The WATCHTOWER isn't DECEITFUL , they are just IMPERFECT

by Minimommi 78 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  FatFreek 2005

  The WTS rewrote its history to reflect that individual brothers were responsible for claiming and maintaining that CT Russell was the "faithful and wise servant." However, the "7th Volume" published by JF Rutherford clearly names Russell as the "faithful and wise servant" as well as the "angel of the congregation of Laodecia." Thus it was official WTS doctrine from 1917 to 1927 that Russell was the "faithful and wise servant", which in 1927 they revised the concept to the GB, basically, and called naming an individual that title "creature worship."
  Great comment, Larsinger58.

  It inspired me into checking whether The Watchtower of those years repeated that stuff. I'm tired of hearing modern WT literature and apologists repeat the old saw that Bro Russell may have admitted this "appointment" privately, or that individuals may have expressed that view, etc., ... It was no private matter, period!!! This was repeatedly expressed from the pages of their flagship journal, The Watch Tower. Sure, individuals may have also expressed such -- but they were simply repeating what they had been told in Watch Tower. In the year following his death in 1916, there are no less than four Watch Tower articles that referred to Russell as being the embodiment of the Faithful and Discreet Slave (Faithful Servant in those days).
  
  "We deem it appropriate, therefore, to call attention here to the final warning and admonition given to the church by that "faithful and wise servant," published in the November 1, 1916, Watch Tower. This warning from Brother Russell seems to indicate that after his decease special trials would come to the church. Since his death his words appear even more striking and appropriate than while he was among us. We quote them as follows: ..." The Watch Tower, Jan 1, 1917 [6027] "VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER"
  
  "All.the "feet members" who are now engaged in proclaiming this precious message received their enlightenment by partaking of the "food" which the Lord sent through his chosen servant. The Watch Tower unhesitatingly proclaims Brother Russell as "that faithful and wise servant." He delivered the message faithfully, finished his course and has now entered into to his reward. Through him the Lord gave to the church the message that is so essential to each one who in this harvest time would win the glorious prize. We cannot too strongly urge upon the pilgrim brethren, therefore, that they emphasize to the various classes the necessity of adhering strictly to the message which the Lord gave through this chosen channel." The Watch Tower, March 1, 1917, [6049] "PROCLAIMERS OF THE KINGDOM MESSAGE"
  
  We also wish to assure you of our hearty, continued co-operation in carrying forward the work which our Pastor so wisely and so masterly a manner mapped out for us as that "wise servant" of the Lord, "the man with the ink-horn." We heartily join in thanking our dear heavenly Father for so faithful a servant and so loving a character as Brother Russell, whose life as an example of courage, zeal and love has been a constant stimulus to us, as a true copy of God's dear Son! ... EAST ST. LOUIS ECCLESIA.-- Ill. The Watch Tower, March 15, 1917, "LETTERS OF DEEP INTEREST", [6062](Note: Although this was a letter submitted from a congregation ("ecclesia" in those days) it was printed with no rebuttal or dispute (understandably) by the editor of The Watch Tower. Being thus sanctioned, it is included in this listing)
  
  "The Seventh Volume was prepared and published by and under the direction of the WATCH TOWEER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY, the messenger having power to send out truths destructive to Babylon. (G 6; Rev.14:18). Pastor Russell is the real author, and the compilers give all the credit to him and to the great Lord of the harvest. From what he had written the compilers were enabled to understand the prophecies of Ezekiel and Revelation.

  ***

  It shows that the Prophet Ezekiel was the prototype of the seventh messenger, and that the experiences of Ezekiel have been marvelously paralleled and fulfilled in the experiences of Pastor Russell. Ezekiel's prophecy, heretofore a sealed book, is now made clear in the closing hours of the harvest. It confirms the Lord's promise of the "faithful and wise servant," and identifies him. It proves that Paster Russell's seven volumes of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES are foreknown and foretold as the "thrice-doubled sword and its point," and shows how it should be sent forth." The Watch Tower, Nov. 15, 1917, THE PRICE OF EXALTATION [6170]

  Len Miller
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  Ding

  Isn't the real question whether the GB is led by Jehovah's holy spirit or whether they are just publishing their own guesswork?

  But, Minimommi, be cautious about the way you frame these things. If you insist to your husband that all these things prove that the GB are deliberate deceivers, your husband is likely to defend them to the death. He has to come to his own conclusions.

