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changed teachings

Key to jwfacts.com is the concept that God does not direct Watchtower doctrinal interpretation, as proven by the ongoing changes to Watchtower doctrine.

A Witness will retort that the Bible prophesied "Light Gets Brighter" and so changes are indication Watchtower is directed by Jehovah. This is nothing more than justification for error.

This section helps prove that the concept of getting brighter is not valid. In many cases, Watchtower doctrine has not brightened or been enhanced but changed and then reverted back to the original position; flip-flopped. At other times, Watchtower has introduced doctrine as having come from Jehovah, only to later make a complete reversal to what was said. Following are a number of these doctrine.

Changed Date Doctrine 1800s

This article covers some of the lesser known failed predictions and changed date doctrine of the Watchtower Society. For many decades the Watchtower taught that the last days started in 1799, Jesus' invisible presence commenced in 1874 and the world would end in 1914. This article outlines over 20 dates no longer taught as truth. more ...

1914 - Failed Expectations, Falsified History

One of the most misleading statements in Watchtower publications is that they accurately foretold 1914 to be the "start" of the conclusion of this system of things. In reality, 1914 was predicted to be the "end" of the system of things, the conclusion of Armageddon and the start of the earthly paradise. Here is a comparison of quotes prior to 1914 with how the Watchtower now presents its history. more ...

1925 - "Millions Now Living Will Never Die!"

In 1918, Rutherford announced "The World Has Ended - Millions Now Living May Never Die!", declaring that the earthly resurrection was scheduled for 1925. In March, a booklet was produced with the more compelling title “The World Has Ended — Millions Now Living Will Never Die”. The failure of this prophecy promoted Rutherford to rewrite the majority of Watchtower date doctrine. more ...

1935 & Increasing Memorial Partakers

For many decades it was taught that selection of the 144,000 was completed in 1935. After this announcement the number of memorial partakers steadily declined. This was presented as proof that the end would be soon. In 2007, an admission appeared that there was no basis for saying the choosing of the Anointed closed in 1935. In the years since 2007 the number of partakers has started to rise again. It is interesting that errors in Watchtower doctrine can dictate whether a follower believes they have been Anointed by Jesus. more ...

1975

The Watchtower made the assertion that Adam was created 6000 years prior to 1975 and so this was a likely year for Armageddon. However, most Witnesses deny such false predictions for the end. This article contains a majority of the quotes regarding 1975 so the reader can determine for themselves whether the Watchtower was responsible for excitement that the end would be 1975. more ...

Baptism Questions

There has been an ongoing tightening of the procedure to become a Jehovah's Witness. Most disturbing was the change in 1985, after which a Witness no longer gets baptised in the "name of the ... holy spirit", but rather to God's "spirit directed organization". more ...

Beards and Jehovah's Witnesses

For many decades, Jehovah's Witnesses were not to have a beard. Whilst not specifically forbidden, few brothers had one, and privileges were withheld from those that did. In the 2023 annual meeting, it was stated that beards were now acceptable. This article shows the history of Watchtower's stance on beards, why it was unscriptural, and how policy regarding the most basic topics can be wrong, with lasting effects.more ...

Beth-Sarim

In line with Rutherford's prediction that the earthly resurrection was to begin in 1925 was the purchase of a mansion at Beth-Sarim, for the "ancient worthies" to live in. Whilst waiting for this occurrence, Rutherford conveniently used it as his place of residence for the winter months. more ...

Christmas, Birthdays & Flag Salute

Jehovah's Witnesses are strictly forbidden to celebrate birthdays, Christmas and salute the flag, but for many decades were encouraged to engage in these practices. more ...

Da Vinci Code - Freemasonry & Adventist links

Russell was an offshoot of the 1800's Adventist movement, and included many of their teaching, including those with links back to Freemasonry. This includes the use of symbols such as the knights templar. He placed special emphasis on the pyramid of Giza and used it as a basis for his predictions for the world's end in 1914. more ...

Elder arrangement

The changing elders arrangement highlights the way Witnesses are manipulated to fall in line with statements that such changes have come from Jehovah. When these arrangements fail, it shows Jehovah was not involved at all. more ...

Faithful & Discreet Slave Changes

The interpretation of who the Faithful and Discreet Slave represents has changed several times. This is important to recognise, as the Governing Body now claims it applies solely to them, and that following what they say is akin to following Jehovah. more ...

