by Sunspot 15 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
It seems that at the 2005 District Convention, that the idea that Jesus had come in 1919 and had chosen the WTS, was mentioned three times.
I have yet to see where this was proven other than the WTS "saying" that it happened.
Can anyone show the proof concerning this monumental event?
Annie
Sorry, can't prove it, but I can back you up and say that I heard it three times also. I thought that they might quietly drop that idea but apparently not.
They may still say it, but methinks it isn't going to be seen in print a lot anymore.
I got my hands on the new pub, "What Does the Bible Really Teach". Rumor has it that this book will replace the Knowledge book.
From my brief scan, 1919 is noticeably absent. Also I saw no mention of "The Faithful and Discreet Slave" doctrine.
CYP
Censer Watchtower esse delendam
slow-steady-deliberate-relentless
If you read any of Rutherford's books, you will find this mentioned on just about every page. The end did not come in 1914 as Russell said, nor in 1915, he died in 1916, and in 1918, the WT board of directors were all arrested and put in prison. Rutherford had to build up confidence in the WTS being chosen again. So he devised a way of interpreting scripture to show that the deceased anointed were resurrected in 1918, that it took Jesus 3 1/4 years from 1914 to clean out heaven so this resurrection could take place. That Jesus (or Jehovah) inspected Christendom and the WTS in 1918 and found only the WTS practicing pure worship although they still celebrated birthdays and Christmas and used the cross on the cover of the WT.
Christendom (and the rest of Babylon the Great) fell supposedly because they were unable to prevail permanently over the WTS and this proved they were rejected by God as his representatives.
This is a brief summary of how they try to make it scriptural.
Isaiah Prophecy book-2 chap. 23 p. 348 "A New Name" ***Three and a half years after Jesus was baptized in water and anointed with God’s spirit, he rode into Jerusalem and cleansed its temple. (Matthew 21:1-5; John 12:14-16) Today, Jesus Christ is the one bringing salvation from Jehovah to all of those having faith in God. Since his enthronement in 1914, Jesus is also Jehovah’s appointed Judge and Executioner. In 1918, three and a half years after his enthronement, he cleansed Jehovah’s spiritual temple, as represented on earth by the congregation of anointed Christians. (Malachi 3:1-5)
I forgot to add that their release from prison proved that in 1919 they were selected by God as the only true representative of him.
This is something I always had trouble with, even when I was in the first throes of love for the organization and thought it was the real deal.
The first time we studied the Revelation book, when it got to the part about the brothers being imprisoned and the work virtually coming to a halt ...as if dead...and then being reanimated after 3.5 years, just like in whatever verses in Revelation (which I have put so far out of my mind that I can't even properly remember the scriptures any more), and there they were feeding the sheep by publishing magazines in 1919 when Jesus came to do the inspection...and apparently nobody else was doing squat...and that is why we know the WTBTS is God's chosen channel of blah, blah, blah....I used to cringe.
I had a moment of clarity, that I can remember very vividly, where I looked down at the picture in the Rev book and thought that if I wasn't a Witness, this would sound extremely contrived and weird. I squelched this surfacing of indepentant thought under several stifling layers of "I'm just not spirtual enough", "I don't know enough.", and "I need to pray more." What a dumbass.
I knew I could never use this to explain to my family why this organization was THE one and only Faithful and Discreet Slave because it sounded too ludicrous to outsiders. You needed true faith (as well as mindless obedience to the borg) to be able to accept something so incredibley weird and, of course, my worldly family wasn't ready to see this.
Is this sort of what you were talking about, Annie? Or did I get it all confused. I do that these days as I haven't looked at a publication or read the Bible in several years now. LOL If I screwed it up, well then.....Nevermind. (in my best Emily Litella voice).
I believe somewhere the Society says that in that 3.5 years they cleansed their teachings. However, they still did the same supposedly "unclean" stuff in 1919 that they did in 1914 (i.e. birthdays, Xmas, worshipped Jesus, smoked cigs, etc.)
I might also add they also did not have a "Governing Body" then either. Russell was the GB, then Rutherford, then Knorr up until the 70's.
-ithinkisee
That Jesus (or Jehovah) inspected Christendom and the WTS in 1918 and found only the WTS practicing pure worship although they still celebrated birthdays and Christmas and used the cross on the cover of the WT.
It's funny Jesus would pick a group who believed and practiced everything the society NOW condems as pagan and unchristian ain't it?
Imagine, Jesus rides in on his white stallion in 1914, inspects all christians, and chooses a group who was no different than christendom is now other than not believing in a hot hellfire. Tell me.....how were the witnesses any different than christendom in 1919? In 1919 there were numerous groups who didn't believe in the trinity, hellfire, or immortality of the soul.......yet Jesus singles out the bible students......even though it's founder was sellin kickass miracle wheat that turned out to be a sham and possibly sleeping with a 14 year old!
Gumby
Tell me.....how were the witnesses any different than christendom in 1919? In 1919 there were numerous groups who didn't believe in the trinity, hellfire, or immortality of the soul.......yet Jesus singles out the bible students......even though it's founder was sellin kickass miracle wheat that turned out to be a sham and possibly sleeping with a 14 year old!
