Comments You Will Not Hear at the 6-24-07 WT Study (Youths Goals Honor God)

by blondie 46 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  Gary1914

  Thanks Blondie. You did a magnificent analysis of the material.

  I think it is absolutely disgusting that the Watchtower Society encourages its young to forego a college education in order to work for them.

  And then they give the most inane examples to encourage young people to give up college, to wit:

  Matthew, who serves at a branch office of Jehovah's Witnesses, recalls: "When I began serving as a pioneer, my father was extremely disappointed. He felt that I had `wasted' my education by taking a job as a cleaner to support me in my ministry. He would taunt me, reminding me of how much I could earn if I took a full-time job." How did Matthew deal with that opposition? "I kept up a solid Bible-reading schedule and constantly prayed, especially at moments when it would have been easy for me to lose my temper." Matthew's determination has been rewarded. Over time, his relationship with his father improved. Matthew has also drawn closer to Jehovah. "I have seen Jehovah provide for me, encourage me, and protect me from bad decisions," says Matthew. "I would not have experienced any of these things if I had not reached out for spiritual goals."

  What? Do they really mean to say that Matthew would not have been provided for and protected from bad decisions had he gone on to college?

  I don't blame his father for being angry. I would have been livid.

  I have seen economically poor young people who have done well in school and have won full scholarships to some of the best universities in the country, give it all up to pioneer. I mean they give up something as important as an education to march around blocks everyday thinking that they are serving Jehovah.

  It's just like in the 30's and 40's when publishers were taught that they should wait until the new order to get married. Well, that generation is either still waiting or long dead.

  This is a subject which really makes me angry!
• 

  erandir

  As a result, Adele was motivated to dedicate her life to Jehovah. Despite a serious physical disability, she is now a pioneer, or full-time evangelizer.

  Do they really need a special issue of the WT to avoid saying "a pioneer, or full-time evangelizer"?

  Isn't it exciting to know that in the new kool-aid version of the WT, they will no longer have to waste ink explaining what a pioneer is?

  Simply thrilling!
• 

  erandir

  Could use some rain, the flowers are looking good. We are doing some straightening up of the garage and the windows...have a few more projects. What are you doing today?

  We had someone over to set some traps for a pesky groundhog who seems determined to undermine our deck. Other than that, we got some much needed rain all last night, and the wife and I will probably go bicycle riding...during the Sunday meeting.
• 

  skin

  Para 15 got me when it said:

  15) When unbelieving family members disapprove of your choices, the test can be especially severe. Possibly, Timothy had to overcome such opposition. According to one reference work, Timothy's family probably "belonged to the educated and upper income bracket.

  Using works like "Possibly & probably" in connection with a bible study, then backing it up with "According to one refernce work" thats not the bible is a real worry. What ever happened to the scripture that says "6 Now, brothers, these things I have transferred so as to apply to myself and A·pol´los for YOUR good, that in our case YOU may learn the [rule]: "Do not go beyond the things that are written," 1 Cor 4:6.
• 

  Bonnie_Clyde

  Instead of saying, “the Society teaches,” many Witnesses prefer to use such expressions as, “the Bible says” or, “I understand the Bible to teach.” In this way they emphasize the personal decision that each Witness has made in accepting Bible teachings and also avoid giving the false impression that Witnesses are somehow bound to the dictates of some religious sect.

  I remember reading that in 1998 WT while still a dub and was a bit disturbed. After that I started scrutinizing the magazines a little more and found more and more things that upset me. Finally, in December of that year I took the plunge onto the Internet and started searching--I was mostly interested in how an organization that was not a cult could have promoted the date 1975 and later denied it. I got more than I bargained for.
• 

  jgnat

  I see. By replacing the phrase, "The society teaches" with "The bible says", they are no longer cult-like.

  By dedicating a convention theme to "Follow the Christ", they no longer follow the old men of Brooklyn.

  Riiiiiight.

  Something I learned this year from a motivational speaker on integrity, is that If you don't live by it, you will feel like crap. There's a direct connection between the decisions you make, your dedication to follow through, and how you feel about yourself. What is the consequence to an entire organization that teaches it's followers to lie about it's true motives?

  http://www.chuckgallagher.com/programs.html

  http://viclindal.ca/integrity.htm

  http://www.self-esteem-nase.org/self-esteem-questions-answers.shtml

  I predict Prozac sales will remain steady through 2007-08.

  Blondie, as a side note, I heard a Bethelite refer that horrid Timothy drama as if the events actually took place. He continued by encouraging the youth to be like Timothy. Talk about twisting the bible to fit an agenda.
• 

  garybuss

  *** w85 4/1 30 Turkish Court Sends Jehovah's Witnesses to Prison ***
  Jehovah's Witnesses have never believed that the Kingdom of God will be on earth.

  
  

  19. . . . You can do the same. Are you willing to make sacrifices for the sake of the Kingdom?

  
  So if the Kingdom of GOD is not on earth . . . who's kingdom does the Watch Tower Society want young people to make sacrifices for? . . . Must be for the earthly Watch Tower publishing kingdom (empire).
  
  
  
• 

  jschwehm

  I remember reading that in 1998 WT while still a dub and was a bit disturbed. After that I started scrutinizing the magazines a little more and found more and more things that upset me. Finally, in December of that year I took the plunge onto the Internet and started searching--I was mostly interested in how an organization that was not a cult could have promoted the date 1975 and later denied it. I got more than I bargained for.

  I remember when they published that in the 1998 WT and I was on a pro-dub discussion board. I only posted quotes from the WT on this board whenever any subject came up. One day a bunch of them kept talking about the Society says this and the Society says that so I posted that quote from the WT about not using the phrase "the Society says" with no commentary from me. I was quickly booted off the list. I guess they did not like what their own leaders were saying......

  Another thing that I want to say is that I grew up as a dub in the 1980's when they were bad-mouthing college big time. In fact, one of my friends who went to college with his parents' blessing during this time was marked and not allowed to have any "privileges" in the congregation because of it. In any case, I really doubt that many dubs are really listening to this. When I was at Bethel, the Bethelites that got treated the best and got the more interesting assignments all had some type of training beyond high school (some even had college training). In fact, while I was there I discovered that Bethel was even paying some Bethelites to take classes at some of the local colleges in the city and this really ticked me off since I gave up some significant scholarships to pioneer and go to Bethel.

  Jeff S.

  www.catholicxjw.com
• 

  Gill

  Makes me so mad, I want to spit!
• 

  Blueblades

  The De-emphasizing of Jesus has been going on now for years. The Song books, and all the other literature, W and G mags included. Jehovah is emphasized with special force and prominence over Jesus. Blondie notes this many times in her "Comments", asking: "Where Is Jesus?"

  Blueblades