Skip to main content

Watchtower Quiz: Are There Contradictions in the Bible?



In my last Watchtower Wednesday I pointed to an article on the Watchtower website in which they address this question of Bible accuracy. They offer seven principles by which to test the accuracy of a Bible translation. We will look at how the New World Translation, and Watchtower Society itself, stands up when put to their own test.


1. Context

Any author can appear to contradict himself if his words are taken out of context.’

You may know that Jehovah’s Witnesses insist Jehovah has an organisation. Yet Charles Russell solemnly warns his Bible students:

Beware of ‘organization.’ It is wholly unnecessary. The bible rules will be the onlyrules you will need. Do not seek to bind others’ consciences...and do not permit others to bind yours. Believe and obey as far as you can understand God’s Word today…’ (Watchtower, Sept.15, 1892, p.216)

...it is plain that the forming of a visible organisation of such gathered out ones would be out of harmony with the spirit of the divine plan…’ (Watchtower, Dec.1, 1894, p.384)

What context would make Russell mean the opposite of what he is saying here? He is, of course, contradicting the later Society that is obsessed with organisation and the type of control Russell warns against.


2. Viewpoint

Eyewitnesses might describe an event accurately but not use the exact same wording or include the same details.’

Is it just viewpoint that explains why the Watchtower Society originally taught that the ‘higher authorities’ of Ro.13:1 were the secular governments then, in Jehovah Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, 1959 [page 91], insisted those higher powers were God and Jesus only.

Then, in Jehovah’s Witnesses, Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom, pages 146-147 under the heading The Light Shines More and More they return to the original doctrine, even citing the earlier adjustment.

They didn’t point out that they were going back to the original teaching, but simply insisted this was an example of ‘progressive understanding.’ Are they simply saying the same thing but different simply because of the wording? Of course, they are changing their minds, being blown about by every wind of doctrine (Eph.4:14)


3. Historical Facts and Customs

Take into account historical facts and customs.’

1975! The Watchtower predicted the end of ‘this system of things’ in 1975. ‘STAY ALIVE TILL 75’ was the watchword for the Watchtower. This is an historical fact and the evidence is overwhelming. Faithful Witnesses delayed marrying, starting families, planning for the future in anticipation of this date that came...and went. In a Watchtower of March 15, 1980 the Society danced around the unfortunate confusion between ‘possibility’ and ‘probability,’ saying:

Unfortunately...along with...cautionary information, there were other statements published that implied that such realization of hopes by that year (1975) was more of a probability than a mere possibility.’

Who published those confident statements on the basis of which people rearranged their whole life plans to fit in with Jehovah’s plan? We all know the answer to that question.

4. Figurative and Literal

Distinguish between the figurative and the literal uses of a word.’

This is a good place to look at the 144,000 (Rev.7). The Society takes literally the text about the 144,000, making an unsupportable link with the ‘little flock’ of Luke 12:32. This link is snatched from thin air. Traditional church thinking is that the 144,000 are figurative of either the Israelites to be saved at the last day, or of the church as the Israel of God, comprising all peoples (Gal.3:28).

The Jehovah’s Witnesses make this number literal, comprising special anointed ones destined to rule from heaven with Christ. The great crowd later in Rev.7 and literally described as ‘standing before the throne and before the lamb’ they insist are only figuratively before the throne, only ‘within sight’ of the throne. It is not at all clear by what criteria they make this literal/figurative judgement unless it is to fit their preconceptions.

We do know Rev.7:15 clearly states this multitude ‘serve him day and night in his temple, or sanctuary,’ therefore they must be in heaven. Further, Rev.19:1 clearly describes a ‘great multitude in heaven.’ A good dictionary might come in handy to help the Society understand literal and figurative.

5. Attribution of Action

Recognize that an action may be attributed to someone—even if he did not personally carry it out.’

The Bible clearly attributes the creation to Jesus (John 1:3; Col.1:16) yet Genesis tells us ‘in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.’ God created everything, Jesus created everything. If Jesus created everything, how can God have created everything?

Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.’ (1 Cor.8:6, ESV)

...there is actually to us one God, the Father, from whom all things are and we for him, and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are and we through him.’ (NWT)

God is the source, Jesus the dynamic, through both all things came into existence.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.’ Heb.2:10)

In the same way, God is the source and Jesus the dynamic of our salvation, our new creation and adoption as sons of God. Both are equally, in both instances, responsible for creation and recreation. What does this make Jesus?