  Understatement is usually more effective. Don't attack the GB directly. Show him things in small doses and ask for his opinion. If he asks you for yours, tell him that it troubles you, it bothers you, and so on. You might ask him if these things trouble him, bother him, etc. also. I've had JWs tell me "No!" to those questions. If that happens, don't argue with him. Let it go. Let him be responsible for facing the facts himself. If you aren't his opponent, hopefully his own inner conclusions and conscience will be, just as happened with Ray Franz.
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  diamondiiz

  Hello;

  If he wants outright deceit you can show him the latest Oct and Nov Watchtowers that talk about 607BC. If that's not outright deception I don't know what it! Here is a link to a good article that compares the Oct Watchtower and its quotes to the actual sources -> http://kristenfrihet.se/vtsvar/vtsvar1.pdf.

  He seems to be in a comfortable place, and doesn't care if it's the truth because any other religion could claim the same. Problem being WTS hurts it's people by encouraging to shun others for leaving the organization. While other religions claim to be supported by God and obviously preach that they have the truth, many religions don't say they are the only way and force it's members to be subjected to it's belives - one can claim that's because they lost their power over people. This may be true, but cults operate in a similar way that wts does. As for money, most religions don't force people to give. Knowig RCC from the past, they past the plate, basket around but you didn't have to give anything if you didn't want to. I'm sure many contributed out of guilt or because they didn't want to stand out in the crowd BUT isn't this an exact thing that happens in KHs? If there is a monthly deficit there is a special talk given on Local Needs about cheerful giving, or and of the year a study article on cheerful giving and support of God's House through material contributions and there is a list of things one can do: money, gold, jewlery, property, stocks, bonds........ I never heard at church a priest mention the "faithful" consider giving their house to RCC. I'm sure these things may have happened long time ago but these things are happening in KHs today! Plus, as a JW you need the publication and you need to contribute for them because how can you possibly be prepared for the spiritual banquete at the meetings! I'm sure you're getting the idea...

  A comfortable believer doesn't care about the history beacuse it happened long time ago:) Why do they point fingers at RCC????? They support for Hitler was long time ago. The crusades happened centuries ago! History matters, because it shows where we come from and what to look for in ourselves or in the organization we are in. If WTS preached and taught that 1874 was the year Jesus returned for over 50 years how do you know 1914 won't be changed to 2014 down the road? If such huge changes may occur tomorrow than JWs are preaching falsehood today.

  As for JW protecting anyone - that's a joke. JW cause many of their kids hardships by discouraging higher educations. Lost promotions. Wasted years of preaching lies. Many retiring with little to live on and so forth. JW also keep pedophiles hidden, closet drunkards, and many other problems that they claim not to have.
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  Larsinger58

  Thanks, Len, for those quotes! Very few people have the "Seventh Volume" to check, so I apologize for not quoting from it before.

  Page 3, "Publisher's Preface": Those consecrated Christians who have read and fully appreciated the Truth as contained in the preceding six volumes of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES readily see and agree that Charles Taze Russell was the messenger of the Church of Laodicea. In the mind of every one who believes the Bible the evidence set forth in this volume will establish that fact beyond the questiohn of a doubt."

  Page 5: Pastor Russell was a man of unusual modesty. Great men usually are modest. The examination of the contents of this book will disclose the fact that it deals with Revelation and Ezekiel; that the Lord long ago caused to be recorded therein, in symbolic language, a history of the Church, particularly the closing earthly experiences thereof; and therein set forth that He would uncover the many frauds, deceptions and blasphemous teachings and pracices of the church nominal--both Catholic and Protestant; that in the last days he would then make bare the uhholy alliance between the unrighteous ecclesiastical systems and the corrupt political elements of the earth, which religious systems have prospered and grown fat in the name of Christ; that the Lord pronounces His indignation and wrath against all such Babylonish systems and marks the utter destruction in the Time of Trouble such as the world has never known and will never again know; and that the earthly creature made prominent therein above all others is the messenger of the Laodicean Church--"that wise and faithful servant of the Lord"--CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL. "

  Ealier on page 1 it says:

  "The great Master laid special emphasis on the importance of the messenger to the seventh, or Laodicean, period of the Church, saying that such an one would be "a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord would make ruler over all His Household, to give them meat in due season."

