Thowing a monkey wrench in jw doctrine

by runForever 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  runForever

  1) the signs of the times are qualified:

  LUKE 21:

  Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

  So it's not just earthquakes, famine, pestilence it is great famine, earthquakes and pestilence COMBINED with fearful events and great signs from heaven.

  2) Second point is that he says the persecution would happen before these events(earthquake, signs from heaven etc..):

  12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 And so you will bear testimony to me.

  Jw's combine these to be happening at the same time such as the persecution in Bulgaria, WW2, etc.. but the bible says AFTER the persecution these things will happen. That's about it.
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  cofty

  Its a good point runForever.

  If you read Matthew 24 and 25 right through, instead of picking out words and phrases like we did as JWs, its clear that their end-times doctrine makes no sense.
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  Londo111

  Famines and pestilence have gone down in the 20th century thanks to technology and modern medicine.
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  88JM

  As I recall from other threads, during the Knorr-era, they considered linking "great signs from heaven" to the launch of Sputnik, but had a change of mind and decided not to run with that idea.
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  cofty

  I wonder if Blondie might help with that. I have a feeling they did go for the Sputnik sign for a while.
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  cantleave

  That's in CofC
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  Crazyguy

  They also quote several things that have happened but in the scriptures these thing happen after the great tribulation. They get all sorts of stuff backwards.
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  Oubliette

  Ray Franz mentioned in CofC that the GB floated the idea of changing "The Beginning of the End" from WWI to the launch of Sputnik. I don't have the exact quote. The copy of CofC I have is an e-book that isn't searchable.

  Anyone else have it?
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  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  But Jesus also said that it was coming as a thief in the night without notice. How can he say it's coming without notice when there's this long list of identifying "signs" that it's about to happen?

  It was also said that the end would be as the days of Noah with people eating, drinking, taking no note. But the bible also says that there will be famine, disease, and total misery in the Last Days.

  So which is it?

  As we see with JWs, if there's a famine it's proof that the end is near. If there's a bumper crop it's a proof that the end is near.

  And then you also have the "it's coming when you least expect it" and the "always be in expectation of it." It becomes mutually exclusive.
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  zeb

  and unemployed and financially desparate it does not mayyer how distressed the jw might be they will still be expected to attend the next "important" convention with its "vital" message.

  To be presented by brother Droneson who makes his point and then repeats himself tomfill in his alocated time.

  Important, not.

  and leaving said conv the jw will still be financially strapped and battling to pay their household bills when they get home.