Posted by felix a on March 13, 1999 at 22:48:38 {MWFwvubO/m3jw}:
In Reply to: Net Worth posted by Shelby on March 13, 1999 at 10:10:02:
I have a family member who finds prophecy to be fascinating and important to their faith. Personally I find the concept of pondering prophecy to be an enormous waste of time and energy. If for no other reason than how can you expect to see its fulfilment until it has been completely fulfilled, so instead of trying to figure out if this is happening now as foretold by (???) prophet X. Get on with life instead, so that if it should be fulfilled you've been behaving in a way that won't cause you to be judged adversly.
For myself I've always enjoyed the Proverbs, generally beneficial advise on how to live day to day.
This being said, when it comes to some of the published work of the WBTS I feel the same way. When the magazines stick to practical advise and counsel for day to day living I feel they are doing something constructive that touches a group of people who might not otherwise be exposed to certain information. Directing people to look outside themselves, to unselfishly give to others are marvelous concepts. Some who become Witnesses are affected profoundly and positively in their lives by being taught to look to the bible and not themselves. Being taught that they are accountable to a higher power. While I would think it better that individuals learned to be motivated from within themselves to do the right thing. We live in a world where that does not seem to be so common, looking to authority outside self for direction on what is the right way to deal with a matter or individual seems too be far more prevalent instead.
When they get side tracked by prophecy and secondary fulfillment of this or that and prefigure this or that
concepts, they find themselves chasing the wind, something that will never be there to be grasped in the end.