Jehovah's Witnesses release video--hiding in bunker during Armageddon

There is a bizarre conversation about the evils of coffee breaks at work as well.

Infant's death at hospital linked to circumcision followed by oral suction

Under the practice, the rabbi or mohel removes blood from the wound with his mouth — a practice city health officials have criticized, saying it carried “inherent risks” for babies.

In 2004, three infants circumcised by Rabbi Yitzchok Fischer were determined to have contracted herpes, city officials said.

Among them were twins circumcised in October 2004 after Fischer performed the religious ceremony known as a bris.

Read the rest of the article in the New York Daily News by clicking the title of this post.

It seems the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is concerned enough about this practice, known as "metzizah b’ peh", that they have posted a warning on their website.  Here is an excerpt:

How metzitzah b'peh spreads herpes

In metzitzah b'peh, the mohel places his mouth on the freshly circumcised penis to draw blood away from the cut. If the mohel is infected with oral herpes (as most adults are), metzitzah b'peh can expose the infant to the herpes virus...Even without symptoms, however, people can spread the infection.

Because the immune system of newborns is not developed enough to fight serious infection, herpes infections pose grave risks to infants.

There is no proven way to reduce the risk of metzitzah b'peh

Although a mohel may use oral rinses or sip wine before metzitzah b'peh, there is no evidence that these actions reduce the spread of herpes. A mohel who takes antiviral medication may reduce the risk of spreading herpes virus during metzitzah b'peh, but there is no evidence that taking medication eliminates this risk...

Here is what appears to be a modern, balanced view of this practice by the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals.

Hopefully, some will learn from this story that unquestioning faith in a pre-scientific book is dangerous and not respectful of life.

Millions Now Living Will Never Die (1925)

Have Jehovah's Witnesses (Watchtower Society) ever predicted the end of the world (rapture)?

Judge for yourself.  Read these carefully.  Do these quotes seem to be remarks from some sincere Christians eager to meet Jesus, or do they rather clearly state the end of the world is coming within a certain time frame?

What do you think?  Please post your reactions below.

1874: "Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present since October 1874, A.D., according to the testimony of the prophets, to those who have ears to hear it: and the formal inauguration of his kingly office dates from April 1878, A.D." [Studies in Scriptures Series IV (1897) p.621]

“the battle of the great day of God Almighty--The date of the close of that "battle" is definitely marked in Scripture as October 1914. It is already in progress, its beginning dating from October, 1874." [Zion's Watch Tower 1892 January 15 p.23]

1877: Christ's kingdom will hold full sway over the earth in 1914; the Jews, as a people, will be restored to God's favor; the "saints" will be carried to heaven. [The Three Worlds (1907)]

1878: "The year A.D. 1878, being the parallel of his assuming power and authority in the type, clearly marks the time for the actual assuming of power as King of kings, by our present, spiritual, invisible Lord...." [Studies in the Scriptures - Thy Kingdom Come p.239]

1891: 1914 will be "the farthest limit of the rule of imperfect men.” [The Time Is At Hand (1891)]

1914: "But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble.  [Zion's Watch Tower 1894 July 15 p.226]

"…1914; at the end of which, Babylon the great, will have fallen, and the "dragon" be bound: that is, the nations will be subdued, and "the prince of this world cast out.""[Three Worlds and The Harvest of This World (1877) p.143]

"…with the end of A.D. 1914, what God calls Babylon, and what men call Christendom, will have passed away, as already shown in prophecy." [Studies In the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come (1891) p.153]

"October, 1914, will witness the full end of Babylon, "as a great millstone cast into the sea," utterly destroyed as a system." [Watch Tower 1911 June 15 p.190]

"True, it is expecting great things to claim, as we do, that within the coming twenty-six years all present governments will be overthrown and dissolved …. we consider it an established truth that the final end of the kingdoms of this world, and the full establishment of the Kingdom of God, will be accomplished at the end of A. D. 1914…Be not surprised, then, when in subsequent chapters we present proofs that the setting up of the Kingdom of God is already begun, that it is pointed out in prophecy as due to begin the exercise of power in A.D. 1878, and that the "battle of the great day of God Almighty" (Rev. 16:14), which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership, is already commenced." [Studies In the Scriptures Series II - The Time Is At Hand (1889) pp.99, 101]

"…we have seen that God has a set time for every feature of his plan, and that we are even now in this "Day of Vengeance," which is a period of forty years; that it began in October, 1874, and will end in October, 1914 (very shortly)." [Studies In the Scriptures Series IV - The Day of Vengeance -pp.546, 547]

“…not until the full end of Gentile Times (October, A.D. 1914) should we expect the earthly phase of God's Kingdom; for in giving a lease of dominion to the Gentiles until that date God made no mistake and his plans alter not.” [Studies In the Scriptures Series IV - The Day of Vengeance pp.624, 625]

"…A. D. 1914, when the day of wrath will be passed, and the resurrection and return of the "whole house of Israel" due." [Three Worlds and The Harvest of This World (1877) p.166 ]

"The beginning of the earthly phase of the Kingdom in the end of A.D. 1914 will, we understand, consist wholly of the resurrected holy ones of olden time-from John the Baptizer back to Abel-"Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the holy prophets." [Studies In the Scriptures Series IV - The Day of Vengeance p.625]

“That the deliverance of the saints must take place some time before 1914 is manifest…” [Studies in the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come 1908 Ed.]

