Jehovah's Witnesses / Watchtower *LIES* Exposed & Analyzed
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This is strictly for ADULTS ONLY, as there is Spiritual Pornography
(i.e. quotes from the Beast of Revelation, and the Great Whore of
Babylon) below.
Jehovah's Witnesses / Watchtower *LIES* Exposed & Analyzed
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The mid 1800s yielded lots of false prophesies and false prophets.
Who Predicted . . . . . . . Prediction . . . . . . . Outcome
Adventist William Miller . Return of Christ in 1843 Failed
Adventist William Miller . Return of Christ in 1844 Failed
George Storrs . . . . . . . Return of Christ in 1870 Failed
Nelson H. Barbour . . . . . Return of Christ in 1873 Failed
Nelson H. Barbour . . . . . Return of Christ in 1874 Failed
Miller, originally a Baptist preacher, and his Millerites were
succeeded after his above failures by a number of derivative groups
(Advent Christian Church, Life and Advent Union, Second Adventists
and Seventh-day Adventists). George Stetson was a pastor of the
first-named of these splinters. Storrs published the "Bible Examiner"
periodical, founded the second-named of the offshoots - and around
1855 wrote a book called "The Watch Tower"! He and Stetson met and
raised one Charles Taze Russell in the Adventist mould - Russell
attended their churches.
Nelson H. Barbour was a Second Adventist and editor of "The Midnight
Cry and Herald of the Morning", whose last issue was dated October
1874, the month when Christ's fiery return had been predicted by him.
This having failed spectacularly, in June 1875 he came out with a new
paper, "Herald of the Morning". That year, a past contributor, B.W.
Keith, thought of a way out. He referred Barber to the 1864 NT
translation, "The emphatic Diaglott", compiled by Benjamin Wilson.
There, describing Christ's return, the Greek word "parousia" was
translated as "presence" and not as "coming". Neither Keith nor
Barbour had any relevant knowledge of Greek, and Keith suggested that
the word "presence" allowed for the return to have possibly been
invisible. This was a good wheeze, as a claimed invisible return of
Christ meant that Barbour's prophecy about Christ returning in 1874
could not be falsified if the return was invisible! That the Bible so
inconveniently makes other references to Christ's return being highly
visible was, naturally enough, ignored, or deemed to be part of a
second stage.
The idea was not as new as Keith and Barbour thought. Back in the
1820s, a London banker Henry Drummond, who later founded Edward
Irving's Catholic Apostolic Church, postulated an "invisible
presence" followed by a visible one. The Plymouth Brethren (followers
of John Nelson Darby) spread the idea to the United States and
elsewhere. Around 1866 Revd. Robert Govett of England publicized the
secret rapture concept widely.
Before 1875 had ended, this ingenious get-out had become a key part
of the Barbour creed. It was a necessary saviour, for his record had
received a fair deal of public ridicule after the vaunted return in
October 1874 had failed to occur. One is reminded of the invisible
fine "New Clothes" of that Emperor whose story is found in the old
fairy tale:
"The Emperor with No Clothes"
There, it was claimed that only the intelligent could see the fine
clothes worn by the Emperor. No one wished to be considered foolish,
so all - bar one child - pretended that they could see the fine
garments on the naked Emperor. Keith and Barbour's version of this
was:
"The Emperor with No Body"
since the King Christ had allegedly returned, but had no body.
Of course, being taken to be the sole visible representative of a
wholly invisible Lord could mean that one could do pretty much what
one liked, claiming that one is just following - EVEN RELAYING - an
invisible Lord's commands. Little wonder that this appealed to 24
year old Charles Taze Russell, an ambitious youth who had already
proven himself financially astute and who was schooled in Adventist
philosophy by Stetson and Storrs.
In January of the next year, Russell happened to read the very
visible "Herald of the Morning". Page 18 of the 1959 Watchtower
history book, "Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose",
acknowledges that the "invisible" idea had come from one of Barbour's
group to Barbour and thence to Russell. No claim was made in it that
Russell had already had the idea separately.
However, by 1993, the official Watchtower history book, now
"Jehovah's Witnesses: Proclaimers of God's Kingdom", had added a
significant spin. Page 133 states (bold by me) in article entitled
"Growing in Accurate Knowledge of the Truth":
"In 1876, when Russell had first read a copy of Herald of the
Morning, he had learned that there was another group who then
believed that Christ's return would be invisible and who associated
that return with blessings for all families of the earth."
"another" ? ? ?
In context, this use of "another" instead of "a" could only imply
that Russell was already aware of this teaching (no other group
besides his own and Barbour's having been mentioned in the book here
as believing in an invisible presence), and neighbouring text
suggests that this was his own belief that he had separately passed
on to his own group before reading it in the paper! That is, it was
Russell's own idea (taught by him to his group) - found later by him
to have also been published in Barbour's magazine. We shall see how
credible is this revised account.
Apologists may suggest there is another interpretation of the text in
this Proclaimers book, as if it had stated: 'In 1876, when Russell
had first read a copy of Herald of the Morning, he had learned that
there was another group, who then believed that Christ's return would
be invisible' (notice the comma after the word "group"). But, besides
the obvious point that the new sentence would be an absolutely
pointless one to make, there is no comma after "group".
A booklet by Russell does exist, which contains the bones of this
"invisible" idea. It is his first-ever publication, and is called
"The Object and Manner of Our Lord's Return". In its 64 pages, it
contains 15 references to "invisibility", 4 to "parousia", and one to
the abovementioned Diaglott.
The most telling passage within it is on page 51:
"THE PRESENCE (PAROUSIA) OF CHRIST .. Some may have confounded our
remarks on the presence of Christ in a spiritual body, with the
presence of the spirit of Christ; but they are quite distinct. The
latter never left the church; consequently in that sense He could not
'come again.' Of His spiritual presence He said: 'Lo, I am with you
always, even unto the end of the world.' We refer to the personal
presence which did go away, and will come again, - a spiritual body.
The Greek word generally used in referring to the second advent-
Parousia, frequently translated coming - invariably signifies
personal presence, as having come, arrived (7) and never signifies to
be on the way, as we use the word coming. This fact is recognized by
many who are looking for the Lord, but the error under which the
church in general is laboring"
and the footnote 7 states, three pages later:
"'The emphatic Diaglott,' a very popular translation from the New
Testament from Griesbach, we believe makes no exception, always
translating this word Parousia - presence."
Now, when was that pamphlet written and published? If it was before
Barbour published the "invisible return" doctrine in 1875, then
Russell had a good case. Let us examine the evidence.
LIE NUMBER ONE
"The Watchtower" of January 1, 1949 on page 6 claims "The Object and
Manner of Our Lord's Return" was published in 1873. So does the 1959
official history book, "Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose" on
pages 557 and 575, the 1984 "Centennial of the WTBTS of Pennsylvania"
on page 4 and the 1930-1985 Index (under the heading "Watch Tower
Publications, Booklets") on page 916. The 1986-1990 Index plays it
safe and does not list the tract at at all!
The abovementioned 1993 Proclaimers book, however, gives the pamphlet
a date of 1877, but buries this fact far, far away from page 133
(where the very same material is discussed, and which would have been
a logical place to mention the date) on page 47. Of course, an 1877
publication date for the tract would not sit well with the above-made
claim (at page 133) that Russell had the idea of an invisible return
independently, when he had admitted encountering it in Barbour's
periodical in January 1876! The Proclaimers book often plays this
spacing trick...
The 1975 Yearbook on page 36 is most clear it is 1873:
"Earnestly endeavoring to counteract such erroneous teachings, in
1873 twenty-one-year-old C.T. Russell wrote and published at his own
expense a booklet entitled 'The Object and Manner of the Lord's
Return.' Some 50,000 copies were published and it enjoyed a wide
distribution."
