Are JWs seeing signs of the end now?

by jws 21 Replies latest jw friends

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  jws

  I was talking with my dad last night and during our call, he started talking about all the storms to hit Florida, the earthquake in California (that didn't damage anything), and Mt. Saint Helens on the verge of erupting.

  He didn't come right out and say it, but I got the feeling he was trying to slip in some kind of warning. The old 'sign of the end' type of stuff. Get me to start getting nervous and go running back to the JWs. But, since we don't discuss religion, he wont come right out and connect the dots for me. I'm sure that's what he was thinking though.

  My whole JW life, whenever a big earthquake would happen, the JWs would start whispering among themselves about the end being near. Are all of these things hitting the US right now making a lot of JWs jumpy? Or is it just my dad?

  Of course here in the US, the JWs have always been pretty much US-centric because our news tends to focus on the US. I'm sure hurricanes strike Japan all the time, but we aren't aware of them. Likewise for earthquakes and no doubt for volcanos too. It just so happens that we get a few things happening here and the US and now it's got my dad thinking "this is it"!
• 

  Gopher

  My dad (a JW elder in Florida) tried to use the "organization is growing" sign that the end must be near. (As if the numerical growth of other religions didn't matter!!)

  As for this earthquake thing -- http://www.freeminds.org/psych/lure-of.htm

  Note this interesting quote:

  In the sixth century, Pope Gregory the Great said:

  Of all the signs described by our Lord as presaging the end of the world some we see already accomplished.... For we now see that nation arises against nation and that they press and weigh upon the land in our own times as never before in the annals of the past. Earthquakes overwhelm countless cities, as we often hear from other parts of the world. Pestilence we endure without interruption. (quoted in His Appearing and His Kingdom, by T. Francis Glasson, M.A., D.D., The Epworth Press, London, 1953, p. 45)

  It seems to me the WT Society has backed off from the "earthquake" sign recently.

  As far as hurricanes, yes a number did hit Florida this year. And 4 hit Texas one year in the late nineteenth century.

  AND THE WORLD SURVIVED!!!!
• 

  blondie

  Luke 12:40 YOU also, keep ready, because at an hour that YOU do not think likely the Son of man is coming."

  Matthew 24:44 On this account YOU too prove yourselves ready, because at an hour that YOU do not think to be it, the Son of man is coming.

  Why do they always forget this?
• 

  BrendaCloutier

  JW's have been seeing signs of the end since 1913-14.

  Personally, the acts of 9/11 and Bush's attack on Iraq have me concerned regarding the King of the N and the King of the S. One of which I was taught was US and the other the Middle East (Arabia). The earthquakes, wars, weather and floods, volcanic erruptions? Well, with global communications it fulfills Revelations "reports of" in prophesy.

  Do I continue to worry about it? Nah.

  Bren
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  jws

  I know they always panic and react to different things. I just was wondering whether anyone else in JW-land was looking at this same set of circumstances.

  And I know for the most part, these are run-of-the-mill occurances over time. Though I do believe some of the hurricane stuff could be due to pollution and global warming. Not that it's a sign of the end. I just think it might be more than just the normal pattern and might have a cause. Nothing to do with my dad's reasons or the question I'm posing. Just my side-thoughts.
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  DanTheMan

  For the record, the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history was the Galveston hurricane of 1900.

  14 years before Satan's ouster. LOL
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  Mary

  Many Witnesses ARE mouthing things about all the natural disasters showing that we are "close to the End"---and for good reason. There's alot of Witnesses who have lived their whole lives, or at least a good portion of it, believing that the End was nigh. The change in the generation doctrine 9 years ago, shook alot of them more than what they're willing to admit. No one wants to think they've been duped or lied to, (because what good are all the sacrifices they've made if this isn't The Truth?) and many of them are willing to grasp whatever fleck of hope they can salvage from the shipwreck of this religion.

  Any Witness who's in their 70's now is going to look for any sign that the promised End of this "wicked old System of Things" is very, very close, because what's the alternative? Oh ya, they can look forward to the death they were told they were never going to have to worry about.
• 

  FairMind

  I personally believe we are living in the time of the end. This is not because of anthing the WT says but is based in part on what Jesus said about there being a tribulation greater than anything mankind has experienced and the fact that if those days were not cut short "no flesh would be spared". The second part of my conclusion is that the current world situation points to a great tribulation scenario. Think about:

  1.An impending global crisis which due to an escalating oil shortfall will possibly bring about great conflict between governments that have nuclear weapons.

  2. Continued environmental degradation bringing about food shortages (compounded by the oil shortfall problem), disasterous climate changes and the like.

  3. Increase immorality (including violent crimes).

  While the length of time to when our many global crisis cannot be predicted, I think it is safe to say that time is indeed running out.

  My personal philosophy is that I will live my life in way that I enjoy and that leaves me with a clean conscience. Whatever is going to happen to this world, is going to happen regardless of what anyone (JW or otherwise) opinionates

  FM.
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  BrendaCloutier

  FairMind, you may wish to check out the Hopi Prophesies on the end of the 4th world (of man). Here's a link to help you on your way - and there are many others.

  http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/tethys.htm#banyacya

  I've had the privledge of meeting Grandfather Banyacya, in a small group on one occasion, and in public, as one of his assistants, on two other occasions, when he was traveling the country talking about the last days of the 4th world.

  Other peoples - non-christians - have prophesies of end-times, too. It's not a christian nor JW phenomenon.

  -B
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  outoftheorg

  EACH TRIBULATION IS ALWAYS GREATER THAN THE ONES BEFORE THEM.

  AS THE NUMBERS OF HUMANS ON THIS EARTH INCREASE AND TECHNOLOGY BECOMES MORE EFFECTIVE IN THE KILLING OF HUMANS.

  ALL OF THE THINGS USED TO JUSTIFY THIS AS BEING THE END TIME, WERE ALSO USED AS THEY OCCURED IN THE PAST TO JUSTIFY THE END, MANY HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO, BUT THE END NEVER CAME.

  IF GOD IS SO HATEFUL, THAT HE DID NOT USE HIS POWERS TO BRING THIS ALL TO A CONCLUSION, EARLY ON LETS SAY AFTER JESUS DIED AND ISRAEL WAS DESTROYED, LETTING THIS LINGER ON FOR 2000 YRS.

  THERE IS SOMETHING VERY WRONG WITH THIS WHOLE BELIEF SYSTEM, OR GOD IS AN INSANE GOD WITH MASS MURDER ON HIS MIND.

  Outoftheorg