Based on the title Gods Channel of Truth: The Watchtower Or Is It? by E.B.

Price

Dedicated with love to Bev Pfannmuller

Accepting Christ as my personal Saviour and following truth is a life-and-death matter to me. Confidence in The Watchtower diminishes after deep and thorough study into its history. Down through the years the Watchtower has been altering its doctrines and teaching one thing and then another as truth. It has predicted so many dates that proved to be false prophecies that it is a sign that the Watchtower is not Jehovahs channel for truth. Jesus said in Matthew 24, Believe it not. Dates and Prophecies The Watchtower sold over 850,000 copies of The Finished Mystery between 1917 and 1920. This is a key book the Watchtower put out as truth for so many years and is today completely discarded by the Society in every detail and date. The book taught that Christs second advent took place in 1874 and the resurrection in 1878. There is an estimated 148 points of doctrine changed in less than ten years. This included many predicted dates which proved false. (Matt. 24:24) 1874 Taught for 50 years and then discarded. ( referenced on pages 54, 60 ,68, 71, 167, 368, 377, 386 and 395 of The Finished Mystery). 1878 Taught for 50 years and then changed(referenced on pages 64, 182, 453, 539) ; the change is noted here: One of the many enlightening truths that God now gave His witnesses was about the members of Gods spiritual nation who had died physically. This was on 1927. In that year the witnesses understood that the dead spiritual Israelites had been raised in 1918 to life in heaven with Christ Jesus. It was an invisible resurrection, of course. (taken from From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained, page 192, paragraph 30). 1918 Was foretold as a time when God would destroy the churches wholesale and the church members by millions in a fearful revolution. (referenced on pages 398, 402, 404-405, 485, 513, and 515 of The Finished Mystery). 1920 Watchtower predicted would mark even the destruction of the republics in a worldembracing anarchy. (referenced on pages 179, 258 and 542 of TFM .). ** 1915 Later changed to 1925. Foretold the setting up of the kingdom in Palestine; There is evidence that the establishment of the Kingdom in Palestine will probably be in 1925, ten years later than we once calculated. (referenced on page128). The Watchtower teachings foretold the year 1925 as being the time when Abraham and others would be resurrected and the kingdom set up: The chief thing to be restored is the human race to life; and since other scriptures definitely fix the fact that there will be a resurrection of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and other faithful ones of old, and that these will have the first favour, we may expect 1925 to witness the return of these faithful men of Israel from the condition of death, being resurrected and fully restored to perfect humanity and made visible, legal representatives of the new order of things on earth. (referenced on page 88 of the book Judge Rutherford wrote entitled Millions Now Living Will Never Die). Further we can read: We may confidently expect that 1925

will mark the return Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old. (pages 89 and 90 of the same book). Judge Rutherford actually built a house to entertain Abraham, Isaac and the other princes when they were to be resurrected. He called it Beth-Sarim which means House of Princes. (referenced on page 311 and 312 of the book entitled Salvation). It is still in San Diego, California, today. In another Watchtower product entitled Divine Purpose you can read about the book Millions and then read on page 110 a statement about the year 1925 proving a year of great trial to many of Jehovahs people. Many, it said, left the Society and went back into the world. Some from the Society would contend this weeded out those who would not remain loyal to the Watchtower, which it certainly did something like three quarters of the Bible Students lost their confidence in the Watchtower. ** 1914 The real foundation of Watchtower teachings, as when the Gentile times ended, the time of the end began, Christs second coming into the kingdom took place, and also when Satan was cast out of heaven. This is the basis of the Societys teachings, not those other dates mentioned above. This main teaching is both historically out in its reckoning and without Scriptural foundation as well. First, historically - From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained explains on pages 103 and 172173, that the 2,520 years of the times of the Gentiles began in 607 B.C., when theocracy finished and Zedekiah the last king of Judah had his eyes put out and was taken prisoner to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar; and it ended thus, in 1914. But it did not begin in 607 B.C. at all, for Zedekiah was taken prisoner not in 607 B.C., as the Watchtower teaches, but in 586 B.C., over twenty years later. So the whole date of 1914 based on the 2,520-year prophecy of Watchtower publications, collapses! 1) Research will uncover very reliable and un biased historical sources that tells this, one authority even quotes archaeological evidence discovered on the tablet known as V.A.T. 4956, in the Berlin Museum, which proves beyond all doubt that 586 was the correct date, and not 607 as taught by the Watchtower. 2) Also, Smiths Bible Dictionary under Zedekiah reads Zedekiah was but twenty-one years old when he was thus placed in charge of an impoverished kingdom, 597 B.C. His history is contained in a short sketch of events of his reign given in Second Kings 24:17 to 25:7; 3) King James version of the Bible published by the Watchtower mentions that Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem in the ninth year of Zedekiahs reign and has the date 588 B.C. in the margin next to it. Then in the verses that follow, it tells of the citys being taken two years later. Zedekiah then had his eyes put out and was carried to Babylon in the eleventh year of his reign. (First, Smiths Bible Dictionary says Zedekiah began to reign in 597 B.C. and the Bible says he was captured in the eleventh year of his reign, which would be 586 B.C. Then this Bible published by

