by kittyeatzjdubs 48 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I can't even remember how I first heard about the banning of religion thing...It just seems like it's always been a known fact for me. For as far back as I can remember, my mother drilled it into me...it was her mantra. After 9/11, she'd start off everyday with the statement, ''Any day now they're going to ban us JoBeth. Then we're in for the ride of our life! Are you ready?''
She's probably still saying it.
luv, jojo
Really didn't think that I had to be the one to point it out but the statements being referred to and reported by Min are NOT OFFICIAL statements or even, I gather, WIDESPREAD SENTIMENT, but rather seem to be the private wishful thinking of a few.
-Eduardo
Ps: you are correct, the belief that Babylon the Great (viewed as all other religion) will be "destroyed" prior to the conclusion of Armageddon is still held. But note that some Witnesses have felt this meant a "ban" on religion and others felt this meant a more vicious type of attack from the political power(s) (aka the Beast). No real official explanation of how the Beast would turn on the Harlot and how this would be manifested has to my knowledge been laid out by the Society.
From that thread, a number expressed hearing the same thing that my mom heard. I would think that it's not in print but could've been clearly alluded to in BOE letters or corespondence with COs. The belief that within a year Bible prophecies could come into fruition is what I think is beingsaid, hence this "could be" the last year for a Memorial since we are "so deep in this time of the end".
Really didn't think that I had to be the one to point it out but the statements being referred to and reported by Min are NOT OFFICIAL statements or even, I gather, WIDESPREAD SENTIMENT, but rather seem to be the private wishful thinking of a few.
I don't get the feeling that anyone responding here thought much otherwise, Ed.
Kitty,
regarding your comments revolving around 9/11, the phenomena of persons turning to their faith shortly after traumatic events is not a JW phenomenon but a common one. If you had gone to other churches that weekend you would have noticed the same thing.
Also regarding other statements along the lines of how the world has changed since then these are unfortunately very common among all society in the U.S., especially politicians and pundents.
Actually, the world is not different, what is different is that America got a final wake-up call to join the world community which had already been suffering from terrorism (after hitting the snooze button a few times - Oklahoma City-McVeigh, Unibomber, Anthrax, and earlier WTC bombing).
I have noticed that even many Christians, Evangelicals and others believe that the end of the world is drawing close and that these events of this early 21st Century are quite forboding, thus it seems a bit unfair to single-out JWs for jumping on the bandwagon. In the absence of any doctrinal position, harkening to world events is the only drum-beat that the Society has left to try and motivate the faithful.
-Eduardo
To point out that JWs went back to the Hall in droves because of fear associated with 9-11 and possible Bible prophecy being fulfilled is not unfair at all. Why is that "unfair"???
A "Ban on Religion"?
They got to be joking! How can they seriously claim that will happen?
Particularly in the non-christian countries that are theocracies. To ban religion would be the same as banning the authority of the government!
The "Banning of Religion" by governments as a sign of the beginning of Armageddon only could be thought by people who live in a country with a so-called seperation of church and state.
Of course, this is exactly what the Watchtower has been teaching for the last 60 or 70 years!
--VM44
Eduardo
I'm not trying to harangue you here, but...
thus it seems a bit unfair to single-out JWs for jumping on the bandwagon.
This is, after all, a JW discussion forum and not a world-wide religion forum. The point that you make is noteworthy. However, your tone seems to be rather patronizing. Perhaps I'm wrong, perhaps you mean no such thing. But I don't think anyone is being unfair here by discussing JWs only in the light of any topic on this discussion board.
We should all realize that the JW religion does not exist in a vacuum.
Minimus,
I have a number of JW family members and some close JW friends (and still go to a meeting once in a long while) and I haven't heard what you have reported as being common statements.
However, I think that just from a larger socio-cultural perspective, I think that a person has to be completely disconnected not to be more than a little bit concerned about the future of humanity.
Nevermind such major concerns as the environment and global warming (if it turns out to be more than normal fluctuation), the facts that we have this situation in the Middle East, this stupid stupid war going on, the very real prospect of further conflict, perhaps with Iran, maybe with North Korea, the fact that 2006 seems to be Year of the Protest over everything from Immigration (U.S.), Immigrants (France), Labour Issues (France), Religious Fanaticism (numerous places re: Mohammad Comics), and Politics (Belarus, and many other places), and so forth and so forth -
All of these things have many people worried about the future. As you know such troubles and uncertainty fit perfectly with the JW worldview, thus they could hardly be blamed for translating what is widespread social angst along the lines of the theology and JW worldview.
I would point out again that there are many other Christians that are expressing the very same thing aka "that the end is near" due to observing world conditions and developments and feeling what most people are feeling.
-Eduardo
(Matthew 24:44) On this account YOU too prove yourselves ready, because at an hour that YOU do not think to be it, the Son of man is comingThat one always got me - So if I keep thinking it's tommorrow the Son of man can never come? And if all the millenialsts pick a different date? (as they most often do) .. mmm Hey maybe that explains it! Sorry Jesus, you can't come next week because I'm expecting you ..
