Monday, April 21, 2008

Watchtower Errors by Topic: Bibliography

This is the Bibliography of my Watchtower Errors by Topic: A-Z. It will double as the Bibliography of my planned parallel series, "Watchtower Errors by Bible Verse: Gen-Rev."

[Right: David Reed's book, "Answering Jehovah's Witnesses: Subject by Subject" (1996).]

These bibliography references will be hyperlinked from inline references in individual topic and Bible verse entries. I am populating this Bibliography in advance with books that I own and expect to refer to.


Watchtower Errors by Topic: Bibliography


Authors' surnames: A, B, C, D, E, F, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z. Index A-Z.

Abanes, R., 1998, "Cults, New Religious Movements, and Your Family: A Guide to Ten Non-Christian Groups Out to Convert Your Loved Ones," Crossway Books: Wheaton IL.
Ankerberg, J. & Weldon, J., 1988, "The Facts on Jehovah's Witnesses," Harvest House: Eugene OR, Reprinted, 2003.

Bjornstad, J., 1979, "Counterfeits at Your Door," Gospel Light Publications: Glendale CA, Third printing, 1980.
Bowman, R.M., Jr., 1989, "The Jehovah's Witnesses, Jesus Christ, and the Gospel of John," Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Reprinted, 1995.
Bowman, R.M., Jr., 1989, "Why You Should Believe in the Trinity: An Answer to Jehovah's Witnesses," Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Third printing, 1990.
Bowman, R.M., Jr., 1991, "Understanding Jehovah's Witnesses: Why They Read the Bible the Way They Do," Baker: Grand Rapids MI.
Bowman, R.M., Jr., 1995, "Jehovah's Witnesses," Zondervan: Grand Rapids MI.
Brown, I., 2002, "Sixty Questions Every Jehovah's Witness Should Be Asked: A Penetrating Examination of the Errors and Evils of the Watchtower," Ambassador-Emerald International: Greenville SC.

Cetnar, W.I. & Cetnar, J., 1983, "Questions for Jehovah's Witnesses," Bill & Joan Cetnar: Kunkletown PA, Reprinted, 2001.

Dencher, T., 1966, "Why I Left Jehovah's Witnesses," Christian Literature Crusade: Fort Washington PA.

Eason, J., 1983, "A Jehovah's Witness Finds the Truth," Tutors for Christ: Lexington KY, Revised edition, 1999.

Gruss, E.C., 1977, "We Left Jehovah's Witnesses: A Non Prophet Organisation," Presbyterian & Reformed: Nutley NJ.

Hoekema, A.A., 1974, "Jehovah's Witnesses," [1963], Eerdmans: Grand Rapids MI.

Martin, W.R., 1957, "Jehovah's Witnesses," Bethany House: Minneapolis MN, Reprinted, 1969.
Martin, W.R. & Klann, N., 1953, "Jehovah of the Watchtower," Bethany: Bloomington MN, Reprinted, 1981.
McKinney, G.D., 1962, "The Theology of the Jehovah's Witnesses," Marshall, Morgan & Scott: Edinburgh, Reprinted, 1963.
Metzger, B.M., 1953, "The Jehovah's Witnesses and Jesus Christ," Theology Today, April, Princeton Theological Seminary: Princeton NJ.

Penton, M.J., 1997, "Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses," [1985], University of Toronto Press: Toronto ON, Second edition.

Quick, K.R., 1989, "Pilgrimage Through the Watchtower," Baker: Grand Rapids MI.

Reed, D.A., 1986, "Jehovah's Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse," Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Thirty-first printing, 2006.
Reed, D.A., 1989, "How to Rescue Your Loved One from the Watchtower," Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Second printing, 1990.
Reed, D.A., 1993, "Jehovah's Witness Literature: A Critical Guide to Watchtower Publications," Baker: Grand Rapids MI.
Reed, D.A., 1996, "Answering Jehovah's Witnesses: Subject by Subject," Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Second printing, 1998.
Reed, D.A., ed., 1990, "Index of Watchtower Errors, 1879 to 1989," Compiled by Steve Huntoon and John Cornell, Baker: Grand Rapids MI.
Rhodes, R., 1993, "Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah's Witnesses," Harvest House: Eugene OR, Reprinted, 2006.
Rhodes, R., 2001, "The 10 Most Important Things You Can Say to a Jehovah's Witness," Harvest House: Eugene OR.
Rutherford, J.F., 1927a, "Creation," International Bible Students Association: Brooklyn NY.
Rutherford, J.F., 1927b, "The Harp of God: Proof Conclusive That Millions Now Living Will Never Die," International Bible Students Association: Brooklyn NY.
Rutherford, J.F., 1936, "Riches," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, Brooklyn NY.

