Does the WTS's past matter?

by M.J. 58 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  M.J.

  When is a change of doctrine progressive and when is it to cover up holes.

  Good point. Progressive revelation, as understood by most Bible-believers is related to such things as how the Messiah, the new convenant, resurrection, etc., was revealed over time to God's people, and by divine intervention no less. It isn't quite like saying, "This is GOD'S TRUTH, accept it or die." today and then when the teaching gets too problematic (like an important date comes and goes!), saying, "UM, actually no. Pay no attention to what we said before. THIS is is God's truth now, accept it or die."
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  FairMind

  Over time, the personality of the organization has become manifest. This is why their history is so important. Knowing the history of the WTS puts their current claim as being God’s own organization in proper perspective, meaning that they aren’t what they say they are.
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  A Paduan

  he who carries their carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening; they are unclean to you. And these are unclean to you among the swarming things that swarm upon the earth: the weasel,.....
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  Poztate

  So here's the critical point: If it is understandable that Joe or Jane Reasonable might have legitimately dismissed the group as crackpots in times past, were they in the wrong for doing so? If not, what about in more recent times, when a person could have legitimately dismissed the group for their strange beliefs (such as calling organ transplants "cannibalism")? Would a person then have been in the wrong for conscientiously deciding that the group was wrong? Keen in mind that even modern Witnesses must agree that the group was wrong back then.

  SNG...I like your reasoning. At some point in their history they should be prepared to own up to their blunders. As it stands the doctrine of "new light" allows them to weasel out of any responsibility for their past beliefs.
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  avishai

  Yep, what eslewhere said. The bible said you can't take back false prophecy. As a matter of fact it says once someone makes a false profecy, don't listen to the guy any more. Oh, yeah, and also, kill him.
• 

  Check_Your_Premises

  MJ,

  Yes it does matter, and here is why. They claim that Jesus chose them in 1919. For that to happen, he would have to have picked them based on what they were teaching THEN. Also, for the "new light" verse to kick in, wouldn't he have to choose them first before they started getting all this new light?

  I recommend a book for you called Captives of a Concept. It is by a guy named Don Cameron. He has a website by the same name. His arguments really do get to the heart of the question, "is this God's chosen organization?"

  Of course the question of what your wife believes is much more complicated. I would recommend Steven Hassan's, "Releasing the Bonds". If you have that one already, I hope we, and other unbeleiving husbands can discuss this book further, and how to employ the strategies it outlines.

  Regards.
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  wheres caleb?

  Does the WTS's past matter? No! People will believe whatever they choose to believe. A person comes along and is chosen by Jehovah and is drawn or recognizes his 'truth' ...

  Nothing is more telling than the experience of meeting a Circuit Overseer who was nothing more than an egg in his mother's womb when you were having to explain why you didn't recite the pledge of allegiance. Having fleshly humans determine whether you truly loved Jehovah or were a 'faker'. Seeing so much hypocrisy or double standards and having it conveniently dismissed as 'imperfection'.

  I was very dedicated and there was a time when I would have enjoyed taking on any argument given by anyone to prove that I had the truth. The burden is no longer mine, let it be some other deluded soul.
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  dh

  i look at it like this... would you hire a convicted sex offender to babysit your kids, just because they told you they had changed? of course not. likewise with the wts, how their past NOT matter!

  i think the same with the bible god though, what that god has done (if you believe the old testement) is worse than anything the wts have done, so as far as i'm concerned they can all go to hell, bible god and the wts. their past in my eyes puts them on the same level as that sex offender.
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  Scully

  The JWs claim that they were "approved" by Jehovah and Jesus in 1919 as the "channel" for dispensing spiritual food at the proper time. They were appointed as The Faithful and Discreet Slave class at that time.

  In 1919, the organization that later came to be known as Jehovah's Witnesses:

  • celebrated Christmas, birthdays, and other "pagan" holidays
  • permitted blood transfusions (but frowned on vaccinations)

  My question is: If celebrating birthdays, Christmas and other so-called "pagan" holidays was as bad as JWs make them out to be now - they are disfellowshipping offenses now - how would it be possible for anyone observing those practices 1919 to have received God's blessing and approval as "The Faithful and Discreet Slave" class?

  So, yes, if you want to look at the organization's history from the standpoint of whether their claims of being God's "chosen ones", based on accepted practices at the time, I'd say their past does indeed matter.

  Love, Scully
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  anglise

  If they really belive that the past doesnt matter why

  1 Have they published 2 books (albeit carefully doctored) on their history (JW and the divine plan and Proclaiming the good news).

  2 Why encourage everyone to build up a good library including the OLDER publications and bound volumes.

  Of course the past matters. Does your wife think that who she is today is not governed by her past?

  Why read the bible if the past doesnt matter.

  Why have bible dramas if the past doesnt matter.

  How far back would she go for the past to matter or not, as the case may be?

  I wish we could have known of the WTBTS past before we got involved in their "present truth" 20 years ago.

  Just a few thoughts.

  Anglise