I'm new on this board and currently an inactive JW. Although lurking for several months I only just registered. I was wondering if any of you took the trouble of going through old books of the WTBTS and if it made you come to any conclusions. I'm in the possesion of loads of old books(inherited) going back until the beginning of WWII. I read about Beth Sarim, the explanation of Romans 13:1 (where they still say it's Jehovah and Jezus). I even found an old explanation of a couple of chapters of Revelations in which is explained that Rev. 3:15 (speaks of Laodicea, they were not hot or cold, but lukewarm) applies to the people who said that the entire Word of God was publicized before 1917, that's the truth and that the Lord has given them one man as his faithful servant (Russel, I presume) who, even though this servant left this earth in 1916, is still doing Gods work on earth. These lukewarm people don't preach (which is the key difference between them and really faithful brothers according to this explanation) and just wait until they go to heaven feeling way better than anyoneelse. Of course, in the Revelation book of 1988 there is nothing to be found of this explanation.
Looking through the old books made me wonder: how come that we (I) have swallowed so many changes through the years? Funny thing is that in the early books there are even illustrations (by Rutherford) that teach us not to get involved in any church but just to research the bible and pray. I still find it difficult to judge, but am thinking: what difference is there between the JW's and other religions if they're changing the doctrine every so many years? (I know: stating the obvious...) My point is: reading these books feels like seeing what you already know, but worse. Like seeing your husband in the bedroom with another woman, instead of just hearing from your best friend that he slept with somebody else.
Any thoughts / experiences on the subject?