When Did Dr. Alexander Hislops Become A Pariah to the Watchtower Society?

by ÁrbolesdeArabia 17 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  AnnOMaly

  We have both Two Babylons (which we ordered from the Literature Desk, I think, in the '80s) and Woodrow's Babylon Connection? (which we got in the early 2000s). The last direct reference to Hislop's work was in the 1989 Reasoning book, which is still used despite it being woefully out-of-date, and so his ideas persist, unfortunately, in the collective JW consciousness - especially the older generations.

  In addition to moggylover's list, the WTS also quoted him to 'prove' that Easter (along with its hot cross buns and colored eggs) and priestly celibacy was pagan.

  Here is a good article on where Ralph Woodrow was coming from when he published his first, pro-Hislop book, and then when he realized he'd been had - http://newprotestants.com/2babylons.htm
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  EdenOne

  AnnOMaly,

  I've read the retraction article you indicated about Ralph Woodrow. Very informative and clear, and intellectually honest. Thank you.

  Eden
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  dropoffyourkeylee

  I had the 'Two Babylon' book also, and even quoted it in a high school essay I wrote for history class. My recollection is that the Society distributed it but did not actually print it. There were a number of books like that which were available at the congregation literature counter, but the only two I remember were The Tow Babylons and Strong's Concordance. You had to pay for them of course. When they went to donations these types of things were no longer distributed at the counter.
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  BluesBrother

  Oh yes, back in the day "The Two Babylons" was THE book to quote if you wanted to score points at the WT study. The "Babylon book" was based on it.

  As you say, over the years it has faded from use in WT land
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  Nambo

  Around 1989, I called on a house where the householder had a Witness relative in Australia, it became an RV of mine then one day the householder presented me with a tape his Sister had sent over from Oz of a Public Talk.

  Now that talk in hindsight, was just a condensed version of The Two Babylons, it was called, "Satan, the Master Craftsman", you could hear by the background sounds it was a genuine JW Public talk.

  That Public talk was the best Public Talk I ever heard, and it wasnt just me, pretty much the whole of the Congregation was copying and distributing that talk amongst themselves.

  I expect I still have it somewhere.
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  Freeof1914

  Funny thing you mention this book. I was giving the Bible tours in the MET museum and so much of the information that I had to present was based on this book or watchtower literature that was clearly based on Hislop's work. As I began to delve deeper into the information I was presented and realized how much disinformation the Society presents to adherents I was shocked, I already had my doubts but this compounded those doubts. The witnesses that would take the tour would be spellbound by the information I presented. Looking back I feel horrible and saddened that I added to the lies they already believed, but it also taught me how easily one can believe any gibberish when you are within a community that does not value critical thinking skills. Very sad!
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  Shador

  I do believe this book still sits in our KH library.
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  ÁrbolesdeArabia

  "freeof1914" We have to forgive ourselves and move on, I feel horrible I taught from the "Tower's books" instead of the Bible they way all good Witnesses were told to do.

  Babylon the Great Has Fallen, I read the book and thought "Oh my, how grand our writers at Bethel and the Slave are!" and now how much of that book is considered valid or cogent?

  Satanus I had some strange Moon Dreams, maybe it's something to do with the Babylon book, or my fried Moonpie recipe or this weekend's upcoming "Super Moon"? The last time I bought the "Two Babylons" book was for $35 through a book store in the late 1980s or early 1990s so I could be sooo sharp with theocratic knowledge.

  Side note, who has the best match to Revelation's prophecy? We currently are in a period of time it's possible of time it's being done, the Prophecy "to be unable to buy and sell unless you have a mark". When I first started following ADSX in the 1990s under a concept-company like (IWSY) is currently (Biometric tech via your cell phone, chips for pills you take, facial rapid recog, ect..) I thought the Born-Againers were correct because ADSX's goal was to put all your information on a chip into your body. They would eventually win the right to put it inside your pet, was it ethical to make 20x my money thinking I was betting against Born-again theology?

  The Society was teaching the "mark" was rejecting the Nazi symbol in Germany, Cartilla in Mexico, Political Card in Malawia, NGO affliation World Wide would be guilty of receiving the "Mark of the Beast 666", the Born-Againers are correct in my opinion of how Revelation has been unraveling itself.

  I heard on the radio tonight in UK, the biggest Grocer is going to unload all ther "Club Card" data into the Ministry of Health's computer system to help create a menu and track healthy habits.

  Venezuela is using "cards" to deny people certain goods that are scarce, you slide your "club card" and if you bought a gallon of milk you during a certain time frame, if it's too soon, the system will reject you purchase! Late night radio is my source on these two goodies!