This is a VERY LONG letter, but if you have time to kill, tell me what you think,
I want to start by saying I DID NOT WRITE THIS by myself, I combined many post (especially Farkel, regarding Rutherford, and Quotes for his website, thanks btw), Many examples from Crisis Of Conscience, which I know my family won't read, so this way they are, took many experiences that related to me from other peoples story, many internet stories, and put together a story on how i feel.
So your suggestions and criticism is welcomed !
thanks Armageddon
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Sorry it has taken me so long to respond, so much work and only so many hours in a day.
This letter may be very disturbing for you, and if I cause any discomfort I apologize.
First in response to your letter, for money I owe for my part in gifts for mom, no problem, cheque is included, BUT ....... DO NOT ........ include me in any in the future. This is my own personal and difficult decision, but I have nothing to do with her anymore. The occasional call (rarely) and that is it.
Where to start ???? hhhhhhhhmmmmmmm, I guess the most difficult thing I have had to deal with, and it has taken years, is the realization that everything I was taught as a youngster by my mother and father was wrong and a mistake. It is a parents responsibility to look after there children and watch out for their needs and teach them the proper things in life, and show them what is important in life, mom and dad failed miserably in this for me. They missed the meaning of life and what is really important in a family. I DO NOT accept the excuse, well, they did what they thought was right, not good enough. It is a parents responsibility to search out and check out every detail before committing to an organization or a religion, and make 100 % sure, this is the proper thing to do. They did not.
You can do two things with history, learn from it, or ignore it. I learn from it.
Before I go into history, lets start with most recent, Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA, do you know what happened ? Husband kills three children by slicing their throats, kills wife, then himself, because he was due to face charges for RAPING his daughter for the past 4 years, and yes he was a Jehovah's Witness in good standing. Very disturbing isn't it, for anyone, let alone a Jehovah's Witness, how does this happen, I would have to believe the child prayed to Jehovah regularly, probably daily asking for help, yet Jehovah didn't help, did he ? the elders were aware of the situation and he was only reproofed, he wasn't even disfellowshipped. Now let me understand this, you buy a lottery ticket, or have a cigarette or see a movie with questionable content, or drink too much, you get disfellowshipped, but RAPE your daughter, and that?s okay. I have included the articles from the local papers, and don't you dare say (like the Watchtower tells you) that the media is making up stories. Because I would gladly pay for your flight to fly to Rock Hill to check it out yourself.
http://www.kentuckylaketimes.com/localnews/sept04/jwmurder/09030402.php
Jehovah's witness charged with molestation and murder of own children
A national support group for abused children is coming to York County to bring attention to the recent murders of three children, one of whom was raped in the days before her death.
Five members of the Meza family were found dead Aug. 9 after a fire at their house. The father, Denis, had been arrested three weeks before on charges he molested his 14-year-old daughter, Denia. The throats of all three children were slashed. The Mezas were Jehovah's Witnesses.
In court cases, the church has been accused of not taking allegations brought to the church to authorities. However, in the Meza case, a national spokesman for the church said Tuesday that it knew of the molestation and reported it to authorities.
Bill Bowen, director of Silent Lambs, confirmed Tuesday that he and other children's advocates will host a candlelight vigil Sept. 9 at the Rock Hill National Guard Armoury at 7:30 p.m. He said his group will discuss ways to prevent child abuse and will also distribute stuffed toy lambs to area Jehovah's Witnesses churches. Silent Lambs has printed information on how to report allegations of sexual abuse.
"A horrible crime took place in Rock Hill; three innocent children were murdered. And one of those children was sexually abused and later raped," said Bowen. "We want to bring attention to this case and the need for sexual abuse allegations to be brought to the authorities quickly so tragedies like this can be avoided in the future."
Bowen is a former elder with the Jehovah's Witnesses Church. He quit the church in 2000 after he says church elders refused to address sex abuse allegations involving a member of the church. He says the member was later arrested but was never convicted.
His allegations about his former church have been chronicled in The New York Times and by "Dateline NBC."
Bowen's Silent Lambs group (www.silentlambs.org) reveals that the church "covers up" allegations of sexual abuse and sometimes does not report those allegations to authorities. Bowen said he decided to come to York County after being contacted by local Jehovah's Witnesses who disapproved of how the cult treated the Meza family.
The five members of the Meza family all belonged to a Spanish Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah's Witnesses in their town. Church officials refused to publicly comment about the family, and another church stepped forward to help raise money to pay for the funeral and transportation expenses for family members from Nicaragua.
On Aug. 9, the Mezas' three children -- Jayro, 5; Denise, 8; and Denia, 14 -- died before a fire destroyed their home. Officials say one of the parents -- Marbely or Denis Meza -- killed the children. The parents both died of burns and smoke inhalation. York County Sheriff Bruce Bryant said he's awaiting lab results to determine the killer.
Denia, who was raped within five days of her death, and her mother had what could be interpreted as "defensive wounds" on their arms.
Denis Meza was arrested July 16 on charges of sexually abusing his very own daughter and was ordered to have no contact with her after he moved out of the home in May. He died a week before he was to go to court.
J.R. Brown of the Jehovah's Witnesses denied that his church "protects" members from allegations of sexual abuse.
DSS officials say the allegations of abuse were reported to them May 3 but will not say who reported it. Brown would not say at what point prior to May 3 the church had knowledge of the allegations.
A press conference will be held today at 11:30 a.m. at the Rock Hill City Hall Plaza area to announce the details of the candlelight vigil for the Meza children.
Silent Lambs is also establishing a Meza Children's Memorial fund to make a donation in their memory; additional proceeds will go to local child abuse support groups.
Want to Know More?
To contribute to the memorial fund and to find out more about the vigil, contact Cindy Foundren at (704) 614-0684
--Story submitted by Jerald Higgins, Nashville, TN.
WOW, another church had to step in to help out, where?s the love of the congregation ???
"http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/columnists/dan_huntley/9448216.htm"
Posted on Fri, Aug. 20, 2004
COMMENTARY
It's everyone's duty to protect children
DAN HUNTLEY
Abused teen cried out for help.
Now, she's dead. Where were we? I've heard heaven holds a special place for a slain child.
I pray there is a fiery, eternal ring of hell for the adult killer.
Today, 14-year-old Denia Meza should be chatting with her girlfriends, twisting her hair and making her way to math class at Rawlinson Road Middle School .
But she's being "laid to rest" alongside her killer in a family burial plot in Rock Hill .
Officials will say only that one of her parents killed her. They're withholding judgment about who is responsible until all the lab results are in.
What they do know is this: Her father, Jose Denis Meza, was arrested on charges of sexually abusing her; he died seven days before he was to appear in court; Denia was raped within five days of her death, perhaps the same night; Denis had no defensive wounds on his body; and Denia and her mother, Marbely, both had knife wounds on their arms, which could be defensive.
Eleven days ago about 10 a.m., I stood by Denia's backyard fence and watched a coroner's team remove her tiny body from her blackened home -- filling one of the five body bags carefully laid out like flags in the back yard between the trampoline and swing set.
The Meza children -- Jayro, 5; Denise, 8; and Denia -- had their throats slashed and died before the fire. Marbely and Denis Meza died of smoke inhalation and burns. For some people, the end of the Meza family tragedy will be when the gravedigger tamps down the last shovel full of red dirt over these five humps of earth.
No one will ever stand trial for the deaths of these children, and their story will soon disappear from the headlines. I'd like to think it's not because they're a low-income Hispanic family with little roots in our community and their deaths are mostly being written off as "some kind of sick, domestic squabble."
This was the largest apparent murder-suicide that anyone can remember in York County . Yet, where is the outrage for the deaths of these innocent children?
Who is demanding justice for these kids? Where is the minister from the Meza family's church? Where are the elected officials demanding some agency be held accountable for how this volatile case was handled?
Responsibility for this tragedy extends beyond the convenient whipping boy of the chronically understaffed Department of Social Services, which is alternately criticized for acting too quickly in removing children from their biological parents and placing them in foster homes, and when they don't.
Maybe the agency had good reasons for not removing Denia and her siblings from this household, after allegations of sexual abuse first surfaced three months ago. Perhaps, some day, DSS will make that information public.
Granted, it's practically impossible for anyone to have predicted the white-hot violence that engulfed the Meza household the night of Aug. 8.
We prefer not to think about it.
Even family members like Lou dan ia Pao:
"I try not think too much about what happened in Marbely's house before it was set on fire," she said.
"It's just too much badness to fit in your mind at one time.... when I think of Denia and what she must have been going through, I have to stop myself."
But the warning signs were plentiful.
This young girl, according to a Sheriff's incident report, had been sexually abused by her father as early as age 10. Denia and her mother moved here from Nicaragua a decade ago, and her mother spoke little English. Marbely Meza had few job skills and appeared to be entirely dependent on her husband to support their growing family. Marbely's mother, her closest family and her friends said she told them nothing about the abuse allegations.
Nor did they know that Denis had been forced to move out of the home. In May, this child who in the past year had shorn her hip-long hair to mark her passage into adolescence -- or a signal of something darker -- gathered her courage and told someone.
That person notified DSS and, in turn, the Sheriff's Office.
Two months later, Denis Meza was arrested.
He was ordered to move out of the house and have no contact with Denia.
Denia had done the right thing -- an unspeakable evil had entered her bedroom and like a good girl, she'd told the authorities.
Her mistake was putting her trust in adults who would not or could not keep her safe.
The evil returned.
Neighbors say the former Sandinista fighter came back to his home after moving out, sometimes meeting his wife in the parking lot of a nearby fish camp, sometimes entering the house.
