Our Friends the Jehovah's Witnesses (2005) - E. B. Price.pdf

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Contents
Preface ...........................................................................................................2
1. Working for Jehovah’s Witnesses .............................................................3
2. The Authority of the Watchtower Society .................................................4
3. The History of the Watchtower Society ....................................................5
4. False Prophecies ........................................................................................6
5. Altered and Discarded Teachings ..............................................................7
6. The 1914 and 1925 Dates ..........................................................................8
7. The 1975 Date ...........................................................................................9
8. Chronology .............................................................................................10
9. Christ’s Coming and the Parousia ...........................................................12
10. Christ’s Bodily Resurrection and Return ..............................................13
11. Man’s Condition in Death .....................................................................13
12. Salvation ...............................................................................................14
13. The 144,000 and the Great Crowd ........................................................14
14. The Millennium (Thousand Years) ....................................................... 15
15. The Trinity .............................................................................................16
16. The Trinity or Godhead .........................................................................17
17. The Divine Names ................................................................................18
18. Jesus is Lord ..........................................................................................19
19. The Deity of Jesus Christ ...................................................................... 20
20. The Cross or “Torture Stake” ................................................................21
21. The Commandments of God .................................................................22
22. The Sabbath of Jehovah ........................................................................23
23. The Society and Medical Procedures ....................................................24
24. Attitudes ................................................................................................25
25. Appendix ...............................................................................................26
Our Friends: The Jehovah’s Witnesses
Pastor E. Bruce Price
Email Address: ebprice@aapt.net.au
First Published in 1974
Twelfth Edition 2005
(Revised and Edited)
All Rights Reserved
ISBN 0646329502
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In the late 1920’s one of
Jehovah’s Witnesses, (then known as
International Bible Students) called
on my mother and began to share with
her the teachings of the Watchtower
Society. My mother was deeply
impressed with the sincerity and
zeal of this lady, but as time went by
doubts began to grow concerning this
organization.
The magazines and books which
the Society published during the past
fifty years had many false prophecies,
contradictory doctrines, altered and
even bizarre teachings.
The Society’s prophecies
concerning 1914, 1918, 1920, and
1925 had all failed to take place.
(Years later the 1975 prophecy would
be another to add to the list!)
The Society taught that
Christ’sReturn took place in 1874
then thedate was altered to 1914.
The Resurrection which was taught
to have taken place in 1878, had then
to be changed to 1918. The 1874 and
1878 dates had all been “proved”
by the “ pyramid prophecies ”. To
accommodate the new dates theSociety
changed the dimensions of theGreat
pyramid by adding to itspassages an
extra forty inches in thelater editions
of its books!
It had prophesied that in 1925
theKingdom would be set up on the
earthand Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
etc.would be resurrected to administer
it. The mansion “Beth Sarim” was
builtin California for them to occupy
eventhough the book The Way to
Paradise p. 225 had described how
Abrahamwould live and operate in
Jerusalem!
Finally my mother read in
thebook, Reconciliation page 14 that
thethrone of Jehovah God was on
one ofthe stars of the Pleiades, in the
MilkyWay. She then knew that she
wouldhave to look elsewhere to find
truth.
When a Seventh-day Adventist
called at her door she began a series
of Bible studies with them. Soon
sherealized that at last she had found
the Bible truth for which she had been
searching. She accepted Christ as her
personal Savior and was baptized.
For the rest of her life she worked
zealously to share with family and
friends Bible truth. She had no doubt
that the Adventists were the people
described in the last days just before
Christ’s Return: “...here are they that
keep the commandments of God and
the faith of Jesus. ” Revelation 14:12.
Although my mother never
joined the Jehovah’s Witnesses, she
never lost her love and concern for
them. From a small child she instilled
in mea burden to work with pen and
voice for these sincere and zealous
people.
It has been my joy to personally
witness the baptism of well over
200 of these people who have found
salvation in Jesus Christ and become
very happy and dedicated Seventh-
day Adventists.
The above quotations from their
own publications urge their people to
examine what they believe and find
the truth.
My prayer is that this publication
can be used to this end.
