What is the proof of the Watchtower and/or Jehovah Witnesses being false prophets - if any?

Question

Some say they are false others say they are not false

Answer 1

No need to add to Joyfilled and Carol D's answers, which are substantial. I just want to mention one JW prophecy that has not been fulfilled, but it so important that, if it is false, then we don't really need to worry about any others. It is this:

Christ cast Satan out of heaven and down to earth in 1914 and that was evidence of his invisible second coming. Christ's third coming is yet to happen.

Proof that this is a false prophecy? Well, the Bible tells us that when Christ second coming happens, IT WILL BE VISIBLE. Every eye will see and every knee will bend. Furthermore, nowhere in my Bible does it suggest (even remotely) that there will be a THIRD coming.

INVISIBLE SECOND COMING? I don't think so.

Answer 2

Having grown up as a JW, I can, with authority, say that organization made the prophecies of the end's coming in a certain year. After they did not occur, the "new information" or "new light" was revealed to the organization and clarifying statements were made that "the society" never actually gave a date (in recent years) but that some over enthusiastic individually took their statements as a prophecy of an exact date. RUBBISH. They made those statements, but being so manipulated by "the society" JW's swallowed it hook, line and sinker. Other comments from "the society" were that it was a testing from God to see how many served him for a date and many failed the test. HMM, seems to me that scripture says God does not test you....hmmm. I was baptized in 1974, there was an "urgency" (as "the society" called it) because 1976 was "THE" year. Many did fall away from the organization, and thankfully so, since many did not want to follow a false prophet (or organization). Since the 1976 fiasco, they continue to put emphasis on dates. Before I escaped, "the society" printed that "this world couldn't possible continue much past 2000" this isn't verbatim. So, they've gotten smarter; they no longer say "2005" is the date, but it can't be too much past it. It's word games now. The date become a spiritual carrot for continued support within the organization. They know that they believe and teach that Jesus returned in 1914, and that scripture says that the generation that was there to witness it, will not perish until the end comes. So their time table is running out of time. They've received "new enlightenment" about who the generation is in order to give them more time. It use to be if you were of age in 1914, but now (or at least before I escaped as I no longer read their publications) if you were born. That give them another 13-21 years.

So, for a simple answer to your question: the proof is in their own documents. They will admit giving dates, and updating their dates as receiving "new light", but we can see right through it as false prophecy.

Answer 3

OF COURSE they pretend to be God-inspired, while saying they can make human mistakes at the same time! That way if they accidentally get something right, they claim it was from God, but if it goes wrong, they'll say it was their human imperfection that God condescends to use.

Ahem:

"A 'prophet to the nations' is what Jehovah made him. (Jeremiah 1:5) Now today, if anything, there needs to be a 'prophet to the nations'.... Jehovah has considerately raised up his 'prophet to the nations.' Jehovah has done this during this 'time of the end,' since World War I ended.... the 'prophet' whom Jehovah has raised up has been, not an individual man as in the case of Jeremiah, but a class.... At this late date there is a mere remnant of this 'prophet' class yet on earth.... One thing is now certain: if the "prophet" class, the Jeremiah class, is facing Har-Magedon" (Watchtower, October 1, 1982, p. 26-27)

"Faith in Jehovah, faith in those whom he is using as spokesmen, yes, faith in his organization! As we 'go out' to Jehovah's service today, how important it is that we exercise such faith!" (Watchtower July 1, 1984 p17)

'We have the opportunity to show love for our brothers who take the lead in the congregation or in connection with Jehovah's visible organization worldwide. This includes being loyal to "the faithful and discreet slave." (Matthew 24:45-47) Let us face the fact that no matter how much Bible reading we have done, we would never have learned the truth on our own.' (Watchtower; Dec. 1, 1990; p. 19)

Answer 4

Just to start with, "Jehovah" Witnesses is a false name and they know it. The name of God IS NOT Jehovah, even their very own "New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures" says it in the Introduction, and in the Appendix. And they go on to acccept that they use "because is the most known name for God", so they are lying knowingly.

The only name for God that truly appears in the Old Testament is "YHWH". This combination of letters is called the "Tetragramaton". The name Jehovah was coined by the Masoretic Monks of the 6th and 7th centuries. Due to the fact that the old Hebrew language didn't have vowels, and that the Hebrews considered the name of God so sacred that they did not pronounce it, the actual pronunciation was lost. The Masoretic Monks inserted the vowels from the word "Adonai", that was the word the Hebrews used to address God. From this combination, came out the name "Y-a-H-oW-a-H", that has evolved to Jehovah. Today most scholars agree that the best possible pronunciation should be "Yhaweh", but no one knows for sure.