Other Watchtower publications place the publication date at 1874
instead - for example, "The Watchtower" of April 15, 1970 says on
page 250:
"Questions That People Ask About Jehovah's Witnesses .. In modern
times Jehovah's witnesses began their activity in the early 1870's.
In 1870 Charles Taze Russell, brought up by God-fearing Presbyterian
parents, was not satisfied with the sectarian explanations of the
Bible given him, so he started a Bible-study class with several of
his friends. They discovered many of the Biblical truths that had
been hidden by Christendom's traditions. In 1874 they published
information to debunk the religious theory of the earth's being
destroyed by fire at Christ's second coming. They pointed out that
the second coming of Christ would be invisible, as the apostles had
long before known."
1873 or even 1874 (before the autumn) is indeed a very convenient
time to claim for publishing the "The Object and Manner of Our Lord's
Return" tract. Not only would it show that Russell had the idea
before Keith (1875) - but indeed, that Russell had the idea before
the failure of the key Second Adventist prophecy (October 1874) -
truly inspiring! It seems unlikely that Russell would have even had
access to The emphatic Diaglott that early - but, not impossible.
However, Russell's own first account of the chronology does not
support an 1873 or 1874 date. Let us first examine the tract itself,
whose text suggests in the clearest manner that it was not written
until after Russell and Barbour befan collaborating in 1876, at which
time Russell accepted all of Barbour's Second Adventist eschatology.
On page 62 appears (the emboldening is mine):
"But it is not my object in this pamphlet to call your attention more
fully to the time of the second advent than I have above, in
answering some of the chief objections to the investigation of it.
(Those interested in knowing the evidences as to the time, I would
refer to Dr. N.H. Barbour, editor of the 'Herald of the Morning,'
Rochester, N.Y.) I simply add that I am deeply impressed, and think,
not without good scriptural evidence, that the Master is come and is
now inspecting the guests to the marriage. (Matt. 22:11) That the
harvest is progressing, the separation (mental) between wheat and
tares now going on, and that the two in the field, mill and bed may
be bodily separated at any moment, the wise virgins go into the
marriage, and the door to the high calling be forever shut."
The vigilant reader will have found two clues above that the date of
writing of the text within the pamphlet could not have been 1873!
Firstly, as stated in the beginning of this essay, Barbour's journal
until June 1875 had been called not "Herald of the Morning" but "The
Midnight Cry and Herald of the Morning". So Russell could not have
written the above until after the start of 1875.
Secondly, and compellingly, Russell would obviously have referred to
both the Coming of "the Master" and the commencement of "the harvest"
in the future tense had the text been written before October 1874!
Instead, he referred to the Coming as being a past event - a fait
accompli - and "the harvest" as being in progress (so its
commencement was already over).
Russell was an expert writer. The above evidence is, in my opinion,
quite conclusive.
But there is much more.
Russell's first reference to the tract in his other publications is
in the very first issue (July 1, 1879) of "Zion's Watch Tower and
Herald of Christ's Presence": an account where he mentions the tract
only after - and immediately after - mentioning several 1877
publications by Barbour. Russell makes no claim whatsoever to have
reached a conclusion about an invisible return for Christ prior to
reading about it in Barbour's "Herald of the Morning". It would have
been a logical place for Russell to make this claim had it been true,
as this first issue of the Watchtower marked his breaking away with
Barbour and contains many statements critical of Barbour and
supportive of Russell. But it did not contain any claim that Russell
had the idea first, or even independently. Why not? Well, there was
no doubt that Barbour would have studied the first issue of this
"splinter" magazine (relying as it did almost entirely on the
subscription list for his own journal, acquired by Russell) for any
factual distortions, and given publicity to any outright lies told by
Russell.
It is 11 years before Russell first retold the story - by which time
Barbour was a spent force, and not to be feared. As Russell was never
one to hide his light under a bushel (even a bushel of "miracle"
wheat!), this in itself is significant. Many, many minor incidents in
his life, in which he claimed to have bettered others (especially men
of religion) were recounted with ill-concealed glee in the pages of
his publications. As a young man, to have independently come to the
conclusion that other, far more established religious authorities
later adopted, and to be able to prove this by producing a booklet
whose date of printing would have established that he, Russell, had
sort-of "got there first" would have been an irresistible story...
and when it was told, Russell would hardly be ambiguous as to "who
got there first"!
Notably, though, when Russell retells the story, he is deliberately
vague. This is what the same magazine of May 1890 says on page 4:
"Thus passed the years 1869-1872, and the years following, to 1876,
were years of continued growth in grace and knowledge on the part of
the handful of Bible students with whom I met regularly in Allegheny.
We progressed from our first crude and indefinite ideas of
restitution to clearer understanding of the details, God's due time
for clearer light not having come until 1874. During this time, too,
we came to recognize the difference between our Lord as 'the man who
gave himself,' and as the Lord who would come again, a spirit being.
We saw that spirit-beings can be present, and yet invisible to men,
just as we still hold and have set forth in Millennial Dawn, Vol.
II., Chap. x. And we felt greatly grieved at the error of Second
Adventists who were expecting Christ in the flesh, and teaching that
the world and all in it except Second Adventists would be burned up
in 1873 or 1874, whose time-settings and disappointments and crude
ideas generally of the object and manner of his coming brought more
or less reproach upon us and upon all who longed for and proclaimed
his coming Kingdom. These wrong views of both the object and manner
of the Lord's return led me to write the pamphlet - 'The Object and
Manner of The Lord's Return,' of which some 50,000 copies were
published. It was about January 1876 that my attention was specially
drawn to the subject of prophetic time, as it relates to these
doctrines and hopes. It came about in this way: I received a paper
called The Herald of The Morning, sent by its editor, Mr. N. H.
Barbour."
So without exactly saying it, he implies by the sequence in which he
recounts events that the pamphlet pre-dated 1876. This is an early
example of Watchtower weasel-wording - the account might have been a
little more credible had the story, as recounted earlier by Russell,
agreed with it. Of course, Russell relied on the fallibility of
people's memories - 11 years had elapsed since that last telling.
However, a careful reading even of this account shows that if it was
only in 1874 that God allowed for "clearer light", Russell could
hardly have written the tract (which he went on confidently selling
for decades) before then in 1873 (as claimed by the Watchtower
later). The suggestion here is therefore that Russell wrote "The
Object and Manner of The Lord's Return" in 1874 or 1875.
Sixteen years later, Russell tells the story again - with some small
but significant changes. An issue of "Zion's Watch Tower and Herald
of Christ's Presence" in 1906 uses virtually identical words to
describe the events. However, there is one difference - whose
significance is subtle enough to slip by even the most diligent
reader. See if you can spot it with assistance of the emboldening I
have added to the text.
I first repeat the already-quoted passage from the May 1890 issue:
"the years following, to 1876, were years of continued growth in
grace and knowledge .. We progressed from our first crude and
indefinite ideas of restitution to clearer understanding of the
details, God's due time for clearer light not having come until
1874."
and now the material from the July 15, 1906 issue on pages 229-230:
"The years following, to 1876, were years of continued growth in
grace and knowledge .. We progressed from our first crude and
indefinite ideas of restitution to clearer understanding of the
details; but God's due time for the clear light had not yet come."
So, while in 1890 Russell claimed that clearer light had come in
1874, in 1906 he stated that clear light was not yet due even in
1876. Of course, the reason for the change is that Russell, by 1906,
already had to amend so many of his earlier prophecies (their time
having passed without anything happening) that he could hardly claim
the divinely-provided interpretive light had been clear 32 years
earlier.
