Ezekiel,
thanks for sharing the info here!
Observador.
2005 New Release - What Does The Bible Really Teach?
by ezekiel3 25 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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observador
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garybuss
This is a preview of next summer's new study book for new Witnesses.
See Don Adams run.
See Max Larson jump.
See the stories Fred Franz wrote.
See the books Nathan Knorr printed.
See William L. Van De Wall jump too.
Copyright Don Adams, Max Larson, and William L. Van De Wall retirement fund. -
stillajwexelder
1, 2. Why is it often good to ask questions?
My thoughts are the same as Gophers on this one. Good to ask questions -but when you become a baptized JW not good to ask questions
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greendawn
What does the Bible really teach? That you should never study it except through the WTS books and magazines!
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Pole
Ah, you mean what does the bible REALLY mean?
Typical cultish question.
What is real happiness?
What is God's real purpose?
Who is a real Christian?
bla-blabla yaddayadda blablabla
Pole -
rocketman
As Blondie's exerpts show, the jw org vacillates quite often on what's really needed to make a disciple.
Back when the Knowledge book came out, I remember how pioneers and others who conducted home bible studies were struggling to finish one chapter each week, after big emphasis was put on practically racing through the book with the student. This led to further service meeting parts which were aimed at demonstrating how the book was to be studied, as the WTS seemed to try to adjust their ill-fated bible study program. This super-express (and later express-lite) method never seemed to sit well with the congregation. One could sense that in actual practice, what we were being told was impractical. Some jws even joked that it seemed like the Society couldn't make up its mind. Basically, we were expected to make jw disciples out of people who barely would have a chance to ask questions and who not be able to benefit from any outside research.
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ESTEE
[How to] Become ‘
Intensely OccupiedBrainwashed with theWord'WTS in six months ...Love
ESTEE
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stillajwexelder
The meat of the new book is in all the appendices at the back. It seems like a standard 192 page book - infact it finishes on page 193, and then they have added a 32 page signature to bring it to 224 pages for the appendix. There is more "depth" for want of a better phrase in the appendices
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ezekiel3
Ok exelder, you tempted me into action. The doctrine menu on page 194 of this book is as follows:
- The Divine Name--Its Use and Its Meaning
- How Daniel's Prophecy Foretells the Messiah's Arrival
- Jesus Christ--The Promised Messiah
- The Truth About the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
- Why True Christians Do Not Use the Cross in Worship
- The Lord's Evening Meal--An Observance That Honors God
- "Soul" and "Spirit"-What Do These Terms Really Mean?
- What Are Sheol and Hades?
- Judgment Day-What Is It?
- 1914—A Significant Year in Bible Prophecy
- Who Is Michael the Archangel?
- Identifying "Babylon the Great"
- Was Jesus Born in December?
- Should We Celebrate Holidays?
Of these I have selected "1914" to show for two reasons: 1) Its fragile status as the #1 tenant of JW faith and 2) the fact that the WTS is not giving up or softening the significance of 1914 as the beginning of Jesus' 'presense' as King.
My comments in red.
What Does The Bible Really Teach? Page 215-218
1914--A Significant Year in Bible Prophecy
DECADES in advance, Bible students proclaimed that there would be significant developments in 1914. What were these, and what evidence points to 1914 as such an important year? As recorded at Luke 21:24, Jesus said: "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations, until the appointed times of the nations ["the times of the Gentiles," King fames Version] are fulfilled." Jerusalem had been the capital city of the Jewish nation--the seat of rulership of the line of kings from the house of King David. (Psalm 48:1, 2) However, these kings were unique among national leaders. They sat on "Jehovah's throne" as representatives of God himself. (1 Chronicles 29: 23) Jerusalem was thus a symbol of Jehovah's rulership.
"DECADES in advance, Bible students proclaimed" that 1914 would be the date of Armegeddon and that Christ had already returned in 1874. It was only the next in a series of already failed dates including the 1874 date that have caused the WTS to continually "bump the date" until the 'generation' teaching was finally abandoned in 1995.
