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lentaylor71

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    lentaylor71 reacted to Witness in The Development of "Beliefs Clarified"   
    The boldness displayed by the governing body to publish and extol their list of "Beliefs Clarified", as if it brings JWs closer to "truth", reminds me of Proverbs 13:16 - 
    "Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly."
  2. Like
    lentaylor71 reacted to Witness in The Development of "Beliefs Clarified"   
    Part of the quote was left out to make the connection:
    Such "trees" have hindered the operation of Holy Spirit within them (Eph.4:30; 1Thess.5:19; Acts7:51; Matt.7:19; Jer.48:13) by overconfidence in themselves or others.
     
  3. Like
    lentaylor71 reacted to Witness in The Development of "Beliefs Clarified"   
    We are told by the organization’s leadership that the running list of accumulated adjustments in teachings since 1870, shows evidence of three vital factors at work, which somehow prove that the leadership is directed in the same way as the early apostles.  These three factors are -  
    #1 -  Holy Spirit
    #2 -  angelic assistance
    #3 - reliance on the scriptures
    They state that since Jesus knew “first hand” that these three factors “helped him take the lead” when on earth, he has provided the governing leaders with the same assistance. In my heart, I feel this statement is an appalling defamation against the power, authority, and wisdom of Christ in their attempt to substantiate their decision to “take the lead” over God’s anointed in the organization. (Luke 22:24; Mark 10:42-45; John 5:41-43; Rom 12:16; 1 Cor 4:6; Phil 2:3-6; Matt 24:48-51)  
    Please let these scriptures speak, few among many, addressing the authority and power of Jesus Christ; while also remembering that the “governors” are by their own admittance,  not inspired by Holy Spirit.  (Isa 11:2; Matt 17:1-5; 2 Pet 1:17; John 1:1-4,14; 16:33; 18:37; 1 Pet 3:18; Col 2:2-3) 
    They are in essence, denying their anointing, which is the divine pouring out of Holy Spirit into one’s heart, becoming spiritual members of Christ’s body.  (Rom 8:9,11;1 John 2:27; Gal 4:6; 2 Cor 13:5; 1 Cor 11:29; Col 2:18-19) 
    Despite obvious proof in the list of failures itself, where each replaced doctrine was once blasphemously called “truth” coming from God…(Num 23:19; Mark 7:7; 2 John 1:9; Heb 6:18; Gal 1:6-9; Col 1:10) 
     …despite this, the leaders continue to assure the JW, that their teachings are “not by human wisdom, but with wisdom taught by the spirit.” (1 Cor 2:13).     
    “However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, and considerate, full of mercy and good fruits, without any trace of partiality or hypocrisy”.   James 3:17
    If God does not lie, and if Jesus is the Way of Truth, we should ask ourselves which spirit of “wisdom” would inspire someone to call a false teaching, “the truth”.  (John 14:6;7:18) (Gen 3:3-5; Isa 5:20-21;29:13-16; Rom 1:18; 1 Cor 2:6; 1 Tim 4:1) 
    I have mentioned this list a few times in the past.  Knowing that JWs accept its obvious failures as apparent evidence of “new light”- or as they say, the revealing of the “deep things of God” - is troubling enough; yet, I find it equally disturbing how in the same breath, the leaders over the years, have compared themselves on equal footing with Moses; and by evidence made here, to Jesus, and to the apostles. (Ps 92:5-6; Rom 12:3; 15:18-19; 1 Cor 2:4; 2 Cor 12:9; Eph 1:3-6,19) 
    We find no long list of adjustments in God’s inspired Word.  We have no book in the Bible that could remotely be compared to their “beliefs clarified”; where erroneous teachings devoid of any light of truth, are stacked precariously high, like wooden blocks in a game of chance. (Prov 2:11-14; John 3:19-20) What the apostles wrote has stayed with us throughout the millenniums.   But these men, in their lack of divine inspiration and progression in the wisdom of Christ, have failed to produce not even one book as a primary teaching tool since the organization’s inception. However, their ambition has not been deterred from establishing their spiritual authority at the same level or above, that of the apostles. (Ps 82:5-7; 2 Thess 2:1-2; Rev 2:2) 
    They declare to possess the same powerful gift of teaching as the twelve men Jesus chose to set the foundation of the spiritual house of God. (John 2:19-21; Matt 16:18-19;Matt 10:1; Acts 1:8; 2:43; 5:12-16; 2 Cor 12:12; 1 Thess 1:5; 1 Cor 3:10-11; Eph 2:20-21)  
    They boldly claim to be sent by God to teach us in the truthful doctrine of Jesus Christ. (Deut 18:21-22; Jer 28:15; Isa 8:20; Matt 24:45,48-51; 2 Cor 11:1-4; 2 Tim 4:3,4; 1 John 4:1,5-6; Rev 2:20; 13:11-12) 
    …an anointed one's progress in the knowledge of God relies upon that person's progressive development of intimacy, faith, and trust in God's spirit (Eph 1:19; 1 Pet 1:17,21; Rom 12:6)
    This requires experience with that spirit, as we learn to completely rely upon it as young children would, and progress in our imitation of Christ (Eph 4:20,21,13; Matt 18:3; 2 Cor 3:4,5; Ps 78:7; Prov 22:19; Jer 17:7; 2 Thess 3:5; James 1:3-5; Phil 1:6; 1 Pet 5:10)
    Those who resist such a reliance due to a lack of Faith, will not progress. These are the ones Christ referred to as trees with "unripe figs" who do not bring anything to perfection, and will   be abandoned up the coming wrath if they do not repent (Luke 8:14; Heb 8:14; Heb 12:2; Rev 6:13; Jer 24:3,5,8,17; Matt 7:16)
    Such "trees" have hindered the operation of Holy Spirit within them (Eph 4:30; 1 Thess 5:19; Acts 7:51; Matt 7:19; Jer 48:13)
    Holy Spirit at Work, "Token"
    “overconfidence in themselves”– “Woe to those who consider themselves wise
    and judge themselves clever.”  Isa 5:21
    “For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.
    See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.” Matt 24:24,25
    This warning has come true.  The “day” of the reign of false prophets over “Israel”, is here. The chosen/”elect” ones are the anointed of spiritual Israel, residing among JWs in the organization. (Rom 9:6; 2:28-29) Many of us coming out of the organization searching for truth, will fully admit to once being deceived by its leaders’ doctrine – a flood of lies originating with the father of the lie. (Ps 124:1-8; 2 Tim 2:26) Satan has demanded to “sift as wheat” the “remaining ones of the woman’s seed”, and God allows this deceitful test by Satan, to come upon them. (Luke 22:31; Jer 9:8,13-16; 2 Thess 2:9-12;1 Tim 1:3-4; Col 2:8,22; Rev 13:10; 12:17,15) 
    "The final test, is the great tribulation. It is Satan's final great lie, that comes through the false prophet (governing body) and it's beast (organization). When we are taken into the organization because we believe that lie, that it is directed by God's spirit... then we come to the test. In the end, will we remain idolators? Or, will we realize that only God deserves our worship, obedience, and service? Will we take a stand, that we only follow the words of our Father? Or, will we obey and believe every lie coming from men? Will we make the doctrine of men, more important than the Bible? Will we follow men as our ruler, rather than God and Jesus? That is the test that we find ourselves in, after joining the organization. "
