What JW teachings have not changed and are believed today ???

run dont walk

okay, lets look back to the 1870's 1880's 1890's 1900's 1910's 1920's 1930's 1940's 1950's 1960's 1970's and even the 1980's. Wow a lot years for us to consider ......

Here is my question, out of all the beliefs taught, preached and practiced, how many are still valid today ???

I asked my family this, I said, "fine you accept new light and changes, so be it, but out of all the teachings from 1879 to 1979 , what has not changed, what has remained the same, has every single teaching taught received "new light", the bible has survived 1000's of years, but Watchtower teaching last maybe 20 years, is there not any teachings that have survived the test of time."

well, you could hear a pin drop, they were speechless, aside from saying that the paradise belief has not changed, they couldn't come up with anything else.

when you truly meditate on this, it's frightening !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! isn't it, what hasn't the Watchtower changed when it comes to beliefs and doctrines.

I'm sure there is some, but the list of doctrines that have changed is a lot longer !!!!

are there any ????????

any comments, please ????????

Nathan Natas

I'm not 100% positive - this is off the top of my pointy little head - but probably

A. rejection of the trinity doctrine

B. rejection of the hell doctrine

Isn't it ironic that atheists feel the same way? LOL! I suppose you really cannot identify something solely on the basis of WHAT IT IS NOT, can you?

I don't know if Russellites originally had a belief in a paradise earth, by the way; weren't they all expecting to go to heaven? Maybe they thought everyone who wasn't them would be left on earth to suffer under their interminable rule. That fits..

As far as beliefs that are UNIQUE to Jehovah's Witnesses - what I like to call the "Dub Articles of Faith", described in THE WATCHTOWER, April 1, 1986, pages 30 & 31, "Questions From Readers" (my comments are in red italics. Note, by the way, that this is not a list of doctrines the WTS rejects, two of which are listed above.)

(...)

"Approved association with Jehovah's Witnesses requires accepting the entire range of the true teachings of the Bible, (as opposed to the FALSE teachings of the Bible, right?) including those Scriptural beliefs that are unique to Jehovah's Witnesses. What do such beliefs include?

So there may be others...

That the great issue before humankind is the rightfulness of Jehovah's sovereignty, which is why he has allowed wickedness so long. (Ezekiel 25:17)

Unchanged...

That Jesus Christ had a prehuman existence and is subordinate to his heavenly Father. (John 14:28)

Unchanged...

That there is a "faithful and discreet slave" upon earth today 'entrusted with all of Jesus' earthly interests,' which slave is associated with the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses. (Matthew 24:45-47)

This has changed, hasn't it? First it was a man - Russell - then it became the WTS.

That 1914 marked the end of the Gentile Times and the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the heavens, as well as the time for Christ's foretold presence. (Luke 21:7-24; Revelation 11:15-12:10)

This was not one of Russell's original teachings, if I recall correctly. He taught that 1874 (or earlier) was the year of Christ's advent, and that 1914 would bring Armageddon.

That only 144,000 Christians will receive the heavenly reward. (Revelation 14:1, 3)

Yeah, I think that from the beginning they have interpreted this bit of Revelation as literal and the rest of Revelation as symbolic.

That Armageddon, referring to the battle of the great day of God the Almighty, is near. (Revelation 16:14, 16; 19:11-21)

Well of course. Armageddon is ALWAYS "just around the corner," isn't it?

That it will be followed by Christ's Millennial Reign, which will restore an earth-wide paradise.

I don't know if this is an "original" core belief or not... mea culpa

That the first to enjoy it will be the present "great crowd" of Jesus' "other sheep."-John 10:16; Revelation 7:9-17; 21:3, 4.

This is, I am pretty sure, a doctrine developed during Rutherford's reign as king of the earth. I mock...

blondie

That the first to enjoy it will be the present "great crowd" of Jesus' "other sheep."-John 10:16; Revelation 7:9-17; 21:3, 4.
This is, I am pretty sure, a doctrine developed during Rutherford's reign as king of the earth. I mock...

Actually in a way this did change, Nathan. The great crowd was considered a secondary heavenly class although not part of the 144,000. That is what changed in 1935...the great crowd was "grounded."

Blondie

Nathan Natas

Yes, Blondie. Maybe you can fill the gaps in my understanding about the whole "paradise earth" idea. Was it one that Russell held from the beginning? If not, when did it emerge? When the idea first emerged, who was supposed to populate this paradise?

(I was mocking Rutherford as king of the earth. If the elders are supposed to be princes ...)

blondie

Actually, Nathan, It was taught in Russell's time that Armageddon was coming in 1914 and that religion, government, and economic system was going to be destroyed, BUT that the people would not be. There were basically 3 groups, 144,000 (heavenly rulers), Great Multitude (GC) a secondary heavenly class, and the majority of mankind living after 1914 plus those resurrected.

An interesting sidepoint, Russell believed that Adam and Eve were going to be resurrected.

Blondie

garybuss

The Watch Tower Publishing Corporation has trained the Witness people to accept disbeliefs as beliefs, but they of course, are not.

The Witnesses will say, "Well, we have never believed in the fire of hell, immortality of the soul and we have never believed in the Trinity." That is true, but those are disbeliefs . . . not beliefs. I have never believed I was born on Mars, my skin is purple, or that I have three eyes. So I could say my beliefs have never changed? See how this works?

It's easy to be consistent in dis-beliefs. They have no merit because they depend on a counter believing group. Disbeliefs will not stand alone. The teaching of consistent dis-beliefs is a straw man. It means nothing. GaryB

ozziepost

Let's admit it, this is going to be a short list!

caspian

Let's admit it, this is going to be a short list!

Couldn't have phrased it better myself Ozzie. Cas.

ozziepost

Cas Ozzie

Lady Lee

I can see it now

The END is near

What JW teachings have not changed and are believed today ???

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