The Watchtower Society - Jehovah Witnesses know it but they keep using the name even when they know and accept the "Jehovah" is a false name for God.

Of course, they are lying.

Answer 5

Dear Will,

The proof is very simple!

In Deuteronomy 18:20-22 - I'm going to let everyone look it up for themselves because I'm not here to argue translatations -

God makes it clear that IF we want to know whether or not someone is speaking on His behalf we just have to observe whether what the person / organization says is going to happen actually happens.

Noah believed God and built an ark. The people laughed at him but the rains came.

Elijah built an altar on Mount Carmel before the false prophets and those who bowed to Asherah poles. They also built an altar and offered a sacrifie upon it. Elijah's offering to God was accepted but the offering of the false prophets was not.

In the case of Armageddon being prophesied by the Watchtower Witnesses it is no different. They have repeatedly given a specific date but nothing has happened so they revise the date and say "Everybody makes mistakes."

The problem with that is that God does NOT ever make mistakes. He said IF you want to know THEN ...

Those two words are small words but whenever you see an IF in the Bible you have to look carefully for that THEN.

For His glory,
JOYfilled

Answer 6

you should know by now this is the big joke in this YA, reason we do no take them seriously anymore. BTW, JW seems not to preach the failed prophecy dates nowadays since their last convention; but you will start reading things like coming of 'new lights' . Their lightbulbs bursted a long time ago and need a new one?? Read Iamnot carefully and you will have a good laugh for the day. LOL

Answer 7

How about a ton of end of the world predictions.

1914 was one of the more important estimates of the start of the war of Armageddon by the Jehovah's Witnesses (Watchtower Bible and Tract Society). They computed 1914 from prophecy in the book of Daniel, Chapter 4. The writings referred to "seven times". The WTS interpreted each "time" as equal to 360 days, giving a total of 2520 days. This was further interpreted as representing 2520 years, measured from the starting date of 607 BCE. This gave 1914 as the target date. When 1914 passed, they changed their prediction; 1914 became the year that Jesus invisibly began his rule.
1914, 1915, 1918, 1920, 1925, 1941, 1975 and 1994, etc. were other dates that the Watchtower Society (WTS) or its members predicted.

Answer 8

Because their early leaders, Charles Russell and Nelson Barbour, made prophesies that did not happen. ,Barbour predicted the visible return of Christ in1873, and when that failed to occur, he revised the prediction to 1874.

If the words of a so called prophet falls to the ground ( does not happen), He is not of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 18:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken,

Answer 9

Jehovah's Witnesses have never pretended that they are infallible or inspired. Jehovah's Witnesses have never pretended that they experience miraculous messages from God or Christ. For more than a century, Jehovah's Witnesses have always presented their suppositions as the result of sincere bible research, rather than as "predictions" or "prophesying".

Interestingly, however, even those Christians who did enjoy direct communication from heaven at times came to wrong conclusions; these wrong conclusions were even communicated "out among the brothers"!

For example, the apostle Peter enjoyed remarkable privileges in the early congregation, but it seems that he was the source of an incorrect teaching about the apostle John that was not formally corrected until several DECADES had passed, and John himself finally wrote his gospel about 98 C.E.

(John 21:21-23) Peter said to Jesus: “Lord, what will this man do [that is, the apostle John]?” Jesus said to him: “If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you? You continue following me.” In consequence, this saying went out among the brothers, that [the apostle John] would not die. However, Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but: “If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you?”


Jehovah's Witnesses apply the term "prophet" only in a very limited sense to themselves as a religion, not to individuals. The Scriptures indicate that whenever Jehovah purposes to execute judgment upon a people, he always makes arrangement for a 'prophet's work' as a warning. Their self-description as a "prophet" (in this limited sense) does not indicate special inspired knowledge or foreknowledge, but their willingness to perform Christ's assigned warning work in our day leading up to Armageddon.

What group is working harder than Jehovah's Witnesses to preach God's message globally (as Noah did before the Deluge)?

(Amos 3:7) For the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will not do a thing unless he has revealed his confidential matter to his servants the prophets.

(2 Peter 2:5) Noah, a preacher of righteousness...

(Matthew 24:14) And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.


Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20000622/
http://watchtower.org/e/19990715/article_02.htm

Answer 10

One easy fact is that they predicted the return of Christ back in 1914 and as far as I know, He didn't show up. Then they convinced themselves that he appeared invisibly and has been here ever since. Judging by world conditions, I don't understand how they can believe that. The Bible says if someone prophecies and it doesn't come true then they are not of God.