Um, in case you didn't notice - most of the world was shut down. It was unprecedented time of firsts on a wide scale.
The Next Big Thing In WT World
by NotFormer 101 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Gorb
A transition to a more virtual approach with the opening of the massive studios in a few years from now.
G.
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Jeffro
joey jojo:
My money is on another change to 1914.
There was recent frenzy over a translated talk saying that ‘Jesus didn’t sit on his throne in 1914’, but that is actually trivial to their reliance on 1914.
Their chosen reinterpretation of Millerism always required the connection to 1914, but it wasn’t until 1920 that they said Jesus was made king in that year (moved from 1878). And it wasn’t until 1930 that they started saying Jesus’ presence began in that year (moved from 1874). (Note that neither of those extremely significant changes about 1914 is listed in their index of ‘beliefs clarified’.)
Neither of those imaginary events is inextricably tied to a vague statement about ‘sitting on his throne’. Since they’re all imaginary events (or at least conveniently ‘invisible events in heaven’ 🙄) anyway, it is conceivable that they could once again shift ‘Jesus becoming king’ (though this is not necessarily the same as ‘sitting on his throne’), but considerably more difficult now to move the start of his ‘presence’ (despite the fact that the Bible says his ‘presence’ necessarily follows the ‘great tribulation’), because it is linked to their claims about being selected in 1919, about which they have too recently doubled down.
They simply have too much vested in 1914 to drop it altogether. (Though if they did, it would be very amusing watching ‘scholar’ bleat about how 607 was actually wrong all along.)
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resolute Bandicoot
Hey... welcome Obrien
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NotFormer
Sue, the Dub at my door said, "But, but... it was a government mandate!" And I said: "You've defied governments before, but your cowardly governing body folded like a cheap poker hand in the face of a glorified flu!"
The door to door work was the big distinctive that differentiated them from other religions. Then, the UN (the beast) said: "Stop doing it!" And they meekly said: "Yes, sir!", and they stopped doing something they said they would always do to prove that they were the true witnesses of Jehovah. 🙄
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Jeffro
This link contains 'Beliefs Clarifed' which lists all of the changes by year.
Well, the ones they want to mention anyway. See also Development of Jehovah's Witnesses doctrine on Wikipedia.
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Obrien
NotFormer, can't say I did much thinking about the big picture in those days, we were basically taught to keep your head down, don't question things and be a good soldier... Onward Christian Soldier type of mentality.
TXNVSue2023 I don't know about firsts, nothing new under the sun sort of thing, reading about the International Bible Students in 1918 during the Spanish Influenza when WWI was shutting down, now that was a tough time.
My thoughts now is that it's a corporation adapting to new circumstances in order to survive. So it's adopting new technology, easing up on some its peripheral policies while trying to remain consistent to its core beliefs. Bottom line is about survival in a rapidly changing environment.
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Phizzy
Thank you SO MUCH TXnvSue2023 !
That Link to the List by year was EXACTLY what I was looking for,earlier today, to challenge a JW on Quora who said they hadn't made any fundamental changes, I gave him a list off the top of my head, but THAT will floor him if he comes back to me, which I doubt now.
Back on Topic, the 1914 thing is something they have to modify even more than they have, they have tried getting it to "fade" LOL, and that succeeded to the degree that J.W's today could not explain it to a member of the public, "Go to our Website" would be their response, but with the Internet which explodes the nonsense that the actual year 1914 can be pinpointed from any Bible "prophecy" in just a click or two, they have to hide what they said before, but keep the idea we are in the End of the Last Days, there only way of retaining members at present.
But the "Last Days"nonsense is as tenuous, or more so, in one way than 1914 ! In the Gospel Jesus said that those standing there listening to him would see it all happen, his "return" etc. It didn't , and to look for a "Greater Fulfillment"of an already obviously failed prophecy, is just plain SILLY !!
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markweatherill
I'm not sure how long it's been there, but Part Two of the 2023 annual meeting is available on the jw website, including the small matter of worldly people getting saved at the great tribulation ie 'last minute conversion'.
This seemed like it would be a big deal!
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Vidiot
Obrien - “…Back in my day you had to go door to door and earn the ridicule…”
😎