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False Prophets are identifiable by their making of prophecies which fail to come true.
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The Watchtower organization, which claims to print "the words of God's prophet", has printed prophecies which have failed to come true (the resurrection of the ancient worthies in 1925 is one glaring example).
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Therefore, the Watchtower organization is a false prophet.
Logically, the above is a valid argument. Therefore, the only way that we could possibly argue that the WT is not a false prophet would be to attack the premises of the argument.
We could attack the first premise, but that would be to attack the Bible itself since that is where this formula for identifying false prophets comes from (Deut. 18:20-22).
So, that leaves us to attack the second premise. In order to attack this premise we would have to either disprove that the Watchtower has claimed to be a prophet, or that they have made prophecies that have not come true.
Previously, you agreed that the Watchtower had claimed to be "God's
prophet". But just in case you have your doubts on this, here is a sampling of quotes from the Watchtower over the years on this topic:
Such persons should remember that the Watchtower sets out the words of God's prophet.
(Watchtower 1936 p. 182 par. 18)
God uses The Watchtower to communicate to his people; it does not consist of men's opinions.
(Watchtower 1/1/1942, p. 5)
The twentieth-century preaching prophets of Jehovah are the ones who are running to and fro over the Bible to gain knowledge of the divine pronouncements which is on the increase.-Dan. 12:4.
(Watchtower 1952 April 15 p.253 Aids for Understanding Prophecy)
As Jehovah revealed his truths by means of the first-century Christian congregation so he does today by means of the present-day Christian congregation. Through this agency he is having carried out prophesying on an intensified and unparalleled scale. All this activity is not an accident. Jehovah is the one behind all of it.
(Watchtower 1964 June 15 pp.365-6 Jehovah, the God of Progressive Revelation)
People today can view the creative works. They have at hand the Bible, but it is little read or understood. So, does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn them of dangers and to declare things to come?
IDENTIFYING THE "PROPHET"
These questions can be answered in the affirmative. Who is this prophet? ... This "prophet" was not one man, but was a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah's Christian witnesses. ... 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.
(Watchtower 1972 April 1 p.197 'They Shall Know that a Prophet Was Among Them')
The facts substantiate that the remnant of Christ's anointed disciples have been doing that prophesying to all the nations...
(Holy Spirit -- The Force Behind the Coming New Order! (1976) p.148 ch.8 "Spirit of Life from God Entered into Them")
In behalf of such individuals who at heart seek God's rule instead of man's rule, the "prophet" whom Jehovah has raised up has been, not an individual man as in the case of Jeremiah, but a class. The members of this class are, like the prophet-priest Jeremiah, wholly dedicated to Jehovah God through Christ and, by the begettal of Jehovah's holy spirit, they have been made part of "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession."
(Watchtower 1982 October 1 p.27 Be as Men Who Are Facing Har-Magedon Unafraid)
You will be interested to learn that God has on earth a people, all of whom are prophets, or witnesses for God. In fact, they are known throughout the world as Jehovah's Witnesses.
(Awake! 1986 June 8 p.9 "Would That All Were Prophets!")
Of course, like almost everything the Watchtower has ever printed, they have contradicted themselves on this point as well. At times they have claimed that they are not prophets. This seems to happen when their prophecies fail, but when the next round of prophecies are made, they are back claiming to be prophets.
But, whether they are currently claiming to be prophets, or are currently claiming not to be prophets, one thing is clear. In the past they have claimed to be God's prophet, and they have made prophecies in the Watchtower (which, you'll recall "does not consist of men's opinions" and "sets out the words of God's prophet").
Let's take an example. If I were to say,
"I believe that in the year 2010, Napoleon Bonaparte will come back to life and take over Europe."
That would be an opinion. But, now let's say that I changed the statement to read:
"I am certain that in the year 2010, Napoleon Bonaparte will come back to life and take over Europe."
Let's say that I published this statement in a newsletter in which I had previously stated:
"This newsletter sets forth the words of God's prophet: it does not consist of men's opinions".
Now it is no longer an opinion. Now it is a prophecy. If the year 2010 comes and goes without Napoleon showing up on the scene, what sort of prophecy have I made, and what sort of a prophet am I? Of course, in 2011 my newsletter will state:
"I never claimed to be a prophet, and the Napoleon thing? That was just a "probability" that some overly zealous readers read into a certainty.
Then I would be a liar ontop of being a false prophet.
So, it is clear that the Watchtower has claimed to be God's prophet. And, unless Abraham, David, and Jacob are hiding out somewhere, it is obvious that the WT has made false prophecies. So, keeping in mind the Biblical formula, I ask you once again:
what inescapable conclusion must we draw from this?
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