APOLOGY
(Investigator
143, 2012
March)
JWs
BELIEVE IN APOLOGIZING
The
Watchtower
(2002 November 1) asks "Why Is It So Hard to Apologize?"
The
Watchtower (1972 November 1) says "Be big enough to admit a
mistake."
And Awake! magazine says: "Sorry seems to be the
hardest word… Try being the first to say it." (1982 February 22, page
19)
Some
former Jehovah's
Witnesses (JW) have apologized to the public:
I
DECEIVED PEOPLE
The
Florida Times-Union
reported:
Falkner
will
not forgive himself for his actions of the past 38 years.
He
regrets
decisions he made that hinged on the Jehovah's Witnesses and changed
his life and that of his family. He’s sorry he chose not to go to
college and he’s sorry he made the same decision for his sons.
And
worst of
all, Falkner said…he misled the hundreds of people he convinced to
become Jehovah's Witnesses and the thousands of people that he tried to
recruit.
"I have
been a
false prophet," Falkner said. "I have deceived people. I have made a
jackass out of myself."
Falkner
now
spends much
of his time trying to build up the business he neglected for years… "I
want to make up to my sons for what I have done to them." (1987, August
1)
I
BECAME A FALSE PROPHET
Another
apology appeared
in The Fannin County Special of Texas.
Titled PUBLIC APOLOGY it
started off:
To my
friends
and neighbours in Fannin County from Ralph Deal, Former local
representative of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society; Jehovah's
Witnesses
For
over 22 years,
since 1963, many of you will recall my frequent visits to your home, in
support of the views of Jehovah's Witnesses. Because I was particularly
active in this work from 1963-1975, I appreciate your kindness and
patience in listening to my presentations at your door…
The
Watchtower alluded
to the year 1975 as the end of the world, and when it failed to
materialize, I realized that I had indeed become a false prophet to
you. Several years after this much-promoted "end of the world" failed
to come in 1975, the Watchtower Society revised its largest selling
book, "The Truth That Leads To Eternal Life" (published in 115
languages, 100-million copies). This revision was necessary so that the
comments alluding to 1975 could be removed. Add to this, the fact that
during those 22 years, more than 20 local residents were lured into
becoming Jehovah's Witnesses because of my ministry… (1985, July 30)
HOW
WRONG I WAS!
Todd
Mitchell of Utah
commenced his "Public Apology" with:
This
is a
public apology to the people of Salt Lake County, Utah. I have been
guilty of pushing the publications of the Watchtower Bible and Tract
Society of Brooklyn, New York. For 17 years I did so in good faith,
having been programmed by their meetings and publications to believe
that Jehovah's Witnesses alone had the truth to give the world. How
wrong I was!
In
recent years
many changes have occurred to their major doctrines and chronological
dating system. As I examined the publications I found that not one of
the many prophecies put forth in God's name had ever come true. (See
Deuteronomy 18:20-22) Even their pivotal date of 1914 didn't produce
what was originally expected and has been shown to be chronologically
wrong!! (Outreach Tidbits 1998, February)
I
HAVE LOST FAITH
In South
Australia a
statement "To all Jehovah's Witnesses" began:
Regarding
my
relationship to the Watchtower Society:
My
decision has been
made after much prayerful study of the Bible and sleepless nights and
great concern. I have lost faith in the organisation because
Deuteronomy 18:21-22 states, "And in case you should say in your heart,
how shall we know the word that Jehovah has not spoken? When the
prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word does not occur or
come true, that is the word that Jehovah did not speak. With
presumptuousness the prophet spoke it. You must not get frightened at
him." …
(Southern
Times
Messenger 1987, May 20)
JW
LEADERS — WEAK OR STRONG?
The
Watchtower
notes, "Weak and insecure people hardly ever say 'sorry'." (2005 March
1, page 6)
Observe
that it's ex-JWs who are apologizing, not JWs
themselves despite believing in apology.
So what about the Governing
Body of JWs? Have they admitted all
the errors of their sect and said 'sorry'?
BS
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