But while doing , Russell - a very able writer - willingly and
readingly dropped the implication that "The Object and Manner of Our
Lord's Return" was written earlier than 1876. The need to lie about
it had passed, or had been subordinated to the need to give the
impression that he had not been making a variety of failed
predictions for 27 years even after God had thrown new light on the
scriptures!
A further ten years on, Russell again tells the story (he believed in
recycling his writings to fill up his books and magazines) on page
171 of the June 1, 1916 issue of "The Watch Tower and Herald of
Christ's Presence". The text is basically as for 1906, with "the"
omitted from in front of "clear light".
Shortly after Russell died, the magazine included a long and
eulogistic telling of Russell's life (entitled "Biography") in its
December 1, 1916 issue, stating on page 357:
"Between 1872-6 he discovered that the Scriptures clearly teach that
the Lord would not return in a body of flesh, but would return as a
spirit being, invisible to human eyes, and that His second presence
was due in the autumn of 1874. This led to the publishing of a
booklet entitled, 'The Object and Manner of Our Lord's Return,' which
had a phenomenal circulation."
This would hardly have been the way to express things if "The Object
and Manner of Our Lord's Return" had been published in 1873. Or in
1874. Or in 1875. Or even in very early 1876! The tract could not
have been published until it had been written in full, and it could
not have been written in ful until his discoveries were over (in
1876).
As an aside, the above Biography was not the only one published by
the Watchtower. In 1919 they produced another - a whole booklet
devoted to Russell - entitled "The Messenger of Laodicea". From 1923
through to 1927, each annual edition of Russell's first seminal work
"The Divine Plan of the Ages" (Volume I of the Studies in the
Scriptures) included a biography of him on pages 1-30. Curious then
is this statement from the 1959 official JW history book, "Jehovah's
Witnesses in the Divine Purpose", on page 63:
"'But, is it true you have never published a biography of Pastor
Russell? John: That's right. Jehovah's witnesses admire the qualities
he possessed as a man, but were we to give the honor and credit to
Pastor Russell, we would be saying that the works and success were
his; but Jehovah's witnesses believe it is God's spirit that guides
and directs his people."
With characteristic slyness, the Watchtower present the above "facts"
as being a conversation between two admittedly fictional JWs, thereby
attempting to disclaim responsibility for its truth!
Returning to our main theme - in the next year, 1917, the truth was
really told, in "The Finished Mystery", on pages 386-7:
"1878 - the year in which the clergy were cast off as representatives
of the Divine Word, and when Pastor Russell began his work by the
publication of 50,000 copies of Object and Manner of the Lord's
Return. In 1878 the stewardship of the things of God, the teaching of
Bible truths, was taken from the clergy, unfaithful to their age long
stewardship, and given to Pastor Russell."
The Watchtower slipped up again in 1921 (five years after Russell
died) and gave the game away, when in "The Harp of God" they admitted
on page 238 that the writing of "The Object and Manner of Our Lord's
Return" occurred no earlier than 1875, or more probably 1876:
"About 1875, while carefully and prayerfully studying the Scriptures,
he became convinced of the Lord's second presence, resulting in his
writing and publishing a booklet entitled, 'The Object and Manner of
Our Lord's Return,' which had a phenomenal circulation amongst the
Christian people of the world."
The above suggested that 1876 was the year of writing the pamphlet.
This fits in well with Russell's having encountered Barbour's work in
January 1876, as he admitted in the quote from the magazine of July
15, 1906 given above.
And the 1930-1960 Watchtower Publications Index gives the whole game
away and lists the publication date for "The Object and Manner of Our
Lord's Return" as 1877.
On the strength of all the above information, the reader can see that
the evidence that the tract was written after Russell had read the
"Herald of the Morning" in January 1876 is overwhelming. Whether he
wrote it in 1876 or 1877 is irrelevant: it was published in 1877.
But there is even more proof that the 1873 date for the tract is a
false one.
Unfortunately for the Watchtower, many copies of "The Object and
Manner of Our Lord's Return" have survived to the modern day.
They all - without exception - bear the publication date of 1877, and
there is no reference whatsoever to any earlier date of publication
or printing, or that it is a second or later impression, a revision,
a reprint, a re-release or anything of the sort. They all have
"ROCHESTER, N.Y. OFFICE OF HERALD OF THE MORNING 1877" on their front
and "Those who may wish to obtain this pamphlet, for distribution or
sale, should address order to 'The Herald of the Morning,' Rochester,
N.Y." on their back.
Attempts to get any data supporting an 1873 or even 1874 date from
the Watchtower International Headquarters in Brooklyn is met with
stony and total silence, and no copy at all of the booklet is
maintained in any Watchtower library open to Witnesses - other than
those at the very highest levels of the Society. The textual content
of the pamphlet is not the reason for this censorship - I have caused
it to be placed on the internet, and it is decades out of copyright.
The reason is that the Watchtower does not have any copies of "The
Object and Manner of Our Lord's Return" besides the ones dated after
1876. Just one single example would prove the Watchtower's case. But
- - - - none ever existed.
Since the Watchtower is the one repeatedly making the bold assertion
of an 1873 date, it can be seen to be an outright and deliberate lie.
The careful separation of the component statements by 86 pages in the
1993 history book, and the deliberately non-chronological telling of
the story on page 133 thereof, are like a smoking gun. The motive for
this shameful distortion is obvious: to give Russell an air of
inspiration, and to hide the plain fact that he borrowed another
man's cover-up and built it into an empire - ruled by an invisible
Jesus but a very visible Russell!
So the much-repeated Watchtower claim that the "The Object and Manner
of Our Lord's Return" tract was published in 1873 or 1874 has been
shown to be a bare-faced lie.
LIE NUMBER TWO
The established facts are that in 1877 Russell joined Barbour in a
business capacity, and worked with him for several years, managing
the financial side of the publishing business as well as
participating editorially as an assistant. He provided financial
backing for the paper.
Poor naive Barbour! With the subscription list in his possession,
Russell then broke away in the summer of 1879, allegedly because he
could not agree with Barbour over the atonement. Russell took with
him the other assistant editor, J.H.Paton, and many of the readers,
and began publishing his own magazine, with basically the same
contents and message. He kept to the proven formula: 1799 as the
start of the time of the end, and 1874 marking Christ's invisible
return, and a whole host of Adventist Millennial doctrines. The
magazine he called "Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's
Presence", the direct ancestor of "The Watchtower" of today.
No longer was there a "partner" with whom to share the sizeable
profits.
Paton's role was but one of contributor, and he later fell out with
Russell over the ransom teaching. The Watchtower under Russell never
varied from this borrowed (as shown above) creed, that Jesus had
returned invisibly in 1874. In fact, this same doctrine was held
forth for many years, until Russell's death. This appears in the
foreword to "The Time Is At Hand", second of Russell's six volume
"Studies In Scriptures" series, in its 1916 edition on page ii:
"The Bible chronology therein presented show that the six great 1000
year days beginning with Adam are ended, and that the great 7th Day,
the 1000 years of Christ's Reign, began in 1873."
And in an article printed just a month before Russell died, the
following appeared (in "The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's
Presence", September 1, 1916 page 264):
We see no reason to question the date, October, 1874, as the
beginning of the Harvest time and the parallel to the time when Jesus
began His ministry in the Harvest time of the Jewish Age.
Russell never wavered from this. His works include over four hundred
explicit references to the year "1874"! Even after Russell died in
1916, the teaching of the invisible return in 1874 was strictly
followed, as we can see from the following quotes, the first being
from the abovementioned eulogistic biography of Russell:
"Pastor Russell adhered closely to the teachings of the Scriptures.
