 2007 by David A. Prentice Make Sure to Get the New Notes Make Sure to Get the New Notes

 2007 by David A. Prentice copyright 2003 by David Prentice, M.Ed., M.A.S.T. REVISION DATE 09/05/2009 This material is made available by the author at no charge. It may be reproduced for use in a Christian environment such as Sunday schools or Bible classes, but it may not be used for any commercial purposes.

 2007 by David A. Prentice It Matters What YOU Believe! It Matters What YOU Believe! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 

Jehovah’s Witnesses What do they believe again?

 2007 by David A. Prentice n Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christians worship the same God: TrueFalse n Jehovah’s Witnesses add the Name [Jehovah/Jesus] where it is not in the original n The Way to eternal life: According to the Bible is:________; & to the Watchtower? Jesus

 2007 by David A. Prentice Bible 1. Hell is: Real/Not Real 2. Jesus is: Michael/Almighty God 3. The Holy Spirit is: God - a real personal being a feeling or force 4. Jesus died on a: Cross/Torture Stake Jehovah’s Witnesses 1. Real/Not Real 2. Michael/Almighty God 3. God - a real personal being a feeling or force 4. Cross/Torture Stake

Bible 1. Jesus rose again with a: Spirit Body/Physical Body 2. Heaven is: Available to all Believers No Longer Available Jehovah’s Witnesses 1. Spirit Body/Physical Body 2. Available to all Believers No Longer Available

Let’s Stand Together

 2007 by David A. Prentice

And Serve the Lord with Cheerfulness!

 2007 by David A. Prentice Review is Over!! Movin’ on to Pg. 33

Revelation 22:18 & 19 Explicitly Command that No Words are to Be Added to or Taken Away from the Bible Jehovah’s Witnesses do Both!!!

 2007 by David A. Prentice They add to: No Creature Worship  No birthday parties NNo Holiday celebrations NNo Military service NNo Politics NNo Saluting the flag NNo Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance 2-30

 2007 by David A. Prentice They add to: No Consuming Blood They add to: No Consuming Blood  No Receiving blood transfusions even at the cost of their lives, their children’s or their pets’ (even if they naturally eat blood)  No Storing up even their own blood in advance for use during surgery  Yet they are allowed to be hooked up to machines that process blood for immediate recirculation to their bodies, (Awake!, Dec. 8, 1998, pp )  What’s the difference? In either case blood is taken into the body, whether it’s fresh or stored

Where Do They Get this “New” Information? The Watchtower

 2007 by David A. Prentice Who Died and Left Them Boss? The Watchtower changes the Bible however it wants to  Witnesses seldom, if ever, study the Bible without Watchtower materials  Why? They’re told they can only properly understand it under the Watchtower’s guidance  Remember, they claim their publications (Watchtower, Awake!, the for-members-only bulletin Kingdom Ministry, and their many books) are written under the direct inspiration of Jehovah 2-30

 2007 by David A. Prentice The Watchtower TThe Watchtower prints millions of copies per month of the magazines Awake & The Watchtower, the newsletter Kingdom Ministry & several books each year BBut just who decides the doctrines that go into these publications? TTo understand, we need to know where the “Belthel” organization came from ((Much of the following is from a pamphlet by Wesley P. Walters and M. Kurt Goedelman entitled “Jehovah’s Witnesses” 2-30

 2007 by David A. Prentice LEADERS OF THE WATCHTOWER: Charles Taze Russell ( ) “Judge” Joseph Rutherford (1916 – 1942) Nathan Knorr (1942 – 1977) Fred Franz ( ) 2-32

 2007 by David A. Prentice The Pre-Founders IIn the 1800s many people began to think that Jesus Christ was coming back immediately (“Second Adventist”) WWilliam Miller, predicted 1843, then 1844, then quit NN.H. Barbour, claimed Christ had returned invisibly in 1874 and would set up His visible kingdom in

Charles Taze Russell ( ) - founder and lifetime president of the organization.