  So the 7th Volume sets out in the preface that the book was designed to prove that Russell was the "faithful and wise servant." Now here is where the DECEPTION comes in. 1975 Yearbook reviews this history:

  Page 88 quotes Russell as noting this "faithful and wise servant" was "--the body of Christ--and is not the whole body individually and collectively, giving the meant in due season to thehousehold of faith--the great company of believers?" So the official WTS during the time of Russell was that the FWS was a "class." Now note the next paragraph:

  "So it was understood that the "servant" God used to dispense spiritual food was a class. With thepassing of time, however, the idea adopted by many was that C.T. Russell himself was the "faithful and wise servant." This led some into the snare of creature worship. They felt that all the truth God saw fit to reeal tohis people had been presented throughBrother Russell, that nothingmore could be brought forth. Annie Poggensee writes: "This caused a great sifting out of those who chose to stay back with Russell's works." In February 1927 this erroneous thought that Russell himself was the "faithful and wise servant" was cleared up."

  This is a perfect example of bold faced LIE! "With the passing of time?" The 7th Volume came out in 1917, hardly enough time for Rusell's body to cool off! The 7th Volume officially changed the previous understanding that the "faithful and wise servant" was a class and made Russell himself the FWS! This idea was not "adopted" outside of WTS doctrine, it was forced down their throats by Rutherford. The irony is that those who could have been accused of following Russell would have maintained the FWS was a class! Instead the WTS has twisted and turned around the facts like they did with1975 and blamed some wayward freethinkers for "adopting" the idea of Russell being the FWS! The leader of those who "adopted" this idea was JF Rutherford and the WTS itself! So the WTS actually created the "creature worship" themselves, forced this official new doctrine on the brothers, and then when it stopped working, blamed the idea on others rather than Rutherford.

  Why didn't they just honestly say that "even the WTS at one time" published that CTR was the FWS but then corrected this misunderstanding in 1927? Why blame their own bold assertion on some brothers, purposely avoiding the fact that the WTS official doctrine from 1917 to 1927 was that Russell was the FWS! Fact is, JF Rutherford was responsible for that new teaching and boldly led others into what they later called "creature worship."

  The WTS's GB is the prophesied "man of lawlessness" and this is a good example of that. Now consider this is DOUBLE DECEIT! It's one thing to get something wrong and then correct it. It's quite another matter to get something wrong and then blame it on others, which is only trying to keep the WTS' image up. Blaming someone else for your own error is past deception.

  But no problemo. In the Bible, the trinity-believing Christendom is the 666-beast and the WTS is the lamb-dragon/false prophet. Both are partners headed for the lake of fire "while still alive", meaning while still active religions telling their lies.

  LS
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  FatFreek 2005

  Very well put, Lars -- the result, I'm sure, of hours of research.

  A comfortable believer doesn't care about the history beacuse it happened long time ago:) -- Diamondiiz.

  Yes, and they are lulled into thinking that way by Watchtower. Comfortable believers, however, should consider the following:

  "Modern Watchtower literature has no problem referring to early Zion's Watch Tower (ZWT) magazines when it suits their purpose. A case in point is from a recent Watchtower magazine: “One of the reasons why Zion’s Watch Tower was first published in July 1879 was to defend the Bible teaching of the ransom. Its pages provided "food at the proper time," for in the late 1800’s, a growing number of professed Christians began to question how Jesus’ death could be a ransom for our sins.” The Watchtower 2010, 8/15 p. 12 par. 2.

  That ZWT reference reasonably implies that there is no statute of limitations for "food at the proper time". And it is only one of some 1,507 references to the older “Zion's Watch Tower” within its modern literature since 1950. I think it's revealing that WT has no qualms about using the early literature when it reinforces what it wants to present to its readers.

  Some of its modern (since 1950) literature is prolific with quotations from Zion's Watch Tower, one WT magazine providing no less than 6 ZTW quotations in its single issue of May 15, 1952." The Great Watchtower Contradiction
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  outsmartthesystem

  "He isn't interested in WTBS history ( happened too long ago)"

  This is a classic pitfall of JWs today. They say that what happened back then happened back then. It is over now and doesn't affect the present or future. Unfortunately that is faulty reasoning. Read Don Cameron's book "Captives of a Concept". It explains in great detail how faulty this reasoning is. Supposedly Christ himself selected Rutherford and his minions as His "faithful slave" to "dispense food at the proper time" way back in 1919. Well....how is this proven? Witness publications today don't explain HOW it happened. They just explain that it DID happen. The only way to really determine if Christ really chose these men is to look back at what they were teaching WHEN CHRIST SUPPOSEDLY SELECTED THEM. What they teach NOW has absolutely no relevance as to whether or not Christ would have selected them back in 1919. What matters is what they were teaching BACK THEN. Was it truthful? Would Christ have really approved?

