Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 09-04-2011 WT Study (GUIDANCE)

“Unrealities” now that’s a new theocratic term. Idols and images, something or someone that is worshipped. How many jws “worship” the anointed, but more specifically the governing body. Aren’t jws told to put the elders on high, assigning them “double honor”? Behind closed doors, the CO tells the elders that they are mighty men who receive more holy spirit than the rank and file.

START OF ARTICLE

1, 2. (a) In seeking guidance to reach a destination,

what kind of warning might you appreciate,

and why? (b) What kinds of warnings does Jehovah

offer those who serve him, and why?

IMAGINE this: You need to travel to a certain

destination. For guidance, you turn

to a trusted friend who knows the way. As he

gives you thorough directions, he might say

something like this: “Be careful about that

next turn. The sign is misleading. A lot of

people follow it and wind up getting lost.”

Would you appreciate his concern and heed

the warning? In some ways, Jehovah is like

that friend. He gives us careful directions

about how to reach our destination of everlasting

life, but he also warns us about bad

influences that could cause us to go the

wrong way.—Deut. 5:32; Isa. 30:21.

COMMENTS

Giving directions the same as making life decisions…only one way? Or all roads lead to Rome—different paths can take one to the same goal, different ways to complete a task?

Does God give the “careful” directions or the self-appointed WTS? Who interprets or rather explains the scriptures.

The WTS has said the way would lead to 1914, 1920, 1925, 1940’s, 1975, (1984—70 yr generation), (1994—80 yr generation)

CARROT ON THE STICK: our destination of everlasting life

2 In this and the following article, we will

discuss some influences about which our

Friend, Jehovah God, warns us. Let us keep

in mind that Jehovah gives such warnings

out of concern and love. He wants us to

reach our destination. It pains him to see

people giving in to bad influences and losing

their way. (Ezek. 33:11) In this article, we

will discuss three negative influences. The

first is an external force, the second an internal

one. The third is not even real; nonetheless,

it is very dangerous. We need to know

what these influences are and how our heavenly

Father teaches us to resist them. One inspired

psalmist said to Jehovah: “Every false

path I have hated.” (Ps. 119:128) Do you feel

the same way? Let us see how we can intensify

such feelings and act on them.

COMMENTS

So God is not our Father? The WTS teaches that the “other sheep” will not have that honor until the end of the 1,000 year reign and they pass the final test by Satan. Whereas the anointed on earth, are already spiritual sons.

The WTS teaches that God gives those warnings only through their organization, in their publications, talks, etc. It is not possible to read the Bible without them and understand it.

Have jws hated every false path the WTS has presented, 1914, 1920, 1925, 1940’s, 1975…?

Do Not Follow “After the Crowd”

3. (a) Why might it be dangerous to follow other

travelers when we are unsure about which way to

go? (b) What important principle do we find at Exodus

23:2?

3 In taking a long journey, what would

you do if you felt unsure about which way to

go? You might feel tempted to follow other

travelers—especially if you saw a great many

making the same choice. Such a course is

risky. After all, those travelers may not be

heading toward your destination, or they

too may be lost. In this connection, consider

a principle that underlies one of the laws

given to ancient Israel. Those who served as

judges or as witnesses in judicial matters

were warned of the danger of ‘following after

the crowd.’ (Read Exodus 23:2.) Without

doubt, it is all too easy for imperfect humans

to bow to peer pressure, perverting

justice. However, is the principle about not

following the crowd restricted to judicial

matters? Not at all.

COMMENTS

Don’t jws following each other, 7 million plus strong just like lemmings? Today an older sister died; she had been told for 56 years that she would never die, would surivive without dying into the new system and she is not alone. How many of that generation are dying with the next generation their children wonder if that is their future?

Don’t you wonder what the judges in Israelite times used in their public hearings? The scriptures or a man-made book explaining it? Did they use the Torah or the Talmud?

What did Jesus have to say about the Talmud, man-made rules?

(Matthew15:1-11) Then there came to Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying: 2 “Why is it your disciples overstep the tradition of the men of former times? For example, they do not wash their hands when about to eat a meal.” 3 In reply he said to them: “Why is it YOU also overstep the commandment of God because of YOUR tradition? 4 For example, God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Let him that reviles father or mother end up in death.’ 5 But YOU say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother: “Whatever I have by which you might get benefit from me is a gift dedicated to God,” 6 he must not honor his father at all.’ And so YOU have made the word of God invalid because of YOUR tradition. 7 YOU hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about YOU, when he said,8 ‘This people honors me with their lips, yet their heart is far removed from me. 9 It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they teach commands of men as doctrines.’” 10 With that he called the crowd near and said to them: “Listen and get the sense of it: 11 Not what enters into [his] mouth defiles a man; but it is what proceeds out of [his] mouth that defiles a man.”

4, 5. How were Joshua and Caleb pressured to follow

the crowd, but what enabled them to resist?

