Is the WATCHTOWER God's Only Organization?

TEXT OF THIS TALK BY PETER GREGERSON IS BEING TRANSCRIBED & EDITED

My talk today is directed to anyone who's left the watchtower. How many people are in this group? The Free Minds Journal has recently published estimates, for example in they estimated, for for disfellowshipped and did not return to the watchtower society they also estimate there were thousand others that year who quietly faded out and became permanently inactive the total number for these two groups for the last ten years comes to million , if you're one of those million ex-jehovah's witnesses this message is for you I want you to have the freedom I found freedom from worry and fear from wondering whether you've made a terrible mistake and that you'll suffer the consequences I want you to to be able to look at life with new eyes - to live your life fully as a follower of Christ Jesus free from any negative influence to live with peace in your heart first I think especially those who like me grew up in the watchtower in the culture went there and there with their lives saturated with Watchtower beliefs? influence may still remain in your life in a powerful and negative way if you're one of those million people you may say I'm out thank you it's a closed chapter in my life it's over and done I'm free of all Adam but please take a minute and consider this Jesus himself and answering the question of gaining eternal life made it very plain that we must be active loving neighbors as a good Samaritan to those in trouble he said that in the Judgment Day your compassionate service for the sick and the poor would be decisive in getting his blessing how much time energy and money do you expend in such Christian service as you think of your own life pattern what do you think is the root of your attitude toward the world suffering when was your mind programmed with that attitude again Jesus himself plainly said that God loved the world so much that he asked his son to come to earth not to critically condemn the world to destruction but as he says that the world may be saved through him we know that the Bible says not to be corrupted or polluted by the world but do you love the world that God loves the world that Jesus Christ loved and died for honestly where and when was your mind program with your attitude toward the world of mankind is there a church or community of Christians that you're actively involved with so as part of the kingdom yeast you have a part in changing the bread dough the world as Jesus foretold to be the salt or the east of the world means your active involvement in it doesn't it now these are just some questions intended to help you as you look at yourself and ask why do I think the way I do could the watchtower mind programming still be in my system negatively affecting the success of my life question are you one who thinks deep in his heart that it's just possible that the watchtower just could be the one and only true organization of God do you remember the idea that the watchtower is the faithful slave to whom has been given all yes all of Christ's belongings that means of course that all others have none so all other worship all other good works of charity are the works of Satan's Babylonish hypocrites evil money-grubbers all disapproved by Jehovah and true Christians let us once and for all today methodically and honestly go to the very core of the watchtower and it's one basic claim about itself I invite you to share my experience as I examine the one watchtower claim about itself upon which all else is built that the watchtower is the faithful slave the one and only organization to whom all of Christ's belongings are given is it the one and only organization of God or is it a grand fraud is there any tear is there a terrible lie upon which this huge organization has been built with its call sure in attitudes let's begin our search first I think it's important for you to know that I have no hurtful motive in discussing this with you I'm not speaking out of spite or anger until the day I left the watchtower I had never been reproved disciplined or disfellowship I was never in any trouble with him I have no personal enemies in the watchtower what was my life experience as a why as a witness for almost years I was a regular pine a publisher or a pioneer at I served in the congregation overseer in Dixon Illinois then was sent by the Society as the overseer to Peoria Illinois I'd then I was sent as the overseer to handle some trouble in Davenport Iowa later I served as the oversee of the Champaign Urbana Illinois and then I served as an overseer and two congregations in Gadsden Alabama I served as a circuit assembly servant had various administrative titles in larger conventions including Yankee Stadium I taught the elder school in northern half of Alabama it may give you some insight if if I read you a few passages from several confidential letters from the watchtower headquarters to me the full copies are available quote we're grateful for you responding to our confidential enquiries your observations already have been of considerable aid you've written so helpfully to the society you were regarded as one of the gifts and men by us another letter this society is writing you confidentially we're interested in your observations on vital matters this is completely confidential another it was a pleasure to have you in attendance at the recent meeting with members of the teaching committee of the governing body another the society is looking for stories for publications involving brothers who successfully raise families in the truth you've successfully raised a fine family of seven children your wife has been an excellent example also another letter this to be kept confidential we are particularly interested in your observations and so on so and like many of you I had a lifetime of witness friends I love them still and look when someday to being close