My mother was very strict and was complemented by many at the KH on how
well my two brothers and I behaved at the meetings and at people's homes.
It wasn't till I turned 14 years of age that my mother started openly
questioning the Watchtower Society and their claim to being God's channel of
communication. She was disappointed in advice received by the elders as well as
others in the congregation as far as she having to work full time to support our
family and her missing meetings and service now and then. The elders also
reinstated my father in the belief that he would start to do better as far as
spiritual interest toward the congregation and meeting his responsibilities as
far as paying child support. My father never paid any child support to my mother
for several years and after being reinstated still failed to pay a dime in
support and yet still remained in good standing with the congregations he
visited.
At the age of nineteen, I moved out on my own after receiving a full time job at
a seed processing company. My meeting attendance at the KH dropped considerably
and I basically stopped attending field service. I did report time for
incidental witnessing but this only equaled about an hour or two a week.
Eventually, I stopped attending the meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses at the age
of about 21.
I worked my way up in the company I worked for and was made the mill foreman of
the plant. Every year I would be sent to different locations either in my state
or another state to build a new seed processing plant or help with bringing
production levels up with existing plants. My life seemed good. I saved money,
had friends outside the organization, and was basically free to do as I wished.
The only thing that haunted me on occasions was the thoughts that I was not
doing what God wanted as far as attending meetings at the KH and doing what the
WT organization required of true believers in Jehovah God.
I experimented with drugs but only casually. I was never really into the drug
scene, mainly because I liked to stay in shape and workout a lot. I used to box
at a gym in Sacramento California with senior amateurs that were turning pro. I
did this weekly for a few years.
In 1984, I left the Seed Company I worked for and started my own landscaping and
maintenance service.
In 1985, I married a woman 8 years younger than me. Our first daughter was born
in 1986. I started to rethink my position in life and did not want to bring up
my children without belief in God. The only belief I knew and thought to be true
was that of the Jehovah's Witnesses. I started studying with my older brother
who at this time was a ministerial servant in the congregation. I attended
meetings again and was soon accepted as an approved associate. One problem the
elders had with me though at this time was that I was still boxing. I was
reprimanded for my continued activity with this sport. But I continued and did
my best to keep it from the congregation.
In 1988 my second daughter was born. I attended the meetings with both daughters
without the help of my wife. With all the responsibilities of the business and
family life and dealing with an unbelieving wife, who basically did not care for
the Watchtower religion and had no interest in spiritual matters or God, the
pressure of attending all the activities that are required of one to be an
active participant in the Jehovah Witness religion began to wear me down.
My mother had stopped attending meetings altogether and my younger brother had
also quit going to meetings and started researching the past history of the
Watchtower organization. He gave me information occasionally about the
Watchtower's failed predictions and we would discuss some of what he gave me. I
told the elders about some of the things my brother and I were discussing and
they eventually told me to stop having contact with my brother as well as limit
my contact with my mother. They also said that I was not to discuss spiritual
matters with them as far as anything negative that may arise about the
organization. This bothered me greatly because my younger brother was not only a
biological brother, but also a best friend who had always been honest with me.
Also, the things presented to me by my mother and brother were things I wanted
legitimate answers too. The elders basically wanted me to ignore the information
presented to me and focus on the new light presented by the WT organization.
One day while having a somewhat heated discussion with my mother about the
organization, she asked if I would read a book by a former Governing Body
member. I said that I would and took home the book Crises of Conscience by
Raymond Franz. I mulled it over slightly; in other words, I did not actually
read it. I gave it back to my mother about two weeks after I borrowed it and
told her that it was written by a man that has lost the truth and is just
another disgruntled Witness. I also told her that it was sad that a person has
to spend so much time lying about God's organization. He must have an agenda
that is ungodly. My mother was a bit miffed at my response and asked me a few
questions about the book. I had no answer to her questions and it was apparent
to her that I had not read the book. I found my self at times lying to defend
the organization. I occasionally lied to people at the door when in service, to
my friends when I was asked probing questions about some of the Societies
doctrines and now I was lying to my family. My mother quoted the scripture;
Proverbs 18:13 " When anyone is replying to a matter before hearing [it], that
is foolishness on his part and a humiliation." [NWT]
I felt like an ass after leaving my mother's home that day. I was truly bothered
that I did not have an answer for people especially my family when asked
questions about what I thought to believe was God's organization and the truth.
