What slimboyfat and Room 215 said.
At what point in the story did WT get it wrong, went off at a tangent?
by prologos 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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MrFreeze
It is funny that when it comes to birthdays and holidays they want you to look at the origin. They use the example in the Babble Teach book that if you found a piece of candy in the gutter, you wouldn't clean it off and eat it. Yet, for some reason, we aren't allowed to look at the origin of the WT.
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Designer Stubble
As an Atheist now, I would have to say they were never right. But as let's say a community trying to make the most out of life - togetherness, Christlike, Fruits of the spirit - I would say there are two points were they really went off track.
The first was the hostile takeover by Rutherford - when it became a faith focussed on WORKS.
Second was the witch-hunt in the late 70's early 80's - when the few persons in for the right reasons were cast out and a loveless pharisee organization left.
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Band on the Run
The more I read and talk with Jewish friends, I don't think people ever believed in literal talking snakes. We tend to think ancient people were so stupid. I never mastered Latin or Greek so I read ancient plays and poems in English translation. They were very sophisticated. In fact, we are the stupid people. I think the Bible stories are a device to teach larger moral lessons. Perhaps some isolated peasants believed it lterally.
When the early fragments of Genesis developed, most Iraelites were worshipping pagan gods. Asherah was more impt than YHWH. Israel shows no evidence of Kings David or Solomon. Yet Israel, every little part and across classes, is littered with pagan god statues.
Russell was always wrong and bizarre. His teachings were strange in his own day. The people he drews from, Miller and the Adventists, were not in the mainstream of thought. I've read portions of this pre-WT teachings to get a flavor for it. I am so embarassed I sink further into the chair. B/c of my Establishment Clause work, I am interested in the development of religion in America. Historians and sociologists debate American religious thought. Many new religions formed around the time of Russell's forming a group. They are not part of mainstream Christianity. Scholars cannot believe how many Americans were attracted to fringe teachings.
There no born-in JWs when Russell started his work. People left respectable churches with great traditions. They say it can only happen in America. Sometihng in the American character harbors these strange groups. Every country has its zany religious nuts. Americans give them a large following which is perplexing. It goes back to colonial days and even sometimes to Britain. Russell was not novel. When the Roman Church ruled Northern Europe, some freaky groups emerged at great peril.
It is not my main area of focus. I can't recall details. Also, I just grab books off shelves so I don't know the veracity of the author.
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Finkelstein
When the original people who started up the WTS. such as C T Russell, began openly commercializing their acquired amateurish bible
interpretations and theology. Unfortunately Russell built up a wealthy publishing house from his endeavors (WTS.) and a lawyer who
he had used on other business and legal work grab a hold of this publishing organization for himself.
The rest is as they say is History.
If the Watchtower Corporation was left bankrupt and in debt, Rutherford wouldn't have pursued grasping a hold of the WTS.
as he did and the Jehovah's Witnesses known today would have never have came to be or have existed.
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*lost*
Refried truth
Band i think RCChurch ruled all of europe.
You may find it interesting to read some of the books that are on amazon about truth's relating to RCChurch, origins etc.
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punkofnice
Given that the bible is just a great work of fictitious litrature..........nothing based on it is right.
..........might as well be a Jedi!
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*lost*
1980's interesting.
I've just aquired a book
The Hidden dangers of the Rainbow - the New Age Movement and the coming age of Barbarism.
By Constance Cumbey, a Christian Attorney from Detroit Michigan, the study of of the New Age Movement had been a near obsession of hers for
about a year before something she says happened on a world-wide scale.
April 25th 1982
Full page display ads in Newspapers, in more than 20 major cities around the world.
approx $500,000 ad campaign.
Wonder if there is any connection with WT.
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Oubliette
From the very first word of the very first issue of the Watchtower, July 1, 1879 !
It's only gotten worse since then.
The Watchtower: Getting it wrong for 134 years!
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humbled
The "right "moment was when Russell allowed himself his first question about religion.
Now aren't we glad the WTS has all the answers and no one else gets to has to ask any more questions.
AND I know now for sure that it never ever gets things wrong--even when it gets things wrong!
