It seems to be a similar thought as Proverbs 16:18 Pride is before a crash, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.
Bush Announces "Peace and Security" (non-political thread only please)
by Confucious 25 Replies latest watchtower bible
-
-
AlanB
Yea, I remember in the Mid 80's the UN (Scarlet Colour Wild Beast ? [Patent Pending]) declared it the international year of peace. Coupled with the fact that 'This Generation?' was still only 72 years old, it had some significance at the time.
I guess its getting close to election time and all the Rhetoric is coming out. Bush talking about peace and Blair is now talking about Green issues.
Sorry must keep it non political.
-
peacefulpete
Yeah, the verse is being used to excite and threaten and it was written to do just that. 1 Thess was written in part because time had gone by and nothing had occurred as promised. In stead of wars and famines and persecution many Christians in fact they had a period of relative peace and prosperity. The author possibly Paul is trying to revitalize a second century audience disappointed by how many have died and how much time has elapsed. He has to acknowledge that many had died already but then spins a new doctrine that those presently alive will see the end come and will be blessed for their patience by seeing heaven before those that had already died and were in some limbo state of sleep.
5:3 is part of that message. He quotes a saying also found int he gospels (written decades after Paul) about a thief in the night then says the 'children of darkness' will be living peaceful lives surprized when the end comes just as when a thief comes. However they are not going to be caught off guard if they stay vigillant and dismiss their concerns about the amount of time that has passed. The NWT is really poorly done here when it says that they will not be 'overtaken as it would thieves'. which makes no sense at all. The words peace and security are English translations of Greek and are are only two of many chosen if you compare translations. The words were chosen BECAUSE theywere being used in the political sphere when the NWT was being made.
The WT years before interpreted the passage entirely different. They in their wartime paranoia were anticipating horrible attacks. It was felt that when the governments ahd eliminated all religion they would claim to have peace and safety as a result. Cleverly however they saw it could be used as a panic inducinhg button and reinterpreted it in complete contradiction to it's context as was pointed out by earlier posts. The message was that there would be no sign to alert them to the coming of christ it could only be prepared for by being patient and yet then the teaser was added that it would be in their liftime.
I edited because I had confused 1 and 2 Thess. Too early for any thinking.
-
holly
thats it folks get your suit of armour on!!! armageddons coming!!
actually i do believe it is, on a serious note.
but i thought the jws would know it was here when the political leaders banned religion - the fall of babylon the great?
-
gumby
I'd like to ask all of you a question who believe god is going to come and destroy people.
Who is he going to destroy specifically? Who? Give me the class of people he's going to destroy if you would.Is it all those not in christ? Is it agnostics and atheists? Is it the Muslims and those like them? Who will he kill?
It would be as in the days of Noah, before the Flood, and as in the days of Lot, before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. People back then were occupied with their daily activities and didn?t suspect anything; ?they were eating and drinking, men were selling, they were planning, they were building.?
Well no shit sherlock! And what in the hell were people supposed to be doing.....standing around gazing at the sky withy their thumbs up their butts looking for god?
Maybe they shouldn't have been eating......yeah that's it! They should have fasted and not drank anything as that would have made more sense to god. They also should have remained single at that time and never married. They should not have sold anything either....nor made any plans. As for those building houses at the time.....what sinners they were, building houses!
I honestly can't figurer how anyone still believes this bullshit. Believers haven't changed....they STILL thing god is a justified heartless killer just as they did in bible days. God is going to massacre billions of people real soon except for the godly rightous.......what a wonderful outlook to have.
Gumby
Gumby
-
Satanus
There are also shades of gnostic thought in those vereses. Children of light and children of darkness only have meaning in the gnostic context.
S