“Apostate Lies”: A Closer Look

Spoiler: Not so much lies as inconvenient facts.

If you've been a Jehovah's Witness for any length of time, you've been warned — repeatedly — about “apostate lies.” Apostates are portrayed as bitter, deceitful, and controlled by Satan. They’re described as twisting facts, spinning events out of context, and trying to “shipwreck your faith.”

But here’s the twist: for all the fiery rhetoric, the Governing Body almost never tells you exactly what these supposed lies are.

Let’s fix that. Here are some of the most common “apostate claims” — the ones we were warned never to investigate — and how they stack up against Watchtower’s own words and public documentation.

1. "Jehovah's Witnesses protect pedophiles."

What Watchtower says:

“Some examples of their strange teachings are that the faithful slave protects pedophiles or that the slave will exploit you so that they can live lives of luxury. Those are both bald-faced lies.”
— Stephen Lett, JW Broadcasting, September 2015
Watch the video (quote at 6:26)

The facts:

Despite public denials, the organization’s own policies continue to prioritize internal procedures over protecting victims or alerting authorities:

• The 2024 edition of the Shepherd the Flock of God elder manual still enforces the two-witness rule, stating:

  “There must be two or three eyewitnesses, not just people repeating hearsay; no action can be taken if there is only one witness.”
  — Chapter 12, ¶40(2)

• In child abuse cases, elders are instructed:

  “If the accused continues to deny the accusation of a single witness and the wrongdoing is not established, the matter cannot be handled judicially.”
  — Chapter 12, ¶42

• This policy has been widely criticized by legal authorities and child protection experts, most notably during the Australian Royal Commission (2015), which found that over 1,000 accused abusers were documented in internal records — none were reported to police by the organization. During the hearings, Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson was asked whether the issue of child sexual abuse was made up by apostates. He replied: “That would be incorrect,” and later acknowledged that it is a serious issue that affects many organizations, including Jehovah’s Witnesses. Source: Australian Royal Commission, Case Study 29, Day 155

Verdict:

This is not a “bald-faced lie” — it’s a verifiable, documented reality.

2. "The Governing Body claims to be the only channel God uses today."

What Watchtower says:

“It is vital for all of us to recognize the channel that is used to dispense spiritual food.”
— Watchtower, June 15, 2009, p. 21

“That slave is made up of a small group of anointed brothers who are directly involved in preparing and dispensing spiritual food during Christ’s presence.”
— Watchtower, July 15, 2013, p. 22

The facts:

In 2013, Watchtower clarified that the “faithful and discreet slave” of Matthew 24:45–47 refers only to the Governing Body, not all anointed ones. This solidified the teaching that only these men speak for God today. Obedience to them is portrayed as a matter of spiritual life or death.

Verdict:

No lie here — the Governing Body affirms this claim themselves.

3. "Watchtower doctrine changes frequently under the label ‘new light.’”

What Watchtower says:

“We have always used the Bible as the sole authority for our beliefs, so we have adjusted our beliefs as our understanding of the Scriptures has been clarified.”
— JW.org FAQ

“Increasing light from Jehovah continues to illuminate their way organizationally, doctrinally, and morally.”
— 2016 Yearbook, article: The Light Keeps Getting Brighter

The facts:

Doctrine has changed repeatedly — from organ transplants (once banned) to interpretations of the “generation” or the identity of the “superior authorities.” Each shift is claimed to be progressive light, even when it reverses earlier teachings.

Verdict:

This one’s true — and it’s officially acknowledged.

4. "Jehovah’s Witnesses discourage higher education.”

What Watchtower says:

"Jehovah’s Witnesses feel that the environment in some universities or similar centers of higher learning can pose moral and spiritual dangers. For that reason, many Witnesses choose not to immerse themselves or their children in such an environment.”
— JW.org FAQ: How Do Jehovah’s Witnesses View Education?

The facts:

University education is frequently discouraged. Youths are praised for turning down scholarships or university offers to pioneer or work at Bethel. Higher education is portrayed as spiritually risky and worldly.

Verdict:

Consistently taught — not a lie.

5. "Jehovah’s Witnesses were members of the United Nations.”

What Watchtower says:

“Obviously, God’s scroll of life will never contain the names of die-hard adherents of Babylon the Great or of any who continued to worship the wild beast.”
— Revelation—Its Grand Climax At Hand!, 1988, p. 248

The facts:

Watchtower Bible and Tract Society applied for NGO status with the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) in 1991. The application was approved in 1992 and remained active until 2001, when The Guardian published an exposé. Watchtower quickly withdrew their status.

• As part of the application, Watchtower agreed to support and promote the UN’s principles — something they had long condemned as allegiance to “Babylon the Great.”

• The DPI confirmed that affiliation required endorsement of the UN Charter.

• Internal correspondence and press coverage confirmed the affiliation. Source

Verdict:

This wasn’t an apostate fabrication. It was a verified fact — one Watchtower never openly admitted to its members.

6. "Young ones have died refusing blood transfusions.”

What Watchtower says:

“Myth: Many Witnesses, including children, die each year as a result of refusing blood transfusions.
Fact: This statement is totally unfounded. ... Patients, including children, who do not receive transfusions usually fare as well as or better than those who do accept transfusions.”
— JW.org FAQ: Why Don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses Accept Blood Transfusions?

The facts:

Numerous real-world cases have been featured by the Watchtower itself, particularly in a 1994 Awake! issue titled “Youths Who Put God First.” The articles in that issue praised young people who died after refusing blood, such as:

• Adrian Yeatts (age 15) – praised in court as a mature minor who refused blood even under threat of death. Baptized the day before he died.

• Lenae Martinez (age 12) – told doctors she would “rather accept death” than violate her promise to Jehovah. Died at home surrounded by family.

• Lisa Kosack (age 12) – fought a forced transfusion; court ultimately sided with her and she died “with dignity.”

These and other stories were used as faith-building examples. While the organization now distances itself from publicly stating children die as a result of the policy, their own literature documents it plainly.

Verdict:

This is no myth. Watchtower itself immortalized these tragedies — and framed them as triumphs.

7. "Jehovah’s Witnesses shun even their own family members."

What Watchtower says:

“All in the congregation can show principled love by avoiding contact and conversation with the disfellowshipped person.”
— Watchtower, April 15, 2015, article: Why Disfellowshipping Is a Loving Provision

The facts:

Shunning includes not just casual acquaintances but also close family members, especially if they are not living in the same household. In practice, this policy has caused profound emotional pain — parents and children cut off contact, marriages strain or collapse, and lifelong friendships vanish overnight. While Jehovah’s Witnesses argue that this discipline is loving and can help the disfellowshipped one return, critics view it as coercive and emotionally manipulative.

Verdict:

This is not a myth or distortion. It’s explicitly taught and rigorously enforced.

Why These 'Lies' Are Off-Limits to Discuss

We could go on — about the altered history of 1914, the failed end-times predictions, the treatment of women, the blood doctrine reversals — but you get the point. Once you break the “don’t look” rule and actually examine the evidence, these so-called “lies” reveal themselves to be disturbingly well-documented truths.

What’s striking is how rarely the organization addresses these criticisms head-on. Instead, the Governing Body keeps it vague — warning members to stay away from “apostate lies” while refusing to clarify what those lies actually are.

Why? Because engaging directly would risk exposing how many of these claims are supported by Watchtower’s own publications, court records, and official communications. Honest discussion would invite difficult questions — and that could threaten the tightly controlled narrative. By framing all criticism as satanic deception, the organization avoids scrutiny and maintains its image of doctrinal purity.

In the end, the biggest apostate lie… might just be that apostates are lying at all.