I received the 6/15/02 Watchtower in the mail today.
For those that do not know, 2005 is the new predicted end date for this "system of things."
Reference:
http://quotes.jehovahswitnesses.com/2005.htm
*** Watchtower 1997 September 15 pp.10-15 Will You Be Faithful Like Elijah? ***For those that thought the failed prophecies for 1840, 1872, 1874,
10 Who, then, was this coming Elijah? His identity was revealed when Jesus Christ said: "From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of the heavens is the goal toward which men press, and those pressing forward are seizing it. For all, the Prophets and the Law, prophesied until John; and if you want to accept it, He himself is 'Elijah who is destined to come.'" Yes, John the Baptizer was the foretold counterpart of Elijah. (Matthew 11:12-14; Mark 9:11-13) An angel had told John's father, Zechariah, that John would have "Elijah's spirit and power" and would "get ready for Jehovah a prepared people." (Luke 1:17) The baptism John performed was a public symbol of an individual's repentance over his sins against the Law, which was to lead the Jews to Christ. (Luke 3:3-6; Galatians 3:24) John's work thus 'got a prepared people ready for Jehovah.'
11 The work of John the Baptizer as "Elijah" showed that a "day of Jehovah" was near. The nearness of that day when God would act against his enemies and preserve his people was also indicated by the apostle Peter. He pointed out that the miraculous events that took place at Pentecost of 33 C.E. were a fulfillment of Joel's prophecy about the outpouring of God's spirit. Peter showed that this was to happen before "the great and illustrious day of Jehovah." (Acts 2:16-21; Joel 2:28-32) It was in 70 C.E. that Jehovah fulfilled his Word by causing the Roman armies to execute divine judgment upon the nation that rejected his Son.-Daniel 9:24-27; John 19:15.12 However, there was more to come after 70 C.E. The apostle Paul associated a coming "day of Jehovah" with the presence of Jesus Christ. Moreover, the apostle Peter spoke of that day in connection with the yet future "new heavens and a new earth." (2 Thessalonians 2:1, 2; 2 Peter 3:10-13) Bear in mind that John the Baptizer did an Elijahlike work before the "day of Jehovah" came in 70 C.E. All of this taken together indicated that something further would take place as represented by the work that Elijah had done. What is that?
[...]
Be Faithful Like Elijah
21 With zeal like that of Elijah, the small remnant of genuine anointed Christians have discharged their responsibility of caring for the earthly interests of the enthroned King, Jesus Christ. (Matthew 24:47) And for over 60 years now, God has been using these anointed ones to spearhead the work of making disciples of people to whom he has given the wonderful hope of life eternal on a paradise earth. (Matthew 28:19, 20) How grateful these millions can be that the relatively few remaining anointed ones are zealously and faithfully caring for their responsibilities!
22 This Kingdom-preaching work has been accomplished by imperfect humans and only in the strength that Jehovah gives those who prayerfully rely on him. "Elijah was a man with feelings like ours," said the disciple James when citing the prophet's example of praying in order to show the force of a righteous man's prayer. (James 5:16-18) Elijah was not always prophesying or performing miracles. He had the same human feelings and weaknesses that we do, but he served God faithfully. Since we too have God's help and he strengthens us, we can be faithful like Elijah.
23 We have good reason for faithfulness and optimism. Remember that John the Baptizer did an Elijahlike work before the "day of Jehovah" struck in 70 C.E. With Elijah's spirit and power, anointed Christians have done a similar God-given work throughout the earth. This clearly proves that the great "day of Jehovah" is near.*** Watchtower 1997 October 1 p.23 Grateful for a Long Life in Jehovah's Service ***
Confident in Kingdom HopeIn 1935 we came to understand that the "great crowd" was not a secondary heavenly class. We learned that it instead represents a class that survives the great tribulation and has the opportunity of living forever in Paradise on earth. (Revelation 7:9-14) With this new understanding, some who had partaken of the Memorial emblems realized that theirs was an earthly hope, and they discontinued partaking.
