by AK - Jeff 45 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Flipper calls it right. It's imminent terminology for them to keep the current members from leaving.
Imminence runs out as people get tired of waiting. While I am not shunned, my mother won't talk about JW stuff with me anymore, but I can tell that she needs Armageddon to come in her lifetime to prove herself right, but she no longer talks and lives like it's imminent.
Probably true of many older JW's.
leolaia;I hate to say this because I respect you but looks like you are no better than the gb with immenent projections.
Okay, to add something substantive to this thread (sorry, I am reduced to a miserable tennis nut during the majors), consider these statements of IMMINENCE during the lead up to WWII and during the war itself:
"During the few remaining months until the breaking out of that universal cataclysm the powers that rule the nations of the earth will continue to make treaties... They will continue to persecute and oppose Jehovah's witnesses who are trying to get the truth to the people" (Universal War Near, 1935, pp. 26-27)
"Can we do better in April? The enemy is now hastening the nations to Armageddon, and Christ Jesus is separating the sheep from the goats" (The Director, April 1936, p. 1).
"This of itself is evidence that Jehovah is permitting the enemy to go his limit now, just before Armageddon... [W]ithout the aid of the radio (which is still completely State-controlled and will probably so continue until Armageddon) or of sound cars, and with only a very limited number of phonographs yet available, we have still been able to keep our ground [in Sweden]" (1938 Yearbook, p. 159, 189).
"Would it be Scripturally proper for them now to marry and to begin to rear children? No is the answer which is supported by the Scriptures.... Those Jonadabs who now contemplate marriage, it would seem, would do better if they wait a few years, until the fiery storm of Armageddon is gone" (Face the Facts, 1938, pp. 46, 50).
"His day of vengeance is here, and his terrible battle at Armageddon is near and certain to fall upon 'Christendom', and that within an early date. God’s judgment is upon 'Christendom' and must shortly be executed" (Watchtower, 1 September 1938, pp. 269-270).
"It is quite evident that the witness work is near an end in continental Europe, and this is further proof that Armageddon is near at hand.... One brother writes: ’Jehovah knows that our company had not a sound-car. It is doubtful if we shall have it before Armageddon. For that reason he has blessed our company with more than usually strong rowers, and boats, and provided us with a territory very rich in lakes' " (1940 Yearbook, p. 132, 192).
"The year 1940 is certain to be the most important year yet, because Armageddon is very near. It behooves all who love righteousness to put forth every effort to advertise THE THEOCRACY while the privileges are still open" (Informant, May 1940, p. 1)
"That is a greater reason why persons of goodwill in America should now assemble together to comfort and edify each other. There may not be many more such conventions before Armageddon. Those who love the Lord will do what they can now to aid others to see and to appreciate the great convention that shall follow Armageddon" (Watchtower, 1 June 1940, p. 172.
"The Watchtower clearly proves that Armageddon is not far off. It therefore behooves all of the anointed and their companions to work with even greater diligence than ever before while it is still day. There is no time now to slack the hand. We should have at least 60,000 model studies going every week. That is only an average of one model study per publisher. It can be done, and if each one realizes his responsibility to The Theocracy he will put forth every effort to attain this quota" (Informant, September 1940, p. 2).
"Whether it shall be the Lord’s will that another Yearbook be published before Armageddon, of course, no one can say. What the immediate future holds it would be unwise to try to predict. All the surrounding circumstances, however, indicate that the battle of Armageddon is near at hand, which means the end of wickedness in the earth and the full ushering in of righteousness.... The trying experiences of the year past, the persecution and reproach of God’s people by the enemy, and which persecution daily increases, testifies that we are near Armageddon and that soon we shall see a complete change....Comfort and aid those of good-will. The day of deliverance is near!" (1941 Yearbook, p. 246, 249).
"Cartons of Children that had been deposited in The Arena were now opened, and Judge Rutherford instructed the children how to come and each get a copy thereof.... Never was there a more moving sight in these "last days". Many, including strong men, wept at the demonstration. Receiving the gift, the marching children clasped it to them, not a toy or plaything for idle pleasure, but the Lord’s provided instrument for most effective work in the remaining months before Armageddon" (Watchtower, 15 September 1941, p. 288).
