AWAKEN! ISSUE #9 In this issue, we will discuss the year 1975 and the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society's, better known as Jehovah's Witnesses, prophetic insights about that year. I will use only the Watch Tower's own publications. I will give the publication name, date and page number. I ask that those presently calling themselves Jehovah's Witnesses, please do not believe what is written here. Check said publications at your Kingdom Hall library or write to The Watch Tower's Corporate Headquarters in Brooklyn New York for copies of referenced publications. Check this info out with your own eyes. If you are not a Jehovah's Witness, then keep this info handy for when they come knocking at your door. Before I start, I will give a number of quotes from Watchtower publications that indicate that the Watchtower considers itself and it's publications to be inspired by God. In other words, the Watchtower is deeming itself to be a prophet of God. I will also make two quotes from two trial transcripts which portray the Watch Tower Society's view that it is GOD's sole mouthpiece to mankind. THE WATCH TOWER, 01/15/1917, p 22: "Following the election Brother Rutherford, addressing the the meeting, said in part:..."The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society is the greatest corporation in the world, because from the time of its organization until now the lord has used it as his channel through which to make known the glad tidings...". 1939 YEARBOOK OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, P 85: "It should be expected that the Lord would have a means of communicating to his people on the earth, and he has clearly shown that the magazine called The Watchtower is used for that purpose." -------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW YORK KING'S COUNTY CLERKS'S COURT RECORD, 1940, vol. II, p 795: Fred W. Franz on the witness stand: "Q. Who subsequently becamse the Editor of the magazine, the main editor of the "Watch Tower" magazine ? A. In 1931, October 15th, as I recall, the "Watch Tower" discontinued publishing the names of any editorial committee on the second page. THE COURT: He asked you who became the editor. THE WITNESS: And it said -- THE COURT: Who became the editor ? Q. Who became the editor when this was discontinued ? A. Jehovah God." Fred W. Franz later became the President of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society and remains in that position to this day. So we see that Jehovah God is the editor of the Watch Tower. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Olin R. Moyle, v F.W.Franz, et al. Libel suit testimony, May 10th to May 27th, 1943, New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division: Fred W. Franz on the witness stand, sections 2596 & 2597 - "Q. At any rate, Jehovah God is now the editor of the paper, is that right ? A. He is today the editor of the paper. Q. How long has he been editor of the paper ? A. Since its inception he has been guiding it. Q. Even before 1931 ? A. Yes, sir." Nathan Homer Knorr on the witness stand, at the same Olin Myle trial, sections 4420 & 4421 : "Q. But you don't make any mention in the fore part of your Watch Tower that "We are not infallible and subject to correction and may make mistakes" ? A. We have never claimed infallibility. Q. But you don;t make any such statement, that you are subject to correction, in your Watch Tower papers do you ? A. Not that I recall. Q. In fact, it is set forth directly as God's Word, isn't it ? A. Yes, as His Word. Q. Without any qualification whatsoever ? A. That is right.". NOTE - that at the time of the above trial, Mr. Nathan H. Knorr was already the President of the Watch Tower Society. ------------------------------------------------------------------- WATCHTOWER 01/15/1959, p 40, 41: "Whom has God actually used as his prophet ? By the historical facts of the case Christendom is beaten back in defeat. Jehovah's witnesses are deeply grateful today that the plain facts show that God has been pleased to use them." During the late 1970s and throughout 1980, each issue of their principle magazine featured the following assertion as part of its masthead: "A WATCHTOWER enables a person to look far into the distance and announce to others what is seen. Likewise, this magazine, published by Jehovah's Witnesses, aids the reader to see what the future holds". Now, by definition one who tells what the future holds is, of course, a prophet. Ok then, lets look at other statements to get a clearer picture of this : WATCHTOWER forward 04/01/1972: "The Watchtower is it God's Prophet?" WATCHTOWER 04/01/1972: "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 the 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 the time as International Bible Students. Today they are know as Jehovah's Christian Witnesses". AWAKE 06/08/1986 pg 9: "You will be interested to learn that God has on earth a people, all of whom are prophets, or witnesses for God. In fact they are known thoughout the world as Jehovah's Witnesses." -------------------------------- Now lets see what God revealed to his prophet the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society about 1975 : AWAKE 10/08/1966, p 19: "In what year, then, would the first 6,000 years of man's existance and also the first 6,000 years of God's rest day come to an end? The year 1975." WATCHTOWER 10/15/1966, p 629: "Discussion of 1975 overshadowed about everything else. 