Doug Mason

Joined

• started 457 topics
• posted 2,351 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Doug Mason

• 
  88

  Damned if they do, Damned if they don't

  by FusionTheism in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i see an attitude among some people here which is not very helpful.

  i can understand it, but still, it's not constructive or helpful.. if you condemn the society for not changing, but then you also condemn them when they do change in a positive way, what incentive or motive does that provide for the people at the society to ever want to change for the better?.

  also, what does that attitude look like to current witnesses who are having doubts?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  Finkelstein,

  The WTS has not always been a top-down theocracy. It was a democracy for a long time.
  

  Doug
  
• 
  24

  Christianity: The most deceptive religion

  by opusdei1972 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  jesus was a jew who apparently thought he was the messiah, however, after dying, his disciples began to propagate the lie that he would return from heaven during his generation.

  but, his generation passed away, and it was clear that it was a false prophecy, then a dishonest christian wrote the second letter of peter so as to condemn those who realised that the prophecy was a fiasco.

  interestingly, and sadly, this religion survived,....why????

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  The very very early church was dominated by the African churches, such as at Alexandria and Carthage. Other strongholds were to the east, such as at Antioch. When they came together at a synod, the church at Rome was grudgingly invited as an observer. The 4th and 5th centuries witnessed atrocious murders and wars among the Christians, mostly over the nature of Jesus Christ. This weakened the African Churches, enabling the Muslims to take over north Africa. This resulted in Christians - and hence Christianity - moving northwards, causing it to becoming a European religion.

  It achieved its dominant position because the Roman Emperors decided. Read about Constantine and Theodosius, for starters.

  The church of Rome then behaved as atrociously as had the Emperors of the Roman Empire. The church of Rome said it could behave that way because it was a theocracy.
  

  Doug
  
• 
  22

  New light on more parables

  by Deltawave in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  well after a full watchtower study last week about how we should not read to much into bible account as types and antitypes, we had a whole study article on what the 10 wise virgins now means.

  interesting though is the fact that only in 2007/8 they taught that the discreet virgins were the annointed ones who waited for christ's return in 1914 and the foolish ones were the ones who fell away in 1914 because the end didn't come.

  now though, we have new light!

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  I am presently assembling a Study that provides a chronological survey of WTS quotes on a series of subjects, starting with Russell. Give me 2 or 3 weeks. I will publicise it at the "Bible Research" part of this site.

  Following that, I could look at the variants in their key parables during that period - Ten Virgins and Sheep/Goats. I touch a little on changes to the "Faithful and wise servant" in the Study I am pulling together. Are these "parables" or are they "eschatological narratives with a moral message"? Certainly not "predictive prophecies".
  

  I could be wrong - which happens - but I suspect that Rutherford's experience in 1918/1919 either haunted him or he made use of it ("martyr"). Russell certainly said nothing about a significance to that period, The current WTS seems more hooked on 1919 than they are on 1914. Indeed, their explanation ("Jehovah and Jesus came and inspected, finding only one faithful group on earth") is absolutely vital to their existence, and I find it surprising that little effort has been put into that. We find, for example, that Russell said 1260 days were actually years, running from 539 AD to 1799 AD, which marked the "last days". Then we read that the 1260 days ran from 1914 to 1918, except that the 1260 days ran from 1919 to 1922.

  As a final guess, I think - complete guess - that the number of heads in the Governing Body means that there is a wide range of ideas, not the single controllers of Russell, Rutherford or Franz. And the mess of conflicting ideas with the current multi-headed leadership is exacerbated because members are constantly being replaced. All they can do is throw up "obey us and you are obeying Jehovah", bandying that name around like a club, showing no sensitivity or respect. Certainly not "discreet".