 2007 by David A. Prentice Who Is He? Charles Taze Russell ( ?) impressed with Miller’s and Barbour’s teaching because they agreed with his belief that there was no hell 1877: Russell work with Barbour on the book Three Worlds and the Harvest of This World Realized he had theological differences with Barbour & set out on his own 1879: Began publishing Zion’s Watch Tower 1884: incorporated his group, the “Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society” Wrote six of the seven volumes of The Studies in the Scriptures Charles Taze Russell ( ?) impressed with Miller’s and Barbour’s teaching because they agreed with his belief that there was no hell 1877: Russell work with Barbour on the book Three Worlds and the Harvest of This World Realized he had theological differences with Barbour & set out on his own 1879: Began publishing Zion’s Watch Tower 1884: incorporated his group, the “Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society” Wrote six of the seven volumes of The Studies in the Scriptures 2-33

 2007 by David A. Prentice Can I Trust Him? He had no formal theological training but made himself the final authority on doctrine throughout his lifetime tenure as president of the Society He was very impressed with his own ability... He had no formal theological training but made himself the final authority on doctrine throughout his lifetime tenure as president of the Society He was very impressed with his own ability

 2007 by David A. Prentice What is He Telling Me? His Opinion of His Own Study: (The Scripture Studies) : What is He Telling Me? His Opinion of His Own Study: (The Scripture Studies) : “... not only do we find that people cannot see the divine plan in studying the Bible by itself, but we see, also, that if anyone lays the Scripture Studies aside, even after he has used them, after he has become familiar with them, after he has read them for ten years -- if he then lays them aside and ignores them and goes to the Bible alone, though he has understood the Bible for ten years, our experience shows that within two years he goes into darkness. “On the other hand, if he had merely read the Scripture Studies with their references and had not read a page of the Bible as such, he would be in the light at the end of two years, because he would have the light of the Scriptures.” “... not only do we find that people cannot see the divine plan in studying the Bible by itself, but we see, also, that if anyone lays the Scripture Studies aside, even after he has used them, after he has become familiar with them, after he has read them for ten years -- if he then lays them aside and ignores them and goes to the Bible alone, though he has understood the Bible for ten years, our experience shows that within two years he goes into darkness. “On the other hand, if he had merely read the Scripture Studies with their references and had not read a page of the Bible as such, he would be in the light at the end of two years, because he would have the light of the Scriptures.” The Watch Tower, 15 Sep. 1910: 298 The Watch Tower, 15 Sep. 1910:

 2007 by David A. Prentice God Made Provisions for the People before Christ. What about Mr. Taze? What is He Not Telling Me? God Made Provisions for the People before Christ. What about Mr. Taze? What is He Not Telling Me? We should feel sorry for the millions of Christians who lived in the centuries before Taze was born to teach them. Poor things, they must have all “gone into darkness” without his wisdom We should feel sorry for the millions of Christians who lived in the centuries before Taze was born to teach them. Poor things, they must have all “gone into darkness” without his wisdom 2-33

 2007 by David A. Prentice What is He Telling Me? What is He Telling Me? He based his claim to authority on a parable Jesus told concerning His Own second coming: “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.” (Mt. 24:44-46) He based his claim to authority on a parable Jesus told concerning His Own second coming: “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.” (Mt. 24:44-46) 2-33

 2007 by David A. Prentice What is He Not Telling Me? What is He Not Telling Me? At first Taze said the “servant” consisted of all the faithful Watchtower members but... In 1896, his wife suggested that since “servant” is singular, it must refer to one man... him From then on, Russell argued that he was “the” faithful and wise servant, and that this passage was a prophecy about him rather than a parable At first Taze said the “servant” consisted of all the faithful Watchtower members but... In 1896, his wife suggested that since “servant” is singular, it must refer to one man... him From then on, Russell argued that he was “the” faithful and wise servant, and that this passage was a prophecy about him rather than a parable 2-33

 2007 by David A. Prentice How Can I Test the Man? How Can I Test the Man? Look at his publications: He goes against scripture!!! Does God Have Anything Else to About it? Look at his publications: He goes against scripture!!! Does God Have Anything Else to About it? 2-33

 2007 by David A. Prentice Romans 12:3 Romans 12:3 “For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment as God as allotted to each a measure of faith” “For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment as God as allotted to each a measure of faith” 2-33

“Judge” Joseph Rutherford ( ) - false prophet of 1918 & 1925 Armageddon, builder of Beth Sarim

