AWAKEN                                           ISSUE #4
 
THE WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA PROVES
THAT JESUS WAS NOT THE MESSIAH.

This issue of AWAKEN is rather complex in the material it
presents. I have used extensive quotes and listed all reference
material so that others can verify the facts being presented.
 
I will, in this issue, prove that the Jesus which the Watch Tower
Bible And Tract Society Of Pennsylvania (whose followers are called
Jehovah's Witnesses) speaks of, COULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE MESSIAH. I 
will use the Watch Tower's own material to prove this fact.

Let's start with the following rather long quote:

THE WATCHTOWER magazine, December 15, 1979 issue, article title:
WHEN WAS JESUS BORN?, page 3 and 4 :
""The most familiar solstic celebration of ancient times was that of
the Romans, " according to science writer Isaac Asimov. It was the
week-long Saturnalia (December 17 to 24), held in honor of their
agricultural god, Saturn. Dr. Asimov also comments :
"The Mithraists celebrated the birth of Mithra on the winter solstice,
a natural time, and fixed on the day December 25 so that the popular
Roman Saturnalia could build up to the Mithraist "Day of the Sun" as
a climax....Sometime after A.D. 300, Christianity managed the final 
coup of absorbing the Saturnalia, and with that it scored it's final
victory over Mithraism. December 25 was established as the day  of the
birth of Jesus, and the great festival was made Christian. There is
absolutely no biblical authority for December 25 as having been the
day of the Nativity."
 
Interesting observations, indeed. But they do throw a pall over annual
Christmas celebrations and raise certain questions. Is it possible to
ascertain the year of Jesus Christ's birth ? Can the approximate day 
be determined ? Indeed, when was Jesus born ?

          PINPOINTING THE YEAR
 
One way to ascertain the year of Jesus's birth is to consider the
divinely inspired prophecy of the "seventy weeks," or "seventy weeks,"
or "seventy weeks of years," recorded at Daniel 9:24-27. (An American
Translation; Moffatt; Revised Standard Version; compare New World
Translation, footnote.) The angel Gabriel told the Hebrew prophet
Daniel: "From the going forth of the word to restore and to rebuild
Jerusalem until Messiah the LEader, there will be seven weeks, also
sixty-two weeks [ of years, or 483 years ]." - Dan 9:25; Num. 14:34;
Ezek. 4:6.
 
When did these 483 years begin ? In the fall of 455 B.C.E., during the
20th year of King Artaxerxes, when that Persian monarch decreed that
Jerusalem and its walls should be rebuilt. (Neh. 2:1-8) Accordingly,
that period of 69 "weeks" (483 years) ended in the fall of 29 C.E.
The Messiah then appeared on the scene, for in that year Jesus was
baptized by John the Baptist and became the Annointed One or Christ
by being annointed with God's holy spirit. (Matt3:13-17) Incidentally,
Luke 3:1-3 indicates that John began his baptizing activity in the
"fifiteenth year of the reign of Tiberious Caesar," which year ran 
August 17, 28 C.E., to August 16, 29 C.E.
 
How old was Jesus at his baptism? The scriptures answer: "Jesus
himself, when he commenced his work [ right after being baptized],
was about thirty years old." (Luke 3:21-23) If we count back 30 years
from Jesus's baptism in 29 C.E. (and remember that there is no zero
year between the B.C.E. and C.E. periods of rekoning), we find that 
he was born in 2 B.C.E.
 
Lending support to this is the prophecy of the "seventy weeks of 
years." It indicates that the Messiah would be killed thus 'causing
sacrifice and gift offering to cease' as no longer required, in the
middle of the 70th "week." (Dan. 9:27; Rom. 6:14; Heb. 7:26-28).
Thismeans that Christ's ministry was tree and half years long. It
began at his baptism in 29 C.E. and ended with his death at Passover
time in 33 C.E. (Luke 22:7-20) Counting back 33+1/2 years (the length
of Jesus' earthly life) also enables us to calculate the year of his
birth as 2 B.C.E."
 ------------------- END OF WATCHTOWER QUOTE ------------------- 


 -------------- VINCE BANIAL'S COMMENTS FOLLOW -----------------

My intial observation is to be impressed. That would the same
observation held by Jehovah's Witnesses when they finished reading
this great work by the Watchtower. I am not a trained detective, but
I will endeavour to uncover strange things within this article.
 
