Are We Missing the Bigger Picture???

by drew sagan 35 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  sir82

  It's true in a sense that there is emphasis on "prophecy" now--but the focus is much different than in the past.

  As Terry alluded to, there was at one time a rather profound JW "mythos"--supported by prophetical interpretations. The beasts of Revelation, 7 no 8 kings, the Anglo-American world power, 6000 years of mankind's history leading up to 1975, governments about to turn on "false" religion, etc. It made for an exciting picture in the 60's & 70's when it seemed that Western civilization was undergoing a radical change, and many people were looking for ways to make sense of it all. Of course it was all gibberish, but it sounded exciting.

  Now, the approach to prophecy is "everything that was ever written by any prophet any point can be applied to us, us, US, the Governing body. WE passed the inspection in 1919, WE have nothing more to fear, OBEY US."

  Rather than focusing on what will happen next, as prophesied in the Bible, the emphasis is on "look at how the wonderful GB has fulfilled every word written by Isaiah, Daniel, all the minor prophets, etc."
• 

  truthseeker

  Drew, you present many interesting points indeed.

  Removing the goalpost and yard lines means there is no definite end in sight. This means that one could not "look beyond the finishing line" while they are running the race to everlasting life.

  It's as if 6 million Marathon runners have covered 26 miles and suddenly the finishing line disappears. There are no crowds there to greet them.

  I have seen many changes in attitude among Jehovah's Witnesses. The lifestyle of the younger generation, which includes myself, does not reflect a "sense of urgency." Take away the belief system and we're no different from the world.

  The Society know this. That's why they have 40 years of JW cultural analysis to look at and can say in the new release "are we satisfied with our life?" They say that if some felt they sacrificed highed education and careers for the sake of the truth and the end didn't come, are we instilling these values in our kids?

  They're creepy. They know that "expectation postponed is making the heart sick." Yet, they want JWs to teach their kids the same values that they taught their parents decades ago.

  In this instant and have everything now world we live in, the JW of today lacks patience. The GB know this. They are losing the war for hearts and minds.
• 

  drew sagan

  The end-time prophecy stuff is concentrated at the book studies.

  
  Very true.
  I guess what I am noticing though is what they are using the prophecy for. In times past they used it as a way to excite emotions and create fanatacism, now they are using it as a tool for obedience. Not that they didn't do this in the past, it just seems as though the emphasis has changed.
  Also, the new book on the minor prophets is far from a reflection on prohpecy. The book states it's purpose is not to talk about the prophetic message of the prophets. Instead it's purpose is to show how things the minor prophets said can help us lead better moral lives. And really, what witness can explain the socities position on prophecy? After this study of the Revelation book most JWs will walk away in awe of what they are, confused, but in awe none the less.
  I guess it just seems that they are getting more and more controlling, they don't even defend their positions anymore they just state them. They have gotten rid of their explanations. Now it's just 'this is the way it is, take it'. That's why the books are smaller. Less explanation, more commands, more dogma. The members don't see the diffearnce.
  I agree its a ship going in circles, but it's like after every time around they try to make it look like a differant ship.
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  drew sagan

  Just wanted to say awsome post Terry, you hit the nail right on the head. That is what exactly what happened to me. They come to you with this amazing and unbelievable story that 'explains it all' and while you are in awe they suck you in and latch onto your ego. Know you know the secrets of the universre and are able to teach it to others.
  Well said my good man, well said.
• 

  willyloman

  - Think about the publications used to convert new JWs Mormons. They are getting shorter and more generic. Less doctrine, less prophecy, more on family life...

  Your comment could have easily read this way and been written by historians discussing the evolution of the LDS Church in past decades.

  It's my view that the dub leadership yearns to model its future after the Mormon transformation of the past century, which has led that church to greater numbers, wealth and respectability. The LDS leaders haven't abandoned their whacky doctrines and teachings, they've simply moved the teachings inside their hallowed temples and kept them out of plain site, hidden from all but those who achieve certain status and prominence in the organization, the people who get a pass into the inner sanctum, the keys to the door and the secret handshake. The rank and file is fed from the secret files in small doses while they concentrate on presenting a wholesome family image to the world. This is what you are now seeing in dubdom and it's just the tip of the iceberg.

  No one should kid themselves that these guys don't have a plan. They have continued to expand, sell property, buy printing presses, build upscale branch offices, country club retreats (Walkill, Paterson) and assembly halls throughout the past two or three decades, even as the 1914 clock ticked down. When the clock expired, they simply changed one of their central doctrines and there was not a whimper from the flock.