    Thousand Years/Angels/Final Test/God's organization
    Notice how 2 Peter chapter 2 describes the revealing attitude toward the truth of Jesus Christ, practiced by these false prophets:
    “But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them." 2 Pet 2:1
    How do these teachers deny or “contradict” the Master?  By producing, upholding, and demanding obedience to, the “crooked” ever changing lying doctrines of men, instead of the truthful teachings and laws of God established in Jesus Christ. These teachers are efficient at perverting, polluting, and contradicting the words of truth in Christ.  (Prov 17:20; Zeph 3:4; Deut 29:18-19; Ezek 34:17-19; Rev 8:10-11;1 Tim 6:3-5,20; Titus 1:16) 
    Peter states that false teachers would be “among you”, meaning “with you, in the interior of some whole”.  He is telling us that false prophets will arise from within the anointed Body of Christ, who are the “living stones” of the Temple of God. (1 Pet 2:5,9; 1 Cor 3:16; Eph 2:20-22) 
    Do those within the organization need to worry about being deceived by a false teacher or prophet outside of its walls?  No, the majority are mentally locked into the “empty philosophy” of the organization, fully convinced it is the “way” to salvation. They willingly submit themselves to the established arrangement, deceitfully planned by Satan to bring about their downfall. (Deut 13:1-5; Rom 1:21,22,25; Rev 13:4,14-17,5-7) 
    One use for the Greek word translated as “heresies” is “a body of men following their own tenets”
    “Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. 3 In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.” 2 Pet 2:2-3
    The apostle Paul also warned us of their arrival -    
    “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. And from among you yourselves men will arise, speaking perversions of the truth[ah] (“crooked things”) in order to draw away the disciples after them.”  Acts 20:30
    If we rely on the scriptures to teach us, Jesus illustrates clearly how to identify a false teacher as a “tree”, or branch of a vine, that cannot produce “good fruit” -  fruit that always remains “good”, edible and nourishing. Picture for yourself, the list of “beliefs clarified” as a bushel of diseased and rotten fruit; and yet that fruit was once called, “truth”.  (Matt 7:15-20; John 8:31-32; 15:2,4-7,16) 
    If one slanders or profanes the meaning of God’s truth and wisdom by attaching scripture to men’s false teachings, would not the source of truth, Jesus Christ himself, also be defamed? (Lev 19:16; Prov 10:18; Matt 12:36; Rom 3:8; 2 Cor 11:4; James 3:13-15)  
    Playing the children’s game of building a tower with interlocking wooden blocks, stacked one on top of another, requires clever moves and careful strategies when it’s your turn to remove a block, without toppling the finished tower. In comparison, removing a defunct teaching of the organization and replacing it with a spruced up lie at the top of the infamous list, is done with deliberate strategy; the new teachings must keep the “tower” stable. Yet, in the physical game we play with our children, each block removed and placed at the top of the tower, progressively weakens the structure, and ultimately leads to the tower’s fall.  (Ezek 22:28; Isa 25:12; Rom 16:18)  
    Looking again at the three factors said to guide the organization, we can confidently strike off #1 and #3, which claim that the organization is guided by Holy Spirit through reliance on God’s word.
    But what about #2?  If 1 and 2 are disproved by the words of Jesus Christ, what sort of “angelic assistance” guides the organization’s teachers? 
    To the anointed in Christ, Paul says: 
    “Now I consider myself in no way inferior to those ‘super-apostles’.                                                                                              
    But I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to cut off an opportunity to those who want to be regarded as our equals in what they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no great surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their works.” 2 Cor 11:5,12-15
    The word, “angel” in Greek is defined as a “messenger”; messengers are priests, and God’s priests are His anointed servants. (Mal 2:7; 1 Pet 2:5,9; Rom 15:16; Rev 5:9,10)
     Jesus Christ sends his “angels”/priests to announce truth and give warnings to God’s people. (Matt 13:41; 24:31; Jer 5:14; Rev 14:6-12; 18:4-8)
    To thwart this message of truth, Satan sends out his messengers with detrimental warnings to God’s people held captive  (Matt 12:34; Joel 2:2; Dan 11:10; Rev 9:2,3; 12:15-16; 16:13-14)…
    … shielding them from those whom Jesus sends.  (Rev 11:3; Zech 7:11; John 16:2-3; Rev 13:152 Cor 2:14-17; 1 Pet 3:16)  
    Thus, the battle of truth against lies rages, until all sinful acts, all deceitful works committed by Satan’s greatest achievement to deceive and destroy the temple members of Christ, are exposed and eliminated.  (Mal 3:18; Eph 5:11; Jer 23:29; 2 Pet 3:7; Rev 12:7,8; 20:7-9,14) 
    The tower built by the organization’s false teachers, is very close to collapsing.  (Matt 7:24-27; Ezek 13:9:14; 38:19-20) 
    The draw of power, riches and authority, will be the downfall of these “clever” fools, who have profaned the name of God.  (Rom 2:19-21,24) 
    “Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no intention of acquiring wisdom?”  Prov 17:16
    "Walk away from a fool—
    for you will find no knowledge on his lips.
    8 The wisdom of the prudent is to consider his way,
    but the folly of fools is deception.
    9 Fools mock guilt of sin,
    but among the upright is goodwill.
    The house of the wicked will be demolished,
    but the tent of the upright will flourish.
    12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
    but its end is the way to death.
    The naïve believes every word,
    but the shrewd discerns his steps.
    16 The wise fears and turns away from evil,
    but the fool is hotheaded and reckless.
    18 The naïve inherit folly,
    but the prudent are crowned with knowledge." Proverbs 14
     

  4. Upvote
    lentaylor71 got a reaction from BroRando in Presence of Christ Foretold (2x) 29 CE & 1914 CE   
    Genesis 6:3 was reduced to 120 years because of v 4,5,6,7" so Jehovah said: "Iam going to wipe men (Inteded to lived for 120 years)whom I have created off the surface of the groud.
    Because vers 11,12 13., the earth was full of violence.
    In the prayer of Moses, the man of the true God said at Psalm 90:" The span of our life is 70 years , or 80 if one is especially strong."
     
