Jehovah's Witnesses cannot deny the fact that the Bible states one failed prophecy only will make one a false prophet. The Watchtower Governing Body have "sincerely" predicted Armageddon and the 2nd coming of Christ but failed many times. Moses' writings stated,
"If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him." (Dt. 18:22)
Are they a false prophet because of this criteria?
The book of Deuteronomy states clearly,
2007-11-09 11:10:22 · 17 answers · asked by Justyn M. 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No.
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.ca/e/20000622/
http://watchtower.ca/e/19990715/article_02.htm
2007-11-10 05:35:59 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 3⤊ 3⤋
Many even of the Jehovah's Witness religion don't realize this, but the Jehovah's Witness dogma is primarily geared around the leaders. The Jehovah's Witnesses used to say that Jesus was a mediator only for the 144,000 (until 2012), but now is only a mediator for the Governing Body of Elders. They also state that the Governing Body acts as a group acts as a PROPHET being divinely guided. Further, the Bible is only for them to interpret - they state that the rank and file members shouldn't conduct their own research in this area, the rank and file members should simply read the Watchtower and Awake magazines. Thus the Governing Body of Elders is the mediator between the rest of the Jehovah's Witnesses and Jehovah. They exercise autocratic control over all doctrine and act as the ultimate teaching authority. Jehovah's Witnesses on this board will probably refute this, but I would guess that most of them are actually unaware.
2016-05-29 00:16:36 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The 13th chapter of Ezekiel issues Jehovah's judgments "against the prophets that are visioning untruth and that are divining a lie."
Saying further: "In the intimate group of my people they will not continue on, and in the register of the house of Israel they will not come; and you people will have to know that I am the Sovereign Lord Jehovah."
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.
2007-11-11 09:08:02 · answer #3 · answered by keiichi 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
When the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word does not occur or come true, that is the word that Jehovah did not speak. With presumptuousness the prophet spoke it. You must not get frightened at him. Does it say the prophet is an abomination? Does the scripture condemn? No. It only proves that humans are imperfect. When mistakes are made they get corrected. The only perfect man is Jesus.
2007-11-09 11:36:47 · answer #4 · answered by J R 4 · 7⤊ 1⤋
Laughing my a** off! A good way to end the day. Do I need a copyright agreement from all of you to place this in a Joke Book? I'm getting a funny moment here on my side! God bless all of us tonight and sleep tight watch out for what's gonna bite!
Oh by the way, everyone got a thumbs up from me because of the extra servings of laughs I had.
2007-11-09 15:08:25 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Holy Bible
Galatians 1
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Does the prophet preach Jesus is the son of God, Lord and Savior? Does the prophet preach any other gospel?
What are the roots...of a religion?
2007-11-09 11:19:16 · answer #6 · answered by ' 4 · 2⤊ 4⤋
We would all have to agree on a definition of the word "prophet". If they claim the gift of prophecy then yeah... we don't have to worry about the dates they set.
2007-11-09 11:14:53 · answer #7 · answered by Chapter and Verse 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Christians:
1) You say Jesus made Old Testament laws unnecessary.
2) You use the Old Testament to justify a boatload of various hatreds.
Where is the logic?
2007-11-09 11:16:25 · answer #8 · answered by Nowhere Man 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Yes , but they will say either they never claimed to be "inspired prophets" or they apply the term prophet to the "religion".
2007-11-14 05:26:20 · answer #9 · answered by WhatIf 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
No. Why don't you stop hanging around anti-witness websites? We all know you are not after information. How did you get in this mode of attacking other religions. Did your ipod break and now you have nothing else to do? Get a life, will ya?
2007-11-09 11:15:24 · answer #10 · answered by LineDancer 7 · 11⤊ 1⤋