Jehovah's Witnesses Doctrinal Reversals

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society -- Doctrinal Flip-Flops Abaddon First they taught… - Abaddon in Revelation 9:11 is the Devil – “Whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon…That is, Destroyer. But in plain English his name is Satan, the Devil.” – The Finished Mystery, 1917, p. 159 And now… - Abaddon in Revelation 9:11 is Jesus – “In the Hebrew his name is Abaddon…All this plainly identifies the ‘angel’ as picturing Jesus Christ, the Son of Jehovah God.” – Then Is Finished The Mystery of God, 1969, p. 232 Alcyone (A star in the Pleiades cluster) First they taught… - God lived there. “Alcyone, the central one of the renowned Pleiadic stars…from which the Almighty governs his universe.” – Studies in the Scriptures, p. 327 Then they taught… - “…it would be unwise for us to try to fix God’s throne as being at a particular spot in the universe.” – The Watchtower, 11/15/1953, p. 703 And now they teach… - “God being an individual, a Person with a spirit body, has a place where he resides, and so he could not be at any other place at the same time.” – The Watchtower, 2/15/1981, p. 6 Christ’s Death on a Cross First… - Up until the 1920’s, Watchtower publications commonly referred to Jesus’ death on a cross, for example, 1927 Book Creation, p. 209 in early editions and p. 265 in later editions. And Now… - They teach He died on a torture stake… “No Biblical evidence even intimates that Jesus died on a cross.” - Awake!, 11/8/1972, p. 28 “So, the evidence indicates that Jesus did not die on a traditional cross.” – Awake!, 9/22/1974, p. 28 Christ’s Return First they taught… - “The second coming of the Lord therefore began in 1874.” – Creation, 1927, p. 310 in earlier editions, p. 289 in later editions. Then they taught… - “If it is true that Jesus has been present since the year 1914, then it must be admitted that nobody has seen Him with his natural eyes.” – Golden Age, 1930, p. 503 and also Golden Age, 1934 p. 379-380 But then they taught… - 1874 again was His appearance - The Harp of God, “5,736,190 Edition Printed March 1937,” p. 235 But then they taught… - Abandoned 1874 altogether - God’s Kingdom of a Thousand Years Has Approached, 1973, p. 209-210 Christmas First you could – ““Christmas Day,” in celebration of our dear Redeemer’s birth…it cannot be improper, in harmony with general usage, for us to remember in a social way our dear Redeemer’s birth at this time.” – Zion’s Watch Tower, 12/15/1898, p. 370 1

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society -- Doctrinal Flip-Flops “It matters not particularly that December 25 is not the anniversary of our Lord’s birth… One day, as well as another, will serve us to commemorate our Savior’s birth in the flesh, as a gift of God’s love…” Zion’s Watch Tower, 12/15/1908, p. 379 And Now… - “…those who celebrate Christmas do not honor God or Christ, but honor pagan celebrations and pagan gods.” – Awake! 12/8/1988, p. 19 College Education First you can’t - “Many schools now have student counselors who encourage one to pursue higher education after high school, to pursue a career with a future in this system of things. Do not be influenced by them. Do not let them “brainwash” you with the Devil’s propaganda to get ahead, to make something of yourself in this world.” – The Watchtower, 3/15/1969, p. 171 And Now… - “If Christian parents responsibility decide to provide their children with further education after high school, that is there prerogative.” – The Watchtower, 11/1/1992. p. 18-20 Flags First you could… - “Since the Bethel Home was established, in one end of the Drawing Room there has been kept a small bust of Abraham Lincoln with two American flags displayed about the bust. This is deemed entirely proper…” – The Watch Tower, 5/15/1917, p. 150 And Now… - According to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, a flag representing a country is viewed as “an idolatrous symbol.” – Awake! 9/8/1971, p. 12 Higher Powers (Romans 13:1-7) First they taught… - the “higher powers” were human rulers or secular governments. – Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, 1959, p. 91 Then they taught… - the “higher powers” were “Jehovah God and Jesus Christ.” – Jehovah’s Witnesses – Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom, 1993, p. 146-147 And now the Flip Flop… - the “higher powers” are again human rulers or secular governments. – Jehovah’s Witnesses – Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom, 1993, p. 146-147 Holy Spirit First Charles Russell Taught… - the Holy Spirit was a person and rebuked the Christadelphians for not believing this. – Three Worlds, or Plan of Redemption, Coauthored with Nelson H. Barbour, 1877, p. 57-58 And now… - “is not a person but is a powerful force that God causes to emanate from himself to accomplish his holy will.” - Reasoning From the Scriptures, 1989, p. 381 Minister(s) First they taught… - All Jehovah’s Witnesses were ministers. – Kingdom Ministry 1956