  5. Like
    lentaylor71 reacted to Witness in Bro Rando is a rogue jw, which jw's here believe in him?   
    On your website:
    3487 hits for “Jehovah’s organization” in the same paragraph
    21 results for “spirit-directed organization”
    312 results for “Jehovah’s earthly organization”
    84 results for “loyalty to Jehovah’s organization
    12 results for “mountainlike organization”
    I didn’t pursue “dedication to Jehovah’s organization”, “obey Jehovah’s organization”, or all the various combinations of the words.
    What are they adding up to?  idolatry
    Can any of you tell me where God’s word condones loyalty, worship, dedication, obedience to ANYTHING, whether a philosophy or a physical entity, other than the Father and His word in His Son?  The apostles set a foundation of a “building” being built on truth – Jesus Christ.  Did they tell lies?  Did they make false predictions?  Or, did they warn against making false predictions?  2 Thess 2:1,2   Do God’s words given to Moses, not have any validity anymore?  Deut. 18:20-22
    Since we have proof that your organization has told lies, did God who spoke those words in Deut. 18 to Moses, build your organization, or did men?  Why would God bless an organization that contradicts the words of truth, established within the foundation of His spiritual Temple? (1 Pet 2:5,9; 1 Cor 3:16; Eph 2:20-22)   ANYONE, who puts down the Harlot’s wine, rejecting your leadership’s teachings, sobers up to the hypocrisy that flourishes in the Wt. (Rev 17:1,2; [Rev 1:5]; Rev 13:17;16:13; 1 Tim 4:1) Some who truly desire to know the Truth presented by Jesus Christ, reject your organization once they realize it is built on falsehoods.  This is why people who have left, will not quit speaking against the Wt, until Jesus returns to destroy it with the breath of his mouth – to condemn it using the Word of God.  (2 Thess 2: 9,10,8; Jer 23:29; Rev 12:7-9)
    And…this is why anointed who have been “killed” by the wicked slave, will not quit speaking their testimony of Christ.  (Matt 24:48-51; Rev 13:15; 11:1-4,7; 12:11) The only way they can hope to retrieve any of you and their loved ones, or the anointed under your rule @xero  - as you are, or were, part of the man of lawlessness/elder body sitting in the Temple of God - is to sound the trumpet to get out of the “beloved organization”.  (Matt 24:15,16; 2 Thess 2:3,4; Rev 11:1,2; 14:6-12; Rev 18:4-8)  The anointed are trampled down in that corrupt haven – a “god of fortresses” or “forces”. Elders are to be viewed as a shelter, and sources of strength and protection in times of need, the definitions of “forces”.   The organization is your stronghold and place of refuge against the world.  If that is not an idol, tell me what is.  Dan 11:38
    “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done.” Dan 11:36
    You have already done this, by slandering the anointed “gods” (spirit sons of God) in comments made here on this forum. You, as a fake "priest" have exalted the organization over God’s Temple/Zion (Ezek 44:6-9) You do realize that most likely anointed could come through here to read.  I hope by your comments, they see the connection of the man of lawlessness/elder body/organization ruling and blaspheming the sanctuary/Temple of God.  1 Cor 3:16, 17; Rev 13:5-7.
    Any rival against God and what He builds, does not last. (Rev 13:4; 8:8; Zech 4:7) Any idol worshiped by God’s people, never brought salvation to them.  Their fall into idolatry only gained them affliction, famine, pestilence and destruction.    (Rev 18:8; 19:20)
    Zech 7:3-6 - Then the word of the Lord Almighty came to me: 5 “Ask all the people of the land and the priests (1 Pet 2:5,9),  ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? 6 And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves? 
    Exod 20: 3-6 – You shall have no other gods before Me.
    4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. “
    The organization mimics other organizations built “in the earth beneath”.  It is served, and bowed down to, by dedication at baptism.   (2 Cor 11:4,20; Rev 13:4,16)
    “For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”
    Can any of you truly say you love God, while condoning the trampling down of the members of the body of His Son?  Hypocrisy, which is shown by the exaltation of the elder body over the anointed ones of God's Temple/dwelling in spirit.  Mark 13:14
    He's not jealous for the “mountainlike organization” that men have built, but only for Mountain that He built on the anointed body of Christ. (John 2:19-21) The organization has no part in building Mount Zion, as its demonic purpose is to destroy it by seducing God’s anointed “living stones” to worship an idol. (Rev 12:1-4,15)  Only by the spirit of God in His Son, will it reach completion outside of the organization.  (Rev 16:12; Zech 4:7,13,14)
    2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.” This is what the Lord says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City, and the mountain of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.”  Zech 8:2
    Rev 21:10
    People will make their choice, as you have, to either love the organization, or choose to love and give total devotion to God and Christ and his Truth.  You can’t love both, and expect to please God.  Matt 6:24; Joel 3:14
    I once did fall for propaganda, that the organization belonged to God.  As can be seen by xero's comment, forgetting about God's Word is easy to do, when putting the organization and men's doctrine on a pedestal.   Who is the "idiot" (said by xero), the one who chooses to serve the Father and the Son in "spirit and truth", (John 4:23,24) or the one who serves an organization, the work of man's hands, and  an idol of "men's devising"?  Acts 17:24,25,29
  6. Upvote
    lentaylor71 reacted to JW Insider in Bible Prophecy and 2034. Will you gain spiritual discernment to become a Survivor of the Last Days?   
    If we use Matthew, Mark, Luke (but not John) we see that Jesus died around 3pm on Friday, just before Sabbath, which would have started around 7:30pm close to Nisan 14. (The Jewish calendar, as you know, starts the new day at sundown.) Jesus remained in the grave the entire Sabbath day (Saturday), and sometime Sunday morning, the women came to the grave and found the body missing, signifying that Jesus had already been raised up.
    At a minimum, therefore, Jesus had therefore been dead for at least 4.5 hours on Friday. Then then entire 24 hours on Saturday. And anywhere from 0 hours to 11 hours on Sunday. Assuming he had been raised during the night watch, or no later than around 6am on Sunday when the women came to the grave. (7:30pm to 6:30am is 11 hours). If we assume, for argument's sake, about half way into the overnight watch, then Jesus was raised around 1:30am.
    So 4/24ths + 24/24ths +6/24 = 34/24ths. (=1+10/24ths) So Jesus was in the grave for around, we could guess, the equivalent of 1.4 days. If you decided to multiply that by 1000 years (per day) you would get only 1,400 years. If you tried to be accurate you could not get less than 1.1875days or 1,188 years and not more than 1.64 days or 1,640 years.
    Of course, you are using Hosea to give you the excuse to round off all of this to two days. (So that you can add exactly 2,000 years to 33CE.) But the Greek Scriptures already round off the number of days to 3, since it was parts of 3 days (even if only a small part of Friday, and a small part of Sunday). This is why the parallel to Jonah was made (where Jonah was in the "grave" for three days). 
    I don't see where you find the right to round off to two days in the "grave" if the Bible rounds to three days, and it was literally only about a day-and-a-half from 3pm Friday to 6am Sunday.
    This whole thing reminds me of the assumption Russell once published, that because the Bible says Abraham's sacrifice of a bird was a "young bird" that the bird can be assumed to be "one year old" and he therefore it was turned into exactly 360 years, using a day for a year and multiplying the year times 360.
    To me, all this seems like you are taking extreme liberties with statements of the Bible that have already been fulfilled, and you are trying to push another fulfillment onto them. I also agree with Arauna that the entire idea of using Jesus' death and resurrection to create a new prophecy does not seem correct. It seems presumptuous to base a prediction of a new prophecy onto one that the Bible says was fulfilled.
  7. Upvote
    lentaylor71 reacted to Patiently waiting for Truth in Bible Prophecy and 2034. Will you gain spiritual discernment to become a Survivor of the Last Days?   
    Quite obvious really. YHWH existed a long time before 'worldly time' was invented. There were no planets so no measurements of time in that way. 
    Humans think too much of themselves and want things done according to their timeline. YHWH will not be rushed into anything like that. 
    But 'Rambo' and others, including the GB, will keep on pretending they know more than eveyone else.
    Of course, one day, Yeshua will give information to the spiritual 'JEW' and then the 'Ten men' will have some direction to follow. But that spiritual JEW will not be the present GB of JW org. 
  8. Upvote
    lentaylor71 reacted to JW Insider in Bible Prophecy and 2034. Will you gain spiritual discernment to become a Survivor of the Last Days?   
    Please explain the difference between the first part of that scripture and the second part. After all there is an "AND" between the two parts so we should be able to understand both the first portion AND the second portion.
    The first part says that one day with Jehovah is as a thousand years. That should be pretty easy. It would mean that one 24-hour day to a man is like 1000-years with Jehovah. Obviously it doesn't mean that Jehovah is 365,000 times slower than humans (as some people consider slowness). Perhaps it could imply that Jehovah can easily manage 1,000 years worth of heavenly accomplishments in a human's 24-hour period of earthly doings.
    Then the second part seems to say the opposite: that 1,000 years of human, earthly doings is like only one day to Jehovah. It's mostly the second part of the verse that Peter is apparently using to show why that final judgment parousia had not begun yet, and why people were already, in those last days, ridiculing the parousia expectations during that first century.
    But when we take both those ideas together, we see that it is really saying that Jehovah is outside of human time restrictions. It's not about giving us a formula that only relies on the second part of the verse. We can't just select only the part that seems useful to our theories. We have to take the whole Bible, where both these statements are true:
    24 hours seems like 1,000 years to Jehovah   (1:365,000) 1,000 years seems like 24 hours to Jehovah   (365,000:1)
  9. Upvote
    lentaylor71 reacted to Dmitar in Are JWs in America back on the 'door to door' work now ?   
