Stevieb1,
Here is my take on their defense mechanism.
Look at the fruit of our works. Millions are coming to an accurate knowledge about Jehovah who would never get to know Him where it not for our preaching activities carried out worldwide. Which other organization does this on such a large scale? Yes some doctrines may be inaccurate, and we "wait on Jehovah" to clarify these matters, but just look at the fruitage - surely this indicates Jehovah's blessing on his organization.
Millions have become Jehovah’s Witnesses, but they don’t have accurate knowledge about Jehovah. In fact, the statement ‘some doctrines may be inaccurate’ proves that they don’t. If they have to ‘wait on Jehovah’ to clarify matters, then why are they making statements that they cannot prove to be true? Accurate knowledge means just that, all that you teach is true, not just some of it. The scriptures are full of statements that indicate that God’s named people do not know him. This is mentioned at least thirty times in the book of Ezekiel alone. For instance, Ezekiel 39:7 reads: “And my holy name I shall make known in the midst of my people Israel, and I shall no more let my holy name be profaned; and the nations will have to know that I am Jehovah, the Holy One in Israel.” Why does Jehovah have to ‘make known his name’ in the midst of a people who are supposed to know him already? (See also John 17:6, 26)
We are the only people who truly love one another no matter where we are from. Other religionists kill one another, but we would never do that. Surely this indicates that we have the truth.
It is true that they don’t war against each other, at least not yet. Yet Matthew 24:10-12 states: “Then, also, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and mislead many, and because of the increasing of lawlessness the love (agape) of the greater number will cool off.” According to this scripture they will war with each other. (See also Isaiah 19:2 and Zechariah 11:14) What they have now will not last.
We are the only ones that stress the importance of God's Name
True, they are the only international group that does this. Yet their actions do belie their claims. They are not afraid to lie in that name, nor do they refrain from profaning it by mistreating anyone who questions their doctrine even if done innocently, and using shepherds who act as Ezekiel 34: 3-5 reports: “….The flock itself you do not feed. The sickened ones you have not strengthened, and the ailing one you have not healed, and the broken one you have not bandaged, and the dispersed one you have not brought back, and the lost one you have not sought to find, but with harshness you have had them in subjection, even with tyranny. And they were gradually scattered because of there being no shepherd, so that they became food for every wild beast of the field and they continued to be scattered.” That is why verse 10 says: “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said, ‘Here I am against the shepherds, and I shall certainly ask back my sheep from their hand and make them cease from feeding my sheep…”
Who else is preaching the good news of God's Kingdom - only Jehovah's Witnesses.
If it is the Kingdom that they claim was established in 1914, then you already know how to answer that. Ask them to prove that the prophecy concerning the heaven-high tree that was cut down and banded for seven times spoken of in Daniel chapter 4 was uttered before 607. And if so, then when was the typical fulfillment on Nebuchadnezzar accomplished?
When I have voiced disagreements on matters such as the 144,000/great crowd or the 607BCE issue, JW's generally discard these things as minor matters in comparison to some of the above.
Since when is lying or perpetrating falsehoods a minor matter to Jehovah?
Proverbs12:22 reads: “False lips are something detestable to Jehovah…”
Proverbs 19:5 reads: “A false witness will not be free from punishment, and he that launches forth lies will not escape.”
bjc
