WHAT DOES THE WORD...."SOON"....MEAN???

by Terry 46 Replies latest watchtower scandals

  • Terry
    Terry

    The Watchtower magazine has used the word "soon" on many an occasion to point out to its readership how near Armageddon really is.

    A word that can mean anything, in effect, actually means nothing. Consequently, let's examine what "soon" actually means by definition and use.

    There can only be three stages of time:

    Before

    During

    After

    Wouldn't you agree with that? Pretty simple.

    If some event happened in the past it was BEFORE now.

    If an even is happening now it is occuring DURING your reference to it.

    Once the event has passed you talking about it would be AFTER.

    Okay?

    But, what if an event has not yet happened? What if the event is scheduled to occur? How could refer to the proximity of the near event IF YOU DON'T KNOW exactly when it is scheduled to take place? Could you mention the event with any precision at all?

    Stop and think about it. You either know when or you don't. If you use a word like "SOON" it would have to indicate some knowledge of "when" automatically.

    A child asks his Mom when they will go to the zoo. the Mom says "Soon."

    When is soon? It is a vague word, after all. Could the child reasonably conclude going to the zoo would take place within his lifetime?

    What if his Mom never took him to the zoo after telling him "Soon"??!!

    Would his Mom be guilty of misleading him? Forgetting? Lying?

    What would you make of it?

    Is the word "SOON" just a way of keeping somebody in a state of anticipation and readiness without a timetable?

    Is it a ruse? A trick? Or, is it merely a tool of conversation to imply something could and might happen in such a short space of time that it might be prudent to keep the impending event uppermost in one's mind?

    Either way: if an event is accurately termed as occuring "SOON" it has to happen within the lifetime of the person hearing it.

    Otherwise it is a misleading and utterly misleading statement.

    Thanks, Watchtower for misleading and lying about Armageddon.

  • Scully
    Scully
    *** Rbi8 Proverbs 13:12 ***

    12

    Expectation postponed is making the heart sick, but the thing desired is a tree of life when it does come.

    How many JWs has the WTS made "sick" by their insistence that the Great Tribulation™ is coming "soon"??

    I have to wonder how much depression, how much malaise (like chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia) have been induced by "expectation postponed" à la Watchtower. How many families in financial ruin, and people without the means to support themselves in their golden years (due to lack of retirement planning) thanks to the WTS?

    I daresay if the WTS had never said that the Great Tribulation™ was coming "soon" or "in our lifetime" or "a matter of weeks or months", many of these tragedies would never have occurred.

  • Warlock
    Warlock

    "Soon" means: "Right around the corner".

    Warlock

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere
    WHAT DOES THE WORD...."SOON"....MEAN???


    Give me a bit, I should have that definition for you... soon.

  • Gopher
    Gopher

    Viewed from Jehovah's standpoint, "soon" means sometime in the next few thousand years.

    One thousand person-years = One Jehovah-day.

    The last days started in 1914, right? They could last a few thousand years!

    If you doubt this, you're not spiritual enough.

  • blondie
    blondie

    Not counting synonyms, how often does the rank and file hear SOON in one year of the WT?

    ***

    w04 1/15 p. 6 Promises That You Can Trust ***

    Soon the earth will be filled with upright people, and no one will make them tremble in fear.

    ***

    w04 1/15 p. 15 Jehovah Is Great in Loyal Love ***

    Soon, however, Jehovah will sweep away the incorrigibly wicked so that humans who love him can enjoy everlasting life in a righteous new world

    ***

    w04 1/15 p. 16 Jehovah Is Great in Loyal Love ***

    Unlike human governments, which will soon pass away, his kingship is eternal.

    ***

    w04 1/15 p. 17 Jehovah Is Great in Loyal Love ***

    Soon the end will come for all opposers of Jehovah’s Kingdom.

    *** w04 1/15 p. 19 Jehovah Is Great in Loyal Love ***

    And how Jehovah’s servants rejoice in the hope of soon seeing the earth transformed into a physical paradise

    *** w04 1/15 pp. 19-20 Jehovah Is Great in Loyal Love ***

    . As foretold in Ezekiel chapter 38, Satan will soon complete his role as "Gog of the land of Magog."

    *** w04 2/1 p. 22 "The Scene of This World Is Changing" ***

    Jehovah will soon ring down the curtain on Satan and his supporters

    *** w04 2/15 p. 7 Is Religion at the Root of Mankind’s Problems? ***

    Yet, God intends to remove all false religion very soon now.

    *** w04 2/15 p. 28 "Fight the Fine Fight of the Faith" ***

    Do not doubt for a moment that Satan’s entire world system will soon be destroyed, that the earth will be transformed into a paradise, and that people loyal to God will be restored to perfection.

    *** w04 3/15 p. 12 "Do the Work of an Evangelizer" ***

    Soon, the wicked will be destroyed.

    *** w04 3/15 p. 23 The Peace of Westphalia—A Turning Point in Europe ***

    . However, such peace will soon be experienced by obedient mankind.