'The new book compels us to realise that Armageddon is, in fact, very close indeed,' said a conventioner." LIFE EVERLASTING - IN FREEDOM OF THE SONS OF GOD, 1966, p 29: "According to this trustworthy Bible chronology six thousand years from man's creation will end in 1975, and the seventh period of a thousand years of human history will begin in the fall on 1975 C.E.." "It would not be by mere chance or accident but would be according to the loving purpose of Jesus Christ, the "Lord of the sabbath," to run parallel with the seventh millennium of man's existance." WATCHTOWER, 05/01/1967, p 262: "...1975 marks the end of 6,000 years of human experience.....Will it be the time when God executes the wicked?....It very well could be, but we will have to wait to see." WATCHTOWER, 08/15/1968, P 494: Article heading - "WHY ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO 1975?" WATCHTOWER, 08/15/1968, P 499 (same article): "ADAM CREATED AT CLOSE OF "SIXTH DAY" Are we to assume from this study that the battle of Armageddon will be all over by the autumn of 1975, and the long-looked-for thousand-year reign of Christ will begin by then ? Possibly, but we wait to see how closely the seventh thousand-year period of man's existance coincides with the sabbathlike thousand-year reign of Christ....It may involve only a difference of weeks or months, not years." KINGDOM MINISTRY, 03/1968, P 4: "...there are only about ninety months left before 6,000 years of man's existance on earth is completed....The majority of people living today will probably be alive when Armageddon breaks out..." KINGDOM MINISTRY, 06/1969, p 3: "In view of the short time left, a decision to pursue a career in this systemn of things is not only unwise but extremely dangerous.....Many young brother and sisters were offered scholarships or employment that promised fine pay. However, they turned them down and put spiritual interests first." KINGDOM MINISTRY, 05/1974, p 3: "Yes, the end of this system is so very near! Is that no reason to increase our activity?....Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system of things in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world's end." WATCHTOWER, 07/01/1974, p 397: "It also tells us that this millenium must be preceded immediately by the most destructive war in all human history. We can now see the political rulers...being gathered...for that War of all wars...." Did the end of this system of things come in 1975 ? How about in 1976 ? This file was created in 1991, sixteen years after the year 1975 and it still has not arrived. GOD's self proclaimed Prophet did state that "it may involve only a difference of weeks or months, NOT YEARS". GOD's self proclaimed Prophet did state that after the 6,000 and before the Millenium, the earth will experience Armageddon. Well the 6,000 years ended and The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania has a failed prophecy on it's hands. Reminds me of 1920, when Watch Tower followers were told "Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old". In 1924 Watch Tower followers were told by God's Prophet, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society: "The year 1925 is a date definitely and clearly marked in the Scriptures, even more clearly than that of 1914.". By 1926 the world had another case of God's Prophet with a failed prophecy on it's hands. Now lets look at the Holy Bible to see what it says about prophets. Please get your Bible and turn it to Deuteronomy 18:20-22. I will quote from the Watch Tower's own New World Translation: "However, the prophet who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded him to speak or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die. And in case you should say in your heart: "How shall we know the word that Jehovah has spoken ?" when the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word does not occur or come true, that is the word that Jehovah did not speak. With presumptuousness the prophet spoke it..." Now lets see what The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has said about False Prophets: PROPHECY (1929), p 22 : "If these prophesies have not not been fulfilled, and if all possibility of fulfillment is past, then these prophets are proven false." VINDICATION, vol 1 (1931), p 146 : "God's faithful people on earth emphasized the importance of the dates 1914 and 1918 and 1925. They had much to say about these dates and what would come to pass, but all they predicted did not come to pass." VINDICATION, vol 1 (1931), p 338-339 : "There was a measure of disappointment on the part of Jehovah's faithful ones on earth concerning the years 1914, 1918 and 1925....they also learned to quit fixing dates for the future and predicting what would come to pass on a certain date...." PARADISE RESTORED TO MANKIND -- BY THEOCRACY (1972), p 353 - 354 : "Jehovah... will put all false prophets to shame either by not fulfilling the false prediction of such self-assuming prophets or by having His own prophesies fulfilled in a way opposite to that predicted by false prophets." AWAKE! 