E. B. Price
March, 2005
Queensland, Australia
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Chapter 1
Working for Jehovah’s Witnesses
THE PEOPLE
Jehovah’s Witnesses are among
the most hard working and sincere of
all professed Christians. They are also
very knowledgeable of their teachings
and interpretations of the Bible which
they actively share.
DIFFICULTIES
Jehovah’s Witnesses are now
urged not to read any publications but
their own. After the 1975 date failure
a lot of literature was circulated about
the earlier false prophesies and errors
the Watchtower Society had made.
As a result about a million members
left. The reaction of the Society was
to stop its people reading the facts and
examining their organization.
Today, it is very difficult to get a
Witness to read such literature. They
might examine it if you are showing an
interest in their religion. Tell them you
have some literature that is stumbling
you and you need them to give you
some answers to the questions you
have found. They may then read it.
Some Witnesses have been won in this
way.
DOCTRINES TO TEACH
(These subjects will be dealt with more
fully in following chapters)
1. Salvation. Show how only those
who are “born again” can be saved and
that all the saved, go to heaven
2. Lord’s Supper/Memorial Service.
There is no resurrection or everlasting
life for those who do not eat and drink
the emblems of the Lord’s death.
3. Godhead. There are three Divine
Beings in heaven.
4. Holy Spirit Is a Divine personality
separate from the Father and Son.
5. Commandments of God. All the
commandments including the Sabbath
are to be kept.
6. Creation Days. They were periods
of 24 hours and not 7000 years.
7. Christ’s Return/Parousia did not
take place in 1874 or 1914 but is still
future.
8. Signs of Christ’s Return show it is
near not here.
9. Millennium “The rest of the dead”
of Rev.20:5 are not resurrected during
the 1000 years but at the end of it.
10. The New Jerusalem. It is a literal
city which comes down to this earth
and the wicked surround it before they
are destroyed by fire.
11. Chronology. The basis of the 1914
date is 19 years in error.
12. False Prophecies. Jesus warned
against false prophets in the last days.
13. Blood Transfusions. Show how
the Bible does not forbid them.
14. Organization. The body of Christ
has different gifts. Not all are ministers,
teachers etc.
OUR CHALLENGE
To every Seventh-day Adventist
there is a special challenge to help these
people because they are perishing with
Bibles in their hands!
Nearly all Jehovah’s Witnesses
today believe that they should not
be “born again”. (With their present
membership around 6,000,000, less
than 9,000 claim to be “born again”.)
This means they do not partake of the
emblems of the bread and wine at their
Memorial service each year.
However the Bible teaches in
John 3:3,5 that if a person is not “born
again” they can not enter into God’s
kingdom (whether it is in heaven or on
the earth!).
Furthermore, if one does not “eat
the flesh of the Son of man and drink
his blood” John 6:54 they will not be
resurrected and/or have everlasting
life.
Theirs is a serious plight. We
must help them!
SOUL WINNING METHODS
The most successful way is now
to speak directly to the Witness. Use
their bible and lovingly point out your
deep concern for their salvation. Show
them the errors of the Watchtower
Society’s teachings from their own
bible and literature. Show them how
they will be lost if they remain in this
organization.
THE WATCHTOWER SOCIETY
The Watchtower Society of
Jehovah’s Witnesses has had a very
unfortunate history. From its very
beginning it has been strewn with false
prophecies, doctrines and teachings
which have been repeatedly altered
and changed.
Some teachings have cost the
lives of their members. For instance:
Vaccinations were forbidden for over
twenty years, and many died. When
that was allowed, blood transfusions
were then forbidden. Many still die
each year because of this.
Yet despite all this, Jehovah’s
Witnesses have an almost unshakable
loyalty to their Society, and believe
that it is God’s only and true channel
of Truth for these last days.
ADVANTAGES
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in
the Bible and will accept it as the basis
of faith and doctrine.
They also already believe in
baptism by immersion, soul sleep, that
we are living in the last days and that
God will have a people who will keep
all his laws before being taken into the
“new world”.
They can only happily join an
organization that has high standards,
is growing, strongly evangelistic and
working in all the world.
