January 2020 WT, earthly hope

by neat blue dog 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  neat blue dog

  One of the latest WTs rehashes this core JW theology. I know it's old hat, but I feel it's always worth pointing out, as it's one of the major things to wake me up and it's relatively easily proven using the Bible alone.

  Throughout the Bible, there are
  many examples of men of faith who re-
  ceived holy spirit; yet, they did not have
  the hope of living in heaven.
  . . .
  John the Baptist
  was “filled with holy spirit.” (Luke 1:13-
  16) Jesus said that there was no man
  greater than John, but then he said that
  John would not be included in the heav-
  enly Kingdom. (Matt. 11:10, 11)

  Jesus didn't say that. He implied that those coming after him would accomplish greater things.

  It simply means that
  Jehovah will bring them back to life in
  Paradise on earth.—John 5:28, 29; Acts
  24:15.

  Again, it says nothing of the sort. Those two scriptures cited simply make general references to the resurrection. They say nothing at all about Earth, but to any JW casually reading, the inclusion of 'references' makes it seem superficially reinforced.

  The vast majority of God’s servants
  on earth today do not have the hope of
  living in heaven.

  Because they are told that isn't an option.

  Like Abraham, Sarah,
  David, John the Baptist, and many oth-
  er men and women in Bible times, they
  look forward to living on earth when
  God’s Kingdom will rule over them.
  —Heb. 11:10.

  That last scripture cited says,

  "For he was awaiting the city having real foundations, whose designer and builder is God."

  Of course this scripture isn't talking about Earth, as just a few verses later it says,

  "But now they are reaching out for a better place, that is, one belonging to heaven."

  "Belonging to heaven"? I know, it sounds awkward. That's because this is one of WTs most obvious deliberate mis-translations. Virtually all other Bibles say 'a better place, a heavenly one', but they out of necessity twist the wording.

  The scripture immediately goes on to say about Abraham and company,

  "he has prepared a city for them"

  and in this case the WT slips up. They include a cross reference to another scripture very close by that specifically identifies that city.

  Hebrews 12:22,

  "a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem".
• 

  sir82

  Ah yes, the old "you worms better stop partaking of the emblems! Stop it! STOP I SAID!" article to be considered a few weeks prior to the 2020 Memorial.

  Those articles seem to be having less and less effect, as the count of partakers continues its double-digit percentage growth, roaring thru the 20,000s and on up to 30,000+ soon.

  But of course, the WTS being the WTS, they have no new ideas, no creativity, no nothing, so they just keep repeating the identical message and hoping "well, maybe this year they'll will listen..."
  
• 

  Biahi

  Maybe they will just stop counting...
• 

  WTWizard

  If those things ever came back on this earth, we would all be finished. Tyrant David would instantly impose full Noahide Law on the whole planet given half a chance. Let Solomon come back, and there goes all your money--right into that thing. Let Moses come back, and we will all be led into slavery. John the baptist would also spell Noahide Law for us all. It would be like the Rothschilds plus Soros combined, only worse.

  And you thought Hitler and Nimrod were "bad"? I would rather, by far, live under Nimrod or Hitler than Tyrant David.
• 

  waton

  1) If it is really about bringing down the partaker count, wt assumes that only a certain class of believers should partake, and they are wrong. all should partake.

  where does it say otherwise? and

  2) everlasting life on Earth is impossible, because the Sun/Earth are alraedy half finishes, in human terms 60 years old.
• 

  smiddy3

  Where does it say in the New Testament that there will be a Paradise Earth? That faithful resurrected ones would inhabit ?

  Whereas I`m pretty sure the New Testament clearly states that faithful resurrected ones would reside in heaven.!

  Anything other than that is just human interpretation to fit their own agenda.
• 

  BelisemDeBelimakom

  I won't be surprised if they are paving the way to reduce anointed ones' number to 12 or 24... in some years.
• 

  waton

  On average there were about 70 new anointed ones per year among the billions of partakers during the 2011 years since the last supper.

  Of course very few believed in the overlapping group generation, so they dont count as "true Christians". still:

  do not the Catholics too recite " I believe in the resurrection of the flesh?" at least fro a temporary foothold to be then whisked off to the other two choice choices?

  Not endorsing the talking snake ramification, just showing where it can mislead
• 

  Bobcat

  The whole thing is an example of a red herring. Tying an earthly hope or a heavenly hope or anything else to partaking has nothing to do with the Lord's Evening Meal. Partaking was always about, "keep doing this in remembrance of [Jesus]," and "for forgiveness of sins" and 'proclaiming Jesus.' (Mt 26:27, 28; Lu 22:19, 20; 1Co 11:26)

  WT's arguments about this are also an example of 'framing an argument.' You will never read them saying that the problem is that some people think that partaking is something all Christians are to do.

  Always the WT will say that problem partakers are mentally unstable or are holding to ideas from their previous religion. But they never mention the idea of partaking due to thinking it is what Christians are supposed to do. And yet, this is arguably the main reason JWs start to partake. From the WT's viewpoint, mentioning this idea would only spread it to other JWs.

  WT's real problem is that partaking, which implies being 'anointed', involves their authority structure. In WT theology, the GB are the only sure 'anointed' (i.e. rulers). Anyone else who partakes or claims to be 'anointed' is only accepted as such on a wait-and-see basis. They are true Pharisees. (Jn 11:47-50)
• 

  Listener

  Bobcat - In WT theology, the GB are the only sure 'anointed' (i.e. rulers). Anyone else who partakes or claims to be 'anointed' is only accepted as such on a wait-and-see basis. They are true Pharisees. (Jn 11:47-50)
  
  

  
  When a member of the GB die, it is announced through the Watchtower that the individual has received their heavenly reward. For all others, their anointing is only between him and God.