Proof? It Shouldn't Be This Hard

The easiest task for any loyal Jehovah's Witness (JW apologist in question as removed their attempt to broach this subject) should be to provide proof that his religion is the only true one. Jehovah's Witnesses believe their religious order was chosen (JW apologist in question as removed their attempt to broach this subject), according to their unique interpretation of Malachi 3:1*, in the year 1919 by Jesus Christ himself.

Providing proof that this happened should be incredibly simple, straight-forward and second nature to all Jehovah's Witness.

Why am I still waiting for one shred, then?(JW apologist in question as removed their attempt to broach this subject)

* Jehovah's Witnesses start with the presupposition that Christ returned, invisibly, in 1914. From this presupposition comes the belief that Malachi 3:1 was fulfilled in 1918 when Christ returned to "his temple" and undertook an inspection of all Christians on earth at the time. His satisfaction with the Bible Students, a sect of the Adventists, led by C.T. Russell, himself a failed haberdasher, was such that he selected them to be God's only channel of communication on earth, the "faithful and discreet slave" "class".


This presupposition assumes the following unique teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses to be true;

• Christ returned in 1914
• based on that date, Christ inspected all of Christianity in 1918
• Matthew 24:45-47 applies to a "class" of Christians
• that "class" of Christians was found only within the membership of the Bible Student sect

Obviously, only Jehovah's Witnesses believe these things. They do so because they are taught them by the Governing Body, which itself claims to be the 'voice piece' of the above mentioned "faithful and discreet slave" "class". The reason Jehovah's Witnesses believe what the Governing Body teaches them (the afore mentioned unique beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses) is because they believe in the above 1919 selection of the Bible Students. And the reason they believe in the 1919 selection of the Bible Students is because of their unique beliefs, including Christ's return in 1914 and his subsequent inspection of Christianity in 1918. And the reason they believe that.... 

By now you can hopefully see the circular logic that keeps faithful Jehovah's Witnesses blind to the truth: there is no proof for any of this (JW apologist in question as removed their attempt to broach this subject).

Question for Jehovah's Witnesses - What Happened to the Biblical Truths?

Jehovah's Witnesses are very proud of their heritage, as manifested in such publications as the "Proclaimers" book wherein the history of the Watch Tower Society is presented. The Governing Body also publishes articles in the Watchtower magazine that promote the idea that the Witnesses have been fed "spiritual food" of the highest quality, "food" that contains only Biblical "truths". For example, the study Edition of the Watchtower magazine (not distributed to the public via the door-to-door work), September 15th 2010, page 26, paragraph 4 states (available as a PDF download);

Christ found these same faithful anointed Christians doing their utmost to provide timely spiritual food for the household of faith. From 1879 onward, through thick and thin, they had been publishing Biblical truths about God’s Kingdom in the pages of this magazine.

So, the claim is that from 1879 onwards, the "faithful and discreet slave" (at that time believed to be Charles Russell, who composed his "Divine Plan of the Ages" by measuring the Great Pyramid of Giza), via Watch Tower Society, published Biblical truths in the Watchtower magazine (at that time known as "Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence).

These "Biblical truths", here described as "timely spiritual food" included such teachings as;

• Christ had returned invisibly in 1874
• the recently revised teaching that the rapture would take place in 1878 
• Armageddon would start in 1914

However, were these teachings

1. Biblical
2. true

The answer, of course, is no. It's puzzling, then, that the Governing Body is choosing to describe them as "Biblical truths" and "timely spiritual food" when it should be obvious to even the most loyal-to-the-Watchtower Jehovah's Witness that they aren't. It's also curious that these "timely", "Biblical truths", as published by the Watch Tower Society, are no longer available; can you find these publications and Watchtower articles from the 1800s in your Kingdom Hall library? What about on the Watch Tower CD-Rom Library? Again, the answer is no; these teachings are no longer current*.

So, my question for Jehovah's Witnesses is this; if the food in 1879 was spiritual, timely and Biblical, why have the Governing Body so significantly changed the menu?

*Jehovah's Witnesses are trained to view such wholesale rejections of previous "timely" "Biblical truths" as the "light getting brighter". However, if the "timely" "Biblical truths" published by the Watch Tower Society during the late 1800s were of such a high quality that Jesus Christ appointed the corporation as his "faithful and discreet slave", why would they need to be abandoned at a later date? Didn't Jesus know that the "timely" "Biblical truths" published in the Watchtower magazine in the late 1800s were neither timely nor true?

Question for Jehovah's Witnesses: Who Lied?

