I decided to do this research after a post of Mindchilds a few weeks ago!!!
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When choosing a name for something or someone, what do you usually do??? You pick one you like sure, but more importantly one with a good connotation (well provided you like what your naming). This is especially true when naming a child. For Example how many Adolph's, Oj's and now Osama's do you see???
You would think that the naming of 'Jehovah's House of Worship' would fall under even greater scrutiny. Jehovah's witnesses are forbidden to celebrate birthdays due to the fact that two were mentioned in the bible in which negative things happened. So why would Jehovah or his faithful servants choose a name BETHEL that has so many derogatory references??? Below I will quote articles taken directly from the Insight volumes and the NWT, both published by the WTS.
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*** it-1 293 Beth-aven ***
2. In lamenting the idolatrous conditions to which Israel had turned in his time, the prophet Hosea mentions Beth-aven together with Gibeah and Ramah, other prominent cities of Benjamin. (Ho 4:15; 5:8; 10:5, 8) It appears that the prophet applies the name in a derogatory sense to the city of Bethel, which at one time had been a 'house of God' but had now become a 'house of what is hurtful' because of the calf worship instituted there.-1Ki 12:28-30.
*** it-1 296 Bethel ***
As a major city of the northern kingdom under Jeroboam, Bethel, once prominent as a place of revelation by the true God, now became renowned as a center of false worship. At Bethel, in the extreme S of the newly formed kingdom of Israel, and at Dan, in the extreme N thereof, Jeroboam set up the golden calves in his effort to dissuade the people of his realm from going to the temple at Jerusalem. (1Ki 12:27-29) With its own religious house and altar, a specially invented festival time, and priests selected from among the non-Levitical tribes, Bethel became a symbol of rank apostasy from true worship. (1Ki 12:31-33) Jehovah God did not delay in expressing his disapproval through a "man of the true God" sent to Bethel to pronounce judgment against the altar used in connection with calf worship. The ripping apart of this altar served as a portent, confirming the sure fulfillment of the prophet's words. After leaving Bethel, however, this "man of the true God" allowed himself to be induced by an old prophet of Bethel to accept and act on a supposed message from an angel in violation of the direct orders from God, with disastrous consequences to himself. Slain by a lion, he was buried at Bethel in the personal burial place of the old prophet who saw in all these events the certainty of the fulfillment of Jehovah's word and thus requested that his own body be buried at death in the same burial site.-1Ki 13:1-32.
*** it-1 754 Ephraim ***
The first king, the Ephraimite Jeroboam, established calf worship at Dan and Bethel. (1Ki 11:26; 12:25-30) This plunge into idolatry was never reversed.
*** it-1 99 Amos ***
How long Amos served as a prophet in the northern kingdom is uncertain. Amaziah, the wicked calf-worshiping priest of the state religion centered at Bethel, attempted to have him thrown out of the country on the grounds he was a threat to the security of the state. (Am 7:10-13)
(HMMM is it me or does this sound familiar??? Like Disfellowshipping someone who is trying to tell the truth??? perhaps)
*** Rbi8 Amos 3:13-15 ***
"'HEAR and give witness in the house of Jacob,' is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, the God of the armies. 14 'For, in the day of my holding an accounting for the revolts of Israel against him, I will also hold an accounting against the altars of Beth'el; and the horns of the altar will certainly be cut off and must fall to the earth. 15 And I will strike down the winter house in addition to the summer house.' (hmmm makes me think of Beth Sarim!!!)
*** Rbi8 Hosea 10:15 ***
15 In this way one will certainly do to YOU people, O Beth'el, because of YOUR extreme badness. In the dawn the king of Israel will positively have to be silenced."
*** it-1 296 Bethel ***
The prophet Amos spoke in similar vein, showing that, no matter how frequent the sacrifices offered by the people at Bethel's altars, their pious pilgrimages to that place only constituted the commission of transgression, and warning that Jehovah's burning anger would blaze against them inextinguishably. (Am 3:14; 4:4; 5:5, 6) Angered at this prophesying done by Amos right in Bethel, the apostate priest Amaziah accused Amos of seditious talk and ordered him to 'go back to Judah where he came from' and there do his prophesying: "But at Bethel you must no longer do any further prophesying, for it is the sanctuary of a king and it is the house of a kingdom."-Am 7:10-13.
*** it-1 23 Abijah ***
Even the city of Bethel, where one of the detestable golden calves together with an apostate priesthood had been installed, was captured. And all of this, because Abijah had "leaned upon Jehovah." (2Ch 13:13-20)
*** it-1 85 Altar ***
Jeroboam of the newly formed northern kingdom endeavored to divert his subjects from going to the temple in Jerusalem by setting up altars at Bethel and Dan. (1Ki 12:28-33) A prophet then foretold that in the reign of King Josiah of Judah priests officiating at the altar in Bethel would be slaughtered and that the bones of dead men would be burned on the altar. The altar was ripped apart as a sign, and the prophecy was later completely fulfilled.-1Ki 13:1-5; 2Ki 23:15-20; compare Am 3:14.
* it-1 100 Amos, Book of ***
Jehovah's message of judgment against Israel (3:1-6:14)
Israel has been specially favored by God; this results in special accountability
When Jehovah reveals his purpose to his servants, they prophesy; thus Amos warns that Jehovah will hold an accounting for false religious practices at Bethel and defrauding by luxury lovers in Samaria
Israel has not returned to Jehovah despite punishments already meted out; now warned, "Get ready to meet your God"
Even while warning of woes to come, Jehovah urges: "Search for me, and keep living," "Hate what is bad, and love what is good"
*** it-1 430 Chemosh ***
The Moabites would become ashamed of their god because of his impotence, just as the Israelites of the ten-tribe kingdom had become ashamed of Bethel, likely because of its association with calf worship.-Jer 48:7, 13, 46.
*** it-2 231 Leaven ***
God was telling them that all their worship at Bethel and at Gilgal was transgression against him, so they might as well go ahead and offer leavened as well as unleavened bread on the altar-hold nothing back. It would all still be in vain because they were committing idolatry.
*** bf 107-8 7 Israel Feels Assyria's Aggressions ***
In ancient Babylon the bull was a symbol of the storm god, Hadad. But King Jeroboam would make the golden calf the symbol of the God of Israel, setting up one calf with its altar far up north in Dan and the other calf down south at Bethel, quite near to Jerusalem, less than fifteen miles away. The Levites could not serve at such places of false worship. Hence King Jeroboam dismissed them and made priests for the calf worship from the Israelites in general. (hmmm does this sound similar to the new appointments in New York aka the Nethinem)
*** Rbi8 2 Kings 23:19-20 ***
19 And also all the houses of the high places that were in the cities of Sa·mar'i·a that the kings of Israel had built to cause offense Jo·si'ah removed, and he went on to do to them according to all the doings that he had done at Beth'el. 20 Accordingly he sacrificed all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars and burned human bones upon them. After that he returned to Jerusalem.
*** Rbi8 Jeremiah 48:13-14 ***
13 And the Mo'ab·ites will have to be ashamed of Che'mosh, just as those of the house of Israel have become ashamed of Beth'el their confidence. 14 How dare YOU people say: "We are mighty men and men of vital energy for the war"?
If for some reason you need More referneces please click on the link below.
http://www.geocities.com/veniceexjw/more.html
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Well I don't know about you, but I think the name BETHEL certainly fits with the WTS I think they chose wisely!!!
This post is now on my website as well
http://www.geocities.com/veniceexjw/bethel.html
Ven
"Injustice will continue until those who are not affected by it are as outraged as those who are."