Can't find info... Watchtower says it's written work is 'part of bible'

by mkr32208 32 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  mkr32208

  There was a thread a few months back that contained a scan of (I think) the Dec 15th watchtower where they said that the watchtower was to be considered part of the bible. I really want to find that thread, I've been looking for HOURS I thought I had commented on it but it's not in my 'threads posted on' and I've been going through pages and pages and pages of threads and I've tried search but just can't find it.

  Does anyone who might have posted on that thread have a link to it? Or if anyone knows what I'm refereing to and has the scan could they post it?

  Thank you very much!
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  besty

  Our coming to know "the truth" - the entire body of Christian teachings that has become part of the Bible - and adhering to it are essential for our salvation. - Watchtower December 15 2008, pg 28. (emphasis added)

  http://knol.google.com/k/paul-morrison/why-jehovahs-witnesses-shun-people/290ks3g12r97j/3#
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  truthsetsonefree

  OMG! I never thought they would get that bold.

  Isaac
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  Atlantis
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  sir82

  While an awful lot of JWs believe that WT policy and extra-biblical writings are to be considered "part of the Bible", and the Watchtower would love it if people treated their writings that way...

  There is nothing in the above quote which explicitly states "Watchtower writings are now part of the Bible." I would argue that it is not even implied - I think they are referring exclusively to what is in "the Bible" itself.

  And any JW apologist would (rightly) call you on it.

  There is plenty enough of legitimate things to criticize the WTS for....I think it is an extraordinarily broad stretch to say that the above quote is equivalent to "the writings in our magazines are now part of the Bible."
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  truthsetsonefree

  This is absolutely incredible. I plan to show my Mom this. The gall of these people. Mind you they claim NOT to be inspired.

  Isaac Carmignani
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  passwordprotected

  This is a tricky one to tackle a JW on and you could easily end up looking unreasonable. However, 'Christian teachings' were part of the Bible from the moment the 66 books were chosen to be the Bible. They at no point became part of the Bible at some later date.

  That being said, it's clear from their use of the parenthesised "the truth" they mean something more than the books of Matthew through Revelation; JWs understand their religion to be "the truth". But as has been observed on this thread already, it's not explicitly stating they believe Watchtower teachings are part of the Bible.

  For me this is up there with their statement "Jesus obviously did not intend to contradict God's Word". Er, Jesus is God's Word...For me it's all about them sowing little seeds, whether to insert their doctrine into the Bible canon or diminish Jesus Christ.
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  blondie

  "If the six volumes of 'Scripture Studies' are practically the Bible,
  topically arranged with Bible proof texts given, we might not
  improperly name the volumes 'The Bible in an arranged form.'
  That is to say, They are not mere comments on the Bible, but
  they are practically the Bible itself. Furthermore, not only
  do we find that people cannot see the divine plan in studying
  the Bible by itself, but we see, also, that if anyone lays the
  'Scripture Studies' aside, even after he has used them, after
  he has become familiar with them, after he has read them for
  ten years -- if he lays them aside and ignores them and goes
  to the Bible alone, though he has understood the Bible for ten
  years, our experience shows that within two years he goes into
  darkness. On the other hand, if he had merely read the
  'Scripture Studies' with their references and had not read a
  page of the Bible as such, he would have the light of the
  Scriptures." ("The Watchtower," September 15, 1910, p. 298.)
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  passwordprotected

  @ Blondie; indeed one of their most damming self-aggrandising statements.
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  undercover

  I personally wouldn't make a big deal out of this to a believing JW.

  As already noted by a couple of other people, I sense that their underlying message is to try to indoctrinate believers into accepting that all the teachings in the "truth" are part of the Bible, but it doesn't explicitly state that any writing other than the original books is part of the Bible. It is cult speak at it's best...written so as to further convince a believer, but not clear enough for the critic to use against them.

  There are too many other real doctrinal issues and scandals that one can slam dunk without trying to attempt a wild pass at this hoping it hits...

  edited to add: Now Blondie's post quoting the Watchower on the other hand...that's an alley-ooop slam dunk...