I seem to have trouble understanding how JW's think in regards to "false prophets" or "false prophecies". I went toe to toe with my JW's brother who is a Ministerial Servant on the topic of false prophecies. He just won't leave me alone. He knows that I am out of the JW's but he just cannot pass up any opportunity to try and get me back in to the fold. I love him dearly but I told him that I just cannot come back. He insisted on telling me that the "end" is near and I will be destroyed at Armaggeddon if I don't run back and beg the elders to let me back in. I feel sorry for him because he really does care about me and wants me save. We went back and forth on false prophecies. He said that JW's are not false prophets because they did not say the prophecies were from Jehovah but only their own expectatiions. According to my brother if JW's said the prophecies were from Jehovah and they failed then that would be a false prophecy. His distorted analogy went like this: If a person comes up to you with some erroneous information concerning some medicine and you give the information to your friend who takes the medicine and dies who is guilty you or the person with the erroneous info? JW's as a body of believers did not say 1975 was the end but only said what the leaders gave them. Jehovah will not punish the flock by a bad shepherd but will punish the shepherd. JW's is the true religion but some corruption has always been in their midst. Another argument he used was when Jesus said to his followers that some of them would be alive when he entered into his kingdom and all of them died but nobody would say Jesus is a false prophet. He used the argument that John said this was the "last" hour in Revelation but that was over 2000 years ago so was John a "false prophet" and how long is an hour? He argued about Jonah and the 40 more days until Niveah will be destroyed. His argument was Nowhere did Jonah say "unless you repent" before 40 days or "Niveah might" be destroyed but Niveah will be destroyed in 40 days and nothing happened but Jonah was not a false prophet. He also argued that a false prophet is someone who delibrately deceives and gives info that he or she know is wrong. JW's really believed in what they said so they only had "wrong expectations" and not false prophecies.
Just how do JW's explain who is a "false prophet"?
by booker-t 7 Replies latest jw friends
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GOrwell
Check out ebay and try and get your hands on a pre 1994-1995 awake magazine. It helps to have an actual copy of one printed before Oct 95 and after to show the difference. If you have a pre-1995 Awake bound volume, that could work too. It clearly shows in the "About" section in the first few pages that the organization spoke for the Creator, in that the Creator promised that before this generation passed away, the end would come.
They printed this clear false prophecy twice a month in millions and millions of magazines for God knows how many years. After the change in Oct/Nov 1995 to the new light generation teaching, the previous generation statements were removed, and as a result God was called a liar millions upon millions of times.
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Witness My Fury
(Deuteronomy 18:20-22) 20 "‘However, 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. 21 And in case you should say in your heart: "How shall we know the word that Jehovah has not spoken?" 22 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. With presumptuousness the prophet spoke it. You must not get frightened at him.'
Does the WTS ever apply this to themselves?
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AwareBeing
Hi booker-t;
We've had several MS's in our family and still do. They admire the elder-hood, so your in for a hard sell with your brother! The whole arrangement and mental treatment keeps them in a "yes man" mentality. It's easy to be lead when your told nice things about yourself, and that your obedience means your survival! One way to explain that the WT elite are false prophets is to state that they are not a theocracy, but in essence are technocrats! What I mean is that no GOD given rule; Jewish, or Christian, has been so wrong on predictions as have they. Yet, so demanding of obedience to each wrong prediction. If people did every thing WT has taught over the century, they'd be unfit to survive GOD's wrath. GOD said this of the Israelites; back and forth, this way then that way. A technocrat is one who specializes in words, techniques and are well informed. Remind you of some one? Lawyers! Technically their right by law, but it's all twisting of words, like the legalists in Jesus day, of whom he called hypocrites! That's what's covering WT's false teachings; their lawyers. They fit the definition of false prophets better than most modern groups today. Hopefully this food for though can help your brother get his thoughts together.
AwareBeing
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Black Sheep
You need to show him specific articles that he needs to explain, then make him read them to you and explain them. Don't let him off the hook by letting him rush off and show you another article where they try to weasel their way out of the crap. He must explain your article. He doesn't get to choose what he explains .... you do! He is the one pretending the WT has all the answers, so it's his job to answer yours. You are not there to answer his questions.
Most of the well documented failures are time frames, not dates, so be careful not to make mistakes in what you say. It is better to ask questions than make statements and then have to find literature to support your statement. Often, when you find the article you are remembering, you will find that the artcle only suggested, or implied, what you thought it said, while leaving big loopholes, so make sure you fully understood what it says, including from the point of view of a Dub who is desparate not to look like a fool for allegiance to a cult.
but nobody would say Jesus is a false prophet
If the shoe fits ....
Cheers
Chris
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DesirousOfChange
The problem with being a MS, like your brother, is that such a person is shielded from much of the hypocrisy and bullshit. Once being appointed an elder and ones finds out the real interaction and politics that there is in the "spirit directed" organization, it's amazing ANYONE can stomach it and stay UNLESS THEY LOVE THE PLAYING OF POLITICS.
Doc
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outsmartthesystem
Blacksheep's post of the Awake mag masthead change says it all. Is there really a difference between saying "God has told us that this system will pass away and the new world will be here before those that saw the events of 1914 pass away" and "this magazine builds confidence in the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away"? If so....I was unaware that the all loving all just God made exceptions for technicalities.
The July 15, 1998 Watchtower (p12) says "We also have 'the faithful and discreet slave' appointed by Jesus to provide spiritual "food at the proper time". Thus God is still speaking. But are we listening? For example, how do we respond to counsel about dress and grooming or choice of entertainment and music? Do we "listen", that is, pay attention to and obey what is being heard?" So are we to assume that "God is speaking" to us when we read an article written by the FDS......unless what we read proves to be false........and then I guess He really wasn't speaking to us in the first place?
And here is my personal favorite. Page 132 of the Reasoning Book says that false prophets are "individuals and organizations 1) proclaiming messages that they attribute to a superhuman source but that 2) do not originate with the true God and 3) are not in harmony with his revealed will". By having to stop teaching or "revise" so many of Russell and Rutherford's early teachings, the modern day Govering Body has proven that what Russell and Rutherford wrote and taught were false. Those two individuals 1) attributed their messages to a superhuman source (God), 2) none of their messages came true (the world's governments did not cease to exist in 1914. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were no resurrected in 1925) therefore those messages did not originate with God, and 3) the messages discussed could not have been in harmony with God's revealed will if they did not come true. According to their own definition in the Reasoning Bookthese men falsely prophesied!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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AwareBeing
False prophets and apostates...
'They're malicious (in teachings).'
In the Candice Conti trial, WT was
charged as being "malicious!"
WT teaches elders to slow down and/or block
proceedings that help and protect victims.
