What are your thoughts on the composite sign?

by Leander 19 Replies latest jw friends

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  Leander

  Lately I've been giving a lot of thought on my decision to leave the WTS behind and during the course of my musing I contemplated the meaning of the composite sign. And then it kind of struck me that perhaps this composite sign was really just a declaration of the obvious. For example some of the elements of the composite sign are: famine, pestilence, reports of natural disasters (earthquakes, etc..). However when one stops and evaluates these things it's not hard to draw the conclusion that really the composite sign is just a statement of the obvious. In regards to famine and pestilence this can really be attributed to the increased population on earth. Even in bibical times there were accounts of famine and disease, so naturally once the population of mankind has increased the age old problems of sickness and hunger would increase as well. The same holds true for reports of natural disaster, with mankind now occupying nearly every region of the earth naturally caused disasters would logically affect more individuals. So this kind of makes me wonder is the composite sign really an inspired prophecy or is it just a statement of the obvious?

  Anyone have thoughts on this?
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  Elsewhere

  composite sign = BS
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  ColdRedRain

  The composite sign already happened.

  
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  JosephMalik

  Leander,

  The Watchtower?w composite sign demonstrates how badly they understand scripture. Historical events intended to prevent such speculation are mixed in with simple statements intended to give hope to the believer. What amazes me is how stupid witnesses are. Can?t they read think or analyze the texts for themselves?

  The scriptures teach that Christ is coming back in the flesh to rule in a human body just like the one that the apostles saw going up in the clouds. The hope for the faith always was a resurrection on the last day for all humanity just like Lazarus was raised. Therefore no one will go to a place called heaven and exist in a body that is not human. The 144,000 and everyone else will exist here on earth in human bodies that are resurrected or changed at this time into immortal ones like the one Christ had when He left.
  If the mighty Watchtower can not get this right why believe anything else they say or teach? They do not have a clue as to what the Kingdom is all about and have never preached the good news of this kingdom as they claim.
  Joseph
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  JustTickledPink

  The thing is, wars have always been around. Some of the bloodiest most violent wars are in the Bible. I think war casualties have actually decreased since we fight differently, less man to man combat and more tanks etc. Yes, lots of people still die, but I do believe that the population continues to grow despite hunger, wars, etc. In fact back in my environmental science class the teacher said that the population was increasing too greatfly for the environment.

  I don't believe we're near the "end" and if we are, there is no reason to live your life in constant fear. Might as well live your life happily and make the best of it.
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  dmouse

  The 'composite sign' concept is a Watchtower creation.

  If you read the scripture carefully you will see that Jesus is warning AGAINST viewing such things as earthquakes and pestilences as a sign of the end.

  "Look out that nobody misleads you...You are going to hear of wars and reports of wars; see that you are not terried. For these things must take place, but the end is not yet."

  Matthew 24:4-6

  So, Jesus warned us of groups like the JWs who would try to mislead people in order to gain power for themselves.

  Even that were not the case how long a time period is needed for a 'composite sign' to be fulfilled - an awfull lot of stuff can happen in a century, for it to mean anything the elements of the sign would have to all occur simultaneously over a very short time; a few months at most.
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  roybatty

  Let's see, the Black Plague struck europe in the early 1300's and within 5 or 6 years reduced the population from 75 million to 50 million. The plague continued to kill people for the next few hundred years. War killed thousands more and probably most in europe didn't make it much past the age of 30. I believe in 1914 there were about 2 billion people on the earth. The Spanish influenza kill about 30 million people. Number killed was almost the same but to equal the percent killed, it would have needed to kill twice as many. Then WWI came and killed a few million more.

  Hmmmm...I'm willing to bet that if you were able to interview people from each time, they would tell you they were living in the "great tribulation." Maybe the Society needs to copy right that term.
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  minimus

  Leander, nice seeing you post (although you rarely follow up discussion on those gems you put out).......The "composite sign" is simply a Watchtowerism. Pay no attention to it.
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  RunningMan

  My favorite sign is "pestilence".

  How would you measure pestilence? You can't use the absolute death rate because it has always been, and always will be: one. You could use death rate per 100,000 per year. Or better yet, life expectancy. During the 20th century, life expectancy increased from around 45 years to around 75 years - a huge improvement.

  Here's another one - the society often talks with gloom about the population explosion. And, undoubtedly, the world population has increased tremendously in the 20th century. Why? Because the death rate dropped.

  On the one hand, we are expected to believe that the four horsemen are riding rampant through the globe - war, disease, death, hunger. On the other hand, world population is exploding. Which is it, death or high population?
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  Mary

  While I used to believe that we were living in the Last Days, I don't any more. If Jesus was going to Return at all, then the 20th century would have been the time to do so. There were many instances that seem to fulfill all the "signs", yet nothing ever happened. I'm convinced now that it never will.

  Also, all the signs that supposedly form a "composite sign" are all pretty vague. Pestilence, famine, war, persecution of "true believers".......I would have been more impressed had there been prophecies about world wide pollution, technology, the invention of the telephone and mankind's flight to the moon.