The Watchtower starts off by quoting a "science writer" Isaac Asimov.
Interesting name, where have I heard that name before ? Is that not
the same writer who wrote for the publisher Doubleday Science Fiction.
Well it is. Isaac Asimov is a well known "SCIENCE FICTION" writer.
Is it not interesting that The Watchtower forgot the word "FICTION" in
it's article. Jehovah's Witnesses would never know the difference as
they are persuaded that it is best to read ONLY material provided by
The Watchtower (I can and will show you proof of that in future 
AWAKEN issues). It is very "unlikely" that a Jehovah's Witness would
recognize the Isaac Asimov as a well known Science "FICTION" writer,
as they would be unlikely to read such material. Questions comes to
my mind. Can The Watchtower find no one else to quote except a science
fiction writer? Why did The Watchtower leave out that Mr Asmiov is
a famous Science Fiction writer ? Did quoting Mr Asimov look better
by stating that he was a "science" writer ? Why would they want a 
Science Fiction writer to quote about mythology?  I would have gotten
Mr. Joseph Campbell to make a comment, especially since Mr. Campbell
was alive at the time and was a world renown expert on Mythology. 
The Watchtower also makes no mention as to where and in what form 
Mr. Asimov makes his statement. The Watchtower rarely gives references
so that their material can be "VERIFIED." Try verifying the statement 
that they claim Mr. Asimov had made ! Since they use quotes, then 
one "assumes" that they are "quoting" and not "paraphrasing." They 
do not make any statements about Mr Asimov's "qualifications" to make 
such statements. A regular Jehovah's Witness would never question 
the Watch Tower (GOD'S self-professed prophet and GOD'S "ONLY" channel 
of communications to mankind, again self-professed) or what it writes. 
Lots of questions and no answers.
 
Next we move to the use of square brackets. These imply that the
statements made "INSIDE" of the brackets are NOT found in the 
material being quoted. We find two location which have square
brackets ([]). The first is "[of years, or 483 years]. That is
not found anywhere inside the book of Daniel. This is the Watchtower's
own addition and their own "CONJECTURE". They make it sound like
fact, which it is NOT (and I'll prove it shortly). The other location
is [right after being baptised], also conjecture. 

It's interesting that the Watch Tower writers have chosen to make
a list of assorted Bible translations "(An American Translation;
Moffatt; Revised Standard Version; compare New World Translation,
footnote.)" Yes, the book of Daniel is there in those translations,
including the New World Translation which is the Watch Tower's own
creation. This list is presented in a way to, maybe, lend credence to 
their conjecture about this prophesy especially their idea about 
483 yrs. 
 
Please also note their use of clearly specific words and wording. For
example "One way to ascertain". Ascertain implies certainty. We also
see "PINPOINTING THE YEAR", which is also implies certainty.  One
of Watch Tower's favourite words "Accordingly", which means little but
implies truth, facts and certainty even though only conjecture is 
presented. Their use of the word "Incidently" is meant to grab one's 
attention. Why ? Maybe so that one's mind does not dwell too long 
on prior statements. "When did these 483 years begin ?" clearly 
presents fiction and conjecture as being fact. The way the Watch 
Tower writers write is most interesting. Always, look at the first 
word and or phrase in the first sentence and in the middle sentence 
of each paragraph. By doing so one can easily pickup certain postive 
reinforcement keyed words and phrases which are repeatedly used by 
the Watch Tower writers. I have my personal opinions why they use 
such control techniques, maybe I'll get into them in one of the 
future issues of AWAKEN.

I really like "Lending support to this date is the prophecy of the
"seventy weeks of years." It indicates that the Messiah would be 
killed, thus 'causing sacrifice and gift offering to cease' as no
longer required, in the middle of the 70th "week." (Dan. 9:27; 
Rom 6:14; Heb. 7:26-28) This means that Christ's ministry was 
three and a half years long. It began at his baptism in 29 C.E.
and ended with his death at Passover time in 33 C.E." This is
pure conjecture, but it is stated a being fact. 

Some historical background material about the Watch Tower is now 
required. Why ? Well I will now prove that the Watch Tower has 
claimed that it is GOD's prophet and that the Watch Tower is GOD's 
only "channel" of communication with mankind. This is necessary to 
prove the above statement:
 
"I will give a number of quotes from Watch Tower publications that 
indicate that the Watch Tower considers itself and it's publications 
to be inspired by God. In other words, the Watch Tower is deeming 
itself to be a prophet of God. I will also make two quotes from 
two trial transcripts, which since they are trial transcripts, they 
are deemed to be accurate and portray the Watch Tower Society's 
view that it is inspired by God. 