Shortly after this, I was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses at the Yuba
City Assembly Hall. I thought that if I were baptized, God's spirit, or active
force as the Witnesses call it, would help me gain the insight I was lacking to
combat these opposers to Jehovah's people. The day I was baptized was one filled
with doubt and depression. After being baptized, I felt worse than before. I saw
others in the room where we changed to return to the main hall, that seemed so
happy and sure of their decision to dedicate their lives to Jehovah and his
organization.
I did not share such feelings.
About two weeks after being baptized I prayed to Jehovah for help. I wanted to
know the truth of God?s word and also be able to defend it. I wanted this
confusion I had about the Watchtower to subside and I wanted to be sure about
what I believed. I called my mother and asked if I could borrow the book she
gave me before, Crises of Conscience. The main reason for me wanting to read
this was to disprove it and vindicate the Watchtower Society.
I read the book in about 5 days. I took notes and went to the Kingdom Hall
Library to see if what was written in the book, as far as quotes by the Society,
were taken out of context or fabricated. I spent hours in the KH library,
something I never did in all the years that I was a JW.
I also borrowed a tape from my mother that had Lori McGregor on the John
Anchorberg show speaking about the WT Society and Jehovah's Witnesses. I was
amused to see that Charles Taze Russell the founder of the WTBTS dabbled in
phrenology. Phrenology is the belief that the shape of the skull and hence the
brain determine an individuals character. On the tape, Lori mentioned that in
the March 15,1913 WT magazine and the January 15th 1912 WT, Russell said that
ones desire to worship God was due to the shape of ones brain. He also said that
if a dog's head was shaped like a man, the dog would think as a man.
When I read this I could not help but laugh. I wondered, if we are all creations
of God, why would God want some with a brain that would be shaped so as if the
individual would have no desire to worship him? Were these ones deemed for
destruction within the womb? Were they bad children at a young age so their
skulls would form in a way that displeased God? The more I read about the early
writings of the WT the more I could see that this organization could not have
Jehovah's backing unless Jehovah tested his people with lies and half truths as
well as false prophetic blunderings.
My meeting attendance at the Kingdom Hall finally boiled down to time spent in
the library researching and taking notes. I stopped going out in the door to
door work as well as giving talks. In good conscience, I could not tell people
that this organization was from God and all other religions were in grave error
and doomed to destruction, as Witnesses believe.
The elders called me on one Saturday morning and they
asked if we could talk. I met with them at my home and after two hours of
debate, they mentioned that I could research all I wanted but not to tell anyone
what I had found out about the organization. They said that if I did, I would be
classified as an opposer. I asked them to whom, God, or the organization. I
could no longer equate this organization with God. My younger brother who I was
still speaking with about the WT organization mentioned that he thought, what
better way for Satan to drag Jehovah's name through the mud than to have control
over an organization that claims to be Jehovah's sole channel of communication
The elder's responses did not surprise me. Another former elder, who had many
doubts about the organization, already informed me as to some things that were
somewhat shocking within the WT and the congregation. The way he was treated
after stepping down from his position as elder was as if he was disfellowshipped
from the congregation.
About a week after my visit with the elders, I was invited to a wedding for a
friend. At the reception, there were three Jehovah Witnesses there, which were
in the congregation I attended. We sat together with a few others that were not
Jehovah's Witnesses. The conversation turned to me, and why I was spending so
much time researching the history as well as other things within the WT
organization.
I spent a short time explaining what I had found out, as well as where to find
the information at the Kingdom Hall. I told them I no longer believe this
organization to be God's channel of communication. I could tell by the look on
one of their faces (an elder's daughter) that I may have said too much to the
wrong person. Also that week, while at my mothers home a JW friend of ours
stopped by to purchase Barley Green, a health food powder that mixes as a drink.
My mother sold this on occasions to some Witnesses in our congregation. While
conversing about the day's events, he started asking my mother questions about
why she no longer attended meetings. My mother explained briefly that she could
no longer support the organization in good conscience. She did not go into great
detail, but a few of the reasons were the false prophecies and the control over
peoples lives that the organization requires of each Witness in order to be an
active and approved member. I interjected a few things that I had found out and
said that the WT is no better than the many religions it condemns.
On Friday night, a week after the aforementioned visit,
two elders came to my home and said that they had information pertaining to me
telling individuals in the congregation that I no longer considered the WT to be
God's organization. Before this visit, I had spent several hours earlier in the
month with three elders and a Circuit Overseer tactfully answering many
questions they had about the research I was doing at the Kingdom Hall.
The elders said that they would like me to be at the Kingdom Hall at 4pm after
the afternoon meeting was over on Sunday. The reason for this was that I was
being called before a judicial committee. I agreed to the meeting but said that
I would like to bring a witness in my behalf to be present during the judicial
hearing. The elders said that they would have to check on this and would return
Saturday with the decision.