The adults who knew about the abuse say they had to keep it confidential to protect the family.
The adults closest to Denia -- the ones who could have really protected her from further assaults -- never knew of the abuse allegations.
Her Uncle Ariel, who helped raise Denia and considered her one of his own, might have saved her.
But he was never told.
The neighbors, who saw Denis come and go at the house after his arrest, were never told.
When a child like Denia is threatened in our community, we need to all come to her aid -- church, school, DSS, the media, law enforcement, neighbors and family.
Denia's mistake was not in speaking out, but in believing that her community would protect her.
She then suffered the ultimate form of abuse -- her own death.
As a community, we followed Standard Operating Procedure: we filed the paperwork, arrested the father and ordered him out of the house until the trial -- "Next case."
We did everything but the follow-up that could have kept this child alive.
The authorities will determine who killed Denia, but we don't need a DNA test to know who is responsible for her death.
The FuneralThe funeral of the five-member Meza family will be held today at 2 p.m. at Greene Funeral Home Northwest Chapel at 2133 Ebenezer Road in Rock Hill , with burial to follow at Forest Hills Cemetery . DETAILS | Funeral of the five-member Meza family today | 12B Dan
Huntley
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Growing Up in the Jehovah Witness ideas, I just knew something was not right, the pieces didn't fit, NEVER did I think I would come to the realization that the whole thing is a sham. Why would my parents lie to me, surely being older and wiser they checked it all out, and taught me the truth, didn't they ?
I understand that many in the organization believe God will correct false teachings in due time. I also realize men are fallible. I can accept both of these things. What I cannot accept is an organization that says this and at the same time urges others to teach these ideas as "present truths." There is no allowance for criticism. A person's faith and motives will be impugned if they do not see the matter as the Society does. Anyone who has gone through the experience of having doubts and voicing them, can attest to the truth of this.
It is even more serious for an organization representing itself as God's only appointed spokesman to all mankind, to teach false things, not for a few days or months, or years, but for over a century on an earth-wide scale. Many have paid too high a price in their lives for following "present truths" that were later discarded. The responsibility for this surely can not be shrugged off by simply saying, "Well, nobody's perfect." No one is, but EACH of us bears a responsibility for what we do. This is especially so when our actions dramatically affect something as important and personal as the relationship people have with God.
Witnesses who doubt have very few options. They can disassociate themselves and be treated as a disfellowshipped individual. They can live their life according to their own convictions and eventually be disfellowshipped, or they can try to quietly "fade away." Any Witness knows that to be disassociated or disfellowshipped means the loss of contact with friends and family. In some cases, it means the destruction of a marriage. It was my intention to try to quietly fade away and remain inactive. This was impossible in my situation.
A person may reach a point where there is a struggle as to what decision to make, whether to disassociate oneself or try to quietly fade away. This is an individual decision. There is a very high price a person will pay in their lives because of the organization's policies. What must be considered is the aftermath. This can be devastating. It can also be liberating, and peaceful. I think there comes a point in a person's life where he feels compelled to take a courageous stand. However, no one should be pushed into this decision. It should be made with inner peace and with confidence.
I could not feel that I was serving God in truth and living my life with integrity by remaining. I wanted to be proud of my religion, not ASHAMED OF IT. We will all stand before him one day, and give account for our actions. No organization is going to "stand in" for us. I don't believe we will be able to say "the Watchtower told me it was the truth, I wasn't sure, but I believed them anyway". There is something called PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY that compelled me to decide as I did. We each have the same choices and the same personal responsibility before God. I have not always made the best choices in life. I live with regrets and "what ifs". However, I have peace with my decision to leave Jehovah's Witnesses. I am no longer afraid of what men or demons can do to me, to my life. I have control and so do you.
HISTORY 101William Miller, starts Adventist movement, later taken over by Nelson Barbour, Adventist predicts end of the world in 1874, it does not happen, Barbour preaches that Christ second presence did come, but that he returned to the heavens ?invisibly? and took on the throne, Russell becomes fascinated with this statement, and later meets Barbour, Russell becomes co-editor of Herald of the Morning, in 1878 Russell and Barbour part ways, Russell starts "Zion's Watchtower and the Herald of Christ's Presence".
Notice the title of the magazine "and the herald of Christ's presence", what does that mean ??? Russell too taught that Christ returned invisibly in 1874 NOT 1914. Russell never taught about a paradise earth, he predicted Armageddon in 1914. He never taught about 144,000. He taught all go to heaven, and those following his lead would be brought to heaven in 1914.
Flawed CharacterRev. J. J. Ross published a pamphlet that exposed Russell's false claims and doctrines. He revealed that Russell "never attended the higher schools of learning; knows comparatively nothing of philosophy, systematic or historical theology; and is totally ignorant of the [biblical] languages [i.e. Hebrew and Greek]". \l "Rev. J.J. Ross," Russell unsuccessfully tried to stop circulation of this damaging information by suing Rev. Ross for defamatory libel. However, Russell not only lost the suit, but in the process perjured himself in court when he lied under oath about his knowledge of the Greek language. In the end Russell admitted the statements about himself in the pamphlet were true. \l "Rev. J.J. Ross, Some"
In 1913, Russell unsuccessfully sued The Brooklyn Daily Eagle for libel when that paper exposed his fraudulent attempts to sell ordinary wheat at the exorbitant price of $60 a bushel, claiming it was "Miracle Wheat."
I am not going to spend a lot of time on Russell, the guy was lost, from pyramids to predictions. Not all there, I have had the opportunity to read the majority (all) of his publications, I suggest you do the same.
go to www.ctrussell.us/ they have ALL his publications, and anyone can read them for FREE, no donations needed.
Which brings up the question ??? If the watchtower's goal is to preach to all the inhabited earth, why can't we read the watchtower on-line when it comes out, beats going to door to door, much much much faster, Why ??? then there would be no DONATIONS for the magazines. The Watchtower = Book publishing company = $1 billion/year in TAX FREE money. Did not Jesus say return Caesar's things to Caesar. Why did the Watchtower stop charging for magazines and food at assemblies (I can?t believe they don?t serve food anymore), hhhhhhhhhmmmmmmm, I wonder, they would have to declare all their assets to the government for tax purposes.
*** Our Kingdom Ministry September 2002 (For Britain) p. 8 ***
There is no need for any individual, committee, or congregation to prepare a Web page about Jehovah's Witnesses. Some have posted the contents of our publications with all scriptures and references given in full and have even offered copies of convention material. Whether profit is involved or not, the practice of reproducing and distributing publications of Jehovah's Witnesses in an electronic document is a violation of copyright laws. While some may view this as a service to the brothers, it is not approved and should be discontinued.They seemed to be more worried about copyright laws, then preaching the good news to all the inhabited earth ?
With the passage of 1914 and 1915 and NO complete overthrow of all kingdoms, human institutions, no take over of all earths rule by Christ?s kingdom, no transition of the anointed to heavenly life, no destruction of Babylon the Great, no conversion of Israel to Christianity, all foretold to take place by 1914. True there had been the outbreak of WW1 but it had not resulted in the worldwide anarchy predicted.
When Russell died in 1916, he died very disappointed, and unsure of his own beliefs, he left behind a legacy of time prophecies not one of which had brought the results foretold. He also left behind 1000's of confused followers. He left the organization to be run by his 4 vice president, equally, and they should continue to examine the scriptures and correct his mistakes. That did not happen. Enter J.F. (Judge) Rutherford. (Who DEMANDED TO BE CALLED JUDGE !!!!!!!!, because he served as a back up judge for a week) (wow impressive)
What a piece of work he was, After their release from prison in 1918, the power struggle began, and what a fight it was, with Rutherford eventually winning out, and kicking out all appointed leaders that Russell had put in place and replacing them with his own supporters.
Rutherford was a copy cat, he simply copied other peoples ideas and made them doctrine. Example changing Christ "INVISIBLE" presence from 1874 to 1914, creating the paradise idea, which was taught briefly in the early 1820's by missionaries for the Catholic church and rejected by the followers. The idea was shelved and all books were pulled. He would make his own prediction of 1925, (I never knew much about this, but it is identical to the stunt the Watchtower pulled in 1975, you think they would have learned the first time.) In which he would say later that "I made a total ass of myself." (well Judge, more ways then one.)
He would then create what I think is the biggest joke, "BETH SARIM" , do you know what this is ???, how come we never studied this in the theocratic school.
Beth Sarim = house of princes, and Beth Shan to follow, Rutherford would build this MANSION, because David, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Daniel, were going to come back from the dead in 1925 and rule the earth as princes, (see the Finished Mystery 1917 and Millions Now Living Will Never Die 1920.)
"4440 Braeburn Rd., San Diego, CA, Kensington District.
The unfinished crypt is behind the house over Fairmont canyon. You can take a little dirt road and walk down to see it. Go during the day, when the current owner isn't there! Not much to see. Just an empty crypt big enough for a coffin. The home and land is worth about 2 million dollars today."
I say we go to San Diego, I'm paying, and we visit it, since you are going to say its a made up story. (please just punch in Beth Sarim to your google search engine, and see what comes up, its hilarious.) I plan on going next summer.
The interview with J.F. Rutherford that appeared in the San Diego Sun, March 15, 1930
"But how will you identify King David or any of the other representatives from God?' Rutherford was asked. 'I thought all that out before I wrote the deed,' the judge replied with a twinkle in his gray eyes. 'I realized the possibility of some old codger turning up bright and early some morning and declaring he was David.
