New light in this weeks WT?

by Indian Larry 45 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Indian Larry

  Anybody have any ideas where they are going with the "new light" they have been pushing last week and this week? For instance in this weeks study article one section reads:
  
  

  In years gone by, we believed that Jehovah became displeased with his people because they did not have a zealous share in the preaching work during World War I. We concluded that for this reason, Jehovah allowed Babylon the Great to take them captive for a short time. However, faithful brothers and sisters who served God during the 1914-1918 period later made it clear that as a whole the Lord’s people did everything they could to keep the preaching work going.

  This paragraph raises a couple of questions to me. It seems that this "new light" about preaching work came from "faithful brothers and sisters . . . . during 1914-1918". If that is the case why is it just coming out now? Anyone that was preaching during those years has been dead for at least 20 or 30 years now. Why change now?
  
  They also brought this up. Why?
  
  

  Therefore, as a group, they were not always neutral with regard to the war effort. For example, when the president of the United States decreed that May 30, 1918, would be set aside as a day of prayer for peace, The Watch Tower urged the Bible Students to join in the observance. Some brothers purchased bonds to provide financial assistance to the war effort, and a few even went into the trenches with guns and bayonets. However, it would be a mistake to conclude that the Bible Students were first taken into captivity to Babylon the Great because they needed correction and discipline.

  
  Can anyone tell me the significance of the changes they introduced over the last couple of weeks. I had a friend who is "still in" call me and say that several people in his hall were pissed off about the changes. I have been away so long that I (thankfully) have not been following this like I used too. However, I do still have family in and a few friends I can talk to a little. They all know that I have really researched the history of the org a lot, so it would not be surprising to them if I mentioned anything from that time period.

  The thing is that I no longer have the WT Library on CD, actually I no longer have a Windows computer period. I have gone all Mac so I cant research like I used to. I do know they have the WT Lib on the website but I am not nearly as proficient with that as the old version. I was hoping someone on this site might give me the cliff notes version of the changes. : )

  Any quotes from articles with the "old light" I might share?
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  waton

  IL: "the Bible Students were first taken into captivity to Babylon the Great because they needed correction and discipline.

  The new light from last week's wt is that they were not taken into captivity in "babylon" but by the superior, secular authorities. Tying it to the preaching work is just to scare the present day jws to "not give up"
  
  
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  Crazyguy

  Here's a question did they even do any preaching work between 1914-1918? It was my understanding that they just sold books but didn't have everyone go it to the preaching work until after Rutherford had most of the followers quit because of the wacky things he said and prophecies that didn't come true in his book FinishMystery first published in 1917?
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  Listener

  This was the old teaching from the W 51 5/15
  
  

  During the years of the first world war, 1914 to 1918, the remnant of spiritual Israel came under Jehovah’s displeasure. His kingdom by his Christ had been born in the heavens in 1914, at the end of the “appointed times of the nations” that year; but, under the great stress of persecution, oppression and international opposition during those war years reaching a climax in 1918, God’s anointed witnesses failed and their organization experienced a breakup and they came under captivity to the world system of modern Babylon. But from 1919 on they came to a realization of their spiritual condition. They appealed for some divine restorative remedy. Their appeal was well worded by Jeremiah who foretold the captivity of spiritual Israel: “Heal me, O Jehovah, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of Jehovah? let it come now. As for me, I have not hastened from being a shepherd after thee.” (Jer. 17:14-16, AS) The hearts of the remnant were broken because of God’s apparent disfavor and because, through fear and improper understanding, they had been forced out of his service.
  12 God heard the prayer of his repentant, brokenhearted remnant. He regathered them, repaired the breaches of their organization and reorganized them for more effective service than ever. He built them up on earth as the visible theocratic organization to represent his heavenly Jerusalem which was now radiant with Kingdom glory. Here, not physical cure of fleshly organisms, but spiritual cure of the remnant of his witnesses was needed, to recover them from unclean fear and from religious foolishness. “He sendeth his word, and healeth them, and delivereth them from their destructions.” (Ps. 107:17-20, AS) He opened their eyes and ears more fully to get Scriptural understanding. For a time they had been lying as dead under the world’s repressive laws and measures, but now they were revived by God’s spirit. Up they stood and engaged in free and fearless activity as his witnesses to tell all the nations the good news of His kingdom. A spiritual resurrection indeed! (Rev. 11:7-12) So they were delivered from their captivity and were assembled into an unbreakable unity of faith and action. By all this Scriptural understanding and these joyful service privileges they were greatly comforted. Their tongues were loosed to sing: “Praise ye Jehovah; for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is comely. Jehovah doth build up Jerusalem; he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”—Ps. 147:1-3, AS.
  13 In this way, by means of this restorative work of mercy to his anointed remnant, the great heavenly Physician performed a modern miracle of spiritual healing. It has astounded Christendom, but has also chagrined her. The restored organization of Jehovah’s people abounds with the peace, truth and spiritual prosperity with which he has filled it. By activating them in his witness work in all quarters of the earth He has made their organization become a praise and glory for him before all the nations, and the name of “Jehovah’s witnesses” has become a joy to numberless multitudes. For his visible theocratic organization this is a day of brightness amid the thickening gloom and darkness of the worldly nations. They have heavenly light day and night; and the light increases to the illumination of perfect day, the brightness of a week of days all concentrated into one. As it was predicted: “Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that Jehovah bindeth up the hurt of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.”—Isa. 30:26, AS.
  14 God’s restoration of his witnesses to his theocratic organization, his entrusting them with the ambassadorship of his kingdom to the people of all nations, fulfills Bible prophecy. It is a convincing evidence to his witnesses that the promised kingdom has been established in the heavens. Jehovah now reigns over the earth by his Christ whom he has enthroned as King of the new world. Just as long ago Job was restored from his captivity in Satan’s power and was healed of his deadly disease and was vindicated, so God’s faithful remnant have experienced restoration, pardon from sins, and spiritual healing. And just as the beggar Lazarus died to his diseased, hungry state at the rich man’s gate where the despised curs licked his ulcers, so the remnant of Jehovah’s witnesses have experienced a change of condition since 1918. Like Lazarus, they now find themselves in the bosom of favor of the greater Abraham, Jehovah God. (Luke 16:19-25) They no longer feel sick spiritually. They are in His theocratic organization, a city of radiant spiritual health. Once lamed by the enemy world, now they seize the prey from this world, the people of good will. Why is this so now? The prophetic answer comes: “For Jehovah is our judge, Jehovah, our lawgiver, Jehovah, our king: he will save us. . . . then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey. And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.”—Isa. 33:22-24, Da.

