Hmmmmm... Where shall I start?
The BIG ISSUE currently is the End Times/Last Days/Generation doctrine.
It last changed significantly in 1995 -- "the "generation" that would not pass away before Armageddon had been identified as anyone born no later than the year 1914, but was changed to be the worldly people of that witnessed the sign of Christ's Presence (which began in 1914). This was at a time when there were less than 5 million publishers in 1995. Allowing for an annual death rate of 1%, that means that since that change there are 3 million new JWs of the 7.5Million active publishers . That means that 40% were not even JWs when that significant change took place. Even less remember it and can tell you what the change was. Many even overlooked this change as it had to do with the definition of greek terms etc etc. and that was too much for them to try to comprehend
The previous significant event in this doctrine was 1975 (there were only 2 million JWs then) when The End did not occur (then or within a short time of that date) as had been fortold from the early 1950s but especially from the late 1960s. 1975 is a date the WTS would like to forget.
2008 - present brought another significant change in the definition of "this generation" [that will not pass away before the end comes]. Now it is identified as "overlapping generations". This is a serious development for "thinking" JWs. Only the JW GB sees my great-grandfather, my grandfather, my dad, ME, and my children as "one" generation. {Sorry, getting distracted here.]
As a result of this (and other) failed predictions, JWs have been labeled as FALSE PROPHETS. Even their "Reasoning from the Scriptures" book has a section on this subject. I would suggest that a friend at work has warned you about JWs being False Prophets and ask him to clear up that subject. The Reasoning Book even quotes Deut 18:20 -- “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." Tho not quoted there, it goes on (vs 21,22) "And in case you should say in your heart: “ 21 How shall we know the word that Jehovah has not 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. 22 With presumptuousness the prophet spoke it. You must not get frightened at him."
You must delveope the theme that the WT has published "prophecy" that has proven to be false. DO NOT EVER agree that you look at this or other such "apostate" websites. They will walk away from you as "damaged goods". You need to provide such false prophecies that "a friend at work" [or wherever] has given you when warning you about JWs. [How the hell do you know where they got the info? -- That's not the point! Is it TRUE? Let the JW defend it.]
The information is all over this site about the 1968 Awake and 1969 Awake with references that no one would get old in this system (1968) before Armageddon and "Millions Now Living Will Never Die" (in reference to the generation of 1914). And there are other examples.
THEY WILL SAY THESE ARE NOT PROPHECIES -- and that the WTS has never claimed to be a "Prophet". THEN: What then IS their claim?????? They claim to be DIRECTED BY GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT. That's right..........God's Spirit Directed Organization..........HIS Channel on Earth today......HIS ONLY CHANNEL on Earth today.
Is it possible that God's Holy Spirit would direct His Organization to publish such FALSEHOODs (LIES?)? EVERY ADULT from 1968 either is OLD or DEAD. That's right, they are drawing Social Security -- Old Age Benefits. The BIG "A" did not come.
The "Millions" of 1914 who would NEVER die? THEY DIED! Currently there are less than 100,000 Americans over the age of 100 years. There clearly ARE NOT MILLIONs who have survived. Another FALSEHOOD publsihed by God's Spirit Directed Organization.
Or, is it possible that he was not "directing" the Organization at the time those FALSEHOODs were publshed (1968/1969)?? Then how do we know that what is being published NOW is not false?
They claim that everyone from Pioneers/Ministerial Servants/Elders and on up to the GB are all appointed by and serve under the direction of God's Holy Spirit. Perhaps your wife knows of a local elder who was serving for years but then removed for Hidden Sins (adultery, homosexuality, embezzelmen, etc). Or, you can have the "friend at work" provide you with the following information of "hidden sins":
http://www.silentlambs.org/bethelitechildmolester.htm "Bethel member arrested for nude photos and other crimes against children" (Remember, that is an apostate website, and you know nothing about it. It came from the "friend at work")
Did God's "all knowing" Holy Spirit NOT know that this man that it had appointed to a very high position in JW Organization was a perverted sinner? Or did God's Holy Spirit tolerate/justify this man abusing innocent children, even while he was in a Spirit Appointed position, in an effort to give him time to readjust his wrongs? How many innocent children did God's Spirit allow to be harmed until this man might repent (he never did repent) before he was "outted"?
Ask him: WHAT THEN is the evidence of their being GOD'S SPIRIT DIRECTED ORGANIZATION in light of those examples? YOU need the evidence to refute the "friend at work" and defend your interest in JWs.
That should be enough to get him thinking.................
Blessings.
