Facts The Watchtower Society Doesn't Want You To Know.pdf

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FACTS THE WATCH TOWER SOCIETY

DOESN’T WANT YOU TO KNOW

s of 1997, there are over 5 million active Jehovah’s

Witnesses worldwide, spending approximately one

billion hours each year serving the Watchtower

organization. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are active in over

230 countries and are the fastest growing religion in the

former USSR.

Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.

Born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania in 1852, he was raised a

Presbyterian but later joined a liberal Congregational

Church because he preferred its views. For 10 years, prior

to publishing his Watch Tower articles, Russell studied

with a splinter group off of Second Adventists and was

greatly influenced by their teachings against the bodily

return of Christ and the immortality of the human soul. 4.

Russell taught and published many doctrines that the

current Watch Tower Society totally rejects and engaged in

practices regarded by current Jehovah’s Witnesses to be of

pagan origin. In fact, if Russell were a Jehovah’s Witness

in the current Watchtower organization, he would have

been disfellowshipped for his beliefs and practices!

Among these are the following:

Claiming that people must “come to Jehovah’s organization

for salvation,” 1. the Watch Tower Society places great

pressure on Jehovah’s Witnesses to perform according to

their guidelines. In addition to attending five meetings

each week, Jehovah’s Witnesses are required to spend

several hours each month distributing Watchtower articles,

conducting Watchtower “Bible studies,” and researching

various topics in Watchtower literature for discussion

during their meetings. Witnesses are forbidden to serve in

the military, salute the flag, say the pledge of allegiance,

vote in elections, take blood transfusions, celebrate

birthdays and holidays including Thanksgiving, Easter, and

Christmas, and are forbidden to read literature critical of

the organization. Over the years, Jehovah’s Witnesses have

also been discouraged from associating with non-Jehovah’s

Witness friends, participating in after school activities such

as sports, and furthering their education by going to

college. 2.

Using the symbol of the sun god Ra on the cover of his

books. 5.

Using the Masonic Knights Templar logo of the Cross

and Crown on his issues of Zion’s Watch Tower. 6.

Teaching that he was the “Faithful and Wise Servant” of

Matt. 24:45-51, which resulted in many of his followers

actually worshipping him. 7.

Teaching that “the forming of a visible

organization ...would be out of harmony with the spirit of

the divine plan.” “Beware of ‘organization.’ It is wholly

unnecessary.” 8.

All these restrictions and demands placed on Jehovah’s

Witnesses tend to isolate them from the rest of Society with

the result that the organization becomes the “life” of the

Jehovah’s Witnesses who actively serve it. If a certain

Jehovah’s Witness fails to follow the guidelines set up by

the organization, he is then subject to “disfellowshipping”

in which the individual is shunned by all his friends and

relatives in the organization. 3. For many, this is a painful

experience which leaves former Jehovah’s Witnesses

feeling hopeless and empty. Because of these policies and

the overwhelming control this organization has over the

physical and spiritual lives of so many people, it is of

paramount importance that a person thoroughly examine

the Society’s claims and history before becoming involved

with this organization.

hence all

such are Gods , thus we have a family of God....in the

resurrection we will rise in our true character as Gods .” 9.

Teaching that “the whole body of Christ the ‘Mighty

God’ ...shall share in the work of restoring the life lost in

Adam, and therefore be members of that company which

as a whole will be the Everlasting Father to the restored

race.” 10.

Teaching that the Lord Jesus should be worshipped and

that he is not Michael the archangel . 11.

Celebrating birthdays and holidays such as Christmas. 12.

Teaching that one can join the military as long as he did

“not shoot anybody.” 13.

Teaching that white skin is better than black skin and that

“the white race exhibits some qualities of superiority

over any other.” 14.

“ We need to examine , not only what we personally

believe, but also what is taught by any religious

organization with which we may be associated. Are its

teachings in full harmony with God’s Word, or are they

based on the traditions of men? If we are lovers of the

truth, there is nothing to fear from such an

examination. ”

Teaching that the shape of one’s brain determines his

responsiveness to God. 15.

Teaching that Jehovah “governs his universe” from the

star “Alcyone” in the Pleiades constellation. 16.

