607 vs 586 - Why should WTS care?

by james_woods 17 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  james_woods

  Of course, there must have been a thousand threads on this debate.

  Having read a few of them, I say who cares? Particularly, the Society? OK, so lets say it really was 21 years later than they thought...but using their same (flawed) chronology theory:

  Lets see: Jesus invisible rule: 1935 vs 1914. So what? It's still invisible - WW1 didn't end up in Armageddon anyway, and the Judge could get credit for Jesus invisible rule happening on his watch.

  Further, I guess that would put out 1975 (last 1000 years of creative day) out to - 1996... So what? Nothing much happened in 1975 anyway- at least it would give you a few more years on the how long was Adam in the Garden before he noticed Eve was in the buff-- you already gave up on the "generation aware of the goings on in 1914" anyway.

  My point here is - exactly what GRAND RELIGIOUS TRADITION is really tied to this date? They don't seem to have flinched on moving dates around in the past.

  Maybe they just didn't want that young whippersnapper Ray Franz telling them what to do.
• 

  blondie

  The 1914 date ties in with the 1919 date, the one they say Jesus designated the WTS as only only true religion on earth.

  Without the 1914 date, the prophecy connecting it to 1919, falls apart, and their authority from Christ as well.

  Blondie
• 

  james_woods

  Well, yes of course Blondie - I had forgotten about the "cleaning of the hives". Had to get rid of those apostate Russellites.

  But, I will make a small wager that not too many active Witnesses remember much more about 1919 than, say - the 1925 or 1935 dates?

  The WTS/GB already have their captives all conviinced they are the only true pipeline by now anyway - 1919 or not.

  I was expecting someone to mention 1874 (or even 1844) - but I'll bet they have abandoned those years for all practical purposes.

  My point in wringing some more whey out of all this mouldy cheese was that the WTS can pretty much do whatever it wants with prophecy.

  If so, why couldn't they just begin to let go of all that turn of the century added up stuff someday soon to avoid further embarassment?
• 

  startingover

  
  I am of the opinion that the younger ones don't know about it, and many of the older ones could care less if it's wrong. If the WTS came out tomorrow and admitted they were totally wrong, most would stay JW's because it has evolved into nothing more than a social club.

  I have been told several times that even if it was all wrong, what better group of people could you be associated with. And I thought people were attracted to it because it was the "truth". Guess I was wrong.
• 

  sir82

  Hmm, I never thought of this before...

  It might actually be in the Society's best interest to move the date to 586 BCE, which moves the "End of the Gentile Times" to 1935.

  1919 springs from 1918, which is "3 and a half times" after 1914. I forget the exact 1918 --> 1919 details.

  Using the same twisted logic, 1935 leads to 1939 and then 1940.

  One could argue that Christ "selected" the F&DS in 1940 rather than 1919, because most of the core doctrines that JWs still hold to were in place by then. The theology of Fred Franz was more firmly in place by then.

  Things that were "wrong" or different in 1919, that had been changed by 1940:

  -- Name "Jehovah's Witnesses" selected

  -- doctrine of the "Great Crowd" finalized, "heavenly calling" essentially shut off

  -- celebration of Christmas, birthdays, other holidays proscribed

  -- Firmer stance on neutrality re: politics, warfare

  -- "Theocratic" rather than democratic organization of congregations

  -- Emphasis on door to door preaching

  Some creative type on the GB could have all kinds of fun working out a new theology.

  Wait a minute, what am I saying? "GB" and "creative" don't belong in the sme sentence.
• 

  Legolas

  Well if they change it...we can say that we seen it first here!..LOL
• 

  Calliope

  they wouldn't care if it wouldn't rock the boat. but if they were to recant and expose their error, there's that potential for great upset. people renouncing their faith, leaving the "society", lawsuits...
  
  i think, that might by why they would care...
  
  cal.
• 

  nicolaou

  607 could be dumped while still retaining 1914. Accept the 587 date but promote 1914 via the 'signs of the times' angle - WW1 really comes into it's own then!

  Seriously though, most of the dubs just don't care about this stuff. Destroying 607 is no apostate holy grail.

  Nic'
• 

  blondie

  not too many active Witnesses remember much more about 1919

  The WTS made sure they remember by having them study the Daniel Prophecy book twice since it was released in 1999, just finishing up the second time now. And the Isaiah Prophecy 1 and 2 books relased in 2000, and 2001 respectively. Between the 3 books, 1919 is mentioned 104 times.

  1/1/04 WT 4 times

  3/1/04 WT 10 times

  7/1/02 WT 11 times

  WT 2001 21 times
• 

  james_woods

  Well, of course I knew nothing of the sort was ever going to happen when I dreamed it up. Just a thought excersise. So, Blondie and Sir82 are both right and I was wrong! Seems a shame, though -

  Carrying the dates on like Sir82 has, you could kind of tie into WW2 instead of WW1! Invasion of the low countries! But, as Blondie has just proven - they will not let go of their faithful one organization glorification moment.

  By the look of Blondies numbers, even if my little idea could get them off some hooks, they are just too stubborn to let go of 607.

  So, I guess the question becomes - why do we apostates care about 607 vs 586?

  Probably things like UN and Blood hit a lot harder for a lot less intellectual effort.

  Bang for the buck, and all that - James