Everyone here seems to know a lot about JW history, but when I ask my friend (who was a convert) they don't seem to know too much. Do they teach a church history class on Sundays or during the week? (just curious...seems funny that my friend would convert from Catholicism without knowing too much of the history)
Do JW's teach anything about their history?
by Double Edge 21 Replies latest jw friends
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Big Tex
It's a bit like trying to read Pravda to find out about the origins of Bolshevism. The history changes depending on who's in power and who is in good favour. There was a book about the history of the JW printed back in 1973 or 1974 that is rarely ever discussed now. I think the current "historical" book is called "Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom" and it was printed in 1993. It is a careful retelling of history that ignores huge chunks of what really happened, some crazy schemes and prophecies by Russell and Rutherford and generally gives a Disneyesque version of Jehovah's Witnesses. It looks and sounds nice, but it's all really just a whitewashed grave.
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refiners fire
Im more of an old timer and the main history book ive got is "Jehovahs Witnesses in the Divine Purpose" published in 1959.
Theres some good stuff in it for historyphiles. eg. Right at the back there is a chart with yearly growth reports of the organization. Its an impressive looking chart showing constant and ever escalating growth. The first year mentioned is 1928. Then the chart jumps to 1938, then from 1938 every year is listed. Historyphiles will know why the years 1879 thru 1927 are missing.
Edited by - refiners fire on 13 September 2002 21:20:29
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DanTheMan
*chuckle*
They have a *snort* publication that they call *giggle* the Proclaimers book, it is *laughing* a candid, objective *tears streaming* history of the *rolling on floor* Watchtower organization.
Edited by - dantheman on 13 September 2002 21:41:15
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Dia
What I recall from my youth is just being told that there was a straight line that went right from Moses and all those guys in the Old Testament, through Jesus and the apostles and Paul and could somehow be traced, if someone knew the exact history, which someone surely did, to those proclaiming the truth, right through to the JWs and their 'calling', just like all those before them, now in these last days.
But yes, there was a 'ghost' history and a belief that we were just another part of a very long line of the 'right' people, the 'true' Christians. Everyone who ever came into any kind of contact with us had an opportunity to become part of that line, if they could just see 'the truth' and respond to Jehovah's voice, through us.
The actual history? No, no one knew much at all about it except that we had some vague familiarity with the names Russel and Rutherford and some of those old books. But we clearly NEVER believed that our religion began with them. Our religion was ALWAYS there; it is WE who are spoken about in the scriptures.
But I'm also sure everyone knew someone who knew someone who knew someone who had researched Jehovah's Witnesses thoroughly and completely and who, with Jehovah's blessing really knew EVERYTHING about the Organization.
So we wouldn't dare question that. After all, none of the people above us would, and weren't they more knowledgeable, more Godly, more everything than us?.
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RandomTask
Historyphiles will know why the years 1879 thru 1927 are missing.
Im a history buff, I don't know. Tell me!
Its only a guess, but did they not take records back then because they weren't concerned with such things back then?
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wednesday
Refiners Fire,
Glad somone else remembers that book- . We were never encourged to read it much though. I was always told the old stuff "will just confuse u". The only stories i have heard about russell and rutherford-well they werer highly cleaned up . On of them ) is supposed to have had a problem wife nad she left him and was trying to start her own group. What i remember th jw saying is she was difficult and they were separated a lot. anyone know anything else?
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freedom96
I always wondered growing up, is what happened to all the people that were not witnesses between when the bible ended and the Watchtower started. Were they all damnd forever because they didn't go to 5 meetings a week and do personal study, and go out in service 1 or 2 times a week?
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johnny cip
no the wt does not teach their true history . they will give you a line here and a line there ...read this awake 3-8-2001 it says beware of people who write their own history books.. this awake shows that the wt thinks the jw,s are fools.for believing what they say about their own history... the wt always prints stuff that mock the stupidy fof the jw's . i think the writing dept gets a laugh out how stupid jw's are .....the wt always says look at every one else but never at us.....john
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RandomTask
Exactly freedom, how come Johnny (true) Christian 14th century didn't have to turn in his time and he even gets to go to Heaven!!!
Just no fair, Jehober!