He believed and taught that we are living in the time of the second
presence of our Lord, and that His presence dates from 1874; that
since that time we have been living in the 'time of the end' - the
'end of the Age,' during which the Lord has been conducting His
greatHarvest work; that, in harmony with the Lord's own statement,
this
Harvest work is separating true Christians designated as 'wheat,'
from merely professing Christians, designated as 'tares,' and
gathering the true saints into the Kingdom of the Lord. It is here
interesting to note that Jesus said, 'Who then is a faithful and wise
servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over His Household, to give
them meat in due season?"
"The Finished Mystery", 1917, made over twenty references to 1874 as
marking the date of Christ's second coming, and, on page 68, states
that:
"Some of the Scriptures, which, when understood in their connections
and significance, prove that the Lord's Second Advent occurred in the
fall of 1874 are as follows:"
This was followed over the next three pages by an astounding
eighty-eight
(!) scriptural "proofs" that the Watchtower is correct in saying
Christ returned in 1874!
1874, while still a central plank of Watchtower eschatology, was not
pushed quite as hard for the next few years. For example, in
"Millions Now Living Will Never Die", 1920, the only reference to
1874 in its 128 pages is a quote on page 28 from the Jewish
Enclopedia which states:
"Lord Beaconsfield, a Jew, came into power in 1874. As Premier of
Great Britain Beaconsfield sent the English fleet into the
Dardanelles and brought Indian troops to Malta and made a
demonstration against Russia. She yielded and agreed to a discussion
of the whole affair at Berlin. Accordingly from June 13 to July 13,
1878, the Berlin Congress was held. Beaconsfield compelled Russia to
greatly modify her treaty. Turkey was enfranchised and made
independent, but upon condition that civil and religious rights be
granted to the Jews."
But this is because a new "key" date, 1925 (though for something
quite different) had to be emphasized. This omission was more than
made up for in "The Harp of God", 1921, where on pages 229-30, 234-5,
237 and 241 appeared the amazing:
"The most important thing to which all the prophecies point and for
which the apostles looked forward has been the second coming of the
Lord. It is described by the Prophet as a blessed time. Daniel then
says: 'Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three
hundred and five and thirty days.' (Daniel 12:12). The watchers here,
without question are those who were instructed by the Lord to watch
for his return. This date, therefore, when understood, would
certainly fix the time when the Lord is due at his second appearing.
Applying the same rule, then, of a day for a year, 1335 days after
539 A.D. brings us to A.D. 1874, at which time, according to Biblical
chronology, the Lord's second presence is due.. The harmony of the
ten primary Bible teachings .. It was in the year 1874, the date of
our Lord's second presence that the first labor organization in the
world was created. From that time forward, there has been a marvelous
increase of light, and the inventions and discoveries have been too
numerous for us to mention all of them here, but mention is made of
some of those that have come to light since 1874, as further evidence
of the Lord's presence since that date, as follows: Adding machines,
aeroplanes, aluminum, antiseptic surgery, artificial dyes, automatic
couplers, automobiles, barbed wire, bicycles, carborundum, cash
registers, celluloid, correspondence schools, cream separators,
Darkest Africa, disk plows, Divine Plan of the Ages, dynamite,
electric railways, electric welding, escalators, fireless cookers,
gas engines, harvesting machines, illuminating gas, induction motors,
linotypes, match machines, monotypes, motion pictures, North Pole,
Panama Canal, pasteurization, radium, railway signals, Roentgen Rays,
shoe-sewing machines, skyscrapers, smokeless powder, South Pole,
submarines, subways, talking machines, telephones, television,
typewriters, vacuum cleaners, and wireless telegraphy.. We mark a
wonderful fulfillment of this statement of the Lord as further
corroborative proof of the Lord's second presence from 1874 forward..
The great work of the harvest, that is to say, the proclaiming of the
second presence of the Lord and the gathering together of those who
truly love his appearing, has been so remarkably fulfilled since 1874
that it is one of the most striking and conclusive proofs of the
Lord's second presence."
"The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence", March 1 1922,
pages 67-8 contained:
"The fact of our Lord's second coming is definitely settled by the
Scriptures.. The Scriptures show that his second presence was due in
1874.. This proof shows that the Lord has been present since 1874 ..
The indisputable facts, therefore, show that the 'time of the end'
began in 1799; that the Lord's second presence began in 1874; that
the harvest followed thereafter and greater light has come upon the
Word of God"
In the September 15, 1922 issue of the same magazine, on page 278
appeared:
"No one can properly understand the work of God at this present time
who does not realize that since 1874, the time of the Lord's return
in power, there has been a complete change in God's operations."
"The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence", November 1 1922,
on pages 333 and 346 was even bolder:
"Bible prophecy shows that the Lord was due to appear for the second
time in 1874. Fulfilled prophecy shows beyond a doubt that he did
appear in 1874. Fulfilled prophecy is otherwise designated the
physical facts; and these facts are indisputable. All true watchers
are familiar with these facts, as set forth in the Scriptures and
explained in the interpretation by the Lord's special servant.. Since
he has been present from 1874, it follows, from the facts as we now
see them, that the period from 1874 to 1914 is the day of
preparation.. Since 1874 the King of glory has been present; and
during that time he has conducted a harvest and has gathered unto
himself the temple class.. The importance of the message of the
kingdom cannot be overstated. It is the message of all messages. It
is the message of the hour. It is incumbent upon those who are the
Lord's to declare it. The kingdom of heaven is at hand; the King
reigns; Satan's empire is falling; millions now living will never
die. Do you believe it? Do you believe that the King of glory is
present, and has been since 1874? Do you believe that during that
time he has conducted his harvest work? Do you believe that he has
had during that time a faithful and wise servant through whom he
directed his work and the feeding of the household of faith? Do you
believe that the Lord is now in his temple, judging the nations of
earth? Do you believe that the King of glory has begun his reign?
Then back to the field, O ye sons of the most high God! Gird on your
armor! Be sober, be vigilant, be active, be brave. Be faithful and
true witnesses for the Lord. Go forward in the fight until every
vestige of Babylon lies desolate. Herald the message far and wide.
The world must know that Jehovah is God and that Jesus Christ is King
of kings and Lord of lords. This is the day of all days. Behold, the
King reigns! You are his publicity agents. Therefore advertise,
advertise, advertise, the King and his kingdom."
"The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence", January 1 1924,
page 5 stated:
"Surely there is not the slightest room for doubt in the mind of a
truly consecrated child of God that the Lord Jesus is present and has
been since 1874."
"The Golden Age", March 25 1925, said on page 407:
"The Truth that The Golden Age stands for is that Christ Jesus
returned to earth in 1874."
"Creation", 1927 edition, included on pages 120-1, 289-298:
"The second presence of Christ dates from about 1874. From that time
forward many of the truths long obscured by the enemy began to be
restored to the honest Christian. As William Tyndale was used to
bring the Bible to the attention of the people, so the Lord used
Charles T. Russell to bring to the attention of the people an
understanding of the Bible, particularly of those truths that had
been taken away by the machinations of the Devil and his agencies.
Because it was the Lord's due time to restore these truths he used
Charles T. Russell to write and publish books known as Studies in the
Scriptures by which the great fundamental truths of the divine plan
are clarified.. The Scriptural proof is that the period of his
presence and the day of God's preparation is a period from 1874 A.D.
forward. The second coming of the Lord, therefore, began in 1874; and
that date and the years 1914 and 1918 are specially marked dates with
reference to his coming.. Twelve hundred and sixty years from 539
A.D. brings us to 1799, which is another proof that 1799 definitely
marks the beginning of 'the time of the end'. This also shows that it
is from the date 539 A.D. that the other prophetic days of Daniel
must be counted.. From shortly after 1799, the date of the beginning
of 'the time of the end,' we should expect to find an increase of
knowledge, particularly with reference to the Bible.. There are two
important dates here that we must not confuse, but clearly
differentiate; namely, the beginning of 'the time of the end' and the
beginning of the presence of the Lord. 'The time of the end' embraces
a period from 1799 A.D. to the time of the complete overthrow of
Satan's empire and the establishment of the kingdom of the Messiah.
