I mean by that "spiritual bankruptcy". Let's think about it - what are their first three major root-core & cause rules of doctrine?
Big rule #1 - It is the time of the end. It has always been so during their our entire 100 or so year history. Past false prophecy does not matter, it is still undoubtedly the time of the end. We can change these prophecies as we see fit, but you must agree with any such changes immediately and without question. If you do not believe this, then God will kill you shortly. We reserve the right to re-define "shortly" at any time we see fit.
Big rule #2 - We are right and everybody else is wrong. It may be true that there were other right christian people in the past, but not hardly anyone other than the original 12 apostles. We cannot actually identify anyone except for us in the ancient or recent past. We re-invented everything the right way about 1890 or so and continued to re-invent it thereafter, but we are still right and everybody else is wrong. If you do not believe this and publicly vow it to be so, then God will kill you shortly.
Big rule #3 - We have the unquestioned right to tell everybody else on earth (and most certainly you) what to do. You absolutely must sell X - many of our magazines door to door, buy or not buy political slogans and ID cards, take or not take certain medical treatments, stand up in front of a firing squad rather than salute the flag, etc. We have the right to change our mind on these things as we see fit, but you do not have the right to question it in any way shape or form. If you do any research, ask too many questions, or talk meaningfully to anyone except and including the elders, then God will kill you shortly.
Now, if you think about it - these three major stumbling blocks not only give rise to selling the magazines, driving your kids crazy, nut-job hiding of the UN or pedophiles, weird twisted views on government, general civilization, medicine, science, other religion, etc...but also they prevent the WTB&TS (el al and aka the Witnesses) from intelligent research into the major real religious questions that all mankind needs an answer to -
as in: (my little three areas of theology - )
What is the true nature of God - is he merciful or vengeful...why has he let the world develop as it is now? Why does suffering and death occur? Does he exist or not? Does he condone or condemn war - or is this a matter of "just cause"?
What is the true nature of Christ - is he part God, part Man, or was he really God come to earth? What does he want us to do? What does he think about non-Christians (in reality)? Why did he let so many other Christian forms of worship succeed all this time? Did he die on the cross or was he impaled on a stake? Did he leave behind the holy grail? Does the cross & cup really matter? Is it faith or works that save you?
What about the ability of Mankind to think for ourselves? Is all the fanciful stuff in the Bible really to be taken literally? Is all generally accepted scientific thought somehow anti-religious? Is there life on other planets? Is such life hostile? Did God create it? How old is the universe?
If you believe (and of course WTB&TS say you must or die) in the Witness big three, then you can not (nay, must not) even think about the above mentioned obvious religious questions which have been with all men on earth from the dawn of time. The big three rules negate and deny all such intelligent inquiry.
So, how bankrupt is that?
James