I think my Sunday speaker is awake

by Yondaime 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Yondaime

  Hi guys and gals,

  Its been a long time since I've posted here, I've been caught up with school and work so I've never had the time to post on the forum, but I've still been reading through some articles on here. Now that Finals are over I have some time to breath. But something happened last Sunday that I absolutely have to talk about. So here goes.

  On Sunday a speaker from a congregation not far came to do the public talk.

  This guy is a bethelite.

  Basically he starts off the talk explaining how the WBTS came into existence. He went on to explain how Russell was first a minister in Pennsylvania, and eventually moved to Brooklyn in order to spread his sermon at a much higher frequency through a news paper article called the Watchtower.

  He goes on to explain how the bible students were formed, etc...

  Then he admitted on stage that Russell believed the Armageddon would come in 1914, and that he got it wrong. Armageddon didn't come. He then went on to explain how many of the bible students left the faith, and went on to form their own religions.

  After he explained the Russell predicted Armageddon and that he got it wrong, I was stunned. I almost had a panic attack. I looked to my right to see the expression on my parent's faces; they had their normal expressions like nothing was wrong. I couldn't believe what was happening.

  He continued with his talk and from the beginning to around 24 minutes in, he didn't read a single bible verse. He also talked about Rutherford's personality, and how he was a mean guy; along with all the differences and conflicts he had with Russell. He then brought a very old publication from the early 1900s with a quote from Rutherford criticizing patriotism, and explained how the government didn't like what he said and imprisoned him for 9 months.

  At the end of his talk he encouraged all the young people in our hall to volunteer in bethel service, and to do more research on and cherish our (the organization's) "beautiful heritage". He then walked off the stage.

  He didn't read a single bible verse during the entire talk. And he openly admitted the Jehovah's Witnesses predicted Armageddon.

  I don't know what to think of this, but that man sowed many seeds of doubt that day.
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  ttdtt

  I don't think that 1914 is a secret man:)

  So this was a special Bethel service talk - or the regular public talk?
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  Yondaime

  @ttdtt

  it was a regular public talk.

  I wasn't so about what he said, but the way he said it. lol
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  berrygerry

  it was a regular public talk.

  That is not a regular public talk.
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  RichardHaley

  Not an existing outline for Sunday public talk for sure!
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  steve2

  Sounds unusual that he should speak so directly about 1914 without explaining how the light gets brighter.

  BTW, according to your outline, the speaker "brought a very old publication from the early 1900s with a quote from Rutherford criticizing patriotism". Rutherford did not write books until the 1920s - even the infamous book "The Finished Mystery", published in 191,7 did not carry Rutherford's authorship.
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  ttdtt

  There is NO outline even close to that topic.

  Did they announce a talk title?
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  dugout

  you mean to tell me he didn't say anything about field service,the new world,paridise, the resurrection, meeting attendence? Yea!!!! hes gone
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  DesirousOfChange

  That's all in the Proclaimers Book.

  But active JWs never read the WT publications. Only "apostate" JWs read the publications.

  Doc
  
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  Juan Viejo2

  I agree with berrygerry. All public talks and all service talks are heavily scripted and none go into the history of the Watchtower or any of its early leaders and personalities.

  Either this Bethelite was invited (much to their regret) to speak to the congregation by the elders, or he simply went off the reservation - much to the horror of the elders.

  I have heard of this happening on a few rare occasions. A former elder, CO, DO or Bethelite who has awakened, decides to use his next speaking assignment to just let go and tell his story or expose the WT. These situations, while very rare and not usually reported, do happen from time to time. As long as the speech is given in a calm manner and is not completely over the top (as was the one reported by Yondaime), the elders will lay low while the talk is going on and won't take any actions until after the meeting is over.

  Perhaps at the next meeting one of the elders will mention the talk briefly and indicate that Brother So N So was having a bad night or was not feeling well, so some of what he said might not agree with current teachings and everyone should just move on and concentrate on current publications. 

  Elders will usually do whatever they can to discourage any further communication or discussion about the event or the subject. They will figure (correctly, it seems) that most of the audience will not really have been paying attention or will have taken special note of what the brother actually said. The few that might come to the elders to ask questions can be easily brushed off and told to just forget about what happened and what they heard. To do otherwise would show "disobedience to Jehovah and His organization."
  

  This will very likely happen more often in the future. The Watchtower knows this. That is why they have extra elders near the stage and a brother who reads the scripted talks as they are given. Speakers who go off the script - even a little bit - will be counseled not to let that happen again, especially during a convention - unless they are one of the Governing Body members (who seem to go over the hill every so often - just because they can).

  There have been there have been rare reports of speakers actually being hustled off the stage and escorted out of the Kingdom Hall when something like this happens. Occasionally, someone who has learned TTATT will just stand up while sitting in the audience and start shouting out about the Watchtower's lies and failures (a la Derek OHare in GB). The meeting is put on a brief hold while a few brothers simply remove the person from the auditorium and take them outside.

  Elders and ministerial servants are informed about how to handle disturbances and out-of-control guest speakers. More often than not, they will have to face a drunk or drugged person who wandered into the Kingdom Hall rather than a speaker who decided to go off the reservation one night.

  JV