by TheApostleAK 11 Replies latest jw friends
Multiple choice:
What is the future of the Watchtower??
1. Reform
2. Breakaway groups forming (like 1916-19)
3. Financial problems (cos of lawsuits)
4. Shrinking number of publishers
5. The End
6. Any other; make up yr own
How long do you think before it will happen?
1. 6 months
2. 1 year
3. 2 years
4. 5 years
5. 10 years
6. 20 years
7. 50 years
8. Never
The Watchtower Society future will go forward. It will never stop.
components of 1 thru 4 plus what fred said.
They have always reformed and made changes as needed to survive, this will continue.
There have always been breakaway groups and there always will be.
There probably will be financial problems and lawsuits. That is inevitable when you have almost as many ex members as you do members. A certain number of them are going to be angry enough to litigate.
They will have periods of shrinking numbers and periods of rising numbers as they always have had.
And Fred is right. The Watchtower will go on and on and on and on. In reality, the Watchtower existed way befor 1872. There was always a group of people who thought the end was near and thought everyone else was too stupid to realize it.
hugs
Joel
I think the watchtower will end within in the next 10yrs,the evidence of this is just beginning,people are becoming more enlightened,changes are taking place in peoples thinking,they are searching for more understanding and meaning to their lives which orthodox religion is not providing,when the WT begins to crumble if it isn't already those that are left inside will need us,make sure you are there to help them,heaven knows what lengths cults will go to to protect their interests,power and control over peoples lives is evil and with enough goodness in the world evil and fear cannot survive.
The Watchtower is a publishing corporation. It is a mere tool of Jehovah's servants that they have used to declare the name of Jehovah and his coming kingdom. When once the kingdom comes and this system is thrown into its terminal descent, then it stands to reason that Jehovah's Witnesses will no longer need a publishing organization to announce the coming Kingdom. Interestingly, the Watchtower's name is dervied from Isaiah's prophecy in the 21st chapter, and our well known logo is a dwelling tower. With that in mind Isaiah 31:14 says: "For the dwelling tower itself has been forsaken, the very hubub of the city has been abandoned; Ophel and the WATCHTOWER themselves have become bare fields...until the spirit is poured out from on high." So, the watchmen stand the watch looking for the arrival of Jehovah's executionary armies, however when once these arrive, is it necessary to continue to stand the watch? Of course not. The physical organization then, which is devoted to massive printing operations, is indeed expendable; while the spiritual aspect will remain, being inffused as never before with Jehovah's spirit to accomplish what is not possible presently. / You Know
The Watchtower is a publishing corporation.
*Fact*
It is a mere tool of Jehovah's servants that they have used to declare the name of Jehovah and his coming kingdom. When once the kingdom comes and this system is thrown into its terminal descent, then it stands to reason that Jehovah's Witnesses will no longer need a publishing organization to announce the coming Kingdom. Interestingly, the Watchtower's name is dervied from Isaiah's prophecy in the 21st chapter, and our well known logo is a dwelling tower. With that in mind Isaiah 31:14 says: "For the dwelling tower itself has been forsaken, the very hubub of the city has been abandoned; Ophel and the WATCHTOWER themselves have become bare fields...until the spirit is poured out from on high." So, the watchmen stand the watch looking for the arrival of Jehovah's executionary armies, however when once these arrive, is it necessary to continue to stand the watch? Of course not. The physical organization then, which is devoted to massive printing operations, is indeed expendable; while the spiritual aspect will remain, being inffused as never before with Jehovah's spirit to accomplish what is not possible presently.
*Speculation*
/ You Know
*Hearsay*
Flip
The only hope for the WTS to continue is for the GB to die off, and the younger ones who have the liberal ideas (reformists) to put in some new ideas or methods that will help present and future JWs to stay in the organisation.
I have no doubt many will leave as the present numbers indicate, but there will always be the loyalists who will remain JWs no matter what.
It is possible that break-away groups will form, but I doubt any will have more than a few hundred followers.
The internet has had quite an impact on the WTS, and as time goes on, the WTS leaders will have to instruct how to deal with apostate material found on the web. Perhaps in a similar way to how the Reasoning Book was designed to overcome objections at the doors.
Time period? Probably in about 10-15 years. It may seem a while away, but is quite short in the context of history. Numbers will continue to fall, but I am sure the WTS will pull out yet another rabbit out of their hat to lure in unsuspecting new members.
Maybe a change like what happened in the Worldwide Church of God after Herbert Armstrong died. In their own words:
http://www.wcg.org/lit/AboutUs/history.htm
Chapter Two: A Decade of Painful Change
Much of our doctrinal foundation was faulty. And yet part of it was true. Some of our members came from other denominations, but others were unchurched people who had little previous exposure to Christianity. Many people came to Christ in the Worldwide Church of God, accepted his death for their sins, and trusted in him for salvation. Many lives were transformed from sin and selfishness, to service and humility. A germ of life continued inside the crust of erroneous doctrines.
After Herbert Armstrong died, that germ of life slowly began to grow, breaking off the crust that had once limited it. It took many years --- and many tears. Here's the story:
Joseph Tkach Sr.
In 1986, shortly before he died, Herbert Armstrong appointed Joseph Tkach (pronounced Ta-cotch) to be his successor. Tkach had been a loyalist who supervised all the ministers. He was more an administrator than the magnetic personality that Armstrong had been. Tkach assigned other people to present the television program and write the articles.
The church continued to grow slowly. In 1988, Tkach made minor doctrinal changes. He taught members that it was permissible to go to doctors, take medicines, observe birthdays and wear cosmetics. He realized that many of the prophetic speculations that had made the television program and magazine so interesting couldn't actually be proven from Scripture.
