Theologians are indoctrinated with the denominational orientation of the theological school they attended. They may have a collection of facts in their possession but no truth. But don't kid yourself, Jehovah's Witnesses are indoctrinated too, only in a different way.
The Watchtower has developed a very effective program for overturning the centuries of accumulated doctrinal error taught by the great theological universities and preached from the pulpits of churches throughout the realm of Christendom. Jehovah's Witnesses can boast of knowing the truth, at least in regard to the basic Bible doctrines. I believe Jehovah's Witnesses are being used by Christ to accomplish the worldwide preaching of the good news that will precede the conclusion of the system of things. And therein lies the problem.
The Watchtower claims that the conclusion of the system, also known as the time of the end, began in 1914. Even though the Watchtower's end-times dogma can be overturned just as effectively as a pioneer can refute the Trinity, when it comes to making sure of all things - really examining the facts - Jehovah's Witnesses are not encouraged to be like the Beroeans. In fact, the easiest way someone in the organization can find themselves sitting in front of a judicial committee facing ex-communication is to openly question the Watchtower's 1914 teaching. I know. I have been there.
As far as studying the record of Jehovah's people in modern times, I am not sure if that is such a good idea. Evidently, Bethel means studying their approved "record," because otherwise there is a lot of unseemly facts that one might dredge up. Speaking of facts, did you know that originally the Watchtower proclaimed that Christ's invisible presence began in 1874 and that Jesus began ruling in his Kingdom in 1878? C.T. Russell adopted the seven times chronology from Adventists theology and supplemented it with pyramidology to pinpoint 1914 as the year God had marked off for the end of the world. Except, obviously, the world did not end then. As the years wore on the Watchtower re-worked 1914 to be the beginning of the end and the invisible parousia and the coming to power of the Kingdom were synched up and moved forward 40 years to 1914. This "adjustment" did not come until about 16 years after 1914.
But ought the truth about the paramount second coming of Christ be so causally shifted from one date to another? Is that not evidence of chicanery?
Then there is the matter of the invisible presence of Christ. From the earliest days of the original Allegheny Bible studies headed up by a young C.T. Russell, even though they were just beginning to unravel the doctrinal errors of the churches regarding the elementary things, Russell came up with this invisible parousia idea and it has never been seriously questioned---not at all, it has only become enshrined as unquestionable truth. But had the Bible Students been more Beroean-like they would have surely noted that at Hebrews 9:28 Paul used the expression "the second time he appears." It is worded similarly in the King James Bible and virtually all translations. Multitudes of people certainly saw Jesus the first time he appeared. How is it possible that the second time he appears will be invisible? Furthermore, the prophecy of Malachi, referring to the coming of the messenger of the covenant, states: "But who will endure the day of his coming, and who will be able to stand when he appears?" - Malachi 3:2
If we honestly consider the facts such as these we will at least consider the possibility that the Watchtower's invisible parousia is not true. And if you really want a 10-ton fact, according to Jehovah's purpose the Watchtower is deluded by an operation of Satan intended to deceive the chosen into accepting a false parousia. As it stands, I am a mere lone voice in the wilderness, but at some point, reality will burst through like a hypersonic missile. Then everyone will have to face the facts.
SIDE NOTES
SideNotes Archive AUGUST 2023 THE GREAT RESET The Open Conspiracy, as H.G. Wells once referred to the British Empire's scheme to destroy the nation-state system, is becoming more and more open. Of course, the real agenda of radical population reduction is not so
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Jehovah’s Witnesses: Face the Facts!
Audio of 1938 speech by J.F. Rutherford: Face the Facts With the ominous storm clouds of a second world war in as many decades looming large, on September 11, 1938, J.F. Rutherford delivered a public address at a convention of Jehovah's Witnesses from the prestigious Royal Albert
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The lawless one’s presence is by the operation of Satan
Monday, May 24 You will be able to extinguish all the wicked one’s burning arrows. —Eph. 6:16. Satan, “the father of the lie,” uses those under his control to spread lies about Jehovah and about our brothers and sisters. (John 8:44) For instance, apostates publish
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The Operation of Satan with Every Powerful Work
This is the fourth installment of the consideration of the Bible study material for the week of October 17-23. This series of articles are archived under the WT Review category. There is no question that the sudden appearance of a
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