At 4pm on Saturday, the two elders returned to my home
with their decision. They repeated their previous reply asking me to be at the
Kingdom Hall at 4pm on Sunday after the afternoon Watchtower study. They also
said that I was not to have any witnesses in my behalf but that there would be
individuals within the congregation that would be there as witnesses pertaining
to my hearing.
I said that I had a change of mind and that I would want the judicial hearing at
my home and that I would not only have a witness in my behalf, but that my
attorney would be present and that the hearing would be taped. By their
reaction, I could see this was not something they were ready for. We spoke
briefly and finally, John C. one of the elders present asked me if I still
wanted to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses?
I said that I would always be a witness for Jehovah. He
again repeated his question. I again gave the same reply. Paul P. the other
elder present [just appointed an elder one month previous] and the one who I
thought was one of my best and trusted friends within the congregation asked me
what I thought of the organization. I told them that I thought Satan controlled
the Watchtower organization and that they were doing the work of demons. John C.
took a step back and said that was all they needed to know.
One month later on June 5,1989, I received a certified ten page letter from
James M McCabe Attorney at Law, WTBTS 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn NY. The
letter stated that because what I said to the elders, they considered this a
statement of disassociation from the Christian congregation of Jehovah's
Witnesses in Woodland, California. Along with this letter were over fifty pages
of court cases the WTBTS has won in court from individuals suing for defamation
of character etc. The many cases enclosed with the correspondence to me bear out
one fact-THERE ARE MANY LAWS BUT LITTLE JUSTICE.
I found it interesting on the first page under the heading Disassociation it stated under C. Reinstatement. A disassociated person may be reinstated in the congregation when giving evidence of repentance, demonstrating that he or she is desirous of having a good relationship with Jehovah and his organization.
One reason I returned to the Witness faith was because I thought that outside the WT organization there would be no true relationship with God. How faulty my reasoning was. It is sad to believe that God basis his relationship with an individual on what religion he belongs to and their adherence to that belief system.
My mother also received a certified letter the same day I
did from the same attorney stating that she was disfellowshipped for refusing to
meet with the judicial committee hearing set for her. She requested witnesses in
her behalf as I did and was refused by the elders. What is ironic and
hypocritical as well on the part of the Jehovah Witness faith, is on page 3 of
my mother's letter from the Watchtower Attorney it stated; If the person wishes
to bring witnesses who can speak in his or her defense regarding the matter, the
person may do so.
Both of us were refused any witnesses in our behalf.
Reflecting back on the many years I spent in the Watchtower organization, there
was much that was sacrificed by my family and me. My years in school, especially
High School, I gave up being on the Football Team as well as other events that I
did well in.
I had no desire to go to college because of the Watchtowers teachings about 1975
and the end of the world being so close. Do not pursue higher education.
There is very little time left! Make pioneer service, the full-time ministry
with the possibility of Bethel or missionary service, your goal. WT 3/15/1969
I graduated from High School in 1975 expecting what I believed to be God's
organization to be correct and truthful in the spiritual food dispensed by the
so-called Faithful and Discreet Slave. I basically believed and lived a life of
one lie after another taught by this false unfaithful slave class of individuals
that seem bent on control over the lives of rank and file Jehovah Witnesses. The
lack of Godly humility on their part to express sorrow and an apology to those
that they have misled, as well as the families they have destroyed year after
year is just another aspect in why this organization is lacking in the Godly
love they claim that they alone have.
The Salvation and true Christian freedom that Jehovah gives through his Son
Jesus is not found in an organization or religion, as I once believed. The many
ludicrous and deplorable statements made by the WT on the topic of salvation
over the years sicken the spiritually educated.
"Your attitude toward the anointed is the determining factor whether you go into
everlasting cutting off or everlasting life." WT 11/15/1981, p.26
"Unless we are in touch with this channel of communication that God is using, we
will not progress along the road to life, no matter how much Bible reading we
do." WT 12/1/1981, p.21
"But if we were to draw away from Jehovah's organization, there would be no
place else to go for salvation and true joy." WT 9/15/1993 p.22
A religion such as the Watchtower can offer only empty promises, but only God
can fulfill real promises through His son, Jesus Christ.
Today I am married to my beautiful God-fearing wife, Linda, with three
children. My family and I are fortunate today to have the real joy and freedom
that is found in God through his Son Jesus.
John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Stan Covell
scovell3073@charter.net
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