    True, that's why you should keep your mouth shut to things you don't understand. Mainly human behavior and scripture.
  10. Like
    lentaylor71 reacted to JW Insider in Are JWs in America back on the 'door to door' work now ?   
    This is exactly the point. Thanks. The Watchtower has ALWAYS turned the generation into a zone of dates. When the Watchtower's previous zone of dates was no longer tenable, there was an excellent opportunity to understand it in the way that Robert Wohl would have described it. But instead, it became a zone of dates again when it was "determined" that the great tribulation must occur within the zone of dates before a younger generation of anointed (whose lives overlapped with the earlier generation of anointed) would themselves die out:
    *** w10 6/15 p. 5 United in Love—Annual Meeting Report ***
    Brother Barr made clear that the gathering would not continue indefinitely. He referred to Matthew 24:34, which says: “This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.” He twice read the comment: “Jesus evidently meant that the lives of the anointed ones who were on hand when the sign began to be evident in 1914 would overlap with the lives of other anointed ones who would see the start of the great tribulation.” We do not know the exact length of “this generation,” but it includes these two groups whose lives overlap. Even though the anointed vary in age, those in the two groups constituting the generation are contemporaries during part of the last days. How comforting it is to know that the younger anointed contemporaries of those older anointed ones who discerned the sign when it became evident beginning in 1914 will not die off before the great tribulation starts!
    As Brother Splane has explained, by using a chart, that generation has now become a zone of dates from 1914 (through at least 1992 when Fred Franz died) and then extending only so far out as to when the last of the once-contemporary, younger "generation" of anointed have not completely died out.
    That definition, although very specific, has become rather sloppy in the retelling. Just note the following two points that are now part of the explanation. I'll mark in red, the points that are problematic:
    *** ws14 1/15 pp. 30-31 pars. 14-16 “Let Your Kingdom Come”—But When? ***
    When prophecy was not fulfilled in the way that they expected in 1914, what did they do? Most of them continued serving Jehovah faithfully and endured trials and persecution. Over the years, most, if not all, of those anointed ones have remained faithful until death.
    15 In his prophecy about the last days of Satan’s world, Jesus said: “This generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen.” (Read Matthew 24:33-35.) When Jesus mentioned “this generation,” we understand that he was speaking about two groups of anointed Christians. The first group was present in 1914 and understood that Christ began ruling as King in that year. Those who made up this group were not only alive in 1914, but they had also been anointed by holy spirit in or before that year.—Romans 8:14-17.
    16 All those in the second group included in “this generation” were not simply alive but were anointed with holy spirit during the time that some members of the first group were still alive on earth. So not every anointed person today is included in “this generation” whom Jesus spoke about. Today, those in the second group are getting older. Yet, Jesus’ words at Matthew 24:34 make us confident that at least some of “this generation will by no means pass away” before seeing the start of the great tribulation.
    '...most, if not all..."
    I'm not sure about the purpose of the claim made here, but the early Watchtowers indicated that "most" of the anointed during the period leading up to 1914 actually left the Watchtower Society. Many left immediately after 1914 failed to include the predictions for that year. (The Watchtower later pointed to 1915 as the actual date for the end of the Gentile Times.)  A much larger portion left during the 1917-1918 period based on the actions taken by Rutherford. By 1927-1928 when so many of Russell's teachings had been abandoned, it was apparently "MOST" of those who had been considered anointed in 1914 who had left the Watchtower Society by then. A few exceptions actually came back to the Watchtower. Long-time Governing Body member, Brother Karl Klein, left the Watchtower to join the Standfasters (Part of the "evil slave," per Rutherford), but Brother Klein came back. Listening to the stories and experiences from Karl Klein and Fred Franz and my great-grandfather, and one-time colporteur Percy Harding, they all claimed that it was MOST of the anointed who had been unfaithful, at least to the Watchtower. If the Watchtower's statement above is correct, it must be based on the idea that they were still faithful to Jehovah even after leaving the Watchtower Society, or that those who left were never anointed in the first place.
    This is reminiscent of the claim made in 1982 about the earlier Liberian persecution:
    *** w82 4/15 p. 26 par. 19 Enduring Joyfully Despite Persecution ***
    While a few did give way and compromise because of fear, the great majority maintained integrity.
    After that claim was made, someone pointed out the error and a correction was printed:
    *** w82 7/15 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***
    . . . However, the Yearbook for 1977 states that the majority compromised their faith. Why this discrepancy?
    The statement in The Watchtower for April 15, 1982, is in error. Actually, according to the Yearbook of 1977, pages 176 and 178, there were about 100 Liberian Witnesses who went through the Gbarnga persecution maintaining integrity, while approximately 200 compromised their faith.
    "The first group was present in 1914 and understood that Christ began ruling as King in that year."
    I think that all of us know the problem with this claim. The first group that was present in 1914 did NOT understand that Christ began ruling as King in that year. For several more years, they all continued to claim that Jesus did NOT begin ruling as King in that year. Instead, the Watchtower continued to teach them that Jesus had begun ruling as King in 1878. Hints came about half-a-decade later that this date might change, or even get pushed back from 1878 to 1874 (See Rutherford's famous Cedar Point talk in 1922). But it wasn't until more than a decade later, in the late 1920's and early 1930's that 1914 became the new date for Jesus to have begun ruling as King.
    In fact, the idea that Jesus had been invisibly present since 1874 did not become officially and fully revised until 1943:
    *** ka chap. 11 pp. 209-210 par. 55 “Here Is the Bridegroom!” ***
    In the year 1943 the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society published the book “The Truth Shall Make You Free.” . . .  Naturally this did away with the year 1874 C.E. as the date of return of the Lord Jesus Christ and the beginning of his invisible presence or parousia. . . .  Page 324 of the above book positively says: “The King’s presence or parousia began in 1914.”
    So, if none of the anointed ever really discerned the sign of Jesus Kingship and presence in 1914, and didn't discern it until 1943, then perhaps there wasn't even a real need to come up with the overlapping generations theory. I personally know someone who was anointed before 1943 who is still alive and faithful.
  11. Upvote
    lentaylor71 reacted to Dmitar in Are JWs in America back on the 'door to door' work now ?   
    Yet, you still fail to see what the professor was attempting to discern by your meaningless example of two different issues, symbolic times lines, and generational limits. 
    One can overlap while the other runs without restrains. Aside from learning scripture, take a course on human nature of probabilities. 
  12. Upvote
    lentaylor71 reacted to Arauna in Are JWs in America back on the 'door to door' work now ?   
    Jesus appointed them as the slave..... he did NOT anoint them as the slave according to the illutration.  The only time a GROUP was anointed was when the first fruits of the Holy Spirit was poured out at pentecost. 
  13. Like
    lentaylor71 got a reaction from Srecko Sostar in The Generation of 1914 truly doesn't pass away until 2034.   
    I don't believe Jesus was referring to 2034 when he said this generation.
    The goalposts have moved many times on this subject and the GB have not been infused by the Holy Spirit regarding the 1914 and has become a problematic .
  14. Upvote
    lentaylor71 got a reaction from Matthew9969 in The Generation of 1914 truly doesn't pass away until 2034.   
    I don't believe Jesus was referring to 2034 when he said this generation.
    The goalposts have moved many times on this subject and the GB have not been infused by the Holy Spirit regarding the 1914 and has become a problematic .
  15. Like
    lentaylor71 reacted to BroRando in The Sealing of the 144,000 is at hand...   
    Would You like to be a Member of the Great Crowd that survives the Last Days?
    In response one of the elders said to me: “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?” (Rev 7:13)
    So right away I said to him: “My lord, you are the one who knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Rev 7:14) As these Last Days reach their end, "All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." (Matthew 25:32) However, just before Jesus told his disciples about a separation work that would take place, he informs them, "Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again." (Matthew 24:20-21) Notice the grammar that Jesus Christ was using. He did not say there will be 'a great tribulation' but rather he stated, 'there will be great tribulation'.
    "During that time {Jesus Christ} will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of your people. And there will occur a time of distress such as has not occurred since there came to be a nation until that time. And during that time your people will escape, everyone who is found written down in the book." (Daniel 12:1) Today, we have entered into the Wintertime of Satan's system of things. The world of mankind whether righteous or unrighteous, are undergoing a time of distress. For then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.
    So I am asking again. Would You like to be a Member of the Great Crowd that survives the Last Days? Notice what the end of Daniel 12:1 reads. "And during that time your people will escape, everyone who is found written down in the book." If you would like to escape these Last Days with Your Life and keep on living into Christ's Millennial Reign, please accept this Invitation in order to be counted. (limited time offer)
    JW.org
    Memorial of Jesus’ Death
    View the full article
  16. Like
    lentaylor71 reacted to BroRando in The Sealing of the 144,000 is at hand...   
    Jehovah's Day is Spiritual.  


