Posted by Rational [trw] on October 28, 1999 at 17:30:31 {BrTq3yWfsYYgCUWv3.1cm0FN8UzOHE}:
In Reply to: ************** posted by Friend on October 28, 1999 at 16:09:04:
Friend,
You said:
I have repeatedly asked this question:No, I'm quite sure the Society has never "taught that Jesus parable could not apply until beyond 'the conclusion of the system'." That would have been "a serious mistake", per the 1984 quote. But that is not the only way a "serious mistake" could have been made, within the constraints of that quote (which seems to be your contention). Let's revisit the quote one more time:Do you contend that the Society has taught that Jesus parable could not apply until beyond "the conclusion of the system" or not?
Can you answer that question with a clear "Yes" or No"? If so then maybe we have something further to discuss.
It would be a serious mistake to reason that, because the destruction of the "goats" is everlasting, the parable could not apply until later on, perhaps during the Millennial Reign of Christ.As is clearly visible, the supposed implausibility of the parable's being fulfilled "during the Millennial Reign" (i.e., after "the conclusion of the system of things") is stated as one possible application of the parable's being fulfilled "later on." By definition this means it was not the only possible application. The most (only?) other rational application of a fulfillment "later on" would be in connection with the judgment at Armageddon ... which is precisely the understanding that the Society DID adopt in 1995! Hence the 1995 understanding is in fact included within the context of what was described in 1984 as "a serious mistake."
I suppose you will ignore this, just as you have the questions I have repeatedly asked in my previous posts regarding the parable being included "as part of the sign" and as being fulfilled while Christ's brothers were still "experiencing the hardships that he mentions".
Rational