I didn't think this list would ever see the light of day. I wrote it a year ago or so. But, here goes. I titled this document, "Something's not right in Paradise"
"Overlapping generations" - This teaching makes no sense. The word used by Jesus is in the singular, not plural form.
2,520 years prophecy fabricated from a supposed second fulfillment of Daniel 4, linked to a single word in Luke 21:24, uses numbers for counting found in Revelation 11:2,3 and a applies a mathematical formula found in Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6 all to get to 1914. Prophecy originates with Baptist minister William Miller, then adapted by the Adventists, and finally adapted by C.T. Russell. Prophecy of 1914 has changed over time.
2300 days prophecy - From WT article in 1938 to Annual Meeting in 1944??? Days don't add up. Neither does the prophecy fit as the prophecy is about the "constant feature" being "taken away". The “constant feature” is said to be the preaching work, but publisher counts show a marked increase over this time period based on counts in each Yearbook.
Multiple times for the 2300 days prophecy to be fulfilled. Per 1959 WT, “Count now from the beginning of this International Convention of London on May 25, 1926, and we shall find that the 2,300 days of evenings and mornings bring us to October 15, 1932.. Per Daniel’s Prophecy book, June 1 or 15, 1938 to October 2, 1944.
Other prophecies like #3 above where the number of days don't add up, and prophecies are tied to WT articles or conventions.
Very little mention of Christ most of the time. Lip service, to be sure, but when there's ample opportunity to bring Christ into the conversation, it usually doesn’t happen.
Big on preaching work, small on charity work. Disaster relief is fine, but many people and organizations do this. This is not a differentiator. No community charities. No helping the hungry. No “daily distribution”. (Acts 6:1)
Preaching includes warning the wicked, when that was not the commission from Christ. (Matt 28:19)
Preaching the “good news of the kingdom” rarely includes inviting people to come to Christ, when Christ is a large part of the good news. (Acts 5:42)
Us vs. them. The world is all bad, other religions don't preach the way we do, etc.
Binding up heavy loads. One is made to feel that they can never do enough.
Boasting all the time.
While it is said salvation is not earned, the message given to JWs is that they have to do “works” of preaching, meetings, etc. to have salvation.
Viewing “works” as preaching, meetings, studying instead of works of the spirit: showing love to others, taking care of brothers and neighbors who are downtrodden.
Promoting a web site is considered preaching?
Distributing a magazine about how bad pornography is or how God feels about smoking is considered preaching the GOOD NEWS?
Cherry picking scriptures to support a teaching.
Taking scriptures out of context to support a teaching.
Making nearly every prophecy in the Hebrew Scriptures a dual prophecy.
Prohibiting partaking of the bread and the wine when Christ said that unless one eats his flesh and drinks his blood, they would have no life in themselves. (John 6:43) Christ NEVER limited this to the 144,000.
Saying that the New Covenant is limited to 144,000. No scripture says this.
Adding to or removing words from scriptures (e.g. "me" at John 14:14 where most translations and even the Interlinear says: "If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.")
Saying worship of Jesus is wrong when Daniel 7:14 shows people would, in fact, be serving him.
Only figuring out who the “faithful and discreet slave” really is over 90 years after their supposed appointment.
Demanding unquestioning obedience to an organization.
Saying God is directing the organization when God gave Christ that assignment. (Eph 1:22)
Judging people as spiritually weak or spiritually strong based on meeting attendance and time spent distributing literature.
Counting time spent distributing literature. (I can see counting actual placements since that is useful to know how many to print.)
Defining knowing the appearance of the flock to mean knowing how many hours each person put on their monthly report. (Prov 27:23)
Disfellowshipping people for doing things not even talked about in the Bible.
Shunning disfellowshipped people (the Bible says not to eat with such a man, but doesn't say not to say a greeting.)
Viewing disfellowshipped people as antichrists (these are the only ones the Bible says not to say a greeting to.)
Questions for baptism. There is no scriptural precedent for this.
Not baptizing in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Teaching that one must dedicate themselves to Jehovah in prayer before baptism. There is no scriptural precedent for this.
Viewing most JWs as not sons of God.
Viewing most JWs as not belonging to Christ.
Viewing most JWs as not part of the new covenant.
Making Jesus the mediator ONLY for the 144,000. (w09 4/15 p. 27 par. 14, 15; w08 12/15 pp. 13-14 par. 12,13; w00 11/15 p. 11 par. 8) The “great crowd” are simply “beneficiaries”.
Making every JW a teacher when James 3:1 says, "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment."
No beards for men. Only Christ can wear one (based on pictures in the publications… Christ usually has a beard, but JWs do not.).
Secretive letters / book for elders.
Class system among preachers based on the number of hours they spend preaching.
Teaching about a “paradise earth” when the phrase cannot be found in the Bible. Jesus never taught this, but instead taught the “Kingdom of heaven”. Two of the three occurrences of the word “Paradise” in the Greek scriptures clearly referred to heaven. The one at Luke 23:43 doesn’t say either way, but one must ask: what did the criminal on the stake understand “Paradise” to be? Earthly? Or heavenly? What did Jesus teach? “In the house of my Father are many dwelling places. Otherwise, I would have told you, for I am going my way to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2) The one occurrence in the Hebrew scriptures was used in a sensual way in Song of Solomon.
No verse in the Bible gives the idea that only 144,000 go to heaven.
No verse in the Bible teaches that the 144,000 are kings and priests. Revelation 5:8-10 says: “...with your blood you bought people for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth.” This describes the “great crowd” more than it does the 144,000, who are “out of every tribe of the sons of Israel.” (Rev 7:4).
Flip-flopping on teachings.
Using Proverbs 4:18 as an excuse to teach one thing, then later change it, saying it’s “new light”, an adjustment, a refinement. Never an apology issued for erroneous teachings.
JWs must accept teachings in the publications over what the Bible says or face disfellowshipping as apostates.
Teaching is “top down”, that is, from the Governing Body or Writing Department down to the publishers. There is scriptural precedent that teaching can be lateral. 1 Cor. 14:26-33 describes this, but that it should be done orderly. With JWs, one must “wait on Jehovah”, which equates with waiting until an article comes out that addresses the topic. One can be waiting for a very long time.
