Balm In Gilead for WTS

by snowbird 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  snowbird

  In the 8th chapter of Jeremiah vs 22, the rhetorical question was asked, "Is there no balm in Gilead, is there no Physician there ...?"

  I thought of that as I watched the news report of the convention in Mobile, Alabama. The JW's met at the Civic Center which has a seating capacity of 10,000. Sunday's peak attendance was around the 5k mark. When I first joined the JW's back in 1974, I remember the auditorium used to be filled to overflowing.

  As the camera panned the arena, you could see many sleeping or just staring blankly. The entire scenario was sad and depressing. The WT as we knew it is no longer exists. It would be a cause for sorrow if so many lives weren't messed over due to their misguided policies. They need to seek the healing power of the Great Physician, Jesus of Nazareth.

  Here are the words to the spiritual we used to sing in church. How true they ring to me right now!

  Refrain

  There is a balm in Gilead
  To make the wounded whole;
  There is a balm in Gilead
  To heal the sin sick soul.

  Some times I feel discouraged,
  And think my work’s in vain,
  But then the Holy Spirit
  Revives my soul again.

  Refrain

  If you can’t preach like Peter,
  If you can’t pray like Paul,
  Just tell the love of Jesus,
  And say He died for all.

  Refrain

  Sylvia
• 

  Meeting Junkie No More

  Snowbird:

  Ain't that the truth! This religion bears no resemblance to the one my parents joined so many years ago. Different animal entirely. So true about the blank stares and the wasted snoozefest. I always think of that scripture - "how long will you keep eating what is not bread?" or something to that effect that they used to quote when they continuously vilified and lambasted the churches. My, how the tables have turned! 5k out of 10,000 seats. What a joke!
• 

  snowbird

  I always think of that scripture - "how long will you keep eating what is not bread?" or something to that effect that they used to quote when they continuously vilified and lambasted the churches. My, how the tables have turned! 5k out of 10,000 seats. What a joke!

  From The Message Bible:

  Isaiah 55:1, 2 "Hey there! All who are thirsty,
  come to the water! Are you penniless?
  Come anyway—buy and eat! Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk.
  Buy without money—everything's free! Why do you spend your money on junk food,
  your hard-earned cash on cotton candy?

  Yes, what a joke! But, they'll pass it off as signs of the times of the end when many will forsake the Truth. Sad.

  Sylvia
• 

  wobble

  I agree with Sylvia's last comment, I expect they will have some "Noo Lite" on Jesus' words about the "love of the greater number cooling off", of course they would be better advised to simply ask the last person to leave to please turn the light off!

  Love to all on JWD

  Wobble
• 

  WTWizard

  The church version is much closer to the Bible than the Kingdumb Maladies that are supposed to replace it. And it is probably executed better to boot.
• 

  snowbird

  The church version is much closer to the Bible than the Kingdumb Maladies that are supposed to replace it.

  It most certainly is. The African-American spirituals really get to the cornbread of the matter, as it were.

  And it is probably executed better to boot.

  They seem to touch the hearts of all who hear them. I know they will always be in my heart.

  Sylvia
• 

  uninformed

  sylvia--that is a beautiful song.

  Here are the words to the spiritual we used to sing in church. How true they ring to me right now!

  Refrain

  There is a balm in Gilead
  To make the wounded whole;
  There is a balm in Gilead
  To heal the sin sick soul.

  Some times I feel discouraged,
  And think my work’s in vain,
  But then the Holy Spirit
  Revives my soul again.

  Refrain

  If you can’t preach like Peter,
  If you can’t pray like Paul,
  Just tell the love of Jesus,
  And say He died for all.

  Refrain

  Sylvia

  Thanks

  Brant
• 

  snowbird

  sylvia--that is a beautiful song.

  Thanks

  Brant

  To be sure.

  Another thing I noticed, that I just remembered: Whereas when I first joined the JW's (1974), the org down here was predominantly White, now it's mostly Black.

  Go figure.

  Sylvia
• 

  snowbird

  A link where many beautiful hymns can be found:

  http://www.cyberhymnal.org/

  Sylvia