The men whom I have designated to test the identity of these men are officers of my societies and have consecrated themselves to the Lord, they will be divinely authorized to know impostors from the princes.'"
Time Magazine of March 31, 1930 wrote: "Judge Joseph Frederick Rutherford 60, lives in a ten room Spanish mansion, No 4440 Braeburn Rd, San Diego, Calif. Last week he deeded No 4440 Braeburn Road, and adjacent two car garage and a pair of automobiles to King David, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthae, Samuel and sundry other mighties of ancient Palestine. Positive is he that they are shortly to reappear on earth, Said he: 'I have purposely landscaped the place with palm and olive trees so that these princes of the universe will feel at home ..". The San Diego Sun of Jan 9 1931 wrote: "A gaunt unshaven tramp has been the lone claimant for the $75,000 Southern Californian mansion of David, king of Israel, since it was deeded to the Biblical character a year ago. This was revealed today by Judge James Rutherford, temporary owner of the luxuriantly furnished Spanish type mansion at 4440 Braeburn Rd in the exclusive Kensington Heights district.In one of the oddest deeds ever recorded, Rutherford, president of the International Bible Students Association and the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, has placed in trust the magnificent estate for ancient kings and prophets of Israel The slayer of Goliath and his companions may occupy the 10 room modern home with it's landscaped gardens and patio as soon as their credentials are approved by Rutherford and officials of his societies, divinely authorised to recognise them.
One morning as I was going from the house to the garage, a queer looking creature approached me, tipped his dirty hat and cried 'Howdy Judge, I'm David' 'Go and tell that to the winds', I told him and he left without arguing the matter. I could see at a glance that he was not David. He didn't look like I knew David would look.'
Asked how he expected David and his distinguished brethren to look, Rutherford, without hesitation, opened his huge Bible and pointed to a verse which said that the Princes of the Universe would be risen from the dead 'as perfect men'. 'I interpret that to mean', the tall dignified Judge declared, 'that David, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jepthae, Joseph and Samuel will be sent here to wrench the world from Satan's grasp, clothed in modern garb as we are, and able, with little effort, to speak our tongue.' Rutherford pictured the arrival of the biblical delegation perhaps in frock coats, high hats, canes and spats.
At Beth Sarim (House of Princes) as Rutherford has named his mansion, David will find the most modern appliances that science has devised. When the distinguished guests walk up the circular stairway to the second floor, they will find a large office with red leather chairs and shiny flat topped desk with inverted lighting. Even French telephones await the touch of the princes. Opening a wide door, the native sons of Palestine will behold a large bathroom, resplendent in shiny black tile with needle shower and an amply filled medicine chest. What a thrill giant shouldered Samson, who wrecked a palace with his bare fists might find in the gold safety razor and strop! Rutherford built the second floor bedroom, which he temporarily occupies, large in order to accommodate several of the expected owners. With wide pane windows that look out on the purple Cuyamacas to the East and California's first mission to the north, the bedroom is almost severe in it's furnishings.
The rulers of the universe will have simple tastes, the judge apparently believes, although the austere end tables sported gaily covered fiction magazines. Rutherford has imported some Koniach, Wasser from Cologne, Germany to freshen the princely faces after shaving. A black skull cap hangs over one of the bedposts. The coming of David and his companions will be the greatest news story of the ages, Rutherford predicted. 'I am not a publicity seeker,' Rutherford said with a twinkle in his kindly brown [sic] eyes, 'but I feel that the world should know about their arrival. It will be a great news story.' Word of his 'House of king David' has reached into every corner of the world, the judge stated. 'Everywhere I went people asked me about this place,' Rutherford said.
'In Chicago a millionaire manufacturer offered to build another house for David, but I declined the offer. 'Literally thousands have driven here to see this place,' Rutherford continued. 'Many have come to the door
and my secretary has shown them about the place.' The patio with it's silver pool and olive and palm trees is gay with flowers. Down toward the canyon, paths have been landscaped to allow David and his friends to walk in meditation. Many of the fruits, native to their Palestine, will greet the rulers when they arrive.
In the two car garage next door stands a new, yellow 16 cylinder coupe which will be turned over to the rulers along with all the personal property on the place. 'Everything will be theirs, the house, the land, the furnishings and even the clothes if they need them,' Judge Rutherford said. 'What will I do? Oh, don't worry about me. I'll manage somehow.' the judge smiled. He had another 'Watch Tower' residence on Staten Island and practically an entire floor at Bethel.
The seven famous men will not have long to rest at their San Diego estate because they soon will lead the forces of the Lord to vanquish the minions of Satan at the battle of Armageddon, Rutherford believed. 'But they will win out. The Lord will punish the devil and will show that the preachers and the politicians have been giving the people false counsel,' Rutherford said confidently.
Rutherford will sail May 9 for Europe where he will speak before conventions in Berlin Paris and London."
PART TWO
"Jehovah's Witnesses prepared TWO mansions in California to house Bible heroes like Abraham and Moses in the resurrection.
Beth-Sarim or House of Princes, which they owned from 1929-1947, is common knowledge.
Recently the J W Research Journal carried information about another, secret, property called Beth Shan meaning House of Security, which the Watchtower Society owned from 1939 to 1945.
Beth Shan was a 75 acre property located next to Beth Sarim with a bigger mansion than Beth Sarim. It had several out houses, a 4,000 gallon tank of diesel, 7 acres of cultivated land, a well plus 10,000 gallon water-storage tank, and two secret underground bomb shelters with storage shelves and 3-foot thick concrete ceilings.
Access to Beth Shan was by a ½ mile dirt track and a gate guarded by WTS personnel.
The Beth Shan deed SAID in part:
"NOW THEREFORE this trust is created and said trustee shall hold the title to said property in trust for the use and benefit of the following named persons, whose names appear in the Bible at the book of Hebrews, chapter eleven, verses one to forty, to wit: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sara, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephtha, David, Samuel.
Until such time as the aforementioned persons return and identify themselves to the legal representatives of the said WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY and the consent of said Society take possession and control of said premises, the President of the WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY shall have the right and be duty bounded to direct the management and use of said premises hereby conveyed and to determine who shall be in possession and have the active management thereof.
(J W Research Journal Vol. 4, No. 3, Summer 1997 p. 4)
Beth Shan was so secret it was mentioned in WTS literature only once in the magazine Consolation 1942 May 27 p. 9. The context was a dispute about burying Judge Rutherford, the deceased WTS president. The authorities had turned down a WTS request for a one-grave cemetery at Beth Sarim. Therefore the WTS next tried for a grave site at Beth Shan which was also turned down.
Why did the WTS buy and develop Beth Shan? According to the deed Beth Shan was intended to accommodate the resurrected Bible heroes and meanwhile be a retreat for the WTS president.
But there seems to be another reason.
In 1926 the WTS magazine The Golden Age predicted:
the next war will be an annihilation! There will be poison and explosion everywhere, beneath the whole canopy of the heavens...
(June 2 p. 55)
In 1935 the WTS booklet Universal War Near referred to:
...the few remaining months until the breaking of that universal cataclysm... (p. 27)
By 1938 the WTS taught that the totalitarian governments would rule the world just prior to Armageddon. For example in the booklet Face The Facts (1938) it says:
The totalitarian combine is going to get control of England and America. (pp. 20, 21, 27)
Face The Facts also taught that Armageddon was too close for marriage and child rearing (pp. 46-50). This message was further drummed via the books Salvation (1939 pp. 318-331) and Children (1941). The latter is about two JW juveniles who discuss WTS doctrine and decide to forego marriage for a few years so as to preach full time until Armageddon comes. (pp. 328, 274-281)
The storage shelves in the Beth Shan bomb shelters are explained by:
In passing, the opinion is here expressed for the information of those who have hearing ears, that a great famine is certain to afflict the many nations of the earth in the very near future. The United States is also in line for much suffering...
(The Watchtower 1941 November 15 p. 343)
In 1941 The Watchtower again had the expression the remaining months before Armageddon. (September 15 p. 288)
From all this it appears that the purpose for buying and developing Beth Shan was to protect the WTS leaders from war, famine and other trials during those remaining months before Armageddon!
By 1945 events proved WTS leaders wrong regarding world rule by the Nazis/ Fascists and Armageddon being only MONTHS away. Beth Shan was therefore no longer needed to protect them and was sold.
UNREAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rutherford's Companions ---
Since his wife never joined him and his son wanted nothing to do with him, consider the following :
It was made by a beautiful woman who was Rutherford's constant traveling companion who did not work her way up the Bethel ladder (like almost all other women had to do) yet immediately came into his inner circle upon entering Bethel. It was made by a woman who abandoned her own husband of fifteen years to enter Bethel. It was made by a women who during all of what I've described was an anointed sister and pioneer to the end of her life and was never reprimanded for any of the conduct I've just mentioned.
What did she say about Judge Rutherford?
She said, "He was like a husband to me in every way."
Before we get down to the details, let us review what we KNOW about Judge Rutherford as this gets to PATTERN of attitude and conduct:
FACT - He was a false prophet.
FACT - He was a tragic alcoholic.
FACT - He was a hypocrite who lived and traveled like royalty.
FACT - He was cruel, ruthless and vindictive.
FACT - He had no genuine and close friends.
FACT - He was a man of hate, bitterness and revenge.
FACT - He was a federal lawbreaker who drank and had booze smuggled for him during Prohibition.
FACT - He was a man who scorned, even despised people who wanted to improve their own character and ethics.
FACT - He was an instigator who intentionally used his followers as pawns to start riots which hurt them but helped him get the publicity he craved.