 2007 by David A. Prentice The Questions: Who?: “Judge” Joseph F. Rutherford was the Society’s legal counsel at the time of Russell’s death & came to power shortly after (Can I Trust Him?): See “What Not?” What?: He, too, was the sole authority of doctrine, 1931 bestowed the name “Jehovah’s Witnesses” & started the door-to-door visitation What Not?: 1897 – The Cooper County, Missouri regular judge became ill & for 4 days, Rutherford was called to fill-in, He called himself “Judge” the rest of his life How?: Test the Publications God?: Rev. 22:18 & 19 Who?: “Judge” Joseph F. Rutherford was the Society’s legal counsel at the time of Russell’s death & came to power shortly after (Can I Trust Him?): See “What Not?” What?: He, too, was the sole authority of doctrine, 1931 bestowed the name “Jehovah’s Witnesses” & started the door-to-door visitation What Not?: 1897 – The Cooper County, Missouri regular judge became ill & for 4 days, Rutherford was called to fill-in, He called himself “Judge” the rest of his life How?: Test the Publications God?: Rev. 22:18 &

 2007 by David A. Prentice Since then... No Watchtower president has exercised absolute doctrinal control the way the “judge” did All since have relied on “Faithful and Wise Servant Class,” the “Faithful and Discreet Slave Class,” or simply “the Governing Body” to help set doctrines The membership of this group is subject to change and is usually kept hidden from outsiders. No Watchtower president has exercised absolute doctrinal control the way the “judge” did All since have relied on “Faithful and Wise Servant Class,” the “Faithful and Discreet Slave Class,” or simply “the Governing Body” to help set doctrines The membership of this group is subject to change and is usually kept hidden from outsiders. 2-33

Nathan Knorr ( ) - built up the organization. The New World Translation produced during his term.

 2007 by David A. Prentice The Questions: The Questions: Who?: The third president, an excellent administrator, established businesslike procedures in the organization, set up training schools for Witnesses, & saw the Society grow to two million members before his death What?: 1961: published the Watchtower’s own version of the Bible (the New World Translation) Who?: The third president, an excellent administrator, established businesslike procedures in the organization, set up training schools for Witnesses, & saw the Society grow to two million members before his death What?: 1961: published the Watchtower’s own version of the Bible (the New World Translation) 2-33

 2007 by David A. Prentice The New World Translation The New World Translation -“translation” credited to 5 men: Knorr, Frederick Franz, Albert Schroeder, Milton Henschel, and George Gangas - This is the principal support for many of the Watchtower’s doctrines, differing greatly from any other in its treatment of Jesus - For instance, John 1:1 “and the Word was God” They change to “and the Word was a god” -Their translation emphasizes that Jesus Christ is not one with Jehovah, or God the Father -“translation” credited to 5 men: Knorr, Frederick Franz, Albert Schroeder, Milton Henschel, and George Gangas - This is the principal support for many of the Watchtower’s doctrines, differing greatly from any other in its treatment of Jesus - For instance, John 1:1 “and the Word was God” They change to “and the Word was a god” -Their translation emphasizes that Jesus Christ is not one with Jehovah, or God the Father 2-33

 2007 by David A. Prentice What Not? & Can I Trust Them? What Not? & Can I Trust Them? - Credentials? Of the five, only Franz had studied Greek - None had ever taken a course in Hebrew How Can We Test & What Does God Have to Say About it? Obviously their scriptures go against God’s... So, who’re you gonna’ pick? Dead men or the living God? - Credentials? Of the five, only Franz had studied Greek - None had ever taken a course in Hebrew How Can We Test & What Does God Have to Say About it? Obviously their scriptures go against God’s... So, who’re you gonna’ pick? Dead men or the living God? 2-33

Fred Franz ( ) - lied under oath about his translating skill; false prophet of 1975 Armageddon

 2007 by David A. Prentice That’s it! I’m Fed up! Talk to the Hand, ‘Cause the Ears Ain’t Listenin’

 2007 by David A. Prentice WHO? WHAT? WHAT NOT? HOW? GOD? Here’s What the Hand Says Back!!! : Claimed to have a working knowledge of Hebrew 2. Was asked to translate 1 verse in court (Gen. 2:4) 3. Could not even translate the one verse!!! Lied under oath!!! 4. The court tested him for us 5. Even a child could tell you not to follow someone who lies in court HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT? 1-25 Pg. 34: Lied Under Oath

To Be Continued... Next Episode Milton Henschel & Don Adams Get the Hand