Jehovah's Witnesses: How do you feel about the Watchtower Society having a tract record of giving..?

Question

false prophecies?

Although claiming to be a "prophet" organization, the Watchtower Society has set forth false prophecies.

One of them: The Watchtower Society (WS) predicted that 1914 would mark the owerthrow of human governments and the full establishment of God's kingdom on earth.

Answer 1

I see the list of JW's bashers is continuing to grow. Jehovah's Witnesses never said they were a prophet organization. You and other love to go back 90 years or more to the times when our understanding of the Scriptures was limited. Would you like to also bash those who thought the earth was the center of the universe or would you like to concentrate on what's happening now?

If we still believed the same way we did 90 or so years ago, would you consider that progress. At one time JW's celebrated Christmas until it was revealed that it is a pagan holiday, and that it has since been scrapped. Also, it was discovered that the cross is a pagan symbol that predates Christianity by thousands of years. The cross was also discontinued in our worship? Dd you know that? Why have you never mentioned changes like that? Is it not for the purpose of casting a bad light on JW's? That's what it appears to me.

Your last question, which is similar to this one, was already sufficiently answered. What more do you want?

Answer 2

Have you nothing better to do with your time? The apotles were under the impression that Jesus would restore his kingdom to Israel just after his resurrection. (Acts 1:6-8) If he wouldn't have corrected them at that time, don't you think they would've gone forth preaching a gospel that included "the Lord Jesus Christ is soon coming to establish the Kingdom right here in Israel" ???

Sure, there are more than one instance in the Bible where Jesus himself says that nobody knows or is supposed to find out Jehovah's timetable. And it is true that in earlier times the society has made statements regarding the coming of the new system that were along the lines of attempted predictions.

HOWEVER, people must realize that these were not all or nothing predictions. 1914 WAS most definitely a significant year; that's when the Messianic Kingdom was established. Russell and the others were just mistaken in believing that then end would come right then and they'd be taken to heaven.

1975 was the calculated date for the beginning of the seventh millennium of human existence. It was speculated that Jehovah would usher in the new system at this time (and how appropriate that we be brought into His rest on the seventh 'day'), but several warnings were issued that such was NO MORE than a guess and that any solid predictions were not to be made concerning such.


But since we're asking all these (?)s, how do YOU feel about your church lying to you about

God being 3 people and 1 at the same time
Predestination
your 'immortal' soul
your 'immortal' soul's chance to live in heaven
your 'immortal' soul's chance to burn in Hell permanently


.... it goes on and on, but I don't really feel like doing this right now.

Answer 3

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has NEVER prophesied.

Now that will seem strange to you. The problem is in the modern day meaning of the words "prophet" and "prophecy" It is different to the Biblical use.

Today we use "prophet" to mean one who foretells future events. The Bibles use the word "prophet" means one who speaks on behalf of another.

The "prophets" of the Bible spoke what God had told them to speak, and rightly applies to all Bible wetters. many of these Bible writers wrote of futter events and the word prophet and prophecy come to be associated with those particular writings.

When JWs have mentioned dates for various events it is NOT PROPHECY. It is an understanding of "prophecy" (future events) as recorded by Bible writers. All that they have said was based on their understanding of scripture.

So yes they are guilty of not understanding some Bible passages. Sometimes it has been based on poor renderings of some Bible translations. other times it has been them being over excited by some understandings.

If you take the time to look at the explanations that have gone along with their understandings there is always a Biblical reason. Nothing has been new. Nothing is from their own originality.

There was a very famous (or infamous) prophet called Nostradamus who wrote prophecies of that he saw and accredited to no one. Many people have tried to decipher his words. Those that have done so are not called "prophets" are they? The same thing with the Bible and JWs.

The writings of the Bible are accredited to God, and a JWs have tried to decipher them

see http://users.picknowl.com.au/~hepburn/prophecy.htm

Answer 4

If you want and honest opinion...

There are former JWs that contribute and many times these come across as quite angery or have a bone to pick.

Some of them grew up as JWs. They have the experience of the being second or third generation JW's. Do you blame them really? There are sick people in congregations as there are in many churches. Unfortunately these sick ones can continue to be sick and perpetuate their actions without consequence. Sometimes entire congregations are sick as a result of this influence.
_______________
The WTS
I have look at this many times from the information put out by the various entities that have evolved into The Watchtower Bible and Tract of today.

I have also looked at this from outside sources of the time and written later.

Russell had some difficulties. He would be considered demonized by today's followers of the WTB&TS. A strange blend of bible, pyramidology, masonic teaching, and his own desires to see.

Russell and his followers celebrated the "Christian" holy days such as Christmas and so forth. They also used the Cross and the Crown, two common symbols of Christianity representing the Christ's sacrifice and his Kingship.

Rutherford eliminated these symbols and the practice of communion. A wolf got into the sheep pen. The endtime date setting and various other doctrinal materials were used to keep the followers spurred to ministry.

This is a whip for simpletons aka Chicken Little's "The Sky is Falling" theology that is used to keep published material distributed to find converts.

Knorr/Franz and the Governing Body perpetuated this pattern and this is continued to this very day by the WTB&TS.

I am a Christian but will used everything at my disposal to find truth and correct error.
For info only below:

Answer 5

Jehovah's Witnesses publish a magazine called "The Watchtower" and use various legal entities with names similar to "Watchtower Society", but neither their legal entities nor their publications have ever pretended to present "prophesies" of any sort.

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

Answer 6

The prophecy of Ezekiel locates false prophets in the intimate group of Jehovah's people. Far from indicating that the Israelites were not God's possession, the fact that they were under the influence of those who were described as divining a lie, obligated God to remove the individual false prophets from among God's people. The situation among God's spiritual nation today is no different.

Answer 7

Many false prophesies have been made by indiviuals and 'sects'. He said, "I will come like a thief in the night" like it or not.

Answer 8

Cults are scary; so many people are decieved and then lost. It grieves my heart for the lost souls. Pray for the lost souls.

Answer 9

I say they have an excellent record of prophecies..

that is to say an excellent record of errors.

Answer 10

the last paper i got on them the world was ending in 2005. I believe nobody knows His plans but HIM