could Campings flop snowball?

by Aussie Oz 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  Aussie Oz

  In 1975, the only way the Wt could get the message out was via their own pulp mags, with a few bits of media taking note. It must be said that it really was not only a flop for the JWs, but not even newsworthy by todays standards. By and large, most of the world were unaware of it all.

  But fast forward to the internet and we can see how Camping was able to go global in just a few months and reach far more people with the 'message' than JWs could have hoped to reach in decades of door knocking.

  And global are the repercussions for Camping and his followers. Global ridicule, global media reports complete with comparisons to others including the JWs.

  Could this lead to everyone knowing about dangerous groups like the JWs i wonder?

  At a party i went to last night, it was the talk. The whole endtime, rapture thing has become a joke to many many people. As the witnesses take their version to the doors, i wonder if more people will challenge them about it.

  Could Campings failure snowball into the sort of reaction the Wt should have got 36 years ago? And maybe not just for the JWs but for all the endtime kooks?

  I certainly hope JWS and Camping always get mentioned in the same sentance, i know i am doing it.

  oz
• 

  sizemik

  I certainly hope JWS and Camping always get mentioned in the same sentance, i know i am doing it.

  LOL Oz . . . You raise a good point however. I'm of the opinion that this is the true reason the WTBTS have not used multi-media to "preach" the message. D to D work keeps them under the radar . . . and away from media scrutiny for thier dumb assertions.

  for all the endtime kooks?

  As you mentioned . . . thier will be an increased collective consciousness of it now . . . and that wont help the JW's stay unnoticed . . . at least for a while maybe.
• 

  cantleave

  The JW's will nevr again be stupid enough to give any indication of a date. They will just say it is soooooooooo close.
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  sizemik

  cantleave . . . I just can't be so sure . . . hinting at a date is soooooo tempting . . . and works quite well . . . will they be able to resist?

  Stupidity has been present for 130 years now as far as "prophecy" goes . . . why stop now?

  I think they are stupid enough . . . give them time.
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  luna2

  After the 1975 debacle, the JWs learned the lesson of not using specific dates and made sure to publish their thinking on that in the Watchtower every so often so that they could never be officially accused of or ridiculed for proposing an end date and being wrong (again). They'll hint and let elders hint in talks, but they won't ever do anything to officially tie themselves to anything. Easier to slide out from under any responsibility that way. They do like those hints, though, because it excites the rank and file and spurs them on to greater activity. Its all a shell game.

  The Sunday that I got up and walked out of the KH, never to return, we had a Watchtower study that was indicative of the above. They'd make a statement in one paragraph and in the next they'd give the opposite view...so the article didn't really say anything. I can't even remember what the point of the article was now...but the bottom line was that any decision you made was all on you and your conscience, not the WTS.

  Since I haven't looked at a Watchtower since, I don't know if they are still writing that sort of meaningless junk, but since they never take responsibility for anything they publish anyhow, it doesn't really matter. It seems that the WTS is allowed to flip flop endlessly and not get called on it.
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  moshe

  Thanks to Harold Egbert Camping, more people will start to realize the entire notion of heavenly intervention is a flawed concept. Being a member of any religion that has an endtimes message of rapture, appocalypse and armageddon is liable to get you labeled as a kook now.

  -
• 

  ProdigalSon

  sizemik: thier will be an increased collective consciousness of it now

  Those are the magic words. Quite frankly, I was in shock over how many people, no matter what religion, were talking about this over the last few days. I didn't think many people could take anything connected with Christianity and the Bible so seriously. I mean, they weren't ridiculing it, they were worried! Even a Jewish woman I work with!

  I think you have made a very good observation, Aussie Oz, this might get people to rethink their ideas about prophetic end times....and the folly of interpreting the Bible literally. Maybe they will start to realize that nobody is ever going to get "beamed up". In order to recognize this "rapture", you have to know what it is, just like you have to know what the Christ is in order to recognize it. This whole thing is even more ridiculous because its a parable.

  When Paul talked about being changed over in the "twinkling of an eye", he was also under the false impression that "The End" was coming in his own day, but he also understood a little about metaphysics. He knew very well of the difference between an earthbound man and a spiritual man. He knew the key ingredient to the spiritual man was LOVE. This separation is not referring to people disappearing, its referring to the separation of sheep and goats, the nice people from the assholes. This separation is exactly what is going to happen as human consciousness shifts over the 2012 period.... some people (the sheep) will have no fear and will create a reality and a world far different from the selfish and uncaring goats, who will stay in the old energy and suffer dearly for it. Nobody has to leave the planet for these two worlds to exist side by side. At some point, the goats will either get sick and die, or they will be outcast and rejected from a world heading in a new and exciting direction- one of good will and benevolance towards all, and most importantly, a world where greed corruption will no longer be tolerated.
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  Aussie Oz

  Link below (thankyou Moshe)

  demonstrates a little snowball effect...

  http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/150169/20110523/harold-camping-doomsday-second-coming-of-jesus-rapture-seventh-day-adventists-jehovah-witness-may-21.htm

  oz
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  The GB have got to be besides themselves on this one. But leave it to them to make a stupid decision based on what they saw with Campings.

  On one hand, they saw a very 1975-ish move on Harold's part. They also see how it was mocked in the media.

  On the other hand, they see how a guy in his 80's made a following and made money.

  I wouldn't be surprised if the GB decides from this that 2034 (120 years of the last days as in Noah's day) is the date to set.

  But in reply to your "snowballing" comment, it does seem that media love to list others that have predicted Doomsday and JW's seem to be leading that pack in failures in modern times. I do think Campings' failure and the Mayan 2012 thing will hurt JW's as they spread the word. People will be "Aren't you the ones who say the world is going to end, again?"
• 

  Refriedtruth

  BIG it's all over baby

  Birds of the same feather: Harold Camping, founders of Seventh-day Adventist and Jehovah Witness movements

  Birds of the same feather: Harold Camping, founders of Seventh-day ...‎
  International Business Times - Carl Bagh - 1 hour ago Miller believed that the countdown began in 457 BC Similarly the founder of Jehovah Witness movement Charles Taze Russell had predicted that Jesus would ... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/150169/20110523/harold-camping-doomsday-second-coming-of-jesus-rapture-seventh-day-adventists-jehovah-witness-may-21.htm
  btw my street had a rapture block party and the JW were brought up