Could a “spiritual minded “ JW please tell me the difference between someone inspired by God to write things and someone simply “guided” by God to write things??
First of all let's see what the Watchtower Society claim a prophecy is:
***it-2 690-1 Prophecy
“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 yet it forms an outstanding feature of Bible prophecy. “
It is also interesting to note Jesus's warnings:
Luke 21:7-8 Then they questioned him, saying: "Teacher, when will these things actually be, and what will be the sign when these things are destined to occur?" 8 He said: "Look out that YOU are not misled; for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, 'I am he,' and, 'The due time has approached.' Do not go after them.
Mark 13:21-23 "Then, too, if anyone says to YOU, 'See! Here is the Christ,' 'See! There he is,' do not believe [it]. 22 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will give signs and wonders to lead astray, if - possible, the chosen ones. 23 YOU, then, watch out; I have told YOU all things beforehand.
What does the word CHRIST mean?
***it-1 438 Christ
¨”This title from the Greek Khri\'b7stos' is equivalent to the Hebrew Ma\'b7shi'ach, "Messiah; Anointed One.(Compare Mt 2:4 ftn)”
In other words Mark 13:22 could also mean: For false ANNOINTED ONES and false prophets will arise........claiming that the End is near...
According to the Watchtower Society they claim that they NEVER claimed to prophets and inspired by God.
***g93 3/22 4 Why So Many False Alarms?
“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.' The Watchtower, the official journal of Jehovah's Witnesses, has said: "We have not the gift of prophecy." (January 1883, page 425) "Nor would we have our writings reverenced or regarded as infallible." (December 15, 1896, page 306) The Watchtower has also said that the fact
that some have Jehovah's spirit "does not mean those now serving as Jehovah's witnesses are inspired. It does not mean that the writings in this magazine The Watchtower are inspired and infallible and without mistakes." (May 15, 1947, page 157) "The Watchtower does not claim to be inspired in its utterances, nor is it dogmatic." (August 15, 1950, page - 263) "The brothers preparing these publications are not infallible. Their writings are not inspired as are those of Paul and the other Bible writers. (2 Tim. 3:16) And so, at times, it has been necessary, as understanding became clearer, to correct views. (Prov. 4:18)"-February 15, 1981, page 19. “
Also note what the same Awake article says about false prophets:
***g93 3/22 3-4 Why So Many False Alarms?
“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. “
Now compare the above with the facts in the following statements which amount to claims of being God's prophet and being inspired.
***w56 11/1 666 Turn to the New World Society
11 Who controls the organization, who directs it? Who is at the head? A man? A group of men? A clergy - class? A pope? A hierarchy? A council? No, none of these. How is that possible? In any organization is it not necessary that there be a directing head or policy-making part that controls or guides the organization? Yes. Is the living God, Jehovah, the Director of the theocratic Christian organization? Yes! 12 Because of the vital fact that the law that governs the operation of the theocratic
New World society is the Word of Jehovah God, and because of the fact that the heaven enthroned Christ Jesus is Jehovah's Executive Officer carrying on his work in the earth, and because of the further fact that the spirit of God by - Christ Jesus is operating through his Word and upon the hearts and minds of his dedicated servants, the New World society is theocratic, meaning "God-ruled."
While the article did not use the word "inspired," how are we to distinguish between "directed by God", - "God-ruled" and "inspired"?
***w52 2/1 79 Jehovah's Theocratic Organization Today
God interprets and teaches, through Christ the Chief Servant, who in turn uses the discreet slave as the visible channel, the visible theocratic organization.
Here it is clear:the interpretations in the Watchtower society's publications are God's interpretations
***w56 6/1 346 Keep Pace by Conforming to Theocratic Requirements
11 Since the "faithful and discreet slave" has been entrusted with all the Master's goods, then let us view - with proper mental perception that whatever the 'faithful slave' does is for our good. The slave is thereby - fulfilling its own obligation before Jehovah in getting His work done. Therefore the slave's will is Jehovah's - will. Rebellion against the slave is rebellion against God.
It seems to me that here they actually claim to be equal to God !
***w59 10/1 601-2 Part 23: "Your Will Be Done on Earth"
This Resolution was adopted by congregations of Jehovah's witnesses throughout the earth. The announcement in the Watchtower magazine of October 15, 1932, at the end of 2,300 evenings and mornings was the official notification made by Jehovah through his visible channel of communication that his sanctuary of anointed "living stones" had been cleansed, vindicated and justified.
Here it is clearly indicated that the Watchtower Society is used by Jehovah to officially notify all Christians .
***w64 6/15 365 Jehovah, the God of Progressive Revelation
22 As Jehovah revealed his truths by means of the first-century Christian congregation so he does today by means of the present-day Christian congregation. Through this agency he is having carried out prophesying on an intensified and unparalleled scale. All this activity is not an accident. Jehovah is the one behind all of it. The abundance of spiritual food and the amazing details of Jehovah's purposes that have been revealed to Jehovah's anointed witnesses are clear evidence that they are the ones mentioned by Jesus when he foretold a "faithful and discreet slave" class that would be used to dispense God's progressive revelations in these last days.
