A little stock-taking on the JW org. 2017

by Half banana 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Half banana
    Half banana

    The governing body of JWs claim without any justification that they alone are holders of a sacred key to divine knowledge and that their history indicates appointment by the Almighty creator with the job of giving the world of their privileged information, especially on the time of the Biblical “last days.”

    Ok they use Bible illustrations to explain this with the idea that the “master” has “domestics” who are fed by them but this is always a matter in contention. They think the illustration is important but can never get a handle on who is who and when it is. But this is beside the point. The essential case is that if the GB admitted they were not specially chosen; they would have no authority, no more credibility. If they denied being chosen, it would make them just like any other religion and a deflated failure in their self appointed mandate to preach the 1914 Kingdom.

    And yet:

    The fact that the history of the Watchtower organisation is one of total prophetic failure demonstrates beyond doubt that there exists a complete absence of divine guidance.

    But sheep are not discerning; contrary to any reason they stick around with their wayward shepherd.

    So where are we? We have an organisation falsely claiming divine guidance and 8 million sheep-like subscribers to their delusion.

    Older assertions are routinely buried because they no longer are plausible such as, 1914 being the time when paradise would exist on the Earth. Or the generation which saw 1914 would be the last generation to see the “end of the system of things.” We all know the futility of Watchtower prophecies but now I think we are seeing a new direction. Prophecies don’t work, however their income depends on the big carrot of paradise so they make sure they keep the doomsday ‘top’ spinning to keep the flock hopeful.

    Perhaps the recent and uncharacteristic inclusion in the Watchtower study that “the org is not always right” and therefore it is "possible" to defy the Organisation, is a defence directed to the (correct) accusation by lawyers that the GB demand of the flock absolute compliance to their word? The lawyers fortunately are more savvy than the WT who know that what they print is not what they expect from the flock. They did a similar trick when joining the United Nations Organisation; now grovelling to them, they printed matter in Awake in favour of the formerly maligned UN as a condition for membership.

    It seems now instead of leading, the Watchtower is now committed to fighting a rear guard action. They are under attack from many quarters notably from bad publicity on the child abuse scandals for which they are reprehensible. They are placing Iron Age Bible doctrines ahead of common sense and above the secular law. Even if they proclaim otherwise, in practice they have no compassionate regard or rehabilitation for those within their congregations who have unfortunately been abused. On the business front they are ditching all but necessary expenditure on staff and property and are engaged in an unholy grasping campaign for money from any source. The educated western world (including Japan) has voted with feet to say no to Watchtower promises.

    The JW organisation is a nasty delusional, life-sapping, mind-bending, family-splitting doomsday cult which with all its billions contributes nothing positive to the sum of human happiness.

    Wake up governing body—wake up Jehovah’s Witnesses!

    I hope we will see more evidence in the near future of the GB putting on their life-jackets and looking for the lifeboats. And for those still trapped inside, what can you do: stop contributing in any way and feel more free to share your dissatisfaction with your JW friends. Introduce them to critical thinking.

  • Sanchy
    Sanchy

    Amen!

  • OnTheWayOut
    OnTheWayOut

    Watchtower establishes that their version of applying the Bible, particularly Revelation, is a fact. Those facts prove to the flock that Watchtower was appointed by God Almighty.

    The calendar continues to force Watchtower to dissect their version of applying the Bible until nothing is left of their original version that established their facts and demonstrated their appointment.

    So they stick with the thinnest of connections to their original version by references to 1914 and the undeniable fact that World War I broke out that year. Despite the fact that Watchtower never said this was what would happen in 1914, they have managed to keep that going.

    Their tie to their original version has stretched and is now just a thread. That "generation" has passed away and the new light about "overlapping" just isn't holding people. Doomsday cults need a doomsday in sight. Before they lose all their members, I see them coming out with a new Doomsday calendar that will place Armageddon far enough into the future that all the current GB members will be dead or ancient by the time it arrives.

