COMF said:
YK, has the Watchtower ever used the old, non-Christian method of determining false prophets when dealing with Christians?
Since YK never answers questions of this kind, I'll do. Let's have a look at
Paradise Restored To Mankind-By Theocracy!, 1972, chapter 20.
After discussing the prophecy in Zechariah 13, about "the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness" and applying it to "our time since the year 1919 C.E." (paragraph 14, 15, 16). References are made to Jesus words about "false Christs and false prophets," in Matthew 24; to Johns words about "false prophets" and their expressions in 1 John 4; this in the context of the need that the remnant of the spiritual Israel needs to be guarded against "false prophets".
18 How, then, did Jehovah keep their “land” or spiritual estate pure in worship by fulfilling his promise: “Also the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness I shall cause to pass out of the land.”? (Zechariah 13:2) It was by causing any wrong understandings of the Bible prophecies that had been entertained before the remnant’s reinstatement in their “land” in 1919 C.E. to be corrected. The “time of the end,” the “conclusion of the system of things,” that began in 1914 at the end of the Gentile Times was God’s appointed time for the fulfillment of many prophecies. These could not be understood until they were just about to be fulfilled or after they had been fulfilled. So in the light of all that was taking place since 1914 the reinstated remnant looked anew into the prophecies that God had reserved for the “time of the end” for their fulfillment. (Daniel 12:4; Revelation 10:6, 7) This included a restudy of the books of Ezekiel and Revelation, an explanation of which had been attempted and published in July of 1917 in the book entitled “The Finished Mystery.” Thus the restored remnant heeded the words:19 “We have the prophetic word made more sure; and you are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and a daystar rises, in your hearts. For you know this first, that no prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation. For prophecy was at no time brought by man’s will, but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit.” — 2 Peter 1:19-21.
20 Any attempted interpretation of prophecy, if it proved to be incorrect in the light of historic events and the clearer understanding of the Bible, was corrected, regardless of who had offered the interpretation. Loyalty to God and to his inspired Word was the issue here to be met. So, as an illustration of the loyalty required, even if a fleshly son should offer a wrong interpretation of divine prophecy and should persist in it, like a false prophet, then his own fleshly parents in their loyalty to God would have nothing further to do with him on a religious basis. Christian parents could not do as under the Mosaic Law covenant, namely, have him put to death; but they could pronounce him spiritually dead to themselves in spite of their parenthood of him physically. In this way, figuratively speaking, they “must pierce him through because of his prophesying.” (Zechariah 13:3; compare Deuteronomy 13:1-5.) With their full consent, such a false prophet would be expelled, disfellowshiped, from the Christian congregation. By such loyalty on the part of all members of the restored remnant, the “prophet” of falsehood would be made to pass out of their “land.”
21 Yes, too, the “spirit of uncleanness” would thus be made to pass out of their spiritual “land.” If that spirit were an inspired expression of uncleanness by a would-be prophet or was any tendency, trend, or inclination to uncleanness, it would be disapproved and resisted by the loyal ones. As a consequence any uncleanness as to religious teaching or as to moral behavior would be forced to pass out, under the driving force of God’s holy spirit. The God-given spiritual estate must be maintained as a “land” where clean, Scriptural living is carried on. Persons spiritually and morally unclean must be disfellowshiped therefrom. — 2 Corinthians 6:14 to 7:1; compare Deuteronomy 13:6-18.
Is it the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society or is it an "[apostate's]con game" who is applying Deuteronomy chapter 13 here to 'modern-day' prophets? The application to Christians is directly made in clear terms: no stoning, but spiritual death by figurative piercing, expelling and disfellowshipping!
Is any exception made as to the kind of prophecy? Are historic interpretations exempt? Not really. The WTBS teaches that "any attempted interpretation of prophecy" is subject to the above application.
What then about the argument that according to this "satanic reasoning of apostates ... the apostles of Christ would also be branded as false prophets"? This would be true if the apostles indeed claimed about themselves that they were prophets. But the apostles never did that. It's the WTBS who has made the claim of being a true prophet! And therefore the Mosaical principle about discerning true and false prophets can be justly applied to this organisation and her prophecies.
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Every absurdity has a champion to defend it.
