Has the WTS ever made a prediction that came true?

by Leander 82 Replies latest jw friends

  • Seeker
    Seeker

    Ah, it's been a while since we had one these threads, but it's one of the granddaddy of all JW threads. Yes, indeed, the Society has in the plast claimed to speak for Jehovah and in His name, and claimed that Jehovah's words were being proclaimed. They have claimed that angels came down and provided new light. All in print, all in the past. Most current JWs have no clue about this past. But yes, they have made predictions, and they have made them in Jehovah's name, and they have all failed.

    GermanJW brought up the common JW response to this challenge: Knorr's talk that seems to have claimed the rise of the UN after WWII ended. The only problem with that is that the talk was given months after information about the formation of the UN was in the New York papers! Some prediction. All he said is that the war would end (all wars do), and that the UN would appear in the League of Nation's place (something they probably read in the papers). And that's supposed to be the big prediction?

  • JanH
    JanH

    MISSING THE TARGET FOR 124 YEARS

    The organization that more than 5 million Jehovah's Witnesses believe to be "God's channel" of communication to mankind, is strangely also the organization with a monumental record of failed predictions. After examining dozens of Watch Tower Society (WTS) predictions we failed to find a single one that was right.

    The earliest publication shown in the WTS' Publication List is from 1877. It dogmatically stated that Christians would go to heaven in 1878 -- the next year. The authors were not willing to admit being one year in error.

    The WTS founder, Charles Taze Russell, did not give up easily. He was sure "the saints" would be raptured in 1881. Later he determined by the length of the corridors in the Great Pyramid of Gizeh that they would be raptured in 1910. The old end-of-the world date 1914 became a last resort. Russell's impressive predictions did not fail him there, either. Russell had predicted peace for 1914, that the long expected great European War should end that year.

    Russell was laid to rest below his pyramid tombstone in 1916, but his successor Rutherford did not fail to follow his prophetic lead. In 1918 church members by the millions would be slaughtered. In 1920 worldwide anarchy would occur. The major date was 1925, but nothing happened then in an obvious way.

    "Judge" Rutherford was quite successful in "predicting" what had happened as a fulfillment of Bible prophecy, but was less so with future events. After France was lost to Germany in 1940, the Judge stated that Britain also would fall to the Nazis. The next year, only 'months' were left before Armageddon. In this period the WTS also stated that men could never leave the Earth's atmosphere by rockets. It also, later, stated that biologists were as far from proving evolution as were men from landing on the moon (hey, maybe one right after all?). In 1942 the WTS leaders came to realize that World War II would also end (surprise!), and in the booklet titled Peace -- Can it Last? they answered no to the question in the title. The peace period would be 'very short.' No surprise then, that what followed was among the longest periods in history without major wars!

    Everyone knows what happened in 1975, which would have been the right time for God to end the world were His name Fred Franz.

    The cold war inspired the WTS' prophets to make numerous predictions. In 1991 the Soviet Union -- "the king of the north" of Daniel 11 -- ceased to exist despite the fact that the WTS had predicted it would invade country after country until the end. The fact that the WTS understood this prophecy so well, proved they were the ones with wisdom, remember?

    World rulers should take note of the Watch Tower Society. Its predictions are a remarkable compass to world events -- so long as you realize it's pointing south.

    If anyone wonders why JWs are not allowed to play the lottery or bet, this list shows why: They would never be able to win anything, even if they were given a thousand years!

    - Jan
    --
    "Doctor how can you diagnose someone with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and then act like I had some choice about barging in here right now?" -- As Good As It Gets

  • dubla
    dubla

    nytel-

    go ahead........just dont mix up total misunderstanding
    of the scripture with predicting out of the blue.

    so youre saying that your definition of the word "predict" doesnt include predicting through the use of the scriptures? well, in that case you are right, maybe they havent ever predicted anything. i can tell you with some certainty though, that the wtbts has made many SPECIFIC predictions (including SPECIFIC dates) about bible prophecy throught the years. but i guess these were mere "misunderstandings".

    i find myself saying this to you alot nytel, but ill say it again anyway: gimme a break.

    aa

  • Leander
    Leander
    and dont limit the term "prophet" with someone who only
    fortells future events.

    In what other sense would someone be considered a prophet?

  • Leander
    Leander

    JanH - That was an interesting article. Do you have any references to WTS publications in regards to the dates? I'd like to look some of them up.

    Thanks

  • AlanF
    AlanF

    The Society has never made any non-trivial predictions, or even non-trivial interpretations or misinterpretations of the Bible, that came true.

    For GermanJW, Knorr's "prediction" was derived from his reading of newspaper accounts that also "predicted" that WWII would end in victory for the Allies. Also remember that this new idea reversed the Society's many "predictions" under Rutherford that Armageddon was near and that WWII would lead directly into Armageddon.

