Wild speculation / fearless prediction: how to (continue to) ratchet up the flock's fear

by sir82 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  sir82

  I've been thinking: what with all the bunker videos at the RC, instilling fear and paranoia and excitement among the masses, what could the GB do as a follow-up? How do they feed the flame?

  How about identifying the "King of the North"?

  Based on their teachings, it is essential that there be a "King of the North" prior to the outbreak of the Great Tribulation. But since the collapse of the USSR 25 years ago, they haven't identified who the replacement KOTN is.

  Why not state, maybe at the AGM in October, that they've identified it?

  Why not Russia? Putin enjoys rattling his sabre, they've still got their nuclear arsenal, they've annexed Crimea, they've oppressed "God's people" by banning their literature and liquidating their real estate, it used to be the principal part of the USSR...it's got a lot going for it.

  Imagine the way they could spin it...."Now there is no prophecy left unfulfilled....the outbreak of the GT is imminent....it could literally happen tomorrow or next week or next month....yadda yadda yadda".

  JWs, already freaked out by the RC's video portrayal of jackbooted stormtroopers beating in the door of their bunker, would gobble it up like fresh ribs at the Golden Corral.

  For the GB, it is low-risk/high reward: No one outside of JWs gives a flying fig what they proclaim. There is no "expiration date" on it, like 1975 or even a "generation". But the rank & file JWs will love it and respond with frenzied enthusiasm.
  

  So that is my baseless speculation: At the October AGM, they'll identify Russia as the new/old "King of the North".
  

  If I'm right, y'all have to buy me a beer.
  
• 

  blondie

  Why not the Islamic countries as a group KON (just reporting)

  This, coupled with an odd suggestion by Bethel leader Ciro Aulicino in October 2001 that the Muslims may very well be part of the “king of the North” that will turn and attack Jehovah’s people! (The "King of the North" is generally identified as the United Nations; more specifically as a totalitarian element of it.) Yet Ciro was one of the directors who actually signed on with the United Nations as an NGO representative! Talk about duplicity and confusion at Bethel!

  For a full treatment on the Watchtower's identity of the "King of the North" and "King of the South," read this article.

  Ciro Aulicino’s lecture can be listened to here.

  http://www.randytv.com/wteliminated.htm
  
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  bohm

  Well I like it. It seems like a very smart thing to do, especially since Russia is going to be around in all foreseeable future.

  The only thing I might imagine they could do differently would be to identify the king of the north as something more generic, "specific groups that currently oppress Jehovahs witness". That way the king of the north could be hinted to be Russia so powerfully every JW would believe it, but they would not be liable in the same manner officially (like, just make a video where it says: "the king of the north are those who oppress Jehovahs witness as an organized group" and show a shot of Nazis and (current) Russian military police. Everyone gets the hint). Also if Putin is thrown out tomorrow and Russia turns fully democratic (not super realistic but it might happen) a new "king of the north" bogyman (Islamic dictatorship, china if they suppress JWs, etc.) can be pulled out of the hat with little liability.
• 

  Londo111

  I agree.

  As a JW, raised in the years when the "Soviet Bloc of nations" was the King of the North, I assumed that Russia was still somehow the King of the North.

  An email my father sent me last year pretty much shows older JWs still have this mindset.

  I'm guessing the only reason that the Watchtower became vague in this teaching in the Daniel book is because JWs became legal in Russia. They didn't want to poke the bear.
• 

  slimboyfat

  Would be a wreckless provocation endangering hundreds of thousands of JWs in Russia.

  Yeah they might do it.
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  konceptual99

  It's an interesting theory and I would say holds significantly more water than them announcing the start of the GT.

  Having said that, I would ask why bother? Right now the org has the R&F running around like headless chickens trying to keep up with all the changes they keep pushing through. The videos at the RC are designed to build expectation, fear, speculation and so on.

  Simply put, they don't need to say anything. The R&F are making it up themselves so why bother putting themselves directly on the line by making definitive statements that could expose them further down the line?
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  steve2

  I'm with konceptual99 on this issue.

  I'm not sure the rank and file even care about the seeming lack of an update on the king of the north. Oh, there'll be older Witnesses who rattle off the earlier understandings - but they do this even when there are updates.

  Remember when new light stated the evil slave was not a class of people (such as opposers)? Older JWs missed the "refinement" and kept parroting the earlier view.

  No, the rank and file just don't care - and the GB know it.
• 

  kairos

  What about the cry of "peace and security" and the attack and destruction of Babylon the Great?

  Seems the only religion the governments are interested in is 'radical Islam', which, suspiciously, WT never mentions.

  ---

  Of course, this all leads to the thousand year reign of fear.
  Satan let out and all of those head band wearing, stick wielding apostate will rise up one last time...

  ---

  Koo-Koo, Koo-Koo
• 

  Londo111

  They could easily shift the timeline around, especially trotting out 1 Peter 4:17:

  "For it is the appointed time for the judgment to start with the house of God. Now if it starts first with us, what will the outcome be for those who are not obedient to the good news of God."

  If the Governing Body says judgement has started with JWs, then it's time to close ranks, circle the wagons, close the ark door, change the tone of the message...and expect the attack on "false religion" next.

  The cry of "Peace and Security" could be viewed as having already occurred...
  
  
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  MisterP

  There is already some very deadly war-games going on between U.S and China in the south china sea. China have taken over a load of deserted island in the south pacific that belong to the Philippines, where they have built military bases. And in response the US has increased it's presence significantly in the south china sea to the point where China has now launched a load of nuclear subs in retaliation. It's pretty tense stuff going on there, and my old ex JW friend is convinced that China is the KOTN. I told him, "Mate, if WWIII kicks off, it won't be a prelude to jehovahs war of armageddon, JW's will get just as roasted as the rest of us".