2009-The Bible-What Is Its Message-brochure--PDF!

by Atlantis 32 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • drew sagan
    drew sagan

    From what I have noticed in my somewhat limited exposure to the JWs is they attempt to make the initial contact information such as Awake, public watchtower and brochures like this looking pretty mainstream, no discussion of 1914, no Jesus = Michaeal, no torture stake...why scare off a potential convert immediately.........wait til they have had a taste of the koolaid on their lips....wow, this doesn't taste too bad, maybe I should have some more.

    While things like Jesus being Michael, no toruture state, tend to enhance the message of the JWs, 1914 is a very intergral part of their message.

    Here they have a brochure that supposidly tells us the "bibles message" without discussing how that "message" relates to the modern day organization. From a practical standpoint, leaving out referances to the organization and 1914 makes sense. Potential members may see such things as a display of arrogence, something that could turn people off.

    I remember one time going on a return visit with a man I placed a "Require Brochure" with. He told me he read it, but when it started talking about 1914 he thought that was garbage and just threw it away. It just stuck out for him as total nonsense and he called us out on it. We couldn't explain the teaching, and he used that as an opportunity to embarass us.

  • Psychotic Parrot
    Psychotic Parrot

    The bible doesn't have 'a message'!

    How infuriating to even suggest such a thing!

    It is NOT a single book that was written with a single message in mind that was only to be understood fully 2000 years after it was completed! It is an ANTHOLOGY of disparate & often contradictory texts written over a period of nearly 1000 years, much of those texts semi-plagarisms of early texts from as long ago as 3000 BC. It was all thrown together for political reasons in a very well thought out way by political leaders & religious extremists in the 4th century AD.

    It has NO message!

  • insearchoftruth
    insearchoftruth

    One thing I did notice is that item 5 on "The Bibles Message - an overview" it does state that Jesus was resurrected 'as a spirit'.

  • oompa
    oompa

    What is the Bibles Message?...........God only knows!........oompa

  • drew sagan
    drew sagan

    fwiw,

    I find this brochure interesting on many levels. The outline given in this book is more coherent per se, trying to build a theme that travels from Genesis to Revelation. This is contradictory to other Watchtower publications (What does the Bible Really Teach?, Knowledge that leads to Everlasting Life) that suggest the message is based more upon isolated texts and controversial topics. For example, this new publication seems to stay clear of the Watchtowers typical door-to-door message. Find a teaching or practice that is found in other Christian religions, and then find ways to show how it is a false teaching created by pagans.

    In this booklet, the product being offered is general Bible education, rather than specific doctrinal discussions. I don't think the Watchtower ever specifically has used this sort of method. I think back to their many publications and articles (Require brochure especially, but also the books I mentioned above in addition to the Paradise & Truth books).

    I think this brochure may show a new development in the strategy they use. The "message" now will consist of a general message devoid of the organizations role. They also seem to be avoiding the confrontational issues that have become less appealing (especially in more secular western lands). In some of their newer books we were kind of getting to this point, but with this brochure we seem to finally be there.

  • insearchoftruth
    insearchoftruth
    The "message" now will consist of a general message devoid of the organizations role.

    Drew, please elaborate a bit more on this point......do you think that by giving a more 'acceptable' presentation of the bible they may be able to lure a few more folks for studies?? This seems to be somewhat contrary to the message of the insiders only watchtowers that is further lifting up the importance of the organization and more particularly the GB.

    What is the purpose for a brochure like this, will it be to place when one is in field service??

  • drew sagan
    drew sagan

    What is the purpose for a brochure like this, will it be to place when one is in field service??

    I suppose the major purpose is to make their message less controversial. The other books put a strong emphasis on proving other faiths wrong, something that may have had wider appeal in the past. The newer publications seem to focus on general things, showing that the WTS may believe that the old way of doing things is no longer sufficient.

    The organizations role in the "Bibles Message" was a much more attractive method when the theology actually had some bite. The generation change is the best example. Things like 1914 and the anointed had a special relevance then. People had a special connection to the organizational history because these teachings ensured that the end would happen within their lifetime (or so they thought). But now that those teachings have failed, there seems to be little use for them. Without a new teaching that predicts the end of the world within a certain time frame I think the WTS is forced to find a more general message.

  • insearchoftruth
    insearchoftruth
    I think the WTS is forced to find a more general message.

    More general = more mainstream??? Or just something a bit less 'culty'?

  • WTWizard
    WTWizard

    The Bible lies.

  • thomas15
    thomas15

    Hi Drew, you posted:

    "In this booklet, the product being offered is general Bible education, rather than specific doctrinal discussions. I don't think the Watchtower ever specifically has used this sort of method. I think back to their many publications and articles (Require brochure especially, but also the books I mentioned above in addition to the Paradise & Truth books)."

    Since I don't have your background in WT theology and tactics I cannot debate your points (not that I disagree with you), but as a Evangelical I see WT theology in just about every sentence in the picture scan. For example, did Adam and Eve question God's right to rule or did they just disobey his instructions? One has to do with compliance, the other with faith or lack of. In my opinion, to back up the claims of the scan points #1 and #2 based on a reading of the first three chapters of Genesis would require a lot of reading between the line and then some.

    Interesting post.

    Tom

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