...I know that seems hard to believe. But hey, who doesn't love the happy prospect of never dying? Certainly the folks in 1920 who received this book are still looking forward to that day with bright, beaming eyes! (Cue shriveled remains below tombstone of "1920-2005".) Oh, wait, someone born in 1920 couldn't even read this book until at least 1930, maybe later...(Cue shriveled remains below tombstone"1905-1995". Epitaph: "He had special mightiness!") Hmm...Millions Now Dead Will Live Again!
Anyway, apart from finding the "positive and indisputable conclusion that millions now living will never die", which is as incriminating a line as can possibly be written by an organization claiming to be "the channel Jehovah is using today", I found a quote I never imagined I'd find in any post-Russell publication. It's on page 13 of that book:
"Every man should be persuaded in his own mind and no man should permit himself to be deterred from examining a question based on the Bible because a clergyman or any one else makes the unsupported assertion that it is dangerous or unworthy of consideration. Error always seeks the dark, while truth is enhanced by the light. Error never desires to be investigated. Light always courts a thorough and complete investigation."
If you've never read that before, pick your jaw up off the floor. I know. It shocked me, too. Maybe because this was a public message, I don't know. This same book also said it was not inviting people to join any group, nor was it propaganda. Either that was an outright lie, or Rutherford was one shrewd sucka. To the extent that a person predicting the resurrection of 'ancient worthies' in 1925 can be regarded as shrewd, that is.
I wanted to share this one with all of you because I was floored by it and I will DEFINITELY be using this quote against anyone who tries to accuse me of 'apostasy' or whatever because of asking too many questions. Elders included, elders especially. I just want to see the looks on their faces. But ideally, I'd rather not engage them at all, simply because as a born-in there is just too much programmed fear inside me to attempt to explain reality to anyone on the inside in a logical manner. Fear takes away my intellectual flexibility.
Well, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Take care.
SD-7