THE WATCH TOWER, 01/15/1917, p 22: "Following the election Brother
Rutherford, addressing the the meeting, said in part:..."The Watch
Tower Bible and Tract Society is the greatest corporation in the
world, because from the time of its organization until now the lord
has used it as his channel through which to make known the glad
tidings...".
 
1939 YEARBOOK OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, P 85: "It should be  expected 
that the Lord would have a means of communicating to his people on
the earth, and he has clearly shown that the magazine called The
Watchtower is used for that purpose."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

NEW YORK KING'S COUNTY CLERKS'S COURT RECORD, 1940, vol. II, p 795:
Fred W. Franz on the witness stand:
"Q. Who subsequently becamse the Editor of the magazine, the main editor 
    of the "Watch Tower" magazine ?

A. In 1931, October 15th, as I recall, the "Watch Tower" discontinued
   publishing the names of any editorial committee on the second page.
 
THE COURT: He asked you who became the editor.
 
THE WITNESS: And it said --
 
THE COURT: Who became the editor ?
 
Q. Who became the editor when this was discontinued ?
 
A. Jehovah God."  

Fred W. Franz later became the President of the Watchtower Bible and
Tract Society and remains in that position to this day. So we see that
Jehovah God is the editor of the Watch Tower.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Olin R. Moyle, v F.W.Franz, et al. Libel suit testimony, May 10th to
May 27th, 1943, New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division:
Fred W. Franz on the witness stand, sections 2596 & 2597 -
"Q. At any rate, Jehovah God is now the editor of the paper, is that
    right ?
 
A. He is today the editor of the paper.
 
Q. How long has he been editor of the paper ?
 
A. Since its inception he has been guiding it.
 
Q. Even before 1931 ?
 
A. Yes, sir."
 
Nathan Homer Knorr on the witness stand, at the same Olin Myle trial, 
sections 4420 & 4421 :
 
"Q. But you don't make any mention in the fore part of your Watch
    Tower that "We are not infallible and subject to correction and
    may make mistakes" ?
 
A. We have never claimed infallibility.
 
Q. But you don;t make any such statement, that you are subject to
   correction, in your Watch Tower papers do you ?
 
A. Not that I recall.
 
Q. In fact, it is set forth directly as God's Word, isn't it ?
 
A. Yes, as His Word.
 
Q. Without any qualification whatsoever ?
 
A. That is right.".
 

NOTE - that at the time of the above trial, Mr. Nathan H. Knorr
       was already the President of the Watch Tower Society.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

WATCHTOWER 01/15/1959, p 40, 41: "Whom has God actually used as his 
prophet ? By the historical facts of the case Christendom is beaten
back in defeat. Jehovah's witnesses are deeply grateful today that
the plain facts show that God has been pleased to use them."

During the late 1970s and throughout 1980, each issue of their principle
magazine featured the  following assertion as part of its masthead:
"A WATCHTOWER enables a person to look far into the distance and announce
to others what is seen. Likewise, this magazine, published by 
Jehovah's Witnesses, aids the reader to see what the future holds".
Now, ny definition one who tells what the future holds is, of course,
a prophet. Ok then, lets look at other statements to get a clearer
picture of this.

WATCHTOWER forward 04/01/1972: "The Watchtower is it God's Prophet?"

WATCHTOWER 04/01/1972: "So, does Jehovah have a prophet to help them,
to warn them of dangers and to declare things to come ? These 
questions can be answered in the affirmative. Who is the 
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 the time as International Bible Students. Today 
they are know as Jehovah's Christian Witnesses".