The time of the Lord's second presence dates from 1874 and is during
the latter part of the period known as 'the time of the end'."
In the foreword on page 4 of the 1927 edition of "The Divine Plan of
The Ages" appeared:
"Charles Taze Russell .. Like other Christians he was looking for the
second coming of Christ. Between 1872-6 he discovered that the
Scriptures clearly teach that the Lord would not return in a body of
flesh, but would return as a spirit being, invisible to human eyes,
and that his second presence was due in the autumn of 1874"
"The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence", February 15 1927,
said on page 54:
"The proof is quite clear and convincing that the second presence of
our Lord dates from 1874, and that from that time forward the Lord
Jesus has been gathering together those who have made a covenant with
the Lord God by sacrifice."
"Prophecy", 1929, pages 65-6 stated:
"The Scriptural proof is that the second presence of the Lord Jesus
Christ began in 1874 A.D.. This proof is specifically set out in the
booklet entitled Our Lord's Return."
We can therefore see that from the very start, through to the death
of Russell in 1916 and for 13 years thereafter, 1874 was consistently
taught by the Watchtower to be the date of Christ's return, or second
presence. During the later, more authoritarian period of Russell's
presidency of the Society, and that of his successor "Judge" J.F.
Rutherford (who was always dictatorial), any deviation therefrom
would have been viewed as traitorous, heretical apostasy, punishable
by excommunication ("disfellowshipping").
The first reference to 1914 and not 1874 as marking Christ's second
presence or coming was in 1930, where on page 503 of "The Golden
Age", May 14 1930, appeared:
"Jesus has been present since 1914"
This was presented without explanation - indeed, any explanation
would have had to say that the new date 1914 contradicted over fifty
years of Watchtower teaching on an absolutely vital doctrinal point!
Of course, the real reason for the change was that nothing relevant
had happened in the 56 years since 1874, so a more recent date was
needed... The same issue also moved the date of the "beginning of the
last days" from 1799 to 1914.
The Watchtower pendulum swung back, though, when in "Creation", 1939
edition, page 310, there appeared:
"The Scriptural proof is that the period of his presence and the day
of God's preparation is a period from 1874 A.D. forward. The second
coming of the Lord, therefore, began in 1874; and that date and the
years 1914 and 1918 are specially marked dates with reference to his
coming."
And it was not until 4 years later that they decided how to play it!
"The Truth Shall Make You Free", 1943, page 300, contained:
"Jesus came to the Kingdom in A.D. 1914, but unseen to men."
And in 1944, "The Kingdom Is at Hand" confirmed this 180-degree
tacking in Watchtower teaching. 1799 and 1874, taught for over fifty
years to be the cornerstone of reliable scriptural chronology by the
Watchtower, were now entirely discarded without apology or shame!
1 Corinthians 14:33 teaches:
"For God is not the author of confusion .."
While the Watchtower has from time to time been compelled in its
revisionist history books to admit that there was a change (of
course, they make it out as being a minor adjustment - after all,
that for forty years Watchtower followers believed that Lord Jesus
Christ was present, when the Watchtower later said he was not, was
just a mere trifle!), every now and again it makes statements which
present a very different view. Invariably, the Watchtower commits
this deceit to show that what it now says was the significance of
1914 was also what it said then, i.e. prior to 1914.
These oft-made claims by the Watchtower that prior to 1914, the year
World War I broke out, "they" were looking forward to 1914 for the
return of Christ are clearly, in the light of the proof presented
above, seen to be entirely false and deceitful. During the entire
period from 1879 to 1930, and at least once later, the official
teaching had been that Christ had already returned invisibly in 1874.
Here follow a half dozen examples of this type of outright lie
(emboldening is by myself and is dor emphasis only). "The
Watchtower", June 15 1954, page 370, states:
"The Revelation of Jesus Christ .. Why, then, do the nations not
realize and accept the approach of this climax of judgment? It is
because they have not heeded the world-wide advertising of Christ's
return and his second presence. Since long before World War I
Jehovah's witnesses pointed to 1914 as the time for this great event
to occur."
"The Watchtower", February 1 1961, page 78 states:
"SIGN OF CHRIST'S PRESENCE .. Yes, it is high time to awake from the
gloomy darkness that envelops the old world system, including its
religious organizations, and to enjoy the refreshing light of truth.
It is already over forty years since the manifold sign of Jesus'
second coming began to be observed with the outbreak of World War I
in 1914."
"The Watchtower", July 15 1965, page 428 states:
"Jehovah's Advancing Organization .. As we look back over the years,
we can clearly see how God's organization in modern times has
progressed in understanding. For example, it learned that Christ's
second presence was to be in the spirit, and not in the flesh as many
professed Christians believe. His rule would be from the heavens.
This was a new revelation of great importance to God's people who had
been anxiously awaiting his second presence toward the end of the
nineteenth century."
"The Watchtower", April Fool's Day 1984, page 16 states:
"That year 1914 - what of it? .. Today, Jehovah's Witnesses point to
the 'sign' given by Jesus and look back upon 1914 as the year when
his invisible presence in Kingdom power became a reality. But how
could they have had advance knowledge of such a momentous event? Not
because of extraordinary human wisdom. No, but because they have
prayerfully studied the Scriptures, heeded God's prophetic word and
paid more than usual attention to what God's Son foretold."
"Jehovah's Witnesses Unitedly Doing God's Will Worldwide", 1986,
states on page 8:
"Russell and his associates also saw that Christ's presence was to be
invisible, in spirit. The Gentile Times, during which period God's
sovereignty was not being expressed through any government on the
earth, were to end in 1914. Then God's Kingdom would be established
in heaven. These teachings are identified with Jehovah's Witnesses
today. Russell and his companions announced these truths far and wide
by talks and printed page."
"Awake!". March 22 1993, stated on page 10:
"Why Such Eager Expectation of the New World? .. How Near? .. If you
are inclined to dismiss all of this as pie in the sky, too good to be
true, pause again and reflect. In addition to the features of the
composite sign of Christ Jesus' presence, there is Bible chronology
that pointed to 1914 as the beginning of his presence. Jehovah's
Witnesses published the date 1914 as a significant year in the
development of Jehovah's Kingdom rule of the earth, doing so in the
Watch Tower magazine of July 1879."
This last quote is double deception, as not only was there no
reference to 1914 until the December 1879 issue, but it was 1874 not
1914 that was taught as marking the date of Christ's presence by the
Watchtower at all times from 1879 to 1930, and then on and off until
1943. 1914 was given a wholly different significance.
These are all LIES as they imply or state that the Watchtower was
teaching prior to 1914 that one should be looking forward to Christ's
second coming in that year, while in fact the Watchtower had
consistently taught until 1930 that the said event had already
occurred in 1874!
SO, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE LIES?
"The Watchtower", October 1 1959, page 607 admits:
"Regardless of who may write certain articles, they are checked
carefully by members of the governing body before they are published;
so they are properly viewed as coming from the Society."
Of course, since 1930 the Watchtower has quietly replaced 1874 with
1914 (which previously had been given a very different significance,
as marking the very end of Armageddon) as the date of Christ's
presence. Which means that from 1879 through the first 35 years of
its existence, the Watchtower Society had been falsely proclaiming
that Jesus had already returned.
