THEY'VE DONE IT!!!! The WBTS set a new date!

by dmouse 208 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  Noumenon

  I have to totally agree with Dmouse. It is also weird to me how some cannot see it. It seems some are at cross-purposes here. The ones who say they cannot see it are considering the article through the tinted glasses of wondering how on earth the Society could possibly be pointing to such a distant date because that would be 'counter-productive' as far as increasing a sense of urgency. They seem to be missing the point however...

  The psychology of this is very interesting. .

  The point I get is that the Society is hedging both ways with this. Reading the article, they are re-emphasing that the end is imminent and the work is urgent, as they have for over 120 years, because the end may come at any time, YET, with this article I believe they are indeed planting the seeds for a maximum time span this system may go for.

  Seems to me the Society realise that any 'weak' and disaffected ones will see this new possible date and probably just get weaker and leave, like they were going to do anyway; this will be just the excuse they're after and they will be 'sifted' out. The Society are not afraid to take a temporary loss, as they did in 1975 and 1994. BUT they know the loyal and unthinking R & F will give more heed to the usual proclamation that the 'end is very close'. Jesus words that 'you do not know the day or the hour' is like a sacred mantra to JW's, so the 2034 implication will be dismissed as 'no one knows the day or the hour'.

  Wishful thinking about the end of the world being close is enormously powerful and is the main psychological exponent for the gullible R & F to be kept in line.

  Just think: if you had busted your buns for years, or all your life, doing all the 'works' the borg are expected to do and then an article appears in 2003 that 'implies' that this system could go on for another 30 years, yet in the same breath the article is saying that 'the end is close' and it is more urgent than ever before, what are you going to take to heart? The latter obviously.

  If you are running a marathon, and someone says once-off in a vague kind of ambigous way that the finish 'may' be quite far off, you may be a little perturbed, YET if you have always heard right from the start of the race that the finish is 'just around the corner' and the person who implied the end may be rather far off in the same breath restates that it is imperative to keep running because it is still close, what are you likely to believe? You're gonna keep running aren't you?

  The GB know this psychology only tell well. Only a small minority will see the 2033 date and be discouraged enough to leave, and they are probably already 'unfruitful' and near to leaving anyway as it is. Let them go..sift them out. The great majority will not give the 2033 connection much weight and new twist on the parallel to Noah's days much credenc; rather they will just hungrily gobble up the usual rhetoric that 'the end is close' and the work is 'more urgent than ever' and plug on as usual.

  At the same time the Society have hedged their bets with this. It's there in black and white now..the ass-covering is done. If the system does drag on for many years to come, they can always point back and say 'look, didn't we tell you that the system may go for 120 years from 1914, so quit complaining, and do more cuz now it's REALLY close"

  So crafty..
• 

  Benny Sikter

  Hi friends,

  WBTS have NOT set a new date! Please read the article in The Watchtower again and see what they really say.

  Love

  Benny Sikter, Sweden
• 

  Nathan Natas

  Get with the program, Benny!

  This is not the time to be toying with what the inspired brothers have told us, lest thou vexeth the Holy Spirit! Don't be among the last in your congregation to see the new light! Far better is it for you, I say, that thou sayest thou seeist it, but not, than sayest thou not seeist it.

  It is a matter of only years or decades, certainly not centuries...
• 

  gumby

  *gumby steps in to "set matters straight, reprove, and dicipline"*

  Ok heathen bastards .....here's my take.

  (Possibly) this article is a stage for further developments of doctrine concerning Armageddons time.

  Someone may have already stated this, but it is a common practice with the society to make vague statements that can be used at a later time to validify what was previously stated. This makes it appear as though they had Jehovah's approval of the idea the whole time.......but he wasn't ready yet to completely reveal it previously.

  So....it could be a "set-up" for future use.

  Many guesses have been made to this articles meaning..........but it's hard to do so when your dealing with an Organisation that is as spiritually corrupt as this one is.

  Gumby
• 

  minimus

  The WBTS is a BUSINESS more than a religion. Never forget that! If you want to talk psychology, let's remember the Society does not want to lose money and assets and wills and property by "sifting out" some that may now make a connection to this "new date". That's VERY counter-productive. They do not want people to "run the marathon" and continue "RUNNING" for 30 years. It's silly to tell a marathoner that you've just got to go a little farther and then spring on them that they ACTUALLY have about 30 years of more, continous, without a break RUNNING. I know what this marathoner would say. "I'm taking a break! I'll get back to running after I have more water, food and relaxation. 30 years running? Nah, I can't do that. But thanks for giving me the head's up, Bud. I'll see ya in 20".
• 

  gumby

  I STILL said it better than you did!

  Gumby

  btw
• 

  Nosferatu

  Someone may have already stated this, but it is a common practice with the society to make vague statements that can be used at a later time to validify what was previously stated. This makes it appear as though they had Jehovah's approval of the idea the whole time.......but he wasn't ready yet to completely reveal it previously.

  This is somewhat along the lines of what I've stated. This article isn't going to have any impact unless the WTS mentions it again. All this article is going to do is get the R&F thinking. Some may think "Wow, armageddon will be here within 30 years!" There aren't going to be any talks from the platform about 2034 unless the Society keeps pounding this idea into their followers.
• 

  minimus

  This is still just wishful thinking. When my mother who's been a devout JW for almost 50 years read it, she saw absolutely no connection to a "new date" and Armageddon. I really think that some here want to believe the Society is setting a new date. By using the 120 years of Noah's day, you are saying that just as 120 years went by from Noah's proclamation and then the "end" came, so too, it will be like this since 1914, per WBTS. This reasoning puts the Society in a box. There's no wiggle room. That is called shooting themselves in the foot.....And sorry guys, you can't change your theory and say "Well, they're giving UP to 31 years". If what you're saying is true, then the Society just set a new date of 2034. If you're willing to accept that, then you will exclaim, "THEY'VE DONE IT AGAIN!!!! The WBTS set a new date!"..........It seems some here think that they've caught on to a "new light" that no one else picked up on but "us".
• 

  Winston Smith :>D

  I'm weighing in w/Lisa & Nuomenom on the WTS reasoning.

  & Min, I understand where you are coming from. I would think the same thing that you stated. But keep in mind that you & both yearned to be free from the WTS iron grip over our minds & sprituality. Most of the R&F aren't ready to think for themselves.

  I can hear some of my loyal dub friends now say;

  "Wow, isn't it wonderful how smart the brothers at Bethel are? I would have never been able to figure that out myself. It's a true blessing that we have the GB to direct us in these last days."

  And keep in mind Min that the artile isn't saying that it will come for a certainty in 2034. It can come tomorrow, or a year from now, but NO LATER than 2034.

  And the point brought out by gumby and Nos are also true. It's just the first brick in the large wall of propaganda to follow in the future. The WTS is just laying the foundation for the hype to come. Otherwise with just this alone, the "Do More by '34" will never get any legs to run with.

  And sorry guys, you can't change your theory and say "Well, they're giving UP to 31 years"

  Min

  Actually Min, it's classic Orwellian Doublethink for the JW R&F.

  The R&F know that it's coming by 2034

  The R&F know that it will come tomorrow.

  Min, i'm glad to see that you are having such a hard time grasping this and have been cured of the WTS mindset.

  Winston.
• 

  minimus

  If the WBTS insinuates something that says "We're giving you another new date", then they should be called on it. If they aren't, then we shouldn't promote something that isn't true. Ex-jw's still love to speculate, huh?