friends again my children were all witnesses all merit had married into witness families my dad and mother were witnesses my dad was the anointed and a regional legend my brothers and sisters were witnesses my life was completely wrapped up in being a good witness I was told that I had a bright future I had respect admiration reputation in the organization until the day I left when I decided to leave I wrote a letter of resignation then called the Bethel headquarters to tell them of my decision I talked with an old friend David Olson and oversee on the service department his response was I hate to see you go we love you he said and I hope that you'll soon be back if you do there will be many blessings in your future so you might ask why would you leave the watchtower this is what I want to tell you about today the answer hangs on one question is the watchtower the only true organization of God so many of life's attitudes depend on this for me and for you as you've all noticed in Armageddon didn't come in the fall of the governing body decided they had a serious problem with meeting attendance and all features of the work they called a special meeting with select men from around the u.s. to confidentially discuss what to do the chairman of the governing body then Milton Henschel told us that this was the only such meeting ever called in the history of the watchtower you are our gifts and men so please speak absolutely openly and frankly that was X exception no discussion of for obvious reasons one session was on our judicial system it was an eye-opener I knew we had problems with injustice with some of the elders and gets than Alabama but I thought it was just a local problem however / of those men from around the u.s. had heartbreaking stories to tell of injustice it appeared to me to be everywhere why I thought did the faithful slave under the direction of God's Holy Spirit allow this in the months that followed sometimes wake up in the night and I'd have several things to worry about here's one of them my son David drives too fast Jenna thinks he learned that from his father what would I do if someday David's family was in an automobile accident and his son my grandson David John had to have a blood transfusion or he would die then in my mind at night David comes to me and he says dad please please prove to me prove to me that the watchtower is the faithful slave so that I can follow their instructions and say goodbye to my son and let him die I realized that in my years I had never really done my homework I decided to take some time off from my business and do the research in order to be at peace with myself and to support my family if some trouble did happen did I really want to prove the watchtower to be the faithful slave oh yes I remember making a deal with myself as I started my research if at the end I still had a lingering doubt I would stay if there was even one chance and a hundred even more I would stay I was comfortable I had invested years of my life in friendships that were very important to me on the other hand I had a prayer that I had learned from my dad at the little boy Jehovah I will follow the truth wherever it leads whatever the cost I'd lived with that prayer and my understanding of truth on my life it had given me courage through lots of tough times the first time that I can remember was way back as ten-year-old boy fifth grade in a new school Franklin School in Clinton Iowa the teacher demanded that I salute the flag and stood me before our class and she ridiculed me every day of that year that was the longest year of my life so I'd faced some serious issues throughout my life this one was really serious I had a big family that I felt a big responsibility for I had two guiding thoughts first there is no benefit and self-deception truth above all I might leave but all if there was absolutely incontrovertible proof I prayed so many times Jehovah God please help me find the truth and so began my search for truth now it may seem strange to some but the claim of the watchtower to be the faithful and discreet slave is quite simple actually it comes down to three verses in the Bible three verses let me tell you where I stand if those three verses are a prophecy and if they are correctly interpreted by the watchtower and if their interpretation is corroborated by the facts then the watchtower is the faithful slave and all that goes with it if so they are that one and only true organization of God period now those three verses are found in Matthew as well as repeated in Luke please turn and we'll just keep on reading here first Matthew : says quote who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his master made ruler over his household to give them food and due season blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find him so we're doing assuredly I say to you you'll make him ruler over all his goods now if you turn to Luke you'll find the same words both accounts have Jesus continuing to say that if the servant says in his heart that the master delays is coming and begins to beat the other servants then when he does return the master will deal severely with that servant Jesus summons this whole thing up in verse of Luke quote for everyone too much is given from him much will be required and whom men have committed much of him they will ask the more now the question for you and me is this really a prophecy for years I'd always looked at it as a prophecy I didn't realize that other Bible students and scholars see it just as another teaching parable by Jesus emphasizing the need of faithfulness by those having teaching responsibilities but the watchtower sees those three verses as a prophecy about themselves and for our so was it or wasn't it a prophecy with no way for me to prove it one way or the other I was willing to grant them that it was possible in a nutshell the watchtower teaches that the master Jehovah Jesus Christ turned their