1878, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1975 would be enough to make the Writing Department for the WTBTS hesitate predicting impending doom.. proceed.
Check out the very cover of the Watchtower magazine. In big, bold letters it is entitled:
Mankind's Problems Soon to End!Reading on into the article it has a subheading on the first page entitled:[Complete with exclamation mark and a capitalized Soon and End]
"A New World Within a Single Generation"Of interesting note is the last paragraph on page 3, which states:
Can we realistically expect to see the hoped-for "new world within a single generation"? While current humanitarian efforts are truly commendable, surely it makes sense to consider another prospect for a just and peaceful new world. The Bible points to that prospect, as the next article will consider.So in the context of the English used, combined with the next article entitled:[Bold to highlight relevant points]
Mankind's Problems Soon to End!which contains this interesting tidbit:
WT 6/15/2002 pg 6So my friends, the Gloom and Doom tactics continue. Keeping the Rank & File in a frenzy is the only way they can resolve slacking numbers.His appointed time for direct action to rid the earth of all oppression and injustice lies in the near future.
WT 6/15/2002 pg 7
Soon, on a cleansed paradise earth, they will experience complete freedom from all injustice and suffering.WT 6/15/2002 pg 7
Yet, the most stunning step will be the imminent intervention by Christ Jesus and his associate rulers in the heavenly Kingdom government. They will address completely all the root causes of conflict and all the other evils that beset us. They will bring an end to all of mankind's problems.
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Also of note, while reading one of the Watchtower study articles in the same magazine, I noticed another example of glaring hypocrisy.
It was mentioned briefly before in a different post, but I wished to address it.
WT 6/15/2002 pg 15 paragraph 16During your study, avoid the approach of many so-called Bible scholars. They focus excessively on analyzing texts as if the Bible were of human origin. Some of them try to fix a distinct audience for each book or to conjure up an objective and supposed viewpoint that a human author of each book had in mind.WT 6/15/2002 pg 15 paragraph 17
Are the scholar's conclusions even valid?
So as you can see, the WTBTS goes out of it's way to discredit any Bible scholars NOT affiliated with the WTBTS Writing Department.
If you return to paragraph 15 of the same study article.. youll find:
WT 6/15/2002 paragraph 15Some who have already met the goal of reading the whole Bible take the other steps to make their ongoing study increasingly productive and rewarding. One way is to include selected study material prior to reading each successive Bible book. In "All Scripture is Inspired of God and Beneficial" and "Insight on the Scriptures", one can find excellent information about the historical setting, style, and potential benefits of each Bible book.
Is this not blatant hypocrisy and a biased viewpoint? How frigging blind do you have to be not to see that? They discredit EVERY other Bible scholar and in the very previous paragraph suggest using their literature as Bible supplements, as if they are the only authority on Bible scholar information.
So let me get this straight:
WT 6/15/2002 pg 15 paragraph 16During your study, avoid the approach of many so-called Bible scholars. They focus excessively on analyzing texts as if the Bible were of human origin. Some of them try to fix a distinct audience for each book or to conjure up an objective and supposed viewpoint that a human author of each book had in mind.ANDWT 6/15/2002 pg 15 paragraph 17
Are the scholar's conclusions even valid?
then..
WT 6/15/2002 paragraph 15Some who have already met the goal of reading the whole Bible take the other steps to make their ongoing study increasingly productive and rewarding. One way is to include selected study material prior to reading each successive Bible book. In "All Scripture is Inspired of God and Beneficial" and "Insight on the Scriptures", one can find excellent information about the historical setting, style, and potential benefits of each Bible book.
I was sick to my stomach after reading this.. knowing my mother, sister, and brother still believe their BS.
Anyone else's thoughts on this?
It is not religious persecution for an informed person to expose publicly a certain religion as being false, thus allowing persons to see the difference between false religion and true religion.
WT 11/15/1963 page 688 paragraph 3