Are the JWs false prophets?

[erikd]

The Jehova’s Witnesses have predicted the coming of Armageddon in 1914, 1925, and 1975. Because Armageddon has not yet taken place would that, according to the below listed verses, make the Witnesses false prophets? I am very interested in responses from the Witnesses.

20 But the prophet, who being corrupted with pride, shall speak in my name things that I did not command him to say, or in the name of strange gods, shall be slain.
21 And if in silent thought thou answer: How shall I know the word that the Lord hath not spoken?
22 Thou shalt have this sign: Whatsoever that same prophet foretelleth in the name of the Lord, and it cometh not to pass: that thing the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath forged it by the pride of his mind: and therefore thou shalt not fear him.
Deuteronomy 18:20-22

 

[bpbasilphx]

Yes.

In their March or April 1972 issue of WATCHTOWER, the lead article, “They shall know that a prophet was among them,” says that the JW organization is a prophet just as Elijah was.

In their 1986 book REASONING TOGETHER FROM THE SCIPTURES, they say, “No, Jehovah’s Witnesses are not prophets. They do make mistakes.”

Question: Which statement is a lie?

And does a true prophet EVER lie?

 

[ricko]

Yes.

In their March or April 1972 issue of WATCHTOWER, the lead article, “They shall know that a prophet was among them,” says that the JW organization is a prophet just as Elijah was.

In their 1986 book REASONING TOGETHER FROM THE SCIPTURES, they say, “No, Jehovah’s Witnesses are not prophets. They do make mistakes.”

Question: Which statement is a lie?

And does a true prophet EVER lie?

They are forever changing. A church built on quicksand.

 

[the_phoenix]

As I’ve just been contacted by a JW today, I’m going to mark this thread for reference …

 

[Dan_Parker]

erikd:
The Jehova’s Witnesses have predicted the coming of Armageddon in 1914, 1925, and 1975. Because Armageddon has not yet taken place would that, according to the below listed verses, make the Witnesses false prophets?

1895The Watchtower in it’s mission statement: "This journal … is not dogmatic, but confident; for we know whereof we affirm, treading with implicit faith upon the sure promises of God. It is held as a trust, to be used only in his service; hence our decisions relative to what may and what may not appear in its columns must be according to our judgment of his good pleasure, the teaching of his Word, for the up building of his people in grace and knowledge. And we not only invite but **urge our readers to prove all its utterances by the infallible Word **to which reference is constantly made to facilitate such testing."
1904
“It is not our intention to enter upon the role of prophet to any degree, but merely to give below what seems to us rather likely to be the trend of events–giving also the reasons for our expectations.” March 1,1904 Watchtower
1909
“Someone may ask, Do you, then, claim infallibility and that every sentence appearing in The Watch Tower publications is stated with absolute correctness? Assuredly we make no such claim and have never made such a claim. What motive can our opponents have in so charging against us? Are they not seeking to set up a falsehood to give themselves excuse for making attacks and to endeavor to pervert the judgments of others?” Zion’s Watchtower and Herald of Christ’s Presence, 15 September 1909.

1920
Early on in this publication the reader is invited to “examine each point carefully …compare the argument with the Scriptures cited, and view the same in the light of present day events which are discernible to all eyes, and upon this evidence reach a conclusion.” Page 13
“The Bible is the only true source of knowledge upon which man can base a hope for the future.…Nothing, then but an understanding and appreciation of the Word of God can lead man into the right way and unfold to him visions of the blessings that are to come.” Page 68 “Millions Now Living will never die”, Joseph F. Rutherford

**
1929**
“Many students have made the grievous mistake of thinking that God has inspired men to interpret prophecy. The holy prophets of the Old Testament were inspired by Jehovah to write as his power moved upon them. The writers of the New Testament were clothed with certain power and authority to write as the Lord directed them. However, since the days of the apostles no man on earth has been inspired to write prophecy, nor has any man been inspired to interpret prophecy.” “Prophecy” (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1929), page 61-62

1931
“IT is not the prerogative of the Watchtower, nor of any forming a part of the ‘servant’ class, to announce its judgment; but is is their duty to call attention to God’s judgments as they are written, and this must be done as a warning.” “Vindication”, 3 Vols (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1931-1932)

