Prophecy Center
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Why are Jehovah's Witnesses backpedaling on the Watchtower end-time prophecy?

The average JW is quick to point out that no such dates (1975) were assigned to when Jesus would return to earth. In reality Nathan Knorr was clear during the 1953 Convention that generation would see Armageddon. Clearly he was believing the current prophecy of Jesus returned to earth in 1914. If the leaders are guilty of false prophecy it would ease negative public opinion if the current Watchtower told the members and the rest of the world they were wrong.

Newspaper article on the 1953 convention w/ quote from Mr. Knorr.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iCFWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=suIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5719,5180317&dq=jehovah's+witness&hl=en

Public Comments

1. At least you use the organization name. Nobody is perfect and everybody makes mistakes. 1975
is when Man has been on the Earth for 6000 yrs, thats all. There is no perfect religion and Satan
really makes use of that, doesn't he.
Keep Awake!-the signs of something BIG is here.

2. It doesn't appear the JWs liked him any better than the rest of the world.

3. Brainiak says; "At least you use the organization name. Nobody is perfect and everybody makes mistakes. 1975"

I differ with your interpretation of that little "mistake" .

I saw families sell their homes, quit good jobs, take their children on the road, and I also saw the lives of hundreds of thousands being confused and scattered.

This "mistake" is another False Prophesy, that will suffer the consequences found at Deut; 18:21-23.

The younger JW's are being persuaded to believe it never was a "big Deal" Bull, it was big, and it was a Big Lie.

Why should you younger fine people suffer the calamity of this religion, when all they want is your time, money, and youthful power...Get of of HER, or share with her in her sins.!

4. There is no backpedaling. Jehovah's Witnesses still believe quite strongly that the current time period we live in is what the bible refers to as "the last days" or "the end times".

One only needs to cross reference current events with Matthew 24 and 2 timothy 3 to draw the same conclusion.

According to bible chronology, 1914 is the year Jesus established the Kingdom in the Heavens and expelled Satan and his angels from heaven permanently. Hence, the "woe to the earth" scripture in Revelation.

Hope this helps.

5. Greetings,

Your question misrepresents what Witnesses have said. And citing the twisted and inaccurate statements by some “news reporter” is perverse. Therefore, your insinuations are irrelevant.

The Witnesses–as an organization--have never hidden the fact that they had wrong interpretations especially in trying to figure out prophetic dates. They ALWAYS admitted them and willingly corrected their beliefs.

Further, NONE of the failed expectations are kept secret, but they are even periodically covered publicly in our study magazine and most appear for all to see in our standard book on the history of the WTS. EVERY change in our understanding was ALWAYS clearly published and distributed worldwide!

So every JW knows that their beliefs have at times changed because of increased knowledge. But of course even the Apostles had to change their beliefs regarding their understandings of end-times (Lk.19:11; 24:21; Ac.1:6). Criticisms regarding JWs changing their understandings on Bible prophecies would also condemn the Apostles!

So there is clearly something wrong with such criticisms.


However, the accusation that Jehovah's Witnesses have claimed to be inspired prophets or have tried to foretell the future is absolutely false and a misrepresentation. Witnesses have NEVER claimed to give prophesies, to be inspired or to be infallible.

It is an irrefutable fact that Jehovah's Witnesses' very doctrine has ALWAYS been that the gifts of inspired prophesying, direct communication from God, and special knowledge ceased after the Apostles died. This is a belief that has NEVER changed from their modern day inception as Bible Students to the present day. Therefore, any accusation that Witnesses have made "false prophecies" can only be viewed as a deceptive misrepresentation of the facts.

Notice this documented evidence:

"Nor would we have our writings reverenced or regarded as infallible, or on a par with the holy Scriptures. The most we claim or have ever claimed for our teachings is that they are what we believe to be harmonious interpretations of the divine Word...And we still urge, as in the past, that each reader...proving all things by the Scriptures, accepting what they see to be thus approved, and rejecting all else."--Zion's Watch Tower Dec.1896

"It is not our intention to enter upon the role of prophet to any degree, but merely to give below what seems to us rather likely to be the trend of events—giving also the reasons for our expectations." Zion's Watch Tower Mar. 1904.

