Thank you for thoughts Joen but on the other hand where is there the evidence for your statement that "the Kingdom is a gradual process living in the hearts of the saints"?
Admit it, it's just just religious psycho babble.
Half banana
JoinedPosts by Half banana
-
16
What is the benefit of God's Kingdom?
by Half banana inwhat is the benefit of god's kingdom?.
the watchtower said when it started out in 1879 that god's kingdom had already arrived in heaven in 1874 and that its work would be complete by 1914. .
with heroic slogans of "destroying the kings of the earth" and "all enemies of christ the king" etc by 1914, "god fearing" humankind was to have been restored to prelapsarian innocence and the earth to a global edenic paradise.
-
-
Half banana
-
16
What is the benefit of God's Kingdom?
by Half banana inwhat is the benefit of god's kingdom?.
the watchtower said when it started out in 1879 that god's kingdom had already arrived in heaven in 1874 and that its work would be complete by 1914. .
with heroic slogans of "destroying the kings of the earth" and "all enemies of christ the king" etc by 1914, "god fearing" humankind was to have been restored to prelapsarian innocence and the earth to a global edenic paradise.
-
-
Half banana
What is the benefit of God's Kingdom?
The Watchtower said when it started out in 1879 that God's Kingdom had already arrived in heaven in 1874 and that its work would be complete by 1914.
With heroic slogans of "destroying the Kings of the Earth" and "all enemies of Christ the King" etc by 1914, "God fearing" humankind was to have been restored to prelapsarian innocence and the Earth to a global Edenic paradise. How lovely......
I need not remind you that in 1914, instead we had WW1. Could any prophecy ever be more wrong? Thank you Watchtower, another Guinness Book of Records first!
CT Russell's prediction had been the result of a manoeuvre to rescue an already failed 1874 Adventist prophecy of the Second Coming from public shame. His method was to say that the prediction was indeed true -- but it happened invisibly -- good one Charlie!
He moved the goal posts forward and changed the interpretations of scriptural beliefs. Well how else could Adventism survive with so many failures in USA in the 19th century? Remember Miller's 1844 "Great disappointment?" Adventism and Jehovah's Witnesses are simply a continuation of this persistent but foolish thread of underlying belief of "the Second Coming". (The focal name changes over time as the disappointments roll by).
The Watchtower lost nearly two thirds of it membership. So in the spirit of keeping the ship afloat, the directors of the Watchtower obscured the obvious defeat and shifted the "spiritual presence" of the kingdom forward from 1874 to 1914. This they must have reasoned got them off the hook since it was the same ploy Russell had used for 1874; claiming an INVISIBLE presence.
Now come on people who have not completely shut down your brain for religious reasons, how does one know about spiritual, invisible things? Even faith has to have some evidence!
Where though is the evidence that 1831,1844,1874 or 1914 was the date when God's Kingdom arrived. Why stick at 1914, why not move it forward to 1975?
Let's be generous and say that 1914 was when the Kingdom arrived invisibly in heaven. What then has been the subsequent benefits of this sublime enthronement of the son of the Creator of the universe? Surely such an event would make the most impressive changes on earth reflecting this consummate universal rule by the King of Kings?
How would we ever know someone or some organisation is not pulling our leg? Are invisible friends real? Are sky gods real? Are invisible kingdoms real? Where's the evidence? Does the expression "building castles in the air" come to mind?
I suggest it is a complete hoax in the long tradition of religious shysters milking the ignorant.
Is this invisible JW kingdom worth the giving up of your time, your life, your family, your education, your conscience for?
What are your thoughts on this invisible 1914 kingdom?
-
18
The Watchtower is now saying to listen to the advice of the United Nations
by Listener inthe watchtower has posted a news item on the coronavirus on their website and officially endorces the advice of who, the world health organization which is described by wikipedia as -.
the world health organization (who) is a specialised agency of the united nations that is concerned with world public health.
it was established on 7 april 1948, and is headquartered in geneva, switzerland.
-
-
Half banana
Another example of diluting theocratic teaching, this time with information from the devil's own caring humanitarian organisation.
Surely if God was with the GB they would get special directions (whether it makes sense or not) so very late in the last days? Nah! Jehovah's Witnesses are just like any other money hoarding crack-pot religion.
Let's be frank, that much vaunted 1914 Kingdom by Christ in heaven is utterly, utterly useless. More power to common sense and the World Health Organisation!
-
15
May 2020 Study WT - more convoluted false prophesying
by neat blue dog inthe first two study articles of the latest wt raise the usual sense of urgency with more of the same theological quackery russell would be proud of.. first up, something we've always known, the embarrassing admission that jws think they are the center of the universe:.
even though god’s servants make up only a small portion of the world’s population, they are often at the center of major world events.
because satan and his entire system have one prime objective—conquering those who serve jehovah .
-
-
Half banana
I agree with you Room 215, I am also saddened that there are sensible JWs out there still drinking the 'Cool-aid'.
I suppose it has to do with an important but never discussed subject: people's expectations.
It's about absorbing as fact, whether truthful or not, the relative importance and status of basic authorities. JWs expect the Bible to be God's word and they expect the GB to be God's only channel. The public indoctrination from HQ to the faithful asserts these two things, week on week and year in, year out -- feeding their expectations!
The sacredness of the Bible is not challenged and the authority of the governing body is not questioned by the JW true believer. So all Bible and Watchtower information is processed in the light of their expectations.
Splane can issue bat-shit crazy prophecies because the faithful expects him to be right especially so as the GB claim to base them on the hallowed Bible -- so what on earth could be wrong?
Gullibility is what is wrong and the absence of critical thinking is what is lacking.....not to mention an overriding fear of JW community reprisals for daring to challenge 'sacred authority'.
