Given enough time, perhaps the WTS will have the equivalent of the Vatican Secret Archives. All that crusty history piling in on top of itself.
Do you think the WTS is about to change the doctrine about 1914? If so, what are the signs that is under way?
by EdenOne 59 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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00DAD
The fact is, they still trumpet 1914 pretty loudly.
A recent WT Study edition (9/15/2012) mentioned 1914 at least once as a significant date in WT history/theology in 4 out of the 5 study articles (Sunday dates are given). Check it out:
This last article, "Jehovah Congregates His Joyful People," mentioned 1914 five times in just three paragraphs. Perhaps not too surprisingly, sandwiched in the middle, was a reference to 1919 as the time of Christ's inspection. Taken together, this one article contains six references to these dates in four consecutive paragraphs .
It doesn't look like the WTBTS is abandoning 1914 anytime soon.
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james_woods
Note that I am NOT saying they will ever leave behind the "we are living in the immediate time of the end" message.
They are simply an eschatalogical religion and would be lost and meaningless without this.
What I am saying is that 1914 will become too far back in the remote past to apply to an immediate end times doctrine after a while.
Note that they essentially have already done this with the 1874 date - but have never retracted it. They just don't mention it any more.
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Pterist
Their whole authority as the ONLY channel is based on the dates being correct. The "Good News of the Kingdom" as being fulfilled for rulership of an earthly class by a priestly heavenly class of 144k+1 is ALSO linked to dates. Typical premillennialism but invisibly.
Other groups that came out of the Adventist movement with end time eschatology errors, did not CHANGE the core doctrine of salvation in Christ, being baptised into his death and resurrection, in other words NEW life to be empowered in the sanctification process unto immortality. Unfortunately the WTBTS society went way beyond scripture in this regard, and are doomed to falter, based on the foundation they built on, namely end time dates.
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james_woods
Their whole authority as the ONLY channel is based on the dates being correct. The "Good News of the Kingdom" as being fulfilled for rulership of an earthly class by a priestly heavenly class of 144k+1 is ALSO linked to dates
Not necessarily. They have dropped the notion of 1975 being a special date. They have dropped the notion of the 144,000 (and remnant thereof) being the faithful and discrete slave.
The heavenly and earthly class is being muddied by the constant growing number of partakers - and it was never really attached to 1914. Rutherford just deemed it to be so in 1935 without any reference to some kind of prophetic numerology. He just said it was so, so it was so.
I think that in time to come (and we may not live long enough to see it) - 1914 will be forgotten along with 1844, 1874, 1925 and 1975.
But "the end" will still be "right around the corner".
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wha happened?
End of 1914? Not likely, but they can change it's significance. After all, even Russel was marginalized. He's not even part of the FDS now, despite all the publications he "dispensed".
They will convert it to another milestone, but not "THE Milestone".
Although we often joke about how aloof the avg JW is regarding their own literature and history, 100 years is 100 years. That's just to big a gap to leave for the GB. Get ready for Noah referances
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heathen
oddly enough , one prophesy they made has come true and probably will be the subject title of the centenial WT , They claimed it GODs will the ORG be around until the actual end of the world ... even a brooken watch is right twice a day ,,,,
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daringhart13
Don't forget, during the past 100 years........God has been watching his precious, innocent children tortured, raped, sodomized, abused and murdered................................all to give a few more folks in your territory the chance to hear the Kingdom message!
It makes sense right???
I don't see them EVER giving up on two things:
1914
Disfellowshipping
Why? Because 1914 is all they have...... at least the people that have grown up since the 1940's. Once they are dead.....MAYBE they change it
As for disfellowshipping: people have DIED due to this cult law. To do away with it suddenly would bring massive lawsuits....... they are going to hold onto that doctrine come hell or high water.........or its going to cost them $$$
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heathen
same is true about the blood dogma ,, they change it they have to admit to assisted suicide or even murder .$$$$ like what does this org. actually do with the billion dollar a year they reap in tax free?
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johnamos
11-1-02 WT
In 1914 the prophetic words of Revelation 11:15 were fulfilled:(omitted) “The kingdom of the world did become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will rule as king forever and ever.”
“And the seventh angel blew his trumpet. And loud voices occurred in heaven, saying:”
Here is the context of the trumpets being blown in Rev:
[6 And the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to blow them. 7 And the first oneblew his trumpet. 8 And the second angel blew his trumpet. 10 And the third angel blew his trumpet. 12 And the fourth angel blew his trumpet. 13 And I saw, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven say with a loud voice: “Woe,woe,woe to those dwelling on the earth because of the rest of the trumpet blasts of the three angels who are about to blow their trumpets!”1 And the fifth angel blew his trumpet. 12 The onewoe is past. Look! Two more woes are coming after these things. 13 And the sixth angel blew his trumpet. 14 The second woe is past. Look! The third woe is coming quickly. 15 And the seventh angel blewhis trumpet. And loud voices occurred in heaven, saying: “The kingdom of the world did become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will rule as king forever and ever.”]
According to the 3 woes (trumpets 5, 6, & 7), they all take place AFTER trumpets 1-4 blow, but also before the last two woes (trumpets 6&7) take place, each previous woe is said to have past first, so there is no question that the 7 th trumpet (3 rd woe) blows AFTER trumpets 1-6 have blown first.
Using the 11-1-02 WT as a reference point, taking the omitted part of the verse, which is when the 7th angel blows his trumpet (3 rd woe), the WT states this occurred in 1914.
Now consider:
11-1-93 WT The book of Revelation prophesies what happened next. After a short period of inactivity—foretold as three and a half days of lying dead in the street—the anointed remnant became alive and active again. (Revelation 11:11-13) On March 26, 1919, the president and the directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society were released, and they were later totally exonerated of the false charges against them. Immediately after their release, the anointed remnant began to reorganize for further activity. Thus, in fulfillment of the first woe (5 th trumpet)of Revelation, they came out of the abyss of inactivity like spiritual locusts accompanied by thick smoke, portending a dark future for false religion. (Revelation 9:1-11) During the next few years, they were spiritually nourished and prepared for what lay ahead. In 1921 they published a new book, TheHarpofGod, designed to help new ones and children learn basic Bible truths. (Revelation 12:6, 14) All these things happened during another landmark time period.
What happened then? Well, the Bible Students were now refreshed, free from Babylon the Great, and ready to go on the offensive. (Revelation 18:4) At a convention held in September 1922 at Cedar Point, Ohio, U.S.A., they began fearlessly to declare God’s judgments on Christendom. (Revelation 8:7-12) The stings of the locusts really began to hurt! What was more, the second woe (6 th trumpet)of Revelation began.A mass of Christian cavalry—composed initially of the anointed remnant and later swelled by the great crowd—surged through the earth. (Revelation 7:9; 9:13-19)
Now if it is true that the 7 th trumpet blew in 1914, then trumpets 1-6 had to blow before that year. If it is true that the 5 th trumpet blew in 1919 and the 6 th blew in 1922, then trumpets 1-4 had to blow before 1919 and trumpet 7 has to blow after 1922.