What Views or Beliefs Do Jehovah’s Witnesses No Longer Teach?

by minimus 54 Replies latest jw friends

minimus

Sir, you are right ! They must not really care. I think years of dumbing down has paid off for the Watchtower.
punkofnice

It's probably easier to list the things they haven't flip flopped on. However....
IS IT ADVISABLE TO HAVE CHILDREN?
NO - Face the Facts (1938) pp.46,50"Would it be Scripturally proper for them to now marry and to begin to rear children? No, is the answer, which is supported by the Scripture. Those Jonadabs who now contemplate marriage, it would seem, would do better if they wait a few years, until the fiery storm of Armageddon is gone"
NO - Children (1941) p. 312-313"Should men and women, both of whom are Jonadabs or "other sheep" of the Lord now marry before Armageddon and bring forth children? They may choose to do so but the admonition or advice of the scriptures appears to be against it. The three sons of Noah and their wives were in the ark and were saved from the flood. They began to have children two years after the flood. That would appear to indicate it would be proper that those who will form the "great multitude" should wait until after Armageddon to bring children into the world."
YES - w50 10/15 p. 383 "Be Fruitful, Multiply, Fill the Earth"Since the carrying out of the command to "be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth" waits until after Armageddon, does that mean that those who now marry and rear children are violating God's laws? No, for the Scriptures show that "marriage is honourable in all"
YES - w51 6/15 p. 362 On Service Tour in New ZealandFrom the Scriptures it was shown that it is proper for Christians to marry and the purpose of marriage is the rearing of children.
NO - w71 4/1 p. 214 Preach God's Kingdom with the Right ViewpointIn modern times, among the many examples that might be cited is that of the young American couple that had settled down in a fine home and were planning to raise a family. Then one day the husband came home and said to his wife: 'Just what difference is there between us and the people of Christendom? We are contenting ourselves with mere token service when there is nothing to keep us from being in the full-time ministry. Let's quit our secular jobs, sell our home and enter the full-time pioneer ministry.' His wife gulped, for she had been looking forward to the joys of motherhood, to bearing and rearing a number of children. But she went to Jehovah in prayer and asked his help. And he did help her. So they entered the pioneer ministry and in a few years were invited to attend the Gilead missionary school. For some years now they have been very joyful serving as missionaries in a South American country.
NO - w88 3/1 pp. 21-22 par. 17 Childbearing Among God's PeopleInterestingly, during all this pre-Flood period, Noah's sons and their wives had no children. The apostle Peter specifically states that 'eight souls were carried safely through the water,' that is, four married couples but no children. (1 Peter 3:20) The sons' remaining childless was possibly for two reasons. First... they had a divinely appointed job to do that required their undivided attention. Second, they doubtless felt disinclined to bring children into... a world "full of violence." This is not to say that the course of action taken by Noah's sons and their wives before the Deluge was meant to set the rule for married couples living today. Nevertheless, since Jesus compared Noah's day to the period in which we are now living, their example can provide food for thought.
NO - Jeremiah book (2010 - Studied 2013) chap. 8 pp. 94-95 par. 7 Will You "Keep Living," as Did Jeremiah?6 What relevance is there in God's command that Jeremiah not marry or have children? Today, some loyal Christians are unmarried or have no children. Consider first that Jeremiah was to remain childless. Jesus did not command his followers to abstain from having children. Yet, it is noteworthy that he pronounced "woe" on pregnant women or those nursing a baby when tribulation came on Jerusalem in 66-70 C.E. That time would be especially difficult for them, given their situation. We now face a greater tribulation. This should add a dimension for Christian couples who are deciding whether to have children. While each couple must decide if they will have children, Jeremiah's case is worth considering.

ARE THERE ENOUGH ELDERS?
NO - w15 4/15 p. 4 par. 3 Elders, How Do You Feel About Training Others?
more brothers are needed to keep existing congregations spiritually strong and to allow new congregations to be formed.

YES - es15 p. 94 September
Jehovah certainly has provided an abundance of spiritual men
NO - w14 9/15 p. 3 Are You “Reaching Out”?
there is a need for more brothers to reach out
YES - w13 11/15 p. 20 par. 16 Seven Shepherds, Eight Dukes—What They Mean for Us Today
Today, Jehovah certainly has provided an abundance of spiritual men to shepherd his precious sheep
NO - w11 11/15 p. 2 Table of Contents
There is a need for men who can take the lead in spiritual matters
NO - p. 28 par. 2 Train Others to Reach Out
there continues to be a need for men to take the lead in spiritual matters. For instance, Christian elders are greatly needed.
NO - p. 32 par. 17 Train Others to Reach Out
consider the fact that there is a great need for mature men to accept privileges of service in God’s organization
NO - w10 5/15 p. 24 par. 3 Brothers—Sow to the Spirit and Reach Out!
there is a great need for ministerial servants and elders today
NO - w06 11/15 p. 13 A School Whose Graduates Benefit People Worldwide
there is an ever-increasing need for dedicated men to reach out for greater responsibility
NO - w01 1/1 p. 9 par. 7 Be Built Up by Love
there is a great need for more elders
NO - w93 1/1 p. 21 par. 14 Shepherding With Our Grand Creator
There is an outstanding need for all baptized male Witnesses to reach out for further privileges
NO - w90 4/15 p. 25 ‘Fishing for Men’ in Belize
There is a great need for mature brothers to take the lead in the congregations.
YES - w80 9/1 p. 21 par. 1 Overseers—Be Fine Examples to “the Flock”
This fact is recognized by thousands of dedicated, spiritual men who are entrusted with this privilege today