  It's clear they have a long term strategy and are able to implement it with impunity. And that's exactly what the leadership is doing.
• 

  desertlily

  
  Good Day Everybody:

  Just a thought to share, but if you substitute all the negatvies the WTS applies to Christendom today and focus the Scriptures on Jah's wayward people in need of cleansing by Jesus, it begins to make sense. imho

  Matthew 15:3-9

  3 In reply he said to them: “Why is it YOU also overstep the commandment of God because of YOUR tradition? 4 For example, God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Let him that reviles father or mother end up in death.’ 5 But YOU say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother: “Whatever I have by which you might get benefit from me is a gift dedicated to God,” 6 he must not honor his father at all.’ And so YOU have made the word of God invalid because of YOUR tradition. 7 Y OU hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about YOU , when he said, 8 ‘This people honors me with their lips, yet their heart is far removed from me. 9 It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they teach commands of men as doctrines.’”

  Much Christian Love and Light to All

  sis

  The Watchtower: A Needed Change in Leadership

  http://www.e-watchman.com/commentaries/watchtower-change-in-leadership.html
• 

  kid-A

  Drew, I agree with you completely.

  Certainly, the WTS has been spewing more or less the same drivel for decades with their recycled literature. However, the overall "framework" is now totally different from the days of my JW grandmother or even my parents. I recall as a child the older dubs actually engaging in critical debates about bible prophecies, the significance of particular passages and imagery. In other words, there was a time when JWs actually thought about the nonsense that the WTS was spewing. JWs used to actually refer to their HISTORY.

  Those days are long gone. The new generation of dubs was raised on the "my book of bible stories" colouring book. "Thinking" and analyzing are completely forbidden and unnecessary. The emphasis is on blind acceptance of doctrine, with no input or participation of the individual dub. The history of the JWs is now hidden (for obvious reasons) and what is left is "Watchtower lite". One only needs to compare the overwritten, bizarre and complex books by Russell and Rutherford. Both of them were complete wackos, but at the very least, they were trying to make a point and actually were able to churn out some substantive slogans and propaganda. Compare this to the sugar-coated pablum the WTS publishes today.

  I certainly remember the bizarre comments from the old farts in our hall about the good old days of Judge Rutherford, with the emphasis on belonging to specific "classes" of dub. That has largely disappeared. There has been a gradual paradigm shift from an "analytical" (albeit false) interpretation of prophecy, date-setting and "sloganeering", to one that emphasizes simply blind obedience and control. Even the so-called recently writting WTS books on prophecy, the Revelation book, the Daniel book, PALE in comparison to the vitriolic and highly analytical writing and interpretation styles of Russell and Rutherford.
• 

  drew sagan

  Willyloman you made some great points. The comparison to LDS in uncanny and amazing. The two groups share so much that is similar in their history they are bound to follow a path that is similar.
  I guess my bigger point in all of this way to introduce a differant way in talking to the Jehovah's Witness, and the way we present material to them.
  Instead of focusing on how bad the doctrines are (which is very important), we can't underestimate the value of simply asking quesitons as to WHY Jehovah's Witnesses DO certain things in their worship and study.
  The new type of JW believes that they are simply a 'Bible Student', but where does this come from? They only actually read the bible word for word 3 minutes of the well over four and a half hours of meetings each week. The soceity is dumbing things down so much that many of their own 'fighting points' are dissapearing. They are no longer engrossed in the 'deeper' things and can defend them as a group. Asking JWs WHY they don't consider such things can be a new avenue that can be used to expose the Witnesses.
  Just trying to see where this can all lead to. Great comments everybody, now I can see that i'm not the only one who can see the change.
• 

  FairMind

  Yes Drew I also see the change. The organization seems frozen by fear of being proven wrong. Maybe this is due to availability of information we now have in the privacy of our homes and offices (via the internet, etc.) regarding the organization and its’ history. Another change though may be that we (people like you and me) have changed and we factor our change into what we perceive as profound changes in the organization. The next ten years for the WTS will be interesting for all of us to observe.
• 

  blondie

  I agree that the rank and file have been exposed to books that purport to be about Isaiah, Daniel, the 12 minor prophets, and Revelation again but never in the style pre-1993. They are watered down, cut and paste, weak versions of the WT books of the past.

  JWs are not the energetic self-styled Bible students of the past. Few even look up the scriptures not quoted in the paragraphs. Of course, the WTS loads up most paragraphs with 4 to 5. No time to "meditate" on the meaning...no seeing things in context...only the snippets the WTS strings together to give seeming scriptural support to their doctrines and policies.

  Critical thinking and independent thinking are demonized. WTS motto.

  You don't need to think, just do what we say.

  WTS = Wesayso Corporation

  Blondie