LOL how easily using the same word for two completely different things can cause confusion ^^
Yes, and I am sure WT will use it to their advantage to blur the lines.
"The mark" is the evidence that they are dedicated to Jehovah, baptized as disciples of Jesus, and involved in cultivating a Christlike personality."
Blondie thank you for the quote. But I am going to tell you all that from an outsider's perspective I see some things here that are very wrong.
First of all, the quote in Ezekiel says nothing about baptized as disciples of Jesus...because Jesus had not even come on the scene as yet. So in the Watchtower quote, this is a gross misrepresentation. By saying "the mark" (of Ezekiel) is evidence they are cultivating a christlike personality" this is totally out of that time zone. This is blurring the lines of past and present. This is a wicked subliminal distortion.
Second of all, the quote in Ezekiel says the mark is for those who are lamenting and grieving over all the bad things happening. This does not describe any active JW that I know. When you mention to a JW that 70 people died in a flood, there is absolutely no compassion. It is usually met with a remark like "well, it's going to get worse" or "if they're worthy they get a resurrection". There is absolutely no grieving for any bad thing...it is simply accepted like "so what". It's a very selfish uncaring attitude. They don't need to help anyone or care how bad off they are because "jehovah is going to take care of it" so they don't even need to trouble their minds to think about anyone's distress, much less lifting a hand to help. And what's more, some get really excited at the prospect of bad things happening. It reminds me of the scripture Amos 5:18 "woe unto you who desire the day of Jehovah"...but that's the dub attitude. They absolutely desire "the day of Jehovah"! They just can't wait. Already got their house picked out from the observation field work .
Now, getting back to the July 2007 issue....there is a lot of subliminal undertones in the way they are using this language. They are making allusions to the future by using the past events of Ezekiel. The verb tenses are incongruent. They go back and forth from using past tense to present tense. These are subliminal tricks and the wording is skewed.
like this:
(p.13)
"9:3-6. Acquiring the mark--the evidence that we are dedicated, baptized servants of God " ---let me stop here for a minute
when did god institute baptism? Again, in Ezekiels time who had been baptized?
Do you see how using "the mark" and "baptism" in the same sentence is incongruent?
"9:3-6. Acquiring the mark--(long sentence break diffracting the thought)--is essential for surviving the "great tribulation". (Matthew24:21)
See how they are mixing old with the new?