FACT - He was a man who despite the fact he had no legitimate claim to the somewhat lofty title, insisted upon being called "Judge" for the entire time he ran the WTS.
FACT - He was a pathetic, rotten husband and father who was at least despised by his own son and probably by his own wife, neither of whom cared enough about him to go to his own funeral.
FACT - He was so disliked by his fellow Bethelites that only four of them attended his funeral.
FACT - He was a man whose prolific writings were so worthless that none of them are now being printed. (except heavens doors closed in 1935.)
FACT - he was a man who considered himself "above the law of the land" when Prohibition outlawed the possession and consumption of alcohol.
FACT - he was a man who considered himself "above his OWN law" when he told people they could only gain salvation by preaching from door to door when he never did it himself as leader of the WTS.
he considered himself "above the Christian law" of decency and honesty when he wrongly and intentionally vilified and libelled Olin Moyle and Walter Salter.
he considered himself "above the Christian law" to be "no part of this world," when he meddled in politics in 1934 and praised Hitler while condemning the very government which allowed him to freely get away with his shenanigans.
In fact, the question could rightly be asked, "what (if any) rule or code of ethical conduct that he demanded of his followers did he himself actually obey?"
We are now down to the real question I'm going to ask: given the gross and unethical conduct of Rutherford I've just outlined, would he be more or less inclined to break yet another law, the Christian law against the commission of adultery? did Rutherford consider himself to be above the law against adultery?
The best evidence for or against this question would of course come from eyewitnesses, but most or all potential eyewitnesses are now dead.
however, Newly Revealed Evidence for Rutherford's Sexual Infidelity
The evidence comes from a man who not only knew the woman in question (she's now deceased), he had met her numerous times. She was a relative, being the aunt of his own mother.
Up until recently this secret of her year's long sexual affair with Rutherford was kept by the family. They were ashamed of what she had done. On the other hand, stated that no one in the family ever spoke poorly of her.
Obviously, this is evidence that no family member is or was out to "get" her. They have no reason to lie about a secret they've kept for so long.
This woman was a good friend of Bonnie Boyd before coming to Bethel in 1938. Bonnie Boyd was Rutherford's personal secretary. When this woman arrived at Bethel, she was immediately given a job as Rutherford's personal dietician, although she had no experience or training in that field and Rutherford already had a man in this position at that time.
Nearly all women have to start out in Bethel as maids or work in the laundry, which are the lowest of jobs. Why was she so lucky to get a top-notch job immediately upon coming to Bethel?
Why did she get to go everywhere Rutherford went, including traveling first class to Europe six to eight weeks a year and spending winters in the Beth Sarim mansion? Why did she become Rutherford's personal dietician WHILE TRAVELING when Rutherford already had a man as his personal dietician at Bethel?
Was it merely just because she was so beautiful and Rutherford had a fondness for beautiful women? Or is there more?
Her maiden name was Berta Teel. Her married name was Berta Peale. But before we discuss more about her, we will spend a little time talking about Bonnie Boyd. Bonnie Boyd and Berta Peale had some strange similarities and circumstances in their relationships with Rutherford.
Bonnie Boyd-Heath
Bonnie Boyd came to Bethel with her mother in 1923 and worked as a stenographer for W.E. Van Amburgh, a top-ranking Watchtower official. Yet that same year she then became a stenographer for Rutherford. In about 1931 she became Rutherford's personal secretary. According to her testimony in the Moyle vs. Franz trial on page 1367 she stated she took all dictation for all books and Watch Tower articles authored by Rutherford. Her husband William Heath testified that ONLY Bonnie saw Rutherford's writings until they were turned over for proofreading and publication.
Bonnie Boyd had a VERY important position in the WTS. She also lived in the lavish surroundings and manner as her boss. The same Moyle case has her testifying that she went on six to eight week annual trips to Europe with Rutherford and had done so for twenty years. (page 1382) Yet Boyd came to Bethel as a GIRL in the Fall of 1923 with her mother and Rutherford died in 1942, nineteen years later. A few weeks after Rutherford's death, the San Diego Union on February 18, 1942 quoted her as saying she was the "adopted daughter" of Judge Rutherford, and had been with him continuously since she was 16.
Why would Rutherford take a 16 year old GIRL as a constant companion? Rutherford considered women as inferiors who should keep their proper place as indicated by his oft stated comment that women were only "a stack of bones and a hank of hair." (September 15, 1941 WT, page 287) Once again, if Rutherford thought so little of women WHY did he have as a "constant companion" a 16 year old GIRL? Because he was generous and caring? No one knew him to be that.
Bonnie Boyd was one of the four or so "witnesses" who signed the deed to Beth Sarim in January of 1930. If she was only 16 in the Fall of 1923 when she came to Bethel, she would only be about 21 years of age when she signed the very significant deed to Beth Sarim. What did she, a very young women do to deserve such an honour of having her name attached to a deed of that importance?
In 1938 Bonnie Boyd married William Heath, an heir to one of the founders of the Coca Cola company. Heath was very, very rich. She continued to accompany Rutherford along with her new husband everywhere he went. But there was ONE thing that had changed. Her husband was heir to part of the Coca Cola fortune and she no longer was compelled to depend upon Rutherford to live and travel in his luxury, or worry about being tossed out of Bethel and back into the Great Depression.
From Olin Moyle's letter to Rutherford:
"Here again is shown unequal and discriminatory treatment. One brother left Bethel some time ago for the purpose of getting married, and, so I am informed, was refused the privilege of pioneering in New York, apparently as an official disapproval of his action in leaving Bethel. On the other hand when Bonnie Boyd got married she didn't have to leave Bethel. She was permitted to bring her husband into Bethel in spite of the printed rule providing that both marrying parties should have lived there for five years."
Why did Bethel break one of its ever-so-rigid rules and make an exception for a "lowly" women named Bonnie Boyd? What made her so SPECIAL that she was able to avoid the Bethel rules? Was it because of her husband's great wealth? Women are the lowest form of life at Bethel and were worse than that in Rutherford's time! Did Bonnie "have something" on Rutherford that caused her to be treated so differently? Was it her new husband's money that caused Rutherford to break his own rules for her?
The person reporting this testimony from another eyewitness stated:
And according to Worth Thornton (now deceased, was Knorr's secretary, wrote the Informant now KM), Bonnie had slept with half of the Bethelites in the 1950's. The big-shots at the time evidently knew of the scandal but chose to sweep it under the rug."
Coincidentally, (or is it?) just a MONTH after Bonnie Boyd was married, Rutherford had a NEW, beautiful and female traveling companion who was much younger than himself: Berta Peale
Berta Peale
Berta met Bonnie Boyd sometime in the early 1930's. This was confirmed by her niece. It was also confirmed in the Olin Moyle trial transcript on pages 1299-1301. At the time, Berta was a full time pioneer and a member of the "anointed." During this time she traveled to Europe with Bonnie Boyd to attend a European convention of Jehovah's Witnesses.
There she met Rutherford. Her family had very little money. They moved from North Carolina to Akron, Ohio and her older brother struggled to support Berta and nine other people including himself during this time. This was the Great Depression and hardly anyone had money to eat, let alone to travel abroad.
Who paid for her expensive trip to attend a convention overseas where she met Rutherford for the first time? Since we know Rutherford financed Bonnie Boyd's trip, can't we also assume he likely financed Berta's trip?
In June of 1938 Berta abandoned her husband of 15 years and went to Bethel. This was just ONE MONTH after Bonnie Boyd became MRS. William Heath. Among herself and her three female sisters, Berta was by far the most beautiful according to "larc", her grand nephew. He had seen her a number of times as a youngster. A picture of her will be added to this article very shortly.
Later in 1938, Berta's husband filed for divorce on the grounds of abandonment and it was granted in 1940. Copies of the divorce filing by Alfred Peale for spousal abandonment and the final decree were sent to Bethel. Yet the Watchtower Society did NOTHING to punish Berta for leaving her husband without a scriptural reason. NOTHING!
Not only was she not punished or sent home she was given one of the two or three most envious jobs conceivable at Bethel: living and traveling like a Queen with the Watchtower King himself.
Why did Rutherford make her a "dietician" when he already had one and she was unqualified for the job?
The Moyle trial states that she was a Practical Nurse, but a dietician is a specialty unto itself. It was also brought out in the Moyle trial that Rutherford already HAD his own private nurse, and ridiculed the notion that Rutherford needed two of them, since he was obviously healthy enough to travel and speak so extensively. In contradiction to what was claimed in the Moyle trial, Berta's only job experience prior to entering Bethel was factory work! Why was she the only of his two dietician's to travel with Rutherford and stay with him in Beth Sarim? Why did she get this meteoric rise in privilege immediately upon entering Bethel?
It has been reported before that on one of Rutherford's trips during the time Berta was working for him, a maid at the hotel found a woman's hairpin IN Rutherford's bed. His female "assistant" was staying in an adjoining room with a door that could access either room. He reported that Dr. M. James Penton a famous WTS researcher discovered that this incident occurred in North Carolina.
Is this significant? Berta Peale was from North Carolina. Coincidence? Perhaps. But consider the following :
"She was his "personal dietician." He was way-up in years, she was very young, at least half his age at the time, probably even much younger! She had a bedroom adjacent to his, with a directly connecting door to his bedroom, in the Soceity's train car that was used to "preach the kingdom" during judge's reign. She also went wherever judge went, including frequent trips to Europe. Where were his wife and Son? For all practical purposes, they were separated and living a long distance apart; and judge made sure of that!
