An Interview with Jaco van Zyl – by J. Dan Gill
March 31st, 2012 by Steve
This is an exclusive interview by J. Dan Gill with Jaco van Zyl of South Africa. Jaco, a former Jehovah’s Witness, talks about his experiences as a Jehovah’s Witness, his leaving the movement and coming to his One God faith today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s35gPxYYcI&feature=player_embedded
Good interview. Thanks Steve… 🙂
Is there a former JW here who can help me? I’m witnessing to a dear friend who almost severed our friendship today because I believe in 1 Cor 6:2, that believers/saints will be judging earth with Jesus. He says only the 144,000 specially chosen JW will be judging from Heaven, and how dare I presume that I have any qualifications to sit next to Jesus (which is probably true!) What persuaded you, as a former JW, to dispel the belief that the 144K are chosen from the JW?
Hi there Sheryl
I’m afraid this friendship with the Witness you mention is very conditional. If writing off parents, children and spouses is the norm when these disagree with the Watchtower on certain doctrines, writing off a friendship would be so much easier. You need to know this just in case your expectations are not in line with reality.
The 144k thing is unique to the Witnesses. Charles Taze Russell had a better idea on who this group was, as he believed them to be natural Jews (which is a much more plausible understanding of the issue). Russell believed all Christians would go to heaven and these would rule over mankind. Only later did the alcoholic, Joseph Rutherford, import this split-system into the Christian realm by introducing a two-class system among Christians. There would be royals, the 144k, and then a second class, also among Christians. This paved the way for a Christian bureaucracy among the Watchtower Witnesses as well as a hierarchical dictatorship where disagreement with the Governing Body (“representatives” of the 144k) was likened to apostasy and disobedience to Jehovah Himself.
The two-class system only appealed to me since I never desired to go to heaven. But the 144k part of the doctrine has always been weak to me and have always been difficult to prove with CONSISTENT reasoning. As I mentioned in my interview: The Watchtower insist that Rev. 7 and 14 speak of a symbolic Lamb, symbolic virgins, symbolic mount Zion, symbolic Israelite tribes, a symbolic new song, but a LITERAL 114k. By their own line of reasoning they’re utterly inconsistent. Fact is, the Christian nation was supposed to be a nation of kings and priests. Hence, all would serve with Christ as judges of this world.
For great articles and thorough coverage of these issues, visit the website: http://biblicaltruthseekers.co.uk/articles.html. This website is run by a former JW elder himself, Ray Faircloth.
Keep us in the loop!
Jaco
Thank you so much for that link, Jaco! What a treasure trove of information! BTW, I don’t know if it makes much of a difference, but although my friend took a study and agrees with everything JW teach, he has never actually become a Witness nor joined a Kingdom Hall.
Thank you again for your reply and your help. I’ll keep you posted!
What is this whole interview about? I downloaded it but will only be able to watch it tonight. I heard about Jaco and why he was shunned and was curious to what he looks like and then i saw the video.
Jaco, honest answer please, who and/or what made you leave JW?
In most cases people bring you to JW and then poeple cause you to leave again.
What opened your eyes?
Hi, Sandra
I left for quite a few reasons. I am not formally shunned or disfellowshipped. In time maybe, but I “faded.” Primarily for the sake of maintaining contact with my mother who is still a JW.
Several reasons for leaving include the Organisation’s absolute power and mind-control, abuse of power by elders and when called to help the Organisation usually abdicate. Doctrinal issues on the Christian’s eternal future, false prophecy, etc. Mental illness due to mind-control and induced delusions. There are simply too many to mention now. Maybe we can discuss some of these once you’ve viewed my interview.
Thank you,
Jaco