IS YOUR TEACHING UP-TO-DATE? - (WT Study Article for June 3-9, 2013) (page 2)

Ucantnome

The February 15th 1994 was the Watchtower that ended it for me.

Ucantnome

For me it told me we weren't in Christ 2nd presence.

I thought they taught we were...you know, 1914 and all that...I came in in the late 90s. Bleh, it doesn't matter really because it's all tripe. It is positive to note, however, that these radical changes are waking people up. We will see more people leaving in the years following this infamous July WT.

Phizzy

If they do not leave after the July mag stuff has sunk in, then they will never leave.

I do not expect a huge number to go, after all they already swallowed the overlapping generation rubbish, so this stuff is no problem to mind-controlled JW's.

The odd one or two who still think a bit for themselves will go, the pain of trying to continue to believe in what is patently nonsense will become too much.

I think a large number know it is all Bull**** , but stay in because all their family and "friends" are in, they will continue to stay for those reasons, whatever is spewed and farted out by the GB/Writing Dept.

Ucantnome

yes they do teach that.

this is why it meant something to me.

When I was about 8/9 I was witnessing to the kid who sat in front of me at school and I told him about the sign. I came home at lunch time as normal and got the bible out to read Matthew 24. I was so disappointed. The sign didn't get mentioned to verse 30 or 31. Then this then that then the sign. I couldn't figure it out. So I got the Watchtower out. Must have been the 1966 February I think. It explained that the sign was the Son of Man recieving the Kingdom spoken of in Daniel the Son of Man being the Messianic figure. This was in 1914 seen with the eyes of understanding what we saw was the composite sign wars famines ect. Devil cast down having great anger. etc. or something.

The kid was never going to understand this was he. I barely did. Anyway roll 1994 and the Watchtower on "then"

I was 8 or 9 what took them so long and the in my view you can't have the 2nd coming without the Sign of verse 30. At best I could no longer preach that we were in his presence.

I talked with some of our friends that brought the elders to the door and a argument.

The reason why it was Jesus recieving his kingdom really is that it ties in Isaiah 11. and him standing as a signal/sign

St George of England

Of course that 2010 WT only told half the story. It explained the generation change from "the wicked" to "the overlappers". What it didn't say was that the idea of the generation refering to "the wicked" was taught only from 1995.

Prior to that date it was taught that the generation that saw 1914 would see the end. By 1995 it was clear that this prophesy had failed and so was dropped. Needless to say that little point never came up in the WT study.

George

besty

The first thing that struck me was the opening sentence torturing the grammar:

"We want to stay up to date with the understanding of Bible truth so that we can share accurate knowledge with others"

I dont like this structure, but plain English could have been:

"We want to stay up to date with our understanding of Bible truth so that we can share accurate knowledge with others"

But the WTS don't want you to have your understanding, they want you to have theirs - hence the "the"

What they really mean you to take away is:

"We want you to stay up to date with our interpretation of Bible truth so that you can share WTS accurate knowledge with others"

Splash

What is especially funny about this, is the '95 'Sheep and Goats' watchtower used as a reference for what is up-to-date, is actually out of date!!

*** w95 10/15 p. 23 par. 26 How Will You Stand Before the Judgment Seat? ***

Understanding the parable of the sheep and the goats in this way indicates that the rendering of judgment on the sheep and the goats is future. It will take place after “the tribulation

*** w13 7/15 p. 6 par. 13 Tell Us, When Will These Things Be? ***

So, then, what can we conclude? Jesus will judge people of all nations as sheep or goats when he comes during the great tribulation.

The teachings change so often, even they can't keep up when they are trying to!

Splash

Oubliette

Wow, nice to see so much participation! Thanks everyone for the great comments and observations.

Here are a few specific replies:

man oh man: And I also noticed that Paul brought him and others up to speed with just a couple of sentences.

Brilliant observation! No long, convoluted, confusing rhetoric needed. Thanks for sharing.

Scott77: Ways to go. You have nailed them down. I noticed the Watchtower is quoting itself [past Watcthwower publications] as a source of reference.

Good point. That was always one of the things that bothered me the constantly self-referential means of "proving" WT teachings. I often wondered, "Why doesn't the WT ever have any impartial, objective means to confirm their teachings?"

Of course that would counter any claims they have of exclusive possession of the truth. But that didnt' occur to me until later.

Even when they do quote outside sources, they rarely give adequate information to do any fact checking. How many times is there a statement with no attribution other than "a Bible scholar said ..." WT writers would fail Plagiarism 101 with every issue!

Phizzy, exactly, once a JW with any thinking skills starts doing some independent fact-checking it's "Game Over" for WT "theology." It just doesn't stand up to any serious scrutiny.

OUTLAW, funny and irreverent as always!

Satanus, I don't know anything about alien larvae, but if it evolves at the same rate that WT teachings change, the universe must be swimming in aliens!

FadeToBlack, thanks for the compliment. I work hard at my writing skills. I have come to conclude that the writers of the WT are very much aware of what they do and how they do it. Their manipulative use of language is to skillful to be anything other than deliberate.

I have started a project to analyze the many Logical Fallacies in WT Publications. Perhaps you'd like to read and contribute to that thread.

Recognizing logical fallacies takes training and critical thinking skills that generally are not taught until university. This is why the WT leadership does not want JWs attending college. When they do, they often wake up and say, "WTF!?!"

Julia Orwell, so true. The new ones can't check these older issues and the older ones generally won't, they have too much emotionally invested to risk finding out they've wasted their life hitching their wagon to a cult.

Still, some--like us--wake up and get the heck out! Glad you're with us.

Ucantnome, it woke a few up in my congregation back in the day, but I wasn't ready yet. It took me about 8 more years. It was when I found out about the UN/NGO scandal that I started really re-examining WT teachings. When you're ready, it does't take long to figure out what a scam it all is.

St George of England, that's a really good point about all the other previous "Generation" teachings the WT has trotted out and subsequently put-out-to-pasture over the last century. There's a great analysis of this on the jwfacts website:

Changes to the Generation Teaching - The Watchtower has promoted six different and contradictory explanations of what this generation refers to.

besty, that's a good point about the grammar. See what I wrote to FadeToBlack above. The frequently deceptive and manipulative use of language on the part of WT writers has created a pattern which is to me conclusive proof of their deliberate and knowing intent.

To your analysis I'd add:

"We want to stay up to date with the understanding of Bible truth ..."

Why does it even say "the understanding of" Bible truth? Why not just say, " "We want to stay up to date with Bible truth ..."?

The answer is obvious. It is WT "understanding" which is their stock in trade. They can't make exclusive claims at possessing truth if they don't have anything special or unique. And, since what they publish as "understanding" doesn't hold up to reality, they have to keep changing it to fool the masses.

Splash, actually the '95 WT isn't made "out-of-date" by the July 2013 WT. You didn't quote the entire sentence:

26 Understanding the parable of the sheep and the goats in this way indicates that the rendering of judgment on the sheep and the goats is future. It will take place after “the tribulation” mentioned at Matthew 24:29, 30 breaks out and the Son of man ‘arrives in his glory.’ - [Emphasis added]

This is consistent with "during the great tribulation" as worded in the July '13 WT. It's still nonsense, but at least these two articles are not in contradiction.

IS YOUR TEACHING UP-TO-DATE? - (WT Study Article for June 3-9, 2013)

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