the Watchtower has the year 588 B.C. in the margin for the time the city was besieged, and it was taken two years later, which brings us again to 586 B.C.) Next, Scripturally The 2,520-year period is applied from Daniel 4, concerning the seven times or seven years Nebuchadnezzar was insane, reckoning seven years to have 2,520 days, each day representing a year. However, in Daniel 4 there is no connection between Nebuchadnezzar and any future fulfillment after this time, because in Daniel 4:28 the Bible says, All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. Again, in verse 33, The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar. If the Bible says it was fulfilled on Nebuchadnezzar, then it is unscriptural to apply it, as the Watchtower teaches, to a later time period, completely unrelated to Nebuchadnezzar. So the 1914 date is both historically and Scripturally incorrect. Although God has to use men as His mouthpieces, and they are only human, we must always remember that when God uses men as His mouthpieces, He directs them by the Holy Spirit. Then they must give a clear message which is truth. Noahs message before the Flood, the message given to Lot to leave Sodom, and the warnings of Elijah, Isaiah and Jeremiah were all clear-cut truth. Most Witnesses may say that those were prophets and that Russell and Rutherford were not prophets, (this in itself contradicts them admitting that R&R were certainly used of Jehovah as His spokesmen through the Watchtower) however, you can read on page 378 of The Finished Mystery that the Watchtower claimed Pastor Russell as the fulfillment of Ezekiel 2:5: And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.

Teachings Now, lets look at the Watchtower teachings about 1914. They mention events that are connected with the second coming or parousia of Christ Jesus into his kingdom, which also cannot be reconciled with the Bible teaching on at least six accounts. 1) Revelation 1:7 says, Every eye shall see Him Witnesses claim it is the spiritual eye of understanding only; that is, it was the spiritual eyes of the faithful Watchtower servants who discerned that His presence had taken place. However, if that was the case, why was it that three years later in 1917, the Watchtower put out a book still maintaining that Christs second advent had taken place in 1874? (TFM) 2) Matthew 24:30 says, And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will see the son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Here, all the tribes of the earth do not have spiritual understanding, but they see Him. 3) 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 says, He descends from heaven with the voice of an archangel, a commanding call, and a sound of Gods trumpet , and the dead in Christ rise right then. These will be caught up in the clouds along with those who are living at that time, and thus they will meet the Lord in the air. With all that announcement and noise it seems that everybody will know about it, and that did not happen in 1914. Witnesses claim that those resurrected are only the 144,000 class who were taken to heaven then. And it was, of course, an invisible resurrection. But if the 144,000 class were resurrected then, why werent all the 144,000 class who were living on earth then, together with them caught away in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air just as the Bible says? They would have suddenly disappeared, then, but of course that did not happen in 1914 either. 4) 2 Thessalonians 2:8 says the wicked are going to be destroyed by the brightness of the parousia, or coming. Witnesses claim that happened in a spiritual way; As the good news of the kingdom was taken to the nations in brilliance and triumph, the wicked who rejected it passed the eternal death sentence on their own heads, so that in this way they are being destroyed by the good news of His presence. But this cannot be on two accounts, apart from the fact that they did not know for a number of years after 1914 that Christs presence had taken place, elsewhere in the Bible the presence, coming, or revealing of the Son of man is likened to the day that Lot went out of Sodom and it was destroyed, or when Noah went into the ark and the Flood came and swept them all away. It describes it as something sudden and unexpected by the wicked, which sweeps them all together into a destruction which sounds like Armageddon. (reference Luke 17:26-30 and Matthew 24:36-39). 5) The holding of the Memorial service, or what churches call the communion service. 1 Corinthians 11:26 says that this service is to be held until He comes, or as the NWT says until He arrives If Christ became present in 1914, then why do the Witnesses still hold the Memorial service each year?

