by V 53 Replies latest watchtower bible
have they done this before? ;it seems risky to pretty much admit that they don't know what they are talking about.
I was thinking the same thing.
Why didn't they just print new books.
Maybe they thought that the changes would be picked up by us "apostates" so thought might as well be open about it.
Most changes are minor, any doctrinal changes will just be accepted by the ordinary JW.
I don't understand the doctrinal changes you cite (“Judging” effective 1995) Can you clarify that?
This refers to a doctrinal change in 1995. Most know that "the generation" change was made then. But the Society also changed the way they understand the judging of the sheep and goats. Previously the Society taught that Jesus was judging and separating the sheep from the goats since 1914. Then in 1995:
Does this parable apply when Jesus sat down in kingly power in 1914, as we have long understood? Well, Matthew 25:34 does speak of him as King, so the parable logically finds application since Jesus became King in 1914. But what judging did he do soon thereafter? It was not a judging of "all the nations." Rather, he turned his attention to those claiming to make up "the house of God." (1 Peter 4:17) In line with Malachi 3:1-3, Jesus, as Jehovah’s messenger, judicially inspected the anointed Christians remaining on earth. It was also time for judicial sentence on Christendom, who falsely claimed to be "the house of God." (Revelation 17:1, 2; 18:4-8) Yet nothing indicates that at that time, or for that matter since, Jesus sat to judge people of all the nations finally as sheep or goats.
23
If we analyze Jesus’ activity in the parable, we observe him finally judging all the nations. The parable does not show that such judging would continue over an extended period of many years, as if every person dying during these past decades were judged worthy of everlasting death or everlasting life. It seems that the majority who have died in recent decades have gone to mankind’s common grave. (Revelation 6:8; 20:13) The parable, though, depicts the time when Jesus judges the people of "all the nations" who are then alive and facing the execution of his judicial sentence.24
In other words, the parable points to the future when the Son of man will come in his glory. He will sit down to judge people then living. His judgment will be based on what they have manifested themselves to be. At that time "the distinction between a righteous one and a wicked one" will have been clearly established. (Malachi 3:18) The actual pronouncing and executing of judgment will be carried out in a limited time. Jesus will render just decisions based on what has become evident about individuals.—See also 2 Corinthians 5:10.25
This means, then, that Jesus’ ‘sitting down on his glorious throne’ for judgment, mentioned at Matthew 25:31, applies to the future point when this powerful King will sit down to pronounce and execute judgment on the nations. Yes, the judgment scene that involves Jesus at Matthew 25:31-33, 46 is comparable to the scene in Daniel chapter 7, where the reigning King, the Ancient of Days, sat down to carry out his role as Judge.
i don't think that the "Judging" change will matter to the average dub because it is confusing to begin with and is talking about something that can't be seen either way. The more damning change in my opinion is the "rephrasing" that shows that whole generation of 1914 doctrine was BS. That was something very tangible that every JW in the 80's and 90's believed in. I think they are being reckless but I won't hold my breath that people will actually see the "light".
V
Thank you (I still don't get it. Let me get another glass of wine and read that again...)
Auchmull: You have me laughing. This is an obscure change in JW belief that has no effect on their daily lives. The average JW cannot explain the details behind this change anyway, so don't worry yourself over it.
What did happen is that the Revelation book has numerous references to Jesus judging from 1914, and so had to backpedal by removing scriptural links to this old teaching.
Most JWs will read these instructions and dutifully purge Matthew 25:31-33 and Luke 21:24-26 from their books without futher inquiry.
To give this a sense of perspective, it was annouced at District Conventions that the "river of water of life" mentioned at Revelation 22:1 was now understood to have been "flowing" since 1914, instead of in the Paradise earth future.
That is the new light of 2006.
Yawn...
Outdated References: (5.7%) All reference our time as the "20th Century", interestingly showing how the WTS thought that the end would come before 2000
Thats interesting.
Time marches on. The more it marches the more it makes them look dumb.
Great work thankyou
Bravo!! This is truly awesome work...it helps a person see at a glance exactly what has changed and why. I am reminded of the subtle revisions in the various editions of the Finished Mystery book, but those you'd have to hunt for. Why they'd call such attention to their changes is beyond me....
Anyway, this is very useful and I hope Lady Lee finds somewhere to put this in the "Best Of" threads because it is very useful.
Witnesses were badly persecuted in Japan during WW2. Watchtower lawyer Carolyn Wah wrote a good article on the subject, I think for the Journal of Church and State. Mind you, there were only a handful of Witnesses active in Japan at the time. I am sure the freeminds site has some interesting information on defections among the leadership in Japan following the war.
I am not disagreeing with you. Just I wonder how much that persecution was directed at all wackadoo American evangical cults at the time. Prior to WW2 almost all foreigners(Western) were only allowed to live in the same prefecture of Japan(there is even a full dutch vilage there). During WW2 all foreigners were run out of the place, JWs have a habit of asking for persecuation, almost like a test of their own faith and defiance of government.
"4 Outdated References: (5.7%) All reference our time as the "20th Century", interestingly showing how the WTS thought that the end would come before 2000"
This is really interesting!
It reminds me of the book "Nations" ("The Nations Shall Know That You Are Jehovah") where there are 21 or so mentions of "20th Century" or "twentieth century", including the one where the Soc says clearly the "end" will come before the end of the century.
Observador.