attention to the earth in judgment in and and as a result the watchtower was awarded the blessing as the faithful slave the watchtower believes that they had served as a slave before that but in the final decision was made again I was willing to go along and accept - as the window of judgment now and here's the bedrock question for our discussion today on what basis did you OVA God Jesus Christ make such a decision the watchtower answer is very straightforward let me read you a few excerpts out of many I found and I'm going to read you the words word per word from their literature from you may survive Armageddon into God's new world page quote in the spring of he came to the spiritual temple for judgment work that judgment started with those who are obedient to the good news of God namely the remnant of the temple stones the remnant of the hundred and forty-four thousand spiritual Israelites by serving the spiritual food of God's message to the spiritually hungry the Lord entrusted to them his belongings on earth let's fill up the picture just a little more on page three and three of God's kingdom of a thousand years as approached we read quote in the year nineteen nineteen Jehovah did turn his hand back upon those who are insignificant like the slaves master in the illustration the Lord Jesus did return to his house inspect the situation within it he did find there a faithful and discreet slave class that was striving in spite of the world conditions to do as commanded give the Lord's domestics at the proper time their spiritual food who'd taken from the inspired Word of God so the Lord showed his favor by regather them into a well organized body of domestics in his house the eight-day general Convention held in Cedar Point Ohio on September to was a notification to all the world that the invisibly present Lord Jesus Christ was regather is faithful sheep it indicated to the world who it was that the returned Lord Jesus had found to be his faithful and discreet slave class this made his slave class happy and the cool now someone could say Peter that's just them out there serving spiritual food how is that the basis for their being the only true religion on what basis do they have they have the authority to punish people who break one of their rules like on tobacco or celebrating holidays or even in my case eating with an employer or with Ray Francis who left the watchtower they can demand that a person not be allowed to eat with or even speak to someone they want punished and if the watchtower turns their back on you they say that God does too disfellowshipping is the same as a death sentence where does the authority from that power and that power come from indeed what is the basis for their claim to be the one and only organization of God the watchtower would answer good question I'm glad you asked here's the answer the watchtower December page says quote their faithfulness and spiritual wisdom in the Masters service determines their worthiness to be put in charge of all the earthly belongings of their master now there are a couple of very important points here first it is the watchtowers faithfulness and spiritual wisdom that determines their being put in charge of all is belonging we're going to look for that in just a few minutes when we examine the evidence secondly and very importantly those three words all his belongings what does that mean to you for sure if someone has all of someone belonging then others have nothing so we know the belief that everyone who are not of the watchtower disapproved by God and so will be destroyed at Armageddon . of all human all churches all charities everyone only Watchtower people survive but those three words mean much more than that those three words all his belongings are at the very bedrock of what the watchtower society is first let's see what excuse me let's see what those three words have come to mean to the governing body itself in Brooklyn and then secondly we'll see how that view of themselves affects the way they deal with other witnesses those three words explain their power over all witnesses including you and me of we're witnesses again I'm gonna read from God's kingdom of a thousand years his approach page and seven and the watchtower of october page quote all these privileges responsibilities dignities and honors that have been reserved for the rim for the remnant of the faithful and discreet slave class and that are bestowed upon them by their heavenly father the reigning king Jesus Christ they're being charged with these precious things denotes an elevation of them indeed it resembles the picture presented in revelation and they heard a loud voice out of heaven say that them come on up here and they went up into heaven in the cloud and their enemies beheld them pictorially speaking the Almighty God has girded up their loins for the discharge of this weighty ministry by binding upon their hips the sash or the of a steward or a majordomo further prophesying regarding the modern Eli akin class Jehovah said and I will drive him as a peg in the lasting place and he must become as a throne of glory to the house of his father and they must hang upon him like upon a peg all the glory of the house of his father someone might say they actually think they've been as though called up to heaven and REE thieving all the glory all right Peter they very well may think too highly of themselves but so what what does their self-glorification mean to me I can live with that but please let me continue here what they're occupying such a grand position does mean to you listen from the same references quote they realize that these sheep like ones out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues are a precious part of all his belongings on the earth another example is taken from or organized to do Jehovah's will it repeats this saying on page about the great crowd they are among the precious belongings of Christ did I read