Maybe some of the oldtimers might remember, but I seem to remember in the early 1980's that the WTS "updated" the Babylon the Great book where many of the old light was thrown out. I was a teenager but I remember studying the book again in the 80's and some JW's were upset by the changes. If they do the same thing with the Revelation Grand Climax book aren't they afraid that those oldtimers might get disgusted and leave the org? I think that they are going to shoot themselves in the foot if they expect JW's to keep accepting "new light" at a drop of a hat. What is going to happen 20 years from now when all of the Rev book prophecies fail to come to pass. I can see if they just had a few changes for the Rev book but 70 is ridiculous.
Didn't JW's do the "updating" thing with the Babylon book like the Rev book
by booker-t 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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moggy lover
As far as I can recall, this noxious weed of a book was first published in 1963, and was used for the book study programme,which as I recall, we held on Tuesday nights. Because it was a hefty tome, all 704 pages of it, it took 2 agonizing years to finally complete.
In 1981 a second edition was published for newer recruits who had joined the WT movement since the first publication. It was simply a reprint, with no changes in the text or theology.
In 1969, however, another Revelation commentary was published entitled "Then is Finished the Mystery of God" Because some of its statements were far too optuse to understand, I remember having to sit through a District Assy in '70, where an entire evening was devoted to "explaining" some of those statements. However even here no actual printed retraction or correction was forthcoming. Half the audience could'nt understand the bloody explanations anyway, while the other half who appeared to understand, ie, those who actually stayed awake through the ordeal, did'nt give a hoot one way or the other.
I do remember a book that was published in the 70s which did make a major blunder. To the best of my knowledge, it was called: "God's Kingdom of a Thousand Years has Approached". In this book, among other things, they discussed the parable of the Sower found at Matt 13:3-23. In an unmitigated example of theological lunacy, they mixed up the identities of satan and Christ, giving an explanation that was simultaneously complex and prolix. About a year later, I remember, the WT printed "corrections" in the Kingdom Ministry and we followed this up by restudying those portions of the book. I am pretty certain that we did not restudy the entire book again.
Cheers
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Sasha
Yeah, I remember the Babylon book. Wasn't it red? and the old Revelation book, as well. The explanation for changes are always answered in the same manner: "THE LIGHT IS GETTING BRIGHTER" I don't recall a second Babylon book. Only 2 revelation books since 1967. And the new one I understand defers to the "WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH" book. Released at last years assembly.
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JWdaughter
In the late 70's or early 80s there was a book that had a lot of revisions in the Thurs. night bookstudy. I remember sitting in the hottest family room in history, just waiting till the (one) fan (20 people in the room) would turn my way again. AAAAHHHH. I don't remember anything except for the changes seemed kind of big, but at that time we were still waiting for Armageddon(it was a tad late) and anything we took as a 'clue' to the end was welcomed and "BIG" like the "BIG announcement" everyone is expecting soon (or did it already happen? I forget.) Shelly
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headmath
I remember studying the Babylon the great has fallen-away book twice!. I heard that the material was not studied properly the first time and that some elders received some counseling from the GB on how to study this book effectively.. All in all, the babylon book was tough material to go through It managed to utterly brainwash just about every JW about the dates 1914,1918,1919,1925,1931,1935 etc. There was simply no room to question such dates at the book study. Anyone who disputed the dates were instantly D'Fd. The babylon book was on the watchtower CD but it is not there now (me thinks) I guess the WTS has down-graded the babylon book to the old literature category.
Let see, two years to study the babylon book every tuesday which eats up 3 hours of time per week.. 52 weeks in a year gives 104 weeks for a 2 year period, times 3 = 312 hours of completely wasted time and brain rot. At the very least, the babylon book will be a testimony for all time to prove that the WTS are liars.
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Gregor
Wasn't the Babylon the Great book first realeased as a partial book on the first part of Revelation and then later the complete tome was released.? The Society got to double dip. It was so big there was a separate booklet for the paragraph questions. Made all those janitors and cement finishers feel like scholars.
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garybuss
As far as I'm concerned, everything the Watch Tower Society has predicted has failed, the excuses have failed, and the excuses for the failed excuses have failed as well. It's over . . .
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jayhawk1
Headmath, 3 hours? Who has a 3 hour book study? All the ones I ever attended ended at about 1 hour. What did you do with the other 2?
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reneeisorym
He had to study of course!