6. Accuracy

Use an accurate Bible translation.’

The New World Translation is the first complete translation designed specifically to support and agree with the Watchtower doctrine (see dogma below). The result is the indefensible introduction of the name Jehovah into the New Testament.

Theologian William Barclay concluded that "the deliberate distortion of truth by this sect is seen in the New Testament translation... It is abundantly clear that a sect which can translate the New Testament like that is intellectually dishonest."

Dr. J R. Mantey, co-author of the highly acclaimed Manual Greek Grammar of the Greek New Testament along with H. E. Dana, has made this comment in response to a question,

I would advise him to get a translation other than the NWT, because ninety-nine percent of the scholars of the world who know Greek and who have helped translate the Bible are in disagreement with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. People who are looking for the truth ought to know what the majority of the scholars really believe. They should not allow themselves to be misled by the Jehovah’s Witnesses.’

It has been estimated that as much as 20 percent of the NWT is seriously inaccurate. See more here.

7. Dogma

Avoid trying to reconcile what the Bible says with mistaken religious ideas or dogma.'

Where to start? Let’s pick just one JW dogma. Jehovah’s Witnesses are Unitarians, and perhaps we can respect that, although we profoundly disagree. However, they break their own rule on this issue all over the Bible. They add the word ‘other’ to Colossians 1:16 to make Jesus a created being instead of the one who created everything (cf John 1:3).

They add ‘a’ to John 1:1 to make Jesus less than ‘Almighty God,’ making Jesus ‘a god.’ In Zechariah 12:10 they completely mistranslate part of the text to make sure God isn’t ‘the one whom they have pierced,’ as the text plainly states.

Their Bible is dogma-driven through and through.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Obama's mother posthumously baptized into LDS Church - Salt Lake Tribune

In the wake of his remarkable success it seemed that the world and his wife wanted to claim President Obama as their own with even an Irish connection being dug up. Now the Mormons have got in on the act by posthumously baptising his mother. They have in the past upset the Jewish community, the Catholic Church and now the American President with this wacky and unbiblical practice but there is no indication that they will review it. And, of course, it is always someone else’s fault and they promise a thorough inquiry to uncover the real culprits. Maybe they should try looking in the mirror. President Barack Obama's mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, who died in 1995, was baptized posthumously into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints last year during her son's campaign, according to Salt Lake City-based researcher Helen Radkey. The ritual, known as “baptism for the dead,” was done June 4 in the Provo temple, and another LDS temple rite, known as the “endowment,” was

Mormon Christians? Whats in a Name?

The Mormon Church, disturbed by the continuing identifying of polygamus sects in the news with the name Mormon, recently issued a press statement aimed at "clarifying" issues. It is interesting to note that if you substitute the name "Christian" where they use the name "Mormon" it makes a very good argument for us against the claims of the Mormon Church. The full press release is reproduced below in italics with each paragraph rewritten in ordinary text to present it from a Christian perspective. SALT LAKE CITY 10 July 2008 On 26 June, Newsroom published a package of information featuring profiles of ordinary Latter-day Saints in Texas. With no other intention but to define themselves, these members provided a tangible depiction of what their faith is all about. They serve as the best distinction between the lifestyles and values of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Texas-based polygamous group that has recently attracted media attent

Who and Where are the 144,000?

  Last time we saw that only 144,000 have a heavenly hope. Where does that leave the rest of the millions of faithful Jehovah’s Witnesses, the great crowd? “ The key to the identification of the ‘great crowd’ is found within the description of them in Revelation chapter 7 .The vision there presented is concerning persons not in heaven, from where the 'New Jerusalem comes down,' but on earth, among mankind .If the ‘great crowd’ are persons who gain salvation and remain on earth, how could they be said to be 'standing before God's throne and before the Lamb?' (Re 7:9) The position of 'standing' is sometimes used in the Bible to indicate the holding of a favored or approved position in the eyes of the one in whose presence the individual or group stands .It thus appears that the "great crowd" is formed of those persons who have been preserved during that time of wrath and who have been able to "stand" as approved by God and the Lamb.” - I