prophetic interpretations of the parables
There is the root of the problem: not recognizing the different literary genres and styles used in biblical works, trying to turn them all into literal prophecies when the majority were written neither literally nor prophetically. Even the prophetic books (Isaiah, Jeremia, Ezekiel, etc.) often used more poetic styles familar to people of those days, helping them to be easily remembered (a necessity when written books were few and literally hand-written). Those linguistic nuances do not translate easily into modern language and experience, especially not the word-by-word translations favored in the Watchtower's NWT. The modern styles of writing we are familiar with were seldom used twenty centuries ago.