Hmmm,God is using the Watchtower Society to carry out Prophesying on an intensified scale,very interesting!!!
***w82 6/1 17 Loyally Submitting to Theocratic Order
Today, a remnant of this 'faithful slave' is still alive on earth. Their duties include receiving and passing on to all of Jehovah's earthly servants spiritual food at the proper time. They occupy a position similar to that of Paul and his colaborers when that apostle said of the wonderful truths God gives to his people: "It is to us God has revealed them through his spirit."
So the GB is in a position similar to that of Paul...hey wait a minute, wasn't Paul inspired????
***w84 7/1 8-9 Facing This Age of Violence With Confidence
4 Does this ancient prophecy have meaning for us today? Yes, it has a powerful message for us! The inspired Word of God was compiled under divine direction, and it has been preserved down to "the time of the end" for the benefit of God's people "upon whom the ends of the systems of things have arrived." Its prophetic meaning is made known to us through "the faithful and discreet slave," that group of anointed Christians whom the Master, Jesus Christ, is using now to provide spiritual "food at
the proper time" for all - of God's people."-Daniel 12:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Matthew 24:45-47.
***g86 6/8 9 "Would That All Were Prophets!"
You will be interested to learn that God has on earth a people, all of whom are prophets, or witnesses for God. In fact, they are known throughout the world as Jehovah's Witnesses
***w72 4/1 197 'They Shall Know that a Prophet Was Among Them'
He had a "prophet" to warn them. This "prophet" was not one man, but was a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah's Christian witnesses.
Here i suppose they mean an "un-inspired " Prophet :-))
***w72 4/1 197 'They Shall Know that a Prophet Was Among Them'
Of course, it is easy to say that this group acts as a "prophet" of God. It is another thing to prove it. The only way that this can be done is to review the - record. What does it show?
Very intresting question!!!!
***w57 6/15 370 Overseers of Jehovah's People
Let us now unmistakably identify Jehovah's channel of communication for our day, that we may continue in his favor. Listen to the inspired answer to the situation, in Matthew 24:45-47 (NW): "Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics to give them their food at the proper time? Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. Truly I say to you, He will appoint him over all his belongings." And has he? Yes, particularly since 1919 has it been
true that he has appointed the collective body of the anointed remnant over all the visible interests of the Kingdom. The "slave" then became responsible not only for ministering to the needs of the anointed body members but also for taking on the responsibility of preaching the good news of the established Kingdom to people of all nations. (Matt. - 24:14) Such is true not by their determination of it, but because God himself has so directed. "God has set the members in the body, each one of them,
just as he pleased," is the way it is pictured in 1 Corinthians - 12:18 (NW). It is vital that we appreciate this fact and respond to the directions of the "slave" as we would to the voice of God, because it is His provision.
Again they claim to be equal to God
***w73 7/1 402 Praise Jehovah with His People
Consider, too, the fact that Jehovah's organization alone, in all the earth, is directed by God's holy spirit or active force. (Zech. 4:6) Only this organization functions for Jehovah's purpose and to his praise. To it alone God's Sacred Word, the Bible, is not a sealed book.
If the book is not sealed to them, why all the change in doctrines??
The Watchtower Society has said many times that Jehovah does have prophets in this modern day :Jehovah's Witnesses.
However, they are not inspired prophets. Aren't they therefore, "un-inspired - prophets?" I have never read in the bible that there were "uninspired prophets". If they are prophets, but not inspired prophets, why should i or anyone believe to what they have to say, anyway?
The Watchtower Society is said to be "spirit directed","God directed" or "spirit guided", but not "inspired". Since there have been so many turn-arounds in policies and doctrines, just when is the spirit "directing" and when is it not? Is it possible the spirit correctly "directs" one paragraph of writing and then "turns off" its direction for the next paragraph, which later proves to be false or changed? How can one ever know what is "spirit directed" and what isn't? Why would Jehovah's spirit be so inconsistent with His only true followers? This is especially important, since the "end of the world" is just "around the corner", as it has been for over one hundred and twenty years!
The point i want to make is the following: If the Watchtower Society claims that they are Jehovah God's only channel of communication and are directed by his spirit then at the first mistake in interpreting the Bible or at the first false prophecy they are to be considered false prophets and liars. On the other hand if Watchtower Society is going to excuse themselves from their false prophecies,regulations and interpretations by claiming to be fallible men then they must also excuse anyone who do not accept their predictions,interpretations and regulations as coming from Jehovah.
I will conclude with a WTS quote:
***w76 5/15 298 Preaching Christ-Through Envy or Goodwill?
It is a serious matter to represent God and Christ in one way, then find that our understanding of the major teachings and fundamental doctrines of the Scriptures was in error, and then after that, to go back to the very doctrines that, by years of study, we had thoroughly determined to be in error. Christians cannot be vacillating 'wishy-washy' about such fundamental teachings. What confidence can one put in the sincerity or judgment of such persons?
The above is one of the best comments made by the WTS!!!
Best regards
Gianluca