January 2013 Watchtower - HAVE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES GIVEN INCORRECT DATES FOR THE END?

by TheStumbler 40 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  BluesBrother

  The Stumbler beat me to this post, since I was gobsmacked when I read this article yesterday.....I have tried to remain objective in my critique:

  "Jehovah’s Witnesses have had wrong expectations about when the end would come. Like Jesus’ first-century disciples, we have sometimes looked forward to the fulfillment of prophecy ahead of God’s timetable. (Luke 19:11; Acts 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 2)"

  2 Thess 2:1-2 is cited in support of their argument. This reads "2 However, brothers, respecting the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we request of YOU 2 not to be quickly shaken from YOUR reason nor to be excited either through an inspired expression or through a verbal message or through a letter as though from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here".

  That describes the Apostle Paul counselling erring ones the congregation who had unfounded expectations that the day was upon them back then. So with whom are the WTS likening themselves? The mature "spirit directed" counsel of Paul, or the excited wrong-thinkers who had got it wrong? Who would you like to follow?

  "Consider this example: A lookout in a fire tower might see what he thinks is a wisp of smoke on the horizon and sound what proves to be a false alarm. Later, though, his alertness could save lives."

  But if he continually and regularly "cries wolf" and gives false alarms the lookout would be dismissed as incompetant .

  "We believe that even more important than focusing on when the end will come, we must be confident that it will come, and we must act accordingly. We take seriously the words of Habakkuk 2:3, which says: “Even if [the end] should delay [compared to what you thought], keep in expectation of it; for it will without fail come true. It will not be late.”

  So they are no longer focussed on when the end will come? That is fine, I will remember that when the urgency of the times is stressed to me. Incidentally, where do the words in brackets come from in that scripture they quote? Not from Habakkuk that is for sure !
• 

  cantleave

  A 100 year gestation period is a new one me.
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  Ultimate Axiom

  I love the way the mistakes are always made by "Jehovah's Witnesses" or "Jehovah's people", I have never yet seen the Watchtower itself admit, "brothers, we made the mistake!".
• 

  bennyk

  (recycled old post [19.10.2012]):

  [A]ny mistaken expectations about the end do not alter the unmistakable features identifying these as “the last days.”—2 Timothy 3:1. (The Watchtower, 01.01.2013, p.7)

  Alrighty, then. Russell's 37 year prophecy regarding the End coming in 1914 did not alter the unmistakable (and indisputable) features identifying those as part of "the last days" (which [according to the Watch Tower Society] ran from A.D. 1799 - 1914).

  THE ''Time of the End," a period of one hundred and fifteen (115) years,
  from A. D. I 7 9 9 to A. D. 1914, is particularly marked in the Scriptures.
  (Thy Kingdom Come, p. 23)

  THE careful student will have observed that the period
  designated "The Time of the End " is very appropriately
  named, since not only does the Gospel age close in it,
  but in it, also, all prophecies relating to the close of this age
  terminate, reaching their fulfilments. The same class of
  readers will have noticed, too, the special importance of
  the last 40 of those 115 years (1874-1914), called "The
  End" or "Harvest." (Thy Kingdom Come, p. 121)

  Could someone please ask the Writing Department to do some thinking before printing?!?!
• 

  Terry

  Where an "admission" of guilt falls short is when it is self-serving rather than humble.

  Changing the reality of a context is dishonest. A confession of error that is wrapped up in a false context is damning and not exculpatory.

  Look at the False Analogy used in the Watchtower Article (above).

  Who is the authority if not the Doctor? Right?

  In the analogy of a pregnant woman and her Doctor it is the estimate/guess which comes from the physician, right?

  Here is the problem. Jehovah's Witnesses are usurping the authority of "the Doctor". They speak FOR Him.

  When the Watchtower prints words saying "God's dates--not ours" they pretend they have been TOLD. The reality is that it is THEY who are doing the TELLING.

  See what damage that does to the analogy? Jehovah directs His organization or else He Doesn't. No two ways about it.

  There are only two possibilities.

  1.Jehovah is guessing and getting it wrong when He informs the Governing Body.

  or

  2.The Governing Body is guessing and pretending/lying about obtaining their dates/guesses from Jehovah.

  Which is it? Obviously the error of wrong dates cannot be attributed to Jehovah.

  But, twisted as it is, this is exactly what the Watchtower is trying to communicate!

  Alluding to the Authority figure (Doctor) implies Jehovah without coming out and saying it.

  They are having it BOTH WAYS!!

  Further, an example is given of the Apostles eagerly anticipating that Jesus would return in Kingdom power IN THEIR LIFETIME----as an indication

  they too were WRONG.

  Sly foxes they are!

  The Apostles were not setting specific dates in writing and saying "God's dates--not ours"---were they? NO!

  The Apostles were acting according to what THEY CLAIMED was understanding given by holy spirit.

  Does it not occur to anybody that the Apostles could have been just as delusional as the Watchtower organization?

  Anybody and everybody who thinks something is going to happen "soon" and it doesn't happen IS DELUSIONAL not matter how sweet, kind and faithful they are.

  But, to continue setting dates over and over and over indicates something more than "eagerness". It indicates a strong core of HUBRIS!
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  DATA-DOG

  What it the guy watching for a fire appoints himself Mayor of the town? Since he cried wolf year after year, a good hearted member of the town brings it to his attention. He then executes the one bringing his mistakes to light. THAT IS MORE LIKE THE GB. We are infallible, the Bible is God's word but you cannot understand it without the Watchtower which is God's thoughts. You must believe us when we cry wolf or face the consequences. Remember the Walsh trial.
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  braincleaned

  I've heard the pregnant mom example a million times. Truth is, sometimes the mom is just fat.
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  braincleaned

  I also note that in their show of humble admittance having gotten dates wrong, they avoid bringing up Deuteronomy 18: 20-22...
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  bennyk

  Why, then, do we continue to highlight the nearness of the end? Because we take seriously Jesus’ words: “Keep looking, keep awake.” The alternative, to be found “sleeping” by Jesus, would prevent us from gaining his favor. (The Watchtower, 01.01.2012, p.8)

  Jesus said: "Keep looking, keep awake." He did not say: 'Continue prophesying falsely' as though that were the only alternative to "sleeping"(!)

  Furthermore, because of their erroneous beliefs, in 1914 the affiliates of the Watch Tower Society were the only Body of believers who did not "keep looking" for the Parousia to begin. (They believed it had already begun in 1874).
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  irondork

  tag