The Governing Body uttered the following, as printed in the Watchtower magazine;

"Rather, he has complete confidence in the truth as it is revealed by Jehovah God through his Son, Jesus Christ, and "the faithful and discreet slave."" Watchtower 2001 Aug 1 p.14 

When the truth, as revealed by Jehovah God through his Son, Jesus Christ, and the "faithful and discreet" slave turns out to actually be false, Jehovah's Witnesses have a problem. Either Jehovah lied, and the Bible says he can't. Or Jesus lied, and the Bible calls him "the truth". Or the "faithful and discreet slave" lied.

So, my question for Jehovah's Witnesses is, when the Governing Body no longer believes something they previously taught as truth revealed by Jehovah God, through Jesus, who lied?

Question for Jehovah's Witnesses: Evidence?

The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, who represent the disparate group referred to as "the faithful and discreet slave", state that they alone speak for God on earth. They claim that the organisation they use to publish their doctrines, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Incorporated, a US-based publishing corporation, was chosen by Jesus Christ himself, in or around 1919, to represent God's Kingdom's interests here on earth, and to supply Christians with the only God-approved literature and teaching on the planet.

My question for Jehovah's Witnesses is this; in light of the extraordinary claim cited above, where is the extraordinary evidence?

Updated to address StandFirm's accusation;

StandFirm said...

Strawman. Please prove your point by quoting from our publications.

Which part of my statement is the strawman?

- 1919

- chosen by Jesus

- only God-approved literature

I'll have a go at establishing each claim via your publications and then I'll re-ask the question;

"The historical facts show that 1919 was the year when the remnant on earth of the 144,000 Kingdom heirs began to be freed from Great Babylon. In that year the message of God's established kingdom began to be preached from house to house and publicly by Jehovah's Christian witnesses in a fearless way. This preaching of the Kingdom as established in 1914 was in fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24:14: 'This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations." (Babylon the Great Has Fallen!, 1963, p. 515.) [emphasis added]

"TIME OF INSPECTION BY THE SLAVE'S MASTER

Without a question of doubt, it was a real time for inspection of the Master's "slave" class. All the facts of the case argue that the Master came for the work of inspection at the time. Such a thing was to be expected according to the prophecy of Malachi 3:1-5. Of course, the sectarian churches of Christendom had made a wartime record for themselves, an open record that had a heavy bearing on their claim to be disciples and slaves of Jesus Christ. Could they, by even their latest record down till 1919, prove that they themselves were the composite "faithful and discreet slave" class of the heavenly Lord and Master, Jesus Christ? He as Judge would indicate what his findings were by the way he thereafter dealt with the hundreds of religious sects of Christendom." (God's Kingdom of a Thousand Years Has Approached, 1973, p. 349.)[emphasis added]

"There would, however, be a further application of Joel 2:28-32. Indeed, this prophecy has had remarkable fulfillment since September 1919. At that time a memorable convention of Jehovah's people was held in Cedar Point, Ohio, U.S.A. God's spirit was clearly manifest, and his anointed servants were stimulated to embark on the global witnessing campaign that extends into the present day." (Watchtower, May 1, 1992, p. 13.)[emphasis added]

"Particularly in 1919 and 1922 were there modern outpourings of Jehovah's spirit, especially in connection with the two conventions of Jehovah's dedicated people at Cedar Point, Ohio." (Watchtower, June 1, 1981, p. 30.)[emphasis added]

"But Jehovah raised them up by his spirit and word of truth. Shortly thereafter, at their 1922 convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, they loyally determined to advertise the King and Kingdom. Jehovah has been guiding them since then, so that his name and kingdom have become known worldwide." (Watchtower, December 15, 1980, p. 19.) [emphasis added]

"Since Jehovah God and Jesus Christ completely trust the faithful and discreet slave, should we not do the same?" Watchtower 2009 Feb 15 p.27 [emphasis added]

In case there is any doubt that the Governing Body speaks on behalf of the "faithful and discreet slave";

"Similarly, today a limited number of anointed men have the responsibility of representing the slave class. They make up the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses." Watchtower June 15 2009 Page 24 [emphasis added]

And in case there's any doubt that the Governing Body using the Watch Tower Society to publish "spiritual food" on behalf of the "faithful and discreet slave" class;

"When the time comes to clarify a spiritual matter in our day, holy spirit helps responsible representatives of “the faithful and discreet slave” at world headquarters to discern deep truths that were not previously understood. (Matt. 24:45; 1 Cor. 2:13) The Governing Body as a whole considers adjusted explanations. (Acts 15:6) What they learn, they publish for the benefit of all." Watchtower 2010 July 15 pp.22,23 [emphasis added]

My question for Jehovah's Witnesses is this; in light of the extraordinary claim[s] cited above, where is the extraordinary evidence?