"We are not prophesying; we are merely giving our surmises,...We do not even aver that there is no mistake in our interpretation of prophesy and our calculations of chronology. We have merely laid these before you, leaving it for each to exercise his own faith or doubt in respect to them." --Zion's Watch Tower Jan.1,1908

Also this sentence appeared in EVERY issue of the Watchtower up to the mid- 70's: "No, The Watchtower is no inspired prophet, but it follows and explains a Book of prophecy..."

There are scores of similar Watchtower quotes that go back to the 1800's. And you will notice that these statements preceded the conclusions regarding specific dates that were pointed to by Witnesses.

Having to correct misinterpretations is not proof that a religion is not God's organization, or that an individual is not a Christian. After all, the Apostles had Jesus right there teaching them and yet found it difficult to see accurately, especially about "end time" prophecies! So would it be any surprise that true Christians would make mistakes in understanding prophecy? If this negated their claim to true Christianity then we must also question the apostles themselves!

Your question also distracts from the real issue. That is, a FAILURE to correct false doctrine or actions when presented with solid evidence would be proof that a religion or an individual is not God's organization or a Christian. Witnesses have always been willing to change any belief in order to harmonize better with increased knowledge of Scriptural teaching. But, most other religions have proved that they will not change doctrines such as the Trinity, the immortal soul, and hell fire even though their own scholars admit these beliefs are not taught in Scripture.


When you examine most religions you find that they cannot meet these requirements of true Christianity. Their historical record is of bloodthirsty wars, immorality, sectarian violence and factional splits (Mat.7:21- 23; 2Tim3:5; Gal.5:19-23). Today Catholics continue to kill Catholics and Protestants kill Protestants, something true Christians would not do (1Jn.3:10,15; 4:8).

I have found only one group which has presented absolute evidence of truly being Christian: Jehovah's Witnesses. This is the testimony of the Holy Spirit (1Cor. 6:9-11; Gal.5:19-22).

Yours,

BAR-ANERGES

6. JWs never made any prophecies, despite anti-JW misinformation.

How can the anti-JWs hold their poition logically when 1) JWs have *always* stated that the 'gift of prophecy' ended in the first century (1 Cor 13:8). 2) Within the greater context of all JW publications and talks, they have always said that JWs are not infallible and not directly inspired by God.

7. The question is fallacious. Jehovah's Witnesses are not backpedaling on anything.

If you actually read our literature, you would know that we make no claim of being prophets and do not teach or believe that ANY man has the gift of prophecy since the days of Jesus' apostles.

Jehovah's Witnesses have never said that Jesus returned to the earth, whether in 1914 or any other date.

You are misrepresenting what we believe.

Jehovah's Witnesses have published statements that say clearly that we have expected some things that did not happen. We have hidden nothing.

We have also, as the result of continuing Bible research, come to a clearer understanding of what the term "generation" means in the original Bible languages.

Nathan Knorr never claimed to be infallible, nor was he the "leader" of Jehovah's Witnesses. But you are also misinterpreting the newspaper article that you cited. "Prophesied" is the word the news reporter used, not Brother Knorr. And the "generation" that heard Knorr speak is still alive and well, it has not passed off the scene.

Jehovah's Witnesses do not make prophecies, and people who do not make prophecies cannot be guilty of "false prophecy."

We try to understand God's prophecies that are written in Scripture.

There is nothing in any of our publications that said the end of the world would come in 1975.

Jehovah's Witnesses make a lifelong commitment to serve Jehovah.

We do not limit our commitment to any particular date.

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8. If this the type of questions you are asking, why are you surprised that some block you?

Actually even Billy Graham stated that the end would come in 1950 or 60's.

Actually most born again Christians agree that we are living in the end times.

So Jehovah's Witnesses are wrong when we disagree with 'christians', and we are wrong when we also agree with them?

talk about being biased.

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