That's what they say when it is obvious that they have failed. In many other instances they want to create the opposite picture of their abilities.
The Watchtower Society, whose members call themselves Jehovah's Witnesses, is widely known for their many failed prophecies about the ”end” or ”Armageddon”. This totally hopeless track record has for long been a constant source of embarrassment and headache for the Watchtower leaders, something that is demonstrated in the following quote:
“Alertness or Sluggishness?
It is easy for the established churches of Christendom and other people to criticize Jehovah’s Witnesses because their publications have, at times, stated that certain things could take place on certain dates. But is not such line of action in harmony with Christ’s injunction to “keep on the watch”? (Mark 13:37)….. True, some expectations that appeared to be backed up by Bible chronology did not materialize at the anticipated time. But is it not far preferable to make some mistakes because of overeagerness to see God’s purposes accomplished than to be spiritually asleep as to the fulfilment of Bible prophecy?” The Watchtower December 1. 1984, page 18.
Up until then this was the closest the Watchtower Society had come to admit its failed prophecies. Of course they didn’t go very deep into the material. They try to excuse themselves with a pretty lame trick of pretending that there are only two extreme solutions possible. 1) Be totally quiet about it. 2) Or yell about the “end” all the time.
Let’s look closer at this particular part of the above quote:
“True, some expectations that appeared to be backed up by Bible chronology did not materialize at the anticipated time.”
It the Watchtower Society had been anywhere near being honest they should have said the following:
“True, ALL the expectations that appeared to be backed up by our own fantasy chronology, which we passed along as Bible chronology and truth, and presented as established and indisputable facts did not materialize at the anticipated time.”
It remains very dishonest to use terms like ”some expectations” to create the impression that they have only occasionally missed when they in fact never ever have been right.
One of their recent magazines, the March 22. 1993, issue of the Awake! Magazine, Brooklyn again makes an attempt to gloss over this miserable track record in an article with the title: ” Why So Many False Alarms?” The article quotes Deuteronomy 18:20-22:
“The prophet who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded him to speak or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die. And in case you should say in your heart: ‘How shall we know the word that Jehovah has not spoken?’ 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.” Awake! March 22. 1993, page 3-4.
Awake then gives us its latest definition of the concept ”false prophet”:
“There are some who make spectacular predictions of the world’s end to grab attention and a following, but others are sincerely convinced that their proclamations are true. They are voicing expectations based on their own interpretation of some scripture text or physical event. They do not claim that their predictions are direct revelations from Jehovah and that in this sense they are prophesying in Jehovah’s name.Hence, in such cases, when their words do not come true, they should not be viewed as false prophets such as those warned against at Deuteronomy 18:20-22. In their human fallibility, they misinterpreted matters.” Awake! March 22. 1993, page 3-4.
The definition given here is quite sensational. Why? Because with this definition NO ONE is a false prophet. Earlier only other “end time” cults were false prophets. Of course the Watchtower is different. Why? Because today they have“the evidence required, all of it.”:
“True, there have been those in times past who predicted an "end of he world", even announcing a specific date. Some have gathered groups of people with them and fled to the hills or withdrawn into their houses waiting for the end. Yet nothing happened. The "end" did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying. Why? What was missing? Missing was the full measure of evidence required in fulfilment of Bible prophecy. Missing from such people were God's truths and the evidence that he was using them.But what about today? Today we have the evidence required, all of it. And it is overwhelming!”
Awake! October 8. 1968, page 23.
Isn’t it really hilarious? Imagine writing anything so totally meaningless as this: "But what about today? Today we have the evidence required, all of it. And it is overwhelming!” If any of the Watchtower leaders was capable of feeling shame, this statement from 1968 would have been very embarrassing. It is difficult to find any religious organization so utterly clueless, with so many failures behind them.
Another really funny point with this new definition is that it means that the only organization on earth today that has the potential for being false prophets is the Watchtower Society. Why? Because according to themselves they are alone in using the “divine name”. And to qualify as a false prophet you have to issue such prophecies in his “name”. Since none of the other churches use the name, they are simply incapable of issuing false prophecies.
The main reason for this latest definition of a false prophecy is of course the flow of well-documented information, which exposes the Watchtower Society’s tragicomic track record of failed prophecies. There simply isn’t a chance to hide it completely anymore. So why not make a whole new definition of the whole concept. And make it so fuzzy that no one including the Watchtower Society can be termed false prophets. And when they made this new definition they also knew it would be very handy when their next false prophecy about the 1914-generation was blowing up in their face in 1995. In 1993 when this issue of Awake!, was published, the master head on page 4 in every Awake said this in the last two lines:
”Most important, this magazine builds confidence in the Creators promiseof a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away.”
As a monument over the shameless dishonesty and falseness of the Watchtower Society this issue of Awake said on the very same page:
”They do not claim that their predictions are direct revelations from Jehovah and that in this sense they are prophesying in Jehovah’s name.”