"An elder in the hall in Long Beach, California, long after judge's death, is the source of this information. She requested that the elders (my friend being one of the elders) meet with her (she was in her 70's), because she wasn't sure if she would receive her heavenly reward. The elders met, and she told them the relationship she had with Rutherford over a 15-year period! She even showed them movies of the two of them, hugging and kissing, shortly before dropping this "bomb shell!"
"Anyway, the elders made contact with headquarters, and Nathan Knorr met with Birda [her name was actually "Berta"], while at a District Convention in California, shortly afterward. Nathan Knorr, with some other officials present, said that they long knew of the adulterous relationship, but for some reason, never said anything to anyone about it; they also told her that because this was so far in the past, not to worry about it! (Is this a double standard or what?)"
Indeed!
Bonnie and Berta - The Similarities
1) Two women who were the "closest" to Rutherford during his later life.
2) Two women who were constant traveling and living companions.
3) Two women who were quickly propelled to the pinnacle of the WT elite.
4)Two women who broke the strictest of WT rules, yet not a thing was done about it.
5) One woman became a constant companion of Rutherford's when she was only sixteen years old. She was accused by a man not afraid of identifying himself by name of "sleeping around" in Bethel in the 1950's. Another women who magically received paid passage to Europe during the Great Depression and immediately upon entering Bethel received an elite job that not only was she not qualified to have, the job had already been filled by someone else? Who needed to have TWO Dieticians back then?
6) One beautiful and poor young women brought into Bethel who immediately became a "personal assistant" and "constant companion" only one MONTH AFTER another "personal assistant" and "constant companion" became married.
7) The Great Depression where no one had any money and would die for the opportunity to live the luxurious life of Rutherford.
8) Adjacent bedrooms with connecting doors for these women and the Judge in trains and in hotels. The Judge's habit of working at night in Beth Sarim when the rest of his housekeeping staff was asleep.
One lonely, horny old immoral drunk with all the power and money he could ask for who viewed women as only acceptable "if they kept their proper place."
One absolute dictator who broke all the rules he set for others who considered himself above such rules.
Testimony from a named informant that Nathan Knorr and others knew of Rutherford's infidelity with Berta and did nothing about it, thus keeping it covered up.
He had the lack of moral ethics. He had the motive. He had the victims willing or otherwise. He had the opportunity. He had the alibi and he had the cover-up. He had the people to continue the cover-up.
And now we have uncovered a new story about him.
Remember what Berta said:
"He was like a husband to me in every way."
Footnote *** did you know, that only 4 people attended Rutherford?s funeral, Nathan Knorr and Freddie Franz didn't even bother to go, the Watchtower doesn't even know where Rutherford is buried.
If there are 2 publications you must read these are it : The Finished Mystery 1917 and the most sought after book, actually brochure, "Millions Now Living, Will Never Die!" 1920 (a collection on ebay including most publications from 1915-1995 was on for $10,000, wish I had the extra money, I would of bought it just for these two books, the seller a 40+ year witness, left after the generation change)
After reading these publications, one can only wonder how the organization became what it has today.
From Millions Now Living Will Never Die (1920) page 88 :
?A simple calculation of these jubilees brings us to this IMPORTANT FACT : Seventy jubilees of 50 years each would be a total of 3500 years. That period of time beginning in 1575 before A.D. 1 of necessity would end in the fall of the year 1925, at which time the type ends and the great antitype must begin. What, then, should we expect to take place? In the type there must be a full restoration ; therefore the great antitype must mark the beginning of the restoration of things. The chief thin to be restored is the human race to life ; and since other Scriptures definitely fix the fact that there will be a resurrection of Abraham, Isaac Jacob and other faithful ones of old, and that these will have the first favor, we may expect 1925 to witness the return of these faithful men of Isreal from the condition of death, being resurrected and fully restored to perfect humanity and made the visible legal representatives of the new order of things on earth. ?
page 90 :
?As we have heretofore stated, the great jubilee cycle is due to begin in 1925. At that time the earthly phase of the kingdom shall be recognized.
Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old, particularly those named by the apostle Paul in Hebrews chapter 11, to the condition of human perfection. ?
July 15, 1922 Watchtower :
?this chronology is not of man, but of God. Being of divine origin and divinely corroborated, present-truth chronology stands in a class by itself, absolutely and unqualifiedly correct.?
After this 1925 embarrassment, and since over 1/3 of the followers left. Rutherford needed a new date to spark interest. AAAAHH, enter the beginning of "1914 the generation that will not pass away."
Stop, for a minute and tell me what the "ORIGINAL" teaching was , do you even know ???
Rutherford taught that a generation was 30-40 years, and since Christ died sometime in 33 AD and that Gods anger was unleashed on Jerusalem in 70 AD, that this was only 36/37/38 years, and he said "we know that God will act even faster in these final days. His eyeball has been touched, and his anger will now be released on this present system of things."
Well, under pressure in the early 1950's Nathan Knorr and Freddie Franz had to come up with a new idea (much like the 1995 change) I will discuss this later.
During the Summer of 1941 at an assembly in St. Louis , Missouri, USA, huge crowds gathered around as Judge Rutherford was driven up to the assembly site. On the final day of the assembly, Rutherford had all the children from 5-18 years old seated on the platform. Rutherford spoke with fatherly persuasion and recommended to these children that they put marriage out of their minds until the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and other faithful men and women of old who would soon be resurrected and would guide them in their selection of mates.
A copy of a new book called CHILDREN was given to each. As a vehicle for developing material it presented a fictional witness couple, who were engaged but who had decided to postpone their marriage until the arrival of the New Order so near at hand. In the book ?Our hope is that within a few years our marriage may be consummated and, by the Lord?s grace, we shall have sweet children that will be an honour to the Lord.?
September 15, 1941 Watchtower page 288:
?Receiving the gift (the book Children), the marching children clasped it to them, not a toy or plaything for idle pleasure, but the Lord?s provided instrument for most effective work in the remaining months before Armageddon.?
REMAINING MONTHS ?????????????????
I later learned that Judge Rutherford was at the point of dying of cancer. Fred Franz said that the judge?s failing condition, coupled with his strong desire that the ?end? to come while he was alive to see it, motivated many such expressions. I have thought, had the couple been real in the book instead of fictional, their engagement period would have been rather long, in fact, still be going on today, All the young girls present at that assembly would be well past their childbearing years now, being at least in their 70?s.
Some of those who were present as children, did loyally follow through on the counsel heard and remained single through what might be called marriageable years and on. Don?t you think ???
I want to draw a parallel to this experience and the one quoted in the May 1974 Kingdom Ministry (33 years later), and I quote (as related to 1975) :
? Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world?s end.? 1 John 2 : 17
Quite a number of witnesses did just that. Some sold their business?s, gave up jobs, sold homes, farms, and moved their wives and family to other areas where the need was great, some put off operations, cashed in insurance policies, counting on having sufficient funds to carry them through 1975.
When 1975 passed and their funds ran out, they now had to cope with the hard realities and rebuild the best they could.
Did the Watchtower say it, maybe not, but they sure insinuated it. and glorified the people that did.
So next assembly, lets get all the people together, and see how they are doing now. I wonder now 30 years after that Kingdom Ministry statement, how many are STILL in the pioneer service.
I was going to write a 20 page piece on 1975, but you know all about it, once again lots of insinuations and false prophecies, putting ideas in people heads and then saying, people read to much into it.
All you have to do is read the Watchtowers and Awakes from 1966-1974 and you find 1000?s of these, also the 1966 book Life Everlasting In the Freedom of the Sons of God . I?ll quote page 30 ?How appropriate it would be for Jehovah God to make of this coming seventh period of a thousand years a Sabbath period of rest and release, a great Jubilee Sabbath for the proclaiming of liberty throughout the earth to all its inhabitants. This would be most timely for mankind. It would be almost fitting on God?s part, for, remember mankind has yet ahead of it what the last book of the Holy Bible speaks of as the reign of Jesus Christ over earth for a 1000 years.
It would not be by mere chance or accident but would be according to the loving purpose of Jehovah God for the reign of Jesus Christ, to run parallel with the seventh millennium.?
These kind of insinuations and false ideas, are the downfall of the Watchtower.
This brings me back to my earlier statement of "PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY", how can the organization put out literature, expect you to believe it, place it, study it, teach it to new ones, and then say, oh well, we made a mistake or we never said that.
Now my favourite topic !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
?1914 - The Generation that will not pass away. ?I mentioned the first teaching already, with the arrival of the 1950?s, however, the time period provided by that definition had elapsed. Some stretching was needed, and in the September 1, 1952 Watchtower, pages 542,543, the definition was changed and, for the first time, the time period covered by a ?generation? was defined as representing an entire lifetime, thus running 70-80 years or more.
For a time this seemed to provide a comfortable span of time in which the published predictions might occur. Still, with the passing of years the application of the term ?1914 generation? underwent further adjustment and definition.
Awake! 1962 September 22 p.27 'This Generation Will Not Pass' ***[...] But what "generation" did Christ have in mind?
