reading all these 1914 threads lately has made me think a lot more about my own feelings of the jw movement in the early years.
particularly how i feel they got kind of "lucky" that something big happened on whatever numbered prediction 1914 was for them.. we have all seen individuals ride out the rest of their sports, acting, etc.
careers on one big break.
Golf,
HMMMMM!!! But wasn't Russell predicting originally that Jesus would come right down to Earth in 1914? If he thought that men were behind it, does it make sense for him to predict that?
Brad
P.S. I am not discounting that the events leading up to that time may have pointed to an outbreak in hostility, by the way, just as to how much relevance that had on Russell's mind.
what percentage of jw's do you think would be happy to wake up tomorrow and honestly see all the people dying and everything else that goes along with armageddon as they've been taught?.
on the other hand, how many use the religion/belief as a way to feel superior to others and would never really want to see all that suffering or perhaps just wouldn't want to do the clean-up work after?
i guess a third question is warranted, based on their teachings...... how many hope they die a natural death and will be resurrected after all the nasty sh*t goes down?
What percentage of JW's do you think would be happy to wake up tomorrow and honestly see all the people dying and everything else that goes along with Armageddon as they've been taught?
On the other hand, how many use the religion/belief as a way to feel superior to others and would never really want to see all that suffering or perhaps just wouldn't want to do the clean-up work after?
I guess a third question is warranted, based on their teachings...... How many hope they die a natural death and will be resurrected after all the nasty sh*t goes down?
reading all these 1914 threads lately has made me think a lot more about my own feelings of the jw movement in the early years.
particularly how i feel they got kind of "lucky" that something big happened on whatever numbered prediction 1914 was for them.. we have all seen individuals ride out the rest of their sports, acting, etc.
careers on one big break.
vittvin,
I'm not saying I even believe in a God vs Satan thing. I'm just using their own beliefs/fear tactics and trying to place their success failure based on how much the Great War helped to "prove" those same fear tactics.
I thought this quote was interesting, vittvin:
Give it another thousand years, then they`ll have there scrap, another thousand and Satan get angry, then woe to the earth!
This is just to crack a joke, not to offend, but you'll never succeed as a cult leader. All doomsday cults/high-control groups need to appeal to each humans innate selfishness. If it ain't gonna happen in their lifetime then they ain't joining.
IMO, even when they changed the "generation" interpretation in 1995, they had to start scrambling to make more immediate doomsday predictions. When they changed it to the generation that saw the generation of 1914 they essentially extended it for potentially another eighty years. DOH!! I think that's why, in 2004, they started using the example of Noah's day when man was given 120 years to shape up. Thirty years is easier to take than another 70, based on the 1995 change.
These doomsday thinkers are not necessarily the brightest. It's a good thing for them that FEAR and GUILT are such heavy burdens or they'd have been sunk by now.
ColdRedRain,
I still think the Great War of 1914 was considered to be bigger than all others. The simplicity of doomsday prophets is that they take regularly occuring events like wars, earthquakes, etc. and allow the media to promote them, and go along with the flow, showing how their "prediction" is coming/has come true.
Brad
reading all these 1914 threads lately has made me think a lot more about my own feelings of the jw movement in the early years.
particularly how i feel they got kind of "lucky" that something big happened on whatever numbered prediction 1914 was for them.. we have all seen individuals ride out the rest of their sports, acting, etc.
careers on one big break.
Simon,
Did they really not say anything about 1914 until that much after? I know/figured that they never really used it to that extent immediately since I don't think it was considered to be a World War even, immediately. But I would have thought that their "re-writing" of prophecies would have been done a lot more subtly than that.
Like 1995, where they didn't have to change 1914, they just changed the "interpretation" they had of generation.
I would have thought they would have gradually exemplified the importance of their "rightness" in the year that they very likely wouldn't have done more than how they protected themselves with the 1975 thing. I'm sure the news, during the war, gradually as well revealed that this was the "greatest" war in history. Make sense?
Brad
i am starting my new job tomorrow..and i am sooooooo nervous!!!!
is this normal??
i'm nervous that i won't be good at it and that people won't like me.. .
Very natural, I think. However, try not to let yourself get too nervous. They obviously hired you because they like you and you are qualified.
Just keep those positive thoughts going through your mind before you go in.
