Posted by Zeke [Zeke4Truth] on November 17, 1999 at 03:38:20 {xx2d.1sWpQQd6.0xyhd2VQ7kkCoKq6}:
In Reply to: The future of the WTS posted by Seeker on November 16, 1999 at 18:44:24:
Hi Seeker:
First of all, let me say that you have really been missed from this board! I think you are one of the most logical "thinkers" present with us here. Your thoughts add STABILITY to this board. Just thought you ought to know what others think of you here. :-)
Now lets get to the matter at hand.
:All of the above is true, but this time the Internet changes the rules. Yes, there are new ones coming in all the time who don't know the old history, but thanks to the Net they can find out. Especially is this true of Bible Students, who cannot be threatened off of sites like this. As they would when buying a car, they research this new religion on the Net and are shocked by what they find. End result is much fewer Bible Students being baptized, and growth is permanently slowed.
This is, I believe the reality of the situation...the ultimate death and doom of the "Tower," and the subsequent scattering of the Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide, rank and file.
But with one final little "touch," ... its all God's doing...fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
Now, this part, I do not expect you to agree with at present. "Other" things will have to happen in sequence before anyone will pay this any attention. But still, I have provided some excerpts from a website that explains this in detail. Also a link at the bottom of the post.
Zeke
WEBSITE QUOTE ON THE "FALL" OF "TOWER" & THE REGROUPING OR RESTORATION OF JWs, AS WE KNOW THEM:
"...Yes, there is serious division of thought among God's Name people, Jehovah's Witnesses over past teachings and doctrines. A camp of "reformers" are pushing for "reformation" within the movement and this group is ever growing, much to the chagrin of the Watch Tower Society and other loyal supporters. And we could rightly conclude that this "war" between the "reformers" and the "non-reformers" will continue to intensify. Let's make no mistake about this either.
"WAR" AMONG JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES FOUGHT IN CYBERSPACE
But perhaps, you may ask:
"Where then, is this "war" you speak of being fought...I've attended many meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses and I have not seen any evidence of "war" among the brothers, or even any signs of discontent...
This is an excellent question. Actually, the fact that you have learned about our website and others on-line, in cyberspace shows where the major focus of this "battle" will be fought between the "reformers" and the "non-reformers," those of Jehovah's Witnesses who want to keep things the way they are. These generally want to continue to give a 100% support to the Watch Tower Society, regardless of what they teach and practice, as well as the aftereffects this has upon others inside or outside the organization. With the "non-reformers" its all or nothing, with no room for any "free speech" among any within the organization. They view the "reformers" as apostates. And where again shall this "war" be fought? Well, it will be fought in CYBERSPACE, the place of origin of this written material you now have in your possession.
Therefore, we do not necessarily think this "war" need be fought at the "kingdom halls" per say, nor does it necessarily have to be fought there to fulfill scripture and prophecy. Actually, most people who attend the kingdom hall know and are fully aware of the fact that the "playing field" is much more level in Cyberspace than it is at the "kingdom hall" where the "home court" advantage is tilted in the Watch Tower Society's favor. You see, at the "kingdom hall," no one gets to speak but the Watch Tower Society. That's all. It's completely one-sided. But out in Cyberspace, every Jehovah's Witness must defend himself with the scriptures, no matter if he is a member of the Governing Body, which is no doubt the most powerful position one could be in within the organization. Still, even a Governing Body member must defend himself and his beliefs and teachings with only the Bible, in harmony with 1 Peter 3:15, if he engages in "battle" in Cyberspace. And so it is only until such "leveling of the field" is done, that one can truly see the flaws and shortcoming of the doctrinal messages of the Watch Tower Society. And this is all accomplished and is done eloquently in Cyberspace.
Plus, as you may remember as mentioned earlier in this publication, there is this certain matter of being "accused" by Satan, "night and day." (Rev. 12:10, 11) Satan can make such "accusations" because the "reformers" refuse to stand their ground, publicly. No matter, in time, they will do this too. God's Word assures us that the birth of the "Male Child" will be fully accomplished. No, nothing can stop this from happening. - Isa. 55:11; Rev. 12:5
"TWO WITNESSES" AND "SACKCLOTH"
Now, there is something unique about the description of the "Two Witnesses" in Revelation 11:3. Let's look at this scripture again. Now, what do you see? Why, yes, they are wearing "sackcloth." Yes, they are wearing "sackcloth." Now, what is "sackcloth" a symbol of? Let's examine the Bible book of Jonah. We remember Jonah was sent to the great city of Ninevah to preach God's message. And, as we recall, the city repented immediately, including the king himself. And how did they demonstrate their new repentant attitude? The account found at Jonah 3:5 & 6 says:
"And the men of Nineveh began to put faith in God, and they proceeded to proclaim a fast and to put on sackcloth, from the greatest one of them even to the least one of them. when the word reached the king of Nineveh, then he rose up from his throne and put off his official garment from himself and covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the ashes."