that right the all his belongings includes people all witnesses have been given by Jesus to the faithful slave that explains a lot again listen to this quote the Alaia come class has become like a father who provides for all those pictured by the inhabitants of Jerusalem the house of Judah such a Dominion as this Jehovah by Christ has given into the hand of the steward class and this composite steward as faithfully and discretely to exercise this Dominion till now brothers the word Dominion was carefully chosen by the watchtower here and used twice what does the word Dominion mean to you and especially what does it mean to them according to the dictionary it means supreme authority absolute ownership supreme authority absolute ownership someone once told me those three little words all his belongings are the basis for the greatest claim to power ever made in the history of Christianity this is the claim to be the one and only organization of God with ownership supreme authority over all other Christians someone asked me when I talked about this but does anyone take that seriously I thought about that what do you think I personally know people that men in the service department which runs the activity in the United States who sincerely believe that whatever the faithful slave writes that becomes law as they in turn instruct the district and circuit overseers and they in turn enforce it with the elders and the congregation's as to their attitude I once heard a circuit overseer say quote if the faithful slave says this green bible is black it is black you may have heard the same thing many of you have I know someone may smile and say Peter that's just a cute rhetorical exaggeration but what do you think am i making too much of all this please listen carefully to the words of a prominent member of the governing body Albert Schroeder when he lectured the Bethel elders on May quote we serve not only Jehovah God but we are under our mother the organization he went on there are rules and regulations and I ask you how comprehensive are these rules how much did they affect our everyday life I want to read you just a few examples taken from the branch office correspondence manual is listed in the book this in search of Christian freedom page well I'll just read a couple abortion adoption alcoholic beverages Bible study birth control birthdays blood business partnerships clothing this proper conduct confessions dating divorce employment Family Affairs gambling impotence karate living accommodations loans loose conduct marriage medical treatments music parent pants for women political elections recreation schools sex relations tobacco transplanting organs union membership voting weddings so on there are over a thousand rules that affect every aspect of life are the rules taken seriously by job as witnesses you know and I know the truth is people like you and me were willing to die for these rules let me give you an example someone tracked down the changes made by the faithful slave regarding the transfusions of blood fractions here are the changes certain blood fractions particularly albumin became under the scriptural ban that was in a work by the awake September the prohibition against blood fractions was then reversed allowing it in the watchtower September then banned again in the watchtower of September then allowed again in the watchtower then banned again in February then partially reversed in August and then partially and grudgingly allowed for whom Ophelia acts in June I remember Edie Dunlap a Bethel it--from who handled these calls from people from brothers with their pleas about blood transfusion standing in our kitchen and telling the most horrible terrifying stories about dying witnesses calling in needing help wanting instructions they were going to live or die based on what they were told from Brooklyn and nowhere of course does the Bible say anything about blood fractions I think about this if you were willing to forego the simple joy of celebrating your mother's or your dad's birthday or your sons or your daughters and if you were programmed in your heart and mind so that we're willing to live by these rules if you were willing to live or die or even kill your children according to them isn't it just possible that some of that mental programming is still in your attitudes and thinking this is a very serious matter comes down to this if the watchtower claim is true and God has given them the authority and the power who are we to complain if they make mistakes but on the other hand if their claim is false do have a terrible responsibility for the heartache caused by their , rules Jesus reminds us quote whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he thrown into the sea at any rate it's now time to inspect the evidence that will resolve this issue one way or the other for us as the last reminder I quote from God's kingdom of a thousand years his approach page this book was written by none other than the man who was acknowledged as the teacher of doctrine at the watchtower for over years Fred Franz here again is the bedrock basis for their claim quote the serving of food the right sort of food at the proper time was the issue it had to be according to this that a decision must be rendered by the return master the quality of the food itself was to be considered end of quote so here it is in a nutshell in nineteen eighteen eighteen and nineteen nineteen the returned master Jesus return turns his attention in judgment of the servant his blessing depends on the quality of the spiritual food being distributed by them it's time for us to examine the evidence actually it's not difficult to identify the main spiritual food that was dispensed in and in past years there been six main books published in a series called studies in the scriptures the last one though was published back in first published but finally on the th day of the seventh month of the last one the seventh