The reason why Jehovah's Witnesses are not false prophets

by 70wksfyrs 28 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

70wksfyrs

This weeks KM disscusses the topic of why Jehovah's witnesses are not false prophets.
On page 136 and 137 of the Reasoning book, it asks and answers the following question:
Have not Jehovah’s Witnesses made errors in their teachings?
Jehovah’s Witnesses do not claim to be inspired prophets. They have made mistakes. Like the apostles of Jesus Christ, they have at times had some wrong expectations.—Luke 19:11; Acts 1:6.
The Scriptures provide time elements related to Christ’s presence, and Jehovah’s Witnesses have studied these with keen interest. (Luke 21:24; Dan. 4:10-17) Jesus also described a many-featured sign that would tie in with the fulfillment of time prophecies to identify the generation that would live to see the end of Satan’s wicked system of things. (Luke 21:7-36) Jehovah’s Witnesses have pointed to evidence in fulfillment of this sign. It is true that the Witnesses have made mistakes in their understanding of what would occur at the end of certain time periods, but they have not made the mistake of losing faith or ceasing to be watchful as to fulfillment of Jehovah’s purposes. They have continued to keep to the fore in their thinking the counsel given by Jesus: “Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”—Matt. 24:42.
Matters on which corrections of viewpoint have been needed have been relatively minor when compared with the vital Bible truths that they have discerned and publicized. Among these are the following: Jehovah is the only true God. Jesus Christ is not part of a Trinitarian godhead but is the only-begotten Son of God. Redemption from sin is possible only through faith in Christ’s ransom sacrifice. The holy spirit is not a person but is Jehovah’s active force, and its fruitage must be evident in the lives of true worshipers. The human soul is not immortal, as the ancient pagans claimed; it dies, and the hope for future life is in the resurrection. God’s permission of wickedness has been because of the issue of universal sovereignty. God’s Kingdom is the only hope for mankind. Since 1914 we have been living in the last days of the global wicked system of things. Only 144,000 faithful Christians will be kings and priests with Christ in heaven, whereas the rest of obedient mankind will receive eternal life on a paradise earth.
What a lot of nonsense I say.....they made predictions that did not come true = FALSE PROPHETS
Then we are asked the following questions, please can you post your answers so I get all the facts.
Another factor to consider regarding the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses is this:
1.Have these truly uplifted people morally?
2.Are those who adhere to these teachings outstanding in their communities because of their honesty?
3.Is their family life beneficially influenced by applying these teachings?
4.Jesus said that his disciples would be readily identified because of having love among themselves. (John 13:35) Is this quality outstanding among Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Please post your answers so we can let the facts speak for themselves.
OnTheWayOut

Another factor to consider regarding the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses is this:
1.Have these truly uplifted people morally?
NO! Is it moral to shun a family member who simply disagrees with the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses, which admittedly, have been mistaken in the past? Is it moral to make a child who is a rape victim face his/her rapist in the presence of a judicial committee because there was no admission of guilt?
2.Are those who adhere to these teachings outstanding in their communities because of their honesty?
NO! They are not involved in their community issues at all, be they about schools or safety or events. In their community, they are just those people who disturb a beautiful Saturday morning with their frigging magazines.
3.Is their family life beneficially influenced by applying these teachings?
NO! JW families are torn apart by JW/Non-JW issues. JW's avoid holidays and birthdays in their own families. Don't even get me started on the shunning thing when a family member leaves that cult. And the saddest part of family life, even when all stay Jehovah's Witnesses, is the misery that the women are put through to keep quite and "obey" the husband regardless.
4.Jesus said that his disciples would be readily identified because of having love among themselves. (John 13:35) Is this quality outstanding among Jehovah’s Witnesses?
NO! Just sticking with the JW's "themselves," there are cliques and gossip and backstabbing. They have a phony love in the Kingdom Hall likened to politicians kissing your baby for your vote.
Finkelstein

They're more they are commercialized false Prophets ($$$) which in my opinion is worse.
This organization was started by a self assertive amateurish bible theologian who plagiarized other
peoples ideologies then commercialized them for his publishing company to publish.
The actual first president of the WTS. actually left to join and support another Christian based organization
because he was so sickened by C T Russell's activities and actions with the WTS.
What the WTS. has come out and done by making statements such as this is postulate lies to cover its previous lies
contained in its doctrines but thats the business of religion.
metatron