  Doug
  

  Doug
  
• 
  20

  In depth research reveals....

  by Deltawave in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  something i have noticed over the years is how much harder it is to research the history of the watchtower society from its own literature.

  people have thrown away old publications in place of the watchtower library.

  i beleive soon the watchtower library disk will be discontinued in place of the online library.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  Watchtower-free,

  The early SDA Church leaders were similarly obsessed - part of their "health" message. Kellogg invented Corn Flakes (without any sugar) as a cure for masturbation. Google will confirm.
  

  Enjoy your breakfast.

  Doug
  
• 
  20

  In depth research reveals....

  by Deltawave in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  something i have noticed over the years is how much harder it is to research the history of the watchtower society from its own literature.

  people have thrown away old publications in place of the watchtower library.

  i beleive soon the watchtower library disk will be discontinued in place of the online library.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  nicolau,

  All Watch Tower magazines from 1879 to the present are available plus most books, magazines, newspapers and tracts.

  Doug
  
• 
  20

  In depth research reveals....

  by Deltawave in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  something i have noticed over the years is how much harder it is to research the history of the watchtower society from its own literature.

  people have thrown away old publications in place of the watchtower library.

  i beleive soon the watchtower library disk will be discontinued in place of the online library.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  LisaRose,

  I have scans of the 1943 version and the 1968 (revised 1981) version of "The Truth Shall Make you Free". Being somewhat colour-challenged, I am not certain if the covers are blue or mauve, purple, etc., but I suppose these are the scans you are looking for.
  

  These are large files so that I could only send them to you via DropBox. This means you would need to email me your email address. You will find my email address at: http://www.jwstudies.com/contact_me.html

  Doug
  
• 
  20

  In depth research reveals....

  by Deltawave in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  something i have noticed over the years is how much harder it is to research the history of the watchtower society from its own literature.

  people have thrown away old publications in place of the watchtower library.

  i beleive soon the watchtower library disk will be discontinued in place of the online library.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  I am currently working on a Study that provides about 350 Watch Tower quotations, starting at its beginning. You will need to give me another month or so to complete the task, which I shall publicise at the "Bible Research" part of this site.

  If you have ideas that you think could help me, please PM me directly as I do not trawl through all of this site.

  Doug
  
• 
  2

  The 1917 schism

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  this has more than likely been referred to here before, so i apologise in advance.. i stumbled across this site:.

  https://archive.org/details/folkscanomy_religion.

  look at the list down the right.. in my case, i was interested in the harvest siftings in which rutherford puts his slant on the 1917 schism:.

  1. 
  2. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  This has more than likely been referred to here before, so I apologise in advance.
  

  I stumbled across this site:

  https://archive.org/details/folkscanomy_religion

  Look at the list down the right.
  

  In my case, I was interested in the Harvest Siftings in which Rutherford puts his slant on the 1917 schism:

  https://ia801402.us.archive.org/0/items/1917WatchtowerBibleStudentSchism/1917_Watchtower_Bible_Student_Schism.pdf

  Doug
  
• 
  48

  May’s ‘study WT’ admits having taught “far-fetched” ideas

  by wheelwithinwheel in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  not on the front page, not in the study articles, but carefully camouflaged in the questions from readers on page 18 (watchtower march 15, 2015).

  you can bet most jws wont even read it..

  there is no apology...just the usual excuses..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  Russell said that Nebuchadnezzar was the Type of the Gentile nations and that his mad state typified their wild state, which would come to an end after 2520 years, in 1914. This meant that at that time peace would come to the earth, and Jerusalem would be released from Gentile domination, Hence he promoted the return of the Jews to Palestine.

  Doug
  
• 
  7

  An earlier date when the "great multitude/crowd" was first named: "Jehovah's witnesses"

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  unlike the fonz, i can and do get things wrong..

  the 1946 book let god be true ascribed the name jehovahs witnesses to the great multitude:.

  page 232 of the 1952 edition.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Doug Mason

  A quick search shows me that Rutherford started to link "witnesses" and "God's name" with the January 1, 1925 Watchtower.

  Doug