4 In truth, the pressure to “follow after the

crowd” can affect us at almost any time. It

may arise suddenly, and it can be very difficult

to resist. Think, for example, of the

peer pressure that Joshua and Caleb once

faced. They were part of a group of 12 men

who went into the Promised Land to spy it

out. Upon their return, ten of those men

gave a very negative and discouraging report.

They even claimed that some of the

land’s inhabitants were giants descended

from the Nephilim, the offspring of rebel

angels and women. (Gen. 6:4) Now, that

claim was absurd. Those wicked hybrids had

been wiped out in the Deluge many centuries

earlier, leaving not a single descendant

behind. But even the most baseless ideas can

exert power over those weak in faith. The

negative reports from those ten spies quickly

spread fear and panic among the people. Before

long, most were sure that it would be a

mistake to enter the Promised Land as Jehovah

had directed. In that volatile situation,

what did Joshua and Caleb do?—Num.

13:25-33.

COMMENTS

So if following after the crowd, even the crowd of 7 million plus jws, is wrong, why does the WTS discourage independent or critical thinking by its members. Should they just follow their religious “leaders” as the Jews did leading the vast majority to reject Jesus as Messiah?

Whose expressions was John saying that Christians should test, people inside or outside the Christian congregation?

(1 John 4:1) Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.

Were Gentiles influencing Joshua and Caleb (OT example) or fellow worshippers?

Were the Nephilim any different from Rutherford’s statement that the “ancient worthies” (Abel, Noah, Abraham, Job, David, John the Baptist, etc) would be resurrected on earth in 1925, to take up rulership in Jerusalem?

Millions now living will never die brochure (pages 89, 90) J.R. Rutherford 1920

EARTHLY RULERS

As we have heretofore stated, the great jubilee cycle is due to begin in 1925. At that time the earthly phase of the kingdom shall be recognized. The Apostle Paul in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews names a long list of faithful men who died before the crucifixion of the Lord and before the beginning of the selection of the church. These can never be a part of the heavenly class; they had no heavenly hopes; but God has in store something good for them. They are to be resurrected as perfect men and constitute the princes or rulers in the earth, according to his promise. (Psalm 45:16; Isaiah 32:1; Matthew 8:11) Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old, particularly those named by the Apostle in Hebrews chapter eleven, to the condition of human perfection.

http://www.strictlygenteel.co.uk/millions/millions.html

5 They did not go following after the

crowd. Although the crowd hated to hear it,

those two men told the truth and stuck to it

—even when threatened with death by stoning!

Where did they get the courage? No

doubt, a good part of it came from their

faith. People with faith see clearly the difference

between the baseless claims of men

and the sacred promises of Jehovah God.

Both men later expressed how they felt

about Jehovah’s record in fulfilling his every

promise. (Read Joshua 14:6, 8; 23:2, 14.)

Joshua and Caleb were attached to their

faithful God, and they could not imagine

hurting him for the sake of following a faithless

crowd. So they stood firm, setting a sterling

example for us today.—Num.14:1-10.

COMMENTS

Did the WTS tell the truth? Or do they teach that there are not required to tell the truth to people who are not entitled to it?

Court case in 1954

http://www.quotes-watchtower.co.uk/false_prophecy_admitted.html

http://www.lulu.com/product/file-download/the-1954-walsh-trial-transcript/834182

6. In what ways might we feel pressured to follow

the crowd?

6 Do you ever feel pressured to follow after

the crowd? People who are alienated from

Jehovah and who scoff at his moral standards

certainly form a vast crowd today.

When it comes to entertainment and recreation,

that crowd often promote baseless

ideas. They may insist that the immorality,

violence, and spiritism so prevalent

in television programs, movies, and video

games are harmless. (2 Tim. 3:1-5) When

you choose entertainment and recreation

for yourself or your family, do you allow the

lax consciences of others to influence your

decisions and to mold your conscience?

Would that not, in effect, amount to following

after the crowd?

COMMENTS

Pressured to follow what crowd; the WTS crowd?

Is the elder with the season tickets to the university basketball games, what baseless ideas is he promoting?

Or the elder who gets R-rated movies and zips through the “bad” parts at the parties he gives at home? Are the people who come letting his lax conscience mold theirs?

Are you ever tempted to follow the crowd?

7, 8. (a) How are our “perceptive powers” trained,

and why is such training more useful than following

a host of rigid rules? (b)Why do you find the example

of many Christian youths heartwarming?

7 Jehovah has given us a precious gift

to help us make decisions—our “perceptive

powers.” However, these powers need

to be trained “through use.” (Heb. 5:14)

Following the crowd would not train our

perceptive powers; nor, on the other hand,

would a host of rigid rules in matters of conscience.

