Vol. 6, No. 7, 1989

Babylon the Great

The recent edition of the Watchtower (May 15,1989) featured another in the series of "Babylon the Great". This article focused on "Her Execution". In typical fashion, the Watchtower takes the opportunity to castigate the Christian churches (Christendom) and posture themselves as the only pure and true church.

The Watchtower identifies the Christian churches and other world religions as "Babylon the Great" ( pg. 3). They offer as proof that "Jesus Christ taught that his followers should love not only their neighbors but also their enemies" (p. 3). Then the Watchtower claims that the history of Christendom's religions is one of hatred and bloodshed .. pillage, rape and death (which) have been blessed and condoned" (Ibid, parenthesis mine).

The article goes on to present examples such as the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), the martyrdom of William Tyndale, Wycliff, Catholic Inquisition, and the burning at the stake of heretic Michael Servetus by John Calvin (pp. 3-4).

The Watchtower chides Christendom by reminding us that the Bible says that we should "return evil for evil to no one . Provide fine things in the sight of all men. If possible, as far as it depends upon you, be peaceable with all men (Romans 12:17-19)', (p. 4).

In response, the Christian should remind the Jehovah's Witness that all the instances except one were committed by a corrupted Roman Catholic church when it was entangled with the secular government. Isolated incidents and caricatures do not represent the way the body of Christ believes or practices on a normal and regular basis.

Christians have no problem agreeing that other world religions are false, yet knowledgeable Christians invite the Jehovah's Witnesses to look at the facts and see that indeed the Watchtower Society is the one who fails the test.

For instance, on page 3 the Watchtower begins by asking " When will Babylon the Great be executed... when will false religion disappear from this earth?" (emphasis mine). Again on page 6 the Watchtower writes "That 'one day' or short time of swift execution is now near ...thereafter, God's just war of Armageddon will be upon us. All the evidence of world events since 1914 indicates that time is running out for Satan's system of things. Therefore, the rule of God's Kingdom is at hand" (emphasis mine).

The Watchtower cites several Biblical references interpreting the end of Satan's system and rule, including Revelation 18:5,7,8; and 16:14-16. How does this demonstrate that the Watchtower is a false prophet? By their own words they stand condemned. On page 3 they ask us to "consider the record of false religion".

The same statement is made in the April 1,1972 issue of the Watchtower where the Watchtower Society claim to be God's prophet. They state "of course it is easy to say that this group acts as a 'prophet' of God. It is another thing to prove it. The only way that this can be done. is to review the record. What does it show? " (emphasis mine, p. 197).

Also, the JW needs to be referred to the October 8,1968 Awake magazine which states "True, there have been those in times past who predicted an 'end to the world', even announcing a specific date...The end did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying... Missing from such people were God's truths and the evidence that he was judging and using them" (emphasis mine, p. 23).

When one honestly examines the record one finds that the Watchtower is the one who demonstrates itself as a false prophet. They repeatedly claimed that Christendom and earthly rule would fall and Armageddon would occur in 1914; then again in 1918. They even quote the same verses.

In the Watchtower book The Time is at Hand they state "...we present the Bible evidence proving that the full end of the times of the Gentiles, ie., the full end of their lease and dominion, will be reached in A.D. 1914" (pp. 76-77);

"...we consider it an established truth that the final end of the kingdoms of this world and the full establishment of the kingdom of God will be accomplished by the end of A.D. 1914" (p. 99).

"...'the battle of the great day of God Almighty' (Rev. 16:14) which will end in A.D. 1914, with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership has already commenced' (p. 101).

Again the Watchtower claimed that the disappearing of Christendom and earthly rulers would occur in 1918 - 1920 ( The Finished Mystery , 1917, pp. 258, 484-485, 542).