10/08/1968, p 23 : "True, there have been those in times past who predicted an 'end to the world', even announcing a specific date....The 'end' did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying....Missing from such people were God's truths and the evidence that he was guiding them and using them." WATCHTOWER 06/15/1974, p 381 : "Similarly, the 'false prophet' is not a person, but is a system or an organization." Using the Biblical test for False Prophets and even using the Watchtower's own material about False Prophets, it seems that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has made predictions which had failed. They have called themselves God's Prophet, yet they have had more than one Prophecy which turned out to be FALSE. Not only does the Bible give us a simple test for prophets, which we considered above, namely that their prophecy will fail, but the word of God has more to say about prophets and their predictions. Since the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has had so many failed prophecies (actually only ONE FAILED PREDICTION is required to earn the title of FALSE PROPHET), we know they can't be prophecying by GOD's direction, nor through GOD's Holy Spirit, nor by GOD's Angels. Jehovah's Witnesses should carefully read Ezekiel, chapter 13, verses 8 & 9. I quote from The New Jerusalem Bible: ' "Very well, the Lord Yehweh says this: Because of your futile words and false predictions, I am now against you - declares Lord Yehweh. My hand will be against the prophets who have futile visions and give false predictions; ' The following are examples of other past "futile visions and failed predictions made by The Watch Tower. References are given to their publication name, date and page number, for your verification: PROPHECIES ON SPACE TRAVEL "Man cannot by airplane or rockets or other means get above the air envelope which is about our earthly globe..."(The Truth Shall Make you Free, p. 285, 1943 edition). THE BOOK OF RUTH The Book of Ruth is "not prophetical". (Watchtower Reprints IV, p. 3110, Nov. 15, 1902). The Book of Ruth "is prophetic". (Watchtower Book, "Preservation", pages 169, 175, 176). PROPHECIES ON SODOM AND GOMORRAH Sodom and Gomorrah will receive a second opportunity. (Man of Ages, page 110). Sodom and Gomorrah will receive no second opportunity. (Watchtower, March 1965, p. 139). THE "HIGHER POWERS" OF ROMANS 13:1 "Higher Powers" refers to earthly governments. (The Time is at Hand (1889) p. 81). "Higher Powers" refers to Jehovah God and Jesus. (The Truth Shall Make You Free, p. 312). "Higher Powers" refers to earthly governments. (Man's Salvation...at Hand p. 326). THE REVELATION NAME "ABADDON-APOLLYON" Refers to Satan. (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol.7). Refers to Jesus Christ. (Then is Finished the Mystery of God, Page 232). THE "ALPHA AND OMEGA" OF REVELATION Refers to Jehovah God. (Awake! August 22, 1978, page 28). Refers to Jesus Christ. (Watchtower, October 1, 1978, p.15). Notice the rapid change of "truth" and "interpretation of scripture" in just two months! THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE Refers to their founder, Charles Taze Russell. (Watchtowers from Dec. 1, 1916 to March 1, 1923, p. 68). Refers to the "Remnant of Spiritual Israelites" (the supposed remnant of the 144,000 "heavenly class"). (From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained, page 193). IN CONCLUSION Although the official publication of the Jehovah's Witnesses claims, "...Jehovah's Witnesses today make their declaration of the good news of the kingdom under angelic direction and support" according to the Watchtower of April 1, 1972, page 200, they have proved to be an embarassment to the angels! Undaunted, the Watchtower of July 1st, 1973, page 402, goes on to claim, "Consider too, the fact that Jehovah's orgainzation alone in all the earth is directed by God's holy spirit or active force." Obviously GOD does not prompt these false prophecies! Not only does the Bible give us a simple test for prophets, which we considered at the beginning of this study, namely that their predictions will fail, but the word of GOD has more to say about prophets and their predictaions. The Bible reveals three sources for prophecy. One, it is from GOD, and inspired by GOD. Two, it is from the Devil and inspired by him. Thirdly, prophecies can come out of "the flesh", or out of our "own spirit". Since the Watchtower Society of Jehovah's witnesses has so many failed prophecies, we know they are not prophecying by GOD's direction, nor through GOD's Holy Spirit, nor by the Angels. This leaves us with two alternatives for the false prophecies of the Watchtower Society. They are from Satan, or they are from "the flesh". The Watchtower has chosen the latter, claiming that "we all make mistakes" etc. "We have new light". Jehovah's Witnesses should carefully read Ezekiel, chapter 13, verses 8 & 9. I quote from The New Jerusalem Bible: ' "Very well, the Lord Yehweh says this: Because of your futile words and false predictions, I am now against you - declares Lord Yehweh. My hand will be against the prophets who have futile visions and give false predictions; ' Copyright (c) 1992 by Vince. Banial, Toronto, Ontario, Canada You may freely copy this file and a printout of it, as long as the file remains unmodified and also includes the Copyright notice. ------------------------------------------------ file: /pub/resources/text/apl/jw: awaken-009.txt .