    Jehovah's Day is a 'timed event' that will soon bring an end to all wickedness. (Matthew 24:14) The fulfillment of this prophecy was unknown to the angels and even Jesus Christ himself was not privy to the timing of this Great Day. (Matthew 24:36)

    Jehovah's Day is well prophesied in the Bible throughout the scriptures. It is linked to the Conclusion of Satan's Wicked and Violent World during the Last Days. Jehovah's Day is a transition period that brings an End to the Last Days and ushers in Christ's Millennial Reign as Christ's Political Enemies are brought to nothing under his feet.

    Can we expect Jehovah's Day to begin after the sealing process ends? Yes, we can. Matter of fact, the scriptures counsel us to Keep in Expectation of it! We read: “The vision is yet for the appointed time, and it keeps panting on to the end, and it will not tell a lie. Even if it should delay, keep in expectation of it; for it will without fail come true. It will not be late.” (Habakkuk 2:3)
    What does this tell us? Jehovah's Day will not be late, we may not recognize it at first. After all, the flesh melting off the bones and eyeballs dropping out of the eye sockets is figurative speech as to what happens to someone who has been pitched into Gehenna or the fiery furnace. They die the second death without knowing it, an everlasting death of destruction. Oh... they will become hostile and vindictive, for Jesus states, 'that is where there weeping and gnashing of teeth will be.'

