IDENTIFYING BABYLON THE GREAT
We know that nowhere in the Bible Babylon the Great defined as 'false religion'.
The Bible does though EXPLICITY define Babylon the Great as “The great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”
— Revelation 17:18
This is not a theological description.
It is political, economic, and imperial language.
Religion does not “have a kingdom over kings.”
Empires do.
Also, A harlot in Scripture can be:
- A city
- A commercial power
- A political entity... moreIDENTIFYING BABYLON THE GREAT
We know that nowhere in the Bible Babylon the Great defined as 'false religion'.
The Bible does though EXPLICITY define Babylon the Great as “The great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”
— Revelation 17:18
This is not a theological description.
It is political, economic, and imperial language.
Religion does not “have a kingdom over kings.”
Empires do.
Also, A harlot in Scripture can be:
- A city
- A commercial power
- A political entity
- A culture of corruption
for example...
“Tyre will become like a prostitute… her profits and wages will be holy to Jehovah.”
— Isaiah 23:15–18
Tyre was a commercial empire, not a religion.
Revelation 18 devotes extraordinary detail to Babylon’s economic role:
Merchants grow rich from her. Global trade collapses at her fall. Cargo lists include gold, spices, livestock… and finally: “human souls” (Rev. 18:13)
- Religion does not run global shipping lanes.
- Religion does not control international trade.
- Religion does not cause merchants to weep when it falls. But economic empires do.
Babylon is:
- A commercial system
- A financial hegemon
- A luxury-driven ruling power
This aligns far more with imperial systems than with churches.
“Adultery with the Nations” — What the Bible Actually Means
In Scripture, adultery is not primarily sexual; it is covenantal betrayal.
When Israel was accused of adultery, it was not because she abandoned morality first, but because she:
- Trusted foreign powers instead of God
- Entered political and military alliances that compromised her calling
- Adopted the values and practices of empires she relied upon.
“They committed adultery and bloodshed… trusting in Assyria and Egypt.”
— Ezekiel 23
It is important to note though. that Scripture does not require Babylon to be:
- One nation only
- One city only
- One era only
So, Babylon is better understood as:
A recurring pattern of global dominance built on wealth, exploitation, and assumed permanence.
It is also important to note another characteristic of Babylon (and this is where the 'religious' aspect begins to feature in):
When a society elevates self-definition, power, personal autonomy, and pleasure above reverence for God and the sacredness of life, it acts Babylonian.
That includes:
- moral arrogance
- contempt for spiritual humility
- treating what God calls holy as trivial
- celebrating rebellion as virtue
- systematizing moral inversion
Revelation 17–18 describes Babylon as:
• A woman (symbolic entity)
• A harlot (spiritual unfaithfulness)
• Seated on many waters (peoples, nations, languages)
• Riding the wild beast (political power)
• Drunk with the blood of the holy ones
• Exceptionally wealthy, influential, and global
• Engaged in commerce, luxury, and political entanglement
• Claiming moral authority while corrupting the earth
- This is not just a political system.
- This is not just commerce.
- And it is not merely false religion in isolation.
It is a spiritual–political–economic hybrid system that seduces humanity away from God.
The strongest Scriptural evidence that Babylon must involve religion is that Babylon claims to represent God.
Thus, Revelation says…
“Come out of her, my people.”
Which means:
- God’s people are inside her
- She claims divine legitimacy
- Leaving her is painful
- But necessary for survival
That line alone proves Babylon must involve religion, not merely politics or commerce.
Babylon is not destroyed by armies.
She is destroyed when:
- Her lies are exposed
- Her moral authority evaporates
- Her hypocrisy becomes undeniable
- People stop outsourcing conscience
Which is why truth is her greatest enemy!
So, our real battle is NOT against flesh and blood - but against systems which weaponize belief.
Admin
I’ve never heard warnings at the meetings like this, they never mention about smart cities or the dangers that are unfolding under the wicked governments instead we’re told to obey Romans 13 🥺
He’s a smart man even sharing info on the pandemic and medical information, he’s on point.
HEBREWS 13:17 - What Does It Really Say and Mean...
One of the GB's favorite verses is of Hebrews 13:17. The pivotal Greek word Πείθεσθε (peithesthe) literally translates as 'be convinced'. However, the NWT and most other translations render this word as ‘obey’ which is incorrect.
1. What Πείθεσθε (peithesthe) actually means
Πείθεσθε is the present middle/passive imperative of πείθω (peithō).