6) If Christ Jesus began ruling in 1914, then He would have finished His work as our High Priest, as described in the book of Hebrews, where He ever liveth to make intercession for us. Hebrews 7:25 (NWT), Consequently he is able also to save completely those who are approaching God through him, because he is always alive to plead for them. If He began the works of ruling, and finished His work of being our mediator and pleading to save us, then no one could be saved since 1914!! Further study will show that the word parousia (Strongs #3952) is used in the context of coming 22 times in the New Testament, and only 2 times in the context of presence (2 Co. 10:10 and Phi. 2:12). Interesting to note that nowhere in the Bible does it say the signs indicate that Christ is here, but rather that His presence or coming is near (Mat. 24:32-33). Keep in mind Matthew 24:36-42 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come . (King James Version) And Matthew 24:23 - Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. It is a real tragedy to not understand the great truth of the return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It should be the hope and joy of every Christian, to meet Him personally and live with Him throughout eternity. However, the main concern is that we accept Christs death for us on Calvary as an atonement for our sins. When we accept Him thus as our personal Saviour, then by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, we want to stop sinning, to stop breaking His laws. We desire to please Him, to keep the commandments.

Regarding the Ten Commandments, the Watchtower teaches that the Bible's laws on morals must be obeyed, yet it also teaches that the Sabbath observance was given only to Israel and ended with Mosaic Law (Referenced at http://www.watchtower.org/library/jt/index.htm?article=article_01.htm). One of the problems with this teaching is the fact that there are many references in the New Testament of not only the followers keeping the Sabbath, but Jesus Himself (Luke 23:56, Acts 17:2, Acts 13:42, 44, Luke 4:16, Matthew 19:16-17), both Jew and Gentile. This is a strong point because the Watchtower also teaches that Christ set example that must be followed in serving God (Referenced again at http://www.watchtower.org/library/jt/index.htm?article=article_01.htm). Furthermore, an older (1937) Watchtower publication called Enemies teaches on page 94: Therefore God gave his law through Moses to the Israelites and which applies to all who want to do right, and the first in order and first in importance of his commandments or fundamental law is this,

to wit. It then goes on to quote Exodus 20:1-6, which is the first part of the Ten Commandment law. But listen to what follows: The law of God never changes, because God never changes. (Malachi 3:6). His law points out the way to everlasting life. No creature will ever be given life everlasting who wilfully, that is, intentionally, violates Gods law For a man to violate the fundamental law of God means that that man puts himself on the side of the devil who therefore leads him to destruction. If it was taught as truth then, why should it be error now? Also, keeping in mind that the Watchtower says the moral laws must be obeyed, yet another Watchtower publication titled Let God Be True says Since God has taken the Jewish law covenant with its Ten Commandments out of the way by nailing it to the tree on which Jesus died, the Christians must observe, not the law-covenant shadows, but the reality . (Page 164, 1946 ed.) However, there is no Bible reference given, nor will you find one in the Bible itself. You will find texts which show that the law of Moses was done away with: Deuteronomy 5:22 Here you will find that the Ten Commandments were a separate law which was written on tables of stone by Jehovah. Note here it says He added nothing. These were called the tables or tablets of the Testimony. Exodus 31:18 Written by Gods own finger Exodus 40:20 This Testimony (Ten Commandments) was placed into the Ark Deuteronomy 31:24-26 A law written by Moses and placed at the side of the Ark Acts 15:5 The law which commands circumcision is called the law of Moses Galatians 5:2 A whole law which contains circumcision and such ceremonies, which is not to be kept James 2:10 A whole law which contains moral commandments forbidding adultery and murder, which we desire to keep in every point out of a heart of love , and we are going to be judged by it.

Still, many Witnesses, along with others, will contend that in the New Testament it is all one law, which the apostle Paul vehemently worked to get rid of, because Christ had abolished it. A strong reference for this belief is found in the book of Romans. The King James version of chapter 10:4 says Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. However, the word end (telos) as used in this text means goal or objective. The two words, for righteousness give us the key to this verse, and it is the exact point of this section on the Ten Commandments. Keeping any law will never make you righteous , and Paul always opposed this idea as a false method of salvation. On the other hand, we need to remember that he still preserved the

