In my top ten:
Pleiades - Jehovah’s Throne From 1881 until 1953 the Watchtower believed that Jehovah resided at the center of the universe on the star Alcyone in the cluster known as Pleiades. And they new this because the Great Pyramid in Egypt pointed this out.
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In the 50’s the Watchtower does a flip flop and tells its followers that it is “ useless to indulge in unprofitable speculations” such as the ones it was making back in the 20’s. As usual the Watchtower uses the well tried method of distancing themselves from embarrassing flip flops by dismissing their earlier teachings by having it appear as a question from one of the rank and file witnesses. This way it appears to the reader that it is the congregational members fault for believing such nonsense. Below you will find what the Watchtower were saying about Alcyone. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Watchtower November 1 1920 Some one asked me the other day: Suppose you should be here in 1925 what would you do? I said, I believe I will be home in the Pleiades before then .. Emphasis Added | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reconciliation 1928 p14 The constellation of the seven stars forming the Pleiades appears to be the crowning center around which the known systems of the planets revolve even as our sun's planets obey the sun and travel in their respective orbits. It has been suggested, and with much weight, that one of the stars of that group is the dwelling-place of Jehovah and the place of the highest heavens;.. [...] The constellation of the Pleiades is a small one compared with others which scientific instruments disclose to the wondering eyes of man. But the greatness in size of other stars or planets is small when compared with the Pleiades in importance, because the Pleiades is the place of the eternal throne of God [Emphases added] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thy Kingdom Come (SIS vol III) 1891 (1903 edition) p. 327 And if we go back to the date which the Pyramid gives itself, and look for what that finger pointed to at midnight, we find a far sublimer indication. Science has at last discovered that the sun is not a dead center, with planets wheeling about it, and itself stationary. It is now ascertained that the sun also is in motion, carrying with it its splendid retinue of comets, planets, its satellites and theirs, around some other and vastly mightier center. Astronomers are not yet fully agreed as to what or where that center is. Some, however, believe that they have found the direction of it to be the Pleiades, and particularly Alcyone, the central one of the renowned Pleiadic stars. To the distinguished German astronomer, Prof. J. H. Maedler, belongs the honor of having made this discovery. Alcyone, then, as far as science has been able to perceive, would seem to be the 'midnight throne' in which the whole system of gravitation has its central seat, and from which the Almighty governs his universe. And here is the wonderful corresponding fact, that at the date of the Great Pyramid's building, at midnight of the autumnal equinox, and hence the true beginning of the year* as still preserved in the traditions of many nations, the Pleiades were distributed over the meridian of this Pyramid, with Alcyone precisely on the line. [Emphasis Added] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Watchtower 1953 November 15 p.703 Questions from Readers Questions from Readers • What is meant by 'binding the sweet influences of the Pleiades' or 'loosing the bands of Orion' or 'bringing forth Mazzaroth in his seasons' or 'guiding Arcturus with his sons,' as mentioned at Job 38:31, 32?-W. S., New York. Some attribute striking qualities to these constellations or star groups and on the basis of such they then offer private interpretations of Job 38:31, 32 that amaze their hearers. Their views are not always sound from the standpoint of astronomy, and when viewed Scripturally they are completely without foundation. Why? Because we do not know which stars or groups of stars are being referred to in these verses. The names Pleiades, Orion and Arcturus are not the names given in the Bible. Some translations make Mazzaroth refer to the signs of the Zodiac. English translators have merely adopted these pagan names given to constellations or star groups and have inserted them in their translations in the place of the original names that appear in the Hebrew Scriptures, namely, Kimah, Kesil, Mazzaroth and 'Ayish. To just what stars or star groups these names refer we do not know today. Hence it is useless to indulge in unprofitable speculations. Incidentally, Pleiades can no longer be considered the center of the universe and it would be unwise for us to try to fix God's throne as being at a particular spot in the universe. Were we to think of the Pleiades as his throne we might improperly view with special veneration that cluster of stars.-Deut. 4:19; 2 Chron. 2:6; 6:18. [Emphasis Added] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
http://www.quotes-watchtower.co.uk/god_s_throne_-_pleiades.html