Dawne 10/26/25 Dawne 10/26/25

The Man in the Well, Part 3a: Roman Catholic Priest

“Do, Father,” I urged. “Tell me what must I do in order to get out of this well?”

“First of all, you must know that the Roman Catholic Church has many traditions, which though not found in the Bible, are nevertheless binding and authoritative. Then too, the priest of the Catholic Church are called ‘Father’ and are forbidden to marry.”

“As for you, my son, you must never eat meat on Friday, or during Lent.”

“Now I want you to accept this rosary from me, and with it say your prayers. You must repeat as many prayers as there are beads, fifty-three ‘Hail Marys’ and six ‘Our Fathers’. It was the Virgin Mary who gave the rosary to St. Dominick.”

Carol 10/19/25 Carol 10/19/25

The Man in the Well, Part 2: Jewish Rabbi

“Well, then, my son,” began the Rabbi, “if you would be delivered from this well and inherit the world to come, you must, first of all, do as Rabbi Alazar, quoting from Rabbi Abina, says, namely, ‘Any one who repeats David’s Psalm of Praise (Psalm 145) three times daily is sure to inherit the world to come'” (Talmud, Tractate Berakhoth 4b).

“Three times a day!” I exclaimed in dismay. “Then I cannot get out at once.”

‘”Patience, my son, patience. There is plenty of time.”

Carol 10/12/25 Carol 10/12/25

The Man in the Well, Part 1: Greek Orthodox Priest

“While walking across the fields one night, I suddenly fell headlong into a deep, but empty well. I was stunned by the force of the fall, but as I gradually recovered and realized the seriousness of my predicament, I began to wonder how I could get out!

Save for a single shaft of light that shone through the opening far above me, I was in pitch dark. I felt the walls of the well and found them wet and clammy. I shuddered at the apparent hopelessness of my plight …”

David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 10/5/25 David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 10/5/25

Positive Confession, or Word Faith

Positive Confession is the belief that if a believer speaks “spiritual” or “faith-filled” words then he can have what he says. Unfortunately, this influence has invaded the church and continues to cause much turmoil and confusion.

Many of the teachers of the word-faith movement believe that words are so powerful that they can influence the physical and spiritual worlds.

For example, In The Tongue, a Creative Force (1976), positive confessionist Charles Capps teaches that there are powerful “spiritual” words. Such words, which are ordinary words, can under certain circumstances, become vehicles for creative or supernatural power.

David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 8/31/25 David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 8/31/25

Spiritual Abuse

Spiritual abuse victims share the same symptoms as victims of incest. The common denominator between the two is that the parent and the spiritual leader are both the most intimate caregivers, and the boundaries they cross are the most intimate. Therefore, the damage is far greater, it strikes at the very soul of a person.

The victims then withdraw from the source of their injury whether it is the opposite sex or the spiritual leader. They fear letting themselves be ‘touched’ again. In the case of spiritual abuse, the church represents trauma not refuge. This is why so many abuse victims leave church and don’t come back for years or never.

David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 6/15/25 David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 6/15/25

Why I Cannot be a Jehovah’s Witness, Reason #4

The Watchtower teaches that Jesus is the mediator only for the 144,000, not for the Great Crowd.

The WT teaches that the 144,000 are all believers from the time of the Apostles until 1935. They comprise the “Church,” the spirit-begotten believers who will go to heaven. There are only about 9,000 of these people alive today. [Our understanding is that there are very few left. The last ones would be from 1935 (or 1931) when they closed this group. After this point someone had to drop out for another person to take their place.]

David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 6/8/25 David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 6/8/25

Why I Cannot be a Jehovah’s Witness, Reason #3

The Watchtower has set up an image of itself as a prophet like Moses, or Elijah. However, when it is convenient, they admit they are just men who can make mistakes.

They can’t have it both ways. Either they are true prophets of God who do not make mistakes, or, they are just men who do err.

Here is what they have claimed:

The Governing Body of the Watchtower Society claims they are “The Faithful and Discreet Slave” of Matthew 24:45 “who alone can give spiritual meat in due season to the household of faith” (Watchtower, Feb. 1, 1952, p. 80).

David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 6/1/25 David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 6/1/25

Why I Cannot Be a Jehovah’s Witness: Their False Doctrines, Reason #2

The doctrines of the Jehovah’s Witnesses are in diametric opposition to historic biblical Christianity. There is no significant area of agreement. They are wrong on just about everything.

Among the most essential doctrines denied by them are the deity of Christ, the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, the bodily resurrection of Jesus, His visible second coming, hell, the nature of man, the gospel, and many more.

David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 5/25/25 David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 5/25/25

Why I Cannot Be a Jehovah’ Witness: Their False Bible, Reason #1

Approximately one-third of the New Testament is written against error, either to warn believers about false teachers, or to answer their false doctrines. And, all but one book of the New Testament contains some warning or admonition against heresy. The reason is simple: it really does matter what a person believes.

… The New World Translation is a mistranslation of the Scriptures. It has been changed in key places to promote the doctrines of the Watchtower Society. Revelation 22:18-19 condemns such adding to, or, taking away from what God has said to us.

David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 5/11/25 David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 5/11/25

Doublethink

Doublethink!!! The art of self-contradiction without being noticed.

Any Bible-based cult must distinguish itself from every other group’s expression of Biblical teaching. Otherwise, the cult’s followers might get the idea that there is somewhere else to go if they have a disagreement with the cult.

David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 5/4/25 David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 5/4/25

Who Joins Spiritually Abusive Groups?

The question of who joins high control religious groups seems like it would have a simple answer. It does not. Nor is there a simple answer to how it happens. The starting place should be the question of what disposes a person to spiritual abuse? Why is a person vulnerable? What differences in people make one vulnerable and another not so vulnerable?

Here is a list that may help you think it through. Which of these statements fit you?

Dawne 3/6/25 Dawne 3/6/25

Book Review: Toxic Faith

As Arterburn discovered some of the ministries to which Nany was giving her hard earned money, he realized that toxic faith had robbed her “of the great blessing of knowing her money had been used to further the kingdom of God.” (p 2) All the while these “ministries” were fueling their jets to fly to Palm Springs with the money they were bringing in.

Dawne 3/4/25 Dawne 3/4/25

Introduction to Make Sure Ministries’ Blogs 2.0

Our absolute number one priority is to provide support for you and for your loved ones. Our contributors love those who are lost in these high-demand, authoritarian religious sects and who desire nothing more than to help them be set free from their bonds.