Matthew 24:23-7 has something to say about people who make precisely
such claims:
"Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there;
believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false
prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if
it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have
told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is
in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers;
believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and
shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of
man be."
We therefore see that even by their own admission, the Watchtower was
a "false prophet" and is not to be believed.
Let us move on to other Watchtower deception. In "Reasoning From The
Scriptures", 1985/9, on page 202, we find:
Are Jehovah's Witnesses a Cult? .. Jehovah's Witnesses are not an
offshoot of some church"
If you need to, read once again the origins of the Watchtower
movement at the start of this essay, and you will see that the above
statement is most deceitful!
And to me, the "secret chambers" where Christ is not to be found
according to the gospel of Matthew sounds very much like a reference
to an "invisible place" where the Watchtower taught from 1879 that
Jesus has been hidden since 1874 (date revised to 1914 in 1930,
confirmed after some wavering in 1943).
HYPOCRISY
So we have seen how unstable, unsure and untrustworthy are the
promises and predictions of the Watchtower, which have failed time
and again. Why let yourself be carried along with them in a steadily
downward course to ultimate disaster due to rejecting God's will?
God's prophetic Word has not failed. Time has confirmed its
truthfulness, its unerring accuracy.
So who do you think the Watchtower was speaking about when, in "The
Watchtower" of February 1, 1971 on page 69, they published the same
words:
"Men of this world offer you nothing stable, nothing sure. Their
promises and predictions of better things have failed time and again.
Why let yourself be carried along with them in a steadily downward
course to ultimate disaster due to rejecting God's will? God's
prophetic Word has not failed. Time has confirmed its truthfulness,
its unerring accuracy."
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Clearly, they were warning hapless jWs about listening to their own
self-styled "Mother" Organization, guilty as it was of each and every
accusation levelled therein! That article went on to say:
"The generation that saw the start of the time of distress that began
in 1914 is now dwindling in numbers. Before it passes off the scene
the prophesied 'great tribulation' will come. You can be among the
joyful survivors, experience deliverance from a world system that has
proved oppressive, unworkable and death dealing."
Well, this generation has given the Watchtower a few headaches. From
the 1930s for two decades, the teaching had been that individuals
would have had to be at least 30 years old (the statement was much
vaguer) in 1914 to qualify as being part of that generation, as they
had to view the events of 1914 with maturity. This meant they had to
have been born earlier than 1885. There were only minor adjustments
to this dogma until 1968, when the age requirement in 1914 was
reduced to 15 years (clearly mature enough, in the view of the
Watchtower). This provided a breathing space, as now everyone born
before 1900 qualified, and there a lot more of such people (the
1885'ers were 83 years old or older). But time ticked on, so ten
years later the elastic generation was stretched a little bit more -
so that anyone older than a baby at the time of World War I
(1914-1918) qualified. This meant that everyone born before 1914
qualified. This seemed too much to be able to justify, so, probably
heartened by demographic data showing that in some parts of the
world, people were living much longer, the stretchable generation was
in 1980 compressed by the Watchtower and now only those at least 10
years old in 1914 would qualify - so everyone born before 1905 would
qualify. Time continued to pass, though, and four years later a
considerable extension was given, so that babies born during World
War I would have been OK - so everyone born before 1919 would
qualify. A generation was now a definite number of years.. But, this
would have included people in the generation of 1914 who had not even
been born three years after 1914, so a further adjustment had to be
made in 1988, when the simplest interpretation was used: "all those
alive in 1914". In summary:
YEAR OF TEACHING DATE OF BIRTH BEFORE (IN ORDER TO QUALIFY)
1931-1951 1885 (approx)
1952-1967 1882 (approx)
1968-1977 1800
1978-1979 1914
1980-1983 1905
1984-1987 1919
1988-1994 1915
But sure enough, and true to form, the Watchtower finally quietly
dropped even the above teaching that the generation that saw the
start of the time of distress that began in 1914 would not pass away
before Armageddon. They did this by redefining the word "generation":
"The generation that saw the start of the time of distress that began
in 1914" simply became "the generation of 1914" and by the new
definition of "generation", that could include people who had not
even been born in 1914:
"Rather than provide a rule for measuring time, the term 'generation'
as used by Jesus refers principally to contemporary people of a
certain historical period, with their identifying characteristics."
This bit of creative wordplay is found in the November 1, 1995 issue
of "The Watchtower", justified in an article on page 16 that
stretches for FIVE whole pages and contains many, many leaps of
fantasy.
The title of the article, however, is very apt indeed.
It is: "A Time To Keep Awake"
And I agree. It is most surely a time to keep awake. If you do not
keep very awake and alert, you will be tricked by those masters of
lying and deceit, the Jehovah's Witnesses and their Watchtower Bible
& Tract Society.
Is it a coincidence that if you look up "JEHOVAH" in their earlier
Bible Encyclopedia "Aid To Bible Understanding", you find the entry
on page number:
666 ?
Revelation 13:11-18 says:
"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had
two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth
all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth
and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly
wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire
come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth
them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he
had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell
on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had
the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life
unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both
speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the
beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great,
rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand,
or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he
that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his
name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the
number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is
Six hundred and sixty six."
The number of Jehovah-of-the-Watchtower sure is 666 - and the jWs are
"a people for his name". For:
**********************************************************************
The Watchtower Society and the Jehovah's Witnesses Cult is an
embodiment of SPIRITUAL PORNOGRAPHY, a WOLFISH TRICK, a MOST FILTHY
LIE, a CHEAT, a SCAM, a DISGUSTING ABOMINATION, a BLASPHEMOUS INSULT,
a WICKED FRAUD, a DISGRACE, a SCANDAL - and a DAMNED OUTRAGE from
start to finish. Why argue about it?
**********************************************************************
And on the third day, God said:
"Let there be div(D)=Pf, div(B)=0, curl(E)=-dB/dt,
curl(H)=jf+dD/dt."
And there was light."
Love
Prominent Bethelite.
Examples of FINE SPIRITUAL FOOD AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME FROM "THE
SLAVE":
"We need not here repeat the evidences that the 'seventh trump' began
its sounding in A.D. 1840, and will continue until the end of the
time of trouble" {WT Nov 1880 p1}; "masturbation is no mere innocent
pastime but rather a practice that can lead to homosexual acts" {WT
May 15 1970 p315; also WT Oct 1 1970 p604}; "If heaven were made the
receptacle of the heathen, savages, barbarians, the idiotic, simple,
insane and INFANTS, it would cease to be heaven to a considerable
extent, and become a pandemonium .. billions of ignorant, imbecile
and degraded .. never formed characters [not] fit companions for
saints" {WT Oct 15 1896 p245} Fine JW Wisdom!!
- - -------------------------------------------------------------------
LIST OF AMAZING JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES' CLAIMS, BELIEFS & PREDICTIONS
Prepared by MYSELF may be found at the following websites:-
http://www.intrex.net/tallyman/the_list.html
http://www.freeminds.org/history/part1.htm
http://www1.tip.nl/~t661020/wtcitaten/part1.htm
http://localsonly.wilmington.net/jmalik/TheList.zip
http://www.concordance.com/watchtower.htm
It is FULLY IN ACCORDANCE with the teachings of the WATCHTOWER Bible
& Tract Society (WTBTS) for every member of JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES to
Carefully Study the LIST mentioned above, which comprises truly fine
scriptural food from its own publications. Remember the WTBTS told
you to confirm whether what was taught by the WTBTS was in harmony
with the Bible - and if not, not to circulate it {WT Mar 1 1894 repr
p1629}, to confirm WT teachings against the Bible {WT May 1 1934
p131}, to invite critical examination of your faith {WT Aug 15 1950
p263}, that, far from being wrong, it is your duty to examine
religion to see if it is true or false {WT Nov 15 1963 p688}, that
you should actively examine your own religion {The Truth That Leads
To Eternal Life 1968 p13, a WTBTS publication}, that you should check
and examine BOTH sides of a matter {Awake! Oct 22 1973 p6}, that your
religion was in no way afraid of being exposed to scrutiny {WT Aug 1
1978 p12}, that you should to be willing to submit everything to
scrutiny {Awake! Aug 22 1984 p22/28}, that you should not have a
closed mind {WT Nov 22 1984 p3-4}, that you should actively refer to
the older publications {WT Jun 15 1985 p12}, that all people are
encouraged to examine other religions and with an open mind {WT Apr 1
1991 p17} and that you are encouraged to exhibit freedom of thought
{Awake! Jun 8 1994 p21}. So, please follow this advice of the WTBTS,
and study that LIST very carefully. "You will know the Truth and the
Truth will set you free."(John 8:32). Fine advice indeed!
