JW Beliefs of Yesteryear

Double Edge

In JanH's brillant post today: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=31893&site=3

he mentioned that the JW's use to believe in the rapture of the saints, a belief commonly held by some mainstream Christian sects. I started to wonder "why and when did they change that belief" and "What other beliefs WERE held by JW's that were held by other Christians, but have now completely changed?" (Remember, I've never been a JW, so I only know a few that I've gleaned reading this board)... Anyone care to clue me in?

Gopher

Until some point in the Rutherfordian 1920's, Christmas and birthday celebrations were approved by the then "International Bible Students".

ItsJustlittleoldme

Interestingly enough, I've never been a JW either, but if the JW's still believed what they believed back before Rutherford's time (Minus the pyramidology crap) I probably would have joined!!! It sounded like they were sincere people reading the bible... Obviously, they've come a long way baby, lotta steps backwards from their roots!!! The light is getting darker and darker all the time!!!

Kenneson

The Cross became a torture stake.

Mary

Actually, I think C.T. Russell was a bit more open-minded than Rutherford.........Russell taught that the Jews would one day return to Palestine, they used to be able to celebrate Christmas and Birthdays, In Russell's day, everyone good went to heaven, and here's a funny one: Charles Russell taught in one of his Studies in the Scriptures that according to Daniel 12:4

".......make secret the words and seal up the book until the time of the end. Many will rove about, and knowledge will become abundant."

was a prophecy about technology increasing greatly to the point where we might even be able to travel up to 50 miles per hour! While we've obviously gone far beyond that, I think it was quite interesting that he came up with that before technology really took off........of course, someone, probably Freddie Franz, added the word "true" before the word "knowledge", so that they could once again, apply it in a "spiritual" sense to themselves.

I don't think in Russell's day you had to count time, or nobody bugged you if you missed meetings.........they still had bizarre teachings, but it wasn't nearly as ridged and dismal as it is now..............

Mary

Oh one more thing I forgot............back then everyone in the congregation got to VOTE for who they wanted as elders, which was far more democratic than the Nazi-like method they have of doing it today.

Now, of course, they try and say that each elder is "appointed by the Holy Spirit" (ya, right) but it's generally whoever is the biggest ass-kisser gets to be an elder nowaday.............

Double Edge

Thanks Mary...very interesting.

Kenneson: The Cross became a torture stake.

My JW friend use to always bring that up, which is easily debated, but in reality they make a big deal about nothing. Why are they so opposed to the cross?

Bang

It's great that they don't have the cross. They don't want it. The torture stake is the appropriate symbol for them to use.

Are they open armed? Do they say that their labour (hands) are above all else? Have they not tortured the natural Christ? Does their doctrine extend much wider than their own "stake"?

"that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge"

Bang

Edited by - Bang on 12 July 2002 1:10:57

JW Beliefs of Yesteryear

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