The widely repeated claim that Witnesses are counselled to avoid or destroy second-hand goods because demons may attach to them could not be substantiated. Searches of the Watchtower Online Library, which holds The Watchtower from 1950 and Awake! from 1970, returned no counsel about second-hand purchases, house contents or previous owners; what the publications counsel is the disposal of objects connected with spiritism.
Claim ID claim-attitudes-secondhand-goods-not-locatedConcerns 19 September 2026Context
1995 · pp.114-115 · par. 14 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“Even if you have not practiced spiritism, get rid of anything having spiritistic uses or overtones. This includes books, magazines, videos, posters, musical recordings, and objects used for spiritistic purposes. Also included are idols, amulets and other items worn for protection, and gifts received from practicers of spiritism.”
A study book used for Bible studies with new adherents. The paragraph applies the example of the Ephesians of Acts 19:19 and is followed by an experience from Thailand in which a couple 'got rid of objects associated with spiritism' and were relieved of demon harassment.
Provenance and verification note for Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life, Chapter 12: Resist Wicked Spirit Forces
Confidence note. Chapter read on the Watchtower Online Library on 19 September 2026; the page marker in the page's own HTML falls inside the second quoted sentence, after 'This includes books, magazines,', so that sentence runs from page 114 on to page 115.
Notes. This formulation extends beyond a person's own former practices to gifts received from spiritists. It does not mention second-hand goods, house contents or purchases generally.
Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID.src-hlth-kl-1995-ch12-get-rid
15 April 2006 · p.31 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“It is imperative for such ones to get rid of all objects related to spiritism. This includes books, magazines, movies, material from electronic sources, music recordings that have spiritistic overtones, as well as amulets or other items worn for “protection” or linked to spiritistic practices.”
A ruling answering 'If a person is being harassed by the demons, what can he do to get relief?' The answer combines prayer, Bible study and the disposal of spiritism-related objects, citing Acts 19:19 and Deuteronomy 7:25, 26.
Provenance and verification note for The Watchtower, Questions From Readers
Confidence note. Full item read on the Watchtower Online Library on 19 September 2026; the page marker in the page's own HTML places it on page 31. Located through the 2006 annual index entry 'Relief from demon harassment, 4/15'.
1978 · pp.41-42 · pars. 81-82 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“If we want Jehovah's friendship and protection we must break all connections and associations with spiritism in its many forms. That includes disposing of any objects that relate to spiritism. ... And God's Word shows that, just as a scarecrow cannot talk or walk or help or hurt anyone, the same is true of the images that men make and call sacred.”
The brochure urges readers to destroy objects connected with spiritism, citing the burning of the magical books at Ephesus in Acts 19:19, and at the same time argues from Jeremiah 10:2-5 and Isaiah 44:14-20 that such objects have no power of their own and should not be feared. The two quoted sentences are in paragraphs 81 and 82; the section runs on to page 47.
Provenance and verification note for Unseen Spirits—Do They Help Us? Or Do They Harm Us? (brochure), With Full Faith Take Action Now
Confidence note. Full section read on the Watchtower Online Library on 19 September 2026; the page markers in the page's own HTML place the first quoted sentence on page 41 (par. 81) and the second on page 42 (par. 82) — no page-43 marker intervenes. The ellipsis marks an omission of about 180 words. An earlier version of this record gave the second page as 44; that was wrong.
1986 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
“objects bringing demon harassment: hp 130 / destroying objects related to: us 41-42, 44-47”
Two consecutive lines under the index heading 'Demonism' — the second is a sub-entry indented under the first, and nothing stands between them. The heading also carries sub-entries for fetishism, Ouija boards, hypnotism, meditation, the film The Exorcist, the game Dungeons and Dragons, and dozens of published 'modern-day' experiences.
Provenance and verification note for Watch Tower Publications Index 1930-1985, Demonism
Confidence note. The index heading was read in full on the Watchtower Online Library on 19 September 2026, and the two lines quoted are consecutive; the oblique stroke marks the line break, not an omission. 'us' was confirmed on the library as the symbol for the 1978 brochure Unseen Spirits. The symbol 'hp' was not confirmed: no publication under that symbol is in the library's English holdings, so page 130 of it could not be read and no claim on this site rests on it.
A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-attitudes-secondhand-goods-not-located/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.