was published entitled the finished mystery it was greeted as exciting new light the latest of the advancing light of truth it was the only book the watchtower society published during this critical time of judgment - how important was this book judge to be acceptance of this book actually became the test of whether you were in the truth or not and think of this the watchtower probably proudly announced that its distribution was the focus of their activity they said the distribution of the seventh volume was quote unparalleled by the sale of any other book known in the same length of time accepting the Bible and listen to this in addition million copies of a large four-page tabloid sized track with excerpts from the book were distributed and then on March the whole book was printed as a special edition of the watchtower something that had never been done before or after I need to mention that there was one other big effort made during this -month window of judgment in and it was a campaign of public speeches entitled the world has ended millions now living will never die it was not put into print until after the judgement window closed but because it was a big oral message we're gonna briefly examine that as well and it only had one main point now from it's very beginning the finish mystery itself states how incredibly important its message was quote that at this time now when the predicted faithful and wise servant would be present with God's people the vision would be made plain and this is very interesting for the Lord Jesus has pronounced that whatever the Father shall make known to him to Jesus he in turn will make known to us that's an incredible claim let me give you quickly some more examples of how important this book was considered to be on page referring to revelation the seventh angel is identified as being volume seven of the studies in the scriptures that's through the seventh angel is on page the seven angels are identified as the seven volumes furthermore on page in quoting revelation that angel is identified as the watchtower society through its proper representatives which took the censer which is the seventh volume of studies in the scriptures quote divinely provided and on page it says and I saw heaven opened and this is explained as the hidden things of God as recorded in the scriptures no question this was the book the spiritual food distributed by the faithful slave in - now before we finally examine the book itself for its spiritual wisdom and God's message by reading word for word from the pages of the book I I have it it's in there it's important that you have already thought about this a certain question and if you haven't thought about it that's considered for a minute if the spiritual wisdom distributed in and as they say had to be the basis for God in Jesus appointing them over all his belonging including all witnesses thus making them the only true religion of God then why is it why in my years as a witness said I never read one excerpt or one quotation of this wisdom you'd think the slave would be so happy and proud of what that they'd be referring to it often I had seen a picture of the cover of the book several times but had never read one quotation not one from its pages they still proudly refer to it as powerful and of God but think about this the watchtower doesn't even make this book available for you to purchase you can't buy this wonderful book it's not even available for you to look at in a kingdom hall library why why if they why had I not been able to read it in years if it was the proof that the watchtower is the only true organization of God and I ask you have you ever read any of it of the quotes from this book and you have to ask yourself are they ashamed of it are they ashamed of that book and did they think it was just going to disappear when they took it out of out of kingdom hall libraries and did they not anticipate the EBA the there something they had a reason for destroying now let's let's examine it together and then you decide that question for yourself first there was too quick time prediction I'd like to read you a quote also in the year when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members buy million it shall be that any that escape shall come to the works of pastor Russell that's page another quote Christianity will rejoice at the desolation that will be christened UM's after not one vestige of it shall survive the ravage of worldwide all-embracing anarchy in the fall of that's it from page this book is riddled with such prophecies as in page to there are prophecies claiming Christ returned in not and that the last days began in this reminds me of the prophecy at our the the scripture Deuteronomy quote but a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say must be put to death you may say to yourself how can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord if what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true that is a message the Lord has not spoken that prophet has spoken presumptuously do not be afraid of him now finally as to the quality of this spiritual wisdom here is an example and I ask you please get a copy of the book and read it yourself but name through is commented on quote Nahum was the next one of the holy prophets and after prophesying that in the last verse of the preceding chapter about the coming of the king with his good tidings of peace to the sin burdened earth he next tells of an interest thing that will be a matter of common everyday experience at the time the kingdom is established that he describes a railway strain in motion not an automobile as some thought but and if will be willing to be at the trouble to put ourselves in the profits place we can see just what he saw in his vision and what he is so interestingly described first the Prophet stands looking at the engine coming toward him and then says the shield the thing ahead of the great warrior