Brad
reading all these 1914 threads lately has made me think a lot more about my own feelings of the jw movement in the early years.
particularly how i feel they got kind of "lucky" that something big happened on whatever numbered prediction 1914 was for them.. we have all seen individuals ride out the rest of their sports, acting, etc.
careers on one big break.
Reading all these 1914 threads lately has made me think a lot more about my own feelings of the JW movement in the early years. Particularly how I feel they got kind of "lucky" that something BIG happened on whatever numbered prediction 1914 was for them.
We have all seen individuals ride out the rest of their sports, acting, etc. careers on one big break. The same can be said for organizations that promise or predict things.
My question is, how big and influential would the JW religion have become if a World War didn't start in 1914? What if that prediction slipped by and a few more slipped by, without them ever being able to say:
"See, I told you Jesus was coming back!! I know I told you he would come directly to Earth and it only happened in Heaven, when he cast Satan and his demons down to Earth, but look at what effect it had on the Earth IMMEDIATELY?!?! A World War!! Imagine how powerful a negative influence Satan is and how much we need to follow God." (later to be changed to WTBTS).
Brad
here are a few facts that i have recently discovered by doing some research.. the watchtower society uses the date of 539 b.c.e as the date that cyrus took over babylon.
they use the term "absolute date" to define this as an unquestionable point in time.
to do this they had to ignore 586 b.c.e which is the real date for the destruction of jerusalem.. therefore, if jerusalem never lay desolate for 70 years, when does this desolation and fulfillment of this prophecy take place?
Alan F,
I agree. I was kind of kidding, however I do think we could still find room in our hearts and minds for him if he does get df'd. We have so much more room in said hearts and minds now that they have become opened, since leaving the WTS.
Brad
if you click on the link below what you'll see is an aerial view of the llano cemetery, located in amarillo, texas -- the place where i'll probably be buried.
the gravestones can actually be seen.
they are the white specks, all layed out in rows.
Schizm, here's two:
Do you care more that the bodies were "buried facing east" or of the plight of the African Americans themselves?
What have I lied about?
Listen, dude. People are on to you here. You bring out an article that talks of African Americans that were not allowed to be buried with whites 200 years ago and try to make the point that the graves were facing East. I made a point, in case you didn't get it, that the important part of that article was respect for what the African Americans endured. You retorted with my quote and said that I'm having a rough time of it and thet people reap what they sow. From your other reactions, it would seem unlikely that you were not being harsh to me at the same time that you were pointing out my challenges with the inlaws. If your concern was for me and what my inlaws have put me through, why didn't you say it?
Instead, an hour later, you edited your post to suggest that you weren't refering to me reaping what I HAVE sown, but my in-laws who are going to reap what they are sowing. That doesn't make sense to me and likely not other people either.
I will stop there and give you a chance to change my mind about what I truly think was going on in your mind.
By the way, I appreciate you answering my questions on the other topic about what you accept and don't accept about the WTS. Without passing judgement I do find it interesting that you find that the 144,000 will still come from JW's but you discount some of their other "strong" beliefs. But we'll save that discussion for another day.
Brad
... on the watchtower society.
i am not one who will ever bother to waste my time heaping praise on the jw religion as though it were some kind of improvement on society.
i have no qualms in saying that it was, is, and always will be a dangerous religion ?
I have only read teejay's original post, the couple following it and I&P's last one. () I will read more tomorrow but I did want to say that I have no regrets in being raised a JW, only because I had no freakin' choice and to want to change the past would be silly and pointless. However I am also fully aware that NOT being a JW is A LOT better.
I am wise enough to realize that I cannot change my past. I take my quirky, sometimes dysfunctional JW influenced spirit and make the best of it. But I have also learned that to completely avoid abusive situations, people and organizations is a BETTER way to go.
Brad (my 2 cents so far..... )
here are a few facts that i have recently discovered by doing some research.. the watchtower society uses the date of 539 b.c.e as the date that cyrus took over babylon.
they use the term "absolute date" to define this as an unquestionable point in time.
to do this they had to ignore 586 b.c.e which is the real date for the destruction of jerusalem.. therefore, if jerusalem never lay desolate for 70 years, when does this desolation and fulfillment of this prophecy take place?
hillary_step and Alan F,
He may want to prove you guys wrong so badly that he will contact the GB to try to get an answer from them. They will then learn what he has been doing on this apostate website and will PROMPTLY disfellowship him!!!!!
If this happens, scholar, we will still take you in to comfort you.
Brad