Schnell, W.J., 1956, "Thirty Years: A Watchtower Slave," Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Fifteenth printing, 1971.
Schnell, W.J., 1985, "Jehovah's Witnesses Error's Exposed," Baker: Grand Rapids MI.
Stevens, S., 1994, "Unmasking the Watchtower: Who Are Jehovah's Witnesses?," Jubilee Resources: Wellington, New Zealand.

Watters, R., 1996, "Thus Saith the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses," Free Minds: Manhattan Beach CA.
WB&TS, 1943, "The Truth Shall Make You Free," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1950, "New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1951, "New World translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures," [1950], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition.
WB&TS, 1952, "Let God Be True," [1946], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, Second edition.
WB&TS, 1954, "This Good News of the Kingdom," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1955, "You May Survive Armageddon into God's New World," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1958a, "From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1958b, "Your Will Be Done on Earth," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1961, "New World translation of the Holy Scriptures," [1950], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1965a, "Make Sure of All Things, Hold Fast to What Is Fine," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1965b, "Things in Which it is Impossible for God to Lie," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1966, "Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1968, "The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1969, "The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, Second printing.
WB&TS, 1971a, "Aid to Bible Understanding," [1969], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, Second edition.
WB&TS, 1971b, "New World translation of the Holy Scriptures," [1961], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Third revision with footnotes.
WB&TS, 1974, "Is This Life All There Is?," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1975, "1975 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1980, "Happiness-How to Find It," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1983, "All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1984a, "New World translation of the Holy Scriptures," [1961], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1984b, "New World translation of the Holy Scriptures: With References," [1961], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1984c, "Sing Praises to Jehovah," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1985, "The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures," [1969], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY, Second edition.
WB&TS, 1988a, "Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 1: Aaron-Jehoshua," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1988b, "Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 2: Jehovah-ZuZim," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1988c, "Revelation: Its Grand Climax At Hand!," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1989a, "Reasoning from the Scriptures," [1985], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition.
WB&TS, 1989b, "Should You Believe in the Trinity?," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Reprinted, 2008.
WB&TS, 1989c, "You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth," [1982], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition.
WB&TS, 1990, "Mankind's Search for God," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1991, "The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1993, "Jehovah's Witnesses, Proclaimers of God's Kingdom," Watchtower Bible and Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 1995, "Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life," [1984], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition.
WB&TS, 1999, "Pay Attention to Daniel's Prophecy," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 2000, "Isaiah's Prophecy: Light for All Mankind: Volume 1," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 2005, "What Does the Bible Really Teach?," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY.
WB&TS, 2007, "Come Be My Follower," Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY.

See `tagline' quotes below (emphasis italics original, emphasis bold mine), all from David Reed's book, "Answering Jehovah's Witnesses: Subject by Subject" (1996). Over time I expect I will add more quotes from it.

Stephen E. Jones
My other blogs: CreationEvolutionDesign & TheShroudofTurin


"Abaddon In his apocalyptic vision the apostle John saw an army of locusts ruled by `the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.' (Revelation 9:11) Who is this angel of the bottomless pit? The Watchtower Society's 1917 commentary on Revelation titled The Finished Mystery explains the verse this way: `Whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon.-And he is 'a bad one,' sure enough.-2 Cor. 4:4. But in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.-That is, Destroyer. But in plain English his name is Satan, the Devil.' (page 159, emphasis in original). However, its 1969 commentary Then Is Finished The Mystery of God offers an entirely different explanation: `In the Hebrew his name is Abaddon, meaning 'Destruction'; and in Greek it is Apollyon, meaning 'Destroyer.' All this plainly identifies the 'angel' as picturing Jesus Christ, the Son of Jehovah God.' (page 232). What a dramatic reversal! It is difficult to imagine a more drastic change in teaching. The Watchtower organization identifies the angel of the bottomless pit first as Satan the Devil, and then as Jesus Christ. ... an organization guilty of confusing Satan with Christ can hardly be relied upon today for an answer to the vital question of who Jesus is." (Reed, D.A., 1996, "Answering Jehovah's Witnesses: Subject by Subject," [1996], Baker: Grand Rapids MI, Second printing, 1998, pp.15-16).