1915: “That the deliverance of the saints must take place very soon after 1914 is manifest…” [Studies in the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come 1915 Edition]

1916: World War I will terminate in Armageddon and the rapture of the "saints". [Watch Tower, 1916]

1917: In 1918, Christendom will go down as a system to oblivion and be succeeded by revolutionary governments. God will "destroy the churches wholesale and the church members by the millions." Church members will "perish by the sword of war, revolution and anarchy." The dead will lie unburied. In 1920 all earthly governments will disappear, with worldwide anarchy prevailing. [The Finished Mystery, 1917]

1920: Messiah's kingdom will be established in 1925 and bring worldwide peace. God will begin restoring the earth. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and other faithful patriarchs will be resurrected to perfect human life and be made princes and rulers, the visible representatives of the New Order on earth. Those who showed themselves obedient to God will never die. [Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1920]

1922: The anti-typical "jubilee" that will mark God's intervention in earthly affairs will take place "probably the fall" of 1925. [Watch Tower, May 15, 1922]

1924: God's restoration of Earth will begin "shortly after" October 1, 1925. Jerusalem will be made the world's capital. Resurrected "princes" such as Abel, Noah, Moses and John the Baptist will give instructions to their subjects around the world by radio, and airplanes will transport people to and from Jerusalem from all parts of the globe in just "a few hours". [The Way to Paradise booklet, Watch Tower Society, 1924]

1925: …the great jubilee cycle is due to begin in 1925. At that time the earthly phase of the kingdom shall be recognized.... Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old… [Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1920, pp. 89, 90]

1938: In 1938, Armageddon is too close for marriage or child bearing. [Face the Facts, 1938]

1941: There are only "months" remaining until Armageddon.  [The Watchtower, Sep. 15, 1941, p. 288]

1942: Armageddon is "immediately before us.” [The Watchtower, May 1, 1942, p. 139]

1966: It will be 6000 years since man's creation in the fall of 1975 and it will be "appropriate" for Christ's thousand-year reign to begin at that time. [Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God, Watch Tower Society, 1966, pp. 29–35]

Time is "running out, no question about that.” The "immediate future" is "certain to be filled with climactic events ... within a few years at most", the final parts of Bible prophecy relating to the "last days" will undergo fulfillment as Christ's reign began. [Jehovah's Witnesses – Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Society]

1969: Human existence will not last long enough for young people to grow old; the world system will end "in a few years." Young Witnesses are told not to bother pursuing tertiary education for this reason. [Awake!, May 22, 1969, p. 15]

1974: There is just a "short time remaining before the wicked world's end" and Witnesses are commended for selling their homes and property to "finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer (ministry) service.” [Kingdom Ministry, Watch Tower Society, May 1974, page 3]

1975: Armageddon has to be over, and paradise introduced in, or earlier than, 1975. [The Watchtower (1968 May 1 p. 271) and Awake! (1968 October 8 p. 14) and Aid To Bible Understanding (1971 p. 538)]

Many currently alive will witness Armageddon during their natural lifetimes.  [Watchtower 1965 March 15 p. 177; Awake! 1968 October 8 p. 13-14; January 1982 Awake!; Millions Now Living Will Never Die (1920)]

1984: There are "many indications" that "the end" is closer than the end of the 20th century. [The Watchtower, Mar 1, 1984, pp. 18-19]

1999:  Mathematical calculations indicate Armageddon will come by the end of the century. [Let God Be True (1946)]

Shortly within our 20^th century, the “battle in the day of Jehovah” (Armageddon) will begin against the modern antitype of Jerusalem, Christendom. [The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah-How? 1971 p. 216]

With confidence in the vision’s complete fulfillment during the decades of this 20th century the anointed remnant of the bride class have never let up in saying “Come!” Every effort has been made to broadcast the message to all nations. [1989 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses p. 3]

The preaching work will be completed within the 20^th century, with Armageddon to immediately follow. [The Watchtower 1989 January 1 p. 12]

Millions Now Living Will Send Letters

It is amazing a fringe group with a long history of countless end-of-the-world predictions could still be in existence, isn't it?  Yet millions are still duped.

Watchtower Society, also known as Jehovah's Witnesses, has predicted the end of the world dozens of times.  When the dates pass, adherents simply stop talking about the failed prophecy and start talking about what's next.

May 2010 marks the 90th anniversary of one of these predictions.  This prediction was simply, "Millions now living will never die," stated in a book, newspaper interviews, and on signs at bookstands.  The prophecy foretold that millions of individuals alive in 1920 would see Armageddon in their natural lifetimes and, if they joined up, would see Earth transformed into a paradise, populated only by Jehovah's Witnesses.

Despite these inaccurate teachings, millions still belong to this organization and believe Armageddon is right around the corner.  Their current lives are to be ones of sacrifice, spending half of their time in religious pursuits.

You can find a comprehensive list of their failed prophecies, along with literature quotes, at http://www.freeminds.org/doctrine/prophecy/comprehensive-list-of-false-dates-set-by-the-watchtower.html.

SUGGESTED ADVOCACY ACTION:  Send a letter to your local newspaper editor in May 2010.  When published, clip it and mail a copy to Watchtower Society headquarters.  Our goal is to have one million clippings or letters sent to the Watchtower Society in the month of May 2010.  The purpose in sending the clippings is twofold:  (1) Exercise free speech rights to protest their deception.  (2) Get publicity.  Because #2 is important, please make sure to mention in your letters that one million letters/clippings are being sent to headquarters.  Feel free to use the exact wording in this article if you wish!

ANONYMIZED ADVOCACY ACTION:  Post a note and/or the above article on a bulletin board, blog, or Internet forum.  Make sure to mention the "One Million Letters" event!

Please post a comment here to let us know what action you took!