I recently posted a thread about my wifes congregation being told during the C.O.s talk that they must increase their contribution to Society funds. My wife then decided to explain to people about the donation arrangement for the magazines.
She has now been told by the P.O. to cease and desist talking about the donation arrangement as it may appear that they are soliciting contributions, even though under the Charity Laws in the U.K. this could not be classed as an offence.
The reasons?
- We are too close to the time of the end so there is not the need for money.
- As foretold in the Bible the "truth" and Jehovahs people are under tremendous persecution in many lands thus we do not want to antagonise our position by asking for donations.
- We can now see that our original belief about the King of the North has completed a full circle and has returned to the area of Babylon. This is an absolute sign that we are now VERY close to the end.
This is far different to the actions of both the Bible Students and the Witnesses in similar situations in the past. Their history shows that they do not believe in their own interpretation of prophesy.
In 1914 the Bible Students believed that they would be swept up to heaven in October of that year. However this did not prevent them from expanding their Business Empire of that time even though it was quite small then. The U.K. Charity Commission web site states regarding the International Bible Students Association:
MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION. DATE OF INCORPORATION: 30TH JUNE 1914
So just four months before being swept up to heaven they were still wheeling and dealing. (see the latest income figures for the International Bible Students Association!)
Very recently the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York made application to alter/build a new complex. In this application (or associated appeal) they claimed that this development was part of a ten year expansion project.
So how close do the actually believe we are?
Surprising as it may seem, my wife does not distribute magazines in many lands so I asked which lands were being referred to. I was told that this was in the Middle East, former Communist Countries, China and some European countries.
It transpires that the Witnesses have not been singled out for special persecution in any of these areas but for one obvious reason or another Christianity in general or any variations of local beliefs are frowned upon. This affects the door to door work of Mormons just as much as Witnesses.
So what exactly was foretold?
What this has to do with donations I cannot see. However I am open to correction on my next point: I cannot find any record in any of the writings of CT Russell or the Bible Students or the Jehovahs Witnesses that give Babylon /Persia/ Iran as the King of the North.
So what has gone a full circle?
Is it just me or do you also think that these people are living in Fantasy Land?
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