Jehovah's Witnesseses, how was the organization able to justify the false prophecies of Charles T. Russell?

He made several false prophecies. With that in mind, how is the organization able to justify them? I mean, what is your reason for continuing to follow that religion? You say you don't follow man-made or false teachings, but how is that true when you are following a religion that was founded by this man and it is full of lies.Jehovah's Witnesseses, how was the organization able to justify the false prophecies of Charles T. Russell?
Every cult makes false prophecies.





Look for a charismatic leader that sets himself above the Bible.





In the Bible, false prophets got a death sentence for being wrong once.





These days, people follow them.





Urp!Jehovah's Witnesseses, how was the organization able to justify the false prophecies of Charles T. Russell?
same way the mormons can justify the false statements of mr smith. they just turn the blind eye to the tomfoolery.
JWs feel that some of Russell's early teachings needed to be adjusted (1914 as to the generation not passing away, has recently been adjusted) and that is what they refer to as ';new light';.





To JWs the fact that they are willing to change their beliefs shows that they are not stuck w/ one (possibly) wrong idea for life. They hold the feeling that as they get ';closer to the end [of the world] the light will get brighter and brighter';. This justifies any continuing changes in their belief system and to them it does not mean that one of their ';faithful and discreet slave'; or ';governing body'; is wrong but rather the light has gotten brighter on the subject and is now changed.





If you research that time period, you will find that there are several American religions that were formed and continued. Russell still has some who follow him more than JWs, they are Russellites.





And, most religions are formed by a man and promoted by men/women. So, JWs aren't really any different from any other religion.
Jehovah's Witnesses have never pretended that they are infallible or inspired. Jehovah's Witnesses have never pretended that they experience miraculous messages from God or Christ. For more than a century, Jehovah's Witnesses have always presented their suppositions as the result of sincere bible research, rather than as ';predictions'; or ';prophesying';.





Interestingly, however, even those Christians who did enjoy direct communication from heaven at times came to wrong conclusions; these wrong conclusions were even communicated ';out among the brothers';!





For example, the apostle Peter enjoyed remarkable privileges in the early congregation, but it seems that he was the source of an incorrect teaching about the apostle John that was not formally corrected until several DECADES had passed, and John himself finally wrote his gospel about 98 C.E.


.. ..(John 21:21-23) Peter said to Jesus: “Lord, what will this man do [that is, the apostle John]?” Jesus said to him: “If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you? You continue following me.” In consequence, this saying went out among the brothers, that [the apostle John] would not die. However, Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but: “If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you?”








Jehovah's Witnesses apply the term ';prophet'; only in a very limited sense to themselves as a religion, not to individuals. The Scriptures indicate that whenever Jehovah purposes to execute judgment upon a people, he always makes arrangement for a 'prophet's work' as a warning. Their self-description as a ';prophet'; (in this limited sense) does not indicate special inspired knowledge or foreknowledge, but their willingness to perform Christ's assigned warning work in our day leading up to Armageddon.





What group is working harder than Jehovah's Witnesses to preach God's message globally (as Noah did before the Deluge)?


.. ..(Amos 3:7) For the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will not do a thing unless he has revealed his confidential matter to his servants the prophets.


.. ..(2 Peter 2:5) Noah, a preacher of righteousness...


.. ..(Matthew 24:14) And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.
Below are some of Russell's prophecies. It doe not surprise me how much the writings of the last forty years by Watchtower resemble those of the past. see*******


Seems to be a cycle and people continue to be narrow minded, ignore the past errors, and short in viewing how this deception works.


Of course, now with the net it can be seen, traced, and tracked but the followers continue to believe the lies.


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Russell's prophecies:





'The End Of This World; that is the end of the gospel and the beginning of the millennial age is nearer than most men suppose; indeed we have already entered the transition period, which is to be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation Dan. 12:3.'; (N.H. Barbour and C.T. Russell, Three Worlds, and the Harvest of This World, p. 17).





';Christ came in the character of a Bridegroom in 1874.... at the beginning of the Gospel harvest.'; (Watchtower, Oct 1879, p. 4)





';We need not here repeat the evidences that the ';seventh trump'; began its sounding A.D., 1840, and will continue until the end of the time of trouble, and the end of ';The times of the Gentiles,'; A.D., 1914, and that it is the trouble of this ';Great day,'; which is here symbolically called the voice of the Archangel when he begins the deliverance of fleshly Israel. ';At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince (Archangel) which standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.'; Dan. xii. 1. Nor will we here, again present the conclusive Bible proof that our Lord came for his Bride in 1874, and has an unseen work as Reaper of the first-fruits of this Gospel Age. (Zion's Watchtower November, 1880 p. 1)





';The outlook at the opening of the New Year has some very encouraging features. The outward evidences are that the marshaling of the hosts for the battle of the great day of God Almighty, is in progress while the skirmishing is commencing. … The time is come for Messiah to take the dominion of earth and to overthrow the oppressors and corrupters of the earth, (Rev. 19:15 and 11:17, 18) preparatory to the establishment of everlasting peace upon the only firm foundation of righteousness and truth.'; (Zion's Watchtower, January, 1886;Watchtower reprints I, p. 817)





';In this chapter we present the Bible evidence proving that the full end of the times of the gentiles, i.e., the full end of their lease of dominion, will be reached in A.D. 1914; and that the date will be the farthest limit of the rule of imperfect men. And be it observed, that if this is shown to be a fact firmly established by the Scriptures, it will prove; Firstly, that at that date the Kingdom of God, for which our Lord taught us to pray, saying, Thy Kingdom come, will obtain full, universal control, and that it will then be set up, or firmly established, in the earth, on the ruins of present institutions.'; (The Time Is At Hand, 1888, p. 76, 77)