law as a standard of revelation of Gods holy character and will . This is why he says in Romans 7 that the law is holy, just, and good, and even tells us that it is spiritual. Spiritual people delight to keep a spiritual law, but Christ is their only righteousness. Again, some may argue that this spiritual law does not mean any specific set of commandments, and that it is covered if we love God and our neighbour. This is true, that love should always be the motivating force behind our obedience, but we still need specific commandments as a definition of Gods will, or we in our ignorance can err . In Romans 7 Paul says that he did not even know it was wrong to covet until he was confronted with the commandment that forbids coveting. There is also Romans 3:31 which says Do we, then, abolish law by means of our faith? God forbid. On the contrary, we establish law. And also 1 Corinthians 7:19, Circumcision does not mean a thing, and uncircumcision means not a thing, but observance of Gods commandments [does]. (KJV) Did you catch that? Moses law does not mean a thing , but observing Gods commandments, does. In the New Testament Paul emphasized that no one could earn salvation by keeping law. Repeatedly he taught that the only way a person could be saved and made righteous was by faith in the shed blood of Christ. But, so people would not go to the other extreme as many do today and conclude that there is no law for Christians to keep, he also contends that true faith, rather than doing away with the law, establishes it in the life of the believer. Rev. 14:12, in speaking of the end times and up to the very last days, says Here is the patience of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. Ask, what does the Watchtower have against the Ten Commandments? Would they want another God before Jehovah, to bow down to images, or take His name in vain? NO Is it that they do not want to honour their parents, or they want to kill, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, or covet? NO. The trouble is the Sabbath , and so, to get rid of the Sabbath, they want to destroy this whole law, claiming that is was only given to the Jews and when Christ died it finished, and now we are not under law but under grace. Similarly, they also teach that there was no law before God wrote the Ten Commandments on tables and gave them to Moses. However, once again, we will find that the Bible teaches otherwise: Romans 5:12-14 Here well find that Paul states there was law from Adam to Moses. He argues it this way: He says that there was death during that time, and that was the result of sin. But if there was sin, then there must have been a law to break Exodus 16:4 (NWT) then Jehovah said to Moses: Here I am raining down bread for you from the heavens; and the people must go out and pick up each his amount day for day, in order that I may put them to the test as to whether they well walk in my law or not. There we have the fact of a law before Sinai, where the commandments were written on the tables of stone.

Exodus 16:27,28 (NWT) However, it came about on the seventh day that some of the people did go out to pick [it] up, but they found none. Consequently Jehovah said to Moses: How long must you people refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? There we have no mistake that Jehovah considered the Sabbath commandment as part of His law. It is interesting to note that this must have been known for a long time, for Jehovah asks the question of them, How long? Genesis 26:5 (NWT) Due to the fact that Abraham listened to my voice and continued to keep his obligations to me, my commands, my statutes, and my laws. So god had Abraham keeping my laws before the time of Moses. Then as we read in Exodus 16:4, He tested them in relationship to keeping the seventh-day Sabbath, a part of my law. Isaiah 56:2 (KJV) Happy is the mortal man that does this, and the son of mankind that lays hold of it, keeping the Sabbath in order not to profane it, and keeping his hand in order not to do any kind of badness. It is interesting that Jehovah says a man who keeps the Sabbath is happy. Isaiah 56:6 (NWT) And the foreigners that have joined themselves to Jehovah to minister to him and to love the name of Jehovah, in order to become servants to him, all those keeping the Sabbath in order not to profane it and laying hold of my covenant. Here, Jehovah says this privilege is also extended to the Gentile or foreigner who joined himself to Jehovah. Acts 17:2,4 Here you have a whole multitude of Gentiles Acts 18:4,11 Again, Jews and Gentiles Acts 16:13 And on the Sabbath day we went forth outside the gate beside a river, where we were thinking there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women that had assembled. Notice first, there is no synagogue in this place Philippi, a Roman colony but Luke, the bible writer, many years after Christs death calls this day the Sabbath day. We find Paul specially going out of the bustle of the city to this quiet place of prayer beside a river, because it was the Sabbath. This argues the point that he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath just because he found that he could regularly get a convenient congregation on that day. Witnesses believe that the seventh day, like the other days of creation, is a period of 7,000 years and that we are still living in this period. In the Watchtower publication titled Let God Be True, you can read in the chapter called The Sabbath: In Shadow and Reality the following: Measured by the length of the seventh day, on which God desists from work and is refreshed, each of those days was 7,000 years long. But if this were true, then you would have 3,500 years of light and 3,500 years of darkness. Vegetation could not have grown this way after it was created. Furthermore, with vegetation created on the third day, then it would not have been pollinated by the bees and insects for many thousands of years. But more that that, the Bible says God spoke

