by Little Bo Peep 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
If meeting together is to be taken to mean, five meetings a week that we must never miss, what about the command at Rom 16:16, that says to greet one another with a kiss, or Mt 6:9, you MUST pray this way??? JW's don't greet one another with a kiss, nor do they pray the Lords prayer.
Peep
Dear Little Bo Peep,
That's a very good point! I never thought of that! That would be great to remember to say to the next JW that trys to guilt you back to meeting!!
Love you,
Lady Liberty
Very good point, Little Bo Peep. Remember, too, that the exhotation at Heb 10:24, 25 applies, at least to the author of Hebrews, only to the "anointed" since he talks of "us" not forsaking the gathering of ourselves. Who is this "us"? Well.... Vs 19 talks of "we" who can enter the "holy place"- which the WTS understands to be heaven, and vs 23 talks of "us" having "our hope". The argument of the author is that on the basis of this heavenly hope, we have this obligation to encourage one enother. After all, this heavenly hope is beyond the experience of human creatures, so "we" need all the encouragement we can get.
Evidently, through the strange alchemy of WT theology, the "Us" in vss 19 - 23 applies only to the 144k, but in vs 24, it transmutes into everyone in the WTS, and then re-settles back to the "anointed" in vs26 and following. Yeah, right.
Go figure.
Cheers
Come,, Sister Bo Peep
You forget that the Faithful Slave is obliged to feed us "meat in due season" so they are charged by the Almighty to make a busy schedule that is surely for own good .. I mean what else would we do? if the sisters were not here, they would be at home and be tempted into watching addictive soap operas on TV.
I am sure that those worthy ones who truly appreciate Jehovah's loving provisions for us would never sink to murmuring or complaining about the abundance of spritual food made available to us..
Blues (With heavy sarcasm of course - just imagining how the WTS would reply to this question)
There is a common misnomer among the JBUB faithful that Heb. 10:24, 25 is a command, however upon further study it is an exhoration rather than a command. One cannot go above the two commands of Jesus, that is, love God and your neighbor.
When I was talking with the Elders a few months ago they came after me with this scripture saying that I would be breaking Gods command (as found in this scripture).
Of course they fail to realize that this scripture is not a blank check that gives them the right to demand that everyone must follow their authority and let it go unchallenged.
Isn't it fun when everything is selective to our own advantage???
I forgot to also add that when one reads the context of the scripture you will realize that according to JW reasoning this would have been being commanded upon the 'anointed' with no mention of the 'other sheep'.
I just love to point that out.
The early Christians used to meet once a week on Sunday they all partook of the bread and wine and then later had a meal together the agapes which means loves (in later times this was abused and ceased to be done). Very different from the JW way of doing things, above all there was no FDS to provide meat (poison?) in due season.
“And let us consider one another to incite to love and fine works, not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as YOU behold the day drawing near.”
Hebrews 10:24, 25
Hebrews is regularly drawn on by the Watchtower Society to indicate we need to be regular at five meetings per week.
It is interesting to compare how the scripture is used with what is actually said.
Kingdom Ministry 1990 May p.7
“Christian meetings are an essential part of our worship of Jehovah. The apostle Paul fittingly urges us not to forsake the gathering of ourselves together, “as some have the custom.”—Heb. 10:25.
Do you have similar sentiments about associating with your brothers at Christian meetings? What does your custom reveal in this regard? Do you regularly attend all the meetings, including the Congregation Book Study? Or do you find that you customarily miss meetings? What place do meetings have in your life? Are you encouraging others to attend meetings regularly? Have you been encouraging Memorial attenders to be regular in their meeting attendance?”
Hebrews simply states ‘do not forsake’ gathering together. It does not say;
o Where to gather
? Paul did not saying gatherings must be in, or limited to Churches or halls. Gathering together could include meals and social events.
o How often
? The scripture simply says not to forsake gathering, but does not demand that this be daily, weekly or even monthly. Though the Watchtower insists that this is referring to all 5 weekly meetings, special days, assemblies and conventions this is not what the scripture states. It is important to associate with other worshipers as regularly as required to keep encouraged.
o What to discuss
? Paul does he mention what needs to be discussed. He certainly does not prescribe fixed format discussion, where comments in question and answer sessions must strictly comply with what is printed in a denominations journal. At Israelites conventions they were read to from the Bible, not periodicals. (Joshua 8:34-35)
The strictness of regularity and the global precision of discussion are an effective form of control not prescribed in the bible.
Evidently, through the strange alchemy of WT theology, the "Us" in vss 19 - 23 applies only to the 144k, but in vs 24, it transmutes into everyone in the WTS, and then re-settles back to the "anointed" in vs26 and following. Yeah, right.
All are good responses.
This is one of those left over tentacles that drift away and Ex-Witnesses are left dealing with. My sister who goes to one or two meetings a month as it suits her, commented to my brother when he asked her why she has cut me off completely. Her response was that I had "forsaken the gathering".
It never ceases to amaze me now or when I was in the JW's how verses like this were always so relative, creating a pecking order of levels of regular meeting attenders and then stepping down from there because of personal justification (from perfume allergies to fibromialgia). Someone who is at practically all the meetings looks down on everyone else, and then someone who only attends the memorial is down on those who miss that or that never go.
It is like the WT said a number of years ago, "The Jehovah's Witnesses are a classless Society". So true! So lacking in class of any kind. LOL
Also the Greek word Paul used there is informal. Looking at the context of his letter, which was trying to prove that Christians were freed from the rituals and trappings of formal worship like the Jewish Christians had left behind, shows that JW's and other religions who use it to guilt people into attendance at meetings is gross misrepresentation.
To think that the newly formed Christian community that lacked formal meeting places anyway when this was written, is being cajoled into regular ritualistic attendance for worship is ridiculous.
Most of the early Christians were isolated without public transportation and slaves who had no freedom to leave when they wished to go to meetings.
All Paul was saying is "you're free" but do not isolate yourselves and misuse your freedom. Encourage each other WHEN YOU CAN!
My two cents
Frank75
