for those who may not be aware, the 1914 date was arrived at by russell by using the same framework of the failed prophetic interpretations of the adventist preacher william miller.
see this chart:.
if you look at the top right of the chart, he uses the same 7-times reasoning to arrive at the 2,520 years (7 times=7 multiplied by 360-day years=2,520 years).
neverendingjourney: Rutherford really left a mark on the religion.
Rutherford had connections with the family behind Coca Cola. I suggest that when he saw what advertising could do for a soft drink, he incorporated American advertising techniques into his 'revised' WT religion - hence his slogan. ( I think it was the 1938 Assembly).
" Advertise, Advertise, Advertise, The King and His Kingdom."
so my wife congregation had a huge wing ding on jan. 2 complete with live band / food dancing and alcohol.
yet her company had a yearend party on nov. 15 which she couldn’t go to because it could be perceived as a christmas party.
i am supposed to be worried that the third century church set up a parallel festival with the winter solace to try and get pagans to convert to christianity but they pull crap like this ?
for those who may not be aware, the 1914 date was arrived at by russell by using the same framework of the failed prophetic interpretations of the adventist preacher william miller.
see this chart:.
if you look at the top right of the chart, he uses the same 7-times reasoning to arrive at the 2,520 years (7 times=7 multiplied by 360-day years=2,520 years).
with the book crisis of conscience detailing the turbulence at bethel during the early to mid 70's, the transformation from autocratic rule to governance by committee or a body of men, many of us can speak to how that felt among the rank and file of the local congregations during those years.
we learned new concepts based in large part to research done for the aid to bible understanding volume, then we were asked or coerced into unlearning those principles, going back to the old ways.
some of us never readjusted, finding ourselves very different from our more hardline compadres.. the inertia for the changes that eventually were initiated in the congregations came from the discovery that the greek words episkopos and presbyteros were used biblically to refer to all qualified men in a congregation, not just one.
Another story - not everyone liked that sudden and exhilarating 'spring.' A sister (we were quite close at one time) finding all those changes a little difficult to deal with said to me one day. I liked it when everything was black and white, now everything is some shade of grey and you've got to work out how grey is too grey.
OK. Brooklyn soon fixed that up.
---------------------------
On another topic - I noted somewhere that Vaughn Guy is now on the Aussie Branch Committee. I always found him an easy guy to deal with. I wonder what he's like now?
with the book crisis of conscience detailing the turbulence at bethel during the early to mid 70's, the transformation from autocratic rule to governance by committee or a body of men, many of us can speak to how that felt among the rank and file of the local congregations during those years.
we learned new concepts based in large part to research done for the aid to bible understanding volume, then we were asked or coerced into unlearning those principles, going back to the old ways.
some of us never readjusted, finding ourselves very different from our more hardline compadres.. the inertia for the changes that eventually were initiated in the congregations came from the discovery that the greek words episkopos and presbyteros were used biblically to refer to all qualified men in a congregation, not just one.
Ultimate Axiom : I remember a great deal of intellectual freedom ...
with some 30,000 different christian denominations, how would one know which one was for real?
some folks think jesus did start a church, others think no.
Mephis :And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Again, that is the future tense. Even according to Matthew, written half a century later, the 'church' (ekklesia) doesn't exist when he says that to Peter. It is not "and on this rock I am building my church" or "on this rock I have built my church".And that's assuming Matthew has it right.
"The disciples said to Jesus: We know that thou wilt go from us. Who is he who shall be great over us? Jesus said to them: In the place to which you come, you shall go to James the Just for whose sake heaven and earth came into being." (Gos.Thom. 12)
"What little evidence we have does not encourage us to think that Galilean Christianity under the family of Jesus, and perhaps some of the Twelve, was any less Jewish than the Jerusalem-centred community."In other words, Christianity (at first) was a Jewish sect, in the same way that the Essenes were a Jewish sect, which is also the point that Vermes was making, as I noted in my previous post.
first off the book of enoch or at least some of it's writings we're found among the dead sea scrolls.
this to me proves that this book was as important to the jews back then as any other.
in the book a few things i noticed.
Lieu : These missing or omitted texts make me wonder.
1. At the writing of revelation, Christians are on the run AWAY from Roman territories. The 7 congregations mentioned are all in what's now Turkey.
This map may help you to picture the Roman empire about the end of the 3rd Century CE.
first off the book of enoch or at least some of it's writings we're found among the dead sea scrolls.
this to me proves that this book was as important to the jews back then as any other.
in the book a few things i noticed.
There is also a claim that Jesus quoted from the Book of Enoch. That is I think, a bit of a stretch, the use of similar wording does not necessarily mean a direct quote, and then again, if Jesus is quoted accuratedly it may just means that both Jesus and the author of the Enoch document had read (or, heard of) some other document that is now lost. For what its worth here's a list of claimed usage.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. (Mat 5:5) The elect shall possess light, joy and peace, and they shall inherit the earth. (Enoch 5:7 {6:9})
the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the son (John 5:22). the principal part of the judgment was assigned to him, the Son of man. (Enoch 69:27 {68:39})
shall inherit everlasting life (Mat. 19:29) those who will inherit eternal life (Enoch 40:9 {40:9})
"Wo unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. (Luke 6:24) Woe to you who are rich, for in your riches have you trusted; but from your riches you shall be removed. (Enoch 94:8 {93:7}).
Ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Mat. 19:28) I will place each of them on a throne of glory (Enoch 108:12 {105:26})
Woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been born. (Mat. 26:24) Where will the habitation of sinners be . . . who have rejected the Lord of spirits. It would have been better for them, had they never been born. (Enoch 38:2 {38:2})
between us and you there is a great gulf fixed. (Luke 16:26) by a chasm . . . [are] their souls are separated (Enoch 22: 9,11{22:10,12})
In my Father's house are many mansions (John 14:2) In that day shall the Elect One sit upon a throne of glory, and shall choose their conditions and countless habitations. (Enoch 45:3 {45:3})
that ye may be called the children of light (John 12:36) the good from the generation of light (Enoch 108:11 {105: 25})
the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14) all the thirsty drank, and were filled with wisdom, having their habitation with the righteous, the elect, and the holy. (Enoch 48:1 {48:1})
first off the book of enoch or at least some of it's writings we're found among the dead sea scrolls.
this to me proves that this book was as important to the jews back then as any other.
in the book a few things i noticed.
Crazyguy : First off the book of Enoch or at least some of it's writings we're found among the dead sea scrolls.
freemindfade : I've always found this text interesting as well. This plus the book of Enoch is quoted in the bible book of James.
Jude 1:14-15, quoting Enoch 1:9 {2:1} [1]
"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
"To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."
this is from a russian tv show called 'naked and funny,' reminiscent of american tv shows in the 50s/60s.
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkrse4gvvue.
This is from a Russian TV show called 'Naked and Funny,' reminiscent of American TV shows in the 50s/60s.