the headlight is made red or shines brilliantly the valiant men the engineer in the firemen are dyed scarlet when the flames from the firebox illuminate the interior the cab at night is the fireman opens the fire door to throw in the coal the chariots the railway coaches shall be shall be preceded by the locomotives that at night have the appearance of flaming torches in the day of preparation next the prophets takes its place in the Train and looks out the window and seemingly the portrayed shall be terribly shaken that's the telegraph poles alongside the tracks seem to be fairly dancing the chariots shall rage in the streets railways that is merely an elaborate scientifically constructed street or highway and they shall jostle one another in the broad ways the clanking and bumping of the cars together is one of the significant items of railway travel they shall seem like torches a railway train at night rushing through a distant field looks like nothing so much as the best torch going at flying speed they shall run like lightnings next the Prophet sees the conductor coming for his ticket and he says he shall recount his worthy that conductor spend the entire time almost counting and recounting all his passengers keeping them choked up they shall stumble in their walk try walking on a rapidly moving train they shall make haste to the wall there up to the next city or town and the cover the train shed the station shall be prepared the baggage man Express mental mail wagon hotel bus intending the passengers and friends to meet incoming passengers will all be there waiting for the train to come the gates of the river shall be open the doors of the cars will be open and the people will flow out of the palace that's the car and will be dissolved and shall be dissolved or emptied end of quote I remember the first time I read this and I thought this is unbelievable it must get better but it doesn't it's worse really on page and the behemoth and the Leviathan of job are identified at great length as the steam engine and the railway locomotive I had expected better than this do you remember in Revelation where God's wrath results in blood as high as horses bridles for a distance of furlongs let me read you what this means according to this divinely provided book cool this cannot be interpreted to refer to the twenty one hundred mile battle line of the world war a furlong our stadium is not a mile and this is without the city anyhow whereas the battle line is within the city a stadium is / feet Stata are a hundred and thirty seven point nine miles that's what we're looking for the work on this volume was done in Scranton PA as fast as it was completed that was sent to the Bethel half of the work was done at an average distance of five blocks from the Lackawanna station the other half at a distance of so blocks and Scranton are to the mile hence the average distance of the station is blocks or . mile the mileage from Scranton to Hoboken Terminal is shown in the timetables is point eight miles and this is the mileage charged to passengers but in at an expense of twelve million dollars the Lackawanna railroad completed his famous cut off saving miles of the distance from the day the cutoff was completed the train men have been allowed miles less than the timetable shown or in that distance of point eight miles from the Hoboken Ferry to Berkeley Street Ferry New York is two miles Berkeley Street ferry the Fulton ferry New York is feet or . miles Fulton ferry took Bolton ferry Brooklyn is , feet or . miles Fulton ferry Brooklyn the Bethel is fourteen hundred and feet or three tenths of a mile so the shortest distance from the place with a winepress was trodden by the feet members the Lord whose guidance and help alone made this value impossible it comes out to exactly one hundred and thirty seven point nine miles no wonder I had never read even one example of this spiritual wisdom in years truly in their foolish abundance of words they have built the scaffold for their own demise let me go on the angels from revelations are identified revelations says and quote another angel the witness to the Lord in the land of Egypt the grand pyramid confirms the Bible's teaching that the time of harvest has come that was in as you'll remember then there are measurements of the pyramids to prove it revelation another angel is identified as pastor Russell himself and then it assumes to identify the woman and her child and let me give you a few excerpts of this quote it say you remember the words that say the woman which was ready to be delivered and she brought forth a man child and that man child is nothing less than the papacy and the woman and the the true Church of God fled into the wilderness for a thousand two hundred and threescore days that's years from to when the last days started and then there what you remember war in heaven Michael is identified as the Pope the book is full of this full of this spiritual wisdom from God I'm gonna come back to the book for a minute but let's pause for a change of pace and consider the other spiritual food distributed through the speech millions now living will never die I have a copy of it here and in the room it has only one main point and I'll read it to you from page quote based upon the argument heretofore set forth then that the old order of things the old world is ending and is therefore passing away and that the new order is coming in and that shall mark the resurrection of the faithful worthies of old and the beginning of reconstruction it's reasonable to conclude that millions of people now on the earth will still be on the earth in then based upon the promises set forth in the Divine Word we must reach the positive and indisputable conclusion that millions now living will never die and that's from page so I ask you to remember that condemnation of false prophecy that we've referred to in Deuteronomy now back to the spiritual food that was