everything into existence, and it would not take the Almighty thousands of years to do that. Nonetheless, once again there is no Bible reference given to support this, nor will you find one in the Bible itself. The ones that are often misquoted are: 2 Peter 3:8 (KJV) But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The key here is to note that it says that a day is as a thousand years, not is a thousand years. This still contradicts the Watchtower teaching that it is 7,000 years for a day instead of 1,000. Hebrews 4:9 (Emphatic Diaglott) Therefore remains a keeping of a Sabbath for the people of God. In the context of this verse, rather than proving the Sabbath is a 7,000-year period, it proves that the people of God should still be keeping the Sabbath. Hebrews 4:4 For in one place he has said of the seventh day as follows: And God rested on the seventh day from all his works. Here it does not say He is resting, as if He has been resting 7,000 years, but it is something finished, in past tense: God rested. Also note this refers to the seventh-day Sabbath. Hebrews 4:10 For the man that has entered into [Gods] rest has also himself rested from his own works, just as God did from his own. Here is past tense again: God did. It links up with verse 9, that this Sabbath to be kept is the seventh day: Just as God did from his own refers back to verse four, which names the seventh-day. Hebrews 4:11 Let us therefore do our utmost to enter into that rest, for fear anyone should fall in the same pattern of disobedience. This should leave no doubt whatsoever, that it is the seventh-day Sabbath of the commandments. It mentions disobedience, and the seventh-day Sabbath is the only one we have ever been commanded to obey. Summing these verses up, the writer of Hebrews tells us that many of the Israelites did not reach Canaan because of their disobedience and lack of faith. Similarly there is danger for Christians, that they will not finally be saved in the kingdom of God because of their disobedience and lack of faith. Isnt it rather curious that Hebrews specially links this up with the keeping of the seventh-day Sabbath, the one all Christendom, including the Witnesses, trample on? Dont take that wrong, there are many wonderful people in the churches throughout Christendom, as there are many sincere people among the Jehovahs Witnesses, who believe they are pleasing God. Yet they ignore a test of religion Jesus summed up when He said, If ye love Me, keep My commandments. Mark 2:28 says that Christ claimed to be Lord also of the Sabbath, and what we need here and now is to accept Him and love him with all our hearts. Then we will also love and respect his special say.

Was Christ Created? Revelation 3:14 Says He was the beginning of the creation by God, not the first thing created, but rather the One responsible for beginning the creation of God. One could look at it this way: A mayor first suggests, then plans and raises funds for a hospital. The mayor can be referred to as the beginning of the hospital he began it. He was not the first stone laid, nor the first patient in it; he was the person responsible for it. So it is with Christ, the Creator (John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16,17 emphasizes that everything created was created by Christ. Nothing has been created, which was not created by him . This rules out the idea that He was a created being). Colossians 1:15 Says Christ is the first-born of all creation, and actually explains itself. First-born does not mean brought forth or created first, but it means the One who is pre-eminent, as expressed in verse 18. Psalm 89:27 - States that God was going to make David a first-born higher than the kings of the earth. But god was neither Davids literal father, nor was David the eldest son. Rather, he was the youngest of many sons. First-born meant he would be preeminent, over all other kings. Jeremiah 31:9 Ephraim is said to be first-born, though Reuben was Jacobs real first-born, as recorded in Genesis 46:8. Exodus 4:22 Israel is called my first-born. Finally, the fact of fist-born not meaning brought forth first, or created first, but rather preeminent, is made clear and definite in verse 18 of Colossians 1. It says He is the first-born from the dead, that he might become the one who is first in all things. Christ is the one who has broken the shackles of the tomb, and all who are resurrected depend on Him although in this point of time Christ was not the first person to be resurrected. **(See Concerning the Bible under the heading Oddities)** One God or Two? The Watchtower emphasizes that there is only one God , but when we examine the Watchtower teaching, we find two Gods , not just one after all. There is Jehovah God, the Father, who is the Almighty God; then in the New World translation of Isaiah 9:6 we find it prophesied that Jesus is to be a Mighty God. So there is an Almighty God and a Mighty God. Now this is where Watchtower teaching conflicts with the Bible on this subject, for Isaiah 43:10 says no God was formed either before or after God, and He certainly could not be a second God. The Watchtower teaching is far more confusing than anything it claims about Christendoms views on the Trinity.

If we could deny the deity of Christ entirely, as the Watchtower has tried to do, it might simplify matters. But Scripture teaches that Christ is divine-He is God: Matthew 1:23 (NWT) - Look! The virgin will become pregnant and will give birth to a son, and they will call his name Immanuel, which means, when translated, With Us Is God. John 20:28 (NWT) - In answer Thomas said to him: My Lord and my God! Philippians 2:6-11 (NWT) - who, although he was existing in Gods form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God. No, but he emptied himself and took a slaves form and came to be in the likeness of men. More than that, when he found himself in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake. For this very reason also God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every [other] name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground, and every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 1 Timothy 3:16 (NWT) - Indeed, the sacred secret of this godly devotion is admittedly great: He was made manifest in flesh, was declared righteous in spirit, appeared to angels, was preached about among nations, was believed upon in [the] world, was received up in glory. Titus 3:4 (KJV) - But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, Hebrews 1:8 (KJV) - But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom Heres one way to look at it: Mr. and Mrs. X as a married couple are as one, yet they are two different persons. Likewise, the Father and Son are both divine, but they are two separate Persons, although they belong to the one Godhead. If we look closer, we will see that the Holy Spirit is a person and part of the Godhead too: Romans 8:34 (NWT) - Who is he that will condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died, yes, rather the one who was raised up from the dead, who is on the right hand of God, who also pleads for us. Here Christ Jesus pleads for us. Do you believe that one could plead for us if he was not a person? Of course not. Now look closer. In this verse it says who also pleads for us. Already this chapter mentioned another Person who pleads for us, so Christ Jesus is mentioned as also pleading. Verse 26 says this Person is the Holy Spirit: In like manner the spirit also joins in with help for our weakness; for the [problem of] what we should pray for as we need to we do not know, but the spirit itself pleads for us with groanings unuttered.