The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life,

Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1968, p. 12

Teaching that the “Great Pyramid of Gizeh” was “ God’s

stone witness ” which proved Russell’s claims that “the

time of the end” embraced a period from 1799-1914, with

Jesus’ invisible presence beginning in 1874, and the

destruction of present government in 1914. 17.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

In 1879, at the age of 27, Charles Taze Russell, founder of

the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, began publishing

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Teaching that Christians “ are divine beings

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FACTS THE WATCH TOWER SOCIETY

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In the 1954 Douglas Walsh Trial in Scotland, Fred Franz,

who was Watchtower president from 1977-1992, was asked

about the Society’s changes in doctrine. Here is how he

answered:

totally unqualified for the task of translation. Four of the

five Watchtower Governing Body members who were on

the Translation Committee had no formal training

whatsoever in the Biblical languages. The fifth one, Fred

Franz, (former Governing Body member and Watchtower

president from 1977-1992) claimed to have some

education, but in the Douglas Walsh Trial in Scotland, he

gave this testimony under oath:

Q. So that what is published as the truth today by the

Society may have to be admitted to be wrong in a

few years?

A. We have to wait and see.

Q. And in the meantime the body of Jehovah’s

Witnesses have been following error?

A. They have been following misconstructions on the

Scriptures.

Q. Error?

A. Well, error .

Tuesday, 23rd November, 1954:

Frederick William Franz, Examined:

Q. Have you also made yourself familiar with

Hebrew?

A. Yes....

Q. So that you have a substantial linguistic

apparatus at your command?

A. Yes, for use in my biblical work.

Q. I think you are able to read and follow the Bible

in Hebrew , Greek, Latin, Spanish, Portuguese,

German, and French?

A . Yes.

Q. It is the case, is it not, that in 1950 there was

prepared and issued what is called the New World

Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures?

A. Yes....

Q. I think that it was your duty, was it not,

before the issue of that New World Translation

by your Society to check that translation for

accuracy?

A. That is true.

Q. In light of your studies and in light of your

knowledge?

A. That is true.

Q. And did you do so?

A. I did so....

Q. And was it your duty on behalf of the Society to

check the translation into English from the

original Hebrew of that first volume of the Old

Testament Scriptures?

A. Yes....

Q. In so far as translation of the Bible itself is

undertaken, are you responsible for that?

A. I have been authorised to examine a translation

and determine its accuracy and recommend its

acceptance in the form in which it is submitted.

Q. Are the translators members of the Editorial

Committee?

A. That is a question which I, as a member of the

Board of Directors, am not authorised to disclose....

Q. When did you go to the University?....

Q. Did you graduate?

A. No, I did not....

Q. Had you done any Hebrew in the course of your

University work?

A. No, I had not, but in the course of my editorial

work, my special research work for the president

of the Society, I found it was very necessary to have

knowledge of Hebrew, and so I undertook a

personal study of that.

Douglas Walsh Trial, Pursuer’s Proof, 1954, p. 114

“ Satan attempted to use his influence in a subtle way ,

and in this he was successful. How so? By insinuation and

falsehood. He put forth error, under cover of a lie, as a

substitute for truth. In other words, he put darkness for

light .”

The Watchtower, May 15, 1976, p. 304

“ If we were following a man undoubtedly it would be

different with us; undoubtedly one human idea would

contradict another and that which was light one or two or

six years ago would be regarded as darkness now : But

with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of

turning, and so it is with truth; any knowledge or light

coming from God must be like its author. A new view of

truth never can contradict a former truth. ‘New light’

never extinguished older ‘light,’ but adds to it ....So is it

with the light of truth; the true increase is by adding to, not

by substituting one for another.”

Zion’s Watch Tower,

February 1881, p. 3

THE NEW WORLD TRANSLATION:

In 1950, the Watch Tower Society came out with their own

translation of the Bible, the New World Translation.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are told that this translation is the

most accurate, unbiased translation available. The Society

claims that the New World Translation Committee was

made up of highly trained Greek scholars who did their best

to “transmit his [God’s] thoughts and declarations as

accurately as possible.” 18. However, when one endeavors

to check into the credentials of these translators, one finds

that the Society is unwilling to release this information,

stating that the Committee desires that all the glory for this

translation go to Jehovah God and therefore the translators

desire to remain anonymous.

On the surface, this may sound quite noble and honorable;

but one may wonder, is this the real reason why they desire

to remain anonymous? Over the years, further

investigation has revealed who the translators of the New

World Translation were, and the facts show that they were

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FACTS THE WATCH TOWER SOCIETY

DOESN’T WANT YOU TO KNOW

ADJOURNED

Wednesday, 24th November, 1954:

Frederick William Franz, Cross Continued:

Q. You, yourself, read and speak Hebrew, do you?

A. I do not speak Hebrew.

Q. You do not?

A. No.

Q. Can you, yourself, translate that into Hebrew?

A. Which?

Q. That fourth verse of the Second Chapter of Genesis?

A. You mean here?

Q. Yes?

A. No, I won’t attempt to do that.

Verse

Interlinear Translation New World Translation

Col. 2:9

“all the fullness of the

divinity ” dwells in Christ.

