My childhood friend Alan made a special trip to Brooklyn Bethel from Oregon in 1991 to give this article to Governing Body (GB) member, Albert Schroeder, a close friend of Alan’s father, a former Bethelite.
Alan was told by Schroeder that he would read the material – but a few weeks later he told Alan that he was not interested in the subject, that he hadn’t even read it! To Alan, Schroeder’s response verified that questioning the research into Watch Tower dogma was not a priority of the GB.
Barbara Anderson
Did Jerusalem Fall In 587 or 586 BCE?
One characteristic of a cult is date setting. The 587/586 has always been a back and forth debate among historical researchers, and in reality it’s not that important the plus/minus year, but what is important is the provable fact Jerusalem was sacked in that time period. For the WT organization to alter their 607 date of Jerusalems fall to 587/586 era would unhinge their 1914 date of Christ’s second coming as the enthroned ” invisible” king. Truth has nothing to do with this issue within the upper hierarchy of the WT. To adjust the 1914 to a different date would remove the foundation that the WT rests on, the negative effects of a date change on it’s adherents would be immense.There have been many revisions within the WT over the years over different issues. There “overlapping generation” which I believe is there latest doctrinal change which again focused on the 1914 date , these types of changes always revolve around 1914. To a student of biblical doctrine/teachings would recognize this is cultic behavior and that would not even include researching there organizational doctrines. For a student of God’s word Christ never focused on a date for his actual return but by observations and trends appearing on the world scene to signify his return is approaching and we are to keep spiritually awake.