  
  
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  smiddy

  {The new light from last weeks WT is that they were not taken into captivity in "Babylon" but by the superior,secular authorities.}

  Wasnt the Superior Authorities placed in their positions by God ? Shouldnt every soul be in subjection to God ? Any who oppose the the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God.? ( Jehovah )

  "Let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities for their is no authority except by God the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God." (Jehovah )

  " those who have taken a stand against it will recieve judgement to themselves etc.etc. ( from Jehovah )

  Rom 13:1-7

  Then of course we have the scriptures that show"Satan the devil is the ruler of the world" , he is "the God of this system of things" and" the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one"

  2Cor.4:4 ,1Joh.5:19

  So who is it ? ,is jehovah in control of the secular authorities ? or is Satan in control of the secular authorities.?

  Just who is the ruler of the world ?
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  Anders Andersen

  I can somewhat understand the logic of coming to 'a new understanding' sometimes. But this is plainly rewriting history.

  • Old light: during WWI we didn't preach. This is evidence of being captured by Babylon
  • New light: during WWI we preached zealously. This is evidence that we were not captured by Babylon.

  So did they preach or not? Is the new evidence made up, or the old evidence?

  How is it even possible that they get new information about their own history, especially now that everyone who actually had first hand experience is dead?
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  fastJehu

  Indian Larry
  The thing is that I no longer have the WT Library on CD, actually I no longer have a Windows computer period. I have gone all Mac so I cant research like I used to.

  Here you can download a software, to install the normal WT library on your mac:

  http://www.wtlibrary.net/en/
  

  My mac has the WT-library installed since years with this tool.

  Here the BOE-Letter about the library 2016 (source = user darkspilver):
  

  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwqmWMK7dwtlRGxFNXFld3NYcFE/view

  Here the library 2016 CD for download (source = http://avoidjw.org):

  https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bw0qjUoEReBVMmFGY1h6Q3hMSjA
  
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  fastJehu

  Anders Andersen
  How is it even possible that they get new information about their own history, especially now that everyone who actually had first hand experience is dead?

  Page 27 § 5:

  ... However, faithful brothers and sisters who served God during the 1914-1918 period later made it clear that as a whole the Lord’s people did everything they could to keep the preaching work going. There is strong evidence to support this testimony. A more accurate understanding of our theocratic history has led to a clearer comprehension of certain events recorded in the Bible.

  later... has been WHEN???

  strong evidence... WHERE can I find this strong evidence?

  For me it's wishy-washy.
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  Indian Larry

  Fast Jehu - Thanks for the links. Tomorrow when my family is out in service I am going to try to download and install.
  
  Listener - Thanks for the quote with source. I appreciate you looking that up and sharing it. I will share that with others.
  
  Smiddy - Good point, however in my experience a logical question like that will cause a short circuit as they try to overcome the cognitive dissonance that that question brings up. I may try anyway but will have to do so with a gentle touch. Trying to keep my family.

  Anders - That is it in a nutshell.
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  SadElder

  Welcome to the belief of the month club. Can the dubs ever decide what they believe? Oh, I forgot..... Carl Klein explained it years ago..... tacking. Sounds tacky to me.