The best form of defense is.......

by ozziepost 3 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  ozziepost

  ......ATTACK!

  Recent events appear to indicate that the WTS has adopted a more aggressive stance toward dissenting views. The view from the Borg during the past couple of years has been reactive and defensive toward the revealing of embarrassing issues, but the February issues of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines show an “up and at ‘em” approach.

  So WTS teachings which may have been ‘downplayed’ are now being vigorously defended.

  The Awake! of February 8 carries a two-page article entitled “Who is Michael the Archangel?” No new reasoning is given but the argumentation runs like this: There are millions of angels, but only two are mentioned ny name, Gabriel and Michael. Michael is clearly an “outstanding angel”. “Christendom’s religions, as well as as Judaism and Islam, have conflicting ideas on the subject of angels” (the straw man approach?). “Aside from God, only Jesus is spoken of as having angels under subjection” – so? Then the article refers to 1 Thessalonians 4:16 where the term “archangel’s voice” is used to describe the voice of the Lord at the resurrection and then states “It is reasonable to conclude that only an archangel would call with an archangel’s voice…….the Scriptures point to the resurrected Jesus Christ as the chief of all angels – Michael the archangel.”

  The article does not, however, refer to Jude 9 where Michael says, ‘the Lord rebuke you’, yet when Jesus was on earth he rebuked Satan and the demons directly and they fled from him. Also Hebrews 1:7,8 shows beyond doubt that Jesus is NOT an angel. Verse 7 has Jehovah speaking, ‘to the angels’. The ‘but’ at the beginning of verse 8 shows He’s talking to someone different, here it’s ‘to the Son’, so the angels are on one side and the Son is on the other. The Son cannot be an angel, not even an archangel. (See “The Jehovah’s Witnesses, Their Beliefs & Practices” by Doug Harris, published by Gazelle Books, Mill Hill, London)

  Elsewhere in the same issue (Feb 8) of the magazine, is found this response to a question “From Our Readers” on page 30. From RB of the USA came this letter

  I enjoyed the article “Cathedrals-Monuments to God or Men?” (June 8,2001) But isn’t it true that Jehovah’s Witnesses build rather large Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls?

  Notice this response from the WTS:

  We criticized the building of cathedrals not simply because they are big but because the driving force in building them was often what one historian called the “arrogant pride” of religious leaders. Also financing these huge structures often worked an extreme hardship on parishioners. By way of contrast, Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls are modest structures that are not built to bring praise to any humans. Rather, they serve as places of worship. These halls are financed by voluntary contributions and do not impose an unreasonable financial burden upon anyone.

  Ozziepost would respond with a big “HOWEVER” to that statement! They don’t publicise the burden of financing these halls that those on regional committees see. And doesn’t the imposing of hours and placement ‘quotas’ prove a burden on the R&F? Do they overlook that the surpluses on the printing operations are a source of financing of halls?

  Could these articles be a harbinger of what is to come in 2002?

  Cheers,
  Ozzie
  
  "It's better to light a candle than to curse the darkness."
  
  Anonymous
• 

  forgetmenot

  I just loved this one ....
  

  We criticized the building of cathedrals not simply because they are big but because the driving force in building them was often what one historian called the “arrogant pride” of religious leaders. Also financing these huge structures often worked an extreme hardship on parishioners. By way of contrast, Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls are modest structures that are not built to bring praise to any humans. Rather, they serve as places of worship. These halls are financed by voluntary contributions and do not impose an unreasonable financial burden upon anyone.

  When we were remodeling our kingdom hall awhile back, I heard a sister ALMOST (though she thought better, apparently) (this is when they were encourageing all to help in the remodel) say "NOW we're going to show this little town, exactly who we are!"
• 

  Richie

  Ozzie...
  This was an interesting post. With reference to the Society's reaction on cathedral buildings I have to make a few comments. It is true that many religious buildings have been constructed with the "blood" of men, but it also must be admitted that most cathedrals have a sort of glorious air of magnificence as they were built with the express purpose of manifesting worship to God the Creator. The cathedrals were built with the finest and most expensive materials, paying utmost attention to the tiniest details where even gold and silver were used as part of their interior makeup. Just look at Michael Angelo's paintings drawing attention solely to the Creator. And what about the temple of Solomon: it was a building dedicated to Jehovah and the most expensive elements were used to accomplish that feat - just to paraphase: "Solomon's throne itself was of ivory overlaid with fine gold. It had a round canopy behind it; six steps led up to it, with six lions on each side, and two lions stood beside the throne's armrests. For his drinking vessels only gold was used - many other ornaments were constructed of the finest materials available - the temple was constructed in such a way as has never been seen before in Judah". Many large churches were built in essence to bring praise to God and consisted of impressive and luxurious architectural structures similar to what Solomon accomplished. Moreover they stood the test of time where most cathedrals exist hundreds of years, whereas Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls may only last for a couple of decades (if that long) or be sold to another institution or business.

  Richie :*)
• 

  Carmel

  Excellent response Richie. It is a common denominator amongst the world's major religions, that their architecture and construction of buildings dedicated to the idea and worship of God are the finest and best a group of people can produce. As you stated, they are built to last, not discarded every ten years or so. I just finished up a four year stint working on structures in Haifa, Israel that were engineered, designed and built to last a thousand years. Down the road a half mile the dinky little KH with its windows all bricked in may make it for another decade, but even the stone repointed every year, will be gone in half a century, turned to dust. The stainless steel and marble building up the mountain will be there for another thousand.

  cheers, carmelite