1947
“This pouring out of God’s spirit upon the flesh of all his faithful anointed witnesses does not mean that those now serving as Jehovah’s Witnesses are inspired. It** does not mean that the writings in this magazine The Watchtower are inspired and infallible** and without mistakes. It does not mean that the president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society is inspired and infallible, although enemies falsely charge us with believing so… But we confess with the Scriptures that the day of such inspiration passed long before 1870, as the apostle Paul showed it would … Inspired speaking and writing passed away with the last of the twelve apostles, by whom the gifts of the spirit were imparted to others. Yet God is still able to teach and lead us. While confessing no inspiration for today for anyone on earth, we do have the privilege of praying to God for more of his holy spirit and for his guidance of us by the bestowal of his spirit through Jesus Christ.” Manner of Inspiring the Bible, The Watchtower, 15 May 1947, 157-158 under the sub-heading, “No Such Inspiration Today”

1950
“The Watchtower is founded on the very pinnacle of reliable wisdom, namely, God’s Word the Bible … because its words find their foundation in God’s Word … However the Watchtower does not claim to be inspired in its utterances, nor is it dogmatic. It invites careful and critical examination of its contents in the light of the Scriptures. Its purpose is to aid others to know Jehovah and his purposes toward mankind, and to announce Christ’s established kingdom as our only hope.” “Name and purpose of the Watchtower”, 15 August 1950, 262-263

**
1966**
“Brother Franz [at the Baltimore assembly in 1966] went on to say: You have noticed the chart [on pages 31-35 in the book Life Everlasting–in Freedom of the Sons of God]. It shows that 6000 years of human experience will end in 1975, in about nine years from now. What does that mean? …Does it mean that Babylon the Great is going to go down by 1975? It could! It could!. Does it mean that the attack of God of Magog is going to be made on Jehovah witnesses to wipe them out, then God himself will be put out of actions? It could. But we are not saying. All things are possible with God. But we are not saying. And don’t any of you be specific in saying anything that is going to happen between now and 1975.” “Rejoicing over ‘God’s Sons of Liberty’ Spiritual Feast,” The Watchtower, 15 October 1966, Page 631.
1971
"Since today we have the complete inspired Scriptures God is not giving any more inspired visions or dreams. However, Jehovah’s people today are seeing the fulfillment of many of the inspired visions and dreams that God’s servants had in ancient times, and they are even having a share in the fulfillment of the prophecy, “your sons and your daughters will certainly prophesy. (Joel 2:28) Not that these prophesy in the sense of foretelling events under inspiration, but rather in that they are making public proclamation of the inspired dreams and visions long ago recorded.” Watchtower Jan 1, 1971.
1997
“In his day, Ezekiel spoke words that were directly inspired by Jehovah. Today, we speak words from Jehovah’s inspired Word, the Bible.” “Messengers of Godly Peace Pronounced Happy”, The Watchtower, 1 May 1997, p 22, par. 14

 

[Dan_Parker]

They are forever changing. A church built on quicksand.

Gregory I, Pope from 590-605, predicted that the end of the world was imminent in a letter he wrote to Ethelbert, a European monarch. He advised “Further, we also wish your Majesty to know, as we have learned from the words of Almighty God in Holy Scriptures, that the end of the present world is already near and that the unending Kingdom of the Saints is approaching. As this same end of the world is drawing nigh, many unusual things will happen - climatic changes, terrors from heaven… All these things are not to come in our own days, but they will all follow upon our times.” (Bernard McGinn, Visions of the End-Apocalyptic Traditions in the Middle Ages, Page 64, Published 1979)

 

[Dan_Parker]

bpbasilphx:
In their March or April 1972 issue of WATCHTOWER, the lead article, “They shall know that a prophet was among them,” says that the JW organization is a prophet just as Elijah was.

Dan:
By our definition of “prophet” it can be seen that we do not claim to tell the future. We prophecy merely by preaching and teaching about prophecy already written in the bible.