Core meaning of peithō:
• to persuade
• to convince
• to win over by reason
• to place con... moreHEBREWS 13:17 - What Does It Really Say and Mean...
One of the GB's favorite verses is of Hebrews 13:17. The pivotal Greek word Πείθεσθε (peithesthe) literally translates as 'be convinced'. However, the NWT and most other translations render this word as ‘obey’ which is incorrect.
1. What Πείθεσθε (peithesthe) actually means
Πείθεσθε is the present middle/passive imperative of πείθω (peithō).
Core meaning of peithō:
• to persuade
• to convince
• to win over by reason
• to place confidence in because one is persuaded
Only secondarily—and context-dependently—can it carry the sense of “obey,” and even then it is obedience flowing from persuasion, NOT submission to raw authority.
A very literal rendering of Hebrews 13:17 would be closer to:
“Be persuaded by those taking the lead among you, and yield because you are convinced…”
That is worlds apart from “Obey them whether you agree or not.”
2. So what if you are not convinced?
Here’s the key point that often gets ignored:
You cannot be commanded to be convinced.
Conviction is not an act of the will; it is the result of evidence, integrity, truthfulness, and sound reasoning.
If the writer had meant unquestioning obedience, Greek had much stronger words available:
• ὑπακούω (hypakouō) – to obey under authority
• δουλεύω (douleuō) – to serve as a slave
• ὑποτάσσω (hypotassō) – to submit, often hierarchically
None of those were used.
3. The responsibility cuts both ways
Hebrews 13:17 immediately adds why persuasion matters:
“…for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will render an account.”
This means:
• Leaders are not infallible
• Leaders are accountable
• Leaders must earn trust, not demand it
IMPORTANT NOTE to TAKEAWAY…
If persuasion fails, the text implicitly indicts the leadership, not the conscience of the believer!
4. Early Christian culture too, must be considered…
First-century Christian communities were:
• dialog-driven (Acts 17:2, 17:11)
• conscience-centered (Romans 14)
• suspicious of domineering authority (Matthew 23:8–12; 1 Peter 5:2–3)
The Bereans were praised not for obedience, but for examining and testing what they were taught.
5. Compulsory obedience violates Christian conscience
Paul is explicit on this principle:
• “Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.” (Romans 14:5)
• “Whatever is not from faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23)
If you are not convinced:
• Forced compliance becomes hypocrisy
• Silence becomes coerced assent
• “Unity” becomes conformity, not truth
The New Testament never authorizes leaders to override conscience.
6. What Hebrews 13:17 is actually saying
A fair paraphrase would be:
“Allow yourselves to be persuaded by those leading you—WHEN they demonstrate trustworthiness, truth, and care—because they are accountable before God.”
That places moral weight on leadership, NOT blind duty on followers.
7. The uncomfortable implication (and why it matters)
If someone insists Hebrews 13:17 means “obey even when unconvinced”, they are:
• mistranslating the Greek
• contradicting Paul’s teaching on conscience
• importing authoritarian assumptions foreign to the text
And—this matters deeply—they are asking for something Scripture never authorizes: obedience without conviction.
Bottom line
If you are not convinced, Hebrews 13:17 does not condemn you.
Instead, it raises a harder question for leaders:
Why were you unable to persuade?
That distinction—between persuasion and compulsion—is precisely where spiritual integrity lives.
In summary… the Society’s stress on ‘blind’ obedience entirely violates the scriptures!
HOW DO HISTORIANS DETERMINE THE DATE OF THE BABYLONIAN DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM?
Core Historical Anchor Dates
605 BCE – Battle of Carchemish / Babylonian Dominance Established
• Nebuchadnezzar defeats Egypt and Assyria.
• This establishes Babylon’s supremacy in the region and starts Judah’s vassalage.
• Mentioned in the Babylonian Chronicles and Jeremiah 46:2.
• Often associated with the first deportation of Judean nobles, including Daniel (per biblical tradition).
597 BCE – First Capture... moreHOW DO HISTORIANS DETERMINE THE DATE OF THE BABYLONIAN DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM?
Core Historical Anchor Dates
605 BCE – Battle of Carchemish / Babylonian Dominance Established
• Nebuchadnezzar defeats Egypt and Assyria.
• This establishes Babylon’s supremacy in the region and starts Judah’s vassalage.
• Mentioned in the Babylonian Chronicles and Jeremiah 46:2.
