by cultswatter 36 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Does Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses = Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society?
I have noticed more and more BOE letters and congregational letters that are written by the "Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses". Letters from the Society are supposed to come from the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society. What is going on here?. Is this mutiny or a evil way to sweep the WTS and all it's false prophecy under the carpet?
The CCoJW came into existence in 2001; one of the many new corporations.
The WTS wanted to advertise that they were "Christian." Have you ever notice that the KH signs say: KINGDOM HALL OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES not KINGDOM HALL OF JEHOVAH'S CHRISTIAN WITNESSES?
That is by official WTS direction:
*** km 4/79 p. 4 Announcements ***
Is it appropriate to have a Kingdom Hall sign saying: "Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Christian Witnesses"? So there will be uniformity, the Society encourages all to make their signs read: "Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses." (See October 1978 OurKingdomService, page 3, paragraph 5.)
I understand that a group copyrighted the name "Jehovah's Christian Witnesses" and used it in phone books, etc., to confuse JWs. So the WTS stays away from the appellation.
The WTS even deliberately stopped using that phrase by February 1980.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Congregation_of_Jehovah's_Witnesses
*** km 1/02 p. 7 New Corporations Formed ***
The January 15, 2001, issue of TheWatchtower reported on the organized way in which Jehovah’s Witnesses are continuing to move forward with the Kingdom work in all the earth. It also explained how various legal entities are used as instruments to facilitate the spreading of the good news. Such entities or corporations are necessary to conform to local and national laws, as required by God’s Word. (Rom. 13:1) Because of the diversity and scope of our work, the Governing Body has approved the formation of additional corporations to care for certain needs of Jehovah’s Witnesses here in the United States. The new corporations are as follows:
Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Religious Order of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Kingdom Support Services, Inc.
These will operate along with Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. Congregations and publishers may receive correspondence from any of these corporations. Your cooperation with these adjustments made by the Governing Body in fulfilling its assignment to care for all the Master’s belongings will be greatly appreciated.—Matt. 24:45-47.
Is this mutiny or a evil way to sweep the WTS and all it's false prophecy under the carpet?
well it isn't a mutiny
It is a way for the WTS to separate itself from individual congregations especially in light of recent lawsuits regarding sexual abuse. This way they can lay it at the feet of the elders
It has to do with their corporate restructure that happened around 2000. The WTBTS is a publishing company that, of course, prints literature. The CCoJW is the "religious" intity used by JWs.
They created the legal separation to help shield their printing facilities from liability from lawsuits.
It's also part of their PR campaign to look more "mainstream". They added "Christian" to their name because many people do not consider JWs as True Christians(tm).
My .02 on this...
The WTS is very careful about how they use the word "Christian". For example, they don't put "Christian Congregation" on the Kingdom Halls because not all JWs are part of the Christian congregation. The Christian congregation is made up of the 144,000 only.
Though never really stated in plain English (or any other language), the average, everyday, non-anointed JW is not a Christian. They are "companions" to the "true Christians"...the anointed and the remnant of those left on earth.
Since there are only a limited number of the anointed left on earth, the Kingdom Halls are filled mostly with the "companions" of the true Christians and very few Christians attend those meetings.
When you read the publications you'll notice that the word "Christian" is used sparingly and sometimes very vaguely. They'll use it in a way that the reader will consider himself a "Christian" but if you read between the lines, you can see that it could only apply to the anointed.
A Watchtower study that Blondie posted her thoughts on a few weeks ago really showed how the WTS considers the word "Christian". It consistently mentioned the "true Christian congregation and their companions". After reading that article, if you go back and read almost anything printed by the WTS in the last 20 years, you can see a pattern developing of using the word "Christian" to apply to only the anointed and/or the remnant, though it's not readily apparent to the reader.
Which brings me to another one of my conspiracy theories...if ya'll will bear with me...
We ("apostates" and other disgruntled ones) go on each year about how the number of the partakers at the memorial hardly fluctuates anymore. It's been hovering around the same number for years now. Sometimes it even goes up.
What if this number is somewhat fixed by the WTS in that they need a certain number of "anointed" ones to keep in the incorporated "Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses" and keep it doing whatever it does? I mean, if, eventually, all the remnant died off, who would be left to be in the "Christian Congregation" on earth, if they're all gone and those left aren't considered part of the Christian congregation? So, they use self-proclaimed anointed ones to fill the roster of the "Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses" and the number of partakers each year fluctuates based on those who partake in the Kingdom Halls only. As the old-timers of the 20s and 30s die off in the congregations, the WTS replaces them with new "anointed" ones to add to the "Christian Congregation".
Kinda crazy I know, but no crazier than many of their other policies and doctrines.
