Smartgirlpw,
You said:
The society has never claimed to be infalliable.
I disagree:
THE PROPHETS OF GOD
1919. Watch Tower. April 1, 1919. Is not the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society the ONE AND ONLY channel which the Lord has used in dispensing his truth continually since the beginning of the harvest period?
According to Watch Tower, who is the "one and only channel" through which God speaks?
1931. Watch Tower. November 1, 1931. (p. 327) Watch Tower recognizes the truth as belonging to Jehovah, and not to any creature. The Watch Tower is not the instrument of any man or set of men. NO MAN'S OPINION IS EXPRESSED IN THE WATCH TOWER.
According to this statement, who is speaking through Watch Tower? Are the Watch Tower prophecies from Jehovah or from man? Are the writings of Watch Tower the OPINION OF MAN?
1939. Watch Tower April 15, 1939. (p. 125) We acknowledge as the visible organization of Jehovah on earth, the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, and recognize the Society as the Channel or instrument through which Jehovah and Christ Jesus give instruction and meat in due season to the household of faith.
According to this, who is God's instrument through whom he speaks? Who is giving instruction through Watch Tower? If it is from Jehovah or Jesus, can it ever be wrong?
1942. Watch Tower. December 15, 1942. (p. 376) Christ Jesus has caused the understanding of the prophetic dramas and pictures to be CLEAR AND SET FORTH in the WATCH TOWER publications.
From where does Watch Tower get its understanding of the Bible prophecies? Can Jesus Christ give a false understanding of prophecy?
1943. Watch Tower March 15, 1943. (p. 127). This is not giving any credit to the magazine's publishers, but to the great Author of the Bible with its truth and prophecies, and WHO NOW INTERPRETS ITS PROPHECIES. He is that who makes possible the material that is published in the columns of this magazine.
Who does Watch Tower say is God's channel for instruction and prophecy? According to Watch Tower, where can we read God's prophecies?
1943. Watch Tower July 1, 1943. (p. 202). Jehovah God is therefore the only Supreme Court of interpretation of His inspired word... To such remnant of faithful servants of Jehovah God Christ Jesus has entrusted all "his goods", or earthly interests of the Kingdom. This does not signify that the faithful remnant or society of Jehovah's anointed witnesses are an earthly tribunal of interpretation, delegated to interpret the Scriptures and its prophecies. No; Christ Jesus the King has not entrusted that office to them. THE SUPREME COURT STILL INTERPRETS, thank God; and Christ Jesus, the Court's official mouthpiece of interpretation, reserves to himself that office as head of Jehovah's "faithful and wise servant" class. HE MERELY USES THE "SERVANT" CLASS TO PUBLISH THE INTERPRETATION AFTER THE SUPREME COURT BY CHRIST JESUS REVEALS IT.
According to this, is it Watch Tower or Jesus Christ who interprets God's word? Who publishes what Jesus Christ reveals? Can Jesus give a false prophecy?
1943. In 1943 Watch Tower President Nathan H. Knorr and Vice President Frederick Franz gave the following testimony under oath in a court of law in the case of Olin Moyle v. WTB&TS. (p.866) Olin Moyle was a member of the Watch Tower legal staff who sued Watchtower for libel. (Olin Moyle won his case.)
The testimony of Vice President Frederick Franz given under oath....
Q. At any rate, Jehovah God is now the editor of the paper is that right? F. Franz: He is today the editor of the paper.
Q. How long has he been editor of the paper? F. Franz: Since its inception he has been guiding it.
Q. Even before 1931? F. Franz: Yes sir.
The testimony of President Nathan Knorr given under oath.
Q. But you don't make any such statement, that you are subject to correction in your Watch Tower papers do you? N. Knorr: Not that I recall.
Q. In fact, it set forth directly as God's Word, isn't it? N. Knorr: Yes, as his word.
Q. Without any qualifications whatsoever? N. Knorr: That is right.
Who did Knorr and Franz say was the editor of the Watch Tower paper? Whose word did they say was contained in the Watch Tower? According to president Knorr, has Watch Tower ever had to correct a prophecy?
1967. Watch Tower. October 1, 1967 (p. 587) The Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals, REGARDLESS OF HOW SINCERELY THEY MAY BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN INTERPRET THE BIBLE."
According to Watch Tower, who alone can interpret the Bible? Can any individual Christian interpret the Bible without Watch Tower literature?
1972. Watch Tower March 15, 1972. There is a real need today for someone to speak as a true representative of God. Is there someone who can bring the truth of God's Word to the people, letting them know what is ahead and what they can do for safety and survival?" The Watch Tower article then tells of how Ezekiel was commissioned by God to be his messenger and prophet and then continues... "Who was willing to undertake this monumental task as Jehovah's "servant"? Was there anyone to whom Jehovah's heavenly "chariot" could roll up and whom it could confront? More accurately, was there ANY GROUP on whom Jehovah would be willing to bestow the commission TO SPEAK AS A "PROPHET" IN HIS NAME, as was done toward Ezekiel back there in 613 B.C.E.? It is important to every individual on earth to identify the GROUP that JEHOVAH HAS COMMISSIONED as his "servant" or messenger. We must recognize and understand the warning that he brings. We need to take action on the warning to safeguard our lives, for they are in a danger as grave as that of the lives of Jerusalem's citizens as that city neared destruction. For this reason forthcoming issues of The Watch Tower will further discuss the identity and work of Jehovah's commissioned messenger as revealed in His vision to Ezekiel.
1972. Watch Tower April 1, 1972. A third way of coming to know Jehovah God is through his representatives. In ancient time he sent prophets as his special messengers. While these men foretold things to come, they also served the people by telling them of God's will for them at that time, often also warning them of dangers and calamities. So does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn them of dangers and to declare things to come? This question can be answered in the affirmative. Who is this prophet? God had a prophet to warn them. 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 known as Jehovah's Christian witnesses. They are still preaching a warning, and have been joined and assisted in their commissioned work by hundreds of thousands of persons who have listened to their message with belief. 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?" Jehovah's Witnesses today make their declaration of the good news of the Kingdom UNDER ANGELIC DIRECTION AND SUPPORT. 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.
Who does Watch Tower CLEARLY identify as God's ONLY prophet? Who does Watch Tower say is the one who guides and directs it?
1973. Watch Tower. July 1, 1973. (p. 402) In this edition Watch Tower again stated that they are THE ONLY ORGANIZATION ON EARTH THAT UNDERSTANDS THE "DEEP THINGS OF GOD!
thinker