• Often associated with the first deportation of Judean nobles, including Daniel (per biblical tradition).
597 BCE – First Capture of Jerusalem
• Nebuchadnezzar besieges Jerusalem, King Jehoiachin is exiled, and Zedekiah installed as puppet king.
• Directly recorded in:
Babylonian Chronicle BM 21946
2 Kings 24:10–17
Jeremiah 52:28
This is an absolutely fixed historical date.
589–587 BCE – Final Babylonian Siege
• Zedekiah rebels.
• Nebuchadnezzar returns and lays a prolonged siege.
587/586 BCE – Destruction of Jerusalem
Thus, the following occurred in this timeframe:
• Jerusalem’s walls breached.
• Temple burned.
• City destroyed.
• Population deported.
Why the two-year notation (587/586)?
Because two calendar systems are involved:
• Babylonians used a Nisan-to-Nisan accession calendar
• Judah used a Tishri-to-Tishri calendar
Depending on which system is counted,
• Nebuchadnezzar’s 19th year = 586 BCE
• Nebuchadnezzar’s 18th year = 587 BCE
Both refer to the SAME event, but viewed from different regnal counting systems.
Most modern historians favor 587 BCE, though Jewish traditional reckoning often aligns with 586 BCE (Tisha B’Av remembrance).
How We Know the Year with Certainty
The chronology is locked in place by astronomically dated Babylonian tablets:
VAT 4956
• An astronomical diary dated to Nebuchadnezzar’s 37th year.
• The planetary positions recorded match 568/567 BCE only.
• Counting back 19 years gives:
587/586 BCE for Jerusalem’s fall.
This provides an absolute, scientific anchor to the timeline.
Summary of the Key Chronological Markers
• 605 BCE – Babylon defeats Egypt (Carchemish)
• 597 BCE – First fall of Jerusalem; Jehoiachin exiled
• 587/586 BCE – Final fall of Jerusalem and temple destroyed
Frances GreistAnother deception. If the house is built on sand, then when a storm comes it will be washed.away ...and to think the Society calls its teachings the TRUTH, yet truth is not in them. 607 BCE was a calculation to make 1914 fit their narrative that Jesus had begun to rule from heaven. It would be 34 years later when Israel became a nation again and it is this generation that would determine when the last days would be. Israel is now 77 years old and the apostasy has clearly taken place with the pus... moreAnother deception. If the house is built on sand, then when a storm comes it will be washed.away ...and to think the Society calls its teachings the TRUTH, yet truth is not in them. 607 BCE was a calculation to make 1914 fit their narrative that Jesus had begun to rule from heaven. It would be 34 years later when Israel became a nation again and it is this generation that would determine when the last days would be. Israel is now 77 years old and the apostasy has clearly taken place with the pushing of the slaughtered blood of infants to save lives from a manmade pandemic and the casting off of the blood of Christ's saving power that did that. Jehovah provided a perfect sacrifice yet the Society, because it would have to pay $1B to the U.N. in order not to have to push the mRNA as an NGO, preferred to keep the money and sacrifice its own faithful members! Pay Caesars' things to Caesar comes to mind here.
Another deception that we should all be extremely concerned about is that they prevented us from taking the emblems at the memorial, Jesus himself said clearly that if you do not partake of his flesh and blood we would have no part of the kingdom!! So, basically they shut us all out of everlasting life and painted themselves in, as being anointed and therefore the only privileged ones to get this prize, but Revelation clearly states the 144,000 were from the 12 named tribes and not Tom, Dick and Harry usurpers with no direct bloodline to Abraham! Each tribe was specifically named and numbered as to 12,000, Jehovah is a God of order, why would he break his own word to Abraham and assign others to this promise?
They did get one thing right. Religion is a Racket!
A personal relationship with Jehovah through Jesus is a much better alternative. Keep your oil filled and your lamps bright, the bridegroom is waiting for his bride to prepare herself. Galatians 1: 4 and 5 tell us that Jesus came to deliver us from this wicked system yet the rapture is never discussed for us, A great multitude is seen in heaven being unnumbered but they were washed clean and dressed in white linen; and came out of every tribe and nation, this could be your destiny! Revelation 7 : 9-18
The race is almost over, don't let anyone take you out of it and steal your prize! John 14:2 in my Father's house there are many abides, if this were not true, I would tell you so.
Re read the entire bible again, this time not with the indoctrination of men.but with open eyes and holy spirit.