    *** w04 4/1 p. 7 Identifying the Wild Beast and Its Mark ***

    Soon this perfect Ruler, now a mighty spirit person, will hurl the beast, its kings, and its armies into "the fiery lake that burns with sulphur," a symbol of complete destruction

    *** w04 4/15 p. 24 Informal Witnessing in Mexico’s English-Speaking Field ***

    . Then she explains that soon the whole earth will be a real paradise

    *** w04 5/15 p. 6 You Can Make God Rejoice ***

    Indeed, he will soon bring an end to all the wickedness so prevalent today.

    *** w04 6/1 p. 14 Blessed Are Those Who Give Glory to God ***

    Soon "every breathing thing" will raise its voice in praise to Jehovah

    *** w04 6/1 p. 25 From Dark Dungeons to the Swiss Alps ***

    It was thrilling to learn that Jesus Christ had been enthroned in heaven in 1914 and that he would soon subdue ungodly elements in order to bring blessings to obedient mankind.

    *** w04 6/15 p. 32 Can Your Prayers Make a Difference? ***

    One day soon, God will do away with all of mankind’s suffering

    *** w04 7/1 p. 3 Is God Responsible for Our Problems? ***

    In fact, there are valid reasons to believe that God will soon undo the harm brought on the human family.

    *** w04 7/1 p. 27 A Satisfying Life Despite Heartaches ***

    In fact, one who saw Nathan’s plans asked him: "What is this, Brother Knorr? Don’t you have any faith?" He replied: "Yes, I do, but if the end doesn’t come as soon as we expect, we will be ready."

    *** w04 7/15 p. 7 The Miracles of Jesus—What Can You Learn? ***

    Soon, Jesus will use them to heal obedient mankind

    *** w04 7/15 p. 14 Do You Find Delight in "the Law of Jehovah"? ***

    Surely, though, we are happy that such evildoers will soon be gone forever

    *** w04 7/15 p. 19 "The Decree of Jehovah" Cannot Fail ***

    The King will soon carry out God’s declaration: "You will break them [the nations] with an iron scepter, as though a potter’s vessel you will dash them to pieces."—Psalm 2:9.

    *** w04 8/1 p. 4 The Search for Good Government ***

    The Bible reveals that such unity will soon be realized.

    *** w04 8/1 p. 32 "We Would Like to Say, ‘Yes!’" ***

    Because of Jehovah’s promise, we are confident that we will soon—very soon—see Anderson again.

    *** w04 8/1 p. 32 "We Would Like to Say, ‘Yes!’" ***

    God’s Word holds out this comforting hope of the resurrection as one of the many marvelous things that will soon be realized in the righteous new world under God’s Kingdom.

    *** w04 9/1 p. 7 What It Really Takes to Be Happy ***

    Indeed, soon Jehovah God will make good on his promise expressed by the psalmist: "Your kingship is a kingship for all times indefinite . . . You are opening your hand and satisfying the desire of every living thing." (Psalm 145:13, 16)

    *** w04 9/1 p. 28 What Inheritance Do You Owe Your Children? ***

    When based on proper godly fear, it may help him to gain eternal life in God’s new world soon to come—a precious inheritance indeed!—2 Peter 3:13.

    *** w04 9/15 p. 5 The Lord’s Prayer—Its Meaning for You ***

    This heavenly Kingdom, or government, will soon take action to bring about global peace under righteous rule.—2 Peter 3:13.

    *** w04 10/1 p. 8 A Letter From Alejandra ***

    I am determined to serve Jehovah and get baptized soon. How I long to see Alejandra again in the coming Paradise!"

    *** w04 10/15 p. 7 Benefit by Pursuing Spiritual Values ***

    Soon mankind’s dream of prosperity will be fully realized in God’s new world

    *** w04 11/1 p. 5 Who Is the Right Leader for Today? ***

    Jehovah God, man’s Creator, has prepared "a king," a Leader, who will soon take full control of earth’s affairs

    *** w04 11/1 p. 7 Who Is the Right Leader for Today? ***

    If so, we encourage you to learn about the Leader who will soon exercise full control over all the earth.

  • M.J.
    M.J.

    This kind of goes along with Drew Sagan's post about Luke 21:8, where Jesus says that many will come and say "the end" is coming pretty soon...but tell them to take a hike.

  • uriah
    uriah

    <div>Soon is just another JW-speak word.

    Note the cover stories on the mags

    WHEN sickness is no more

    WHEN xxxxx is no more and so on

    WHO will look after the poor?

    WHO xxxxx? and so on

    xxxx AT HAND.

    WHERE CAN YOU FIND xxxxx?

    xxxxx WILL IT EVER END?

    I called these the 'series' mags and they troll around in order every so often.

    SOON is one of them,

    SOON a world without crime; and the like

    All designed to revive the flagging spirits, like shaking someone who just wants to go to sleep

    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz</div>

  • fullofdoubtnow
    fullofdoubtnow
    Is the word "SOON" just a way of keeping somebody in a state of anticipation and readiness without a timetable?

    The way the wts use it, that's exactly what it is. It's such a non - committal word, really. It merely saves the necessity of putting a definite date to any forthcoming event, so it is actually meaningless. No wonder the gb use it so often.

  • M.J.
    M.J.

    "the check's in the mail."

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