September 15 WT Same old, Same old.

by Slidin Fast 11 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Slidin Fast

  These paragraphs once again promote the GB/writing commitee to the status of God. They also blatantly reverse the meaning of Acts 17:11 by selectively quoting it, missing out completely the phrase 'as to whether these things were so". So we go from a scripture that encourages critical thinking to a misquote that requires blind acceptance. Please read on, (bold script mine).

  A RE Y OU L ETTING J EHOVAH B E Y OUR S HARE ? WT 15/09/11 p14 pp 14,15

  14 How do you react when Jehovah, the Source of spiritual enlightenment, sheds light on “the deep things of God” found in the Bible? (1 Cor. 2:10-13) We have an excel- lent example in the apostle Peter’s reaction when Jesus told His listeners: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves.” Tak- ing those words literally, many disciples said: “This speech is shocking; who can lis- ten to it?” They “went off to the things be- hind.” But Peter said: “Lord, whom shall we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting life.”—John 6:53, 60, 66, 68.

  15 Peter did not fully understand what Je- sus said about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. But the apostle relied on God for spiritual enlightenment. When spiritual light on some matter gets brighter, do you try to understand the underlying Scriptural reasons for the adjustment? (Prov. 4:18) The first-century Beroeans received the word “with the greatest eagerness of mind, care- fully examining the Scriptures daily.” (Acts 17:11) Imitating them will deepen your ap- preciation for your privilege to serve Jeho- vah, to have him be your share.

  Acts 17:11 Now the latter were more noble-minded than those in Thes·sa·lo·ni′ca, for they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.

  Now we have read scriptures no one will bother to even look up the reference and see the ommision. The scripture is rarely referred to these days so it is fading into distant memory.
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  Mickey mouse

  C.U.L.T.
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  Honesty

  itsacult
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  Old Goat

  Typical. They confuse themselves with Jesus. Why are these people not on medication. Then, again, maybe they are.
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  Broken Promises

  Interesting omission.

  Thanks for pointing it out.

  They obviously don't want the Witnesses to be checking or referencing anything. Just accept it and shut up.
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  MrMonroe

  Probably discussed elsewhere, but another couple of points:

  Page 29: Although in Korah’s eyes it was aged Moses who was making day-to-day decisions, it was really Jehovah who was directing the nation. Korah lost sight of that fact and consequently failed to show loyalty to those whom God was using. How much wiser it would have been for Korah to wait on Jehovah for a clearer understanding or for adjustments if those were really needed. So in the end, Korah destroyed his record of faithful
  service by his prideful actions! That account provides a serious warning for elders and others in the congregation today. Waiting on Jehovah and following directions from those appointed to take the lead requires humility.

  The Jews in the wilderness had a few subtle signs that God was with them and using Moses (parting of the Red Sea, the Ten Commandments, turning bitter water into sweet, water from a rock, budding staff, manna from heaven ....) the Governing Body has ... anyone? anyone? anyone? Oh, that's right, they just tell JWs God is using them. So therefore they must be obeyed.

  Page 22: In addition to “everyweight,” Paul mentioned putting off “the sin that easily entangles us.” What might that be? The Greek word translated “easily entangles” appears only once in the Bible, in this verse. Scholar Albert Barnes observed: “As a runner would be careful not to encumber himself with a garment which would be apt to wind around his legs in running, and hinder him, so it should be with the Christian, who especially ought to lay aside everything which resembles this.”

  Just a thought here: could the "sin that easily entangles us" also involve pride and the demand to lord it over others? Could it be that the Governing Body has fallen into the human trap of wanting to dominate the faith of others, telling them they can only please God by first pleasing them?
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  luna2

  "Just accept it and shut up"

  This is their mainstay and they seem to be masters at converting the faithful to this point of view. What they really, really want is the appearance of intelligence with an underlying base of blind obedience. Everything is about how it "looks" on the surface. They want JWs to look like they are real students of the bible without actually being students of the bible. What they are students of is the WTS and its printed crapola. The WTS tosses out pronouncements that contradict everything they taught people for years and years, but they call it "new light". They don't want anybody to really go back and see just how contradictory they are, they just want you to accept it as gospel and move along.

  One of the scariest experiences I had was when a sister, someone I'd really looked up to at one time, started talking about never contradicting the GB or questioning what they were directing witnesses to believe and do. They'd taken an educated, intelligent person and turned her into a non-thinking Watchtower robot. I knew a couple of these uber-dubs and found them extremely disturbing. It was like there was nothing going on any more behind their glassy eyes. They'd given the WTS total control of their brains.
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  MrMonroe

  Luna2, I know what you mean. An elder's daughter, who'd always been a bit rebellious in her younger days, had a baby and was discussing with my wife the challenges that would arise eventually over birthdays and Easter etc. My wife said, "Well, it's a decision we all have to make about whether we pull our kids out of the room when they're singing 'Happy Birthday' (we didn't). She replied, indignantly: "No way. There's no question. If the organisation says we shouldn't do it, then we don't! If the organisation told us to jump off a cliff, we'd do it, wouldn't we!"

  My wife didn't quite know what to say. Scary people, some of them. Really worrying.
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  thistheother

  I promise to bring this point out (if I'm still around them lol) in the study as a comment. In a way that expresses semi-confusion but is determined to twist it to fit, it should make people think. Example:

  "And of course, not mentioned in the paragraph but the scripture goes on to mention that the Boreans checked to make sure that these things were so. So its interesting they decided to use this particular scripture and it may indicate that we TOO may have to do this, especially when the direction is something we don't immediately understand. Our own careful study of the scriptures can help us see whether these things are. so."

  It should raise eyebrows (but not protests) when people realize that they would have heard in another meeting that "if we don't understand something from the Governing Body we should wait on Jehovah." Nope, not research or determine whether it is so, but wait on God almighty himself to reveal to us how correct these men were along. LOL.
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  No Room For George

  The Jews in the wilderness had a few subtle signs that God was with them and using Moses (parting of the Red Sea, the Ten Commandments, turning bitter water into sweet, water from a rock, budding staff, manna from heaven ....) the Governing Body has ... anyone? anyone? anyone? Oh, that's right, they just tell JWs God is using them. So therefore they must be obeyed.

  Exactly. I shake my head in disbelief at how so many people, including myself, never realized how simple this is. I've stood on platforms and stated pretty much what you posted here, about the need for us to have faith because today we haven't been exposed to anything supernatural or miraculous, unlike the ancient Israelites. When one steps back momentarily, and examines the organization even with an unbiased yet critical eye, it becomes so blatently obvious that this is an organization made up of men, and directed by men. There's an older brother in my congregation who absolutely loves this organization, and loves the GB, even going so far as to pray for them when they have their weekly meeting on Wednesdays because as he says it, "they have so many difficult decisions to make." I just shake my head in my heart, and don't bother saying amen after he finishes. He sees them as God's chosen representatives on the earth feeding his elect and the other sheep spiritually. I see several old white dudes and one token black, mooching off of the so called "other sheep", all in the name of Jehovah. It's a joke.