The United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) announced today their rejection of the phrase, New Light, by the infamous and self-appointed seer and prophet, Harold Camping. Camping has drawn severe criticism from opposers when he unsucessfully foretold that May 21 would be the date when the Rapture would occur. He has since altered his forecast and now says that October 21, 2011, is his finalized prediction. He says that the phrase New Light would afford him latitude from his followers who appear to be drifting from his fold.
In response the PTO further said that Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania has owned that phrase since 1881 when they cleverly created a scheme to divert attention from the first of their many failed predictions. On each of these failures, follow-up writings consistently point to their copywrited phrase New Light which seems to appease their flock of followers like a pacifier to a newly-weaned infant.
While the New Light phrase has been used extensively each time some doctrinal teaching gets altered, it has never been utilized as frequently as with their doctrine of resurrection of the ancient Sodomites. Watchtower writings have held their latest position -- "No, they will not be resurrected" -- since 1989. However, in the 110 years prior to 1989 they have published 6 different positions since 1879 -- each diametrically opposing (yes, no, yes, no, yes, no) the prior one.
Ironically, C.T. Russell, the first publisher of Watchtower (then known as Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence", and the originator of the New Light phrase had a different intent for use of his newly copywrited phrase. "A new view of truth never can contradict a former truth. 'New light' never extinguishes older 'light,' but adds to it. ... So is it with the light of truth; the true increase is by adding to, not by substituting one for another." ZION'S Watch Tower AND HERALD OF CHRIST'S PRESENCE, February, 1881.
Modern critics suggest that if Russell could see how the New Light phrase is being used today by his authoritarian replacements, he would roll over thereby toppling his pyramid-shaped memorial.
Len