JOHN BUTLER

Moreover, if they really wanted to pump everyone into fever pitch, as John charges they do, they would not have let 1Thess 5:2-3 go unmentioned during last week’s assigned Bible reading—the verse about “whenever they are crying ‘peace and security.’ They would have hyped it to the heavens. Instead, they let it pass unnoticed.
I think they are sailing a “steady as she goes” course among treacherous waters, doing their best not to overhype nor underhype. I just don’t like to second-guess their every move. Everyone knows what a pain a back-seat driver is. I don’t want to be one.
Does John want to go back to what he once was doing, reasoning that it is enough to know that the end is “out there somewhere?” This course I believe we are “not allowed” to take—not by the GB, but by Jesus, if we would prove ourselves faithful to him. Does John point to things he thinks the GB does wrong? (Does he ever!) I note how Miriam and Aaron began to speak against Moses on account of his Cushite wife—and how Jehovah really, really didn’t like that, and He let them hear about it. This was so even though Moses actually did have a Cushite wife.
As much as it is good to roam history in the spirit of “he who does not know history is doomed to repeat it,” it is probably one of those things we are just going to have to accept that we do from time to time. The presumed motivation for so searching past publications is so that we do not yet again emerge with egg on our face when something doesn’t turn out as anticipated. I think it is fair to assume that we may—for the alternative is to forget all about “keeping on the watch”—the opposite shoal, which is even more dangerous than the one we are trying to navigate.
To the extent that the intent is to appear “respectable” by never again having to backtrack on prior expectations, I think the intent is misguided, though certainly understandable. Paul was described as a “pest” who was leading a “sect.” Witnesses today can expect no more. Christians then were considered the “offscouring” of the earth. Witnesses today can expect no more. 
What we have on this site is multiple players trying to make the case that the doers are doing it wrong—overlooking the fact that in most cases they themselves are doing nothing. Witnesses just have to accept that it will be that way. Malcontents and renegades will pick up the same refrain as you-know-who, the one who “accuses our brothers day and night before our God.”

And it is enough to know that He won’t get around to it for a long time—it is “a long ways off.” That way, hit the ‘snooze’ and catch a few more zzzzz’s
’Keeping on the watch’ is a bear.

Absolutely TTH! I see from your comment that you understand the significance of the heightened understanding of these things. We do not become angry and attack others simply because what is being discussed does not hold any personal interest. However, you are certainly correct about Jesus' words, 'what I say to you, -(let the reader use discernment)*my comment - I say to ALL, keep on the watch!'

Not so much as it encourages people not to blow off Jesus’ words as nothing:
’”What I say to you, I say to all; keep on the watch.”

I hope you know that the ruler I added to the illustration was just a joke, to show how anxious some people are to get any additional information about the timing of the Great Tribulation. The joke is actually based on comments that Russell made, and a related comment here by someone else about how Russell had used just such a method on a rough illustration of the Great Pyramid at Giza. He took the original illustration from C. Piazzi Smyth's book (1864) about the Great Pyramid, and tried to measure various lengths to show where all the prophesied dates in the pyramid landed and finally ended. Most of this was borrowed from Joseph Seiss who had not only done the same thing, but who had "teased" the readers of his book (MIracle in Stone, 1877) by producing an illustration which didn't exactly predict the end date but showed the reader the "known" dates, in an illustration and then tempted the reader with just how easy it would be to see where the dates of the Great Pyramid finally dropped off. He said he wouldn't include that date in the text of his book because it might not be prudent. It was clearly designed to tempt readers to get out a ruler and measure it for themselves.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramidology#Joseph_A._Seiss
C. Piazzi Smyth himself and Seiss, elsewhere, had predicted dates for the end from the 1880's up until the early 1900's as each previous date failed.
So my joke was NOT intended to add any further information about what we could know, but only because I agree with Jesus and Paul about the silliness of any such attempts:
(Acts 1:7) 7 He said to them: “It does not belong to you to know the times or seasons that the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction. (1 Thessalonians 5:1) . . .Now as for the times and the seasons, brothers, you need nothing to be written to you.