Was Jesus using the word "generation" in a symbolic way? No we should not say that the word "generation" here has a symbolic meaning and that it refers, for example, to persons of the spiritual body of Christ exclusively, or only to the true Christian organization itselfThe word "generation" at Matthew 24:34 is to be viewed in an ordinary sense, as at Acts 13:36 and Mark 8:12. Acts 13:36 speaks of David's very own generation, a literal generation. The generation of persons living in Jesus' time, person who sought a sign, according to Mark 8:12, was a literal generation. That a symbolic application to a "generation" of wicked persons is not meant at Matthew 24:34 is apparent when we read the preceding verse: "Likewise also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near at the doors." It is the generation of persons who "see all these things" to whom Jesus refers in verse 34, irrespective of whether such persons are righteous or wicked. Since Jesus was foretelling conditions prevailing now at the world's time of the end, the generation now living is the one to which he pointed forward in his prophecy of the last days.Bible prophecies indicate that Christ was installed as the King of God's heavenly kingdom in 1914. Without delay, the newly enthroned Potentate waged ware against the Devil and his demons, resulting in their ouster from the heavens. (Rev. 12:7-9) The "generation" of Matthew 24:34 includes persons alive at the time that the war in heaven began in 1914. All who were living or who came on the scene around that time are part of that generation. Members of that generation will see the end of this world.
It should be noted, however, that the world's end does not come after the end of that generation. It comes within that generation. Jesus himself said that the generation would not pass away "until all these things occur." "now learn from the fig tree as an illustration this point: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and it puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. Likewise also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near at the doors." (Matt. 24:32, 33) The happenings that he foretold do not indicate that the end would come in the next generation; they are 'the sign of his presence' and of the impending end of the old world. The generation living in 1914, millions of whom are still alive on earth, will be living when the end comes at Armageddon.
Watchtower 1968 December 1 p.715 Putting First the Preaching of the Good News ***By foretelling that this good news of the established kingdom must first be preached, Jesus indicated urgency. And so Jehovah's witnesses must be urgent about preaching the good news, for the remaining time is reduced. Satan is working hard, for he knows that he has but a short period of time left. (Rev. 12:12) How much more so should Jesus' true followers be working extra hard, since they too know that the time left for preaching this good news of the Kingdom is getting ever shorter! It is not reasonable to expect that present favourable conditions for preaching the good news will continue indefinitely. Besides, did not Jesus say that this generation will not pass away until all things are fulfilled? A generation, according to Psalm 90:10, is from seventy to eighty years. The generation that witnessed the end of the Gentile Times in 1914 does not have many more years left.?Luke 21:24, 32-36.
Awake October 8,1968 page 13-14 :?Jesus was obviously speaking about those who were old enough to witness with understanding what took place when the last days began.
Even if we presume that youngsters 15 years of age would be perceptive enough to realize the importance of what happened in 1914, it would still make the youngest of this generation nearly 70 years old.
This, tells us that the years left before the foretold end cannot be many.?
*** Awake! 1969 May 22 p.15 ***If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. Of the generation that observed the beginning of the 'last days' in 1914, Jesus foretold: 'This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.' Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in high school and thinking about a college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the way towards its finish, if not actually gone! This is why parents who base their lives on God's prophetic Word find it much more practical to direct their young ones into trades that do not require such long periods of additional schooling? True, those who do not understand where we are in the stream of time from God's viewpoint will call this impractical. But which is really practical: preparing yourself for a position in this world that soon will pass away? or working toward surviving this system's end & enjoying God's righteous new order?
When the Awake! magazine discussed this more than 35 years ago in the pre-1975 days, the stress was on how soon the generation of 1914 would be running out, how little time was left for that generation?s life span. For any of Jehovah?s Witnesses in 1968 to have suggested that things may go on for another thirty years or more would have been viewed as manifesting a poor attitude, one not indicative of strong faith.
When 1975 passed, however, the emphasis changed. Now, the effort was made to show that the 1914 generation span was not as narrow as one might think, that it could stretch for quite a long ways yet.
October 1, 1978 Watchtower, now spoke , not of those witnessing with understanding what took place in 1914, but of those who were able to observe the events beginning that year. Mere observation is quite different from understanding.
Continuing this trend, 2 years later, October 15, 1980 Watchtower, cited an article in the US News & World Report magazine, which suggested that 10 years of age could be the point at which events start creating ?a lasting impression on a person?s memory.? (also mentioned definitely NOT babies born before 1914)
Where in the bible does it say ?that the generation will not pass away? means 1914 ???????
Furthermore, all this is based on the assumption that Jerusalem was destroyed in 607 BCE, did you know that only Jehovah?s Witnesses believe this. All the evidence, all the bible scholars, every encyclopaedia on Planet Earth, says Jerusalem was destroyed in 587/586 BCE, including the tablets dating back to Jerusalem.
For the first 50 years of the organization they taught 606 BCE, then magically changed it to 607 BCE, when they discovered their error regarding the 0 year.
If Jerusalem was destroyed in 587 BCE, then where did the ?governing body? get their information. The year 607 BCE has no historical evidence whatsoever for support.
One of the most disturbing things to me is, knowing that, while the organization urges the brothers to maintain unwavering trust in the Watchtower, there were men in responsible positions within the organization (Governing Body) who knew this was not true. (my opinion)
Despite all the evidence, as to the validity of the claims regarding 1914 and the 1914 generation, The Watchtower continued forceful statements regarding 1914 and this generation continued to be published as Biblically established FACT by the ?governing body?, and all of Jehovah?s Witnesses were urged to put full trust in this and carry this message to other people earth wide.
October 15, 1980 Watchtower page 31 :
?And if the wicked system of this world survived until the turn of the century, which is highly improbable in view of world trends and the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, there would still be survivors of the WW1 generation. However, the fact that their number is dwindling is one more indication that ?the conclusion of the system of things? is moving fast towards its end.?
This was written in 1980. 25 years later, by the turn of the century, the 10 year olds of 1914 would be 100 years old. Still might be a few, but not many.
More years passed and now no mention of 10 year olds was made, but instead the reference was simply to those living in 1914. This of course, allowed for newborn babies to be included in the 1914 generation. But with the 1990?s coming, more adjustments were about to come.
I find it tragic that a time prophecy could be proclaimed to the entire world as something solid upon which people could and should confidently rely, build their hopes, form their life plans, and then have the Watchtower discard it as a misunderstanding.
Please pull out the May 15, 1984 Watchtower and read it cover to cover, and tell me if the articles on 1914 are correct, the magazine is only 20 years old, the bible is 2000 years old. If the purpose of the Watchtower is too help us understand the bible better, then does it do this. We were taught that we cannot understand the bible by reading it, we need the Watchtower.
And another change ..... 1995.
The June 1, 1951 Watchtower page 335 stated : ?Hence our generation is the generation that will see the start and finish of all these things, including Armageddon.?
For over forty years the Watchtower publications continued to assign a temporal sense to the ?generation? of Matthew 24:34. The aging of the 1914 generation was pointed to again and again as clear evidence of the shortness of the remaining time.
In the new edition, rather then having parameters of time limitations or any set starting point, the generation is instead to be identified, by its characteristics, as in reference to an evil and adulterous generation in Jesus time. This generation is now said to be ?the peoples of earth who see the sign of Christ?s presence but fail to mend their ways.
1914 is not discarded, however, something the organization could not do without dismantling the major theological structure and distinctive tenets of the religion. 1914 remains as the claimed date of Christ?s enthronement in heaven, the beginning of his second ?INVISIBLE? presence, as also the start of the last days.
What then is the difference? It is that now, to qualify as part of this generation, a person no longer have been alive in 1914 to form part of it, in fact someone seeing Christ?s presence for the first time in 2004 would still qualify as part of this generation.
Perhaps the most graphic evidence of the change is seen in the masthead of the Awake magazine.
Now From December 1982 until October 1995. 13 YEARS !!!!!!!!!!!!
(please pick any Awake magazine from this time period and look on the inside cover !!!!!)
I QUOTE :
Why Awake! is published Awake! is for the enlightenment of the entire family. It shows how to cope with today?s problems. It reports the news, tells about people in many lands, examines religion and science. But it does more. It probes beneath the surface and points to the real meaning behind current events, yet it always stays politically neutral and does not exalt one race above the other. Most important, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator?s promise of a peaceful and secure world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away.Hmmmmmmm, CREATOR?S PROMISE, not man?s, not the Watchtower?s, the Creator?s
then in November 1995 it was changed to and I QUOTE :
Why Awake! is published Awake! is for the enlightenment of the entire family. It shows how to cope with today?s problems. It reports the news, tells about people in many lands, examines religion and science. But it does more. It probes beneath the surface and points to the real meaning behind current events, yet it always stays politically neutral and does not exalt one race above the other. Most important, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator?s promise of a peaceful and secure new world that is about to replace the present wicked lawless system of things.All reference to 1914 is now deleted, presenting evidence of this crucial change, as well as, in effect, indicating that ?the Creator? has somehow changed his mind on his ?promise? tied to the 1914 generation.
Lets do some math, Awake published twice a month, approx 10 million copies per issue. (maybe more)
so 2 X 10 million X 156 months = approx 3.5 billion
So the Watchtower printed that statement over 3 billion times, surely, they must of prayed on this, discussed it, studied it, made sure it was spiritual food at the proper time, surely Jehovah directed this.
Well ??? if you are going to print something 3 billion times, you better be sure it is 100% right, with no chance of error.
What is ?YOUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY ??? , how many magazines did you place from 1982-1995, (or any other publications which are now outdated or wrong) do you think you have a responsibility to go back to all the people you placed magazines with and correct this or any other teaching ? Or just disregard it as I did what I thought was right, I was being directed by Jehovah.
The May 1, 1999 Watchtower page 13 says : ?Our progress in understanding the prophecy in Matthew chapter 24 and 25 has been thrilling,?
hhhhhhhhmmmmmmmm
this while discarding one interpretation after another taught for years as divine truth! The many newer ones may not be aware of the intense insistence with which, for decades, the 1914 generation concept was advanced, how positively it was presented as being, not of human origin, but of divine origin, not a timetable based on human promise, but based on God?s promise. This 40 year long tying of God and his Word to a now-failed concept only adds to the heaviness of the responsibility.