    I think they have seriously considered 2034 (120 years since 1914 just like 120 years declared to Noah before the flood) but have not been able to do that all at once, gauging reaction to changes they bring about. They may need to buy a little more time and connect the 120 years to something past 1914. We will see.

  • Slidin Fast
    Slidin Fast

    Well said Half banana, can't wait for the other half.

    The fact that the history of the Watchtower organisation is one of total prophetic failure demonstrates beyond doubt that there exists a complete absence of divine guidance.

    And yet when asked why their faith is so strong many reply "fulfilled prophecy, who else...., blah blah blah" How does that level of self-deception work?

  • scratchme1010
    scratchme1010

    I hope we will see more evidence in the near future of the GB putting on their life-jackets and looking for the lifeboats. And for those still trapped inside, what can you do: stop contributing in any way and feel more free to share your dissatisfaction with your JW friends. Introduce them to critical thinking.

    Love your ending, but I hate to tell you that the WT is far from being a sinking ship. Again, they have a real estate business. They are thriving in it, and they aren't going anywhere.

  • zeb
  • steve2
    steve2

    Failed predictions never killed a religion.

    Adventists expected the end in 1844. Today, 7th-Day Adventists are an active, growing, thriving, highly missionary-focused religious group who report year-by-year increases in adherents. They have adapted to the times. Their ship 'ain't sunk'.

  • Anders Andersen
    Anders Andersen
    The JW organisation is a nasty delusional, life-sapping, mind-bending, family-splitting doomsday cult

    He that bears witness of these things says, ‘Yes; I am coming quickly.’”

    Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.”




  • Vanderhoven7
    Vanderhoven7

    Excellent OP

  • Half banana
    Half banana

    It’s true the SS Watchtower is not imminently sinking but it is old and needs a refit to stay afloat. Of course scrapping is an option but if a venture makes money to the tune of one $billion a year and has eight million devotees; why stop?

    One very good reason that it should be dismantled is that the JW organisation is the things I have already called it including downright wrong, misleading and harmful.

    But business is business, even if the governors, mainly for tax purposes, call it a religion. As the wise entrepreneur CT Russell knew; God’s Holy Spirit and blessing comes down in Dollar bills. The history of the WTBTS and its associated companies has only survived by being ‘blessed’ in this manner. The doctrines and mad prophecies are fluid, what the Watchtower offers is a ticket of hope for the hopeless, it’s all yours-- but it‘ll cost you! And what a price! You pay for it with your life and your soul. Don’t ask the wrong questions (you will learn what they are when you join). It is demanded of you to give your all to this organisation and it’s hard to believe it when you put into print but that does includes your conscience.

    So if the org is not dying because it is very rich what is going to happen?

    It is evolving already and we have the evidence in it changing from a publishing enterprise to becoming another TV evangelist voice. Like Bob Dylan: it has gone electric. It is using internet IT to spread its paranoid message.

    After Russell’s time when the Watchtower brand was up for grabs there were breakaway members who drew upon the Adventist roots of Russell and tried fusing a more socially aware religion along with the eschatological imminence at hand (they still exist).

    The Watchtower trustees however went along with the strict “organisation first and last” approach and forget the welfare of the punters. So if we compare the success of modern Adventists with JWs there is a good reason for the former to flourish and the latter to struggle. With JWs the subtext is “jam tomorrow” but with Adventists and Mormons for that matter, they have jam today.

    They can have not only a community of like minded believers but a financial and social safety-net with an ethos of healthy and wholesome living to boot. Livin’ the dream hey? Mormon theology is patently contrived and Adventism is the same as the JW delusion which has permanently to move the goal posts forward.

    My feeling is that JWism has had its day, the internet unlike the Watchtower, takes no hostages. If the organisation ever was, it isn’t sexy anymore; in fact its ugly side is being exposed to public glare. It will be forced to concede to modern ethical practice but this will emasculate it.

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