"Armageddon is very near....Now we are near the FINAL END of the 'time of the end' ... Armageddon swiftly approaching ... Armageddon, now near ... The final gathering by the Lord is on ... The time is short" (1 February 1942 Watchtower, pp. 37-45).
"Armageddon is at hand" (1 March 1942 Watchtower, p. 80).
"Now with Armageddon immediately before us ... The world emergency with Armageddon at the door is the very time to most anxiously keep God's law and obey him" (1 May 1942 Watchtower, pp. 139-142).
"It is a sure evidence of the nearness of Armageddon, and Jesus warns those wanting to escape to immediately flee to the 'mountains', to wit, Jehovah God and Christ his King, for safety" (Watchtower, 15 May 1942, p. 153).
"Now the trial of God’s elect is reaching its climax as the battle of Armageddon is being approached... February 1 marked the opening of the Watchtower Bible College of Gilead, located nine miles north of Ithaca, New York.... One of the directors of the New York corporation followed [the dedication talk] showing it was in keeping with God’s due time to institute the college now and that it was a visible indication of the nearness of the battle of Armageddon" (Watchtower, 15 February 1943, p. 53, 60).
"The greater disaster of Armageddon, prefigured by the flood, is imminent" (Watchtower, 15 April 1943, p. 126).
"God has commanded that at this time immediately before Armageddon’s war his consecrated people must be his witnesses and sing forth his praises and tell the peoples of earth concerning Jehovah’s doings" (1 March 1944 Watchtower, p. 77).
"The day of Armageddon is very near ... This is the time of great emergency because the battle of Armageddon is very near" (1 May 1944 Watchtower, pp. 141-142)
"There is no longer any time to wait, for the Kingdom of God is here! ... It is a day of decision, and its precious hours of opportunity are remorselessly ticking out. The zero hour for the final war of Armageddon... It is the time for the battle of Armageddon" (The Commander to the Peoples, 1945, pp. 26-28; from a talk delivered on 10 June 1945).
The average WWII veteran is 92 years old today (i.e. the average age of a soldier during WWII was 26).
booby....I'm just an imperfect human! Honest!
ETA: She might have lost invisibly.
ETA: I didn't say when she would lose at the US Open, did I? It is still imminent. ;)
I really believe that what they are referring to is the improving economy and that everyone's cleaning and window washing businesses will start seeing some "imminent" returns!
Obviously, if you are in that business and like it, that is cool, but I have a major issue with the demonizing of education and how many of my extremely intelligent friends spend their days doing a job they hate.
Newsflash!
We're not in the last days anymore...
We're in the last hours!
Seriously...I was told that was what the brother said from the stage at the convention.
So I guess it really is imminent...
The last milliseconds...............
I've posted this before, but it fits here as well....
We've got a rather wacked-out elder with major emotional issues. After our DC this summer, he had a service meeting part - don't recall the theme. But "theme" is not a particularly important consideration when this guy has the stage to himself.
Anyway, during one of his rambling asides during the talk, he said this:
"Brothers, the end is not soon."
[Pause]
"Brothers the end is NOT SOON."
[Slightly longer pause]
"We were just at our district convention. Did you hear them say the end was soon? I didn't hear them say it was soon. They didn't it was soon."
"Brothers, they said it was...."
[Pause]
{Stare wild-eyed into audience]
[Dramatic pause]
[Lower voice by a full octivae]
"IMMINENT!"
Did the Great Tribulation start las night?
This thread had me thinking it was. . . . . . . imminent.
Didn't think so.
Will a JW please get back to me when it starts? I'm holding my breath.
Reminds me of the ex-JW who related his story of preaching in 1975. One of his householders told him, "Sure, you can come back for a visit. How about January 1, 1976. Then we can discuss this End of the World prophecy not being true."
Doh!
Sir82 - How did you keep a straight face??? LOL that's crazy! A friend of mine (obviously a conditional friend who would drop me at a moments notice if instructed by the WTS) conducts the WT. I spoke with him the week before his DC and he was lamenting the fact that he was going to tell his audience that this DC could be the last one this side of the big A but didn't get a chance. My response: that's ok, you can say it next year!
I have a feeling he's not going to be my friend much longer but I couldn't resist.
Seriously, I've been hearing this stuff ever since I can remember. Perhaps they need to look up imminent to see what it means? I don't know any scales in which close to 100 years is imminent.