"Apostates, as Jehovah's Witnesses use the term, are former members who now reject the Watchtower Society's teachings. Outsiders might assume, from the revulsion and disdain JWs manifest at the mere mention of these former members, that such apostates have rejected God, Christ, the Bible, and everything Christian morality stands for. But this generally is not the case. Rather, the ex-members assigned the apostate label are usually those whose zeal for God and whose depth of biblical scholarship has led them to question some of the sect's unorthodox teachings. ... Apostates are the most despicable people on the face of the earth, JWs are taught, with the result that a Witness would much rather encounter someone expelled from the sect for theft or adultery than find himself face-to-face with an apostate. The Watchtower tells them that they `must hate' apostates and that they must not be `curious about apostate ideas.' (October 1, 1993, page 19) Therefore, any information that may come from an apostate source can be dismissed without even listening to it." (Reed, 1998, pp.31-32).

"Jehovah ... Jehovah's Witnesses misuse the name Jehovah ... They teach that it `is wrong to fail to use that name.' (You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, page 44) For them it is one of the identifying marks of the true religion, so that any church or denomination that does not feature the name continually in its worship services and in its literature is automatically part of Satan's empire of false religion. The most obvious refutation for this is that such a standard would condemn Peter, Paul, John, and the other New Testament writers and the first century churches associated with them. There is no evidence that the apostles or the early Christians-particularly the Greek-speaking converts who quickly made up the majority of the early Church-attached any such special significance to the use of this name. Rather, congregations of believers were `assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus.' (1 Corinthians 5:4 NIV) In seasons of persecution Christians were `insulted because of the name of Christ.' (1 Peter 4:14). The apostles taught `in the name of Jesus' and proclaimed that `there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.' (Acts 4:12, 18 NIV)" (Reed, 1998, pp.143-144. Emphasis original).

"Michael the Archangel The Watchtower says, `Jesus Christ further deserves honor because he is Jehovah's chief angel, or archangel.' (The Watchtower, February 1, 1991, page 17) Jehovah's Witnesses believe the Son of God to be `Jesus Christ, whom we understand from the Scriptures to be Michael the archangel...... (The Watchtower, February 15, 1979, page 31). Does that understanding really come `from the Scriptures'? Or is it, rather, a teaching that Watchtower leaders superimpose on Scripture? God's inspired Word mentions Michael five times: as `one of the foremost princes' (Daniel 10:13 NWT), as `the prince of [Daniel's] people' (Daniel 10:21 NWT), as `the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of [Daniel's] people' (Daniel 12:1 NWT), as `the archangel' who `had a difference with the devil and was disputing about Moses' body' but `did not dare to bring a judgment against him in abusive terms' (Jude 9 NWT), and as a participant in heavenly conflict when `Michael and his angels battled with the dragon' (Revelation 12:7 NWT). Does one of these verses say that Michael the archangel is Jesus Christ? No. It is necessary to read Scripture plus a Watchtower argument to reach that conclusion. That argument is presented this way in the April 15, 1991, Watchtower magazine, on page 28: Why do we conclude that Jesus is the archangel Michael? God's Word mentions only one archangel, and it speaks of that angel in reference to the resurrected Lord Jesus: `The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel's voice and with God's trumpet.' (1 Thessalonians 4:16) At Jude 9 we find that this archangel's name is Michael. The argument consists of three parts that can be analyzed separately: (1) `God's Word mentions only one archangel,' (2) `it speaks of that angel in reference to the resurrected Lord Jesus,' and (3) `this archangel's name is Michael.' In answer to (1) and (3) it should be noted that the term `archangel' is found only twice in the Bible-at 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and Jude 9-providing insufficient information to say for certain that there are no other archangels besides Michael. Although he is the only archangel named in Scripture, Michael is referred to as `one of the foremost princes.' (Daniel 10:13 NWT) The Bible leaves open the possibility that there are other unnamed archangels besides Michael. As for part (2) of the Watchtower argument, it is faulty logic to conclude that descending `with an archangel's voice' means that Jesus is an archangel. If descending with an archangel's voice makes Christ an archangel, then descending `with God's trumpet' makes Him God. The same logic must be applied to the entire verse, not just part of it." (Reed, 1998, pp.157-159. Emphasis original).