THE LIST IS PRODUCED IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO A RECENT REQUEST BY THE
WTBTS in {WT Dec 1 1990 p19}, where it quotes {WT Dec 15 1914
p377-8}: "If any one knows anything better, let him take it. If any
of you ever find anything better, we hope you will tell us." Kindly,
Prominent Bethelite has duly obliged. Having read it, if you find
the WTBTS has ever told falsehoods, follow the WTBTS advice clearly
given in {WT Dec 1 1991 p7} "A religion that teaches lies cannot be
true."; if you find the WTBTS has even made one false prophecy,
follow the WTBTS advice clearly given in {WT Feb 1 1992 p3} "Beware
of False Prophets!" - and cut yourself off from these Foul Cheats.
- - -- Revised and reposted with thanks by the Focus Organization ----
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R. L. Measures
Anonymous...@See.Comment.Header (Focus) wrote:
> NOTICE: It is verified that the usenet post below is signed by
> fo...@the.web
>
€ Interesting essay, History adjustment is a indeed a never-ending
endeavour.
³Oh what a tangled web we weave when at first we practice to deceive.² -
Sir Walter Scott
>
>
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> This is strictly for ADULTS ONLY, as there is Spiritual Pornography
> (i.e. quotes from the Beast of Revelation, and the Great Whore of
> Babylon) below.
>
>
> Jehovah's Witnesses / Watchtower *LIES* Exposed & Analyzed
> ----------------------------------------------------------
>
> The mid 1800s yielded lots of false prophesies and false prophets.
>
> Who Predicted . . . . . . . Prediction . . . . . . . Outcome
> Adventist William Miller . Return of Christ in 1843 Failed
> Adventist William Miller . Return of Christ in 1844 Failed
> George Storrs . . . . . . . Return of Christ in 1870 Failed
> Nelson H. Barbour . . . . . Return of Christ in 1873 Failed
> Nelson H. Barbour . . . . . Return of Christ in 1874 Failed
>
>...
--
Rich, 805-386-3734, www.vcnet.com/measures (radio)
www.vcnet.com/measures/library.html (org. religion)
Focus
fo...@the.web
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
This is strictly for ADULTS ONLY, as there is Spiritual Pornography
(i.e. quotes from the Beast of Revelation, and the Great Whore of
Babylon) below.
Jehovah's Witnesses / Watchtower *LIES* Exposed & Analyzed
----------------------------------------------------------
The mid 1800s yielded lots of false prophesies and false prophets.
Who Predicted . . . . . . . Prediction . . . . . . . Outcome
Adventist William Miller . Return of Christ in 1843 Failed
Adventist William Miller . Return of Christ in 1844 Failed
George Storrs . . . . . . . Return of Christ in 1870 Failed
Nelson H. Barbour . . . . . Return of Christ in 1873 Failed
Nelson H. Barbour . . . . . Return of Christ in 1874 Failed
Miller, originally a Baptist preacher, and his Millerites were
Focus
Focus
Focus
above. Always use cryptographic digital signatures to verify
the identity of the sender of any usenet post or e-mail.
Sarah Kanary
It has never ceased to amaze me how myopic some people can be. No one
stops to ask: "What is the motive"? Have Christians lost their
watchfulness so completely that they are uncomfortable when some make
sincere efforts to "Keep on the watch" as Jesus commanded? Are these
really "false prophecies" or just speculations?
If concern for "false prophecy" is the REAL motive, and not just
bigotry, then let's see just what a HUGE amount of "false prophets"
there are:
Have you ever walked into a Christian Bookstore lately? You will
notice on the shelf (you know, the one where they have all the books
that bash Jehovah's Witnesses for being "false prophets") that there
are a few curious titles. Check these out:
Y2K TidalWave-D.S. McAlvany
2000 A.D. -Are you Ready? -P&P Lalonde
2001 -Dr. Jack Van Impe
The Millenium Bug -Michael S. Hyatt
As Time Runs Out
Armageddon
Final Warning -all by Grant R. Jeffries
Y2K- Feldham
How Close are We? -D.Hunt
Foreshocks of the Anti-Christ- eclectic
Prophecy Watch -Ice & Demy
2000 A.D. & Predicting Christ's Return -Ice & Demy
Ice & Demy warn:"As speculation intensifies, we must return to the
teachings of Jesus to build a Christ-centered foundation for the
future."
So, it is "false prophecy" when JW's do it, but it is "speculation"
when others do it.
In 1990 Ron Rhodes wrote "Millenial Madness" for the Christian
Research Journal. In it he describes how the Christians in the year
999 A.D. feared the end also. Did he slam them? No, of course not,
they were god-fearing trinitarian Christians after all.
Were there others in the past? Yes, most certainly.
Early Church fathers Hilarianus and Hippolytus predicted the end in
500 A.D.(Paula Fredriksen-Tyconius and Augustine on the Apocalypse)
Irish Bishop James Ussher's prediction was for 1996.
Remember the booklet, "88 Reasons Why the Rapture will be in 1988" by
Edgar Whisenant?
The Father of Protestantism himself, Martin Luther taught Christ would
return by 1564.
In the 5th century, the Council of Ephesus decided the millenium had
already begun.
Joachim of Fiore(1135-1202) used the New Testament and the Trinity to
proclaim the coming of the anti-christ in 1260 A.D.
Hans Hut announced the end for 1528
Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa announced it for 1533
Melchior Hoffman announced it for 1593
Jan Matthys announced for 1534
John Wycliffe announced it for 1379
Cardinal Pierre d'Ailly announced it for 1789
Lavater announced it for 1795
Jean de Roquetaillade announced it for 1366
John Napier announced it for 1688 or 1700
Isaac Newton announced it for about another 90 years in his day
Richard Brothers announced it for 1795
Pat Robertson announced it for 2007(in a novel)
Elizabeth Claire Prophet announced it for 1989
Methodist Joanna Southcott(1750-1814 announced she was the Bride of
the Lamb and began to seal the 144,000
All you have to do is pick up a book called "Apocalypses(Eugen Weber)"
from your local book store and you will see how busy trinitarian
Christendom has been at picking dates in the past...and they are still
SPECULATING!
See also various books by Paula Fredriksen.
Does that mean that all Protestants or Lutherans are false prophets?
No, of course not, but they are by the reasoning of a certain few.
"We do not object to changing our opinions on any subject, or
discarding
former applications of prophecy, or any other scripture, when we see a
good
reason for the change,-in fact, it is important that we should be
willing to
unlearn errors and mere traditions, as to learn truth. . . . It is our
duty
to "'prove all things.'"-by the unerring Word,-"and hold fast to that
which is
good." -- "The Ten Virgins," Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's
Presence, October 1879.