It is somewhat like a mother, whose children become ill, saying of such children, they weren?t careful about what they ate, when in fact the children simply ate what the mother provided. And insisted that the food should be accepted as wholesome, so much so that any expression of dissatisfaction with what was fed would bring punishment. So the Watchtower prepared the spiritual food at the proper time, any Witnesses, questioning the 1914 generation theory were disfellowshipped or looked at as weak spiritually. And yet all got sick from the food didn?t they.
I guess the thing that disturbs me, is the fact they abandoned the teaching without letting it run until all had passed away, how did they know it was not right, Grandma is still alive, lots are still alive, maybe only in the 1000?s , but still there, how did they know it was a misunderstanding.
I heard so many talks growing up about 1914 and the generation, I heard DO?s, PO?s, CO?s, bethel workers, elders, even Larry give talks on this, I heard Nathan Knorr and Freddie Franz give talks on this, and say it was 100% correct, this is God?s vision, not man?s.
In 1991 Freddie Franz was giving a talk, he said ?Armageddon may not come for a million years, that does not change what we believe and what we teach in the service, or change our hopes in Jehovah and Jesus.?
Now everything in that statement is 100% true, very well said, the problem is Freddie Franz said it, had anyone else said it, no problem, but Freddie Franz made up the generation idea, and for him to say ?may not come for a million years? is 100% hypocrisy.
The United Nations MessI mentioned this to you awhile ago, did you look into it ?
The Watchtower joined the United Nations in 1991-2001 as a NGO member, why would they do this ?
*** Kingdom Ministry December 1998 p.5 Theocratic Ministry School Review ***9. Revelation 13:11-15 accurately portrays how the Anglo-American World Power became chief sponsor and life-giver both to the League of Nations and to its successor, the United Nations. [Weekly Bible reading; see w88 12/15 p. 19 par. 3.] True.
*** Kingdom Ministry August 1994 pp.5-6 Theocratic Ministry School Review ***20. What was "the disgusting thing that causes desolation" in the first century, and what is it today? (Matt. 24:15) [gt chap. 111] In 66 C.E., it was the Roman armies that surrounded Jerusalem; today it is the United Nations.
*** Watchtower 1991 June 1 p.19 Their Refuge?A Lie! ***20 Christendom rested her hopes in the League of Nations, but it was overturned even without the coming of Armageddon. Now she has transferred her allegiance to the United Nations. But it will soon have to face "the war of the great day of God the Almighty," and it will not survive. (Revelation 16:14) Even a revived UN can never bring peace and security. God's prophetic Word shows that the United Nations organization with its member nations "will battle with the Lamb [Christ in Kingdom power], but, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them."?Revelation 17:14.
*** Daniel's Prophecy (1999) pp.267-9 ch.15 The Rival Kings Enter the 20th Century ***'THE DISGUSTING THING IS PUT IN PLACE'23 When the end of the second world war was in sight, another development occurred, just as God's angel had foretold. "They will certainly put in place the disgusting thing that is causing desolation." (Daniel 11:31b) Jesus had also spoken of "the disgusting thing." In the first century, it proved to be the Roman army that came to Jerusalem in 66 C.E. to put down Jewish rebellion.?Matthew 24:15; Daniel 9:27.
24 What "disgusting thing" has been "put in place" in modern times? Apparently, it is a "disgusting" counterfeit of God's Kingdom. This was the League of Nations, the scarlet-coloured wild beast that went into the abyss, or ceased to exist as a world-peace organization, when World War II erupted. (Revelation 17:8) "The wild beast," however, was "to ascend out of the abyss." This it did when the United Nations, with 50 member nations including the former Soviet Union, was established on October 24, 1945. Thus "the disgusting thing" foretold by the angel?the United Nations?was put in place.
*** Daniel's Prophecy (1999) pp.297-303 ch.17 Identifying True Worshipers in the Time of the End ***22 What, though, about the second condition?the "placing," or installation, of "the disgusting thing that is causing desolation"? As we saw in our discussion of Daniel 11:31, this disgusting thing was first the League of Nations and re-emerged later as the United Nations. Both are disgusting in that they have been heralded as the only hope for peace on earth. Thus, in the hearts of many, these institutions actually take the place of God's Kingdom! The League was officially proposed in January 1919. At that time, then, both conditions of Daniel 12:11 were met. So the 1,290 days began in early 1919 and ran until the autumn (Northern Hemisphere) of 1922.
*** Greatest Man (1991) p.111 Sign of the Last Days ***In the major fulfillment of the sign, the disgusting thing is the League of Nations and its successor, the United Nations. This organization for world peace is viewed by Christendom as a substitute for God's Kingdom. How disgusting! In time, therefore, the political powers associated with the UN will turn on Christendom (antitypical Jerusalem) and will desolate her.
I could list 100?s of examples of the Watchtower calling the United Nations every name in the book, you get the picture, so why did they join the UN.
Your answer will be to obtain a so called library card, to have access to their information.
Fact - you did not have to join the UN to obtain info from their library.
Let me put this in perspective,
Would you join the Catholic Church to use their library, or the Mormons, or an obscure African tribe?
Would you join a political party to avoid persecution, or to obtain info ?
If the answer is NO, then why would you join the UN.
Bottom line is they got caught, and when the story broke, they were like a person falling overboard, and didn?t know what to do.
WOMEN ????????*** Awake! 1967 August 22 p.27, 28 ***The apostle Paul, in giving instructions on congregational meetings of Christians, stated, among other things: "I do not permit a woman to teach, or to exercise authority over a man." (1 Tim. 2:12) Today many religious organizations take exception to these words of Paul. In fact, we find more and more women being ordained to Protestant pulpits. Just why did the apostle state this rule?
This rule is based on a principle that governs the relations between the sexes, namely: "The head of every man is the Christ; in turn the head of a woman is the man; in turn the head of the Christ is God," (1 Cor. 11:3) The logic of headship must be apparent to all. If two or more intelligent persons are to cooperate, there must be organization, and for organization to be successful there must be a head. That Jehovah God, the Father, is the Head of his Son, Jesus Christ, is obvious; also, that his Son should be the head of his congregation. But not so readily appreciated is the statement that man exercise headship over the woman and that therefore woman should not exercise authority over the man.
However, the facts show that the headship of a man is both somatically and psychologically sound and in the best interests of all concerned, even as we shall see. Thus a leading authority on the human body (soma), Gray's Anatomy (1966 Edition), tells the interesting fact that as regards the human skull there is no difference between the male and the female until the time of puberty; but then as adulthood is reached the difference becomes more and more apparent. The female skull is lighter and its cranial capacity is about 10 percent smaller than that of a male, even as is the rest of the anatomy. The contour of the female skull is also more rounded and the facial bones are smoother. Apparently, with the lines of beauty goes less rugged strength.True, mere brain size in itself is not as important as brain quality, but where the quality is the same the larger brain size has an advantage. Thus Science News, April 1, 1967, told of twenty African children who were so extremely undernourished in the first few years of their lives that "head circumferences...averages an inch less that the others, indicating smaller brain." And over the years all these were found to have verbal, mathematical and perceptual capabilities far below those of other children. Implicit in these findings is that man is advantaged by a greater brain size.
That it is in the best interests of both sexes for man to take the lead is also supported by psychological evidence. One of New York city's leading psychiatrists and psychoanalysts, Dr. Marie N. Robinson, in one of her books, which deals with certain frustrations of married women, skillfully demonstrates by case histories that many of these particular frustrations can be ended if women will but recognized the fact that the way their bodies are made gives evidence that it is intended for man to be the head. As she expresses it, women must learn the art of "eternal acquiescence" and "deep altruism" in dealing with their husbands if they want to find happiness.The children also stand to benefit when the Scriptural principles governing the sexes are followed. To woman falls the lot, not only of conceiving and bearing children, but also, to a great extent, of nurturing them in their earliest infancy and on to maturity. It stands to reason that for a mother to do justice to her task she must have an abundance of love and devotion, she must have much patience, great gentleness and mildness and be extremely sensitive to the needs of her offspring from infancy onward, if they are to thrive.
It follows that her entire personality must be of such a sensitive and gentle nature as to do justice to the delicate needs of the tiny developing minds and bodies. However, an abundance of such qualities does not go hand in hand with those needed for leadership and meeting stern challenges. More than that, by the Scriptures' limiting the woman's role in the congregation it makes it more likely that she will have the needed time and energy to look after the needs of her family properly. So, while she may have other interest, she should never forget that as a wife her career is caring for the physical, mental and emotional well-being of her family.
The Scriptural position might be said also to take into consideration woman's biological nature. As every woman in the prime of life is well aware, she has certain difficult days each month during which she cannot give of her best and during which she very much appreciates her husband's showing her consideration. But if she had responsibilities of oversight and was required to hold forth regularly on the public platform regardless, either her performance or her health would suffer. Recognizing the factor, God's Word counsels husbands to dwell with their wives "according to knowledge, assigning them honour as to a weaker vessel, the feminine one." -- 1 Pet. 3:7.