';Be not surprised, then, when in subsequent chapters we present proofs that the setting up of the Kingdom of God is already begun, that it is pointed out in prophecy as due to begin the exercise of power in A.D. 1878, and that the 'battle of the great day of God Almighty (Rev. 16:14) which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership, is already commenced. The gathering of the armies is plainly visible from the standpoint of God's word.'; (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, The Time Is At Hand, 1889 Ed., p. 101. The 1915 Edition of this texts changed ';A.D. 1914'; to read 'A.D. 1915')





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';Here we furnish the evidence that from the creation of Adam to (but not including) A.D. 1873 was six thousand years. And though the Bible contains no direct statement that the seventh thousand will be the epoch of Christ's reign, the great Sabbath Day of restitution to the world, yet the venerable tradition is not without a reasonable foundation.'; (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, p. 39. 1889)


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';If, then, the seventh thousand-year period of earth's history be an epoch specially noted as the period of Christ's reign, we shall by showing that it began in 1873, be proving that we are already in it.'; (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, p. 40. 1889)


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';In the coming 26 years, all present governments will be overthrown and dissolved.'; (C.T. Russell, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, p. 98-99, 1889)





';In this chapter we present the Bible evidence which indicates that six thousand years from the creation of Adam were complete with A.D. 1872; and hence that, since A.D. 1872 are chronologically entered upon the seventh thousand or the Millennium.'; (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, p. 33, 1889)





';Remember that the forty years' Jewish Harvest ended October A.D. 69, and was followed by the complete overthrow of that nation; and that likewise the forty years of the Gospel age harvest will end October, 1914, and that likewise the overthrow of 'Christendom,' so-called, must be expected to immediately follow.'; (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, p. 245)





';Seventeen years ago people said, concerning the time features presented in Millennial Dawn, They seem reasonable in many respects, but surely no such radical changes could occur between now and the close of 1914: if you had proved that they would come about in a century or two, it would seem much more probable. What changes have since occurred, and what velocity is gained daily? 'The old is quickly passing and the new is coming in.' Now, in view of recent labor troubles and threatened anarchy, our readers are writing to know if there may not be a mistake in the 1914 date. They say that they do not see how present conditions can hold out so long under the strain. We see no reason for changing the figures-nor could we change them if we would. They are, we believe, God's dates, not ours. But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble.'; (Zion's Watchtower, Can It Be Delayed until 1914? C. T. Russell July 15, 1894, Also in Watchtower Reprints, l894 p. 1677)





';A few more years will wind up the present order of things, and then the chastened world will stand face to face with the actual conditions of the established Kingdom of God. And yet the course of the Church is to be finished within the space of time that intervenes.'; (Watchtower p. 56, 1894)





';We see no reason for changing the figures - nor could we change them if we would. They are, we believe, God's dates, not ours. But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble.'; (Watchtower July 15, 1894, p 266; p 1677 reprints)





';We see no reason for changing the figures nor could we change them if we would. They are, we believe, God's dates, not ours. But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble.'; (Watchtower, July 15, 1894, Reprints p. 1677)





';...this measurement is 3416 inches, symbolizing 3416 years.... This calculation shows A.D. 1874 as marking the beginning of the period of trouble....'; (Russell, Studies in the Scriptures: Thy Kingdom Come, Series III, p. 342, 1897 edition [1916 edition changed to read: ';We find it to be 3457 inches, symbolizing 3457 years.... Thus the Pyramid witnesses that the close of 1914 will be the beginning of the time of trouble....';] note: the measurement was the length of an interior passageway discovered inside the Pyramids. It has no reference in Scripture.)





';Complete destruction of the 'powers that be' of 'this present evil worlds - political, financial, ecclesiastical - about the close of the Time of the Gentiles; October A.D. 1914.'; (C.T. Russell, Studies in the Scriptures, IV, p. 622, 1897)





';Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present, since October 1874, A.D....and the formal inauguration of his kingly office dates from April 1878, A.D.'; (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol.4, p.621, 1897)





';The distillery, the brewery, the saloon, the brothel, the pool-room, all time-killing and character-depraving business will be stopped; and their servants will be given something to do that will be beneficial to themselves and others. ';Similarly, the building of war-vessels, the manufacture of munitions of war and defense will cease, and armies will be disbanded. The new Kingdom will have no need of these, but will have abundant power to execute summary justice in the punishment of evil doers... ';The banking and brokerage business, and other like employment's, very useful under present conditions, will no longer have a place; for under the new conditions the human race will be required to treat each others as members of one family, and private capital and money to loan and to be needed will be things of the past. Landlords and renting agencies will find new employment also, because the new King will not recognize as valid patents and deeds now on record. ';...namely, that with present conveniences, if the whole people were put to work systematically and wisely, not more than three hours labor for each individual would be necessary.'; (Studies, Vol. IV, pp. 633-635, 1897)





';In view of this strong Bible evidence concerning the Times of the Gentiles, we consider it an established truth that the final end of the kingdoms of this world, and the full establishment of the kingdom of God, will be accomplished by the end of A.D. 1914.'; (The Time Is At Hand, 1902 edition, p. 99)





';When Uranus and Jupiter meet in the humane sign of Aquarius in 1914, the long-prom