Deceptive or just wrong? (page 9)

isaacaustin

Matthew 24
45 “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time?

And of course this appintment is made after Jesus returns.

If a GB member was caught committing incest with his family, you would plaster it all over the internet with - "see, they are very bad men". Lot, Abraham's brother, was a righteous man who did exactly that.

Actually JohnnC Lot's daughter's inebriated Lot and had sex with him...in his inebriated condition.

wobble

Is JohnnyC really Reniaa under another name? I have only speed read the first three pages of this thread,but he seems to be of the same ilk if not the same person,an Apologist for the WT,trying to excuse their lies and deception.

What think you all?

Love

Wobble

BluesBrother

Perhaps there are not many instances in which the WTS actually uses themselves and the word prophet in the same sentence, although this is one of them

*** w72 4/1 197 'They Shall Know that a Prophet Was Among Them' ***
However, Jehovah did not let the people of Christendom, as led by the clergy, go without being warned that the League was a counterfeit substitute for the real kingdom of God. He had a "prophet" to warn them. This "prophet" was not one man, but was a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah’s Christian witnesses

They have however made it abundantly plain that they must be treated as a prophet by those in the organization.

* w88 4/1 p. 22 par. 7 God’s Judgments Must Be Declared **

*Just as Jehovah kept sending his prophets to Israel and Judah, he has sent his witnesses to hammer away at the message of his coming judgment. (Jeremiah 7:25, 26; 25:4, 8, 9)

w97 6/1 p. 10 par. 13 Jehovah—A God Who Reveals Secrets **

* If we highly respect God’s inspired prophets of bygone days, and particularly God’s Son, should we not also respect the human agency that Jehovah is using today in revealing Biblical information so necessary for his people in these critical times?—2 Timothy 3:1-5, 13.

They must address the topic of failed predictions and switched doctrines. Notice the way that they place the blame on individuals rather than themselves, even though the WT has printed it and Governing Body members said it at Conventions.

*g95 6/22 pp. 8-9 Can You Trust God’s Promises? ***

Prior to the latter part of the year 1914, many Christians expected Christ to return at that time and to take them away to heaven. Thus, in a discourse given on September 30, 1914, A. H. Macmillan, a Bible Student, stated: "This is probably the last public address I shall ever deliver because we shall be going home [to heaven] soon." Clearly, Macmillan was mistaken, but that was not the only unfulfilled expectation he or his fellow Bible Students had.

Bible Students, known since 1931 as Jehovah’s Witnesses, also expected that the year 1925 would see the fulfillment of marvelous Bible prophecies. They surmised that at that time the earthly resurrection would begin, bringing back faithful men of old, such as Abraham, David, and Daniel. More recently, many Witnesses conjectured that events associated with the beginning of Christ’s Millennial Reign might start to take place in 1975."

"Many Witnessess conjectured ....1975" - Come on ! we were there , we read what was in the mags, we heard Fred Franz at Twickenham ..I know how carefully it was worded, but to dress up their misleading comments as the conjecture of individuals is , IMHO plain dishonest.

They minimize the extent of the changes and their failures.

w97 8/15 p. 16 par. 17 Living for Today or for an Eternal Future? ***

Today’s watchman class has likewise had to clarify its views from time to time. Can anyone doubt, though, that Jehovah has blessed the ‘faithful slave’? Besides, viewed in context, are not most of the adjustments that have occurred relatively small? Our basic understanding of the Bible has not changed. Our conviction that we are living in the last days is stronger than ever!

"relatively small?" How about the identity of the F & D Slave, the commencement of Jesus' second presence, whether the end would come in one generation?, whether the gathering in of anointed ones is completed or not? .......I could go on

I used to believe it all wholeheartedly. It was a crushing blow when I realized that I had been believing falsehood and that the rest of the world were right after all...but I had to accept that.Sadly the millions of J W's still have to come to that realisation

Are they wicked receivers? Only God can judge their heart and they will all answer to him one day.

Awakened at Gilead

JohnNYC,

When I went through Gilead, I could see that the GB were quite humble men, intent on teaching what they believed to be true. I generally do not believe that they deliberately intend to mislead. However, they do believe that:

1. They have the truth. This colors what they see, and they look for confirmation to prove that their truth is true. This is why they cherry pick quotes that support their viewpoints, and do not quote from sources that disagree with their views.

2. They are God's channel. They have said this a number of times. Since they feel that God somehow helps 2/3 of them to come to the right conclusion, they sincerely believe that this is God's will.

There are 2 books that are not about JWs that I think you will find highly relevant.

The first is "Mistakes were made, but not by me", which is a description how our brains are wired, so that we can sincerely believe things that are patently not true. The book explains the concept of cognitive dissonance, which is the process that the GB experience when they teach things that are untrue yet they believe in them.

The second book is "The True Believer" by Eric Hoffer. Written in the 1950's, it explains how mass movements (religious, social, or political) develop and are maintained. Again, while it does not mention JWs at all, its description of the development of a mass movement (charismatic visionary initial leader [i.e. Russell] suceeded by an organizational leader [i.e. Rutherford and Knorr], focus on the future rather than the present, changing truths, protection of the movement at the expense of its members) matches quite well with the history of JWs, but is symptomatic of all mass movements. They become victims of their own success.

If you are willing to read these 2 books, I think they will help you answer your OP. Since they have nothing to do with JWs directly, you should not feel any compunctions about reading them.

And, BTW, Ray Franz is not my prince. I am an unbeliever.

A@G

johnnyc

isaacaustin: so then lets say a GB first got drunk...then, k?

johnnyc

wobble: I am not another person, but good to know more out there have this thought. Check out my other posts then to see my situation.

leavingwt

Would you like to be reinstated?

johnnyc

Deputy Dog: Perhaps you have enough for a "warrant" or "incitement" to bring to trial, but you do not have a "prima facia" case - far from it. Funny, obviously the Jews had enough claim to bring Jesus to trial, yet not evidence to (truly) convict him.

restrangled

Johnny C,

I am just wondering, have you lived through one of these life altering prophecies such as 1975? Not just hoping for the new world but virtually promised, praising you for letting go of your home, business, school, marriage, or avoided having children? Then later reading, ( years later) that it was YOU who had read things into what they were saying and it is YOU who needs to adjust your thinking. As time goes on, the literature is no longer available except to those who still hold hard copies and paste the content on the internet and then you are told to not be on the internet.

If nothing else works, the NEW LIGHT absolves all....according to the WBTS.

Indeed, what is deceptive?

r.

Deceptive or just wrong?

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