Back fourteen/ fifteen years ago now, this was a doctrine in place when I was still in the borg. The field ministry was our "separating" work. We as JWs were separating the sheep from the goats if I remember correctly. Has this doctrine changed? Do they still believe this? Also, have there been any other major doctrinal changes in the past fifteen years?
Are JWs still separating the sheep from the goats?
by *jeremiah* 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
Honesty
Due to NEW it's all changed.
-
hambeak
Honesty, How has it changed?
-
fullofdoubtnow
They now believe that Jesus will do the separating work after the great tribulation.I seem to remember that this "new light" was actually discussed in 1995, around the time of the generation change. They had previously believed that, but changed it then changed it back, another flip flop in other words. This is in Quotes
When will the Separating of the 'sheep and goats' take place (Matt. 25:31-46)
- 1919 - will take place after the time of tribulation
- 1923 - is taking place now, before the tribulation.
- 1995 - will take place after the tribulation.
-
garybuss
The Witnesses actually believe the 144,000 anointed, aka "little flock" (of sheep) have been separated from the goats as late as the 1950's. That's still current belief unless I missed something. The "other sheep" separating has been deferred to the Armageddon event.
There musta been a sort of a pause button on the separating thinggy. -
*jeremiah*
Thanks for the incite everyone.
Fullofdoubt,
you mentioned "around the time of the generation change", i'm sorry i'm so out of the loop. Are you referring to the 1914 generation? Did they change that too?
-
drew sagan
It's interesting that although they say that JWs aren't the ones who are going to judge, they still say that people are going to be judged by how they listen to the JWs.
The JW thinking seems to be...
"Now i'm not going to judge anybody here, but if any one of you dosn't pay attention to me God will smite you" -
garybuss
The main reason for our ministry was to "vindicate" Jehovah's name. That's been changed too.
-
*jeremiah*
Gary,
The main reason for our ministry was to "vindicate" Jehovah's name. That's been changed too.
what has it been changed to.
Sorry, I have been out of the loop now for about 14 yrs and I want to equip myself with the knowledge of what has changed since i've been out. Every once in a while, my mom(in the borg) contacts me to try to get me to come back, so I want to be able to tell her exactly what I believed in "the truth" that is no longer "truth".
-
M.J.
The main reason for our ministry was to "vindicate" Jehovah's name. That's been changed too.
what has it been changed to
Basically, it's been changed to the vindication of Jehovah's sovereignty, or right to rule the universe. Not specifically the vindication of his right to be known by his name. That was a dumb Judge Rutherford idea. At the same time, the WTS is still clinging to the the main focus of Rutherford's dumb idea by not scrapping it entirely.
as A People For His Name, by Timoty White put it, (p. 272):
This is another one of Rutherford's ideas that had tremendous emotional appeal. Imagine the sense of importance it have to Jehovah's small band of witnesses to believe that Jehovah was using them in preference to all believers in all generations past and all other people living now, to remove reproach toward God, not merely in the minds of the minute number of people they might induce to accept the divine plan, but in the minds of all people at all times, and even in the minds of powerful, wicked spirit creatures. If Jehovah's Witnesses could just maintain their integrity toward God, even Satan would have to admit that he was wrong just before he was destroyed, and the example of their faithful course would be used to nip in the bud any future rebellion along Satan's lines for eternity to come, so that no further 7,000-year period of suffering and healing would be needed.
However, like so many of the Judge's dazzling visions, this teaching asked more questions than it answered. First, for whose benefit would this vindication be? It could not benefit the wicked any, since they were to be destroyed immediately they recognized that Jehovah was rightfully the supreme one in the universe. It could not benefit the good, for they already accepted the righteousness of God without any fabulous display of power. Secondly how righteous was God to make humankind to through thousands of yars of suffering just to prove a point to Satan who was, after all, a condemned ciminal? If Satan had already made the challenge to God, it would sound more like an attempt to stall of his execution than something to be taken seriously. And thirdly, couldn't God have answered Satan's challenge by saying simply: "I created man with free will?"
(page 281):
The Doctrine Today
There is no doubt that Rutherford took the doctrine of vindication to the extreme. This fact has been acknowledged to some extent by his successors who have altered some of his ideas which were founded on it....In theory the vindication of God's name [wording has now been changed to His sovereignty--M.J.] is still taught to be of greater importance than the salvation of men, but few Witnesses really act as if they believe that. Most are concerned more with "surviving Armageddon into God's New World" than "participating in the vindication of God's name."
The decline in emphasis on vindication is also evident from the difference in motive that now pronpts Jehovah's Witnesses in their altruistic efforts. Rutherford, of old, said that the Witnesses should manifest "an anxiousness to go and be a witness to the name and word of my God although I suffer much when I go out to give the testimony." (W 1/1/31, p.7) He said the motive should not be principally that of delighting to help others but rather a joy in the realization of vindicating God's name. The Witnesses of today, however, are largely made up of those who have a passionate desire to help other people and the motive of vindication is, in practice, far removed from them. If vindication was the heartfelt motive, the Witness would find equal joy in giving the witness whether it was received favorably or not...