How and when, though, did God's rulership begin to be "trampled on by the nations"? This happened in 607 B.C.E. when Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians. "Jehovah's throne" became vacant, and the line of kings who descended from David was interrupted. (2 Kings 25:1-26) Would this 'trampling' go on forever? No, for the prophecy of Ezekiel said regarding Jerusalem's last king, Zedekiah: "Remove the turban, and lift off the crown. . . . It will certainly become no one's until he comes who has the legal right, and I must give it to him." (Ezekiel 21:26, 27) The one who has "the legal right" to the Davidic crown is Christ Jesus. (Luke 1:32, 33) So the 'trampling' would end when Jesus became King.
"This happened in 607 B.C.E" has absolutely no historical validity. Why does the WTS not even spend a word defending this date when only JWs teach 607 as the date of Jerusalem's destruction? Because it is indefencible. The historically recognized date for all other sources is about 587 BC.
When would that grand event occur? Jesus showed that the Gentiles would rule for a fixed period of time. The account in Daniel chapter 4 holds the key to knowing how long that period would last. It relates a prophetic dream experienced by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He saw an immense tree that was chopped down. Its stump could not grow because it was banded with iron and copper. An angel declared: "Let seven times pass over it."-Daniel 4:10-16.
Abstract #1: "seven times" from Daniel
In the Bible, trees are sometimes used to represent rulership. (Ezekiel 17:22-24; 31:2-5) So the chopping down of the symbolic tree represents how God's rulership, as expressed through the kings at Jerusalem, would be interrupted. However, the vision served notice that this 'trampling of Jerusalem' would be temporary--a period of "seven times." How long a period is that?
Revelation 12:6, 14 indicates that three and a half times equal "a thousand two hundred and sixty days." "Seven times" would therefore last twice as long, or 2,520 days. But the Gentile nations did not stop 'trampling' on God's ruler-ship a mere 2,520 days after Jerusalem's fall. Evidently, then, this prophecy covers a much longer period of time. On the basis of Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6, which speak of "a day for a year," the "seven times" would cover 2,520 years.
Abstract #2: Revelation "says" that a time equals 360 days
Abstract #3: A day equals a year according to Numbers/Ezekiel
The 2,520 years began in October 607 B.C.E., when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians and the Davidic king was taken off his throne. The period ended in October 1914. At that time, "the appointed times of the nations" ended, and Jesus Christ was installed as God's heavenly King.*-Psalm 2:1-6; Daniel 7:13, 14. (* From October 607 B.C.E. to October 1 B.C.E. is 606 years. Since there is no zero year, from October 1 B.C.E. to October 1914 C.E. is 1,914 years. By adding 606 years and 1,914 years, we get 2,520 years. For information on Jerusalem's fall in 607 B.C.E., see the article "Chronology" in Insight on the Scriptures, published by Jehovah's Witnesses.)
The height of JW fiction now asserts itself: "The 2,520 years began in October 607 B.C.E."
Just as Jesus predicted, his "presence" as heavenly King has been marked by dramatic world developments--war, famine, earthquakes, pestilences. (Matthew 24:3-8; Luke 21:11) Such developments bear powerful testimony to the fact that 1914 indeed marked the birth of God's heavenly Kingdom and the beginning of "the last days" of this present wicked system of things.-2 Timothy 3:1-5.
Somehow the populated earth has never experienced war, famine, earthquakes and plagues before? But not to this extent, you argue? But has the world population even reached this size before. Then would not the extent of war, plague, etc also grow? Watch your interior logic there.
That's the WTS case for 1914, piss poor and fails to address criticism. Preach in a bubble and suppress facts. The only suckers that will believe this line of reasoning are the JW kids who don't know any better. -
Sunspot
A "NEW" release from the WTS, 2005;
What Does The Bible Really Teach?
It seems after 100+ YEARS of printing bible-based literature that this title would (and should) be very embarrassing!
What the hell have they been "teaching" up until this newest book was printed?
Annie