Ephesians 4:30 Says that a person can grieve the Holy Spirit. You cannot grieve a force, you can only grieve someone with feeling and attributes of personality. John 16:13 Jesus says the Holy Spirit would guide into truth and teach. He would speak, but not of Himself. Acts 13:2 The Holy Ghost calls Himself me. Acts 5:3-4 Peter accuses Ananias of lying to the Holy Spirit, explaining that this is lying to God. Furthermore, the Bible mentions that the Holy Spirit is inseparably joined to the Father and the Son by a singular common name, in the same way that a married couple have one family name. It is in this name that people are to be baptized. Look at Matthew 28:19, where it says name not names, of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is where the confusion arises concerning the Trinity. Each person is not a God; it is the three persons that are God, or make up the Godhead. It is like having a government, which is a singular word but made up of a number of members. No single member is the government, but all go to make up that government as individual members. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word for God is Elohim, which is plural, meaning more than two persons (singular = one, dual = two, plural = more than two). When we read texts like Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14, we understand the deeper significance of this fact. From the Old Testament you can find an example of this in Genesis 1:26: And God went on to say: Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. So at creation God was more than one person. It seems significant that this truth should be introduced in the very first chapter of the bible.

So, you can see that other than the prophecies and dates, the teachings have been in error as well. This is admitted by the Watchtower itself; otherwise they would not be teaching differently today. The book The Finished Mystery was considered paramount by the Watchtower. It is virtually a commentary on the prophecies of Revelation and Ezekiel, the applications of which are almost entirely discarded today by Watchtower publications. Also, the pyramid prophecies, and those which applied to the literal return of Israel to Palestine are now rejected. One underlying problem is that if they were Gods true spokesman, then why did they make these mistaken prophecies or set wrong dates? But the recurring problem is that if what the Watchtower once taught was truth, then it teaches error today. On the other hand, if it teaches truth today, then it has taught many errors during the major part of its history. Thats not Gods way of doing things. Some Witnesses may contend that the Society did not claim to be the channel of truth in the early days, just mainly since 1919 when Jehovahs spirit went forth and activated the Society to teach His truth. Its interesting however, to note that when this increased activity came, the book they sold by the hundreds of thousands was The Finished Mystery which on page 144 declares, The Watchtower 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. So that makes yet another difficulty to be sorted out. It is important to note that its not the people in the Witness organization who are to blame . There are some very nice people in it. The trouble is that their headquarters tells them what to do and they do it without question . Once they have heard of the Watchtower teachings, some do not look past them . Whenever they have something pointed out to them from the Bible, they would only interpret it in the light of Watchtower teachings. They are told they must be right because they are persecuted for their beliefs, but we all know that Communists, nationalists and many others have died for their beliefs. And if religious persecution were the test of truth, then we should all be Jews because so many died under Hitler

What Now? For Jehovahs Witnesses seeking salvation, the answer is found in Romans 8:7-9, which says Because the minding of the flesh means enmity with God, for it is not under subjection to the law of God, nor, in fact, can it be. So that those who are in harmony with the flesh cannot please God. However you are in harmony, not with the flesh, but with the spirit, if Gods spirit truly dwells in you. (NWT). This is talking about the change that comes into a persons life by the Holy Spirit. Jesus said it was being born again. In order to be saved, a person must experience this change from the carnal, or fleshly, to the spiritual. That is what the Bible means when it says, Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Gods kingdom. Furthermore, the verse says that if a person has not had this change, then he doesnt want to keep the law of God, nor indeed can he. Witnesses have been taught that only the 144,000 class need to be born again, but when Jesus said to Nicodemus, Ye

must be born again, He stated a truth that applies to every soul that is to be saved. If the Holy Spirit does His work in our lives, we will be born again. If He does not, then irrespective of who we are, we will be lost. Now, if you are born again, then you have a heavenly hope, for all the saved have a heavenly hope. Revelation 7:9 A company so numerous that no one can number it in heaven. They are standing before the throne. Some Witnesses will say they could still be on the earth because the earth is His footstool. Revelation 19:1 (KJV) And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God. (Emphasis added) This much people is from the same word in the Greek translated great multitude in Revelation 7:9. The New World Translation even clarifies this case by using great crowd in both places and identifying this great crowd of Revelation 7:9 which cannot be numbered, with the great crowd which is in heaven. Revelation 19:1 (NWT) After these things I heard what was as a loud voice of a great crowd in heaven. It is not just the voice that is in heaven, but also the great crowd who posses it.

