Vol. 6, No. 7, 1989

Articles on Jehovah's Witnesses

Will Schmidt

Through the years it has become a tradition for Jehovah's Witnesses to attack the Christian church. They have recently renewed their attack with a vengeance in the April and May issued of the Watchtower. They claim that the church has fallen: "Babylon the Great has fallen! But she is not yet destroyed.... she will exist a short time longer as Satan's masterpiece of deception," (Watchtower, 4/15/89, p. 7)

In the May 1, 1989 issue of the Watchtower, they refer to a commentary published in 1917 on Revelation entitled The Finished Mystery: "This book exposed the clergy of Christendom, including their involvement in the Great War that was then raging in Europe," (p. 4).

Since the Watchtower so proudly mentions The Finished Mystery in the May 1, 1989 issue, and they have claimed to be God's prophet (see Watchtower, April, 1972, pp. 197, 200) review the record and see what The Finished Mystery has to say:

"Until 1878 the nominal church had been in a sense God's sanctuary or Temple; but He was from then on, culminating in 1918, to remove it with a stroke or plague or erroneous doctrines and deeds divinely permitted," (p. 484).

"Also, in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members by millions, it shall be that any that escape shall come to the works of Pastor Russell to learn the meaning of the downfall of `Christianity.'" (p. 485).

"In the year 1918, when Christendom shall go down as a system to oblivion, (Sheol) to be succeeded by revolutionary republics, God will cause mourning," (p. 513).

In light of these false prophecies, it is indeed baffling that the Watchtower would mention The Finished Mystery. Perhaps they believed that since copies of the book were no longer available, the average Jehovah's Witness and the Christians they talk to would see the mention of this book as real historical support for the Watchtower Society.

Whatever the reason, the Watchtower has spoken presumptuously in Jehovah's name so that they can scare Christians into Kingdom Halls and keep Jehovah's Witnesses deceived. The Bible says that we need not be afraid of them (Deut. 18:22).