The "Rich Spiritual Heritage"

Farkel

Here?s a short primer on the ?rich spiritual heritage? of Jehovah?s Witnesses.

1870 to1880

130 years ago:

?THE END OF THIS WORLD; ?and beginning of the millennial age is nearer than most men suppose; indeed we have already enter the transition period, which is to be a ?time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation?The mass of evidence which synchronizes with the fact that the six thousand years are already ended, is absolutely startling? ? The Three Worlds, 17, 19

1880 to 1890

120 years ago:

??the glorious morn of heavenly glory is about to break upon the world?? ?The time is come for Messiah to take dominion of earth and to over throw the oppressors and corrupters of the earth. ? ? Watchtower Reprints, December 1885, 811 and January 1886 , 817

1890 to 1900

110 years ago:

?That the deliverance of the saints MUST take place some time before 1914 is manifest?? ? Watchtower Reprints October 1890, 1243

1900 to 1910

100 years ago:

??we expect the climax of the great time of anarchous trouble in October, 1914.? ? Watchtower Reprints February 1, 1903, 3141

1910 to1920

90 years ago:

?The present great [?] was in Europe is the beginning of the Armageddon of the scriptures.? ? Pastor Russell?s Sermons, 676.

1920 to 1930

80 years ago:

?..we expect the full glorification of the church in about two years.? - Golden Age, Feb 13, 2924

1930 to1940

70 years ago:

??There is now impending and about to fall upon the nations of the earth, according to the words of Christ Jesus, a great time of ?tribulation such as was not since the begging of the world to this time?? - Light I, 110

1940 to1950

60 years ago:

?By the circumstances and physical facts now observed the fulfillment of the prophecy strongly indicates that the FINAL END is very near.? - September 15, 1941 WT, 276

1950 to 1960

50 years ago:

?The final day and hour for Armageddon draws near It is therefore a case of sharing in the final witness work now or never!? ? Jan 1, 1951 WT, 29

1960 to1970

40 years ago:

?Therefore, we have immediately ahead of us the most monumentous period in the history of mankind; the hour of the execution of God?s righteous judgment is about to strike.? ? November 15, 1963 Watchtower

1970 to 1980

30 years ago:

?The promised ?times of restoration of all things? are now upon us? ? April 15, 1971 Watchtower, 246

1980 to 1990

20 years ago:

? And though its foothold seemed tenuous at first, the tiny nation has for over three decades held its own in the troubled Middle East. Many see in modern Israel?s birth the hand of divine intervention and a sure sign that Armageddon is near.? ? November 1, 1983 Watchtower

1990 to 2000

10 years ago:

? Nevertheless, Bible prophecy indicates that very soon now, a greed-free way of life will prevail earth wide!? ? February 15, 1990 Watchtower, 6

Same old shit, different decade. The ?rich spiritual heritage? of the WTS consists of 130 years of full-time lying.

Farkel

Euphemism

Good collection, Farkel! However, I have to take issue with one of your quotes, the 1983 one. Here's a little bit of fuller context, starting from the same quote:

Many see in modern Israel?s birth the hand of divine intervention and a sure sign that Armageddon is near.
True, not all theologians share this conviction. "I think it?s a waste of time," says one Presbyterian clergyman, "to try to project the symbols and events of today into the [Bible] prophecies and try to assign them to specific persons." Nevertheless, many books, films and TV evangelists are promoting a popular view that the Middle East is the future site of Armageddon.
But will Armageddon really take place in the Middle East? Actually, how will this "war of the great day of God the Almighty" be fought? What will lead up to it? How can a person survive Armageddon? And what will follow that great war?
[next article]

ISRAEL. That name often is mentioned in religious circles when God?s great war is discussed. No wonder, then, that the eyes of many are focused on the Middle East! However, the apostle Paul, a Hebrew by birth, wrote: "Not all who spring from Israel are really ?Israel.? . . . That is, the children in the flesh [natural Jews] are not really the children of God." The Jewish nation forfeited the privilege of being God?s "Israel" by rejecting Jesus Christ as the Messiah. (Romans 9:6-8; Matthew 21:43) For that matter, the Hebrew prophet Moses had warned that dire consequences would result if the natural Israelites pursued a course of disobedience to Jehovah God.?Deuteronomy 28:58-68.
Who, then, constitute the "Israel" to which Paul referred? He himself explained: "He is a Jew who is one on the inside, and his circumcision is that of the heart by spirit." (Romans 2:28, 29) Armageddon prophecies primarily apply, not to a region in the Middle East, but to a worldwide situation.

So while it's true that the WTS believed then--and nominally, still believes--in an imminent Armageddon, they were not advocating the idea that Israel's establishment was a sign of the apocalypse.

Leolaia

Jehovah God may be a pretty skilled creator of the cosmos, but he's a shoddy copy-editor.

Q. Who became the editor [of the Watchtower] when [the editorial committee] was discontinued? A. Jehovah God. Q. And who wrote the magazine under the direction of Almighty God? A. Various individuals contributed to the magazine, Judge Rutherford, and others.... Q. I understand that you say that in 1931, the Watch Tower discontinued naming the editorial committee, and then Jehovah God became the editor, that is correct? A. Jehovah's editorship was indicated thereby citing Isaiah 54:13....It was appreciated that Jehovah God really is the One who is editing the paper, and therefore the naming of an editorial committee was out of place. Q: At any rate, Jehovah God is now the editor of the paper, is that right? Franz: He is today the editor of the paper. Q: How long has He been editor of the paper? Franz: Since its inception he has been guiding it. Q: Even before 1931? Franz: Yes, sir. (Testimony of Fred W. Franz, Cross-examination, Moyle v. Rutherford, et al., 1943, pp. 795-866)

onacruse

Euph:

they were not advocating the idea that Israel's establishment was a sign of the apocalypse.

As for 1983, you are correct, and thank you for posting a fuller version of the quote. The WTS "barrel" is so full of fish to shoot that we don't need to look for things out of context.

otoh, I'm sure you're well aware that up into the 30s the WTS did promote the repatriation of Israel as evidence of impending Armageddon.

Craig

Euphemism

Good point, Craig! Gotta love that disco light.

avishai

Lying sh*tsacks.

ozziepost

Good message, Farks.

It makes it all the clearer when you see it like that.

Ozzie

new light

The last CO talk I remember was "Do You Appreciate Your Spiritual Heritage?". I appreciate the fact that my spiritual heritage f-ed up my entire extended family. What a joke.

Mulan

rich spiritual heritage

Egads, that expression made me pucker right up.

Satanus

Within the wt, i can't think of anything of a spiritual nature which has stood the test of time, so that it could be construed as a 'heritage'. Any dubs wanna chime in here, in case i missed it, somehow?

SS

The "Rich Spiritual Heritage"

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