INDEPENDENT THINKING
Is Bad - w52 8/15 p. 501 Individual Bible study, certainly! Independent Bible study, beware!
Is Good - w57 8/1 p.469 par.7 "Moreover, people today are developing an aversion to thinking. Their thinking must be channelled for them, ready-made by propagandists. This suits Satan’s purpose."
Is Good - w58 8/1 p.460 "Irish people do very little independent thinking. They are victims of the clergy and fear"
Is Bad - w60 2/15 p.106 par.6 "it follows that one should reject the goal of independent thinking"
Is Good - w72 3/15 P.170 par.7 "independent thinking ... is why you are capable of exercising the fine qualities of love and loyalty, of devotion and integrity. That is why you are also capable of understanding what God has revealed in his Word "
Is Bad - w77 10/1 p.605 "Adam’s selfish thinking and action distorted his way. He set out his own independent course, becoming an enemy of God, and brought his own way and that of his family “to ruin.” Yes, with sin and imperfection ruling, and with each going his independent way, no one knows what may befall him,"
Is Good - Awake! 78 8/22 p.4 " Proverbs 14:15 states: “A simple man believes every word he hears; a clever man understands the need for proof.” (The New English Bible) So each individual must choose what he will feed his mind. Whatever you read or watch or listen to, test whether it is propaganda or whether it is the truth. Will you let others think for you, or will you do your own thinking? Do your own, and “thinking ability itself will keep guard over you.”"
Is Bad - w79 2/15 p.20 par.18 " Jehovah’s people need to be stable, full-grown Christians. Their position must be steadfast, not shifting quickly because of independent thinking "
Is Good - Awake! 80 1/8 p.13 " The person most easily brainwashed is the “normal,” average individual. Such a one is already conditioned to accept opinions of others rather than to form strong convictions of his own. On the other hand, those hardest to brainwash are ones with unconventional ideas and strong convictions and who are not afraid of what others think."
Is Bad - w83 p.27 section heading "Fight Against Independent Thinking" par.22 says it's "demonic"
Is Good - KM 3/95 p.6 par.17 "it is highly valuable to learn how to think. The Bible commends thinking ability and practical wisdom. (Prov. 1:4; 3:21) Learning how to think and retain information enables you to acquire knowledge and skills that will be useful to you and to Jehovah’s worldwide organization. "
Is Bad - w98 5/15 p.26 "Perhaps we are overly sensitive. We may be nursing a grievance, or we may be placing too much emphasis on independence. Thus, our Christian progress may be limited."
Is Good - Awake! 99 1/8 p.11 "The magazine UNESCO Courier suggests that instead of fostering rejection of religious movements, “education for tolerance should aim at countering influences that lead to fear and exclusion of others, and should help young people to develop capacities for independent judgement, critical thinking and ethical reasoning.”"
Is Bad - w06 7/15 P.22 Par.14 "Pride may play a role, and some fall into the trap of independent thinking"
RESURRECTED ONES CAN MARRY?
YES - 1943 “The Truth Shall Make You Free” p.362 - 364
[Evil ones] will not come forth [in the resurrection] to take part in the divine mandate [filing the earth], because that will have been completed by the Lord's "other sheep".
NO - w50 10/15 p. 381 “Be Fruitful, Multiply, Fill the Earth”
Nor will the resurrected multitudes be privileged to do so, for Jesus plainly stated that such will not marry nor be given in marriage
Even survivors won't marry - w54 9/15 p. 575 Questions From Readers
After that final test there will definitely be no marrying or being given in marriage then by those counted worthy of the new world and having the right to eternal life, just as angels have that right
YES - w54 9/15 p. 575 Questions From Readers
It is even reasonable and allowable to entertain the comforting thought that those of the other sheep who now die faithful will have an early resurrection and live during the time when the procreation mandate is being fulfilled and when paradise conditions are being spread earth-wide and that they will share in this divinely given service.
NO - w61 11/15 p. 704 Questions From Readers
for dead ones with spiritual, heavenly hopes and for dead ones with earthly Paradisaic hopes the rule enunciated by Jesus Christ stands unaltered: “In the resurrection neither do men marry nor are women given in marriage
NO - w67 10/15 p. 638 Questions From Readers
Jesus’ words apply to the earthly resurrection, and they indicate that those resurrected will not marry or be reunited in a marriage relationship with former mates.
YES / MAYBE - w14 8/1 page 29+30, questions from readers
"Could Jesus be referring only to the heavenly resurrection?" "It is possible"

