Is the Governing Body Guilty or not guilty of 1975 speculations going too far?

by Terry 56 Replies latest social humour

• 

  Terry

  At least it proves to me that the WTB$ is a false prophet. Mrs Punk however, says it doesn't matter as they were just imperfect men doing their best!

  False prophets are always just imperfect men. The scripture below condemns them anyway!

  "But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die. You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’ When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.” —Deuteronomy 18:20-22
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  DesirousOfChange

  "Many schools now have student counselors who encourage one to pursue higher education after high school, to pursue a career with a future in this system of things. Do not be influenced by them. Do not let them ‘brainwash’ you with the Devil’s propaganda to get ahead… This world has very little time left!… Make pioneer service, the full-time ministry, with the possibility of Bethel or missionary service your goal.” —The Watchtower, March 15, 1969, p. 171 The Watchtower, March 15, 2011

  “Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in high school and thinking about a college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time?It will be well on the way toward its finish,if not actually gone!” —Awake!, May 22, 1969, p. 15 Awake!, May 2011

  “Yes, the end of this system is so very near! Is that no reason to increase our activity?… Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property, compromising their future by spurning higher education,and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world’s end.”—Kingdom Ministry, May 1974, p. 3Our Kingdom Ministry, May 2011

  THINK ABOUT IT !

  The message is the same.

  Only the dates have changed. (NOT actual quotes)
• 

  Terry

  "It is important, then, that you "keep testing whether you are in the faith," as Paul declared. Keep checking to see whether the things you believe are in keeping with God's Word. But the question is, Are you willing to put your religion through such a test? There is nothing to fear, because if you have the right religion you can only be reassured by the examination. And if what you believe is not in keeping with the Bible, then you should welcome the truth, because it leads to light and life." Watchtower May 1 1958 p.261 Is Your Religion the Right One?

  
• 

  Ding

  Great thread, Terry, and good analysis of the rhetorical propaganda techniques!

  It's very similar to all the WT articles explaining "how grateful we should be for the faithful and discreet slave who gives us spiritual food at the proper time."

  Such language gives the illusion that the writer is just one of us exhorting the rest of us to be grateful for a beneficient, exalted-yet-humble, Big Brother who is our lone source of spiritual truth in perilous times.

  In fact, the laudatory language was written or approved by Big Brother himself as a way of maintaining control over the minds, attitudes, and behavior of Jehovah's Witnesses.

  How different it would come across if the people responsible for the publications wrote without the third party rhetoric: "How grateful you should be to us for telling you what to think and feel moment by moment for the rest of your lives. You can't get along without us. In order to avoid God's wrath, make sure you always obey us without question."

  The more these rhetorical smoke and mirrors and the true underlying messages are exposed, the greater the chance that some JWs will realize how cleverly and consistently they are being manipulated by people they trust implicitly.
• 

  JustHuman14

  I was very young during that era in the WT, around 8. What I can recall, it was the fact that all JW's expecting that something huge would happened in 1975: Armageddon

  As a kid I couldn't understand why JW's are so exited for 1975. I recall my dad and JW's talking to each other that we are indeed at the time of the end, and we will have to endure few months more until the New System comes!!!

  You could feel it in the air, JW's are waiting for the End, and this is not far. The questions is who create amongst JW's this expectation? The answer is clear: THE GOVERNING BODY
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  Marvin Shilmer

  Terry asks:

  “Is the Governing Body Guilty or not guilty of 1975 speculations going too far?”

  My answer is yes, and at the summer conventions of 1979 Watchtower had its Bethel speakers acknowledge that Watchtower had culpability in unrealized expectations regarding 1975. Hence apparently Watchtower agrees with my view.

  Marvin Shilmer
• 

  wasblind

  Hello Terry

  Ha Ha, They know that the scripture Dueteronomy 18:21-22 pertains to the GB

  because in the Reasoning from the Scriptures book under the heading

  of False Prophets though pages 132-137 , they went out of their way

  to talk all around that specific scripture, why would you omit the scripture

  that best describes exactly what a false prophets is ???? Because it's decribing them

  for those who dont believe what i'm sayin' pick up the Reasoning book for yourselves

  you will not find that scripture anywhere under the heading of false prophets

  As a matter of fact, they make up their own definition of what a false prophet is on

  page 132 and steer clear of the bibles example. So much for stickin' to bible counsel

  If anyone can find Dueteronomy 18:21-22 under the heading of False Prophets

  in the Reasoning book, Please Please Please bring it to my attention along with the

  page number, why did they leave it out if it didn't pertain to them
• 

  freetosee

  Oh stop blaming the poor governing body for everything!
  
  No matter how many wt articles, books, flyers, CO and DO speeches you present or eyewitnesses. In his speech Freddy Franz clearly said "BUT WE ARE NOT SAYING" right after the lengthy detailing his calculation for 1975.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EvehJGCuMo
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  clarity

  "..There are six things jehovah does hate..yes seven are detestable to his soul....a

  false tongue, and hands shedding innocent blood, a heart fabricating hurtful

  schemes, feet that are in a hurry to run to badness, a false witness that launches

  forth LIES..."prov6:16-19

  >

  Terry, great insightful information .... marking it! thanks

  clarity
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  1975

  Paul made an interesting comment at Galations 1: 7-9, "...only there are certain ones who are causing YOU trouble and wanting to pervert the good news about the Christ. 8, However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to YOU as good news something beyond what we declared to YOU as good news, let him be accursed. 9, As we have said above, I also now say again, (reassurance) Whoever it is that is decalring to YOU as good news something beyond what YOU accepted, let him be accursed."

  Matt.24:36, "Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the father."

  36 years have passed since 1975. I remmber reading Mcmillians book, "Faith On The March" and he really thought 1914 would be the end!!!!!! Wow, that was 97 years ago!!!! What's the latest hunch ciculating these days?

  1975