    The wicked simply die off, the scriptures go on and tell us, "All the peoples of the earth will have to see that Jehovah’s name has been called upon you, and they will be afraid of you." (Deuteronomy 28:10) We have no need to worry about a date, nor do we need to worry about losing our Kingdom Halls. We worship Jehovah with spirit and truth. (John 4:24)

    Nevertheless, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshippers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for indeed, the Father is looking for ones like these to worship him." (John 4:23) Serve Jehovah faithfully to your end and you won't have an end. Keep walking and remember Lot's wife.... Ready or Not, Jehovah's Day is coming...

    Read more...
  17. Like
    lentaylor71 reacted to Witness in KING OF THE NORTH - MAY BROADCAST   
    The other day, my son video-taped his visit to a car wash. To accompany the ride, he chose endearing music from a movie about the journeys of a stuffed toy bear. I have always had dubious concerns of ground water pollution from copious amounts of rainbow-colored soap and the excess waste of water. However, while watching his video, I was fascinated how the merging of color, water and music transformed a trip to the carwash, into a captivating fantasy ride of illusion. It was enjoyable to watch, and it effectively drew my attention away from the harm those chemicals could cause to the environment.
    Recently, the “king of the north” spoken of in the book of Daniel, was the topic of May’s broadcast. (Dan 11:13) The organization’s leaders are progressive experts at creating illusions, to keep their untrustworthy teachings fresh and appealing. (Isa 30:10) Just as my son’s video of combined special effects drew my attention away from my previous skepticism, it appears the governing leaders were doing their best to squelch all doubts about the “king’s” identity, that a JW may possibly harbor in their heart. (1 John 4:1) 
    They have spun a great big story about its various players, complete with a fancy chart, news clips from past wars, background music and firsthand experiences. The end result pulls one’s attention away from the real danger lurking among JWs. (Neh 6:10-13; Jer 14:14; John 10:7-13; 2 Tim 4:3,4) 
    Since 1870, this king has changed its identity three times. It is very convenient that actions in the world have aided in fulfilling a physical display of this king, that has persecuted JWs over the years. It surely has satisfied the need for the organization to prophesy falsehoods. (Prov 26:28) Now, it is said that Russia and its allies “may well be the king of the north”. Despite the fanfare announcing the king’s identity, it appears the governing speaker left the door ajar for “new light”. (Isa 50:10; 59:9) There “may well be”’ another king of the north in the future; but by their profound proposition, once hearing this video JWs will believe it is a fact that Russia is the present king of the north. 
    The anointed priesthood is under the New Covenant in Christ. This covenant promise is referred to as “New Jerusalem”/“Jerusalem above” – heavenly Jerusalem. (Heb 8:6-10; 9:15; Gal 4:26; Rev 3:12) 
    During the last days, it is prophesied that God’s holy people are confronted by a large army that rules over them. Would it be recognized as a military army suppressing not only JWs, but other religions in a specific area, which has happened in Russia? (Joel 2:1,2,6; Rev 9:3,4,7,8; Ps 57:4; Rev 13:5-7; 16:13-16; 20:7-9) 
    What did Jesus say about this tribulation that would come upon the saints in the last days?
    Matt 24:4,5,24,25 - Jesus answered them, “Be careful not to let anyone deceive you. 5 Many will come using my name. They will say, ‘I am the Messiah (“anointed”),’ and they will deceive many people.”
    “False messiahs and false prophets will appear. They will work spectacular, miraculous signs and do wonderful things to deceive, if possible, even those whom God has chosen. Listen! I’ve told you this before it happens.”
    Any time in the past when armies and nations were allowed to conquer or take captive God’s chosen people, they had strayed from His decrees. We see this pattern of discipline throughout the Hebrew scriptures. If the warning call that was spoken through His prophets was unheeded, God removed His spiritual protection, and the enemy victimized Israel. (2 Kings 17:5-17; Isa 58:1) The practice of idolatry and listening to false prophets/teachers was the primary reason for their suffering, and was viewed by God as spiritual harlotry. (Deut 32:15; Ezek 13:8,10,12; 16:26-29; 20:21,30,32; Exod 32:2-6; 1 Cor 10:7,8) 
    But today’s enemy that God has allowed to overcome the saints, brings about the great tribulation. (Zech 8:9,10; Dan 12:1; Matt 24:21,22) This enemy uses a different tactic, other than the obvious. (Matt 24:24; 2 Cor 11:2-4,13,14; 2 Thess 2:9-10; Rev 13:13,14) 
    The anointed have fallen captive to fabricated stories about an organization that will lead its devoted members into the Kingdom to come. Although Jesus and the apostles tell God’s servants to be on the lookout for false teachers who would deceive the elect, in the last 150 years the anointed and thousands along with them, were taken captive, nonetheless. (Ezek 21:24; Matt 24:11; Luke 21:24; 2 Pet 2:1-3; 2 Tim 4:3,4;Eph 5:6; Col 2:8; Rev 13:10) 
    Yes, today, through the allurement of theories, charts, news clips and videos, the attention of God’s people is directed away from the spiritual war at hand. (Ps 36:3; 101:7;Prov 11:9;26:24-26; Jer 23:25,32) (1 Pet 5:8,9; James 4:7; Rev 13:5-7; 12:3,4,15) 
    Although God’s anointed have sinned, this time their sins are not so apparent, since they believe they are rightly preaching the good news, and living by God’s standards. (Lam 2:14 :Isa 30:10; 6:10; Zech 7563:11 ) They take comfort in trusting the seemingly righteous “slave”, as their leaders are called, is providing “food at the proper time”. (Isa 28:1,7,8,14,15; Amos 8:11; 2 Chron 15:3; Rev 6:5,6,8; 18:8; 13:17) 
    We remember the prediction that Jesus proclaimed against Jerusalem:
    Luke 21:20 - “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that its desolation has come near. 21 Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Those inside the city must leave it, and those who are in the country must not enter it, 22 because these are days of vengeance to fulfill all the things that are written.”
    For those under the new covenant, does this prediction contain any spiritual merit today?
    Consider the massive world-wide army at large within the organization. To paraphrase a book about remaining “in God’s love”, it describes the survival of an army as dependent on full obedience and cooperation toward the hierarchy of command. It then states that within that organization, compromising could put each soldier of the army in danger. The book describes “Jehovah’s” appointed servants as an army. This army of servants, is the elder body. Rebelling against appointed elders whom they say God “has put in authority over us” will put everyone at risk. The hierarchy of command must be respected.
    Is the anointed “royal priesthood” exempt from this human authority placed over JWs? (1 Pet 2:5,9) No. Their role as God’s priests, has become quite insignificant and meaningless. (Isa 21:10; Dan 11:31; 2 Thess 2:4; 2 Cor 11:20) 
    In a discussion about the anointed ruling as active priests today (Mal 2:7), one JW here recently said, “do we not have enough spirit of God? What if they are pretending to be anointed and start to lord it over the sheep?” Isn’t it interesting how she cannot envision the pretentious counterfeit priesthood in the elder body, lording it over all JWs, especially the anointed Temple dwelling of God. (1 Cor 3:16,17; Eph 2:20-22) She apparently suffers from a false sense of “peace and security”, believing fully that God’s spirit has abundantly blessed the organization. (Jer 6:14; 1 Thess 5:3)
    Under the rule of a wicked slave, the anointed are beat down into silence. (Jer 23:1,2,11; Matt 24:48-51)  These “living stones” have forfeited their “princely” role to become slaves of men who demand their obedience. (Eccl 10:5-7; Joel 1:6; Rev 9:7,8; Ps 57:4; Prov 24:15,16; John 10:7,8) Those that do stand and speak out supporting their Head Jesus Christ and his truths; those who proclaim that their people are downtrodden, and explain why, are then disfellowshipped. (Prov 31:8,9; John 16:2; Rev 13:11,12,15) “New Jerusalem” is surrounded by this army of elders who have been granted full authority over them, by false prophets. 
    In the latest monthly broadcast on the king of the north, it is hard to narrow it down to just one lie. They worked diligently to hide all truth, going so far as stating that this “king” has had three different identities since the 1870’s. What I find interesting is that their version of each king of the north, as physical nations persecuting JWs, were generally limited to the countries they mentioned – Germany, Soviet Union, and today, Russia. We don’t see JWs in the U.S., Canada, or the majority of other nations, suffering as those in Russia are presently experiencing. Does this really fulfill Bible prophesy as outlined in Daniel 11?
    When God’s holy people are surrounded by the enemy of the north, this means that all of anointed “Israel” come under the dominate rule over them. Dan 10:14 and Gal 6:16 was referred to as spiritual Israel being the target of persecution, yet it was never clearly specified just who are “Israel”. (Rom 2:28,29) I can imagine that all JWs fully believe they are God’s chosen spiritual “Jews”, which only refers to the anointed priesthood/”living stones” of God’s Temple and Body of Christ. (1 Pet 2:5; Col 1:19; 2:9; John 14:23; 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19) I suppose this generalization helps support their theory of JWs suffering in Russia. 
    To make their claim, it was necessary to select certain scriptures and apply them to each “king of the north” for its physical fulfillment. As a whole, one of the three identities could not fulfill all cited scriptures. Not so, when applying Daniel’s abomination of desolation/”disgusting thing” ruling over or ”sitting” in the Temple of God, which is the elder body. (Dan 9:27; Matt 24:15,16; Mark 13:14; 2 Thess 2:3,4; Rev 11:1,2) The “daily sacrifice” or “constant feature” has been removed from the anointed priests and replaced with sacrifices to an idol, offered by the counterfeit priesthood in the elder body. (Dan 11:31) 
    However, the governing leader states that this “constant feature” was removed by Germany, which “hurled denunciations against the holy covenant.” The removal of this constant feature is said to be the limitation of JWs to preach in that country. Again, those under the holy New Covenant, are the anointed.
    The "daily sacrifices" are connected to the priesthood selected by God, since it has been established. Under Aaron, these sacrifices provided atonement for sins on behalf of the people. Today, in the spiritual Temple of God, of which they are members of, they offer sacrifices of praise and truth. (Num 18:5,7, 8; Heb 10:11; 1 Pet 2:5; Heb 13:15; 1 Cor 3:16; Rev 5:9,10) 
    To add to their lies, these leaders tell us that after WWII, the “disgusting thing standing in the holy place” (Matt 24:15) was set up by the Soviet Union, another king of the north, and Britain; that being, the United Nations. There is no holy place (God’s Temple /sanctuary or otherwise) in, or near the United Nations.
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/restorationofjacob/permalink/1011610505678879
     
