PEACE & SECURITY!! New teaching?

unique1

I was talking with my JW friend yesterday who was saying she believes Armageddon is near. I said the end can't be too near because the nations haven't declared Peace and Security yet. To which she replied, "Oh, they explained that at the assembly. Jehovah's people are in a relative state of peace right now, in the sense that most JW aren't being persecuted around the world and the preaching work isn't under ban in many places anymore, so we are at peace right now." I just told her I had always been taught that prophesy applied to the worldly Governments not Jehovah's people. She just shrugged.

Since I am not attending the assembly this year, I thought I would see if this was a common NEW teaching at the assemblies? Am I wrong, or by applying that scripture to JW's instead of governments, have they not completely changed thier application of this? Please enlighten me. I am sure there was alot of info on it in 85/86 with the International Year of Peace, but I don't have a WT CD.

Matty

I don't think so as far as I know. Convention talks commonly meander around a subject, particularly the scripted ones, of which there seem to be more and more every year. A convention speaker may take a word or phrase such as "Peace and Security" and use it repeatedly in different contexts. Using a bible phrase and applying it in different ways does not necessarily mean that a primary doctrine has changed, it's just the way they like to structure convention discourses. It's surprising that the audience accepts all these bizarre antitypes, but they do.

Brummie

To which she replied, "Oh, they explained that at the assembly. Jehovah's people are in a relative state of peace right now, in the sense that most JW aren't being persecuted around the world and the preaching work isn't under ban in many places anymore, so we are at peace right now."

Shes just another clown who doesnt listen to talks at the conventions yet still goes to impress the "friends".

JWs have been in a relative state of peace for 100 years, Apart from Malawi very few of them have been persicuted around the world!

Brummie

blondie

WT Rule #1:

Doctrine does not change until it appears in black and white the main instrument for conveying spiritual food according to the WTS. That way no rogue elders, COs, DOs, or Bethel staff can muddy the "clear words from God."

*** w95 8/1 16 Taught by Jehovah Down Till This Day ***

This magazine, The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom, is the principal instrument employed by the "slave" in the teaching work.

*** w89 3/15 22 Insight That Jehovah Has Given ***

As this brief historical review has shown, it is through the columns of The Watchtower that explanations of vital Scriptural truths have been provided for us by Jehovah’s "faithful and discreet slave." The Watchtower is the principal instrument used by the "slave" class for dispensing spiritual food.

*** w63 6/1 338 Willingly Expand Your Ministry ***

This slave class has used the Watch Tower Society as its legal instrument since 1884, and the chief publication of dissemination of Bible truth since 1879 has been The Watchtower.

Matty

That's very true. We used to hear many strange new "beams of light" at conventions that never made it to the pages of the Watchtower - it's almost as if Branch Committee and Governing Body members liked to test stuff out to see what hangs with the crowd a bit like a musician tries out different songs on a tour that may or may not end up on the new album!

unique1

So I take it this elder was on his own in applying that scripture that way?! Who does he think he is?!!!!

I had always heard that the nations will cry "Peace and Security" and then gods day of judgement will be upon them like a thief in the night. So I thought that application was wrong. Not that it really matters anyway, because, I don't believe it is correct either way.

blondie

Some of the direct and most misleading things said about 1975 were said by COs and DOs at conventions. It was easy for the WTS to back off and say it was that man's personal opinion and not supported by the WTS. We had quite a few rogue COs and elders over the years. The WTS has tightened up the outlines and manuscripts to prevent this as well as having a brother in the audience checking what was said against the manuscript. Fred Franz always went off topic and on his own at many conventions. Who would tell the officiall prophet he couldn't.

Blondie

Balsam

Hi Unique1,

I have the 2001 WTS CD and in the Watchtower of 1981 11/15 pg 10-15 it talks about the peace and security as being announced by the nations, not peace and security for the witnesses:

3 Jesus foretold that some of those who were alive when the "last days" began would live to see this system’s end. Already 67 years have passed since the "generation" of 1914 saw the start of these troubles. (Matt. 24:34) So time has nearly run out on this "crooked and twisted generation." (Phil. 2:15) Shortly we may be eyewitnesses of the fulfillment of the many Bible prophecies related to ‘the passing away of this world.’ (1 John 2:17) And we can have complete confidence that these prophecies will be fulfilled in every detail. Jehovah, "the One telling from the beginning the finale," the One who has inspired these prophecies, "has sworn, saying: ‘Surely just as I have figured, so it must occur; and just as I have counseled, that is what will come true.’"—Isa. 14:24; 46:10; 2 Pet. 1:20, 21.

JEHOVAH’S

"DAY OF VENGEANCE"

4 Among the many Bible prophecies concerning the end of this system of things is the one recorded at 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 2 and 3. This reads: "For you yourselves know quite well that Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. Whenever it is that they are saying: ‘Peace and security!’ then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them just as the pang of distress upon a pregnant woman; and they will by no means escape." What is this saying of "Peace and security"? Who says it? And what destruction comes immediately afterward?

5 These Bible verses speak of "Jehovah’s day," which will result in "sudden destruction." So it is apparent that this prophecy concerns the "day" or period of time when Jehovah executes his judgments against this wicked system of things controlled by Satan the Devil. (2 Cor. 4:4; Rev. 12:9) This will be Jehovah’s "day of vengeance." (Isa. 61:2) Jesus spoke of this period of time in this way: "Then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again." (Matt. 24:21) The apostle Paul wrote that the coming execution of judgment would mean "the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus." He added: "These very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction from before the Lord and from the glory of his strength."—2 Thess. 1:7-9.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I had wonder how in the world they could apply that scripture to themselves declaring peace and security to the witness environment, since the destruction was to come on those who proclaim peace and security. LOL Perhaps the WTS is expecting destruction. LOL Perhaps this witness just didn't quite understand the talk. Would be interesting to know how others saw what was being said.

Balsam

Room 215

It's true that irresponsible ``unofficial" conjecturing from the platform by Circuit and District overseers at congregations and circuit assembly, urging the friends to ``read between the lines" was rife in the period Blondie refers to, i.e. in the build-up to 1975 and really pumped up the faithful, setting the stage for cavernous disappointment. But since it served the Society's ends, none of these fellows got so much as a slap on the wrist much less a muzzle on their mouths when one stern form letter from Brooklyn to all the traveling overseers would have sufficed to squelch this..

In reality, the WTBTS has no greater insight as to what will consitute the "Peace and Security" proclamation,or who will issue it, than Jerry Springer or Michael Jackson.

unique1

Good points. I wish I had that article when we were in the car discussing that point, so she couldn't have just shrugged it off. But alas, I didn't.

PEACE & SECURITY!! New teaching?

Share this