Of course, the foregoing does not mean that mothers are not to teach their own children. The Bible speaks of "the law of your mother" and tells of the good results of mothers' teaching their offspring the Word of God, as in the case of the Christian minister Timothy. (Prov. 6:20; 2 Tim. 1:5; 3:14, 15) Nor does it mean that women may not be schoolteachers, instructing youths and adults in secular subjects. But women are not to exercise authority over Christian men in the Christian congregation nor are they to assume authority over their own husbands in their homes.That women are not precluded from preaching to those outside the Christian congregation can be seen from the prophecy quoted by the apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost: "I shall pour out some of my spirit upon every sort of flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy and your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams; and even upon my men slaves an upon my women slaves I will pour out some of my spirit in those days, and they will prophesy." (Acts 2:17, 18) In keeping with this prophecy, today there are literally hundreds of thousands of women ministers who "prophesy" by preaching the good news of God's kingdom and who teach Bible truths to both men and women in their homes and who receive many blessings from doing so.
The headship that the Scriptures assign to the man indicates that man and woman have different roles to play in life. The fact that Christian husbands are commanded to love their wives as Jesus Christ loved the congregation, he even dying for it, should certainly preclude any criticism of the role that God's Word assigns to the man. His is a difficult assignment, but for it he has also been equipped. Truly the Scriptural position is seen to be sound, practical and wise. Happy are all those governed by it! -- Eph. 5:25-33
Awake! 1973 March 22 p.13 Chess-What Kind of Game Is It? ***Chess-What Kind of Game Is It?Highly Competitive GameHowever, pitting one mind against another, with the element of chance eliminated entirely, tends to stir up a competitive spirit in chess players. In fact, chess is frequently characterized as an 'intellectualized fight.' For example, dethroned world chess champion Boris Spassky noted: "By nature I do not have a combative urge. . . . But in chess you have to be a fighter, and of necessity I became one."
This helps to explain why there are no topflight women chess players-the more than eighty chess grand masters in the world are all men. Actress Sylvia Miles observed regarding this: "To be a professional chess player, you have to be a killer. If the spirit of competition in American women ever does become that strong, then I think we'll get some major female players."This stuff is PRICELESS, this is Jehovah?s direction, how do you sit at the Kingdom Hall and take this garbage from the platform ? Is your self-esteem that low ? Do you think because you don?t have a ?penis? between your legs that means you can?t give talks ? Why can?t you give an instruction talk, or a Sunday talk, or a talk at the Assembly ? It has been admitted by many, that a lot of women write the talks for their husbands and he simply reads it.Yes, these are older articles, but you still take it every time a man steps on the platform to give a talk, or service meeting part, because you are NOT ALLOWED to give that talk.
MY FAVOURITE QUOTE*** Watchtower 1989 January 1 p.12 "The Hand of Jehovah Was With Them" ***[ As originally published in Watchtower magazine ]
The apostle Paul was spearheading the Christian missionary activity. He was also laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in our 20th century .
*** Watchtower 1989 January 1 p.12 "The Hand of Jehovah Was With Them" ***[ As it appears on Watchtower bound volumes & CD-ROMs ]
The apostle Paul was spearheading the Christian missionary activity. He was also laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in our day.
So please get the original Watchtower magazine, and the bound volume (or CD-ROM), put them side by side, and explain to me why they changed it. Remember over 10 million Watchtowers were placed , people read what the magazine said. Did we return to all these people and correct the change with them ???
This quote is only 15 years old !!!! Is it outdated ???
Once again more insinuations, the end is so close.
Well I could go on and on and on, but then this would turn into a 2500 page letter instead of 25, I have just touched on the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more :
20,000 sex abuse cases against the Watchtower, they can?t all be lying, the legal department has its hands full, (Dateline, The Fifth Estate, CBS News, and many all over the world have televised these) and how many did the Watchtower cover up, even one is too many isn?t it ? And how many of the child molesters did they welcome back to the organization or stand up for in court, what about the Mesa children ??? Where was Jehovah for these kids, and all the others that were taken advantage of. I suppose you?ll just blame it all on Satan, right. If a child is not safe at the kingdom hall then where is he safe ?
Dad used to always say to me ?the worst person in the Kingdom Hall is better then the best person in the world.? How I would love to shove that down his throat now !!!
Don?t believe one thing in this letter, search it out yourself, check every quote, prove me wrong,
I challenge you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Show me in the bible (NWT)(or an inspired writing) where it says :
-heavens doors closed in 1935
-Jerusalem destroyed in 607 BCE
-uses paradise earth in a sentence
-Matthew 24 means the 1914 generation
-Christ returned ?INVISIBLY? in 1914 (I love this one, invisibly, whatever)
-Women can?t give talks (Instruction or Sunday or Assembly)
you can?t ! period !
What history about Jehovah?s Witnesses (or I.B.S.A.) can you give from the year 100 AD until 1850 AD.
Many Witnesses have explained past mistakes of your organization as an example of the "light getting brighter and brighter" as we near the end. Do you endorse this explanation in view of the statement in the *** Zion's Watch Tower, Feb, 1881, p.3 ***
If we were following a man undoubtedly it would be different with us; undoubtedly one human idea would contradict another and that which was light one or two or six years ago would be regarded as darkness now; But with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, and so it is with truth; any knowledge or light coming from God must be like its author. A new view of truth never can contradict a former truth. "New light" never extinguishes older "light," but adds to it.
You want me to believe that people like Moses, Noah, Abraham, Job, David, Daniel, are waiting to be resurrected and have no chance of a heavenly life and no chance of ruling with Christ, yet these men talked with God and walked with God their entire life, and then you expect me to believe that Russell, Rutherford, Knorr, Franz, and Henschel who were all the presidents of the Watchtower, all members of the so called anointed class, who caught all the info wrong, everything was a misunderstanding or needed new light, they lied and made up their on ideas, but you want me to believe that these men are not waiting, BUT in heaven right now as I write this, RULING with Christ. Come On, how stupid can you be.
How do you know that there were any vacancies, if any, in the 144,000 class if Jesus offered this to first century Christians? How can the organization know the exact number of vacancies today without any records from the first century?
If the process of publishing the Watchtower is the following (which makes sense) :
writing department, writes articles,
submitted to the senior writers for reading and proofing,
submitted to the ?governing body? for approval, before going into print
governing body would pray and discuss articles, before approving
if the ?governing body? prays to Jehovah for direction, before publishing a Watchtower, why so many mistakes. Not just a few mistakes, thousands and thousands of mistakes. (the 1914 generation idea has been changed 20 times alone.)
I have had Witnesses criticize me for asking questions concerning statements made in old Watchtower publications. They tell me it is unfair to dredge up old materials when there are more recent writings are available. Do you consider this unfair, if so, please tell me how far back it is legitimate for me to go in examining your doctrinal statements and prophetic interpretations, one year, five years, fifty years? I would sincerely like to know which of your publications you still consider authoritative and which should be ignored as being honest mistakes or out of date. Since you claim to have been the faithful and discreet slave and Jehovah's sole channel of communication at least since 1918,
I would appreciate knowing which of your publications can be relied upon without question by Witnesses, which ones cannot, and how one is to tell the difference without being considered to be "untheocratic" in studying your works.
The bible has stood the test of time, tell me what publications by the Watchtower have, the bible is 2000 years old, The Watchtower only 125. If I was to get every publication the Watchtower put out, and make 2 piles, one of proper and relevant info, and one pile of info that was no longer believed or correct, how big would the piles be. Tell me what publications I can read from 1879-1989 that are still 100% correct. So how does the Watchtower help me understand the bible better, if all these publications are wrong.
Since the Jehovah's Witness organization currently rejects all of the teachings of its founder Charles Russell (who was president of the organization from 1879-1916), and since they also reject "Judge" Joseph Franklin Rutherford, who succeeded Russell as president from 1916 - 1942, how can we be sure that in 25 more years, Jehovah's Witnesses won't also reject the current teachings, as they did Russell and Rutherford?
What kind of confidence can anyone have in an organization that rejected its founder and first two presidents for the first 63 years of its existence? This represents about 50% of the time they have existed!
Since the Organization has received "new light" regarding the 1914 generation, and completely changed their view on this, does this mean that all the former Jehovah's witnesses who were disfellowshipped years ago for the same view the organization is now teaching will automatically be accepted into fellowship again? Were these Ex-Witnesses in fact disfellowshipped for truth and knew things that the governing body didn?t?
I would really like to know, what it is you?re hanging on to? what don?t you see ? what do you believe? what will it take to prove to you that the Watchtower is one big lie? I hope you can now understand where I am coming from and what I have found out, these are facts, not made up stories. It is not easy to walk away, friends, family, people you?ve known for 20 years +, grown up with, all of a sudden gone, and won?t even say hello to you, the older and longer you have been in the organization the tougher it is, the world can be a very cruel and cold place, but the inner peace I have now is the biggest blessing I?ve had my entire life. I would rather stand alone and be right, then stand with a bunch of lairs who are wrong.
If you are so sure you are right then .... sell your house, all your possessions, quit your job, and go into the full time service at Bethel and spend 24/7 advertising to the world, but not many seem to want to do that, why is that? everyone seems comfortable in their little world, not straying to far from their kingdom hall, and not moving up the ladder to far, GO TO bethel, search out all the info, read every book the Watchtower has put out, what are you worried about? Armageddon will be here any day now, what a wonderful way to spend these ?last days?. God looked after Job, don?t you think he will look after you ? where?s the faith ?
And if you are not willing to do this, then please SHUT UP !!!
I have some shocking news for you, the year 2010 will come, 2020 will come, 2050 will come, 2100 will come, even 3000 will come and go. Where will the Watchtower be, I just hope I live until then to find out.
I give it 20 more years, all the governing body will be gone, all the anointed class will be gone (you can only have so many replacements), then what ??? Time is on my side. I?ve done my homework, I suggest you do yours !
Armageddon