Looks like Geoff might become king someday.
Tom
Daniel Rodriguez's The Watchtower's Coming Crisis
by dgp 26 Replies latest jw friends
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choosing life
It's a make it up as you go religion. Kinda like when we used to form clubs, as kids. We made up the rules and changed them as we went. Kicked people in and out as we saw fit. It just ain't real.
Problem is that they don't grow up. NN mentions when some "cure themselves", there are others willing to step in and take their places. Have you ever been scammed? Really bad? I have, more than once.
One side point. Is anyone watching Led Zeppelin on Classic Vh1? I am tired of listening to them on radio, etc., but I forgot how great they were in concert in the 70's.
Sorry I am off topic.
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yadda yadda 2
I got the book and was very disappointed. A dramatic title that suckered me in. Rodriguez makes some good points about their revisionism and contradictions, but he overstates the whole "the anointed will run out and no one will be left in charge" idea based around the 1935 cut-off point. He forgot about the fact that the numbers of the 'anointed' have been increasing the last few years and has totally failed to take into account that they dumped the 1935 cut-off date. Whether he finished his book before this 2007 "new light" or it was sloppy research, I don't know, but it renders his main argument obsolete.
In any event, JW's wouldn't give a hoot if the Watchtower magazine and other JW publications are not written by someone takes the emblems and they would have no way of knowing if that ever happened anyway. JW's don't care if everything is written by someone born after 1935 or if the whole GB were born after 1935, which is nearly the case already.
And his big point about how only the anointed are truly JW's is, well, just a stupid argument that, while perhaps technically correct, would make the average JW just roll his eyes and walk away.
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boyzone
By the sound of your critique of the book yadda, I reckon he's on the wrong track entirely. Its not the running out of anointed that might break the WT but the fact that so many will be claiming that status. It'll make everyone chiefs so that nobody will be. The increase in partakers is waht scares the WT more than anything as it directly erodes their exclusivity and control.
I'm in discussion right now with a Witness who is having serious doubts about refusing the bread and wine this year. He can see that scripturally the Society's 2 classes of christians teaching is flawed and feels the need to "keep doing this..." in obedience to Jesus.
If the partaker numbers start to snowball, then I believe we might see some serious damage to the top dogs in Brooklyn and more absurd scriptural gymnastics in an effort to protect their power.
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Terry
The Watchtower religion is like an old car that is a junker. As parts wear out they get replaced until the next thing goes bad. And so on.
Jehovah's Witness "theology" is a game of words and not facts. The very name of the religion attests to that.
The name: JEHOVAH was okay until scholars caught up to the fact it is closer to Yahweh.
Accuracy would seem to require a Yaweh's Witnesses at the bare minimum. But, no.
The game of words required an organic "adjustment". Since the name "Jesus" should be Yeshua and nobody else calls him that; why should we start calling Jehovah "Yahweh"?
Sounds reasonable, right? Except, it isn't.
When you are dealing with actual facts you replace your guesses as your data improves. This is honest, precise and conscientious.
But, if you aren't interested in clarifying errors because facts aren't your purpose, then, you make excuses and move on.
Historically, outright changes have been very embarassing. Changes prove factually you are in error. Changing the return of Jesus from 1843/44 to 1914 is a case in point. The year 1975 is another.
Self-preservation has caused a strategy to emerge.
The strategy is to replace specifics with pressure to conform to policy.
Authority replaces knowledge.
Go along with current thinking (policy dictates) and you are always safe.
Raise questions about particulars and you are marked as a troublemaker BECAUSE policy is indefensible factually and is embarassing.
The changeover to a dominating principle of Authority was forced into place after the 1975 fiasco, organization shake-up and reconstitution stemming from questions flying everywhere as to HOW the FDS could have allowed 1975 to go wrong.
The thinkers and loyal opposition (Ray Franz) were flushed out to be replaced by unquestioning Loyalists.
Being a Jehovah's Witness today is about conformity to thought-control.
We on the outside see objectively the collapse of the house of cards over and over factually.
Internally, however, members are kept deaf, dumb and blind by strict control of what they are allowed to hear, discuss and see.
The Watchtower changes in language (covering their collective asses over doctrine clash with reality) is merely spackle in the cracks now.
Only intellectually honest people can face a crisis when reality clashes with belief.
Terry
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frankiespeakin
I really feel that the day of reckoning is fast approaching for the WT, and not by some supreme Deity but by the times, as Dylan would sing "The Times They are a Changin"
The pattern of lying and doctrinal changing to cover up failed predictions + Internet expose + economic down turn + depression from disappointments in members who's hopes become less stronger. Spells big trouble with a capital T.
They are changing the Generation length which is also removing the sense of urgency, constant harping on the need to believe what ever the F&DS says, not enough earthquakes or wars to point to end time prophecies, Crime statistics getting lower and hard to fudge with information readily available on the net for verification, WT selling of property assets down sizing, lay-off at bethel, reduction in meetings, electronic age replacing the need for books and magazines causing substantial monetary loss for WT printing operations, Congregations not paying enough for literature ordered when the donation basis went into effect. Pretty much says to me the times are different than past times of crisis and will have a much more devastating effect.
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frankiespeakin
My advice for the WT(jokingly):
Take the money and run before the whole sham crumbles before your eyes. You guys on the GB, and the higher ups in the legal department sock all the money you can in secret bank accounts across the border and run away to a country where the Feds can't touch you and live out the days of your miserable lives in freedom and not behind bars.
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JeffT
The people that run the WTBS are the world's experts at putting lipstick on pigs. I have no doubt that they will come up with something to keep it running, and the R&F will pretty much go along with it.
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shamus100
Bullshit.
There will never be a 'crisis'. They have been in crisis since the 1800's! They can survive this one, no problemo.
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Mad Sweeney
"Its not the running out of anointed that might break the WT but the fact that so many will be claiming that status. It'll make everyone chiefs so that nobody will be. The increase in partakers is waht scares the WT more than anything as it directly erodes their exclusivity and control.
I'm in discussion right now with a Witness who is having serious doubts about refusing the bread and wine this year. He can see that scripturally the Society's 2 classes of christians teaching is flawed and feels the need to "keep doing this..." in obedience to Jesus.
If the partaker numbers start to snowball, then I believe we might see some serious damage to the top dogs in Brooklyn and more absurd scriptural gymnastics in an effort to protect their power."
They've already laid the foundation for dealing with this problem. The "anointed" are the "FDS" in name only. Only the GB and those they designate are qualified to teach the congregations. Elders of the "great crowd" outrank any anointed in their midst because they are part of the official channel which is as follows: Jehovah to Jesus to GB to traveling overseers to Elders. No one else has any authority in the org at all, whether anointed or not. This is from one of the spring 2009 WTs. Studied it sometime in June or July, IIRC.