I think that it is unfair to compare the Watchtower and its followers to the Pharisees. Compare the following texts of the bible to their teachings or to a more modern interpretation. You will see why.
Matt 3: 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
7. O generation of worldly people, who warned you to flee from Armageddon, which will occur at the end of the Generation of 1914?
8. Come to the meetings regularly for months, come after and leave before everyone. After that you can sell some books, magazines, and tracts to show repentance. Also get some book studies.
9. Think not to say within yourselves, We have the organization to our mother.
10. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every publisher which not fulfills their obligations is disfellowshipped and murdered in Armageddon.
Matthew 5:20
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the other sheep, and are not part of the 144,000 ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven
Matthew 9:11-13
And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
And when the Governing Body saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth Ray Franz with his landlord and the disfellowshipped? The ones that are sick must be separated so that they do not contaminate the congo with apostate material.
Matthew 9:14
14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
They fast. Most of them cannot afford to eat a full meal if they work part-time doing menial jobs. No higher education, you know.
Matthew 9:34
But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.
But the JWs said, He casteth out Smurfs through the prince of the Smurfs. Anyway, only Jah can cast out devils, or us through prayer to him. That is because he only listens to our prayers.
Matthew 12:2
But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
But when the Superintendents saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Meeting days. They work, or even dare to get sick.
Matthew 12:14
Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
Then the elders went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him by disfellowshiping him and separating him from his family and “friends”.
Matthew 12:38
Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
Then certain of the NWT translators and of the GB answered, saying, Mister, we would see a dollar sign from thee.
Matthew 15
1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
Their congregation is a clean one. They teach their followers to clean after every meeting, and to wash their hands one hundred times a day.
Matthew 15
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
Hey, they honor them if they are in good standing with the congo and are not disfellowshipped, marked, or disassociated.
Matthew 15
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
The following commandments are clear from the bible:
You must not celebrate birthdays because two people died while celebrating birthdays.
You must not join the YMCA or the Boy/Girl scouts.
You must attend three weekly meetings, publish a minimum of 10 hrs/wk, have a personal study, etc.
You must not display a beard. Especially after Russell is dead.
You must wear a tie if you are a male in a meeting.
You must blindly change your mind to New Light.
You must not vaccinate. This is eating blood, and therefore cannibalism, until the WT changes its mind.
You must not have an organ or tissue transplant. This is cannibalism. See above.
You must not have a transfusion (tissue transplant) unless given in fractions or hemoglobin unless it is from HemoPure and made from cows' milk BLOOD
You must become a conscientious objector to the armed forces, even as a non-combatant until the WT changes its mind.
You must not vote in your country or hold a voters card until the WT changes its mind.
You must use the rod to discipline your kid, unless until she is big enough to beat you back.
You must take false prophecies given by the Watchtower as expectations, and blame yourself. If you don’t believe the current prophecy and say it out loud. You shall be cut off from the WT and destroyed at Armageddon.
Etc. etc. etc. ad nauseam.
