by Pleasuredome 28 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I believe it to be mild sensationalism, I feel Randy Watters is doing a good job at Freeminds and support him although his publications play host to some wild predictions and examination of the Watchtower, therefor feel that the publications hailing from Manhatten beach hold a fair share of sensationalism to get people to buy them.
I admire the work he does however.
SR,
First, you must realize that Randy Watters is not the author or publisher of all the books he sells at FREEMINDS.
Second, you have failed to provide any basis for your claim - you haven't even mentioned a single title that you would describe as using sensationalism, let alone any specific "sensationalist" quote from one of the many titles Randy sells.
Is recounting the verifiable history of the WTB&TS "sensationalist"?
Give me an example of the sensationalism you say you find in the books Randy sells, please.
IMO Any book that sheds more light on the "true" history of the WTBTS, especially with input from the inner circle is sensational.
Well Nathan, for instance in 'Thus Saith Jehovah's Witnesses' , on page 231 he speaks about where a person can go after leaving the Watchtower Society. I feel that he promotes his own cause, the cause of the miracle worker from Nazareth, therefor promoting his own ideology. In a number of other book from Freeminds, such as 'Refuting Jehovah's Witnesses', he also promotes his own agenda as though his doctrine is correct ahead of the Watchtower Society. Who could know such a thing?
On the grounds of sensationalism, page 16 of 'Thus Saith' speculates on the future of the Watchtower Society. Watters claims that he thinks the summary of changes and specualtion on the future of JW's is 'the best he has ever seen', as it is written by another person. Yet Watters supports these claims. These claims suggest that in 10 years the Watchtower will become to JW's as the International Bible Students are today - just a footnote. This was published in 2000, already we are in 2004 and I strongly doubt this will happen by 2010.
As I have said I support Randy because anything that paints a bad picture of the Watchtower Society is good enough for me, and maybe articles like this keep the EX JW community going. When I read it I was excited also. Because major doctrinal changes and bouts of Watchtower lies do not come thick and fast (well, not that thick and fast anyway!) then I feel some people may fall into the trap of sensationalising things to whip up a bit of excitment and shift a few more books.
Hi Nat,
Bible Students do not disavow Barbour contributions to the Bible Students' movement. In fact I think we are a bit more open as to the influences in Russell's theology then the Witnesses have been in the past.
The Pastoral Bible Institute, who publish "The Herald of Christ's Kingdom" has just completed a special history issue that will be mailed out with the regular issue of The Herald, for those who subscribe to it. The issue compiled by various authors, tends to be a bit redundant, as certain chapters tend to overlap, but I thinl you'd be surprise as to the references to the many persons who influenced Russell.
As to "The Three Worlds"? It is on the 3 disk CD Rom. If you go "Russell", "writings" and click on "Harvest Gleanings 1" there you will find "The Three Worlds" by Barbour.
Enjoy!
RR
SR -
I have no contest with the examples you've given; I see your point. Thanks for providing some reasons for your claim of sensationalism.
RR -
Thaks for setting me right about the location of "Three World..." on the CD. Did you know that if you do a search for "three worlds" the search engine reports no hits? That's what led me to the conclusion it wasn't on the CDs. Mea culpa.
Nat, perhaps you haven't added the indexes to the seach engine. I just did a search and viola, "The Three Worlds" by N.H. Barbour popped up! :)
RR
PD- On page 162 of the Four Presidents Book, under the heading What Was The Mystery Doctrine?, says: Penton provides these brief explanations: The Mystery, as understood by Russell, meant that not only had Jesus, the man, offered himself as a ransom sacrifice for mankind, but the body of Christ, the 144,000 members of his church, also participated in the ransoming and atoning work.
[Russell] felt that the mediator for the New Covenant was "the Christ, head and body." That expression meant, of course, that the 144,000 actually participated in Christ's sacrifice for the world and were joined to him as his "bride" or his "body."
I have just responded because I found you have asked again under another, more recent thread, too.
Don't know if this helps. The Four Presidents Book explains more.
thanks for that, seeitallclearlynow.
