seems to me this organization is shrivelling up.
more and more are leaving, can it be more are joining than leaving?
or are the figures fudged?
what do you think?
the greater number will cool off....
by zev 13 Replies latest jw friends
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Seeker4
Zev,
Great to meet you last night.
My feeling? The WTS is at the tipping point in most 1st world countries, where the number leaving is starting to overtake the number coming in - North America, Europe, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
Probably not there yet in 3rd world countries.
S4
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stillajwexelder
(Matthew 24:11-13) 11 And many false prophets will arise and mislead many; 12 and because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off. 13 But he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved.
Sadly a few really diehard dub elders just say - so this is just prophecy coming true, we really are deep in the time of the end
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blondie
Verbally, many JWs do apply this scripture (Matthew 24:12) to the WTS, but the WTS has not done that in writing, yet. They still apply this to those outside the organization.
Now if someone has a quote from a WTS publication that applies Matthew 24:12 to the organization, I'd like to see that and add it to my collection.
Thanks.
Blondie
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Elsewhere
km 9/83 p. 3 A New Program for Kingdom Hall Construction ******
Reports from the field show that Jehovah continues to ‘speed up’ the ingathering work as the end of this present system of things rushes in upon us. It has truly occurred just as he said through the prophet Isaiah that "the little one himself will become a thousand, and the small one a mighty nation." (Isa. 60:22)
Oopsie! Never mind! -
potleg
The watchtower fakers will make anything fit into their scenario of impending doom...all the better to reel in the naive.
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stillajwexelder
Now if someone has a quote from a WTS publication that applies Matthew 24:12 to the organization, I'd like to see that and add it to my collection.
Not seen it in print yet Blondie - just from elders and one CO
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zev
well see now thats what i get for not reading any watchtower stuff for years, i get confused about what they apply where and how.
but still i think somethings buggered about the figures. and thats what i was wondering about.
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stillajwexelder
*** w84 10/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***
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Do Jesus’ words that "the love of the greater number will cool off" mean that this will occur among true worshipers now?With good reason we believe that Jesus was not foretelling a large-scale loss of love among Jehovah’s people.
The apostles had asked for ‘the sign of Jesus’ presence and of the conclusion of the system of things.’ Jesus foretold wars, earthquakes, food shortages and persecution of Christians. He added: "Because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off."—Matthew 24:3-12.
Much of that prophecy found a fulfillment between then (33 C.E.) and the great tribulation on Jerusalem that the Romans caused in 70 C.E. (Compare Luke 19:41-44; 21:5-28.) During that interval, did the love of most anointed Christians cool off? No. Those who fell away from Christianity during that generation evidently were in the minority. Most Christians experiencing persecution from the Jews kept up "declaring the good news of the word," displaying love for God, for unbelievers and for fellow Christians. (Acts 8:1-25; 9:36-42) But love did cool off among the Jews, who claimed to be true worshipers. The greater number of them ignored Jesus’ warning, revolted against Rome and resorted to a violent defense of their nation.
Jesus’ prophecy extends beyond the first century and has its major fulfillment today. (Revelation 6:2-8) As with the Jews back then, people have less and less effective love. Millions have turned atheistic. Even in Christendom people tend to show less neighbor love, and church attendances and knowledge of the Bible generally are declining. Many who seem to be religious try to rectify human problems through political causes. So it apparently is among such claimed worshipers of God that love is cooling off.
True Christians, though, must not become complacent. Since some Christians in the first century lost their first love or were distracted from it by problems, we could find our love cooling off. (2 Timothy 2:16-19; Revelation 2:4) While, if that happened, we would be exceptions to most of Jehovah’s people, the fact that it could happen to us individually emphasizes our need to ‘endure to the end’ so as to be saved.—Matthew 24:13.
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Elsewhere
Much of that prophecy found a fulfillment between then (33 C.E.) and the great tribulation on Jerusalem that the Romans caused in 70 C.E. (Compare Luke 19:41-44; 21:5-28.) During that interval, did the love of most anointed Christians cool off? No. Those who fell away from Christianity during that generation evidently were in the minority. Most Christians experiencing persecution from the Jews kept up "declaring the good news of the word," displaying love for God, for unbelievers and for fellow Christians. (Acts 8:1-25; 9:36-42) But love did cool off among the Jews, who claimed to be true worshipers. The greater number of them ignored Jesus’ warning, revolted against Rome and resorted to a violent defense of their nation.
Uuuuuh Ohhhhh! The JWs call themselves "true worshipers". Does this mean that as the JWs "cool off" they will be proven to be false?