AWAKE 06/08/1986 pg 9: "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 thoughout the world as Jehovah's Witnesses."
 -------------- END OF PROOF ABOUT BEING GOD'S PROPHET --------------


Next I would like to develop proof about the Messiah, from other
quotes from Watch Tower material. I will now quote from the
Watch Tower's book called "YOU CAN LIVE FOREVER IN PARADISE",
Copyright, 1982 by Watch Tower Bible And Tract Society Of Pennsylvania.
page 138 :
"But a person may ask:'Where does the Bible fortell the very year the
Messiah appeared on earth?' The Bible book of Daniel says: "From the
going forth of the word to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until
Messiah the Leader, there will be seven weeks, also sixty-two weeks,"
or all together 69 weeks. (Daniel 9:25) These, however, are not
69 literal weeks, which amount to only 483 days, or a little more
than one year. They are 69 weeks of years, or 483 years. (Compare
Numbers 14:34.) The command to restore and rebuild the walls of
Jerusalem was given in 455 B.C.E.* (Nehemiah 1:1-8) So these
69 weeks of years ended 483 years later, in 29 C.E. And that is the
very year that Jesus came to John to be baptized! On that occasion
he was anointed with holy spirit and became Messiah or
Christ. - Luke 3:1,2, 21-23." 
--------------- END OF WATCH TOWER MATERIAL ------------------

So now we know that the Watch Tower claims to be  GOD's prophet
and that GOD is the editor of all material at the Watch Tower.

We almost have everything. Before I continue, lets look at the
the last quote above. The Watch Tower makes a clear assumption, 
that being that 69 weeks discussed in Daniel "MUST" be equal to 
483 years. They offer absolutely NO PROOF to substantiate their 
claim. They make it and then they move on. Jehovah's Witnesses 
are trained "NOT" to question what the Watch Tower "feeds" them. 
 
They use the date 455 B.C.E. to establish somekind of anchor. 
They add 483 to 455 B.C.E. to get 29 C.E. (same as A.D.). Then 
they "claim" that Jesus was baptised in the year 29 C.E. Again 
no proof is given by GOD'S self-proclaimed prophet. They also state 
that Jesus "became Messiah" when he was baptised. ALL of this is 
pure "conjecture" on the Watch Tower's part. They offer no proof to 
substantiate their claim. Clearly, the evidence presented by the 
Watch Tower is surely "only conjecture" on the Watch Tower's part. 
It is in NO WAY fact.
 
One more quote from the Watch Tower and I will wrap up proving 
(via these quotes) that the Watch Tower proves that 
Jesus was NOT THE MESSIAH. The opposite may look to be true at the 
moment, but when dealing with the Watch Tower looks can be very 
deceiving. I will now quote from the same Watch Tower book 
"YOU CAN LIVE FOREVER IN PARADISE ON EARTH", page 59 :
"When Jesus was still a baby, King Herod tried to kill him. But
Jehovah warned Joseph so that he took his family and ran away to
Egypt. After King Herod died, Joseph and mary returned with Jesus
to the city of Nazareth in Galilee. Here he grew up. Matthew 2:13-15,
19-23."
---------------- END OF WATCH TOWER QUOTE ------------------------

We now have clear quotes from the Watch Tower stating that  (A) the
Watch Tower had "pinpointed" that Jesus was born in 2 B.C.E. and 
that (B) King Herod tried to kill Jesus at the time of Jesus's birth 
and that (C) the Watch Tower's conjecture was and is that Jesus
became the Messiah in 29 C.E. and (D) that Daniel 9:25 clearly
using Neh. 2:1-8 specified that the MESSIAH would be killed in
29 C.E. For item (D) to be correct this MESSIAH MUST have to have
been born in 2 B.C.E. as per item (A). 

I set out to find the truth about all this. I paid a visit to the 
central library in my area. What was I looking for ? I wanted to 
see what Archaeological proof there was about the date for King 
Herod's death. The evidence is unanimous. King Herod passed away 
in the year 4 B.C.E. (or 4 B.C.). The evidence is clear that HEROD died
in 4 B.C. (or B.C.E. whichever you chose since they mean the same).
The following is a list of reference material checked, complete with
ISBN numbers so that one can confirm my facts :
 
THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE HOLY LAND, 
Copyright (C) 1986,1990 by G.G. The Jerusalem Publishing House Limited,
Printed in Jerusalem Israel, ISBN # 0-13-044090-6, 3rd Edition printed
by Prentice Hall Press, page 416  heading :CHRONOLOGY TABLES sub-heading
THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE KINGS OF JUDAH AND ISRAEL:
"HEROD I (The Great) 37 - 4 B.C."
 
ACEDEMIC AMERICAN ENCYCLOPEDIA, book #10, Copyright (C) 1988 by
Grolier Inc., ISBN # 0-7171-2020-6, page 144 heading :HERDOD:
"On Herod The Great's death in 4 B.C."