    For nytelecom, the Society has indeed made predictions. A dishonest apologist might attempt to argue that because WTS leaders do not claim to originate these predictions in the sense of interpreting events, they're not really making predictions. But whether someone makes predictions based on interpretations of events, or of the Bible, or on anything else, they're still making predictions. A prediction is simply a statement of what is supposed to occur in the future. What the Society has done is to mix up its own interpretation of the Bible with its own interpretation of events, such that trying to make a distinction is completely useless.

    What sort of predictions did the Society or its founder C. T. Russell make based on misinterpretations of the Bible and of events? Here is a sample:

    (1) That "the saints" would be resurrected in 1881. This was based on false chronological interpretations and so forth, coupled with current events like the depression of the 1870s and the rapid pace of world technological development.

    (2) That the final destruction of the nations would begin to occur as early as 1904. Same basis as above, reinforced by the depression of the early 1890s.

    (3) After 1904 that the destruction of the nations would begin around 1910. Similar basis as above.

    (4) After 1910 that the destruction of the nations would begin around 1914 or 1915. Similar basis as above.

    (5) After 1914 that the destruction of the nations would end around 1918. Similar basis as above.

    (6) After 1917 that Armageddon would begin around 1920.

    (7) After 1918 that Armageddon would begin in 1925.

    (8) After 1925 that "the ancient worthies" such as David and Samuel would be resurrected Real Soon Now. Again the current events of the 1920s were used as justifications for the false predictions.

    (9) Until Rutherford's death in early 1942 that Armageddon was Real Close Now, -- in 1941 just "months away".

    (10) Until the mid-1950s that Armageddon was still coming Real Soon Now.

    (11) Beginning in 1966 that Armageddon was virtually certain to come by 1975. Again current events were massively played up as proof that "the end" was so close.

    (12) Various suggestions in WTS literature of the 1980s that Armageddon must come by 2000 (or the turn of the century). Again the justification was "how bad this old world is and so it can't last much longer".

    (13) Many positive statements in post-1990 WTS literature that "the end" is Real Close Now, along with claimed explanations of why both the Bible and current events prove it.

    As for the claim of WTS leaders that they and the JW community comprise several sorts of "prophet" groups, during Rutherford's day that was taken in the usual sense of "prophet", since the Society claimed that its predictions based on the Bible and current events were sure. After so many predictions fell flat, the Society gradually began suggesting that a "prophet" is mainly someone who teaches God's truths. But of course we know that by this measure too, WTS leaders are "false prophets" because they teach and have taught so many false things about God and in God's name.

    As has often been pointed out, Watchtower leaders want the honor given to a true prophet of God, but not the responsibility. This is proved by their continual attempts to cover up their massive failures both in prediction and in teaching.

    AlanF

  • Seeker
    Seeker

    Some of the newer members here may not be aware of the treasure trove of information on the Net. For instance, there is a great collection of articles that Osarsif has gathered at his site:

    http://www.geocities.com/osarsif/index2.htm

    Several of the articles talk about this subject of prediction. For instance:

    http://www.geocities.com/osarsif/pro4.htm

  • GermanXJW
    GermanXJW

    @Seeker: You have noticed the ;-) at the end of my quote?

    :-)

    German JW

  • nytelecom1
    nytelecom1
    In what other sense would someone be considered 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.) Nonetheless, living in harmony with God’s will requires that the individual know what Jehovah’s revealed purposes for the future are so that he may bring his ways, desires, and goals into line with the divine will. Hence, in the great majority of cases, the Biblical prophets did convey messages that were, directly or indirectly, related to the future.

    An inspired message; a revelation of divine will and purpose or the proclamation thereof. Prophecy may be an inspired moral teaching, an expression of a divine command or judgment, or a declaration of something to come. As shown under PROPHET, prediction, or foretelling, is not the basic thought conveyed by the root verbs in the original languages (Heb., na·va´'; Gr., pro·phe·teu'o); yet it forms an outstanding feature of Bible prophecy.

    Jehovah’s prophets were privileged to proclaim his message publicly. The Hebrew term for “prophet” (na·vi´') has an uncertain etymology, but its use in the Bible indicates that true prophets were spokesmen for Jehovah, men of God with inspired messages. The Greek word rendered “prophet” (pro·phe'tes) literally means “a speaker out,” to say something “in front of” or “before” someone. A prophet is one who proclaims messages attributed to a divine source. Often, but not always, God’s true prophets predicted future events.

  • Leander
    Leander

    Thanks for all the replies, this has been very informative reading for me. It makes it easier for me to be able to make a decision to break away.

    Its amazing how many false prophecies have been made throught the course of the last 100 years or so.

    I need to do another thread about the various changes in doctrines.

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