Yes, they demonstrated their new "repentant" attitude by wearing "sackcloth." Now this is a big clue in coming to understand the activity of the "Two Witnesses." Yes, the "Two Witnesses" are themselves attempting to "repent" before Jehovah. And they want the whole nation of Jehovah's Witnesses to "repent" also and have a change of attitude about teachings and practices within the organization.
THE "TWO WITNESSES" LEAD IN A WORK OF REPENTANCE
However, prophecy is clear in that it shows without a doubt that the nation of Israel, the "woman" of Revelation 12:6, 14 is NOT going to repent, in any way, shape or form until much later. But, the "Two Witnesses" actually think that they can mount up a strong enough movement among the "brothers" of Jehovah's Witnesses to effect a complete "change" for the entire, earth-wide organization. Will they be able to do it? Or, will their efforts for "change" be mistaken, and instead taken for their being "apostates" in the end, like Paul and others for advocating righteous "change" among God's Name People? - See Proverbs 24:21, 22; Acts 21:21.
Further, will they be able to effect a "change" among the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses 5-6 million strong? Will they be able to get the Watch Tower Society to "fess up to truth," so-to-speak and admit the error of their way? Will they be able to cause the "brothers" in general to make changes on doctrinal teachings that simply do not line up with the scriptures themselves? And finally, will this small band of Christians be able to cause the nation of Israel to "repent" of deeds of wrongdoing...What do you think?
Although their efforts could be said to be quite noble, the fact of the matter is that the Watchtower Society and it's Governing Body are not going to "change" for any one, including Jehovah God Himself! In fact, as Jesus said of the wicked and incorrigible Pharisees:
"...if they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if SOMEONE RISES FROM THE DEAD." - Luke 16:31
So it shall be for the Watch Tower Society. No, but instead the "Two Witnesses" will have to find out for themselves, the hard way we might add, that the Watch Tower Society is long past any hope of accepting "reform" or manifesting attitudes of Godly "repentance." No, but more appropriately as Ecclesiastes 1:15 says,
"That which is made crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot possibly counted." — New World Translation
Nevertheless, these early seeds of discontent will germinate and will, in time, give birth to the movement the Bible calls the "Two Witnesses."
In actuality, these "seeds of discontent" have become particularly manifest since the appearance of the November 1, 1995 Watchtower Magazine articles on the "Generation" which lives to see the end. With the release of this pivotal article from the Watch Tower Society, a new atmosphere for REFORM had inadvertently been created for the rank and file Jehovah's Witnesses. Yes, since the release of that particular article, as never before, Jehovah's Witnesses all over the earth began to search the scriptures for answers. The stage is now set for what the Bible calls, the "measuring" work of God's "Temple." But, you may be wondering, what really is this "measuring" work spoken of above, and where is it foretold in scripture to occur for God's Name People?
Well, we notice at Revelation 11:1, a direct reference is made to a particular "measuring" of the "Temple" or the "Sanctuary of God." And along with that "measuring," comes also a "measuring" of the "Altar," and "those worshiping in it." So, this specific "measuring" period done among God's Name People, Modern-day"Israel," acts then as a "prelude" directly preceding the foretold Biblical epoch-making event we call, the "1,260 days" of "prophesying of the "Two Witnesses" of Revelation 11:3. The Bible describes it this way:
"And a reed like a rod was given me as he said: "Get up and measure the temple [sanctuary] of God and the altar and those worshiping in it."