Gumbus,,,Gumbus....ye of little faith.
u/d (of the loves a little Pokey now and then class)
There's a little known fact you seldom see in print. The true understanding of the seven trumpets of revelation is that in 1919 each of the jailed WT board members farted one after another in a row. This amazing sequence was a sweet smelling odor to the Lord who appointed the remnant over all his belongings. Only it took another 68 years before they would form a Governing body. And today thier crap doesn't stink.
Aint interpreting prophecy fun!
W.Once
First, nobody can "prove" the inspection happened. The GB simply strings a few prophecies together and declares that it happened. Here is a typical explanation from the Watchtower;
*** w93 5/1 pp. 15-17 Expanded Activities During Christ’s Presence ***
Expanded Activities During Christ’s Presence
“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world.’”—MATTHEW 25:34.
CHRIST’S presence—the long-awaited event! The time like “the days of Noah,” which Jesus spoke of in connection with “the conclusion of the system of things,” arrived in the year 1914. (Matthew 24:3, 37) But what would Christ’s presence, or pa·rou·si´a, mean for the anointed remnant of “the faithful and discreet slave”? (Matthew 24:45) Why, that they would have to become increasingly more active as light bearers! Marvelous things were due to happen! An unprecedented gathering work was about to begin.
2 First, though, these anointed Christians needed cleansing. As Malachi 3:1-5 had foretold, Jehovah God and his “messenger of the covenant,” Jesus Christ, came to inspect the spiritual temple in the spring of 1918. Judgment was to begin with “the house of God.” (1 Peter 4:17) Malachi 3:3 foretold: “He [Jehovah] must sit as a refiner and cleanser of silver and must cleanse the sons of Levi; and he must clarify them like gold and like silver.” It was a period of refining and cleansing.
3 Passing through this judgment, which climaxed in 1918, the remnant of the slave class was cleansed from worldly and religious defilement. Why did Jehovah cleanse them? Because his spiritual temple was involved. This is the templelike arrangement for worshiping Jehovah on the basis of the propitiatory sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Jehovah wanted his temple to be in a clean condition so that when large numbers of worshipers with earthly hopes were brought there, they would find a place where his universal sovereignty is respected, where his divine name is sanctified, and where his righteous laws are obeyed. Thus, they would appreciate Jehovah and join in making known his grand purposes.
Added Privileges
4 In 1919 the cleansed slave class could look forward to ever-expanding activities. Back in 1914, Jesus Christ, their Master, had obtained a heavenly Kingdom. When he returned to his household staff to inspect all his “domestics,” he was arrayed in royal dignity, which he had not possessed when he was down here on earth. What did he find? Was the slave class busy caring for the Master’s interests? As recorded at Matthew 24:45-47, Jesus asked a question that challenged each anointed disciple to examine his personal devotion to Jehovah’s Messiah: “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time? Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. Truly I say to you, He will appoint him over all his belongings.”
5 Obviously, Jesus’ description of this faithful slave does not fit any individual human. No, but it does describe Christ’s faithful anointed congregation as a whole, as a group. The domestics are Christ’s anointed followers as individuals. Jesus knew that he was going to purchase these anointed ones with his own blood, so he fittingly referred to them collectively as his slave. First Corinthians 7:23 says of them: “YOU [speaking collectively] were bought with a price; stop becoming slaves of men.” Jesus commissioned his slave class to let their light shine to attract and make other disciples and to feed his domestics progressively by giving them their spiritual food at the proper time.
6 From the time Christ’s presence began and down to 1918, the slave class, despite unpopularity, persecution, and even some confusion, had been seeking to give timely food to the domestics. This is what the Master found when his inspection began. The Lord Jesus was pleased, and in 1919 he pronounced that faithful approved slave class happy. What was the slave’s delightful reward for doing what his Master had appointed him to do? A promotion! Yes, larger responsibilities were given in advancing his Master’s interests. Since the Master was now a heavenly King, why, then, his earthly belongings became even more precious.
7 So, what are “all his belongings”? These are all the spiritual assets on earth that have become Christ’s property in connection with his authority as heavenly King. This definitely included the commission to make disciples of Christ, with the grand privilege of acting as representatives of God’s established Kingdom to all the nations of the world.
8 Such a promotion to oversight of all the Master’s belongings demanded that the slave class give more time and attention to getting the Kingdom work done and, yes, develop larger facilities for that work. It now had a much greater field of work—the entire inhabited earth."
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As illustrated by the above, they are simply interpreting scripture and fitting things together in a way that appears to give them the authority that they claim. If one accepts that they have the authority to do that, then it is the end of the matter as illustrated by the apologists for the WTBTS that we encounter here and elswhere on the net. However, it only takes a little critical thinking to see the flaws in their arguments. One of the posters here likes to quote Matt. 7:20 (The entire passage includes verses 15-20) "By their fruits you will know them." I tend to agree with him/her. If I could see by their actions that they really do follow the master, then I could put up with a few imperfections now and then. I don't think that I should hold folks to an impossible standard. After 30 years, though, I feel that their actions just don't back up the claims.
As to the lack of the FDS doctrine in the new "Knowledge" book, It is not that surprising to me. Notice that they moved it to the new "organization' book. In view of the rising number of people with a higher education in modern society, it's pretty obvious that they want to wait until they've already got people roped in before they spring that doctrine on them.
Just my opinion.
Forscher
