Society's claim of Matt. 24:14 being fulfilled - What it could really mean

by Jourles 93 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Doubting Bro

  Just a thought, but maybe the plan is to discontinue the yearly service reports. Just report the number who are baptized. The average JW also notices how low the increases have been over the last 10 years and it is discouraging to them. By saying that the preaching work is over, they will have no need to report all those figures, and the decreases will be masked. Actually, they could then start just counting the baptized and show an larger increase. They could spin it that JWs will never stop talking about Jehovah (using Jerimiah as an example of how the good news is like a fire), so the increase could said to be coming from the "informal" work.

  That's probably not what they're thinking, but it is fun to speculate.
• 

  Dagney

  Actually, they have alluded to the Matt. 24:14 being fulfilled before. It may have been at a District Convention, but I really think it was also in the followup Watchtower study I think mid 90's. This is not new,imo. Their logic (if you could call it that) was the preaching work is global now, computerized...whatever...and it is in the entire inhabited earth.

  It is really the same blah blah blah...but more dramatic...and like has been mentioned, all about control. I heard that the PO from my old hall told the congregation that we are at "dirt in the toenails of the image in Daniel." (I know..."huh") Well it stirred up a lot of people like it did me 20 years ago...just waiting for that sign for the GT to begin... sheesh.

  I don't believe the WTBS will do anything to lose control over the people. They've got the "Simplification" program going, and they are probably going to make a killing on the Dumbo property.
• 

  zack

  The Good News was preached under all creation back in first century, according to the Apostle Paul. So all

  the work and heavy lifting was done BACK THEN!
• 

  avidbiblereader

  I think I remember Jesus saying 'You recieve freely, give freely" Why all this money talk.

  The contributions in Jesus day was to help the poor.

  The form of worship acceptable in Gods eys to look after widows and orphan James 1:27

  MONEY MONEY MONEY, it is a business descision not a scriptural one.

  abr
• 

  Jourles

  MONEY MONEY MONEY, it is a business descision not a scriptural one.

  Err, it is a business decision masked as a scriptural one...
• 

  MeneMene

  Help - I am getting confused here.
  
  What's the deal with bleeding red ink? It was my understanding the WTBTS is pulling in many millions if not a billion $$ per year.
  
  The literature is paid for by the JWs/publishers. If the WTBTS doesn't get enough $$ from the KH, they won't send any more literature until the debt is paid up in full. (At least that is what I have read in comments on JWD) I thought it was the R&F that is getting hosed. They pay and if they give the lit away, they don't get reimbursed. If it stacks up at home, they don't get reimbursed.
  
  As far as selling subscriptions online, I don't think that would work because they would be back to the JSwaggart & sales tax issue. Correct? That's why the snail mail subscriptions were cut out years ago.
• 

  IP_SEC

  In '89 they said it would be fulfilled before the end of the 20th century. Ofcourse they changed that quote in the bound version without an explanation.
• 

  TheListener

  - Field service will continue. It's effective busy work.

  - Reporting of hours by publishers will continue. It's become THE measuring rod for an individual's spirituality level. They may not publish the reports any longer, but the friends will keep turning in those slips.

  - Turning in time promotes urgency and makes the field ministry appear more important.
• 

  kid-A

  Note exactly what Rayford said, he contradicts himself:

  the Faithful Slave, feels about the way things are in this system of things, the time period in which you are living. The Faithful Slave feels that they have fulfilled Matthew 24:14 "This good news has been preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness."

  Now further on, he makes the prophecy sound much less "fulfilled" :

  Those two countries bear community responsibility, but the good news of the kingdom has been preached. Matthew 24, Luke 21, Mark 13, Revelation chapter 6. Those scriptures are having their fulfillment. They're being fulfilled. So where are you in the stream of Bible prophecy?

  Nota bene: "are HAVING their fulfillment" and "They're BEING fulfilled". Which totally contradicts his previous statement suggesting the GB believes it IS fulfilled. I honestly think this is just some loose cannon expressing his ideas very awkwardly and inaccurately in an attempt to rile up the audience. In fact, this states the preaching work as an ongoing, unfinished activity, in direct contradiction to what he claims the GB is thinking on the matter. As others have said, I will believe it when it comes into print and/or there is an "official" talk (i.e. not some dude "putting down his notes") distributed and presented at an assembly.
• 

  truthsetsonefree

  My goodness they are doing it again. You know when I was giving talks, I knew people were recording. I was very careful of what I said. Looking from that perspective it is very clear to me that these guys know that as well. They are deliberately doing this to get the "friends" all worked up, believing that this is from the GB. It probably is too. The GB puts things out in this way for deniability. About a year ago they put a bulletin out in the KM about downloading Kingdom Melodies from the Web after a song was put allegedly by Celiene Dion and George Benson. I bet they will say nothing about downloading talk excerpts such as this one. What does that tell you?
  
  Mark my words, its 1975 all over again, and the prediction on the great tribulation is already being made.
  
  tsof