-
8
My favorite video from the 2019 convention
by George One Time ini love this video, not because it promotes jehovah's love.... but because it indirectly discusses a subject that helped me to question my beliefs.. https://www.jw.borg/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/latestvideos/pub-jwbcov_201905_11_video.
(creation reveals jehovah's love).
it is the first clip, and it is about how elements are formed.
-
-
Half banana
The Bible is such a jumble of styles of writing from different eras and diverse cultures -- Egyptian, Babylonian, Canaanite, Phoenician, Persian, Greek and Roman to be precise. The Psalm here quoted only makes sense as a panegyric; a praise of God and the subsequent benefits of being his subjects. It's all poetry folks, it does not have to be true, just a religious meme to give fuzzy comfort to the believers by reprising cultural themes.
If it was from the creator, if there were such a thing, he would know his heavens were not perched just above the Earth subject to removal or falling as another scripture says (Rev 6:13) then he or it would then not use this illustration. However the Bible is all too human and reflects merely the hopes, beliefs and limited astronomical perceptions of the writers.
-
15
Judaeo Christian religious practices may have actually come from ancient Egyptian religoius beliefs and practices
by Finkelstein inunder close investigation of ancient middle eastern civilizations and their religoius beliefs and practices, there appears to be a connecting commonality derived from astronomical mythological beliefs.
.
as shown through the documentary zeitgeist it would appear that these ancient civilizations plagiarized mythological beliefs from an original source to use for their own individual means and purpose, the ancient egyptian mythological practices being the originating source.. the documentary zeitgeist brings forth some interesting thoughts.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9ywr5tcjae.
-
-
Half banana
The telling key to understanding the film Zeitgeist is its title meaning the prevailing spirit of its time. It is about the state of conspiracy theories in 2007 USA. It was intended as "infotainment" not facts about origins, although this does not preclude the use of some factual things. Mystery, hype and real world events make basic American entertainment.
-
19
March 2020 Broadcast - Hard Push to Baptism. Why?
by Smiles inthe jw broadcast for march 2020 is a hard push for more baptisms, where mark sanctamonious sanderson makes ready use of the phrase "baptised disciples of jesus" instead of their typical catch phrase "baptised servants of jehovah".
the "jesus message" is somewhat unusual rhetoric for jehovah's witnesses.
why the big push for more baptism?
-
-
Half banana
Christianity from the 3rd century onward lauded the "name of Jesus". That's right, it was not there in the first century. This motivating thread of worship was included in the Roman Bible (4th century). It gave a mental focus for christians as did the character of his mother Mary. It was the suffering of Jesus and the heartbreak of the mother which the believers could identify with in their own lives. In contrast it's hard to visualise God the Father in terms of humanity, although Michelangelo did a very good job of it on the Sistine chapel ceiling. People as a rule do not strongly identify with God, the exceptions to this are either institutionalised or become political leaders.
I imagine that from sifting through resignation letters coming to Bethel, it has been noticed that many Witnesses feel they can't have the personal attachment to Jesus offered by other religions (that a religion could offer such a thing is beyond me). Nevertheless recently baptised or disaffected JWs could feel that they are missing something when it comes to a close relationship with Jesus which can be had elsewhere.
The JW doctrine does not offer traditional comforts and if this means loss of membership they will make amends as you say Smiddy. However I cannot think that WT leaders have ever once changed fundamental doctrine by listening to what people are saying or wanting to believe. This could be an indicator of future developments to cope with declining interest.
The GB with forked tongue say "numbers are not important" but as we all know membership numbers are paramount to the cult because numbers equals income.
-
15
May 2020 Study WT - more convoluted false prophesying
by neat blue dog inthe first two study articles of the latest wt raise the usual sense of urgency with more of the same theological quackery russell would be proud of.. first up, something we've always known, the embarrassing admission that jws think they are the center of the universe:.
even though god’s servants make up only a small portion of the world’s population, they are often at the center of major world events.
because satan and his entire system have one prime objective—conquering those who serve jehovah .
-
-
Half banana
Superstition, prophecy and gullibility all go together.
NBD, just take a short holiday break that weekend.
-
19
March 2020 Broadcast - Hard Push to Baptism. Why?
by Smiles inthe jw broadcast for march 2020 is a hard push for more baptisms, where mark sanctamonious sanderson makes ready use of the phrase "baptised disciples of jesus" instead of their typical catch phrase "baptised servants of jehovah".
the "jesus message" is somewhat unusual rhetoric for jehovah's witnesses.
why the big push for more baptism?
-
-
Half banana
This emphasis on Jesus is a new departure. Could it mean that to hold on to the membership they actually listen to what the sheep are thinking?
If this proves to be so then it is a significant marker in the decline of the authority of the GB. It is what would be expected to be seen in the twilight years of a cult.
-
12
The "Financial" New System of Things!
by Atlantis inthe "financial" new system of things!.
yes, in the new system it will be "business as usual" with the watchtower society's financial arrangement.
all those beautiful homes are to be built to make paradise complete.. .
-
-
Half banana
It is interesting that they should talk of finances in their paradise. They speak about what is actually on their collective mind.
The paradise hope is sort of OK until you start examining the actual consequences. It could be envisioned as a continuation of the existing Valium dream of many current JWs, like human automata, they do what they are told to do and wear smiley faces having no deep thoughts or emotions.
But hey, another hundred billion dead people qualifying for resurrection?
This would mean not only hard labour and a desperate struggle for food for the survivors of big A but a landscape dominated by the tower-block suburbs of Peking or Hong Kong spread worldwide in an attempt to fit everyone in.
Thank goodness it's just a fantasy like all JW teachings.
I think the last straw in my career as a Witness was when it dawned on me that the Watchtower think their paradise is going to be run on Bethel lines and with the same personnel....aaaaaaagh!