Have they uplifted people morally? Sure, sometimes - but so have Catholics and Protestants and Jews and Buddhists and yes, even Muslims. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Some Witnesses are very nice people but many are just hypocrites - who carefully hide their sins.
Do they have a reputation for honesty? Again, sometimes but Witnesses are only SELECTIVELY honest! If you drop your wallet at an assembly, you might get it back - however, if your child gets molested by a member of the congregation, don't be surprized by how it's widely covered up.
This is little different from the Pharisees who would 'strain out the gnat but swallow camels".
Are they identified by love among themselves? Not particularly. Not killing each other in war doesn't mean they love each other, just that they are compliant. And yes, there is great deal of jealousy and animosity within the organization as many Theocratic School Overseers know if they randomly schedule sisters for talks! No one will tell you 'these sisters hate each other" , you just have to know!
metatron
jhine

As I pointed out on another thread the sudden finding of Matt 24:42 in the Bible is quite miraculous .However they have not just found that verse , in 1968 in the run up to the 1975 debacle they not only quoted that verse they then proceeded to say that it should be ignored ! So to say that they have continued to keep that thinking to the fore is in a sense correct , if only to say that they knew better.
jgnat

1.Have these truly uplifted people morally?
No, they expel their failures. There is strong evidence that there as many fornicators, revilers, spouse beaters, murderers, pedophiles and divorced couples within the WTS as without.
2.Are those who adhere to these teachings outstanding in their communities because of their honesty?
Are you kidding? The expectations are absurd, and the only members who prosper are the ones who learn to hide their sins.
3.Is their family life beneficially influenced by applying these teachings?
As in, committing more hours to cold call sales than to the family? Eliminating annual memorials such as Birthdays, Mother's Day and Thanksgiving? Discouraging a young adult from pursuing their own interests in sports the arts, or higher eduction, in favour of cold call sales experience?
4.Jesus said that his disciples would be readily identified because of having love among themselves. (John 13:35) Is this quality outstanding among Jehovah’s Witnesses?
...and how about their natural neighbours or figurative neighbours? Do the Witnesses in their charity work, in their time and resources, dedicate anything other than cold call sales work to the wider world? The golden rule, love your neighbour as yourself.
mindnumbed

Have not Jehovah’s Witnesses made errors in their teachings?
Jehovah’s Witnesses do not claim to be inspired prophets. They have made mistakes. Like the apostles of Jesus Christ, they have at times had some wrong expectations. —Luke 19:11; Acts 1:6.
While they were listening to these things he spoke in addition an illustration, because he was near Jerusalem and they were imagining that the kingdom of God was going to display itself instantly. Luke 19:11 NWT
When, now, they had assembled, they went asking him: "Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?" Acts 1:6 NWT
Quite a stretch to compare those two verses with decades of Watchtower false proclamations. Show me Bible verses that relate the scenario of Jesus' disciples preaching this as fact for decades, changing it to something else wrong and teaching that as fact for decades, then Jesus correcting them and excusing them for their zeal ... then I might see the relevance.
VM44

I have a question.
What do questions 1), 2), 3), and 4) have to do with answering the question as to whether Jehovah's Witnesses are False Prophets?
Those questions are with respect to a different topic completely!
metatron

The claim that family life is benefited is especially jaw-dropping, given all the unhappy marriages and mass exodus of young people in the organization.
The Organization deliberately breaks up families with disfellowshipping and general shunning.
In addition, the rejection of holidays is highly destructive to extended families. This is why many Witnesses note that rejecting Christmas is often the biggest obstacle to 'coming in the truth' - people realize that , for all intents and purposes, they are fading away from being a real family member.
metatron
Sapphy

"... It is true that the Witnesses have made mistakes in their understanding of what would occur at the end of certain time periods..."
Mendacious claptrap. When the society talks about mistakes it's like they're pointing to those people over there, they write: "Jehovah's people", "witnesses" or "some have believed" never "we were wrong" or "we misled our fellow christians".
But as soon as it's a "do more" article suddenly we're all in it together. "We would do well to ask ourselves and we do more ministry, contribute more" etc etc.

The reason why Jehovah's Witnesses are not false prophets

Share this