Changed Teachings of the Watchtower

Jesus should be worshiped?

•

Russell taught that we should worship Jesus. In 1945, the Watchtower taught that Jesus must beworshiped.

“It seems clear that His Divinity was retained in humanity because He repeatedly spoke of Himself ashaving come down from heaven, and because He, though passing through trial and sorrow as a man, was yet possessed of the authority and exercised the prerogatives of a God. He was the object of unreproved worship even when a babe, by the wise men who came to see the new-born King. Matt.2:2-11. Even the angels delighted to do Him honor. "When He bringeth the first-begotten into the world, He saith, "And let all the angels of God worship Him." Heb. 1:6. He never reproved any one foracts of worship offered to Himself, but when Cornelius offered such service to Peter--the leadingapostle-- "he took him up, saying, stand up; I myself also am a man." .... Had Christ not been morethan a man the same reason would have prevented from receiving worship...."

Zion's WatchTower 1892 May 15 p.157

Rutherford continued this teaching."The people of all nations who obtain salvation must come to the house of the Lord to worship there;that is to say, they must believe on and worship Jehovah God and the Lord Jesus Christ, his chief instrument (Philippians 2:10, 11)."

Salvation

p.151

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However, since the 1950's, they have taught that worshipping Jesus is idolatry.

The first clear statement that Jesus must not be worshipped was in 1954. From that time forwardthere was a new belief in the position of Jesus."Trinitarians who believe that Jesus is God, or at least the second person of the triune God, do not liketo have Jehovah's witnesses say that it is unscriptural for worshipers of the living and true God torender worship to the Son of God, Jesus Christ"

Watchtower

1964 Nov. 1 p.671

Blood transfusions were allowed by the Watchtower Society until 1945.

In 1909, Russell explained that since the four prohibitions in Acts were part of the Mosaic Law Covenant they didn't apply to Gentiles. Blood was allowed to be eaten by Russell and the BibleStudents.

Zion's Watch Tower

1909 April 15 pp.116-117

Even in 1940,"In New York city a house wife in moving a boarder's things accidentally shot herself through theheart with his revolver. She was rushed to a hospital, her left breast was cut around, four ribs were cutaway, the heart was lifted out, three stitches were taken, one of the attending physicians in the greatemergency gave a quart of his blood for transfusion, and today the woman lives and smiles gaily over what happened to her in the busiest 23 minutes of her life."

Consolation

1940 December 25 p. 19

But in 1945 it was condemned:"See, then, that the Most High and Holy God gave plain instructions as to the disposition of blood, inharmony with his everlasting covenant made with Noah and all of his descendants; and see that theonly use of blood that he authorized in order to furnish life to humankind was the use of it as a

propitiation or atonement for sin; and seeing that it was to be done upon his holy altar or at his mercy seat, and not by taking such blood directly into the human body; therefore it behooves all worshipersof Jehovah who seek eternal life in his new world of righteousness to respect the sanctity of blood andto confirm themselves to God's righteous ruling concerning this vital matter."

Watchtower

1945July 1 p.201

1914 - Failed Watchtower Prophecy

"But bear in mind that the end of

1914

is not the date for the beginning, but for

the end

of the timeof trouble.

Zion's Watch Tower

1894 July 15 p.226

What the Watchtower said prior to 1914

What the Watchtower

claims

it said prior to 1914

"But bear in mind that the end of

1914

is not the datefor the beginning, but for

the end of the time of trouble

Zion's Watch Tower

1894 July 15 p.226"… Jehovah's witnesses pointed to the year 1914,decades in advance, as marking

the start of "theconclusion

of the system of things."

Awake!

1973January 22 p.8"The year A.D.

1878

, being the parallel of hisassuming power and authority in the type, clearlymarks the time for the actual

assuming of power asKing

of kings, by our present, spiritual, invisibleLord...."

Studies in the Scriptures - Thy KingdomCome

p.239"The Watchtower has

consistently

presentedevidence…that Jesus' presence in heavenly

Kingdompower began in 1914

Watchtower

1993 January 15 pp.5,9

1925 - "Millions Now Living Will Never Die"

•

The Watchtower claims that Millions living in 1925 would never die. God would restore thehuman race and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would appear.

"Seventy jubilees of fifty years each would be a total of 3500 years. That period of time beginning 1575 before A.D. 1 of necessity

would end in the fall of the year 1925

, at which time the type ends andthe great antitype must begin. What, then, should we expect to take place? …

The chief thing to berestored 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 havethe first favor,

we may expect 1925 to witness the return of these faithful men of Israelfrom the condition of death

, being resurrected and fully restored to perfect humanity and madethe visible, legal representatives of the new order of things on earth."

Millions Now Living Will Never Die

p.88

Beth-Sarim – “House of Princes”

•

The Watchtower built a house in San Diego, California, to prepare for the return of Old Testament princes such as Abraham.

"At San Diego, California, there is a small piece of land, on which, in the year 1929, there was builta house, which is called and known as Beth-Sarim. The Hebrew words Beth Sarim mean "House of the Princes"; and the purpose of acquiring that property and building the house was that theremight be some tangible proof that there are those on earth today who fully believe God and ChristJesus and in His kingdom, and who believe that the faithful men of old will soon be resurrected by the Lord, be back on earth, and take charge of the visible affairs of earth.”

Salvation

(1939)p.311