Now, here they first claim that the ”Creator” has ”promised: ”a secure new world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away.”
Then they turn around and on the very same page say: “They do not claim that… they are prophesying in Jehovah’s name.”
Well, Who is the Creator? Isn’t it Jehovah? If you print that the Creator (Jehovah) has promised a certain thing, which is connected to a date, and this doesn’t happen, have you, or have you not, made a prophecy in Jehovah’s name?
In a footnote in the same article this statement is made:
“Jehovah’s Witnesses, in their eagerness for Jesus’ second coming, have suggested dates that turned out to be incorrect. Because of this, some have called them false prophets. Never in these instances, however, did they presume to originate predictions ‘in the name of Jehovah.’ Never did they say, ‘These are the words of Jehovah.” Awake! March 22. 1993, page 4.
Let us take a look at the claims made here. It said:
“Never in these instances, however, did they presume to originate predictions ‘in the name of Jehovah.’”
Awake! March 22. 1993, page 3-4.
Well, nothing could be further from the truth than this. It is quite clear that Brooklyn is confident that no one of their ”faithful and loyal” followers will bother to check these obviously outrageous false claims. They really count on the average Witness complete amnesia and total lack of knowledge about the Society’s history.
Let us examine the reality in the bold claims the Watchtower Society makes in this Awake!, article. Do they speak the truth, or is it all lies? Is it an attempt to cover the fact that they are indeed false prophets? Take a look at the following and judge for yourself:
Brooklyn claims:
“Jehovah’s Witnesses, in their eagerness for Jesus’ second coming, have suggested dates that turned out to be incorrect. Because of this, some have called them false prophets. Never in these instances, however, did they presume to originate predictions ‘in the name of Jehovah.’ Never did they say, ‘These are the words of Jehovah.” Awake! March 22. 1993, page 4.
They do not claim that their predictions are direct revelations from Jehovah and that in this sense they are prophesying in Jehovah’s name.
Awake! March 22. 1993, page 3-4.
Facts:
“So God’s servants know what this world’s rulers do not. They know Jehovah’s purposes and his seasons… Since Jehovah’s servants of today obey him as ruler, God’s holy spirit also reveals to them what season it is from his viewpoint.Amos 3:7 says: “The Sovereign Lord Jehovah will not do a thing unless he has revealed his confidential matter to his servants the prophets.”The Watchtower April 15. 1986, page 18.
The claims made in this Watchtower is totally destroying the Watchtower Society insane idea that there is a difference between being “spirit directed” and “inspired”. The above quote give us a crystal clear picture of how the Watchtower Society leaders view their status as Jehovah’s prophets. Let us number the claims made:
1. The Watchtower leaders KNOW “Jehovah’s purposes and his seasons”
2. “God’s holy spirit reveals” to the Watchtower leaders “what season it is”
3. “Jehovah will not do a thing unless he has revealed his confidential matter to his servants” in Brooklyn!
In other words “Jehovah” is telling them everything they write about his “purpose and his seasons”. When comparing these quotes, it is easy to see how false and dishonest the Watchtower Society is. Here we have a clear claim that they KNOW ”Jehovah’s seasons”. Why? Because Jehovah’s ”holy spirit also reveals”it to them! If Jehovah’s spirit reveals something you, how much more ”direct” can it be?
Of course when all their bold claims and predictions fail miserably they print such articles as the one in the above 1993 Awake!, trying to excuse themselves with lame explanations. But in between the embarrassing failures this is how it sounds when Brooklyn wants to convey the directly opposite idea, and bolster their authority over the rank and file:
"Spirit of Life from God Entered into Them
The announced purpose behind God’s pouring out of his spirit upon all sorts of flesh was that the recipients thereof might prophesy. The facts substantiate that the remnant of Christ’s anointed disciples have been doing that prophesying to all the nations for a witness in favor of God’s kingdom. Logically, then, they must be the ones upon whom God’s spirit has actually been poured out. That spirit is behind their worldwide preaching. Why argue about it?”
Holy Spirit, 1976, page 148.
“No obstacle put in His way by the enemies will prove to be insurmountable for Jehovah. Just as at Mount Sinai He put his word in the mouth of his chosen peoplethrough the mediator Moses and thereafter he led them under the protective shadow of his hand into the Promised Land, so he has done for the remnant of spiritual Israel. He has put his word, his message of the hour, into the mouth of the spiritual remnant for them to confess openly before all the world, for their own salvation and for that of responsive hearers.”
Holy Spirit, 1976, page 175.
In one moment they have never tried “to originate predictions ‘in the name of Jehovah.” In the next they tell us that Jehovah has “Put his word into” their “mouth”! Which is it? Well, those of us who appreciate the truth will of course see this for what it is. Those who are only interested in an emotional “truth”, a kind of label that the “Truth factory” stick on anything, including outright lies, will of course be more than satisfied with the Watchtower Society lame excuses.
Norm.
..Nice to have you back Norm...OUTLAW