Part of the attraction to fringe groups is that larger established groups have incomplete answers and blemished track records. We all saw it, and we got suckered into a group with a few ideas that were attractive. The wakeup moment was realizing a small group can be just as flawed as the larger groups. Getting out was Herculian, congratulations, pat yourself on the back!
Jehovah's Witnesses - The Religion of "Increased Light"
by AllTimeJeff 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
WTWizard
I think it's time the lights come on. A generation is a group of people that are roughly the same age, separated in time by the amount of time it takes for one's children to reach the age at which they themselves have children. In humans, this is typically between 18 and 40 years. By the time they get past this, they start having trouble bearing children (women especially, once menopause hits, will be unable to have children).
By this definition, the youngest generation that was able to see the sign in 1914 would have virtually passed away by now. I prefer to use the definition that they have to be able to discern the sign when it happens, and those people are now past 100 years old. For comparison, the original "fulfillment" (and the only one we are getting) was seen in 70 AD, after a delay of less than 40 years. People old enough to discern the original prophecy would have been only around 60 years old, a reasonable time. But not 100 and up!
-
yadda yadda 2
"What unique doctrines of the WTS are still held to be 'present truth' from the pre-1919 period uniquely informed Jesus to make such a choice?
Clue: NONE."
Ignoring the Jesus being informed to make a choice bit LOL, the no trinity, no immortal soul, and no hellfire teachings were all taught pre-1919. Russell built the Watchtower Society around those teachings that markedly set them apart from orthodox Christianity back then and still does today. Some of those teachings may have not been totally unique to the Bible Students but they were by far and away the biggest group preaching them in 1919. This is all that matters in the minds of most JW's when pressed on the subject.
Listen, most JW's just don't really care about pre-1919 this and post-1919 that. All that matters to them is that their religion currently and has for decades globally preached a body of central, core "truths" they believe differentiates them in God's eyes from all the other religions that have corrupted versions of these core teachings. For 90% of JW's the rest is mere garnish on the side of the plate they can mentally push aside.
-
teel
A couple of years ago a JW asked in a group of friends, why is it that Jesus picked the Bible Students in 1919, when so many of their teachings were wrong? His answer was that they were the only group that was ready to make changes in their beliefs when old teachings are proven false. In the eyes of some the "new light" is in itself proof that they are God's chosen.
-
yadda yadda 2
Good point teel. Regardless of how patently stupid the "new light" might be, many JW's seem to have the idea that producing "new light" is a proof that Jehovah is channelling truthful enlightenment through the Watchtower Society.
-
agonus
yadda, the problem is, the other 90% AIN'T garnish - and you know it. That other 90% - the WT never lets us forget - is MANDATORY. "Keeping up with Jehovah's Chariot", you know.
-
agonus
"they were the only group that was ready to make changes in their beliefs when old teachings are proven false."
Then why don't they drop blood, shunning, 1914, stake vs. cross, etc. which have been thoroughly, rigorously, and repeatedly debunked by virtually everyone outside of the organization?