Because ofall the lawsuits against us for protecting pedophilesthe diversity and scope of our work,Ted Jaracz and his henchmenthe Governing Body has approved the formation of additional corporationsso we can hide most of our assets to care for certain needs of Jehovah’s Witnesses here in the United States.
"true Christian congregation and their companions"
I will have to look for that. Heavy thought. The average dub isn't a Christian by the
admittance of their own literature.
Though JWs believe the 144,000 to be in a 'special' relationship with Christ, all JWs regard themselves as Christian, and the organisation regards all of its members as Christian. They are also Christian by plain definition of the word. (Theological beliefs of other religions as to additional requirements of being a 'Christian' are not relevant in this context.)
Taken from Blondies review of the WT study on Sacred Service:
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/10/125422/1.ashx
Q10, 11) Why can it be said that the Christian congregation of anointed ones is sacred, and what effect does this have on the "other sheep"?
10) The Christian congregation of anointed ones is sacred in Jehovah's eyes. (1 Corinthians 1:2) In fact, the entire group of anointed Christians on earth at any one time is likened to a holy temple, although they do not constitute Jehovah's great spiritual temple. Jehovah inhabits that temple by means of his holy spirit. The apostle Paul wrote: "In union with [Christ Jesus] the whole building, being harmoniously joined together, is growing into a holy temple for Jehovah. In union with him you, too, are being built up together into a place for God to inhabit by spirit."-Ephesians 2:21, 22; 1 Peter 2:5, 9.
Actually, only the anointed are considered the Christian congregation. Try looking up 144,000 in the WT Index and you will be referred to the "Christian congregation." Does God select the individual members of the "great crowd" or only the "anointed"?
*** it-1 p. 498 Congregation ***
The members of the Christian congregation of God are selected by Jehovah. (Ro 8:30; 2Th 2:13)Ephesians 2:21,22
— was "Jehovah" in the original Greek manuscript?11) Paul further wrote to anointed Christians: "Do you not know that you people are God's temple, and that the spirit of God dwells in you? ... The temple of God is holy, which temple you people are." (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17) By means of his spirit, Jehovah `resides' among the anointed and `walks among them.' (2 Corinthians 6:16) He continually guides his faithful "slave." (Matthew 24:45-47) The "other sheep" cherish their privilege of being associated with the "temple" class. John 10:16; Matthew 25: 37-40.
Does that mean that God does not reside among the great crowd by means of the holy spirit?***(QFR at end of review)
....................
Sacred Things in Our Christian Lives
Q12) What things are sacred in our lives, and why?
12 Not surprisingly, many things related to the lives of anointed members of the Christian congregation and their companions are held sacred. Our relationship with Jehovah is something sacred. (1 Chronicles 28:9; Psalm 36:7) It is so precious to us that we allow nothing and no one to come between us and our God, Jehovah. (2 Chronicles 15:2; James 4:7, 8) Prayer plays an important part in our maintaining a close relationship with Jehovah. Prayer was so sacred to the prophet Daniel that even at the risk of his life, he continued faithful in his custom of praying to Jehovah. (Daniel 6:7-11) "The prayers of the holy ones," or anointed Christians, are likened to incense used in temple worship. (Revelation 5:8; 8:3, 4; Leviticus 16:12, 13) This symbolism underscores the sacredness of prayer. What a privilege it is to be able to communicate with the Sovereign of the universe! No wonder prayer is held sacred in our lives!
Their companions
— notice no mention of the "other sheep" being "members" of the Christian congregation .................Q13) What force is holy, and how should we allow it to operate in our lives?
13) There is a force in the lives of anointed Christians and their companions that they by all means hold sacred--holy spirit. That spirit is Jehovah's active force, and since it always acts in harmony with the will of the holy God, it is properly called "holy spirit," or "the spirit of holiness." (John 14:26; Romans 1:4) By means of holy spirit, Jehovah provides his servants the power to preach the good news. (Acts 1:8; 4:31) Jehovah gives his spirit to "those obeying him as ruler," to those who "keep walking by spirit," not according to fleshly desires. (Acts 5:32; Galatians 5:16, 25; Romans 8:5-8) This powerful force enables Christians to produce "the fruitage of the spirit"--fine qualities--and "holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion." (Galatians 5:22, 23; 2 Peter 3: 11) If the holy spirit is something sacred to us, we will avoid doing anything that might grieve that spirit, or obstruct its action in our lives.-Ephesians 4:30.
Their companions
— effectively shuts them out of being part of the Christian congregation, being Christians.
If the bible said that the "special truly saved people" must be of the order of Spongebob Squarepants they'd call themselves that too - The Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses of the true order of Spongebob Squarepants
As long as they voice claim to everything then they even seem to believe it themselves - "say it and it's so" kind of thing
