by SatoriCE 20 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
The topic of earthquakes marking the "last days" was brought up with interactions I have had with a few different Witnesses. Can someone please explain the exact significance of earthquakes that JW's have?! Can you please also include any links to actual facts that contradict their views of earthquakes. Also, any input on how to approach this topic to a Witness without sounding like Satan is using me or anything like that, would be appreciated.
Thank you.
its quite simple. earthquakes have always been a part of this world going back many many years before the wts even came into existense. the thing before is that they didnt have the technology and communications as we have today. 1000 years ago, even 100 years ago what was happening in one part of the world did not get relayed as it does today. the flow of information today is instantaneous...so yes we are always bombarded with reports of natural disasters all over the world which seems to fit the wts view on this. is there actually increased activity...not really. there are just as many earthquakes now then before...we just hear more about it. google major earthquakes in history and youll find a boatload of major disasters which occurred in history but that you and i have never heard about much less someone on the other end of the world. you can also google the national hurricane centre and youll see that the reported earthquakes are pretty much the same.
Actually, the offical position of the WT is that earthquakes don't mean anything.
PSacramento, aren't earthquakes lumped in with the rest of the natural disasters that the Gov.Bod says will be "signs of the time of the end"????
Zid
I recall that one of the posters, maybe it was Mary, posted the official statement from the WT that EQ are nothing more than natural occuring disaters and that there is no more sginificance to them than that ( I am paraphrasing).
I looked it up a while ago, there are more RECORDED earthquakes now because there are something like 8000 stations that record them, compared to something like 40, one hundred years ago. That might not be the exact numbers but something like that.
I would just say that the earth's core is still hot and the crust of the earth is always moving about which is a natural occurrence.
They seem to have vacillated on the topic. Of course for decades they claimed earthquakes were more intense or prevalent than before 1914, then they backed off in the 90's because the information disproving this was more easily available. Since then they seem to just include earthquakes in the mix of "The Sign" without explicitly claiming that there are more or that they're worse, it's left to be assumed by the reader. It just makes for exciting opportunity in preaching when there is one in the news.
In fact every part of "The Sign" (as they now insist it be called rather then "signs") can be debunked in a similar fashion. War, hunger and disease impact a lower percentage of the population now then ever before. A critical examination reveals the writer of the 'mini apocalypse' of Mark was either simply using basic stock apocalyptic language from the OT in a new 'prophetic' way or referencing actual then past events of either 66-70CE or 135CE or both. What is certain, the writers did not say that this stuff was evidence of something invisible in the heavens so sit and wait 100 years. They said it was the preamble to Jesus's violent return.
Note: The wording of Mark itself was modified slightly throught the years and the revisions of Mark known as Matthew and Luke each added a bit more.
US Geological Survey info here:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/faq/?faqID=110
The Watchtower, as recently as May 2009 said:
When
will this system of thingsend?
When asked about the sign of his presence “and of the conclusion of the system of things,” Jesus replied: “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes . . . and because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off.” (Matthew 24:3-12) Thus, all of today’s sad news has an encouraging meaning—soon God’s Kingdom government will bring peace to obedient mankind. Jesus said: “When you see these things occurring, know that the kingdom of God is near.”—Luke 21:31.
Last year, one of the visiting Circuit Overseers' talks, presented to all the congregations, included assertions that earthquakes were on the increase (as well as statistics which were said to come from official Geological/Seismic activity websites). This was all part of impressing on audiences' minds that the end was so very, very close.
See http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/196402/1/signs-of-the-end-of-times-CO-talk
and http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/197235/1/Are-Earthquakes-Really-On-The-Increase
Please also visit "Are Earthquakes Really On The Increase?" and "Is earthquake activity increasing?"