This is true. But then again this will always be true because the end is closer now than at the time we became believers.
(Romans 13:11, 12) . . .And do this because you know the season, that it is already the hour for you to awake from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than at the time when we became believers. 12 The night is well along; the day has drawn near.. . . Since the late 1600's, especially, religions that focus on where we are in terms of chronology and prophecy have claimed we are at the cusp of the Great Tribulation. The Millerite movement apparently produced at least 100,000 people who could be convinced that 1843/1844 was the end. A Millerite named Barbour was able to convince Russell from his updated version of Miller's chronology that Barbour had used to prove 1873/1874 was the end. The Watchtower said that the signs were unmistakable that the last days had begun in 1799 and the Watchtower pointed to heavenly signs in the sun and stars in the early 1800's as proof. The evidence is so overwhelming now, today, that it would seem crazy to deny that we are deep into the last days, and yet we should keep in mind that the evidences seemed just as overwhelming to Miller, Barbour, Russell and others, and probably just as overwhelming to Paul's contemporaries.
And we truly HAVE been on the cusp of the Great Tribulation ever since 70 C.E. when the first part of the prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem was fulfilled. Remember that Jesus said that "immediately after those days, the sun would be darkened" etc. As Peter said, it could be 1,000 years off, and yet we are still to live as if the parousia could be within our lifetime. If we happen to survive to that time, we were on the cusp, and if we happen to die before that time, we were on the cusp, because our next waking second after our death, should be in the resurrection.
 

hehehe, do not forget - you are in this "lion cave", "prison" voluntary, you entered in it by your own free will and choice. :))
....i am not sure about part where - but if a spirit or an angel spoke to him - because that would be contrary to official teachings how people in JW Church are not "inspired". If someone today would go with claim how spirit or angel spoke to him, people, not only worldly but JW people especially, will be very suspicious about mental health of that individual. :))
But you are Writer of books. You have licence to write what ever you like. Artistic freedom..... i almost wrote Arctic freedom but google translate put red line under word to alarm me. :)))))

don't forget the TrueTomHarleyites

In this case, the gist of the spoof is spot-on, even if the humor should miss. The four participants referred to are implacably opposed regarding spiritual matters, but for the sake of slamming the JW organization, they are soul-mates. Get them scrabbling with each other, and I can write my next book in peace.
And don’t get me going about the Billyites, the Bubbatites, The Annites, and the JWwhites.

Now TrueTom, knowing that the one part was made up of Rookites but the other of Butlerites, and yet another of Sreckoites, and let us not forget Witnessites, cried out in the Forum: “Men, brothers, I am a writer, a son of writers. Over the existence of God I am being judged.”  Because he said this, a dissension arose between the Rookites and the Butlerites and the Sreckotites, and the Witnessites, and the assembly was split.
For the Sreckotites say that there is neither resurrection nor angel nor spirit, but the Rookites accept them all except for 85% that they say is crap. And the Butlerites also say the 85% is crap, but they DO believe in some of the 15%. And the Witnessites believe—well, who knows what they believe except that their Queen Mother is the REAL anointed and the anointed of Jehovah’s Witnesses are no good—and the Queen Mother has a Facebook page to prove it. 
So a great uproar broke out, and some of the ones with common sense of the party rose and began arguing fiercely, saying: “We find nothing wrong in this man, but if a spirit or an angel spoke to him—.”  Now when the dissension grew great, the military commander feared that TrueTom would be torn apart by them, and he commanded the soldiers to go down and snatch him from their midst and bring him into the soldiers’ quarters. 
All in a day’s work.

Why not? Are GB theories something like Medo-Persian Laws of unchangeable things.....or Immutable data? :))))

Don't be worried about, because Overlapping will be here for a while.... I mean, enough long for computer to unfroze.  :)))))
 

Exactly!
This is not like Groundhog Day, where men in tuxedos and top hats , with cameras rolling, wait for the baby Jesus to come out of his cave, pick him up and after pretending to listen, declare that there will be six more years of tribulation.