in this finished mystery book and that the question as to why they have never quoted its wisdom I have a book I don't think is it in there ever I brought it along and I may have left it in the room but the I have a copy of the finished mystery and I have marked in it a hundred and ninety examples of where if you took that into a kingdom all today you'd be disfellowshipped a hundred and ninety examples out of a page book of things that would get your disfellowship if you you you believe that or try to talk about it time permits only one more example of the evidence I'm gonna read you a few of the prophecies on page to that prove that Christ returned not in but in I can't read them all that take too long but I can encourage you to get one of these books you can get one on the internet and then but I want to right now we read you a few of the prophecies that you might recognize quote some of the scriptures which prove that the Lord's second Advent occurred in the fall of are as follows the gospel has been preached in all the world for a witness the abomination has been seen in holy place the flight of the Saints from the Anna typical Judy has occurred the Great Tribulation has commenced the false witness Christ's are with us the Eagles have gathered to the carcass the Sun and Moon have been darkened this man of sin has been revealed the pair Arlis times and all associated evils are here the mighty angel has roared come out of here heard the seven last plagues have been poured out the the tares and the wheat have been separated that ambassadors of peace have wept bitterly the seven eight seals have been open the seven angels have sounded the nature nations are angry the winepress of God's wrath has been trodden the dumb dogs have failed to bark the silver has been cast into the streets the nation's have been shaken the season the waves are roaring the brethren are not in darkness all others are the scoffing the predicted scoffing has taken place and these are but a few of the of the proofs hastily can collected end of quote that's from page all of this proves of course that the is when Christ returned now here's the thing would you like to know what the physical evidence is that they cite to prove that they're to corroborate these prophecies I'm just going to read you again a few of them but I think you'll find it interesting revelation is being interpreted in I want to read it again the quote and after these things as another view of the harvest date epic I saw another angel and the earth was lightened with his glory some of the glories of the new day discovered since are adding machines airplanes aluminum antiseptic surgery automobiles barbed wire bicycles cash registers cream separators discs plows divine plan of the ages dynamite north pole at Panama Canal pasteurization south pole submarine skyscrapers subways typewriters wireless telegraphy and he cried out mightily with a strong mighty voice how apt are these scriptures that refer to pastor Russell as a voice saying Babylon the Great is fallen indicating that at some time a sudden and utter rejection is to come upon Babylon such a rejection as we have shown was due in that's the end of the quote think about it barbed wire and bicycles are proof of the last days and Christ's return in this book is God's message of spiritual wisdom it had to be according to them it had to be according to this book that a decision must be rendered by Jesus Christ brothers and sisters the evidence is clear and overwhelming beyond any question or argument in the beginning I had wanted so much for their claim to be true I've been willing to accept those three verses in Matthew and Luke about the faithful slave his prophecy as a prophecy although common sense said it was a teaching parable by Jesus I had accepted their stated basis for judgment the spiritual food they distributed in and I had been led to expect some beautiful quality spiritual food that would mightily impressed God in Jesus as to its spiritual quality I think you'll agree it proves pathetic to the point of silliness shameful silliness and insult to common intelligence and most certainly an insult to God himself in our Lord Jesus Christ no wonder they are ashamed to quoted ashamed and they hide it accept it Peter accept the truth I did that is why I left the watchtower there is no room for any doubt or any argument there can be no serious rebuttal by Brooklyn none their claim is fatally impale on the horns of their own words now some of these points are made in great detail by Ron cry in his book the Christian quest and also in ray Frances masterful book in search of Christian freedom both of which I highly recommend to sum this up the watchtower has sold a grand and fraudulent lie the watchtower is not what they claim to be the watchtower is a giant fraud and sooner or later the watchtower will answer to God for their false prophecies and for the way they have arrogantly and cruelly treated their brothers and sisters they're responsible for uncounted blood friends yes they are responsible for stumbling hundreds of thousands who have left the watchtower with their face shattered their outlook poisoned and their families broken up have I said everything about the watchtower in Javas witnesses is wrong corrupt and rotten of course not I know better and so do you but their core claim to be God's only organization is totally bogus from that claim comes the incredible power to control and punish in the name of Jehovah God that cult-like claim causes sincere believers to live manipulated and stunted lives lacking Christian freedom and maturity the watchtower claim allows them to prophesy for God and without a doubt they are now proven to be the false prophets their worldview is false and countless lies have been cramped and deformed as a result all this because of their that one terrible claim I prepared this talk for the benefit of people who have left the watchtower but without