Jehovah's Witnesses: Would a true spokesman for God change his postition on important issues??

Question

The Watchtower Society has changed its postion on important issues.

For example vaccination was forbidden by WS for 20 years.

And organ transplants were forbidden for some 13 years.

Answer 1

God changed his Position Nina.
The prophet Jonah was told to proclaim that the badness of that city had ‘come up before Jehovah.’ (Jonah 1:2) Including its suburbs, Nineveh was a large city, “with a walking distance of three days.” When Jonah finally obeyed and entered Nineveh, he kept declaring: “Only forty days more, and Nineveh will be overthrown.” At that, “the men of Nineveh began to put faith in God, and they proceeded to proclaim a fast and to put on sackcloth.” Even the king of Nineveh repented.—Jonah 3:1-6.
How did Jehovah view the repentant Ninevites? Jonah 3:10 says: “The true God felt regret over the calamity that he had spoken of causing to them; and he did not cause it.” Jehovah “felt regret” in the sense that he altered his dealings with the Ninevites because they changed their ways. The divine standards did not change, but Jehovah changed his decision upon seeing that the Ninevites were repentant.—Malachi 3:6.
What was your Silly Question again????

Answer 2

there is not any agency in the international that has championed the reason of the certainty, different than the Watchtower and Jehovah's Witnesses. even with each and every of the prophetic miscues and organizational chicanery, the Watchtower has succeeded in supplying the authentic faith into the hearts of receptive ones. the certainty approximately Jehovah and Christ; their authentic relationship with one yet another; the meaning of the ransom; the subject concerns of Jehovah's sovereignty and Christian integrity; Jehovah's purpose to smash the devil's kingdom over the international and herald a paradise under Christ's kingdom—those are the middle truths that have reinforced Jehovah's Witnesses to "act effectively" against the enemy. even with itself, the Watchtower has imparted necessary religious insights to tens of millions of folk international huge.

Answer 3

The official teaching of the Catholic Church used to be that the earth was the center of the universe. The Vatican even forced Galileo to recant from his scientific observations to the opposite. If the Catholic Church's Dark Age policy were still in force today, we would be burned at the stake for merely discussing the Bible outside their approved liturgical boundaries. So, it seems appropriate to point out the gross hypocrisy's of the past.

Many people, in 2003, suspect that immunization has contributed to weakening the body's natural immune system and may be one of the underlying causes of the many new immunodeficiency diseases that did not exist in the previous generations. Also, vaccinations are suspected in many child deaths. While there is no question that vaccinations have saved many lives, immunization is an ongoing experiment with the long-term results still unknown.

The same thing applies to other health issues.

Tonsillectomies are considered routine surgeries; but some doctors now think that unnecessarily removing the tonsils can lead to serious health problems later on in life. Similarly, the Watchtower was been criticized for putting in print that aluminum cookware was dangerous. But, there are those today, 70 years later, who suspect that aluminum might be a contributing factor in Alzheimer's disease. It would seem that the Watchtower was way ahead of the curve on that issue.

Same with the aspirin issue. While the giant pharmaceutical companies have convinced people that taking aspirin prevents heart problems, others feel that aspirins are detrimental to health. So, on these trivial issues we must conclude that the questioner is simply pandering to popular prejudices and ignorance.

That is not to say that the Watchtower hasn't made a lot of dumb statements, but many of the things cited above have nothing to do with the Bible. They were just the opinions of certain men. Besides, the apostles had many wrong ideas.

In fact, Jesus corrected them all the time, and yet, Jesus used them as the foundation of his congregation. But, the Scriptures allow for the children of God to go through the awkward phase of adolescence before attaining spiritual adulthood.

Paul said of himself, in illustrating the growth of the congregation of God leading up to the time of Christ's return: "For we have partial knowledge and we prophesy partially; but when that which is complete arrives, that which is partial will be done away with. When I was a babe, I used to speak as a babe, to think as a babe, to reason as a babe; but now that I have become a man, I have done away with the traits of a babe. For at present we see in hazy outline by means of a metal mirror, but then it will be face to face. At present I know partially, but then I shall know accurately even as I am accurately known."

Jesus said, "Wisdom is proved righteous by works." What does that mean? It means that you judge the end result. The end result of the Watchtower's teachings back then was that it produced a people who demonstrated the same strength of faith as the original Christians.

For example, during WWII, Catholics, Lutherans and Protestant Trinitarians all engaged in mutual slaughter on a level that surpassed all previous wars. On the other hand, Jehovah's Witnesses went to prisons and concentration camps by the thousands in Germany and through out the English-speaking world because they were determined to follow the teachings of Christ, regardless of the personal costs involved.

If the Watchtower was as inept as our opposers would have us believe, how do you explain the fact that Jehovah's Witnesses back then demonstrated to the world that they had an unconquerable faith that proved to be far superior in quality to anything produced by Christendom?