I completely agree ... IF IT IS CLEARLY LABELED AS ONLY SPECULATION.
Without a clear and unambiguous disclaimer, capable of being understood by almost ANYONE with a 7th grade education ... so clear that it CANNOT be misunderstood ... it is merely a false prophesy, intended to keeps the troops motivated, afraid, and keep the money rolling in.

Sounds a bit like you 🙂

I understand you may be concerned about adding anything to scripture (or taking away), since that is a very serious thing, but adding something to what is after all human speculation, surely is not a big deal?
Also, what Jesus Christ is saying to us now, is what he said 2000 years ago, and is recorded in the Bible for anyone to see.

I understand you may be concerned about adding anything to scripture (or taking away), since that is a very serious thing, but adding something to what is after all human speculation, surely is not a big deal?
Also, what Jesus Christ is saying to us now, is what he said 2000 years ago, and is recorded in the Bible for anyone to see.

#1 We will not know the "day or the hour" until it occurs, but we have enough evidence to see that we are, as David Shafer said "right on the cusp of the Great Tribulation
#2 I would never add anything to an illustration developed by the "faithful and discreet slave" to help us to understand what Jesus Christ is saying to us NOW.

It is also very possible that @Bubba Johnson Jr would like to know When Great Tribulation will start :)) 

Of course there could be OVERLAPPING groups, JWI.
These are known as zombies.

Oh, very well. Sign up for her as your ‘anointed’ source, if you like.  You two deserve each other.

@JOHN BUTLER and @Witness explained enough to open readers mind. WT Society making constant "wind teachings" under explanation/justification of "Brighter Light" mantra. All previous teachings that JW members stop to believe were exactly this: falsely called knowledge. In other words, past knowledge is not/was not Truth. It is False Truth. Otherwise it/doctrines would stay to be  applicable and accurate until today.
Do I see your jealousy and envy? :)))
... you offer "empty" explanation TTH, ... sorry, have to tell you this :)) 
.... but seriously, you again going to transfer blame from GB (WTJWORG Management)  to holy spirit.

Not everything in the world is about you and your pissy little complaint that you are a better anointed one than those of the GB.
Corinth was a center of Greek thought. These were the ones who put such emphasis on ‘wisdom’—as opposed to the ‘signs’ of the Jews. Paul came to them with fear and trembling because he had determined that he would know nothing among them except Christ, and him impaled. 
My application (and @Outta Here‘s) application of 1 Corinthians 3:19 is exactly correct.
Ditto the above reply. It’s not all about you and your complaint.This example of an “empty speech” involves making a mistake while keeping on the watch. It beats by a country mile not keeping on the watch at all. An excellent way to not make any mistakes is to not do anything.
The empty speeches that do the most damage are the dominant philosophies of this system of things, which you apparently buy into, or at least take umbrage should the genuine anointed caution against them

@TrueTomHarley  Thank you giving me a laugh. You are so funny and your writings are fit for a  comedy show. 
A quote from your above writing. in order that we should no longer be babes, tossed about as by waves and carried hither and thither by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men, by means of cunning in contriving error.”  
Now think on this Tom. Your GB say that they are NOT INSPIRED AND THEREFORE CAN ERR................ 
The scripture you quoted says just that. every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men, by means of cunning in contriving error.  error = ERR
trickery of men, cunning  (your GB)  OVERLAPPING GENERATIONS, SUPERIOR AUTHORITIES, Blood issue, shunning issue, CSA.  
 “the empty speeches that violate what is holy and from the contradictions of the falsely called “knowledge”
What, just watch some of those cringy videos your GB produces. 
absurd charges that they want to “control” people.
Um, JW's are told not to have their own opinions on scripture and not to talk against the GB. 
Tom, you are blind to the facts about your own organisation. 
I'm not saying God can never use it, but it needs so much cleaning out and rethinking. And of course it needs the true remnant of Anointed to run this early side of things. 
 

Oh dear @BillyTheKid46 That Romans scripture is talking about the Superior Authorities of the world. The secular authorities. It is not talking about the GB or any other religious leader.
Of course we all know that the JW Org / Watchtower deliberately misused that scripture for many years, but even they have got it right now. A shame you haven't got it right though, you must be living in the past.