Let me know if you think I am wrong. I do tend to be stubborn.
WHO IS THE ‘MAN of LAWLESSNESS ???
2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4 warns us about the ‘Man of Lawlessness’ saying this ‘Man of Lawlessness’…
“opposes and exalts himself over every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”
Now, think about this for a minute…
The man of lawlessness is not merely immoral or tyrannical.
“He takes his seat in the temple of God, publicly showing himself to be a god.”
This single phrase eliminates... moreWHO IS THE ‘MAN of LAWLESSNESS ???
2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4 warns us about the ‘Man of Lawlessness’ saying this ‘Man of Lawlessness’…
“opposes and exalts himself over every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”
Now, think about this for a minute…
The man of lawlessness is not merely immoral or tyrannical.
“He takes his seat in the temple of God, publicly showing himself to be a god.”
This single phrase eliminates secular governments.
We find further clues at…
1 Corinthians 3:16 – “You are God’s temple.”
Ephesians 2:21–22 – “You are being built up as a spiritual house.”
So, this figure operates inside the Christian congregation, not outside it.
That is decisive.
2 Thessalonians 2:7 says…
“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only the one who now restrains it will do so until he is taken out of the way.”
Key components:
1. “The mystery of lawlessness is already at work”
2. “The one who now restrains it”
3. “Until he is taken out of the way”
Each part matters.
First, “The Mystery of Lawlessness Is Already at Work”
This tells us something crucial:
- The man of lawlessness does not just appear suddenly.
- The spirit, pattern, and corruption precede the reveal.
Paul is saying:
“This is not new. It’s been incubating.”
That aligns perfectly with:
• Acts 20:29–30 – “from among you yourselves men will rise…”
• Matthew 13 – weeds growing among wheat
• 1 John 2:18 – “many antichrists have appeared”
So, lawlessness is infiltrative, not explosive.
BOTTOM LINE...
The ‘Man of Lawlessness’ is of a devotional, religious nature.
This compels to consider the evidence we see and ask…
How can we identify this ‘Man of Lawlessness’?
Reasoning on these things, we are compelled to asks…
-Who, from a religious standpoint, claims it is God’s sole channel?
-Who, says that ‘being obedient to them is obeying God’?
-Who, says ‘comply to directions without hesitation even if it doesn’t make sense?
No pope, no president, no prime minister on earth has ever dared to make that claim so nakedly.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 – Says that “The apostasy comes first…”
An apostasy is not “people leaving religion.”
It is leaders abandoning truth while claiming to represent it!
Now consider, who has:
• Affiliated as an NGO of the UN
• Secretly engaged in interfaith events
• Ecumenical cooperation
• Silence on core doctrines while enforcing organizational loyalty
• Rewrites its history
• Suppresses victims of its system
• Protects assets over people
That is not accidental drift. This is institutional apostasy.
Is this not the exact sequence Paul described?
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 tells us… “with every powerful work and lying signs and wonders and every unrighteous deception…”
So, we again must ask…
- Who claims Divine direction?
- Who has claimed they have ‘prophetic insight?
- Who claims they have ‘special illumination?
- Who claims they have ‘exclusive understanding?
2 Thessalonians 2: 10-11 says… “they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them. For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie.”
Put plainly… ‘they did not accept the love of the truth, so God allows a powerful delusion to deceive them.’
What do we see in such a situation?
• When truth threatens the structure, the structure is protected.
• When victims threaten reputation, victims are silenced.
• When evidence threatens narrative, evidence is buried.
That is delusion institutionalized.
So, If the man of lawlessness is a class operates within the Christian congregation, claims divine authority, suppresses truth, demands obedience, rewrites doctrine, and protects itself at the expense of conscience —
It would seem that the Governing Body fits this profile with alarming precision.
****************************************
NOTE: ECUMENISM – Is institutional cooperation, recognition, or partnership between religious bodies for shared objectives.
This can be…
• interfaith councils
• joint declarations
• shared platforms
• NGO partnerships
• common cause initiatives
• or formal affiliations
It does not require joint worship. It requires organizational alignment.
The United Nations IS the largest interfaith forum on earth!!!
Host to the World Council of Churches
Host to Vatican observers
Host to Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, and Jewish representatives, and the
Central platform for inter-religious cooperation initiatives
****************************************
HERE's MY TAKE ON THE GOVERNING BODY...