  I have heard this same argument from my wife. It is no different than buying a big, beautiful house with massive skylights and marble floors and mahogony trim work. Yet when a local in the area says....."you should look at the history of this land. This house was built on top of an old mining site. The foundation is weak. The land is completely hallow under there", he says "Oh well....that was a long time ago. I'm not worried about that". The point is.....he SHOULD be worried about it. Ignoring the history of the Watchtower society is akin to ignoring the foundation of this house. I am sorry....but that is the epitome of willful ignorance.
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  N.drew

  If history is not so important, then why not celebrate birthdays? It was a long, long time ago that someone lost their head over one.
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  punkofnice

  It's always the same phraseology. 'They're JUST imperfect men.' as if the 'just' minimizes their culpability.

  So who isn't imperfect?

  Those that get DF'd for fornication for example are 'just imperfect men' (and women).

  The GB being 'just imperfect men' doesn't compute. Either they are God's mouthpiece or they are not. It's just an excuse.

  By this yardstick all must be given the same leeway.

  The Catholics = Just imperfect men

  The Protestants = Just imperfect men

  The Muslims = Just imperfect men

  The Wiccans = Just imperfect men

  Pastafarians = Just imperfect men

  My wife = Just.......er..................do what she says or she'll sulk

  If the GB are just imperfect men then ignore them! Do not be drawn in to their twisted reasoning.

  OK. So it can be reasoned that there are benefits morally for being a JW but this is also true of other religions and ways of life. The GB don't have the monopoly on 'good'.
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  outsmartthesystem

  Here is an example of WT deceit and there are many more where this came from if you simply start cross referencing quotes found in the magazines with the actual source of the quote:

  When propping up their belief that earthquakes were on the rise (back in the 80's).....they quoted the following from the May 15, 1983 WT (p6):

  "Professor Keiiti Aki of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology speaks of "the apparent surge in intensity and frequency of major earthquakes during the last one hundred years".

  Professor Aki's REAL quote went on to say......"is, in all probability, due to improved recording of earthquakes and the increased vulnerability of human society to earthquake damage".

  The WT portrays Aki as agreeing that earthquake frequency and intensity appear to be on the rise. Yet if they had just gone on to include his following thought....the reader could plainly see that Aki wasn't making that assumption at all. He was clearly stating that it only SEEMS like there is a surge. And it SEEMS that way because of our modern ability to record seismic activity.

  While quoting Professor Aki....the WT never LIED. They just took his quote out of context to make it say something that Aki never intended. Knowlingly quoting someone out of context to make their words fit your argument when you KNOW that isn't what their words were intended to say is 100% deceit. I expect deceipt from certain folks in the media. Just not from men that are being directed by God to right these things.

  Here is a real life example of how I really feel:

  "Brett Favre has shown unmatched toughness in his career. He has true grit and a desire to win. But even this pales in comparison to his many faults. He turns the ball over far too often and refuses to play with discipline. He has played while injured too often when it was actually to the detriment of his team because he could not throw the ball properly. He has criticized teammates and thrown coaches under the bus. And recend news stories about his behavior also show what kind of character he has. It is not difficult to determine my feelings about the man. But then again everyone has their faults and can look good or bad when compared to someone else. Take OJ Simpson for example and if I had to compare the two of them. Overall I would say I like Brett Favre in that situation."

  Here is the WT Society's version of what I just said:

  "OSTS has this to say about Brett Favre: 'Brett Favre has shown unmatched toughness. He has true grit and a desire to win. Overall......I like Brett Favre".

  It isn't difficult to take someone's words out of context without actually lying. But if that isn't deceitful then I don't know what is
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  keyser soze

  failed prophecies and misguided doctrines may well be put down to imperfection . . . but lying about it later, and presenting a contrived version of events, is not imperfection . . . it's deceit.

  This point is worth repeating. Getting something wrong is imperfection. But the WT depends so heavily on its members believing that they are inspired. Any acknowledgement of error, especially with regard to prophecy, will undermine this. So they go to great lengths to cover up their mistakes, even to the point of rewriting their history. That isn't imperfection, that's deceit.