“all the fullness of divine

quality ” dwells in Christ.

Note: Greek scholar Joseph Henry Thayer states that the

Greek word used here “Theotes” literally means “deity i.e.

the state of being God, Godhead”

Col 1:16-17 Christ created “ all

(things) .”

Christ created “ all

[other] Things .”

Note: The Watch Tower Society inserts the word “other”

four times into this passage, in order to make it compatible

with their doctrine of Christ having been created.

However, in John 1:3, we read that Christ created “all

things”

Douglas Walsh Trial, Pursuer’s Proof, 1954, pp. 7-9, 88,

91-92, 102-103

This exercise which Franz was unable to do is something

which the average first or second year Hebrew student

could have accomplished without any difficulty. Is it any

wonder the Society refuses to publicly reveal the people

who were involved in the translation of their Bible? Would

you put your trust in a doctor who refused to give his

credentials? Yet, this is what many Jehovah’s Witnesses

are doing when it comes to vital Bible truth.

not all other things.

Gal. 2:20 &

2 Cor. 13:5

Christ is living “ in me .” Christ is living “ in union

with me.”

Phil. 3:9

“be found in him ”

“be found in union with

him”

Note: To be found “in Christ” means that one is trusting in

Christ alone for his righteousness and is therefore

positionally “in Christ.” Thus, when God looks at this

person who is “in Christ,” He sees this person in the

context of Christ’s righteousness instead of his own (see

Col. 3:3). There is a big difference between being “in

union” with Christ and actually being positionally “in

Christ.”

THE NEW WORLD TRANSLATION compared with

THE KINGDOM INTERLINEAR TRANS-LATION OF

THE GREEK SCRIPTURES:

In 1969, the Watch Tower Society produced The Kingdom

Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures, “Presenting

a literal word-for-word translation into English under the

Greek text as set out in ‘The New Testament in the Original

Greek

Phil. 2:9

God gave Christ the name

“over every name.”

God gave Christ the name

“above every [other]

name.”

The Text Revised by Brooke Foss Westcott D.D.

and Fenton John Anthony Hort D.D.’ ”

Title page of

Note: The Watch Tower Society teaches that Jehovah God

has the name above every name and therefore, they had to

insert the word “other” to justify their doctrine. However,

according to John 17:11, Jesus has Jehovah’s Name!

1969 ed. The Watch Tower Society states:

“The purpose behind the publishing of The Kingdom

Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures is to aid

such seekers of truth and life. Its literal interlinear

English translation is specially designed to open up to the

student of the Sacred Scriptures what the original koi-ne’

Greek basically or literally says .... The word-for-word

interlinear translation and the New World Translation are

arranged in parallel on the page, so that comparisons can be

made between the two readings. Thus, the accuracy of

any modern translation can be determined ....We offer

no paraphrase of the Scriptures....To each major word we

have assigned one meaning and have held to that meaning

as far as the context permitted.”

John 1:1

“ god was the Word.”

“the Word was a god .”

The Kingdom Interlinear

Translation of the Greek Scriptures , 1985 edition,

pp. 5, 9-10

Note: The Society argues that because the definite article

“the” doesn’t appear before God in this half of the verse,

that justifies their insertion of the article “a” in their

translation. However, the Society is inconsistent with their

“rule” for if they were consistent, they would have to

translate John 1:6 as, “there arose a man that was sent forth

as a representative of a God.” Since this translation

wouldn’t make sense, the Society picks and chooses how it

wants to apply its “rule” in accord with its doctrine.

John 8:58 “Before Abraham to

become I am .”

“Before Abraham

came into existence,

I have been .”

The following is a comparison between the rendering of the

Society’s Kingdom Interlinear Translation and the New

World Translation :

In every place where these words appear in the

text of the Bible, the Society correctly translates them as “I

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The New Thayer’s

Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament , 1974 p. 288

Note: The Greek words for “I am” are “ego eimi”

(

εγω

ειµ

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FACTS THE WATCH TOWER SOCIETY

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am,” EXCEPT in this verse. 19. Why the inconsistency in

translation? Jesus was identifying Himself with the “I am”

of Exodus 3:14 who is Jehovah God, and this is why the

Jews tried to stone Him for blasphemy (see verse 59,

compare with Leviticus 24:16). The Society mistranslated

this verse because its correct translation contradicts their

doctrine.