It has become unmistakably clear that the Watchtower Society cloaks itself in a carefully synthesized atmosphere of ‘kumbaya,’ lulling the friends into a hypnotic trance designed to keep them in the dark about the organization’s true nature, while quietly extracting wealth from the rank and file and courting influence from every sector of the political arena it can penetrate.
Nowhere is this duplicity more evident than in its entanglement with the United... moreHERE's MY TAKE ON THE GOVERNING BODY...
It has become unmistakably clear that the Watchtower Society cloaks itself in a carefully synthesized atmosphere of ‘kumbaya,’ lulling the friends into a hypnotic trance designed to keep them in the dark about the organization’s true nature, while quietly extracting wealth from the rank and file and courting influence from every sector of the political arena it can penetrate.
Nowhere is this duplicity more evident than in its entanglement with the United Nations, where the Governing Body had their heads so far up the butt of the U.N. that the stench of compromise has replaced every scent of integrity, neutrality has become a casualty of convenience, and political accommodation has been confused—if not outright baptized—as ‘Divine’ direction.
The very organization that once thundered against the ‘wild beast’ has, for the past 35+ years, done nothing but seek its favor and in the process has traded principle for access, and sacrificed conscience on the altar of relevance, all while demanding absolute loyalty and unquestioning obedience from those of us whose resources and credibility it has been spending.
WHY THE WATCHTOWER SOCIETY’S KINGDOM HALL
PROPERTY GRAB WAS A CATASTROPHIC MISCALCULATION
When the Watchtower forced all congregations to:
• sign over ownership
• centralize deeds
• relinquish local control
…they thought they were:
• protecting assets
• streamlining management
• and consolidating power
What the Society actually did was:
Attach every liability, tort, abuse claim, negligence case, and injury suit directly to the central corporation.
That is corporate law 101.
Before:... moreWHY THE WATCHTOWER SOCIETY’S KINGDOM HALL
PROPERTY GRAB WAS A CATASTROPHIC MISCALCULATION
When the Watchtower forced all congregations to:
• sign over ownership
• centralize deeds
• relinquish local control
…they thought they were:
• protecting assets
• streamlining management
• and consolidating power
What the Society actually did was:
Attach every liability, tort, abuse claim, negligence case, and injury suit directly to the central corporation.
That is corporate law 101.
Before:
• a local congregation could be sued
• a local body could be named
• a local entity could absorb impact
Now?
It’s:
“Watchtower did this.”
“Watchtower failed.”
“Watchtower knew.”
They centralized risk.
And risk aggregation is how empires fall.
BAPTISM QUESTIONS of the WATCHTOWER SOCIETY...
From the 1960s until 1984, the baptism questions of the Society were...
1️⃣ Have you repented of your sins, dedicated yourself to Jehovah, and accepted his way of salvation through Jesus Christ?
2️⃣ Do you understand that this dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses?
However, these were changed and now are:
1️⃣ Do you acknowledge that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in association... moreBAPTISM QUESTIONS of the WATCHTOWER SOCIETY...
From the 1960s until 1984, the baptism questions of the Society were...
1️⃣ Have you repented of your sins, dedicated yourself to Jehovah, and accepted his way of salvation through Jesus Christ?
2️⃣ Do you understand that this dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses?
However, these were changed and now are:
1️⃣ Do you acknowledge that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in association with God's spirit-directed organization?
2️⃣ Do you understand that this organization, directed by the Governing Body, is the channel Jehovah uses to teach truth and direct His people, and that you must remain in submission to it?
I for one, most certainly did NOT pledge my allegiance to ANY group of men or any organization, but to Jehovah and Christ Jesus.
These are whom we SHOULD swear our allegiance to.
Everything is about the Governing Body putting themselves in the seat of God.
There is NOTHING scriptural about these questions!!!
Jesus command was simple... Baptize them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!
Why is everyone not alarmed???
THIS WEEKS WATCHTOWER STUDY...
It was brought to my attention that in paragraph 12, the Society says the 'glorious ones' mentioned at 2 Peter 2:8,9 are the elders. So I decided to analyze this thoroughly.
I listed to the Watchtower study that Lizzy had posted, and this part of the study didn't quite seem to jive. Nowhere in the scriptures are humans ever called 'glorious ones'. So, I read the entire passage, comparing these verses in particular, among the various translations along with the ... moreTHIS WEEKS WATCHTOWER STUDY...