**
What is a prophet?**
The Greek pro-phe’tes literally means “a speaker out [Gr., pro, “before” or “in front of,” and phe-mi’, “say”]” and thus describes a proclaimer, one who makes known messages attributed to a divine source. (Compare Tit 1:12.) Though this includes the thought of a predictor of the future, the fundamental meaning of the word is not that of prediction. (Compare Jg. 6:7-10.) [Insight on the Scriptures, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1988, it-2 page 694 under Prophet]

What is a “prophet”?
That the term “prophet” in the series of articles which are quoted below are intended in a quasi sense can be seen by the examples of what this “prophet” does in the following quotations from the Watchtower article entitled **“They Shall Know that a Prophet Was Among Them”, Watchtower 1972 4/1 197-8 where it states:
**
IDENTIFYING THE "PROPHET"
These questions can be answered in the affirmative. Who is this prophet? The clergy of the so-called “Christian” nations hold themselves before the people as being the ones commissioned to speak for God. But, as pointed out in the previous issue of this magazine, they have failed God and failed as proclaimers of his kingdom by approving a man-made political organization, the League of Nations (now the United Nations), as “the political expression of the Kingdom of God on earth.”

However, Jehovah did not let the people of Christendom, as led by the clergy, go without being warned that the League was a counterfeit substitute for the real kingdom of God. He had a “prophet” to warn them. This “prophet” was not one man, but was a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. They are still proclaiming a warning, and have been joined and assisted in their commissioned work by hundreds of thousands of persons who have listened to their message with belief.

Of course, it is easy to say that this group acts as a “prophet” of God. It is another thing to prove it. The only way that this can be done is to review the record. What does it show?

During the World War I period this group, the International Bible Students, was very active in preaching the good news of God’s kingdom, as their Leader Jesus Christ had set this work before them in his prophecy at Matthew 24:14. They took literally Jesus’ words to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate: “My kingdom is no part of this world.” (John 18:36) They also took to heart Jesus’ words to his followers: “You are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.” They expected to suffer for living according to that rule, just as Jesus went on to say, “on this account the world hates you.” (John 15:19) Hatred toward them grew into violence during World War I.

These Bible Students had long been concerned with Ezekiel and his prophecy. In 1917 they published a book entitled “The Finished Mystery,” explaining the book of Ezekiel as well as that of Revelation. This book criticized the clergy as false to the Word of Jehovah. Within nine months a ban was put on its circulation in the United States and Canada. Then eight members of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, including its president and secretary-treasurer, were sentenced to prison in the Federal penitentiary, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.

Though the work of these Christians was crippled for a while, after only nine months the eight men were freed from prison, in March 1919. They accepted this as an answer from God to their prayers. Their work was revived, much to the consternation of the clergy, who had been behind the banning.

Accordingly, their magazine The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence , in its issues of August 1 and 15, 1919, encouraged vigorous resumption of the work of preaching the good news free from the fear of men. Under the subject “Blessed Are the Fearless,” the following statements were made:

“There is a fear which is very proper, and which everyone must have who is pleasing to God, and this is known as ‘Godly fear’. It means a holy reverence for Jehovah and a fear lest we should displease him and come short of the blessings he has promised us. . . . The Scriptures abound with testimony that those whom God approves do not fear man nor any other creature, but have a holy, reverential fear of Jehovah. In times of old Jehovah justified some men to friendship with him, and the record of his dealing with them was written for the benefit of the church.”

Ezekiel was one of these men so used by God, and not only his prophecies, but also Ezekiel himself and his acts were pictorial of things to come.

Page 198-199 continues,
The League of Nations came into being in 1919 and began really to function when it was ratified by the signatory powers at Paris on January 10, 1920. But Jehovah’s servants continued to proclaim the Messianic kingdom of God. When the ban on The Finished Mystery was lifted, they resumed its circulation and, with it as a textbook,** they continued to study the book of Ezekiel. **As time went on and further developments fulfilled the prophecy of Ezekiel, a three-volume set of books titled “Vindication” provided an up-to-date understanding, showing more fully the application of the prophecy.

Thus this group of anointed followers of Jesus Christ, doing a work in Christendom paralleling Ezekiel’s work among the Jews, were manifestly the modern-day Ezekiel, the “prophet” commissioned by Jehovah to declare the good news of God’s Messianic kingdom and to give warning to Christendom. It is significant that, in 1931, after twelve years of faithful service despite the opposition of Christendom’s clergy, these followers of Christ embraced the name “Jehovah’s witnesses” at the same convention at which the book Vindication was released.-Isa. 43:10-12, American Standard Version.