1925: “... 1925 shall mark the resurrection of the faithful worthies of

old.... based upon the promises set forth in the divine Word , we

must reach the positive and indisputable conclusion that millions

now living will never die.”

Millions Now Living Will Never Die,

1920, p. 97

1940’s: “It would therefore appear that there is no reasonable or

Scriptural injunction to bring children into the world immediately

before Armageddon, where we now are .”

The Watchtower,

November 1, 1938, p. 324

1975: “Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property

and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in

the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short

time remaining before the wicked world’s end .”

John 14:10 “Not you are believing that

I in the Father and the

Father in me is?”

“I am in union with the

Father and the Father is

in union with me?”

John 14:14 “If ever anything you

should ask me ....”

If you ask anything....”

Ministry, May 1974, p. 3

Kingdom

Most people who are familiar with the history of this

organization realize that since the first Watchtower in 1879,

it has had a history of proclaiming the end of the world on

several dates: 1914, 1915, 1918, 1925, 1940’s, 1975. But,

does this mean that the Watch Tower Society is a false

prophet? Let’s examine what the Society says “False

Prophets” are:

Note: Because the Society teaches that Jesus isn’t God,

they teach that one should not pray to Jesus. Since prayer

is a form of worship, Jesus shouldn’t be prayed to unless,

of course, He is God (see Exodus 23:13). As one can

clearly see, since Jesus asked his followers to request things

of Him in prayer, the Society had to omit the words “ask

Me” in their translation so that this verse would be

compatible with their doctrine.

Does the Society’s New World Translation pass the test of

accuracy when measured by the Society’s Kingdom

Interlinear Translation? Could this be why no recognized

Greek scholars support the Watch Tower Society’s New

World Translation , and instead, affirm along with Dr.

Julius Mantey that the Society’s translation is “a grossly

misleading translation.”? 20.

“Individuals and organizations proclaiming messages that

they attribute to a super human source but that do not

originate with the true God and are not in harmony with

his revealed will.”

Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1985,

1989, p. 132

Deuteronomy 18:20-22 states:

“But the prophet who shall speak a word presumptuously

in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or

which he shall speak in the name of other gods, that

prophet shall die . And you may say in your heart, ‘How

shall we know the word which the L ORD has not spoken?’

When a prophet speaks in the name of the L ORD , if the

thing does not come about or come true, that is the

thing which the L ORD has not spoken . The prophet has

spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.”

THE WATCHTOWER PROPHET:

“So, does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn

them of dangers and to declare things to come? These

questions can be answered in the affirmative. Who is this

prophet?...This ‘prophet’ was not one man, but was a body

of men and women. It was the small group of footstep

followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as

International Bible Students. Today they are know as

Jehovah’s Christian witnesses....Of course, it is easy to say

that this group acts as a ‘prophet’ of God. It is another

thing to prove it. The only way that this can be done is

to review the record. What does it show? ”

Under the section, “Have not Jehovah’s Witnesses made

errors in their teachings?” on page 136 of the Society’s

Reasoning from the Scriptures book, they state:

“ Jehovah’s Witnesses do not claim to be inspired

prophets . They have made mistakes.”

The Watchtower, April 1, 1972, p. 197

1914: “...the ‘battle of the great day of God Almighty’ (Rev. 16:14),

which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of

earth’s present rulership, is already commenced.”

The Time Is At

Is it true that the Society doesn’t claim to be an “inspired”

prophet? Let’s examine the following statements from

various Watchtower publications:

Hand, 1889, p. 101

1915: “...the ‘battle of the great day of God Almighty’ (Rev. 16:14),

which will end in A.D. 1915 , with the complete overthrow of

earth’s present rulership, is already commenced.”

The Time Is At

“ What is here meant by the word ‘inspired’? It means

that God, the Creator of heaven and earth, moved these

men by his spirit or invisible empowering force, putting

into their minds what they should write down as his ‘word,’

or message, for mankind.”

Hand, 1917 edition, p. 101

1918: “Also, in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches

wholesale and the church members by millions , it shall be that

any that escape shall come to the works of Pastor Russell to learn

the meaning of the downfall of ‘Christianity.’ ”

Good News, 1976, p. 14

The Finished

Mystery, 1917, p. 485

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FACTS THE WATCH TOWER SOCIETY

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“The Source of all true prophecy is Jehovah God. He

transmits it by means of his holy spirit or, occasionally,

by spirit-directed angelic messengers .”

Insight on the

“The interpretation of prophecy, therefore, is not from

man, but is from Jehovah ; and Jehovah causes events to

come to pass in fulfillment of the prophecy in due

time.”