"Does the Bible teach anywhere else that Jesus Christ is a mere angel? On the contrary, the entire first chapter of Hebrews was written to show the superiority of the Son of God as compared with angels. `For example, to which one of the angels did he ever say: 'You are my son; I, today, I have become your father'?' (Hebrews 1:5 NWT) ('For God never said to any angel, 'Thou art my Son.. .'- New English Bible) The Son is `the reflection' of the Father's glory `and the exact representation of his very being, and he sustains all things by the word of his power.' (Hebrews 1:3 NW). Angels consistently refuse to accept worship, saying: `Be careful! Do not do that! ... Worship God.' (Revelation 22:8-9 NWT) But, the Father's command concerning the Son is, `let all God's angels worship him.' (Hebrews 1:6 NWT, edition of 1961) In a later edition of its Bible the Watchtower Society changed worship to obeisance at Hebrews 1:6. Still, regardless of how it is translated, the same Greek word proskuneo is used at both Revelation 22:8-9 and Hebrews 1:6. The proskuneo (worship or obeisance) that angels refuse to accept, but say to give only to God, is the same proskuneo (worship or obeisance) that the Father commands to be given to the Son at Hebrews 1:6. Persons who stop following the man-made Watchtower organization and start following Jesus Christ soon come to appreciate that the Son of God is no mere angel. This realization is important, in order that they may `honor the Son just as they honor the Father.' (John 5:23 NWT)" (Reed, 1998, p.159).

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who are Jehovah's Witnesses?

No tolerance,the Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult because they try to cut you off from others who do not have the same beliefs, including family.
The Watchtower is an oppressive cult if there ever was one!

It's amazing they are still around after 100 years of 100% failed prophecies. Truly amazing,that they can prompt their followers to actually go door to door with a 100% bogus message.
Their Message is a Watchtower Gospel that,Jesus had his second coming in 1914 and they were the only ones who saw it and consequently the only hope for mankind.

The Watchtower is a truly Orwellian world.

Mind control is a terrible thing

Stephen E. Jones said...

Danny

>Who are Jehovah's Witnesses?
>
No tolerance,the Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult because they try to cut you off from others who do not have the same beliefs, including family.

Thanks for your comments and agreed. This is one of the hallmarks of a cult, including the JWs, that it seeks to *control* (as opposed to *influencing*, as mainstream Christian churches' worth their salt do) its members' thinking.

A necessary part of doing this is to control the free flow of information to its members. Most of the Watchtower's rules (e.g. no holidays, shun `apostates', no reading non-JW literature, etc), are directed to that end.

>The Watchtower is an oppressive cult if there ever was one!

Agreed. But any cult *has* to be oppressive, although some are less so than others.

>It's amazing they are still around after 100 years of 100% failed prophecies.

By the time most members learn about the failed prophecies, whether from experiencing them (e.g. 1975), or reading about them, they are deeply trapped in the WT's web. And the WT has its `we are not inspired,' or `new light' excuses.

Also JWs have been conditioned to think the churches are worse. The WT misapplies Jn 6:68 "Lord, whom shall we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting life" to itself, rather than to Jesus.

I was meeting with a JW elder who admitted the WT's problems but quoted Jn 6:68 to me. I answered that who the verse says he should go to is *Jesus* but he didn't get it. Presumably JWs (especially ex-Catholics as he was) cannot comprehend how one can go to Jesus directly, without going through an organization.

>Truly amazing,that they can prompt their followers to actually go door to door with a 100% bogus message.

Agreed. But the problem is that one cannot detect a counterfeit until one knows the genuine article.

The vast majority of the WT's victims knew little or nothing about true Christianity, and so were easier for the WT wolf in sheep's clothing (Mt 7:15) to make them its prey.

An essential part of `Christian' cults like the JWs and Mormons is that its members are taught a straw-man version of Christianity, and develop a *revulsion* of Christian doctrines like the Trinity and symbols like the Cross.

>Their Message is a Watchtower Gospel that,Jesus had his second coming in 1914 and they were the only ones who saw it and consequently the only hope for mankind.

Especially considering that the 1914 invisible coming of Jesus is also an Adventist doctrine. It was just one of the doctrines that WT founder C.T. Russell, who was an Adventist, brought over with him into WTism.

>The Watchtower is a truly Orwellian world.

Agreed again. But all cults *have* to be Orwellian. It is essential to controlling the minds of its members, that it must replace the real world with an imaginary one, complete with new terms, or new definitions of old terms, which prevent the cultist from thinking for him/herself.

>Mind control is a terrible thing

Agreed. But those who survive in the WT and rise to leadership, themselves are victims of such "mind control". They are truly "blind guides" leading their blind followers into the pit (Mt 15:14).

But praise God, some, like you, *do *start seeing for themselves, and realize that their WT guides *are* blind and that they are leading them into the pit.

Stephen E. Jones