by Terry 37 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
They have no qualms about re-writing their history, distorting the facts
The disinformation mindset is not only unethical it demonstrates consciousness of wrongful acts!
That makes them feckless moral authoratarians with counterfeit credentials for leading any Christian religion.
Fernando: There is no honourable way to leave once baptised
It is a Venus Fly trap religion, isn't it? Good point!
In fact the entire concept of Conscience™ where JWs are concerned revolves around whatever happens to be the WTS's doctrine du jour.
I absolutely agree with that assessment! The WT religion is a destroyer of conscience because your OWN inner consciousness is in COMPETITION
with what "Mother" says is right conduct! The ideal JW is a giant rubber stamp with legs!
The conscience thing goes beyond what 'mother' says - if you like the color green, and wear it, but it 'offends' someone else's conscience, then you have to abandon wearing the color green. (Note: the example is made up, to give you the idea.)
One is/was always having to avoid 'stumbling' someone else, just because they are too sensitive, or whatever, and it could be over something as simple as wearing the color green. Utter BS.
I think under the political/social climate of the united states, the best thing to do is stick with your main topic. Since 9/11 there has be a resurgence in support for the United States military. The anti-military message of Jehovah's Witnesses is not well know by the public.
In addition, I remember back in the mid-1990's when the Watchtower Society changed its stance and said the accepting alternative service to compelled military service was alright. Think of all the young brothers like yourself who needlessly spent time in prison due to the flip-flopping philosphies of the WB&TS. It sickens to me.
The big regret in my life is that I did not serve in the military was I was younger. I wasted my youth pioneering and postponed my college education as well as my law enforcement career.
Terry... I would love to know a little more background about John Aquila Brown... After all, isn't he the guy that started all the dooms-day nonsense in the 19th century after writing "The Even Tide" in 1823 ?? .. Also, he came up with the 2,520-yr Gentile Times calculation that the Watchtower is claiming exclusive rights to... just saying...
Terry... I would love to know a little more background about John Aquila Brown... After all, isn't he the guy that started all the dooms-day nonsense in the 19th century after writing "The Even Tide" in 1823 ?? ..
The AQUILA BROWN BOOK CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE: http://www.a2z.org/wtarchive/docs/1823_Even-Tide_Gentile_Times.pdf
I thought the list of forerunners in End Times manipulations would be a short list. I was wrong.
To write about it I had to leave out hundreds of names and religious sectarian links in the chain.
From about the time of the Great Awakening by the Scot Presbyterians in Europe every bible believer who had any stripe of fundamentalism in them
abandoned rational thinking and common sense chasing after charts and dates the way another person might solve Crossword puzzles.
This is just a fragment of a much larger possible list:
1704
Sir Isaac Newton sets out his comments on scripture and the apocalypse. He predicts the end no earlier than 2030 A.D. only to stop others from predicting earlier dates.
1730-1770
The Great Awakening in England, Scotland, Germany and eventually, America was Anti-Enlightnement in sermons and books written by fundamentalists and Evangelists. Christians were to turn away from rational, scientific logic and go with their feelings. The thrust of this movement in America was started by Scots Presbytherians in Pennsylvania. The home of C.T.Russell. This movement next caught fire with the Congregationalists and spread to Puritans and others. The movement divided into two groups called "OLD LIGHTS" and "NEW LIGHTS."
1790
Roman Jesuit priest named Emmanuel de Lacunza (1731 - 1801) completed the three volumes of his major work, "The Coming of the Messiah in Glory and Majesty" . This work served as an influence on William Miller in his studies. He posited a "secret" return of Christ.
1822
William Miller (February 15, 1782 – December 20, 1849), Baptist lay preacher and war hero sets forth a twenty-point document, including article 15: "I believe that the second coming of Jesus Christ is near, even at the door, even within twenty-one years,--on or before 1843."
1840
Critique of Miller's Work by Baptist minister John Dowling, published as
"The False Prophet Confouded" Chapter 4 refutes Miller’s 2,520 year chronology as a “stretch of ingenuity.” He criticizes Miller’s 677 BC date as “calculating backward” to make the chronology work.
Dowling then suggests 606 BC beginning date for a 2,520 year period:
"It would have answered his purpose, doubtless, much better had this subtraction happened to have brought out the number 606 BC, the date of the commencement of the 70 years captivity of the Israelites in Babylon; but figures will not bend, and therefore, for want of a better, this date of Manasseh's being taken prisoner is adopted, though it was the mere captivity of an individual king, and not of the Jewish people, as the Babylonish captivity was, 71 years after."
1843
Newspaper publisher, Horace Greeley, editor of the New-York Tribune, published an “extra” edition of his newspaper on March 2, 1843, to refute Miller’s calculations and try to quell the Millerite frenzy.
1844
E.B.Elliott, Jesuit scholar writes, HORAE APOCALYPTICAE, chronology predictions for the coming of Christ. 2,500 pages long. His book is viewed as the master work by end times chronology dabblers. He pushes the date 1865 or, as an extreme, 1914.
1874
Nelson Barbour came to believe that Christ had returned in 1874, but invisibly. This echoed the ideas of Lacunza in 1790. In Herald of the Morning, July P.28.magazine he explained:
"...there is, and must be a period of time called, "the days of tie Son of man;" in which, although He is here, the world will be ignorant of his presence. "
the "times of the Gentiles," viz. their seven prophetic, times, of 2520, or twice 1260 years, which began where God gave all, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, 606 B.C.; do not end until A.D. 1914; or 40 years from this; following E.B.Elliott's cue as well as John Dowling.
Or...From a website I just found:
Terry, you have a PM.
