By Chr*st! I think they are pushing Baptism!

by cultswatter 25 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • cultswatter
    cultswatter

    Here is that watchtower format change letter again

    Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses
    2821 Route 22, Patterson, NY 12563-2237 Phone: (845) 306-1100

    February 9, 2007

    TO ALL CONGREGATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES

    Re: Adjusted format of The Watchtower

    Dear Brothers:

    The year 2006 saw a major change in publishing the Awake! magazine. In January of that year the magazine became monthly instead of semimonthly and the contents were given a more Scriptural slant than previously. In the months since then, Jehovah's blessing has been seen on the arrangement and the circulation of Awake! continues to increase.

    Now, we are pleased to announce that the Governing Body has approved changes to the format of The Watchtower. The Watchtower will continue to be published semimonthly, but it will have two different editions. In the issue that is dated the 1st of each month, all the material will be directed to the public. It will have no study articles. That issue will be known as the public edition. The Watchtower that is dated the 15th of each month will be solely for the Christian brotherhood. It will not be offered to the public. It will contain all the study articles for one month and secondary articles that are appropriate for dedicated servants of Jehovah. That edition will be known as the study edition.

    The advantages of this change will be quickly evident. At the moment, each issue of The Watchtower contains material both for the public and the brotherhood. So, even in the study articles, we have to explain terms like "pioneer" in ways that the public can understand. After this new arrangement goes into effect, everything in the study edition will be expressly for dedicated individuals and Bible students who are making spiritual progress. Hence, information can be more pointed and more beneficial. Material in the public edition will be designed to educate the public. That does not mean that we as dedicated Christians will not enjoy reading the information. But the information published will be of such a nature that a non-Witness will be able to read the magazine from cover to cover without encountering material that has been especially prepared for Jehovah's Witnesses.

    An additional advantage of this new arrangement , is that each month we will offer in the field service just one Watchtower with one Awake! Thus, we will not have to adjust our presentation halfway through the month in order to accommodate the latest issue of The Watchtower.

    This new arrangement for publishing The Watchtower will take effect in January 2008. Hence, the January 1, 2008, Watchtower will be a public edition and the January 15, 2008, Watchtower will be a study edition.

    We pray that Jehovah's rich blessing will be on this new arrangement with The Watchtower just as it has been on Awake!

    Your brothers,
    Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses

    PS to presiding overseer:

    Please arrange for this letter to be read to the congregation at the first Service Meeting after its receipt. Thereafter, it should be posted on the information board

    I just realized that the masters of the 'loaded language' have taken yet another opportunity to spew forth their subliminal messaging. Clearly the Kool Aid edition will be for only DEADICATED SERVANTS OF JEHOVAH !!!! Lets decipher that 'loaded language' phrase. To be dedicated means to be BAPTIZED!!. Holy crap batman, the WTS is pushing Baptism. This means that a non-baptized member does not have the right to read the Kool-Aid edition!!!. Further the letter states that the Kool-Aid edition will be especially prepared for Jehovah's Witnesses

    Oh how true!!

  • steve2
    steve2

    The more they try to put barriers around "privileged" information, the more they increase the value of the information and, thus, its potential to undermine (.i.e., the two-edged sword syndrome). Specifically, whatever they do, the information will continue to "leak out" and be scrutinized by individuals with more than one neuron to rub together. Bring it on!

  • AWAKE&WATCHING
    AWAKE&WATCHING

    I can't wait to see the kool-aid copies. No thanks, make mine a beer.

    What precious pearls for the special ones.

    As far as baptism goes it's already ridiculous, next they'll be baptising babies.

  • Narkissos
    Narkissos

    At the very least they will have to give it to all those who attend the Watchtower study, baptised or not, I suppose.

  • Tyrone van leyen
    Tyrone van leyen

    Everyone knows that the most magazines of watchtower or Awake magazines you will find anywhere is at the home of a Jehovah's Witness. I wonder if by doing things in this new way it gives the organization a clearer idea of how much interest the public really has in thier rag.

    I also wonder if they are not testing to see if by making a more simple version of their brainwashing it will have a more immediate impact in planting a seed.It's a gamble that could backfire. Most people arn't as dumb as the watchtower would like to beleive. Perhaps this new exercise in simplicity will be seen as a very feeble mag for simpletons.

    It is like they are making transition to higher things, a big intruiging mystery, that will make studying the real bothchtower seem like a graduation and a priviledge when in reality it is the same old crap. I think this is an indication that they might realize the public see's them as boring and that the public has a very short atttention span for their usual garbage. It should be interesting.

    This is just a saviyer marketing technique for the corporation. It should be interesting. I hope they fail miserably.

  • John Doe
    John Doe
    This means that a non-baptized member does not have the right to read the Kool-Aid edition!!!.

    Of course they'll push for babtism (what religion doesn't aim for more members), but I suspect you're reading too much into this. The quoted letter doesn't support your statement.

    After this new arrangement goes into effect, everything in the study edition will be expressly for dedicated individuals and Bible students who are making spiritual progress.
  • undercover
    undercover
    At the very least they will have to give it to all those who attend the Watchtower study, baptised or not, I suppose.

    I wonder if they'll ask for it back at the end of the study?

    "Excuse me? Are you a baptized member of the congregation? No? Well, I'm sorry, we'll have to have that magazine back now, thanks."

  • keyser soze
    keyser soze

    So the incentive for getting baptized now is to get the special, JW only version of the WT? By all means, sign me up.

  • Narkissos
    Narkissos
    I wonder if they'll ask for it back at the end of the study?

    LOL, I was thinking of that, too.

    But I think they would rather have you keep it and prepare for next week's "study". Unless they expect visitors to bring their own internet version, with Blondie's comments.

  • AWAKE&WATCHING
    AWAKE&WATCHING

    John Doe -

    I think this absolutely means progressing toward baptism.

    Bible students who are making spiritual progress.

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