by Finkelstein 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Landy - I'm sorry but you're all totally ignoring the loophole that is 'new light'.
What new light? When you closely examine it, it can't be found. Yes, there are changes to doctrines but hardly new light. Take for instance the generation teaching or the two class system and it goes on and on.
TD is correct.
Russell 'stole' his pyramid 'theology' from C. Piazzi Smyth who was the author of the book: OUR INHERITANCE IN THE GREAT PYRAMID printed in 1864. Russell adapted his own interpretation to the measurements of the passageways inside the pyramid; yet he kept Smyth's theory of 'pyramid inches' in order to make 'prophetic' calculations based on a 'day for an inch' .
Correction: Not 'day for an inch' but rather 'an inch for a year'. Russell used the Bible for his 'day for a year' prophetic fulfillments and used the Great Pyramid for his 'inch for a year' prophetic fulfillments.
It has to be noted that others were also involved in Pyramidology, Russell was not the conceptual originator more of one of whom commercialized the idea.
The first work of importance on the subject, proving that the Great Pyramid possessed scientific features, was by Mr. John Taylor, of England, A.D. 1859, since which time the attention of many able minds has been given to the further study of the testimony of this wonderful "Witness"; especially [C320] since Prof. Piazzi Smyth, Astronomer-Royal for Scotland, visited it, for several months made its peculiarities a study and gave to the world the remarkable facts of its construction and measurements, and his conclusions therefrom. To his scholarly and scientific work, "Our Inheritance in the Great Pyramid," we are mainly indebted for the data made use of in this chapter. Our illustrations are copies of a few of the twenty-five plates with which the latest edition of that work is embellished.
A few years after Prof. Smyth's return, came the suggestion that the Great Pyramid is Jehovah's "Witness," and that it is as important a witness to divine truth as to natural science. This was a new thought to Prof. Smyth, as well as to others. The suggestion came from a young Scotsman, Robert Menzies, who, when studying the scientific teachings of the Great Pyramid, discovered that prophetic and chronological teachings coexist in it.
Soon it became apparent that the object of its construction was to provide in it a record of the divine plan of salvation, no less than the record of divine wisdom relating to astronomical, chronological, geometrical, and other important truths. However, not having discerned the scope and completeness of the plan of salvation revealed in the Scriptures, these gentlemen have thus far failed to note the most wonderful and beautiful features of the Great Pyramid's testimony in this direction, which we now find to be a most full and complete corroboration of the plan of the ages and the times and seasons therewith associated, as taught in the Scriptures and presented in this and the preceding volumes of the Scripture Studies series. And, further, we see that this storehouse of knowledge, like the major part of the Bible store, was kept purposely sealed until its testimony should be needed and appreciated. Does this imply that its great Architect knew that a time would come when its testimony [C321] would be necessary? In other words, that a time would come when God's written Word would be lightly esteemed, and even his very existence questioned? when human philosophy, under the name of science, would be lauded and every proposition subjected to its tests? Has God decided to prove himself and his wisdom by those very tests? So it would appear. This structure will yet confound the wisdom of the wise as a "Witness" for the Lord of hosts--"IN THAT DAY"--which is already begun.
Prof. Smyth has concluded that the Great Pyramid was built in the year 2170 B.C., reaching this conclusion, first, from astronomical observations. Perceiving that the upward passage angles correspond to a telescope, and that the "Entrance Passage" corresponds to an astronomer's "pointer," he set about to investigate to what particular star it could have pointed at any time in the past. Calculations showed that a Draconis, the dragon-star, had occupied a position in the heavens which looked directly down the entrance, at midnight of the autumnal equinox, B.C. 2170. Then, considering himself as an astronomer at that date, with his pointer fixed upon a Draconis, and considering the ascending passages as though they were a telescope, which they much resemble, he calculated what constellation or what notable star would have been before his telescope thus fixed at the particular date indicated by his pointer, and found that it must have been the Pleiades. So wonderful a coincidence convinced him that the date of the Great Pyramid's building was thus indicated; for a Draconis is no less a symbol of sin and Satan than Pleiades is a symbol of God and the center of the universe. The Great Pyramid thus indicates that its Architect knew of the prevalence of evil and of its domination over the downward course of mankind, and indicates also what lies beyond all human sight--that the only hope for the race is in Jehovah.
I kind of shrug at this. Christianity and the occult grew up together. It isn't even a matter of wheat and weeds.
I guess my point of this thread is to highlight some the misadventured doctrines of the WTS, and its long standing assertion of being the true purer form of godly worship, distinct from all others.
The WTS picked out some weak doctrines orchestrated by other Christian based faiths but at the same time perjured themselves with their own false doctrines.
Its no wonder now the GB are trying to refute the significance of 1919. there is more white washing to come to be sure.
I wonder how Jehovah feels about corrupt charlatanism or even using his name to support their proposed identity ?
The sad thing is, if not for the coincidence of WW1, we probably wouldn't be here discussing this. The Watchtower would be long gone.
1914 was just another vehicle of exploitation, JWS today know little about how much the WTS weighed itself as something indicative to the prophetic End Times
