I'm having an argument with a Dub and a couple of Dub sympathizers, and the Dub REFUSES to say that only JWs will live through Armageddon. He keeps repeating "only god can read the ehart" as if it was the new Dub mantra.
This mantra is not new at all. Ever since I was baptized in 1974 this mantra has been preached. The basis for this mantra goes something like this:
Even though the Watchtower Society has been "inspired" to teach that only those who embrace "the truth" as it teaches will be "saved alive" (from a scripture in Revelation, don't have a Bible handy) through the Great Tribulation leading to the final conflict called Armageddon. This is a skillet where waffles are made and Watchtower logic starts to gets rather complex.
You see, JWs including myself have understood the Watchtower Society to basically be saying something like, "although Jehovah has inspired us to conclude that only baptized Jehovah's Witnesses will be spared at Armageddon, we acknowledge that it's Jehovah's final decision who gets spared. We can't reach everyone on Earth in our ministry. If we come out of Armageddon to find people were spared who are not Jehovah's Witnesses then praise Jah! He read their hearts and decided to spare them in his abundant mercy and loving kindness!"
Then again, it is also thought by many Jehovah's Witnesses including myself that the Watchtower Society is being somewhat manipulative in implying in various articles that the ONLY survivors are those who are (a) baptized under the auspices of the Watchtower Society; (b) those who are in affiliation with the Watchtower Society when Armageddon breaks out; and (c) those who are <i>in good standing</i> with the Watchtower Society.
Further Watchtower manipulation includes implying that young children of disfellowshipees might get slaughtered by armies of angels during Armageddon. HOWEVER, implications are simply that, and no more. They're basically scare tactics designed to keep the rank and file in line. It's like a company that scares its employees into being productive and behaving themselves onsite with scare tactics they neither intent to, or legally cannot, carry out.
Those who practice these scare tactics just don't seem to "get it" and lack the refinement in conscience to recognize that such manipulation isn't helping matters. People are subtly demoralized by these tactics, and resentful when they find out they were manipulated into doing things they really didn't have to do.
Suppose the Watchtower Society preferred people didn't drink wine, and used legalistic wording in their literature to scare people into thinking drinking wine was a sin? When people recognized that it was alright to drink wine, a conscience matter, the Watchtower could simply point to the clever wording and claim "we never said you couldn't drink wine! We said we preferred you did not drink it out of concern for those who are weak such as recovering alcoholics!" JWs aren't dumb, and deep down recognize they were manipulated into abstaining from wine when it was really their choice all along, and they resent it deep down inside. They might not admit the resentment openly, but it translates to a benign contempt for those who abused their position as teachers.
I only have the 1995 CD, and I would REALLY , REALLY like to be able to offer some quotes from more recent WTS books and magaziines that state that only Dubs will survive Armageddon.
That's a tough one, because the Watchtower's contrived <i>exegesis</i> of teachings on salvation lead to the inescapable conclusion that, if the Watchtower teachings are interpreted correctly, only JWs will survive Armageddon. It's not like you simply state that the Bible teaches only JWs will survive Armageddon. Rather, it's a whole bunch of teachings that lead the "Bible student" down the wrong path towards that conclusion.
Recognizing that this conclusion is not necessarily a given, the Watchtower puts what amounts to a divinely inspired disclaimer on their teachings on salvation by waffling that only Jehovah reads hearts. I say "waffling" in this context because God's deciding who is saved ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS is a basic "baby food" tenet of the Bible. This basic tenet is being used by the Watchtower as an "out" in case Jehovah decides to spare everyone (as a worse-case or best-case scenario depending on whether you're of the holier-than-thou camp, or one of those who rejoices in seeing as many as possible gaining salvation).
The bottomline is that the GB really believe Jehovah exists and at some point in time Armageddon will arrive, that's an absolute given with them. What they're not sure is whether their logically flawed set of teachings on salvation, which leads to the inescapable conclusion that only baptized JWs in good standing with themselves, will get decimated after Armageddon. That is to say, their teachings could get pulverized by the existence of millions of people in their territories who were supposed to buy the farm as a recompense for slamming the door in their faces, but are still living. Naturally they will want an "out" with Jehovah in this case, because they are terrified at the possibility of facing the eternal death they implied those NOT in "good standing" with them are to receive.
I recall the scriptures on love, that it does not fear. If you love your dear old dad, you're not afraid that the moment you turn your back on him, he will "mercifully" execute you for not cleaning your room. Neither are true Christians afraid of divine execution by their dear ancient Heavenly Father for the mistakes they made in life, because if they truly love God then that is all that matters the scriptures say.
But those with a morbid fear of God, who bought into the believe that salvation is earned, feel they must CYA ("Cover Your Ass") with God by making sure to add the disclaimer that it's quite possible that "worldly" folks will survive Armageddon because they have good hearts.
Don't underestimate the Watchtower's GB. They are intelligent enough to recognize that someone who would have become one of Jehovah's Witnesses but did not because a pedophile came to their door and molested their child, that one is equally deserving of the eternal life that Christ made possible through his death. That is why, due to their inside recognition that they have lead millions down countless unnecessary side-excursions in their quest for truth, they feel a divine disclaimer is in order.
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DISCLAIMER: It's quite possible that all those householders who slam the door in your faces are really trying to protect their children, or have gone on the internet and found out about our religion's checkered history. Jehovah might decide they have good hearts, and would have become baptized Christians if it weren't for all those stumbling blocks we inadvertently placed before them. You might see them after Armageddon. Millions or even billions might survive, and if they do, we're going to be busy trying to save our sorry butts when we're brought before Jehovah. In which case, you're on your own, and read this disclaimer. Don't say we didn't forewarn you that in spite of all your reported hours, Christ may decide to give everyone another chance.
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If I'm WRONG and the message has changed, I'd like to know that too.
The message never changes. It just gets "refined" (lol).
If the message has changed, why bother preaching? For exercise?
There is where you are asking the wrong question. If one believes the Bible itself offers a wholesome set of values and hope for the future, then why not share it? One should bother preaching, most definitely! It might not be from door to door, but if one sticks to Bible basics and takes the Society's teachings with a grain of salt, then sharing that hope with others could benefit many people.
As a teen I was on the verge of suicide due to losses of family members and a feeling of hopelessness. The young lady who came to my door with the book "The Truth That Leads To Eternal Life" and studied with me, ignited a belief in me that there is a loving God, that the universe is inherently good, and that good will always triumph over evil. Without this hope, who knows? I might be sleeping under a beautiful lawn under blue skies on this summer's day. Instead, I'm here to write this post to you and others who may read it. I thank God everyday for being here, and therefore being instrumental in helping to build a web site that many have said helped to save them, like the young lady who came to my door helped to save me.
Derrick
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
-- William Blake (Auguries of Innocence)