having access to this information have harbored a lingering question as that the possibility of the watchtower being the approved organization of God you know the truth now and I hope that concern will never again come into your mind once that central truth about the watchtower is cleared up we can now reexamine all our beliefs and attitudes that had logically followed from that great and fundamental lie we once reasoned that because the watchtower is the one and only organization all other organizations are wrong and so we must avoid all connection and participation with them now we know absolutely that the watchtower is not cannot be the one and only organization of God therefore all other groups and organizations are not automatically wrong so we must reconsider any involvement with them as we search for our meaning our purpose in life as Christians we have a responsibility to be a part of the kingdom yeast that works to turn the high the people of the world took Christ into his kingdom rule it's like a new life take a new look at churches take a new look at the millions of people who worked so hard to help the poor the blind and the sick consider a new attitude for the people of the world of mankind and please a new attitude toward your life on this earth and remember if you only come halfway out of the watchtower that evil Empire is still one it has neutralized you it it has taken you out of Christianity's wonderful work if your past experience is left you believing that there is no caring God that the Bible is beyond understanding that life has no real meaning please know that I and others here at VRC I have been down that road too and we've come to some truly inspiring news to share with you at another time but for now let these words of Jesus sink deep into your hearts come he said come to me I will give you rest and refreshment forgiveness joy purpose and living become a happy follower of Jesus Christ in conclusion if you as I have left the watchtower the words of Deuteronomy have special meaning for us when a false prophet has been exposed and condemned by God the Bible says be not afraid for sure be not afraid of the watchtower but also be not afraid of life of living fully now be not afraid of the future but rather joyfully releasing the past from your heart thank God thank Jesus Christ you are free you are at peace at last now I want to take another three minutes to read you an addendum to this that I think will prove the interesting Hill it's an idea taken from Ray Francis book in search of Christian freedom and it did be almost funny if it wasn't so powerful and so serious I want to start with a quote from the watch tour November quote the kingdom class under Jesus Christ is made up namely of a hundred and forty-four thousand members there the Anna typical Israelite spiritual Israelites were in a Nuke with drove Oh God like the Israelites of eyes of Isaiah's day the spiritual Israelites sold themselves because of false practices and came into bondage to the world empire of false religion that's the say Babylon the Great and who were worldly paramours an outstanding instance of this occurred during World War One of through so much than the quote so much for the slaves claimed for faithfulness during that critical time that includes and now I have two important questions for you number one what were the things that enslaved the watchtower does satanic Babylon the Great in and and caused their unfaithfulness and question number two the critical question were they free of these things or were they still enslaved to Babylon and still unfaithful to God in the final year of God's judgment of them Jo those witnesses in the divine purpose page answers question listen quote they soon realized that they'd been held in spiritual bondage in many ways there were many false doctrines and practices that had not yet been cleaned out the brothers had been in babylonish captivity at that time they had accepted earthly political governments as the superior authorities that God had ordained according to Romans : and besides there were many putting emphasis on so-called character development and there was considerable creature worship in the organization furthermore such pagan holidays as Christmas were being celebrated and even the symbol of the Cross was used as a sign of devotion devotion all of this is from page of Java's witnesses and the divine purpose and now question number two were they free of what they considered enslaving Babylonian corruptions in and the answer is absolutely not the truth is they were still enslaved so they could never absolutely never have been judged worthy of God's blessing as the only true religion a because they were still enslaved by their so-called false interpretation of of Romans : and - until over ten years after the window time of judgment closed in B in their creature worship was actually at a peak regarding pastor Russell C as to the cross look at this picture the watchtower had the cross in the upper left-hand corner on the cover of the watchtower still yet in D Christmas here's a picture of Christmas breakfast in at Bethel itself the room is gaily decorated with Christmas decorations and each member including judge Rutherford with their Christmas presents on the table all of this is to prove that in by their own words they were still enslaved to nothing less than what they believed was Babylon the Great therefore it would be absolutely impossible for them to be judged worthy of receiving the greatest award in the history of Christianity in for a complete explanation of this idea please read in search of Christian freedom by Raymond Franz pages the book is available at commentary press post office box Atlanta Georgia this proof finds and then hits and disintegrates the very foundation of the huge watchtower organization the watchtower society is not God's organization it cannot be God's organization and that for that we can thank God.