 

[Dan_Parker]

As I’ve just been contacted by a JW today, I’m going to mark this thread for reference …

Many have read bible prophecy and felt that they were living in the times described as the end. That does not make them false prophets. I am sure you don’t consider Pope Gregory I to be one. I found the exact quote from Bede here.

"Besides, we would have your glory know, we find in the holy Scripture, from the words of the Almighty Lord, that the end of this present world, and the kingdom of the saints, is about to come, which will never terminate. But as the same end of the world approaches, many things are at hand which were not before, viz. changes of air, and terrors from heaven, and tempests out of the order of the seasons, wars, famines, plagues, earthquakes in several places; which things will not, nevertheless, happen in our days, but will all follow after our days. If you, therefore, find any of these things to happen in your country, let not your mind be in any way disturbed; for these signs of the end of the world are sent before, for this reason, that we may be solicitous for our souls, suspicious of the hour of death, and may be found prepared with good works to meet our Judge. Thus much, my illustrious son, I have said in few words, to the end that when the Christian faith shall increase in your kingdom, our discourse to you may also be more copious, and we may be pleased to say the more, in proportion as joy for the conversion of your nation is multiplied in our mind.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Gregory I, Pope from 590-605, predicted that the end of the world was imminent in a letter he wrote to Ethelbert, a European monarch. He advised “Further, we also wish your Majesty to know, as we have learned from the words of Almighty God in Holy Scriptures, that the end of the present world is already near and that the unending Kingdom of the Saints is approaching. As this same end of the world is drawing nigh, many unusual things will happen - climatic changes, terrors from heaven… All these things are not to come in our own days, but they will all follow upon our times.” (Bernard McGinn, Visions of the End-Apocalyptic Traditions in the Middle Ages, Page 64, Published 1979)

Ethelbert was English - not European.​

There was a lot of that kind of thing over the next 1400 years It was Jesus who started that ball rolling, with his idea that he would return before all his hearers had died. To date he has not done so, and there is no reason to imagine he ever will.

 

[FCEGM]

DAN:1895The Watchtower in it’s mission statement: "This journal … is not dogmatic, but confident; for we know whereof we affirm, treading with implicit faith upon the sure promises of God. It is held as a trust, to be used only in his service; hence our decisions relative to what may and what may not appear in its columns must be according to our judgment of his good pleasure, the teaching of his Word, for the up building of his people in grace and knowledge. And we not only invite but **urge our readers to prove all its utterances by the infallible Word **to which reference is constantly made to facilitate such testing."

1889 - “[T]he ‘battle of the great day of God almight’ (Rev. 16:14), which will end in A.D.1914 with the complete overthrow of earth’s rulership, is already commenced.” Studies in the Scripture, 1889, 2:202

1891 - “[W]ith the end of A.D. 1914, what God calls Babylon, and what men call Christendom, will have passed away, as already shown from prophecy.” Charles T. Russell, Studies in the Scriptures, 1891, 2:101.

1894 - “The end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble.” Zion’s Watch Tower, 15 July 1894.

1904"It is not our intention to enter upon the role of prophet to any degree, but merely to give below what seems to us rather likely to be the trend of events–giving also the reasons for our expectations." March 1,1904 Watchtower

1897 - “But now we are in the end of this Gospel age, and the Kingdom is being established or set up. Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present, since October 1874, according to the testimony of the prophets, to those who have ears to hear; and the formal inauguration of his kingly office dates from April 1878 A.D.,” Studies in the Scriptures, 4:621.

1909
“Someone may ask, Do you, then, claim infallibility and that every sentence appearing in The Watch Tower publications is stated with absolute correctness? Assuredly we make no such claim and have never made such a claim. What motive can our opponents have in so charging against us? Are they not seeking to set up a falsehood to give themselves excuse for making attacks and to endeavor to pervert the judgments of others?” Zion’s Watchtower and Herald of Christ’s Presence, 15 September 1909.

1914 - "The present great war in Europe us the beginning of the Armageddon of the Scriptures (Rev. 16:16-20). It will eventuate in the complete overthrow of all the systems of error which have so long oppressed the people of God and deluded the world, "Pastor Russell’s Sermons, publ, 1917, 676.