Scriptures, vol. 2, 1988, p. 691

The Watchtower, May 1, 1938. p. 143

“Consider, too, the fact that Jehovah’s organization alone,

in all the earth, is directed by God’s holy spirit or active

force....That same holy spirit and angelic direction still

affect the preaching activities of Christian ministers.”

“He merely uses the ‘servant’ class to publish the

interpretation after the Supreme Court by Christ Jesus

reveals it.”

The Watchtower, July 1, 1973, pp. 402, 405

“ This is not giving any credit to the magazine’s

publishers , but is due to the great Author of the Bible

with its truths and prophecies, and who now interprets its

prophecies. He it is that makes possible the material

that is published in the columns of this

magazine ....”

“These angels are invisible to human eyes and are there to

carry out the orders of the Lord. Not doubt they first hear

the instruction which the Lord issues to his remnant and

then these invisible messengers pass such instruction on

to the remnant . The facts show that the angels of the Lord

with him at his temple have been thus rendering service

unto the remnant since 1919.”

The Watchtower, April 15, 1943, p. 127

nor could we

change them if we would. They are, we believe, God’s

dates, not ours. But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is

not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of

trouble.”

Vindication III, 1932,

p. 250

“There Ezekiel is definitely told that he is henceforth to

serve as a prophet. He is commissioned to speak in the

divine name ....He was thus, in an outstanding way, made a

witness of Jehovah. Not alone were the inspired words of

Ezekiel prophetic, but he himself was a prophetic figure in

his action.... Who is Ezekiel’s present-day counterpart ,

whose message and conduct correspond with that of that

ancient prophet of Jehovah?… So it is with the modern-

day counterpart of Ezekiel: it is, not one person’s body,

but a composite body, made up of many

members ....were commissioned to serve as the

mouthpiece and active agent of Jehovah....Why, though,

are all these facts of history brought to our attention? It is to

show the fulfillment of prophecy. Jehovah has found and

commissioned his modern-day ‘Ezekiel.’ ”

Zion’s Watch Tower, July 15, 1894, p. 266

Certainly humans make mistakes and even Jesus’ disciples

had wrong expectations as to when the end would come.

However, remember that at the time when the Watch

Tower Society was making these prophecies about the end

of the world, they were telling their followers that these

“prophecies” and “dates” were “God’s dates, not ours.”

They were proclaiming these prophecies in Jehovah’s

name.

“The

According to the standard for testing prophets, discussed in

Deuteronomy 18:18-22 and in the Society’s Reasoning

book, which category does the Watch Tower Society fall

into? Are they a true or a false prophet? Do you agree

with the Society’s statement in the May 15, 1930 p. 156

issue of The Watchtower which states that once a person

discovers a “false prophet” the “people should no longer

trust them as safe guides”?

Nations Shall Know THAT I AM JEHOVAH

How?”,

1971, pp. 56, 58-59, 66

“The scroll was doubtless delivered to Ezekiel by the hand

of one of the cherubs in the vision. This would indicate

that Jehovah’s witnesses today make their declaration

of the good news of the Kingdom under angelic

direction and support. (Rev. 14:6,7; Matt. 25:31, 32) And

since no word or work of Jehovah can fail, for he is God

Almighty, the nations will see the fulfillment of what

these witnesses say as directed from heaven . Yes, the

time must come shortly that the nations will have to know

that really a ‘prophet’ of Jehovah was among them.”

The

Throughout its history, each time the Watch Tower Society

set a date for the end, Jehovah’s Witnesses were often

encouraged to sell their homes, put off education, and even

put off having children, because, according to the Society,

the “end” was so very near. Instead of putting your trust in

an organization which has made substantial “mistakes” in

the past and continues to make “mistakes,” why not put

your complete trust in Jesus alone, who openly invites each

one of us to come to Him.

Watchtower, April 1, 1972, p. 200

As can be clearly seen, although the Society declares that

they “do not claim to be inspired prophets,” they claim to

get their information the same way inspired prophets do

(through angels and the Holy Spirit), and they claim to be

on par with “inspired” prophets such as Ezekiel. Just like

Ezekiel was a spokesman for God, the Society also claims

to be Jehovah’s “mouthpiece,” and thus, they claim that

they are speaking the very words of Jehovah. Note the

following statements:

“ Come to Me , all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I

will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from

Me , for I am gentle and humble in heart; and YOU SHALL

FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy,

and My load is light.”

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The Watchtower, July 1, 1943, p. 203

“We see no reason for changing the figures

Matthew 11:28-30

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