Posts by vienne

19

Top Jehovahs witnesses Historians

by Paul Bonanno in

jw
friends

hi .

who do you think are the best historian/historians about the history of jehovahs witnesses?.

paul.

vienne

Mom (R.M. de Vienne, Phd) and Uncle B (Dr. B. W. Schulz, FRHistS) wrote three books relevant to Watchtower history: Nelson Barbour: The Millennium's Forgotten Prophet; Separate Identity, vol 1 and vol 2. (Each of them also wrote unrelated middle grade/ young-adult novels. Fun books)

The blog associated with the books is Truthhistory.blogspot.com. It's a marvelous resource though focused primarily on Russell era history.

Not noticed much but important are books by Alan Whitby. He's written Grave Matters (about the Watchtower cemetery); The Ross Libel Trial: The history of a 1913 legal case (includes transcripts); and The Hudson Davidson Debate (1896) (The first known debate involving a Watchtower representative.) His books deserve a wider circulation than they've had.

Harrison's Vision's of Glory is not on my recommend list. It's a personal narrative, and as that it might have some value. Her comments on Russell are "off" historically speaking.

33

What is this?

by Achille in

this image is from "the watchtower" july 2024 (study edition):i can't figure out what that object is that is between the sleeping apostles.wath is it?

a stick, a scroll of the scriptures?

....

vienne

Isn't that meant to depict the sleeping apostles? If so, that's probably meant to be Peter's sword.

1

Whimsy

by vienne in

not really about witnesses, but cognate.

see newest post.

https://truthhistory.blogspot.com/.

vienne

Not really about Witnesses, but cognate. See newest post. https://truthhistory.blogspot.com/

20

Did Watchtower Really Teach That Armageddon Was Coming in 1954?

by Jerome56 in

in the march 2025 jw broadcast david splane in his morning worship talk mentioned that "some thought" that armageddon would come 40 years after 1914. such statements are usually meant to shift the blame of their own false predictions on to their members for speculating.

however, i was unable to find anything in print showing that such a thing was indeed taught by the society.

was this really a thing?.

vienne

I called my grand uncle - I often refer to him as Uncle B - and asked about this. He would know, he was newly active in 1952. The short answer is, "No, the Watchtower did not teach this." However, private speculation circulated fairly widely. He recalled a couple who had been Witnesses since the early 1930s or late 1920s telling a young mother that her three year old wouldn't start kindergarten because Armageddon would occur in 1954. Apparently people reasoned that the 40 year periods in Moses life were prophetic, and since 1954 was 40 years anti-1914, judgment was at hand. To his personal knowledge some were 'counseled' over the speculation.

What an odd bit of history.

44

New GB member Judy Jedele critizing Job's "humility" while wearing $20,000 Rolex, gold cuff links, coloured suit. Incredible!

by WingCommander in

jw
friends

i swear, you can't make this shit up!

for years and years growing up in this cult, i had to constantly hear from my parents, from the stage, in the literature, about "keeping your eye simple", not being "materialistic", not "having a showy display of one's wealth.

" of course, this never seemed to apply to the wealthy business owning elduhzzzz who ran and lorded it out over the congregations, but i digress.

vienne

My grand uncle, a long-time elder, wears a very expensive vintage gold watch. He's a retired teacher. Not rich. The watch was a gift. It was also a thrift store find. My aunt found it and paid thirty-five dollars. Don't presume things, turning them into "facts."

44

New GB member Judy Jedele critizing Job's "humility" while wearing $20,000 Rolex, gold cuff links, coloured suit. Incredible!

by WingCommander in

jw
friends

i swear, you can't make this shit up!

for years and years growing up in this cult, i had to constantly hear from my parents, from the stage, in the literature, about "keeping your eye simple", not being "materialistic", not "having a showy display of one's wealth.

" of course, this never seemed to apply to the wealthy business owning elduhzzzz who ran and lorded it out over the congregations, but i digress.

vienne

Doesn't look like a rolex.

4

Jehovah's Witnesses in the news: "I was exiled from my strict Jehovah's Witness community"

by Balaamsass2 in

i was exiled from my strict jehovah's witness community after i broke a major convention - they'll never speak to me again.

daily mail.

"a former jehovah's witness has shared her extraordinary journey of leaving behind everything she knew after falling in love with a colleague at tk maxx.

vienne

As far as I know, one isn't disfellowshipped for dating a "worldly man." More to the story than is presented.

15

Old WT books

by Biahi in

so, here i am going through boxes and boxes of old wt literature.

i’m stacking it up from 1940’s to 1990’s.

i also have quite a few gems, like one 1917 studies in the scriptures.

vienne

ebay

History Stuff

by vienne in

two new articles on https://truthhistory.blogspot.com/ focus on the early days of watchtower missions in korea.

they reprint material from anti-russell publications.

.

vienne

Two new articles on https://truthhistory.blogspot.com/ focus on the early days of Watchtower missions in Korea. They reprint material from anti-Russell publications.

7

Announcement of Elijah's Coming

by ElijahisMe in

it is with profound humility and reverence that i share a message of great significance.

in the year 2001, my son and i witnessed the birth of the kingdom of god, experiencing spiritual battles that affirm our divine calling.

as prophesied in the scriptures, my son is the elijah to come, the forerunner to jesus' second coming.. living in the wilderness by his own choosing, my son embodies the spirit and mission of elijah, preparing the way for the lord.

vienne

Careful, I was going to ask that, but didn't because I thought it might hurt his feelings. But since you asked him, he's probably just off his meds. His brother might be Napoleon.