Other Oddities

Concerning the Bible The Watchtower teaches that Christ Himself was a created being, but you will see in Colossians 1:16 and 17 of the New World translation that the Watchtower has supplied the word other four times to infer that Christ was created first; then He in turn created all the other things. Check this with the Emphatic Diaglott and you will find the word other is not in the Greek text. This makes the Bible contradict itself, because in John 1:3 they forgot to supply the word other. It reads, All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence. What has come in existence Another example from the New World translation is found in Genesis 1 and 2. You will find the tense used in the days of creation has been changed from the past tense to a continuous tense. Instead of reading God said it reads God proceeded to say. This is to give the impression each day was not an ordinary day, but a long period of time. When they come to the seventh day, in Genesis 2:1 to 3, instead of God rested the seventh day they have it that proceeded to rest on the seventh day. Also, he has been resting, so that if the seventh day is 7,000 years long, then god is still resting and we are in that Sabbath. When you come to the New Testament, in Hebrews 4:4 and 10 they have forgotten to alter the tense. Although it is a quotation from Genesis 2:3, it reads, God rested on the seventh day. In verse 10, speaking of God having rested from His works it says, just as God did. So you have a contradiction of whether God is still resting, or whether God did rest the seventh day. Note also, Hebrews 1:8 (King James Version) But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God is for ever and ever. Now check against the Emphatic Diaglott But to the Son, Thy Throne, O God is for the age. And finally, the New World translation But with reference to the son; God is your throne forever. Seems ridiculous for god to be a throne! The Watchtowers translation of the Bible not only reflects binding interpretations of the groups leader, but it also greatly perverts the Scriptures to avoid placing themselves under judgement (see John 1:1, 8:58, 1 Timothy 2:6, Acts 10:36, Colossians 1:16-17, 2:9-10, etc .). Therefore, the leaders interpretation of the bible, not the Bible itself, is final authority. The Watchtower is 1 main source of doctrine and considered authoritative. It is interesting to note how Merriam-Webster defines the difference between a version and a translation: Version: Translation from another language; an account or description from specific point of view; an adaption.

Translation: An act, process, or instance of translating (as from one language to another); a change to a different substance, form, or appearance ; conversion. (taken from Merriam-Webster)

More Oddities 1) The Watchtower is emphatic that no one who lived before Christ died will ever go to heaven. But the Bible tells us otherwise: 2 Kings 2:11 Tells how Elijah was taken up into heaven by a whirlwind. Hebrews 11:5 Enoch was translated that he should not see death. If he did not die and was transferred off the earth, it is pretty obvious he must be in heaven. Hebrews 11: 9,10 Speaks of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob having a heavenly hope: By faith he [Abraham] dwelt in the tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the very same promise. For he was awaiting the city having real foundations, the builder and creator of which [city] is God. (If they were awaiting a city built by God Himself, then theyd wanted something better than Beth-Sarim!) Hebrews 12:22 Tells us where this city is located: But you have approached a Mount Zion and a city of [the] living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels. (NWT, emphasis added). Its the heavenly Jerusalem, and the angels dwell there too. Philippians 3:20, 21 Tells us Christ will return from heaven with a body, and He will change, or refashion, our bodies. They are not spirits, they have bodies, just like Christs body Luke 24:37-39 The resurrected Jesus who went to heaven was not just a spirit Hebrews 10:20 (Emphatic Diaglott) Tells us that the body Christ had when He appeared to His disciples, would not have been laid aside before He reached heaven: Which Way he consecrated for us, through the VAIL (that is, his FLESH, recently killed and yet is living). The word flesh is capitalized! Would this mean that Christ Jesus is a Man in heaven? Hes more than that, of course, but He does retain His humanity. 1 Timothy 2:5 There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man Christ Jesus. From these last few texts, the Bible teaches that Christ had a body. He was resurrected and went to heaven with a body, in which He will return a perfect, glorious body. Then He is going to change our bodies to be like His; then we are ready to go to heaven with Him 2) Witnesses say from the Bible that death is a sleep, and everybody sleeps in death until the resurrection at the last day. But then they spoil it all by adding their own Watchtower interpretation to it. For years they taught that in 1878 a whole crowd of them were resurrected and went to heaven in spirit form (yet it wasnt the last day). Then theyd realized they made a mistake and moved the date up to 1918, and since then a certain heavenly class go straight to