1916 - “The six great 100 year days beginning with Adam are ended, and that the great 7th day, the 1000 years of Christ’s reign began in 1873,” The Time Is at Hand, 1923 edition.

1918 - “Therefore, we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the faithful prophets of old. . .to the condition of human perfection…” Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 89.

1920
Early on in this publication the reader is invited to “examine each point carefully …compare the argument with the Scriptures cited, and view the same in the light of present day events which are discernible to all eyes, and upon this evidence reach a conclusion.” Page 13
“The Bible is the only true source of knowledge upon which man can base a hope for the future.…Nothing, then but an understanding and appreciation of the Word of God can lead man into the right way and unfold to him visions of the blessings that are to come.” Page 68 “Millions Now Living will never die”, Joseph F. Rutherford

1922 - “The date 1925 is even more distinctly indicated by the Scriptures [than 1914] because it is fixed by the law God gave to Israel,” The Watchtower, 1 Sept., 1922, 262.

1923 - “Our thought is , that 1925 is definitely settled by the Scriptures, marking the end of the typical jubilee. . . .As to Noah, the Christian now has much more upon to base his faith than Noah had upon which to base his faith in a coming deluge,” The Watchtower, 1 April 1923, 106.

1924 - “The year 1925 is a date now definitely and clearly marked in the Scriptures, even more clearly than that of 1914,” The Watchtower, 15 July, 211.

1925 - “We should, therefore, expect shortly after 1925 to see the awakening of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Melchisedec, Job, Moses, Samuel, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, John the Baptist, and others mentioned in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews,” The Way to Paradise, 1924, 224.

1925 - “The year 1925 is here. With great expectation Christians have looked forward to this year. . .Christians should not be so deeply concerned about what may transpire during this year that they would fail to joyfully do what the what the Lord would have them do,” The Watchtower, 1 January 1925, 3.

1926 - “Some anticipated that the work would end in 1935, but the Lord did not state so,” The Watchtower, 1 August 1926, 232.

 

[FCEGM]

**
1929**
“Many students have made the grievous mistake of thinking that God has inspired men to interpret prophecy. The holy prophets of the Old Testament were inspired by Jehovah to write as his power moved upon them. The writers of the New Testament were clothed with certain power and authority to write as the Lord directed them. However, since the days of the apostles no man on earth has been inspired to write prophecy, nor has any man been inspired to interpret prophecy.” “Prophecy” (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1929), page 61-62

1931
“IT is not the prerogative of the Watchtower, nor of any forming a part of the ‘servant’ class, to announce its judgment; but is is their duty to call attention to God’s judgments as they are written, and this must be done as a warning.” “Vindication”, 3 Vols (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1931-1932)

1931 - “There was a measure of disappointment on the part of Jehovah’s faithful ones on earth concerning the dates 914, 1918, 1925. . .and they also learned to quite fixing dates for the future and predicting what would come to pass on a certain date,” Vindication, 1931, 1:388-89.

1938 - “Armageddon is so near that Witnesses should wait until it is over before they marry and raise children,” The Watchtower, 1 November, 1938, 323.

1939 - “The disaster of Argmageddon is just ahead,” J. F. Rutherford, Salutation, 1939, 361

1941 - Since Argmageddon is only months away, a fictional Witness couple decides to defer plans of marriage until paradise on earth is established, Children, 1941, 366.

1941 - Armageddon is surely near. . .soon. . .within a few years," Children, 1941, 10.

1942 - The Lord Jesus has now come to the temple for judgment, and the remnant of the members of ‘his body’ yet on earth he has gathered into the temple condition of perfect unity with himself (Mal. 3:1-3), and hence those faithful men of old may be expected back from the dead any day now," The New World, 1942, 104.

1946 - “Armageddon . . .should come sometime before 1972,” They Have Found a Faith, 1946, 44.

