Guten morgen, mineralogist. Ich war in Deutschland geboren und kann ein bisschen sprechen, scriben und sprechen.
I wonder why i don't like to read in the mags anymore
I usually stick to the study articles only to do my reviews. I scan the others only to see if there is any outstanding foolishness. Not much changes does it. I was so totally bored and it was one reason I started doing my reviews for myself only.
Sabrina,
If the U.N. had known about this duplicity would they have taken some action, legal or otherwise, against the Watchtower? Maybe so.
I don?t think the UN has the WTS very high on their agenda of problems. Except for the writing campaign regarding the so-called "library card" status of the WTS, their stance can be illustrated like this.
In a neighborhood "worked" by JWs for the last 70 years every 6 months:
JW: Have you ever read our magazines?
JW: Have you ever seen our magazines?
JW: Have you ever heard of the Watchtower?
JW: Have you ever heard of JWs? What do the teach?
HH: No, no, no, no (if yes, blood transfusion, not saluting the flag, don?t believe in the trinity, etc., but never "the good news of the Christ.")
The WTS is just a gnat to them. They have many camels to deal with.
But you are correct in seeing the WTS backing off the UN issue. In days gone by the organization has attached governments full on and brought persecution onto themselves. But then don?t they teach that persecution is proof that one has God?s approval?
Jcanon,
The criticism of the WTS is that there has been no particular increase in "earthquakes" in one place after the other compared to other times; and I think that's valid. But the Bible says that so how is it that it is not fulfilled. When you understand that "tremors" could be a reference to social unrest and instability and "shaking" in one place after the other then it characterizes this time of social unstability, particuilarly between World War I and World War II, which then fulfills the prophecy, more observably so than keeping up with the literal "earthquakes". Thus the criticism here misses it's point since it is based upon the wrong interpretation of the text.
I appreciate your presenting another viewpoint and I hope people investigate. I try not to dwell too much on the scriptural accuracy but whether secular sources support their statements since the WTS was using a secular source to support their statement. It is interesting that the WTS has quietly backed off this point. Many JWs still spout the old nonsense. Careful examination of the scriptures will and does undercut the WTS many times, but I try not to dwell on that. So many others do a better job so I just try to refer them to other possibilities at other websites.
I look at flipflop in doctrines (transplants), buzzwords, past teachings 180 from the current (1874 or 1914), do they practice what they preach, the dangers of scriptural snippets, sources not quoted, changes in doctrines not clear (blood fractions), etc.
Maverick,
Nothing only nothing new but less than they used to say. The dumbing down of the WTS and the rank and file.
After looking all of this over my impression is that the WTS is using the old,"If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull s**t!" Nothing new here. Say it long enough and loud enough and they will hear!
Dustyb,
Russell was never an adventist but was strongly influenced by adventist teachings
http://amazingforums.com/forum/GSTORRS/forum.html
Later tonite i plan on posting about the first half of the article on Millerites and dating and such. That is my big problem, and i think it'll be a good time. Good reading Blondie, thanks for the time and research. I found it interesting, and I plan on talking to the elder i study with about a lot of the comments.
I?m surprised they still study with you, dustyb. Look forward to your post.
Thanks, yesidid.
You give me such perverse pleasure at the way you systematically dismember their arguments. I can hardly wait for your treatment of the March 1 studies.
Yes, sometimes I want to jump ahead. I do my first look through and make comments to expand on later. Few JWs any more enjoy looking deeply at things and based on truthseeker?s comment about the CO saying they should keep their comments based on the paragraph, I doubt if any will. They allow the WTS to do their thinking for them, true believers.
Welcome, compass,
I only comment on what the WTS teaches and its consistency with what they have taught in the past. As far as the WTS is concerned the King of the North is a vacant position right now. They still teach that the King of the South is the US. They also teach that prophecy is not understood until it is being fulfilled or has been fulfilled. But your ideas are interesting. You could post this on a separate topic giving us a breakdown of how you came to your conclusions. Perhaps other posters have some ideas.
Trumangirl,
Although, if they applied the same criteria to it as they did when they eroneously applied it to the Soviet Union, they would come to the conclusion that the K of the N is the USA. And of course they rely on the US constitution and commercial system so they don't want to criticise it.
I thought that too when I studied the Daniel book.
This is why they say that christians do not concern themselves with the performance or identity of the players in world affairs. They want JWs to not be interested in those things anymore (can't trust the news media anyway) just 'wait for Jehovah', meaning wait for the WT to tell them what's what when the great tribulation starts.
I thought that was a surprising statement too that Christians should not concern themselves with who the players are since the WTS has been doing it for over125 years.
Gumby,
True to Watchtower fashion......they mention a few good improvments in society........then they let the hammer down to remind us how REALLY shitty the world is, and not to get too excitied.
They do this often. There should be name for this technique. Bait and switch?
Thanks, lurk.
Ozziepost,
The Bible speaks of an event but as we well know it doesn't give the date in our terms (537 BCE). That's conjecture on the WTS' part.
Good point. But few JWs are thinkers just blind followers. I learned that about dates in high school. They can?t imagine that the WTS could be wrong or lying to them, or maybe a better word is manipulation.
Blondie