It was brought to my attention that in paragraph 12, the Society says the 'glorious ones' mentioned at 2 Peter 2:8,9 are the elders. So I decided to analyze this thoroughly.
I listed to the Watchtower study that Lizzy had posted, and this part of the study didn't quite seem to jive. Nowhere in the scriptures are humans ever called 'glorious ones'. So, I read the entire passage, comparing these verses in particular, among the various translations along with the original Greek.
In 2 Peter 2, the term often translated as “glorious ones” is the same word used for “dignitaries”, or “celestial beings”, depending on the Bible version, and it comes from the Greek word:
δόξας (doxas) → literally “glories,” implying beings of great honor, majesty, or spiritual rank.
One thought conveyed by scholars is that this is possibly speaking of fallen angels, or angels with great spiritual rank in general.
When considering the broader context of the entire chapter 2 of 2 Peter, it is about:
- Rebellion,
- False teachers,
- Presumption, and
- Disrespect for authority.
Peter apparently is contrasting arrogant humans who dare to “slander the glories” with angels, who—despite their greater power and rank—do not speak abusively against such beings before God.
Peter's argument is essentially that "Even angels, who are stronger and holier, don’t rail against these powerful spiritual beings before God… but these presumptuous men do so boldly."
This being said, these glorious ones are most certainly:
- Not human rulers,
- Not ordinary believers, and
- NOT congregation elders.
When cross-referencing a comparison with Jude 1:8-9, it indicates angels refusing to insult powerful spiritual authorities, again reinforcing the non-human, supernatural identity of the “glories.”
MY FINAL TAKE...
The Governing Body is continuing to mold their specific narrative without regard to what the actual scripture is really indicating.
AdminIt seems to represent those such as Angels or those with divine power such as the apostles who were inspired. For the elders to refer to themselves as “Glorious Ones” again is going beyond what is written and lacks humility.
By “dignities,” or glories, are meant unseen powers worthy of reverence. The Greek word is rare in the New Testament; only here, 2Peter 2:10, and 1Peter 1:11. Earthly dignities, whether ecclesiastical or civil, are not included. (Comp. the doctrine of Menander, Irenæus, I. ... moreIt seems to represent those such as Angels or those with divine power such as the apostles who were inspired. For the elders to refer to themselves as “Glorious Ones” again is going beyond what is written and lacks humility.
By “dignities,” or glories, are meant unseen powers worthy of reverence. The Greek word is rare in the New Testament; only here, 2Peter 2:10, and 1Peter 1:11. Earthly dignities, whether ecclesiastical or civil, are not included. (Comp. the doctrine of Menander, Irenæus, I. xxiii. 5.) [1]
and “the glorious ones” (Jude 1:8) —the angels who have brought visions and dreams and revelation from God (eg Revelation 1:1)
When these men speak such evil they blaspheme because these apostles and angels are messengers of Christ. To speak evil of them is to “deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ” who sent them (Jude 1:4). [3]
The Society published a very misleading statement from the Dr. Raymond Philip Dougherty indicating that he supported their 607 BC conclusion.
Dougherty a highly respected Assyriologist and professor at Yale University, is best known for his work on Babylonian astronomy and chronology.
However the Society's date of 607 BC for Jerusalem's destruction has been outright rejected by virtually every historian, archaeologist, and Near East scholar, all of whom place the event at 587/586 BCE.
What Actually Happened
The Watchtower Society referenced Dougherty’s work in a very misleading way in their publication Vindication (1931), which implied that he agreed with or supported their chronological arguments.
Dougherty upon being informed of this, immediately objected, stating that his work had been misrepresented, and he vehemently stated that his conclusions did NOT support Watchtower chronology, and he wanted his name removed.
His objection was serious enough that the Society was forced to publish a retraction in its March 15, 1932 Watchtower.
This retraction admitted that they had:
- Incorrectly used Dougherty’s material,
- misapplied his conclusions,
- and should not have cited him the way they did.
In so doing, the Society avoided a court battle (one which they most definitely would have lost).
So, basically the Society has been knowingly and unabashedly teaching and promoting a lie for about 100 years now. I sincerely believe that Jehovah finds this inexcusable.
So, why has the Society done this?
Solely to create a special, superior class distinction for its members of the Governing Body who each make the unfounded claim that they are 'anointed'.
This video came to me, and since man is very reasonable and his arguments are valid, I thought I might share it. This isn't new for a lot of us, but it does leave one with deep sadness.