Answer 4

If an organization claims they are being guided by God, or are the one true religion, I would think that they wouldn't make bogus doctrines or predictions and have them change/fail so often. This is the mark of a false prophet. Seriously, God certainly does not make mistakes. Jehovah's Witnesses are a man based cult, true religion doesn't make you follow man's laws or threaten you with being shunned if you don't apply. They also don't ask you to die for a dotrine one minute, and the next change their minds and never give a full apology. It is obvious that JW's aren't the spokesmen for God.

Answer 5

Before I became a Witness I considered the mistakes that were made. And that's what they are, mistakes. What I was more concerned about is how Religions teach the trinity, hell fire, and feel that it's not a problem to mix with Pagan customs !!!

And one more thing. If other religions claim to have the truth why didn't they come and knock on my door?
They didn't because they do not teach the truth.

Jehovah's Witnesses have the truth and in time every one will know this.

Answer 6

Knowledge is progressive. Along the way, mistakes are bound to be made. The same goes with knowledge of the Bible. Jehovah does not revel the truth all at once. He reveals it gradually in stages. Jehovah's Witnesses have been wrong before, but it has NEVER been for the purpose of deceiving anyone.

It's amazing how much research apostates and vindictive ex-witnesses by getting the material from anti-witness websites. I wonder how much research they do on what their current religion's practices? Do they question the fact paganism and false doctrines are taught from the pulpit? Does it bother them that Christmas and Easter are observed, and that false doctrines like hellfire and the immortality are taught? I guess not, because such apostates take great interest in questions about Jehovah's Witnesses so they can spread their poison.

Answer 7

God is the same always and never changes His ways. He stays the same! Only false teachers change their beliefs and say the light is getting brighter!

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Heb. 13:8

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

God was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory. 1 Tim. 3:16

Answer 8

Would a true spokesman of God change his position on LESS IMPORTANT issues?

When I first became a witness, I had to carefully learn that those God had destroyed at Sodom and Gomorrah would not be resurrected. I thought it was odd, at the time, but I made a point of memorizing the point. A few years later, there was an article saying that, yes, they would be resurrected after all. A few MONTHS later, no, they wouldn't.

They were up; they were down; they were up again... at least half a dozen times overall, the "Governing Body" of Jehovah's witnesses seemed to feel it was important to take a stand on this.

What's interesting is this... The Bible itself is unclear on the point, but the JWs kept trying to decide... It was one of the issues that I used to ponder privately, "waiting on Jehovah to set things right" because it made no sense as it stood... as it still stands.

This issue is because at Matthew 10:15, Matthew 11:23,24 and Luke 10:12, Jesus talks about the standing of those men in the final judgment being more "tolerable" than for those who don't listen to him or his disciples. The implication seems to be that they have the possibility of everlasting life.
On the other hand, at Romans 9:29, 2 Peter 2:6, Jude 7 (most specifically speaking of the everlasting fire) and Revelation 11:8, the fate of those destroyed originally at Sodom are equated with the second death. It's as if Paul, Peter and John took the opposite stand from Jesus.

The WT Society keeps trying to explain it.... each time they do, it's the opposite explanation of the last time...

Edit:
(Oh wait!!! I found another one!)
Watchtower 7/15/87, p 9:
"Of a city that rejects their message, Jesus says: “It will be more endurable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on Judgment Day than for that city.” This shows that at least some unrighteous ones to whom his disciples would preach will be present during Judgment Day. When these former citizens are resurrected during Judgment Day, however, it will be even harder for them to humble themselves and accept Christ as King than it will be for resurrected persons from the ancient immoral cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Matthew 9:35–10:15; Mark 6:6-12; Luke 9:1-5."

But only a year later in the Live Forever Book: (p179)

"9 Will such terribly wicked persons be resurrected during Judgment Day? The Scriptures indicate that apparently they will not. For example, one of Jesus’ inspired disciples, Jude, wrote first about the angels that forsook their place in heaven to have relations with the daughters of men. Then he added: “So too Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them, after they in the same manner as the foregoing ones had committed fornication excessively and gone out after flesh for unnatural use, are placed before us as a warning example by undergoing the judicial punishment of everlasting fire.” (Jude 6, 7; Genesis 6:1, 2) Yes, for their excessive immorality the people of Sodom and of the surrounding cities suffered a destruction from which they will apparently never be resurrected.—2 Peter 2:4-6, 9, 10a."

Answer 9

Hmm, change or stubbornly insist you were right, what would a Christian do?

Do you equate "true spokesman" with perfection?

Exactly how is the position on vaccination or organ transplants "important"? Exactly how does such have any bearing on a Christian's prospects for everlasting live?

Answer 10

Jehovah's Witnesses publish a magazine called "The Watchtower" and use several corporate entities with names similar to "Watchtower Society". Perhaps this questioner intends his accusatory "question" about Jehovah's Witnesses.

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.co.uk/e/20000622/
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/19990715/article_02.htm