Questions also arose about some of the things that Armstrong had written, and some of his books were withdrawn from circulation until further study could resolve the questions. Some members were troubled that the church was no longer teaching the same things that Armstrong had, and in 1989, 3,000 members left to form the Philadelphia Church of God to preserve Armstrong doctrines.
In 1990, the church peaked at 133,000 in weekly attendance. More doctrinal changes were made as Tkach realized that some of Armstrong's unusual beliefs, though sincere, were not biblical. The focus of the gospel is Jesus Christ and grace, not prophecy or the millennium. Budgetary reductions began to affect the television broadcast. More Armstrong literature was discontinued and/or edited.
In 1991, Tkach revised the church's explanation of what it means to be born again, noting also that humans will never become Gods. He also announced a study about the modern identity of the lost ten tribes, and accepted the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Membership, attendance, and income began to decrease slowly.
In 1992, income continued to decrease, and a prominent minister and 3,000 members left to form the Global Church of God.
In 1993, the church accepted the doctrine of the Trinity. The church declared that the cross was not a pagan symbol, that it is not a sin to have illustrations of Jesus, and that Christians may vote. Such changes may seem inconsequential to most Christians, but each change was significant for WCG members because each change attacked strongly held beliefs about how we ought to express our devotion to God. Each change had to be explained from the Scriptures and had to explain how previous explanations were not correct.
In 1994, the television program was cancelled and employees were laid off. The church also explained to the members that true Christians can be found in other denominations.
But perhaps the most traumatic change came in December 1994: Tkach announced that Christians do not have to keep old covenant laws such as the weekly and annual Sabbaths, two and three tithes, and avoid pork, shrimp and other meats. In many ways, the Sabbath had been the foundational doctrine of the entire denomination, so this was the biggest change of all. (Click here for the text of the sermon Tkach used to announce these changes, and click here to see a menu of papers analyzing these doctrines.)
Many members did not accept these changes. After decades of understanding their identity as Christians in terms of Sabbath-keeping, and after making many sacrifices in order to keep the Sabbath, they could not easily accept the idea that it really didn't matter.
In early 1995, hundreds of ministers and 12,000 members left to form the United Church of God. Thousands more stopped attending any church, and many congregations were left with only half the members they used to have. Church income dropped another 50 percent, and hundreds of employees were laid off. Friends and families were split. It was a time of anguish and depression.
Something unexpected also happened: Many members, after struggling to understand the doctrinal change, began to experience a new sense of peace and joy through a renewed faith in Jesus Christ. Their identity was in him, not in the particular laws they kept.
The Sabbath doctrine was changed in order to be more biblical; the result was that members became more spiritual. Members focused more their relationship with Jesus Christ; they also had an increased interest in worship. Organizationally, this doctrinal change had catastrophic results. But spiritually, it was the best thing that ever happened to the WCG.
Another major change also occurred in 1995: Joseph Tkach Sr. died after a brief battle with cancer. He designated his son, Joe, as his successor, and the board of directors honored this appointment.
A few additional doctrines were changed later in 1995: The church officially rejected the doctrine that the Anglo-Saxons descended from the tribes of Israel, and the church permitted the observance of holidays such as Christmas and Easter.
Joseph Tkach Jr.
It was a tumultuous decade. Now, the Worldwide Church of God is about half the size it used to be. The television ministry, once one of the largest in America, is gone. Circulation of The Plain Truth fell from a peak of 8,000,000 down to less than 100,000. The number of employees in Pasadena fell from 1,000 to about 150. Even some pastors were terminated, and lay pastors have been appointed for small congregations.
The church's properties in Pasadena are greatly underutilized and up for sale. Ambassador College/University was forced to close because the church could no longer subsidize it, and its properties have been sold. An era of change is coming to an end.
Evangelical churches have also re-evaluated their stance toward the WCG. One of the first friendly groups was the Haggard School of Theology at Azusa Pacific University. Fuller Theological Seminary also helped. Cult-watching groups such as the Christian Research Institute complimented the church when it accepted the doctrine of the Trinity. In 1995, more evangelicals embraced us as brothers in the faith. We cite the International Church of the Four Square Gospel in particular. We are grateful for these gestures of reconciliation.
In March 1996, Joe Tkach wrote an editorial in The Plain Truth [click here for article] apologizing to members and all who have been hurt by the church's erroneous teachings and practices. He asked for forgiveness and cooperation. In July 1996, Christianity Today published a long article on the Worldwide Church of God --- "From the Fringe to the Fold," by Ruth Tucker (pp. 26-32) [click here for article]. And in 1997, the church was accepted as a member of the National Association of Evangelicals. [click here for press release]
(Well, maybe not)
Do you guys think that it will be reformed? I think not. Just who are the reformers? Where will they come from?
Is there a precedent for thinking that it will be reformed? And even if it were, will it make any difference? The methods could be 'liberalised' but there's been a mountain of evidence in books, on this DB, other sites, etc that the theology is wrong. It doesn't mattter how much you reform, it will still be patching up error.
Let's just get our loved ones outa there if we can.
Cheers,
Ozzie
"So often, the unpolished
the disjointed
Is on its way to the truth
Ahead of the finished
the polished."
Ken Walsh, Sometimes I Weep
Sorry AK, I forgot to answer your question.
I would say the first question, 4 (Shrinking numbers) and in answer to the second, 6 (20 years) [It will then be 100 years after the supposed key date of 1914. The date will not be able to be substantiated. It can't be changed without undercutting the very foundation of the Borg.]
Cheers,
Ozzie
"So often, the unpolished
the disjointed
Is on its way to the truth
Ahead of the finished
the polished."
Ken Walsh, Sometimes I Weep