heaven as soon as they die, which makes the Witnesses believe the same as the rest of Christendom. Interesting thought: The Watchtower claimed that when Russell died he went to heaven in 1916 and continued managing the Society from up there (referenced on pages 144 and 420 of The Finished Mystery). What, then, would have happened when Judge Rutherford died and arrived in heaven in 1942 to continue his work, as those two did not get along too well together? And to make matters worse, just after Russell died, Rutherford set about changing his teachings! Also, how did Russell get into heaven in 1916, when the Watchtower decided in 1927 that the resurrection did not take place until 1918? Russell had, according to their own publications, already been in heaven for two years! 3) We know that both Sundays and Christmas were dedicated to the sun god, and both were worshipped by the ancient pagans. The Watchtower teaches that witnesses should have nothing to do with Christmas because of its pagan associations, yet ignores the Sunday part of it and holds Sunday meetings because it is convenient to spread their teachings, since people look on it as a day of religious meetings. But, why not take the same consistent attitude towards Christmas? 4) Watchtower teaches Kingdom under Christ will rule earth in righteousness and peace (Referenced at http://www.watchtower.org/library/jt/index.htm?article=article_01.htm). We already know that the Watchtower teaches that Christs second advent took place in 1874 and the resurrection in 1878 (changes in dates are not relevant at this time), and that He is ruling now, invisibly (righteous and peaceful?). But that either contradicts their own teaching that Satan is invisible ruler of the world, or it would mean that he is no longer of any threat to us. (Referenced at http://www.watchtower.org/library/jt/index.htm?article=article_01.htm). 5) Watchtower teaches that we are living in the time of the end today even though Christs return has already taken place (Referenced at http://www.watchtower.org/library/jt/index.htm? article=article_01.htm). We cannot be sure of the divine name of God. The Watchtower has made much about the pronunciation, but all we can be sure of is the four consonants YHWH. The vowels have to be supplied, which means the name may have been pronounced any of several ways. However, if pronunciation of the name were important, would not Christ have told us, and left no one in doubt about it? The name is important, but let us remember that the important part is not the sound of the name, but what it stands for. A persons name may be Jones, Brown, or Smith it matters little. But what it stands for and who it represents makes all the difference. With God, it is not the exact pronunciation of his name, but His nature, authority, dominion, and government. We must never be sidetracked over the name of God, while living out of harmony with all that name stands for. Perhaps this is why we do not know the exact name of God. It is also interesting to note that in British countries we know the name of the Queen of England is Elizabeth, but we usually speak of her as the Queen or Her Majesty. Unless we are identifying which sovereign she is, to use her name is not necessary or in the best taste. The same, of course, applies in a family. A son who continually refers to his father by his given name is considered

disrespectful. With God, our Sovereign and our Father, we as His subjects and children should use His name sparingly and with care and respect.

What Does The Bible Say?

Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Psa 146:3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. Isa 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. Mar 7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Jos 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 1Co 7:13-14 And the woman which hath a husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. 2Th 2:10-12 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Joh 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

A Bit of History Founded in 1884 by Charles Taze Russell, who was exposed to the teachings of William Miller (founder of the Second Adventist Movement). Went through a few name changes before taking the official name in 1931 Jehovah Witness Russell originally denied the doctrine of hell and would go on to reject nearly every other Christian doctrine. Russell also added many physically and spiritually dangerous doctrines of his own (read Studies in the Scriptures). Jehovah Witness leadership asserts itself to be the sole Christian religion and authority on earth, as well as Gods mouthpiece, or prophet. Their doctrines were changed 148 times between 1917 and 1928 alone. Russell died in 1916 to be replaced by J.F. Rutherford, who would go on to write 20 books and numerous pamphlets which would slowly revise previous doctrine structure (Encyclopaedia of American Religions, G. Melton, Vol.1, p. 485). * See Vol. 7 of Studies in the Scriptures Russell adopted many doctrines from the Seventh-Day Adventists, but not until Rutherford did they emphasize evangelism.

Still More Oddities: They Say: Jesus Christ is Son of God They Mean: The first created son of God was Michael the archangel. This angel was recreated as a perfect man (Jesus) who died on a torture stake so men could work their way into Gods kingdom. This Jesus/Michael now rules over His kingdom invisibly since 1914 Since He failed to show up then to destroy the unfaithful, Watchtower powers declared Him to be invisible. They Say: We believe the second coming of Jesus They Mean: The angel Michael turned his attention to earth in 1914 by establishing his heavenly kingdom. That was/is the second coming He will never return visibly, but will rule through his group of Jehovah Witnesses. They Say: Jesus was resurrected They Mean: Jehovah placed a newly created copy of Jesus life pattern (personality) into a newly created Michaels spiritual body (not physical, even though He broke bread and ate). Since Jesus was annihilated, Jehovah had to re-create from memory and He is now Jesus/Michael in heaven.

The un-biblical interpretation of disfellowshipping has the Witnesses in the practice of shunning (children, parents and grand-parents are kept from any type of communication and prevented from even social contact)