1947
“This pouring out of God’s spirit upon the flesh of all his faithful anointed witnesses does not mean that those now serving as Jehovah’s Witnesses are inspired. It** does not mean that the writings in this magazine The Watchtower are inspired and infallible** and without mistakes. It does not mean that the president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society is inspired and infallible, although enemies falsely charge us with believing so… But we confess with the Scriptures that the day of such inspiration passed long before 1870, as the apostle Paul showed it would … Inspired speaking and writing passed away with the last of the twelve apostles, by whom the gifts of the spirit were imparted to others. Yet God is still able to teach and lead us. While confessing no inspiration for today for anyone on earth, we do have the privilege of praying to God for more of his holy spirit and for his guidance of us by the bestowal of his spirit through Jesus Christ.” Manner of Inspiring the Bible, The Watchtower, 15 May 1947, 157-158 under the sub-heading, “No Such Inspiration Today”

1950
“The Watchtower is founded on the very pinnacle of reliable wisdom, namely, God’s Word the Bible … because its words find their foundation in God’s Word … However the Watchtower does not claim to be inspired in its utterances, nor is it dogmatic. It invites careful and critical examination of its contents in the light of the Scriptures. Its purpose is to aid others to know Jehovah and his purposes toward mankind, and to announce Christ’s established kingdom as our only hope.” “Name and purpose of the Watchtower”, 15 August 1950, 262-263

**
1966**
“Brother Franz [at the Baltimore assembly in 1966] went on to say: You have noticed the chart [on pages 31-35 in the book Life Everlasting–in Freedom of the Sons of God]. It shows that 6000 years of human experience will end in 1975, in about nine years from now. What does that mean? …Does it mean that Babylon the Great is going to go down by 1975? It could! It could!. Does it mean that the attack of God of Magog is going to be made on Jehovah witnesses to wipe them out, then God himself will be put out of actions? It could. But we are not saying. All things are possible with God. But we are not saying. And don’t any of you be specific in saying anything that is going to happen between now and 1975.” “Rejoicing over ‘God’s Sons of Liberty’ Spiritual Feast,” The Watchtower, 15 October 1966, Page 631.

1968 - “What about all this talk concerning the year 1975? Lively discussions, some based on speculation, have burst into flame during recent months among serious students of the Bible. Their interest has been kindled by the belief that 1975 will mark the end of 6,000 years of human history since Adam’s creation,” The Watchtower, 15 August 1968, 494.

1969 - “Of course there may be a tempting offer of higher education or of going into some field of work that promises material rewards. However, Jehovah God holds out to you young folks many marvelous privileges of service in his organization. Which will you decide to take up? In view of the short time left, a decision to pursue a career in this system of things is not only unwise but extremely dangerous,” Our Kingdom Ministry, June 1969, 3.

 

[FCEGM]

1971
"Since today we have the complete inspired Scriptures God is not giving any more inspired visions or dreams. However, Jehovah’s people today are seeing the fulfillment of many of the inspired visions and dreams that God’s servants had in ancient times, and they are even having a share in the fulfillment of the prophecy, “your sons and your daughters will certainly prophesy. (Joel 2:28) Not that these prophesy in the sense of foretelling events under inspiration, but rather in that they are making public proclamation of the inspired dreams and visions long ago recorded.” Watchtower Jan 1, 1971.

1974 - “Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system to pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaning before the wicked world’s end,” Our Kingdom Ministry, 1974, 3.

 

[ricko]

Dan, the posting of disclaimers AFTER a prediction is made is not going to work here. Too many people know all about the false predictions and there are records of them. The fact is, if the JWs were really Christians they should know better than trying to predict the end of the world for “Only the Father knows”

“…the ‘battle of the great day of God Almighty’ (Rev. 16:14), which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth’s present rulership, is already commenced.”—The Time is At Hand, Studies in the Scriptures, vol. 2, 1886, 1911 edition, p. 101

“Also, in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members by millions, it shall be that any that escape shall come to the works of Pastor Russel to learn the meaning of the downfall of ‘Christianity.’ ” —The Finished Mystery, Studies in the Scriptures, vol. 7, 1917, p. 485

“…the old order of things, the old world, is ending and is therefore passing away, and that the new order is coming in, and that 1925 shall mark the resurrection of the faithful worthies of old… it is reasonable to conclude that millions of people now on the earth will be still on the earth in 1925. Then, based upon the promises set forth in the divine Word, we must reach the positive and indisputable conclusion that millions now living will never die.”—Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1920, p. 97

There are many, many more but FCEGM and myself have proved that the JWs make false predictions and is in fact a man-made church founded by Russell.