When they become convinced of
the truth of the Seventh-day Adventist
church they will accept Jesus Christ
as their personal Savior and become
happy enthusiastic members. Many
groups and individual Witnesses have
done this world wide.
THE ADVENTIST ADVANTAGE
• An organization which is growing
nearly 4 times as fast as the JWs.
• Work in more places world wide
and have radio, TV and satellite
programs covering the globe.
• Have more avenues for their people
to work and witness, with personal
and public evangelism, welfare
work, hospitals, clinics, schools,
colleges, etc.
• Have many facilities for children.
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Chapter 2
The Authority of the Watchtower Society
Throughout the history of the
Watchtower Society, its presidents
and Governing Body have wielded
tremendous authority and control over
the members.
This has been accomplished by
this small select group claiming to be
the faithful and discreet slave class of
Matthew 24:45-47.
They not only claim to be “ God’s
Channel of Truth ” and “spokesmen”,
but have even boldly claimed being
“Jehovah’s Prophet” .
SUBMISSION
At all times members are
expected to be loyal to the Society and
submissive :
JEHOVAH’S PROPHET
In 1972, when the Society was
confident the End was coming in * 1975 ,
it made the outright claim that it was
“Jehovah’s Prophet”.
The Watchtower April 1, 1972
featured the article:
GOVERNING BODY
In Crisis of Conscience ( 1983 ) ,
Raymond Franz the author, who was a
former member of the Governing Body
explains:
“Jehovah’s Witnesses understand
that Christ Jesus, as Head of the
congregation, feeds and governs his
congregation by means of a “faithful
and discreet slave” class. This class
is now composed of a remnant of the
144,000 persons anointed as heirs of
Christ’s heavenly kingdom. But from
among such a class there is a small
number of men who act as a Governing
Body and perform all administrative
functions for the global congregation.”
Raymond Franz then describes
how the Governing Body performs “ all
the administrative functions for the
global congregation”, - thus controlling
the lives of Jehovah’s Witnesses
worldwide. He tells how it makes its
own laws and restrictions.
If its members do not conform
to them at the time they are cruelly
disfellowshipped. Often these laws after
doing untold damage to the members
are later rescinded:
Vaccinations. Forbidden in 1935 but
allowed in 1952. Many children died in
epidemics of diphtheria etc.
Organ Transplants. Condemned as
cannibalism in 1967. Allowed in 1980.
Sexual Practices. In 1969, the
Watchtower (pp. 765,766) and in 1972
(pp. 734-736) defined how married
couples should perform in the privacy of
their own bedrooms. This lead to many
marriage break ups. It was rescinded in
1978.
DISFELLOWSHIPPING
If a person after joining the
Society is not submissive and begins
to question it, they will run the risk of
being disfellowshipped.
A disfellowshipped person is not
allowed to talk to or interact with their
former friends in the congregation.
They are not even to greet them.
However, this was not the way
Jesus treated His straying sheep. In
Matthew 18:12-17, He tells of lovingly
going after these sheep. Even if they
refuse to be helped they are not to be
shunned but treated as “ a man of the
nations and as a tax collector” with
whom they talked and interacted.
Only Witnesses who have been
disfellowshipped can begin to describe
the pain and loneliness they have to
endure as they are isolated from friends
and loved ones. Some have even
committed suicide in their anguish.
This is a cruel form of blackmail
used by the Society to hold its members.
Many who have realized it is in error
have chosen to stay with it rather than
sacrifice loved ones and friends.
REVIEWING THE RECORD
The Society in the above article
invites a review of the record to prove it
is a “prophet”. What does it show?
The answer is: an organization
which has made more false prophecies
than any other major Christian
religion!
Jesus warned “Beware of false
prophets” Matthew 7:15.
FAITHFUL AND DISCREET?
As one studies the history of the
Watchtower Society and its teachings,
it has not been faithful or discreet!
THE SOCIETY’S AUTHORITY
Why are its members prepared to
be so submissive to the Society?
It is because they have accepted
that it is “ God’s Channel of Truth ” for
these last days.
But much more importantly it is:
“Jehovah’s Prophet” .
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