"Nor would we have our writings reverenced or regarded as infallible,
or on a
par with the holy Scriptures. The most we claim or have ever claimed
for our
teachings is that they are what we believe to be harmonious
interpretations
of the divine Word, in harmony with the spirit of the truth. And we
still
urge, as in the past, that each reader study the subjects we present
in the
light of the Scriptures, proving all things by the Scriptures,
accepting what
they see to be thus approved, and rejecting all else. It is to this
end, to
enable the student to trace the subject in the divinely inspired
Record, that
we so freely intersperse both quotations and citations of the
Scriptures upon
which to build." -- "Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness," No.
2,
Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, 15 December 1896.
"Nevertheless, we are far from claiming any direct plenary
inspiration. . . .
A careful examination of the subject leads us to the conclusion that
the Lord
providentially shapes our course so as to give us such personal
experiences
in life as will bring us to his word for comfort and instruction in
righteousness; and thus he permits us to sympathize with the
experiences and
questionings of his people, and then present to them at appropriate
times the
lessons drawn from our own experiences, backed by the instructions and
comfort of the Scriptures." -- "Interesting Letters," Zion's Watch
Tower and
Herald of Christ's Presence, 15 July 1899.
"We are not prophesying; we are merely giving our surmises, the
Scriptural
basis for which is already in the hands of our readers in the six
volumes of
SCRIPTURE STUDIES. We do not even avow that there is no mistake in our
interpretation of prophesy and our calculations of chronology. We have
merely
laid these before you, leaving it for each to exercise his own faith
or doubt
in respect to them." -- "Views From the Watch Tower," Zion's Watch
Tower and
Herald of Christ's Presence, 1 January 1908
First-century Christians thought that Jesus was going to overthrow
Rome and rule as king immediately after his resurrection. (Acts 1:6)
They also thought that the apostle John would never die! (John
21:21-23)
What was the motive? Were they "false prophets"? No. Christians are
eagerly awaiting Christ's rulership to begin ruling over the earth and
cleanse it of all wickedness. They are also eager to obey Christ when
he tells them to "go preach, saying 'The Kingdom of the heavens has
drawn near.'" Sometimes a bit OVEReager. But, like Nathan, who was
so eager to have Jehovah's temple built that he told David to go ahead
and build it, we have accepted correction and humbled ourselves, even
as Nathan did when Jehovah told him to correct what he had said to
David, that David's son Solomon would build the temple, NOT David.
Did the temple, in fact, get built? Yes. Misunderstandings along the
way
did not prevent God's will from being accomplished.
So today. What is the motive of those overeager for God's Kingdom to
come,
as Christians have been taught to pray for centuries? They want God's
will
to be done! They are watchmen. What does a watchman do? He looks
all around from a high place (called a watchtower) and reports what he
sees. Poor light or distance may prevent him from seeing clearly at
first. If he sees something that maybe important, how long should he
wait before sounding an alarm? What if he's wrong? Should he worry
about what people will think? Okay, now he sees more clearly. He now
has more information, but he's still not sure of all the details.
Should he wait until the spears and arrows are coming over the walls
before he sounds the alarm? What good is a watchman then?
So today the watchmen are reporting what they see. Christ's return
and what
that means for mankind and the earth is a main concern of Christians.
This
return has occurred, right on time. And just as with Jesus' first
advent,
not all happened in the exact order that his followers expected. But
it
STILL happened. And, like his first advent, the very ones claiming to
be awaiting him have rejected him, preferring instead to glorify the
governments of men instead of the Kingdom for which Jesus taught us to
pray. They have failed to discern that Christ has "gone subduing in
the midst of his enemies." (Ps. 110:1-4)
Any who would belittle the sincere efforts of others to discern the
time of
Christ's inspection of his household are NOT really eager for that
inspection to take place, are they?
I would far rather take some ridicule than fail to be watchful, as
Jesus commanded his followers to be.
Peace to you and yours.
R. L. Measures
ska...@yahoo.com (Sarah Kanary) wrote:
> Anonymous...@See.Comment.Header (Focus) wrote in message
news:<KEBACT6S3725...@anonymous.poster>...
>
> It has never ceased to amaze me how myopic some people can be. No one
> stops to ask: "What is the motive"? Have Christians lost their
> watchfulness so completely that they are uncomfortable when some make
> sincere efforts to "Keep on the watch" as Jesus commanded? Are these
> really "false prophecies" or just speculations?
>
> If concern for "false prophecy" is the REAL motive, and not just
> bigotry, then let's see just what a HUGE amount of "false prophets"
> there are:
>
> Have you ever walked into a Christian Bookstore lately? You will
> notice on the shelf (you know, the one where they have all the books
> that bash Jehovah's Witnesses for being "false prophets") that there
> are a few curious titles. Check these out:
>
>...
€ The JWs had no less than six end of the world predictions that laid an
egg. Jesus reportedly said that he did not know the day and hour for the
End and that only the heavenly Father knew. He also said that anyone who
claimed to know was a false prophet.
Brother Nick
>Anonymous...@See.Comment.Header (Focus) wrote in message news:<KEBACT6S3725...@anonymous.poster>...
>
>
>So today the watchmen are reporting what they see. Christ's return
>and what
>that means for mankind and the earth is a main concern of Christians.
>This
>return has occurred, right on time.
You say He (Jesus) has returned, great well let's see Him. What's that
He's invisible you say, ha ha ha that's fucking hilarious, and oh yea
the emperor DOES have clothes on huh? You are all fools.
Brother Nick
Cheryl
bookstore, but it sure is a hell of a good book...
X-racer
"R. L. Measures" wrote:
> He also said that anyone who claimed to know was a false prophet.
Again R.L., you need to educate yourself with the differences of "claim to
know" and "keeping on the watch" - thus Watchtower - when observing the waves
of the sea on a gloomy night. Spiritually looking about the trends of the
seasons affecting the sea, thus affecting the Watchtower's warnings.
Another point is this prophecy regarding the "time of the end"
Proverbs 4:18-19
18 But the path of the righteous ones is like the bright light that is getting
lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established. 19 The way of the
wicked ones is like the gloom; they have not known at what they keep
stumbling.
The righteous ones are not always of light, but they progressively get the
light in greater clarity until the day is firmly established [known].
Compare the Watchtower's teaching with those publications you PAY for in
christian book stores.
Keep Sarah's point in mind about predictions that do not amount to the sin of
"claiming to know."
X-racer
______________________
The most reliable way to anticipate the future is by understanding the
present.
John Naisbitt - Introduction to Megatrends
R. L. Measures
> "R. L. Measures" wrote:
>
> > He also said that anyone who claimed to know was a false prophet.
>
> Again R.L., you need to educate yourself with the differences of "claim to
> know" and "keeping on the watch" - thus Watchtower - when observing the waves
> of the sea on a gloomy night. Spiritually looking about the trends of the
> seasons affecting the sea, thus affecting the Watchtower's warnings.
>
€ It sorta looks like the Watchtower believes its own bologna.
> Another point is this prophecy regarding the "time of the end"
>
> Proverbs 4:18-19
> 18 But the path of the righteous ones is like the bright light that is getting
> lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established. 19 The way of the
> wicked ones is like the gloom; they have not known at what they keep
> stumbling.
>
> The righteous ones are not always of light, but they progressively get the
> light in greater clarity until the day is firmly established [known].
>
> Compare the Watchtower's teaching with those publications you PAY for in
> christian book stores.
>
€ I do not.
> Keep Sarah's point in mind about predictions that do not amount to the sin of
> "claiming to know."
>
€ The Watchtower Society predicted 1914, 1915, 1918, 1925, 1942, and1975
as the end. These prophecies were obviously somewhat less than accurate.
cheers, Mr. X