Generation

One of the clearest indicators that Jehovah does not direct Watchtower doctrine has been the ongoing, contradictory changes to the generation teaching. The idea that some born prior to 1914 would still be alive to see Armageddon was the basis for many Witnesses faith, until the doctrine had to be adjusted in 1995. The 2010 "overlapping" generation can be seen as a desperate attempt to continue misusing this doctrine to ignite urgency in Watchtower followers. more ...

Medical Advice

The Watchtower has made numerous erroneous claims about medicine, and flip-flopped on whether a person can use blood and organ transplants. This has led, and continues to result in, avoidable death of unsuspecting followers. more ...

Prophecies - Revelation and Daniel

For anyone that thinks the Governing Body are directed to interpret doctrine, the contradictory adjustments to the understanding of Revelation and Daniel prophecies should be enough to prove otherwise. more ...

Resurrection - for whom

The number of times the Governing Body have changed which groups of people are worthy of a resurrection makes mockery of any claims to what they write as being truth. more ...

Superior Authorities

Yet another flip-flop, this time regarding who the Superior Authorities are. Once again we see the Watchtower embellishing its history when discussing this topic. more ...

Worship Jesus

The most important doctrine a religion can hold to regards the God they promote for worship. It is quite shocking that until the 1950's, Witnesses were told Jesus was a god to worship and pray to, along with Jehovah. This made them polytheistic. In 1953 the worship of Jesus became a disfellowshipping offence. more ...

Zionism

Russell was a Zionist and actively promoted that the return of a Jewish state. Rutherford continued in this line for a period of time, before turning on the Jews and claiming Zionist teachings were from Satan. more ...

Many Watchtower doctrine introduced by Russell (the Watchtower founder) were of pagan origins and taken from sources such as Adventism and Freemasonry. This shows that Russell was not in a line of a "Faithful Slave" class, clarifying existing truths, but originated doctrine by plagiarising sources now considered part of Satan's World.

Protestant tradition is one of 'Sola Scriptura'; that the Bible alone is the complete basis for Christian teaching. Though paying lip service to 'Sola Scriptura,' Watchtower doctrine of a Slave class providing guidance has more in common with Catholic 'Magisterium'. The New Catholic Encyclopaedia explains that truth is provided through the Church and Pope progressively in much the same way the Watchtower Governing Body present themselves:

"Must it be admitted that Christ instituted His Church as the official and authentic organ to transmit and explain in virtue of Divine authority the Revelation made to men? The Protestant principle is: The Bible and nothing but the Bible; the Bible, according to them, is the sole theological source; there are no revealed truths save the truths contained in the Bible; according to them the Bible is the sole rule of faith: by it and by it alone should all dogmatic questions be solved; it is the only binding authority. Catholics, on the other hand, hold that there may be, that there is in fact, and that there must of necessity be certain revealed truths apart from those contained in the Bible. There is, therefore in the Church progress of dogma, progress of theology, progress to a certain extent of faith itself, but this progress does not consist in the addition of fresh information nor the change of ideas. What is believed has always been believed, but in time it is more commonly and thoroughly understood and explicitly expressed."

There is great similarity between this Catholic passage and the Watchtower concept that its leaders, the Slave Class, are the only bearers of truth. The Bible cannot be understood without the help of this spirit directed Slave, who do not make erroneous doctrine, but rather progressive revelation of doctrine as the light gets brighter.

In true pot-calling-the-kettle-black form, the Watchtower negatively highlights other religions that make changes to their doctrine.

"Why is there this decline in religion?
One of the reasons is that people are disturbed by what is happening in their churches. Yes, millions of persons have been shocked to learn that things they were taught as being vital for salvation are now considered by their church to be wrong. Have you, too, felt discouragement, or even despair, because of what is happening in your church? A businessman in Medellín, Colombia, expressed the effect the changes have had on many.
“Tell me,” he asked,“how can I have confidence in anything? How can I believe in the Bible, in God, or have faith? Just ten years ago we Catholics had the absolute truth, we put all our faith in this. Now the pope and our priests are telling us this is not the way to believe any more, but we are to believe ‘new things.’ How do I know the ‘new things’ will be the truth in five years?” Awake 1970 Apr 22 p.8

"The reasons that people give for abandoning the churches are many and varied. Some in West Germany do it in order to be relieved of paying the church tax. More often, however, the reason involves changes in Roman Catholic teaching in recent years. These have confused many persons who thought that they had the true apostolic religion. As one Catholic priest in the United States put it: “If the things the Church has said in the last ten years are true, then everything it said for the last 2,000 years is false.”" Watchtower 1975 Jun 1 p.324

The topics in this section give great insight into changes in Watchtower doctrine and why these cannot be glossed over as the light getting brighter.

Further Reading