For instance the Society makes a lot of fuss over the pagan roots of Christmas and Easter but according to the following quote shouldn't’t they make the same fuss over baptism?
The practice of baptism, however, predates the Christian faith. It was employed in Babylonia and in ancient Egypt, where the cold waters of the Nile were thought to bestow immortality. The Greeks also believed that baptism could bring regeneration or could procure immortality for the initiate. - The Watchtower, 1 April 1993, p.4.In mid 1990 the Society wrote the following:
Jesus warned his disciples not to speculate . . . Thus, the Bible is no supporter of any growing number of doomsday prophets and movements that point to the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve 1999, as the end of the world. - The Watchtower, 1 June 1990, p.7.This is very interesting in the light of what they said in January 1989.
The apostle Paul was spearheading the Christian missionary activity: He was also laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in our 20th century. - The Watchtower, 1 January 1989, p.12. [emphasis added].
Maybe this new position is why when the full 1989 bound copy of the Watchtower was produced there was a slight change to the above quote,
The apostle Paul was spearheading the Christian missionary activity: He was also laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in our day. - The Watchtower, 1 January 1989, p.12, bound year edition. [emphasis added].The fact that they did were teaching the original position, and it was not just some printining error, can be seen in the ollowing,
With confidence in the vision’s complete fulfillment, during the decades of this 20th century. - The Jehovah’s Witness Yearbook 1989, p.3 [emphasis added].How about the way they looked at the war - or shouldn't we mention that!
While World War II was escalating in all its fury, the president of the Watch Tower Society, on September 20, 1942, delivered . . . the speech . . . Therein, he showed from Revelation chapter 17 that, contrary to the expectation of many, World War II would not culminate in Armageddon. - The Watchtower, 1 October 1985, p.15 footnote.
Meantime the German people are awakening to their horrible predicament. They no longer laugh as decent men and women were made to laugh, but their faces are white, pinched and filled with forebodings of what the near future will bring and is already hastening to bring to them - Armageddon the battle of that great day of God Almighty. - Consolation, 29 October, 1941, p.11.
It is not so much what is said in the future about past events but what was said at the time? Clearly at the time the Society was suggesting that World War II was either Armageddon or
certainly leading to it. At the same time they don't mind editing their past!
Was that during the campaign “Millions Now Living Will Never Die”? . . . Yes, it was, and it was first sent out in 1918 even before Jehovah had come to his temple to judge his anointed. - Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, 1959, p.110.
In 1918, the final year of World War I, the astounding lecture “Millions Now Living May Never Die” was publicly delivered by J.F.Rutherford. - The Watchtower, 15 October 1985, p.19.
One little word can certainly mean a lot!
The Watchtower’s are full of Biblical references placed in brackets after a particular statement. They are there to show the reader that what is being said is Scriptural. It is worth looking these up, as on many occasions we find that the Bible denies the statement that the Watchtower has just made. Here are a couple of examples.:
Just as even hardened criminals need rehabilitation before being able to settle into the community without creating problems, so under God’s Kingdom, an extensive programme will help the subjects to be law-abiding. (Revelation 20:12,13) - The Watchtower 15 August 1989, p.7.
The problem comes when you read Revelation 20,12 & 13 and discover that when these people are resurrected they are judged according to their past deed,s those already written within the books. There is no opportunity given here for future rehabilitation.
Who will likely be the first ones to be resurrected . . . It would reasonably be the ‘other sheep’ who died during the last days preceding the end . . . They would probably have the least difficulty in adjusting themselves to the new world. - Cmp. Matt. 25:34; John 6:53,54. The Watchtower 15 August 1989, p.17.
Problems come again when you read John 6:53,54. The ‘other sheep’ do not partake of the Memorial Meal and therefore do not qualify to be resurrected according to these verses. Interestingly none of those supposed to be resurrected on earth fit these verses so who can be resurrected? According to the Watchtower’s interpretation of Scripture - nobody!
This checking of Scripture also needs to take place in their interpretation of the parable of the workers inn the vineyard in Matthew 20.
... the clergy of Christendom in this 20th century have, by reason of their positions and responsibilities, been ‘first’ to be hired for the work in God’s symbolic vineyard. They considered dedicated preachers as-sociated with the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society to be ‘the last’ ones to have any valid assignment in God’s ser-vice. But it is, in fact, these very ones who the clergy despised who received the denarius - the honor of serving as anointed ambassadors of God’s heavenly Kingdom. - The Watchtower, 15 August 1989, pp.8/9.
What theSociety has forgotten is that although the first group murmured they received the ame reward as the last ones. What a shock this must be to the leaders of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They should have checked the Scripture before they interpreted it in this way.
The Jehovah’s Witness will also delight in telling you that although they worship Jehovah they only give obeisance to Jesus thus showing that Jesus is lesser than Jehovah. The following quote gives the lie to that:
When the Gentile Cornelius bowed reverently to the apostle Peter, note what happened: ‘As Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet and did obeisance to him. But Peter lifted him up, saying: “Rise; I myself am also a man.”’(Acts 10:25,26) Bowing worshipfully to a human was improper, and Peter would not accept it. - The Watchtower 1 May, 1989, p.22 [emphasis added].
When we give obeisance to Jesus we are bowing worshipfully and if He were not God he should also tell us not to do it.
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