 

[Dan_Parker]

1974 - “Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system to pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaning before the wicked world’s end,” Our Kingdom Ministry, 1974, 3.

You don’t appear to understand that Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t claim to predict the future. I don’t deny that our understanding of the prophecies already written down in the bible have needed adjustment, however the same thing happened to your own Pope Gregory I.

Jehovah’s Witnesses attempt to understand bible chronology as it applies to prophecies given by bible prophets. In fact we teach that no one any longer prophecies in that sense in these last days.

 

[Dan_Parker]

Dan, the posting of disclaimers AFTER a prediction is made is not going to work here. Too many people know all about the false predictions and there are records of them. The fact is, if the JWs were really Christians they should know better than trying to predict the end of the world for “Only the Father knows”

“…the ‘battle of the great day of God Almighty’ (Rev. 16:14), which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth’s present rulership, is already commenced.”—The Time is At Hand, Studies in the Scriptures, vol. 2, 1886, 1911 edition, p. 101

“Also, in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members by millions, it shall be that any that escape shall come to the works of Pastor Russel to learn the meaning of the downfall of ‘Christianity.’ ” —The Finished Mystery, Studies in the Scriptures, vol. 7, 1917, p. 485

“…the old order of things, the old world, is ending and is therefore passing away, and that the new order is coming in, and that 1925 shall mark the resurrection of the faithful worthies of old… it is reasonable to conclude that millions of people now on the earth will be still on the earth in 1925. Then, based upon the promises set forth in the divine Word, we must reach the positive and indisputable conclusion that millions now living will never die.”—Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1920, p. 97

There are many, many more but FCEGM and myself have proved that the JWs make false predictions and is in fact a man-made church founded by Russell.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are Chronologists, not Prophets who foretell the future.

What about Pope Gregory I?

 

[MJE]

Dan, if your church or elders knew you were reading non JW material, would it be acceptable?

 

[Dan_Parker]

Dan, if your church or elders knew you were reading non JW material, would it be acceptable?

We have non-JW material in our library at the Kingdom Hall. We quote non-JW material in our commentaries and in our reference bible. Many have lexicons and reference materials that are not published by the WTB&TS.

Why do you ask?

 

[yellowbird]

Dan,
Do you believe that the generation who saw the events unforld in 1914 will not pass away prior to the end of this system of things … as stated by the WTBTS for decades in every single AWAKE magazine?

I’m curious as to how many of the 144,000 annointed remain on the earth today? Since that annointed class was filled over 80 years ago, surely the number still alive on the earth today is quite small? Once they have all died - if Armegeddon hasn’t arrived, then what?

Your thoughts please.

 

[yellowbird]

Dan,
You said that the WT does not claim to be inspired… but yet HERE they claim to speak for God. Which is it?

“The Watchtower is not the instrument of any man or set of men, nor is it published according to the whims of men. No man’s opinion is expressed in The Watchtower. God feeds his own people” (Watchtower November 1, 1931, p. 327).

And here:

All who want to understand the Bible should appreciate that the ‘greatly diversified wisdom of God’ can become known only through Jehovah’s channel of communication…" (Watchtower Oct 1, 1994 p. 8).

 

[Bill_Pick]

The Jehova’s Witnesses have predicted the coming of Armageddon in 1914, 1925, and 1975. Because Armageddon has not yet taken place would that, according to the below listed verses, make the Witnesses false prophets? I am very interested in responses from the Witnesses.

20 But the prophet, who being corrupted with pride, shall speak in my name things that I did not command him to say, or in the name of strange gods, shall be slain.
21 And if in silent thought thou answer: How shall I know the word that the Lord hath not spoken?
22 Thou shalt have this sign: Whatsoever that same prophet foretelleth in the name of the Lord, and it cometh not to pass: that thing the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath forged it by the pride of his mind: and therefore thou shalt not fear him.
Deuteronomy 18:20-22

The JW is a cult If they are wrong they say they have the NEW LIGHT so thet do not get it wrong they just did not have all the facts if they got it wrong then the next thing is the new light,they did gave member sell all of what they had and give it to the watchtower,the JW is all about MONEY