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The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society -- Doctrinal Flip-Flops Then they taught… - Only appointed elders, servants and so on were called ministers. – Our Kingdom Service, 1976 And then back again… - All Jehovah’s Witnesses were ministers since 1982 after the expulsion of Raymond Franz from the “Governing Body.” Organ Transplants First you can’t – Taught to refuse organ transplants because they were a form of “cannibalism.” – Awake!, 6/8/1968, p. 21 And Now… – The Watchtower now teaches that organ transplants are a “matter of personal decision” – The Watchtower, 3/15/1980, p. 31 – and that people have been “helped” by them. – Awake!, 8/22/1989, p. 6 Pyramidology First they taught… - That the Great Pyramids in Egypt were “The Testimony of God’s Stone Witness” and that “Jehovah God designed the Pyramid.” “In the passages of the Great Pyramid of Gizeh the agreement of one or two measurements with the present-truth chronology might be accidental, but the correspondency of dozens of measurements proves that the same God designed both pyramid and plan…” – The Watch Tower, 06/15/1922, p. 187 “The great Pyramid of Egypt, standing as a silent and inanimate witness to the Lord, is a messenger; and its testimony speaks with great eloquence concerning the divine plan.” – The Watch Tower, 05/15/1925, p. 148 Then they taught… - The pyramids were “Satan’s Bible.” – The Watch Tower, 11/15/1928, p. 344 “If the pyramid is not mentioned in the Bible, then following its teachings is being led by vain philosophy and false science and not following after Christ.” – The Watch Tower, 11/15/1928, p. 341 Resurrection of the men of Sodom Would be resurrected… - The Watchtower, July 1879, p. 8 Would NOT be resurrected… - The Watchtower, June 1, 1952, p. 338 Would be resurrected… - The Watchtower, August 1, 1965, p. 479 Would NOT be resurrected… - The Watchtower, June 1, 1988, p. 31 Vaccinations First you can’t – Taught to refuse vaccinations because they were a “direct violation” of God’s law. – The Golden Age 2/4/1931, p. 293 And Now… – “The matter of vaccination is one for the individual that has to face it to decide for himself…” - The Watchtower, 12/15/1952, p. 764

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The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society -- Doctrinal Flip-Flops Who is the Faithful and Discreet Slave? First it was… - the “faithful and discreet slave” as “that servant (the whole body of Christ).” – The Watch Tower, 11/1881, p. 291 Then it was… - Charles Taze Russell – “The Watch Tower unhesitatingly proclaims brother Russell as ‘that faithful and wise servant.” – The Watch Tower, 3/1/1917, p. 6049 And then it was… - “In February 1927 this erroneous thought that Russell himself was the ‘faithful and wise servant’ was cleared up.” 1975 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses, p. 88. So, they taught it was the living “anointed class” claiming to be among the remaining living 144,000. And now… - “…today ‘the faithful and discreet slave’ is associated with the Jehovah’s Witnesses and represented by the Governing Body of these Witnesses” – The Watchtower, 2/1/1993, p. 16 Worship of Jesus First they taught… - You could worship Jesus since early editions of the New World Translation rendered Hebrews 1:6 as “And let all God’s angels worship him.” – Make Sure of All Things, 1953 edition, p 85 And now… - They have changed the New World Translation to read, “And let all God’s angels do obeisance to him.”

Conclusion The bottom line is that The Watchtower organization claims to be God’s sole “channel for communicating” truth to humankind today. - The Watchtower, 07/15/1963, p.443-444

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“Jehovah’s theocratically controlled organization under the immediate direction of Jehovah God Himself.” - The Watchtower, 6/1/1965, p. 352

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“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.” - The Watchtower, 4/1/1919, p. 6414

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“Jehovah’s organization alone, in all the earth, is directed by God’s holy spirit or active force.” - The Watchtower, 7/1/1973, p. 402

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“We must not lose sight of the fact that God is directing his organization.” - The Watchtower, 7/1/1973, p. 402

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“Jehovah’s organization has a visible part on the earth which represents the Lord and is under his direct supervision.” - The Watchtower, 5/1/1938, p. 169

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The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society -- Doctrinal Flip-Flops

And The Watchtower claims to be a prophet of God. - The Watchtower, 4/1/1972, p. 197 So, the question arises, why so many doctrinal “flip-flops”? The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society will blame their “doctrinal flip-flops” on “new light.” In other words, as they learn from the past mistakes, the “light gets brighter.” Even Charles Taze Russell denounced the “new light” excuse:

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“If we were following a man undoubtedly it would be different with us; undoubtedly one human idea would contradict another and that which was light one or two or six years ago would be regarded as darkness now; But with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, and so it is with truth; any knowledge or light coming from God must be like its author. A new view of truth never can contradict a former truth. “New light” never extinguishes older “light,” but adds to it.” – Zion’s Watch Tower, February, 1881, p. 3

In other words, “New Light” can never contradict “Old Light,” it can only add to it. If God was the source of “New Light,” it would be said that His “channel for communicating” was a false channel if they kept reverting back to or reversing teachings that had formerly taught:

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“It is a serious matter to represent God and Christ in one way, then find that our understanding of the major teachings and fundamental doctrines of the Scriptures was in error, and then after that, to go back to the very doctrines that, by years of study, we had thoroughly determined to be in error. Christians cannot be vacillating –“wishy-washy” – about such fundamental teachings. What confidence can one put in the sincerity or judgment of such persons? – The Watchtower, 5/15/1796, p.298

Indeed, the Watchtower has been “wishy-washy” and performed “doctrinal flip-flops” and then went “back to the very doctrines that… [were] determined to be in error.” Example of “flip-flops”, not just changing their story, but going back to original teachings:

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Christ’s Return Higher Powers Who is the Faithful and Discreet Slave? Resurrection of the men of Sodom

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The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society -- Doctrinal Flip-Flops

Ron Rhodes has one final thought and question for the Jehovah’s Witness: What if what you believed today was contradicted by “New Light” after you died? That means that you died having believed the wrong thing and you are now lost forever – merely because the “organization” decided to “flip-flop” on doctrine.

Recommended Reading and Resources Used 1. Answering Jehovah’s Witnesses Subject by Subject, David A. Reed, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1996), ISBN: 080105317X (The majority of this paper was gleaned from this excellent book!) 2. Jehovah’s Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse, David A. Reed, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1986), ISBN: 0801077397 3. Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah’s Witness, Ron Rhodes, (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1993), ISBN: 1565071069

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