Luke 21:8, my discussion with an elder. (page 2)

Seeker4

Nice job, Drew. I remember as I was starting to really question the WTS in the 90s coming across Luke 21:8 as though I'd never read it before. I have exclamation points next to it in my NWT! It was as though this were a specific warning against JWs.
Thanks for reminding me of that.
S4

kid-A

Well done Drew! Congrats on your new found freedom and the liberation of your family!

Cheers,

AuldSoul

Excellent reasoning, Drew. I know that had to be tough to hear confirmation of the brainwashing from that elder (in particular), but there is plainly no one excepted on the basis of having been "chosen" in Matthew 24, Luke 21, or Mark 13. Jesus repeatedly said to ignore and don't follow anyone who claimed to have special knowledge of his whereabouts and doings.

Unless you credit that Jesus looked at what "the Society" was teaching in 1918 and said to himself, "Yep, these anointed folks that my dad has been using for 2000 years really are the...brothers...of...me. A true faithful and discreet slave who only have three teachings that separate them from some of the other groups. Besides, they have that wonderfully inventive and lying Judge Rutherford, a known drunkard, who can keep their heads filled with nonsense that will keep failing to come true. That'll prove whether the people are loyal to the group I choose! But, heh-heh-heh, I won't let them know I chose them in 1918 until 1940...and I'll let them keep thinking I came back in 1874 until the 1930s. Just as a practical joke, of course. If people leave when the truth is revealed, then they prove they had no faith—and they would prove they can't take a joke."

I don't credit that. Every one of Jehovah's Witnesses, by the fact of their adherence to the organization, basically admits that the above paragraph is a fair representation of Jesus' reasoning in 1918. Much of it is even in print, although not worded quite this way.

Congratulations on keeping your family intact!

Respectfully,
AuldSoul

OpenFireGlass

He simply stated that such council did not apply to the Watchtower because God had chose them. The warning was that we should not follow those who are not appointed by God.

Virgochik

Another lame example of their circular reasoning. The council doesn't apply to the Witchtower because they're God's people, because they say so. Glad you're out of that mess, you and your family deserve better.

drew sagan

I provide to you the ONLY I repeat ONLY time Luke 21:8 has EVER been talked about in the Watchtower magazine in the past 56 YEARS!!! If you type "due time has approached" into the Watchtower Library you only get a few referances and this one is the only paragraph attempting to explain what is ment.

*** w64 11/1 p. 646 Wolves in Sheep's Covering ***

The facts in fulfillment confirmed those timely warnings. Many false
Messiahs (Christs) have arisen since the middle of the first century,
men who have duped multitudes of Jews. From time to time men have also
arisen, up to and including our own time, claiming to be Christ,
deceiving gullible persons who professed to be Christians. Then there
is the long line of self-styled vicegerents of Christ who have sat
upon a throne in Rome and who have promulgated the idea that their
church rule was indeed the foretold thousand-year reign of Christ. In
effect they were saying: "The due time has approached," and have
thereby stifled the expectations of many in a genuine Kingdom rule
with blessings for all peoples. Add to this the multitudes of nominal
Christians who have placed their own personal ideas and selfish
desires ahead of the teaching of Christ, and who have to that extent
usurped the position of Christ as the authoritative Teacher of the
Christian congregation.

So there have been "nominal christians" who have placed "their own personal ideas and selfish desires ahead of the teaching of Christ".
I can only think of one word for this...
Poop

AuldSoul

Beavis

Hn-heh-heh-hnn-h-heh, Drew said "Poop"

MissBehave

Wow, such great points Drew!!!

AK - Jeff

Drew - Your statement seemed amazingly hard to believe for me.

I provide to you the ONLY I repeat ONLY time Luke 21:8 has EVER been talked about in the Watchtower magazine in the past 56 YEARS!!!

So, not in doubt, but in the spirit of proving it to myself I am looking at the 2001 Wt CD. Going backwards from 2001, this is the latest mention I find of the scripture, with exception of the use of it as entire chapter reference - or in a large body of scripture - cited like; See Luke Chapter 21 - or Luke 21:5-35. This reference was not to a 'modern day' application, but to the Masada Revolt. Under the title "Masada - Proof that Messiah Had Come?" Watchtower 10-15-1990.

But once the Jewish revolt broke out in 66 C.E., what protected those Judean Christians from being carried away by its initial success? They no doubt recalled their Master’s warning: "All those who take the sword will perish by the sword." (Matthew 26:52) Jesus also had given them a balanced view of Gentile governmental authority. "Pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar," he said, "but God’s things to God." (Mark 12:17) Furthermore, Jesus had foretold that messianic pretenders would come, saying, "‘I am he,’ and, ‘The due time has approached,’" but he warned: "Do not go after them."—Luke 21:8.

So - going back at least that far, I have to be in agreement with your assessment - They simply don't want witnesses to think about this scripture, do they. ?

Interesting thread - and glad to hear that you are getting along so well thru all this -

Jeff

greendawn

Good points, the end is unpredictable, will come suddenly and will be obvious to all, the JWs got it completely wrong they talk about a predictable end that will be two phased with an invisible return known only by an elite few and later on a visible one.

In my view Jesus there was talking about to ends, that of the Judaic state and that of the world the first was to be totally predictable and the second totally unpredictable.

Luke 21:8, my discussion with an elder.

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