COLLIER'S ENCYCLOPEDIA, book #12, Copyright (C) 1991 by Macmillian
Educational Co., LIBRARY OF CONGRESS # 90-60614, page 85 herading
HEROD:
"After a vain attempt at suicide, Herod died, at the end of March
or beginning of April in 4 B.C."

ENCYCLOPEDIA AMERICANA, book #14, Copyright (C) 1985 by Grolier Inc.,
ISBN # 0-7172-0116-3, page 146 heading : HEROD THE GREAT :
"Herod died in Palestine in 4 B.C."
 
THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BIBLE ENCYCLOPEDIA, Copyright (C) 1982
by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., ISBN # 0-8028-8160-2,
page 693 heading HEROD :
"Finally, only five days after Antipater's execution, Herod died
at Jericho in the spring of 4 B.C."
 
ENCYLOPEDIA JUDAICA, book 9, Copyright (C) 1971 by Keter Publishing
House Ltd., Printed in Jerusalem Israel by The Macmillan Company, NY.,
LIBRARY OPF CONGRESS # 72-90254, page 375 heading HEROD I :
"(?73 - 4 B.C.E.)"
page 382 same heading :
"However when the sentence was carried out in the year 4 [B.C.E.],
 the aged Herod was lying in his palace in Jericho, and died five
 days later."

THE NIV DICTIONARY OF BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, Copyright (C) 1983 by
The Zondervan Corporation, ISBN # 0-310-21250-2, page 235 heading
HEROD, FAMILY OF :
"Herod the Great was not a true Jew but an Idumaean who was appointed
king of Judea and its surrounding districts by the Romans in spite of
Jewish hostility to him. He died in 4 B.C. Luke 1:5 and Matt 2 (cf
Acts 23:35) narrate his part in the Slaughter of the Innocents at
Bethleham at the brith of Jesus Christ."
  --------------------- END OF LIST OF REFERENCE MATERIAL -----------------

That was a most interesting insight. If King Herod died in 4 B.C.E.
then clearly Jesus "COULD NOT" have been born in 2 B.C.E. 
(as the Watch Tower had CLEARLY stated), not if one believes the 
Biblical account of Jesus's birth. Jesus "had" to have been born 
during or before 4 B.C.E. That being the case, then Jesus COULD NOT 
have been baptized (using the Watch Tower's conjecture) in 29 C.E. 
(or A.D.). If we count 30 years from 4 B.C.E. (the latest that Jesus
could have been born since Herod died in 4 B.C.E), we get 27 C.E., 
(or earlier) therefore since Daniel's prophecy points to 29 B.C.E.,
as being the year that Messiah would appear (as per the Watch 
Tower's conjecture), then the Watch Tower has clearly proven that 
Jesus COULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE MESSIAH spoken of in Daniel - using
the Watch Tower's own interpretations of the Bible. Evidently, we 
are able to assume that the Jesus, which Jehovah's Witnesses follow, 
was not the MESSIAH. Daniel 9:25, as per the Watch Tower, proves 
that to be the case. Interesting !

Either that or the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society Of 
Pennsylvania, GOD'S prophet for all mankind, is ONCE AGAIN WRONG. 
But, I ask, how could GOD mis-inform his only prophet, 
the Watch Tower, about the date of birth of Jesus ? 

       --------- END OF ISSUE -----------

Please share the info found in these issues of AWAKEN with other
members of the faith to which you belong. Consider using this
info within publications issued to members of your faith. One
example is to use this info within Church bulletins. People need
to become informed about the Watch Tower and it's teachings. Why ?
Jehovah's Witnesses go door to door preaching whatever the
Watch Tower has told them to preach. They are trained weekly to
respond to any and all objections to their preaching. They are
told by the Watch Tower that the Watch Tower is the only TRUTH
and that the Watch Tower is the only TRUE religion. They are 
told by the Watch Tower that all other faiths, teach
false teachings because all other faiths are agents of SATAN.
They have no qualms attacking any and all aspects your belief
system, when they come on their un-asked for visits. They are
trained to dispell your objections and to SELL you on the 
Watch Tower's teachings, just as they themselves had been SOLD. 

By becoming informed about the Jehovah's Witnesses, one will be 
better prepared to decide whether one should get invloved with 
this group.
 
 
Copyright (c) 1991 by Vince Banial, Toronto Ontario Canada.
This material cannot be incorporated into any book without the
empress and written permission of Vince Banial. This file may be 
freely uploaded to any BBS, as long as it remains unchanged.  