After the release of the November 1, 1995 Watchtower articles detailing the change in teaching of the "generation" that will live to see the end, something unusual began to occur for Jehovah's Witnesses, worldwide. Some among God's Name People were now alerted. They noticed this change. They sensed that something was wrong, terribly wrong. Had the Watch Tower Society really known what they were talking about all along all these years. Or were they simply guessing instead, spouting mere "doctrines of men." (Matthew 15:9) The brothers began to wonder, were those in charge of the organization, those most responsible for the teaching and printing of the spiritual "food at the proper time," were these ones merely playing a guessing game to fool and deceive, which would be totally uncharacteristic of the "Faithful and Discreet Slave," whom Jesus had supposedly left in charge of His household. (Matthew 24:45)
Formerly, Jehovah's Witnesses as a family, as a whole, really had complete confidence that the Watch Tower Society had a correct understanding of when the time of the end would start and end. It was to run a complete "generation," as taught for many year, from the date of 1914 up to our day. Yes, it was commonly thought to be, yes taught by the Watch Tower Society, that it would run some 70-80 years. But now, all of a sudden, a change was need. Yes, exactly 81 years, to be exact, from 1914, a "adjustment" in teaching was now needed. The "Faithful and Discreet Slave," saw the need to provide "New Light" from Jehovah, now of course, acting as His "mouthpiece." And the November 1, 1995 Watchtower article was that "new light" that the brotherhood must now accept without hesitation or reservation.
But lo and behold, this was not to be at all. No, but this particular Watchtower article only provided the "spark," the "little fire" which "sets so great a woodland on fire." Yes, this article had now ignited the "small fire," the "fire" which now threatens today to set ablaze the complete "wheel of natural life" for all within the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses earthwide. (James 3:5, 6) Actually, unbeknowst to Jehovah's Witnesses as a nation, conditions had now become ripe for a God-Ordained "measuring" work to be done by ardent Bible students among His Name People. And it was most certainly accomplished completely, with "no stone left unturned."
Yes, questions, questions and more questions, were now raised that needed answering. And these inquiring Bible students of Modern-Day "Israel," now began to search, examine, "measure," if you will, as never before, just as true "Beroeans" would and should. (Acts 17:11) They began, as never before, to question the "measurements" given them by the "Priests," those serving at "Bethel" Headquarters carrying on "priestly duties" within the organization. Those who were "worshiping at the altar." They began to closely examine all things taught them by the Governing Body and Bethel Staff. They began to question, examine, all doctrines, all practices, all teachings as never before.
Yes, Jehovah's Witnesses really began to "measure" the "temple", the "altar," and those worshiping in it, the "priests," the spiritual leaders of the organization, particularly the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses. They examined the organization's history, its beginnings. The things taught by each successive President of that same said Society. They did this earnestly and without reservation and hesitation, boldly. And by way of the internet, through cyberspace, they could now, "compare notes" sort of speak, with many of their brothers, all over the world. They could now examine, and re-examine the many things taught to them, in different lands. Compare similarities and differences in teachings, situations, and practices, in various, distant lands as never before. Now, there was truly Worldwide Communication among the Brotherhood, now for the first time. The entire family of Jehovah's Witnesses could now talk. This was truly a NEW occurence. A new opportunity. A God-Ordained "Measuring" Work had begun.
Jehovah's Witnesses now, for the first, could rightly "measure" things taught in the past and right up to the present by way of the newly released CD ROM disk which accumulated printed publications from many years back, all in one disk format. With a combination of such like tools, the computer, and the internet, Jehovah's Witnesses now had a workable formula to facilitate real spiritual growth and spiritual comprehension. A distinct clearing of their vision was possible. unencumbered, unhindered, undistracted they marched on in the true search for "Truth," the real "Truth." Cyberspace communications, and modern technology had now made something possible, that formerly could not be achieved before for the brotherhood. Through these communications, through cyberspace, newly created websites, message boards which began to spring up all over the world, real communication was now possible for God's Name People. Some message boards were even specifically set up for "reform" among Jehovah's Witnesses. Yes, websites and message boards, chat rooms, began to spring up all over the world. The result being a massive effort upon the part of brothers earthwide, to now rediscover the real TRUTH about the "Truth."
Of course, this "measuring period" we speak of, is not the same and must not be confused with the long awaited, long foretold "1,260 days" of "prophesying" by the "Two Witnesses." No, but this period, the "measuring" period, directly PRECEDES the "1,260 days" of "prophesying" by the "Two Witnesses." And this "measuring work," we believe, became most apparent, since the release of the November 1, 1995 release of the Watchtower Magazine.
END OF WEBSITE QUOTE