Watchtower 1989 January 1 p.12
"He was laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in our 20th century."
(The 1989 Watchtower used the term "in our 20th century" in the magazine, but this was changed to "in our day" for the bound volume and subsequent CD library.
TTWSYF

They used to believe in the worship of Jesus and even Christmas.
No more now as the light has gotten brighter....
eyeuse2badub

What JeffT said:
Not trying to steal your thunder Jeff but it is worth repeating since today is the Golden Anniversary of this "never to be forgotten" printed article in the Awake!
I don't believe that the wt teaches this any longer! lol lol
*** Awake! 1969 May 22 p.15 ***
If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this
present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy
indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. Of the generation that
observed the beginning of the 'last days' in 1914, Jesus foretold: 'This generation will by no
means pass away until all these things occur.' Therefore, as a young person, you will never
fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in high school and thinking about a college
education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a
specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the
way towards its finish, if not actually gone! This is why parents who base their lives on God's
prophetic Word find it much more practical to direct their young ones into trades that do not
require such long periods of additional schooling… True, those who do not understand where
we are in the stream of time from God's viewpoint will call this impractical. But which is really
practical: preparing yourself for a position in this world that soon will pass away? or working
toward surviving this system's end and enjoying eternal life in God's righteous new order?
just saying!
jp1692
For all intents and purposes, there are no current teachings/beliefs of JWs that are the same as in Russell's day except:
1. Soul sleep
2. 1914 is the End of the Gentile Times
But Russell had a completely different idea of what 1914 meant than what JWs currently believe. He believed it would be The End culminating in Armageddon, not The Beginning of the End—the meaning of which would be revised at least six times between then and now culminating in the current "Overlapping Generation" nonsense.
So essentially there is only one doctrine which Russell taught that is still currently believed by JWs and it isn't even an belief exclusive to them.
jp1692
Here, (from an old post by 00DAD), is a more detailed look at what I summarized in my previous post:
It is informative to consider that current JW beliefs are essentially COMPLETELY different than what they were when [they were] supposedly "chosen" in 1918/1919.
This brings up a logical dilemma:
1. If Current Beliefs are correct, then what JWs believed in 1918/1919 was wrong. If what they believed then was wrong, then Jesus would have categorically rejected them as representing either him or True Worship; or,
2. If JW beliefs in 1918/1919 were correct, then JW beliefs now are incorrect and should be rejected as apostate, false teachings.
You don't even have to examine any specific doctrinal points to see the power of this line of reasoning: either way JWs are NOT the true religion, not then, not now, not ever.
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For clarification, there are essentially only two beliefs that have remained from Russell's time until now:
1. Soul Sleep, taken from the Second Adventists, which has two sub-beliefs:
- No Hell
- No Immortality of the Soul
2. Gentile Times ended in 1914 which came from:
- an idea advanced by John Aquila Brown in 1823
- expanded upon in the 1830's by a farmer named William Miller
- later tweaked by Apollos Hale and Sylvester Bliss, whoever they were
- exposed as false in 1840 by John Dowling, whoever he was
- reworked by Second Adventists, such as Barbour after 1844
- then finally take over by Charles Taze Russell as an end time prophecy, with the Gentile times expected to herald the conclusion of Armageddon, not the beginning of the Last Days.
So practically EVERYTHING taught in Russell's time has been since discarded except two basic beliefs, one of which he got from another religion and the other conceived of and then twisted and mangled by a bunch of crackpots all vying for one-upsmanship to prove their personal understanding of the incontrovertible Word of God!
Also, some would argue that 1914 shouldn't really be included on this list. What Russell and the early Bible Students believed about 1914 is completely different from what Witnesses believe today. They clearly and unequivocally taught that 1914 was when Armageddon was coming and that it would be THE END of things, not the "Beginning of the End." In fact, the only thing about 1914 that stayed the same was calling it "The End of the Gentile Times," but what that meant to Russell wouldn't even be recognized [today] by a modern JW.
Of the two beliefs, the evidence is clear that the second is false and the first is—from our perspective as living human beings—completely unverifiable either way. Also the idea of soul sleep is not unique to JWs, so it alone would not have gotten them "chosen" in 1918/1919. The closer you look the uglier it gets.
Nice.
Let's review: It's a cult!
slimboyfat

Don’t know if I’d agree with that jp! I could list a few more, such as no Trinity/Jesus created angel, paradise future, ransom, free will, no predestination, no personal Holy Spirit, no hellfire, Jesus is Michael, thousand year reign, annual memorial, preaching, no social gospel/politics -I am sure there are many more
jp1692

SBF, the implication was concerning beliefs which were unique to Russell's theology/religion, or at least which are commonly perceived to be unique. Perhaps I should have made that explicit.
jp
slimboyfat

Few beliefs are completely unique to JWs, or any religious group for that matter. What is unique tends to be the particular combination.
Vidiot

Whole books could be written listing the doctrinal changes of the WTS.

What Views or Beliefs Do Jehovah’s Witnesses No Longer Teach?

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