    The fourth Beast of Daniel, is the enemy of the north, and is Revelation’s Wild Beast from the Sea. (Dan 7:23; Rev 13:1,2) This enemy is described as locusts/scorpions in the book of Joel and in Rev. 9. It is the “man of lawlessness” in 2 Thess 2:3,4. Today’s “Israel” is spiritual; the “northern” enemy that God’s anointed fall captive under, are “Gentiles”. The organization claims the Gentile times ended in 1914. (Luke 21:24) Even when looking through their physical lens, how do they justify this, in the light of persecution JWs suffer in certain nations? And although they are in error of the identity of today’s “disgusting thing standing in the holy place”, (which originally was the Gentile Roman army invading Jerusalem and the temple) why do they claim it is present today, if the Gentile times are over? 
    Pearl Doxsey:
    First, the power of the Gentiles over ALL CHOSEN, is a common test which all are subjected to previous to being sealed, no matter when they live.
    This is why Paul said that the "man of lawlessness" was already present in the first century (2 Thess 2:7). The "man of lawlessness" is Satan's seed, but it is Gentile (from the "sea") (not Chosen/anointed), symbolized by the Wild Beasts from the "sea" (Dan 7:3; Rev 13:1).
    The fourth Beast has ten horns (Dan 7:7; Rev 13:1).... identical to its father, Satan (Rev 12:3). 
    As such, the Wild Beast is Satan's son ("son of destruction" –2 Thess 2:3; Rev 9:11),
    heir to Satan's dominion, as we see at Rev 13:1,2,4. The Gentile "man of lawlessness" is called the "son of destruction" (2 Thess 2:3). 
    Satan is "destruction" (Rev 9:11; Isa 33:1; John 10:10). 
    This "son" consists of the Gentiles that are raised up [by means of "weeds"/harlots/false prophets/wicked steward [Rev 9:1,3; 13:11,15; 17:7; 19:20; Dan 8:24]
    …in the midst of the Holy Temple priesthood, and they trample it (Rev 11:2; 13:6; 2 Thess 2:4; Dan 11:36,38; Jer 19:4) (Dan 11:23; Rev 13:14,15; 19:20). 
    From “Gentile Times”/”Great Tribulation”/Cleansed Priesthood
    It was stated in the broadcast, that C.T. Russel, the man who predicted Armageddon’s arrival in 1914, and who proclaimed the Great Pyramid of Giza as “God’s stone witness”, is said to have discarded teachings not based on the Bible. Unbelievably, his writings were compared to the early Christians who 'concentrated on truths in God’s word'. He and his group are said to be the “messenger” of Mal 3:1 who prepared the way “before Jehovah”. Jesus had commented that the first messenger to prepare the “way”, was John the Baptist, in the spirit of Elijah. (Mal 3:1; Matt 11:10; 17:10-13) 
    The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, ‘This is the one I spoke about when I said, “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.”’) John 1:14,15
    Why wasn’t the organization’s messenger preparing the way for the coming of God’s Son and representative, Jesus Christ?” The inspired message of “Elijah” that arrives in the last days, is to the anointed priesthood, whose “daily sacrifices” have been cut off by the “man of lawlessness”.  Through deceit, God’s anointed have allowed it to happen.  Jesus reminds them of this in Rev 3:8-13.  (Mal 3:1-6; Matt 25:1-13)     
    Dan 11:38, is another cited scripture in the broadcast – “Instead, he will honor a god of fortresses—a god his ancestors did not know—with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches.”
    What organization of “fortresses”/towers, does the full leadership admonish JWs to give respect and honor to? No, this scripture is not fulfilled by the Soviet Union, that ‘tried to eliminate religion in the lands under its control’. It is fulfilled by the “mountainlike organization” that has thrown truth to the ground by trampling God's priests and the truth held in their hearts. (Dan 8:12) Faithful JWs will not abandon the idol they believe will bring them salvation. (Jer 2:11; 1:16; Rom 1:25; Rev 13:4,15; Dan 8:24)
    The leader mentioned a few times how the enemy comes against the “land of decoration”, defining this land as the entire activity of JWs, including worship through meetings and field ministry. (Dan 8:9; 11:16; 11:41) More appropriately, the translation for these scriptures should be the “beautiful”/”glorious”/”pleasant” land – God’s “land”/”inhabited earth” – the dwelling of His Spirit and Temple built on the body of Christ. (John 14:23;2:21; 1 Cor 3:9,16; Eph 2:20-22) 
    Regarding this “man of lawlessness”/ enemy from the north, and his transgressions against God’s homeland, Dan 11:45 states:
    “He will pitch his royal tents between the seas and the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.”
    “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.” Dan 12:1
    “And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord will be saved;
    for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
    there will be deliverance,
    as the Lord has said,
    even among the survivors
    whom the Lord calls.” Joel 2:32
     
