by im stuck in 35 Replies latest jw friends
I was waiting for someone to say, some can no doubt sell their homes and finish out the last days in full time service.
At first this was funny...and then I realized...someone could very well say this and get the approving head nods from the rest of the audience.
That's because at least 1/2 of them do not know the real truth about 1975.They wouldn't even realize it to be a deja vu experience.
(par 11) "Jesus exerted himself not simply because he had a deadline but because he was zealous - or jealous - for his Father's name and for pure worship."
What bullshit. The Jews of Jesus day were well familiar with 'his Father's name'---there was no need for Jesus to go around to all of them saying 'Oh, by the way, my father's name is Jehovah!' What a dumb-assed comment to make.
(par 16) "We work hard in the ministry not only because we know we are living in the last days but also because we realize that it is God's will. He wants people to come to a knowledge of the truth so that they too can learn to worship serve him and be blessed. We are impelled to exert ourselves in the ministry, not primarily because of a time limit, but because we want to honor God's name and help people to come to know his will. We are zealous for true worship."
Ya, well the WTS is doing a lousy job in 'helping people to come to know his will' even though they've been selling their ragazines and preching "The End" for over a hundred years now. Despite 'preaching' from door to door for many decades, the public knows (or cares) very little about what Jehovahs Witnesses preach and teach. For the most part, they only know that they don't celebrate Christmas, preach door to door on Saturday mornings and let their children die rather than accept a blood transfusion. The average person knows nothing about 1914, 1918, a future 'paradise earth', Charles Russell or anything else about Witnesses, and probably know more about Lindsay Lohen's court dates than the WTS's boring doctrines.
I think also that many people are so tired and depressed over their miserable life that they want something better. So they continue in the lie. My wife and my good friend are an example, they have bought into the dream so hard that sometimes I think they will wait forever.
So sad because even by their teachings if you die your sins are forgiven. So why the hell would 60 + year old people want to push so hard. If you die you will still get a shot at paradise they say even if it is only to a resurection of judgement. Not that I beleive any of it at all because I don't.
As someone said earlier they are some smart bastards at headquarters because they have both angles covered. And then they tell you it is because they have Jehovahs backing. Yeah right! stuck in
I believe that this printing company will stop printing or severely reduce it soon (again). While they are still begging everyone to get out and "preach" (distribute literature) it is simply so the dubs themselves will contribute to the worldwide work and then give away the literature and the dubs will feel they are involved in a huge important work, so they will contribute at the summer conventions.
If it should pass that literature is totally losing money, WTS will stop the distribution work in some crazy, viewed-as-wonderful way. It is all opinion, but I imagine it won't be too many more years. I expect them to switch to exclusively tract work, then just offering a scripture and inviting people to the Kingdom Hall. JW's need the rejection of "householders" to feed their cognitive dissonance.
If they lose members to this work switching, they might declare the "preaching" work ended and shoot themselves in the head to declare that the great tribulation has started. That way, they can try to retain the members they have, but would dissolve in one "generation" by such a move. The old guys in the ivory tower would simply hope to keep it going until they are dead.
I had to get up and leave for a walk outside, boy did I get the looks from the wife. I think if I hadn't I would have had to make a comment about it being bull shit.
Maybe instead of a comment, you could have coughed:
I couldn't wait to get on here and post about yesterday's study so I'm glad there is already a thread started.
1974/5 has been mentioned several times in this thread already in jest but at my hall IT ACTUALLY WAS COMMENTED ON! First one brother mentioned growing up around 1975 and seeing all the increased activity and fervor leading up to that year. Then he said, "It came and went. So the lesson for us is, we are EVEN CLOSER NOW and we NEED TO STAY FOCUSED and not let anything slow us down." Nods and grunts of approval.
The next comment was someone mentioning how in the 80s, our congregation was growing and we had lots of Bible studies and people getting baptized and then he said, "but it's nothing like that anymore. We are struggling. But as long as just one more person comes in to the truth, then it was worth the wait. We need to trust that Jehovah will not delay Armageddon. It is closer than ever."
Imagine if your boss told you that you were going to get an increase in pay, "very soon." You would be excited and would work harder than ever to assure that you would get the raise. A few weeks go by, no raise. A few months go by, no raise. You ask your boss about it and he says, "Oh, it's coming very soon. Keep working hard, in fact, now is the time to increase your output! Your raise will make it all worthwhile." So you push on, working hard, waiting for the raise. Two years pass, no raise. You're growing tired. Your boss notices your decreased productivity and pulls you aside. "I've noticed that you seem to be having a hard time here at work. Is something wrong?" Yes. You've been working so hard for a reward that was promised to be "very soon." Now it's over two years later and still, no raise. It's discouraging. You feel that you have been misled. "No. You were not misled," says your boss. "Your raise is closer than ever. Keep working." You ask when you can expect the raise. Your boss replies, "I can't tell you. No one can. But it's coming. Keep working."
At some point, you have to ask yourself if that raise was ever coming. Was your boss just using you? Is your boss delusionally optimistic that one day he'll be able to actually pay you the promised raise? What if you died and never got the raise? Would your children and grandchildren still be waiting around to get that raise that was promised to you? Would they go work for the same company, generation after generation, in hopes of getting the raise that you hoped for even though they know that you died without getting what you were promised?
Imagine if your boss told you that you were going to get an increase in pay, "very soon." You would be excited and would work harder than ever to assure that you would get the raise. A few weeks go by, no raise. A few months go by, no raise. You ask your boss about it and he says, "Oh, it's coming very soon. Keep working hard, in fact, now is the time to increase your output! Your raise will make it all worthwhile."
Fantastic point. And that shows one of the major faults of the Watchtower. The focus isn't on serving God. It's about the reward that will be obtained IF you do what you're supposed to. Anytime a reward is the focus, your guard should be up. Why are the angels serving God/ Is it for some future reward? No, in fact the 24 elders in Revelation cast their crowns before Gods throne and give him all the honor. Why? For a reward? Nope.
Revelation 4:11 gives the reason. It says, "You are worthy, or Lord and God, to receive the glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
We serve God because he is worthy and deserving of our worship. Not for a future reward. The reward is given to those that have accepted Jesus as Christ. But that is not the focus.
And yet the Watchtower ENDLESSLY produces paintings of a garden like paradise earth. That is the real focus. They want you to just "keep your eyes on the prize" and that will get you through.
