Elders coming...i'm shaking in my boots...NOT! Any help?

by searchfothetruth 46 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  garybuss

  
  
  Alan F, Hi . . . . RE: Appointment in 1919 . . . . Don't the JW's teach that Christ's return is a progressive return and began in 1914 and the inspection process lasted 3 1/2 years and ended in 1918 when the Judge and his associates were let out of prison?
  
  I have been reading your posts and I am not seeing why a JW would have a problem with the 1918-1919 appointment idea based on the scriptures you quoted. Please tell me what I am missing.
  
  I do see your point about the cessation of the governing body and the obvious link back to the Catholic Church, like Charles Russell wrote about in the Studies books, and how Rutherford's followers might want to avoid going there.
  
  Thanks, gary
  
  
  
  

  The Way I See it http://www.freeminds.org/buss/buss.htm
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  AlanF

  Hi Gary,

  The critical passage in Matthew 24:36-51 obviously has a continuous flow of thought. There are no obvious breaks in it. The problem is that Watchtower inserts a break in the flow:

  Verses 36-44: Fulfillment at Armageddon.

  Verses 45-47: Fulfillment in 1919

  Verses 48-51: Fulfillment at Armageddon

  Obviously the points you made have nothing to do with this flow. Interestingly, until about 30 years ago the Society taught that verses 36-44, 48-51 had a fulfillment around 1919. I remember being fascinated with the changes made in their teaching on parts of Matthew 24 at the 1993 district convention. They specifically pointed out the changes about 1919 so as to bolster their newest arguments.

  AlanF
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  ISP

  I've spoke to 'Search' earlier only one elder came in the end. And 'Search' kicked ass! i will let him fill you in with the details!

  ISP
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  garybuss

  Thanks Alan, That helps. I will read it again slower:-) Did you write any essays on this topic? url?

  This is probably another of those Tower reaches huh?

  Thanks, gary
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  AlanF

  Hi Gary,

  : Did you write any essays on this topic? url?

  No, this is the first I've actuallyposted anything about this, but have known about it as a monkey wrench in the Watchtower machine for years.

  : This is probably another of those Tower reaches huh?

  Not sure exactly what you mean here, but it's one of those things that seems to have crept up on them, given that they used to claim that all the things in the passage in question occurred around 1919. I once posed this problem to an anointed JW, and he admitted that it was a serious problem for the Society. He had no answer, and admitted that the Society didn't either. But he was confident that Jehovah would provide new light at the proper time. This was nearly nine years ago. You can see the kind of numbed mind that it takes to swallow such horsepuckey.

  AlanF
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  garybuss

  
  Hi Alan, An example of a reach is the Corporation's practice, as you have shown on this topic, of applying one verse to the future, the next verse to the past, and the next verse again applied to the future.
  
  Like the Tower's application of the great crowd on earth in spite of the verse that says I saw a great crowd in heaven. Or the ability to decide if a verse is figurative or literal in interpretation.
  
  When I was a Witness, I was expected to deny the obvious, forget the error of past "truth", accept some new mumble jumble about the typical and the atypical and the gog of magog jibberish. All of that mush is in the trash now but I still have the headache. :-)
  
  Thanks for your comments and insights. I always enjoy your posts. gary
  
  
  
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  searchfothetruth

  I've just posted a new topic with what happened at the meeting.