    https://4womaninthewilderness.blogspot.com/
    "The Sign of the Son of Man"
    Two Witnesses/"Elijah" and "Moses"
    "World"/"Earth"/"Home"
     

     
     
  18. Like
    lentaylor71 reacted to TrueTomHarley in Watch Tower Ups Pressure on YouTube & Facebook To Hand Over Infringers’ Details   
    Let us take this sneering remark seriously for a moment.
    In the greater scheme of things, what really was Voltaire? A brief point of relative light, but also a bridge connecting one train wreck to another.
    The train wreck of religious intolerance he battled all his life, and to a significant degree, he won that battle.
    But in a very short time, even during his lifetime, atheists usurped his work to provide underpinnings of their own rising movement—another train wreck. Voltaire was an initial hero of the French Revolution, but in short order, as inferior atheistic thinkers took over, he was downgraded as too moderate. Many of his own followers (Voltaire himself was dead by then) fell victim to the guillotine themselves when they resisted the fanatical excesses of those atheists.
    Meanwhile, the light that he offered was but relative, in that he refused any revelatory look at God, and thus missed out on solving the problem of evil, since that is only solved through such searching. He may even have represented “one step forward, two steps back.” The step forward is to win against intolerance. The step back is to repudiate the means though which God gives explanation of himself AND to smoothe the way for atheism. Maybe even three steps back, for in declaring the issue of evil insoluble after grappling with it the best part of his life, he plants the notion in the educated people that adore him that it actually is. 
    So is he required reading for JW members? No. He is an elective. Read him if you will. It will be beneficial if you do. But by no means is he indispensable to having one’s head on straight. Make him the centerpiece of your education, and it all but guarantees you will not have your head on straight. The JW organization will never recommend that members read Voltaire. Nor will they ever disparage him, at least no more than I have done above. They would have members direct their primary focus on what does deliver with regard to life’s more important things.
     
  19. Like
    lentaylor71 reacted to Srecko Sostar in Watch Tower Ups Pressure on YouTube & Facebook To Hand Over Infringers’ Details   
    Well said. Although, the topic gets heated from the moment you send 8 million people to preach that all religions will be destroyed because they don’t believe the way they should believe in God, and that’s the JW way. At such a moment, the alleged tolerance of another’s religious belief becomes an empty phrase. On one side JW gave picture of how tolerant they as people are, but in same time preaching how they worship intolerant God who will destroy them/other people because of their religion.
    Does a JW member "like" someone else's religion? If he liked it, he might become a member of such a religion. But the JW member only likes his religion, and towards others he does not have such a kind of tolerance nor does he have it in such quantity that he would “like it”. Please nicely, let us explain what this might mean at all if a JW member have feeling and attitude; "I like other religions and I am very tolerant of them, but God will destroy them one day and i am glad that He will do it"?
    If it is so as you said what Massimo Introvigne stand for, then that is not JW way/model of "religious tolerance".
    OT records speaking about God who have no tolerance for false way of worshiping Him. Neither to worship some other God in different/opposite religion. And JW members also using such Bible verses to enforce and empower own religious attitude about this issue. By that, it is questionable about what sort of "religious tolerance" is about, here and now, inside JW Church.
     
  20. Upvote
    lentaylor71 got a reaction from Patiently waiting for Truth in The Generation of 1914 truly doesn't pass away until 2034.   
    I don't believe Jesus was referring to 2034 when he said this generation.
    The goalposts have moved many times on this subject and the GB have not been infused by the Holy Spirit regarding the 1914 and has become a problematic .
  21. Upvote
    lentaylor71 got a reaction from Witness in The Generation of 1914 truly doesn't pass away until 2034.   
    I don't believe Jesus was referring to 2034 when he said this generation.
    The goalposts have moved many times on this subject and the GB have not been infused by the Holy Spirit regarding the 1914 and has become a problematic .
  22. Downvote
    lentaylor71 got a reaction from César Chávez in The Generation of 1914 truly doesn't pass away until 2034.   
    I don't believe Jesus was referring to 2034 when he said this generation.
    The goalposts have moved many times on this subject and the GB have not been infused by the Holy Spirit regarding the 1914 and has become a problematic .
  23. Like
    lentaylor71 got a reaction from Patiently waiting for Truth in Jehovah's Witnesses demand 25 million from the state - Sweden   
    Its all about Money,Money!
  24. Thanks
    lentaylor71 got a reaction from Srecko Sostar in Jehovah's Witnesses demand 25 million from the state - Sweden   
    Its all about Money,Money!
  25. Upvote
    lentaylor71 got a reaction from Witness in Jehovah's Witnesses demand 25 million from the state - Sweden   
    Its all about Money,Money!
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