Watchtower Judgements

[st_julie]

After reading through many pieces of Watchtower literature in hopes of understanding more about adventist theology, I realized that their belief in the 1914 or 1919 “comings” of Jesus allows Watchtower as “Gods mouthpiece” to pass on judgements about anybody or anything they want to. Notice how all the nice adjectives are applied to anyone who is obedient to the WBTS and everyone else is described in the most negative light possible.
The irony is that Witnesses do not see themselves as judgemental.

I still don’t understand much about adventism though.

st. julie

 

[twf]

Hi. Before this thread gets going, I should point out that I think you’re a bit confused here. Adventism, as far as I know, would refer to the belief system of Seventh Day Adventists…the Watchtower Society is the organization that heads the Jehovah Witness movement…they are two different groups with very different theology.

 

[Fidelis]

twf:

Hi. Before this thread gets going, I should point out that I think you’re a bit confused here. Adventism, as far as I know, would refer to the belief system of Seventh Day Adventists…the Watchtower Society is the organization that heads the Jehovah Witness movement…they are two different groups with very different theology.

This is technically true. However’ adventism (with a small “a”) refers to those groups who place a strong emphasis on the imminent (in their case immediate, even predictable) second coming of Christ. There was a strong adventist movement in the early part of the 19th century and many groups which emphasized this doctrine were formed in that time. Both Seventh Day Adventism and the Watchtower came out of that movement though, as you say, they are two seperate and distinct groups.

For more info on both, see the articles elsewhere on this page:

Seventh Day Adventism
catholic.com/library/Seventh_Day_Adventism.asp

Jehovahs Witnesses
catholic.com/library/History_of_the_Jehovah_Witnesesses.asp

 

[carol_marie]

I got brainwashed into the JW organization as a teenager and was very active preaching Armageddon (the end of the world) until I became a Christian in my mid-twenties. This was back in the 1980’s and we were taught that the generation that saw the events that took place in 1914 (Satan cast out of heaven which resulted in WWI) would not “pass away” or die prior to the end of the world. We were told that a person had to be of a “reasoning” age to have seen the difference between the world before and after 1914 so it was pretty much accepted that this refered to those born more or less in the year 1900. Therefore, in the l980’s we could say with certainty "The end of the world HAS TO HAPPEN in the next couple of years because the “generation of people” born in 1900 are now in their 80’s and the Governing Body of the Jehovah’s Witnesses (who we believed spoke for God) said they will not all pass away prior to Armegeddon. I was positive that I would not live to see 25 in this “system of things;” by that age I would be living in the “new world” with ONLY obedient Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Fast forward to 2004 and that generation born in 1900 has passed away. (How many people do you know who are 104 years old??) The Jehovah’s witnesses must have backpeddled on that prediction (as they backpeddled on all previous predicitons that didn’t come true.) I’d love to know how they explain their way out of that 1914 date… it was SO MUCH A PART OF WHAT WE PREACHED. Ask them about that when they come to your door. If they are new to the organization they will claim that the “generation of 1914 not passing away” was never taught/preached which I promise you, as one who was there, is a great big lie.

Don’t read their junk. It’s not of God, it’s of the father of all lies, the devil. Instead pray that they will be freed from the bonds of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society and that they will come to know the truth about Jesus. <>< CM

 

[hermit]

In today’s gospel Jesus is asked how many will be saved?

The JW’s take the 144,000 from Revelation literally. Does anyone know the basis for John arriving at that number?

 

[carol_marie]

doesn’t it have something to do with the 12 tribes of Isreal?

 

[Fidelis]

hermit:

In today’s gospel Jesus is asked how many will be saved?

The JW’s take the 144,000 from Revelation literally. Does anyone know the basis for John arriving at that number?

This is the text and commentary from the NAB for Rev. 7:4-9:

4
I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the Israelites:
5
twelve thousand were marked from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand from the tribe of Gad,
6
twelve thousand from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand from the tribe of Manasseh,
7
twelve thousand from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand from the tribe of Issachar,
8
twelve thousand from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand from the tribe of Joseph, and twelve thousand were marked from the tribe of Benjamin.
9
After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.​

Commentary
[4-9] One hundred and forty-four thousand: the square of twelve (the number of Israel’s tribes) multiplied by a thousand, symbolic of the new Israel (cf Rev 14:1-5; Gal 6:16; James 1:1) that embraces people from every nation, race, people, and tongue (Rev 7:9).

 

[cestusdei]

They now have the so-called “new light” doctrine. Basically it is a take off on development of dogma. They claim that now they understand things much better and so can fine tune their doctrines. Of course real development does not reverse a dogma, but they leave that part out. Essentially they count on the sheep being sheep. As anyone who has been around sheep knows they are not very bright and follow their leader right off a cliff. Some have left when they realized the WT was abandoning its core doctrine. But like the Mormons they say that regardless of the past what we say NOW is true (till tomorrow).

 

[st_julie]

I have noticed this idea of new light also. The “generation” doctrine was a interesting one to watch.
One example of judging history is the mention of the cross. All historical references indicate apostacy. An incredible blanket judgement.

They are not alone in making these types of blanket judgements though.
st julie