That is why, for example, Jehovah’s

people are not given a list of films, books,

and Internet sites to avoid. Because this

world changes so fast, such a list would be

outdated soon after it was made. (1 Cor. 7:

31) Worse, it would deprive us of the vital

work of weighing Bible principles carefully

and prayerfully and then making decisions

on the basis of those principles.—Eph. 5:10.

COMMENTS

Do jws make their own decisions or do they let the elders do that so they do the “right” thing and retain their “privileges”? Are they “using” their power of decision or are the elders?

Are there a host of “rigid” rules or flexible rules that the WTS can apply to any specific situation? Yes don’t say Facebook but do say “all social network sites.”

No matter what principle a jw may use, the overriding principle is that some unnamed jw will have told the elder that they would be stumbled if you do what you have so carefully “reasoned” out using “bible” principles.

8 Of course, our Bible-based decisions

may at times make us unpopular. Christian

youths in school may face strong pressure

from the crowd to see and do what everyone

else is seeing and doing. (1 Pet. 4:4) Therefore,

it is beautiful to see Christians young

and old imitating the faith of Joshua and Caleb,

refusing to follow after the crowd.

COMMENTS

Yes, “bible” based decisions can make you unpopular with other jws. What would have happened if mentioned Brother Zip’s watching R-rated movies? Or what if you decide you can’t go out d2d with time-wasting pioneers because your conscience is troubled?

Yes, not following the crowd of 7 million plus jws can make you unpopular.

Do Not Follow “Your Hearts and Your Eyes”

9. (a) In the course of a journey, why might it be

dangerous simply to follow our urges and impulses?

(b)Why was the law found at Numbers 15:37-39 relevant

to God’s ancient people?

9 The second dangerous influence we will

discuss is an internal one. We might illustrate

it this way: If you were taking a journey

to a particular destination, can you imagine

deciding to cast aside your map and simply

follow your impulses—perhaps turning onto

every road that seemed to offer pretty views?

Clearly, giving in to such impulses would

keep you from reaching your goal. In this regard,

consider another of Jehovah’s laws to

ancient Israel. Many today might find a law

about putting fringes and blue threads on

their garments hard to understand. (Read

Numbers 15:37-39.) Do you see the relevance,

though? Obeying such a law helped

God’s people to keep themselves distinct

and separate from the pagan nations around

them. That was vital if they were to gain and

maintain Jehovah’s approval. (Lev. 18:24,

25) However, that law also reveals a dangerous

internal influence that might lead us

away from our destination of everlasting life.

How so?

COMMENTS

So what map would a jw be casting aside, the bible or the WT publication? As one elder said from the platform as he held up the WT, “And what do we base on beliefs on?”

What if your road was blocked by a landslide? Wouldn’t it be prudent to go back and take a safer side road?

So what represents the fringes and blue threads for jws today? Is there any dress or grooming that singles out only jws? Especially from many evangelical groups?

CARROT: DESTINATION OF EVERLASTING LIFE

10. How has Jehovah shown insight into human

nature?

10 Note what Jehovah gave his people as a

reason behind this law: “You must not go

about following your hearts and your eyes,

which you are following in immoral intercourse.”

Jehovah has profound insight into

human nature. He well knows how easily

our heart, or inner self, is seduced by what

we take in through our eyes. The Bible thus

warns us: “The heart is more treacherous

than anything else and is desperate. Who

can know it?” (Jer. 17:9) Do you see, then,

just how fitting was Jehovah’s warning to

the Israelites? He well knew that they would

be inclined to look at the pagan peoples

around them and be seduced by what they

saw. They might be tempted to look like

those unbelievers and then to think, feel,

and act like them.—Prov.13:20.

COMMENTS

So will jws be safe if they avoid being around non-jws? What about the jws with large homes, big cars, fancy trips, lavish meals, abundant alcoholic beverages, expensive jewelry, clothes, etc. So how would they look the “unbelievers.” Not every body looks like a tattooed geek, Lady Gagaesque,; or with black nail polish, bright red lipstick, 3 inch heel. I remember the PO who had his bible student cut his hair in one of those spiky up dos…

11. In what way might we be seduced by our physical

senses?

11 In our own day, it is even easier for our

treacherous heart to be seduced by our physical

senses. We live in a world that is geared

toward appealing to fleshly inclinations. So

how can we apply the principle behind

Numbers 15:39? Consider: If those around

you at school, at the workplace, or in your

community are dressing more and more

provocatively, might you be affected? Might

you be tempted to ‘follow your heart and

eyes’ and be seduced by what you see? Then

might you be tempted to lower your own

standards by dressing in a similar manner?

—Rom.12:1, 2.

COMMENTS

More provocatively in the congregation is more like it. I remember one congregation had a special needs talk about how the sisters were dressing, long nails, red or black, bright lipstick, tall heels, skirts too tight, and dyed hair. Then the new CO came next week and his wife walked in and you guessed it, obviously black dyed hair, long red nails, bright red lipstick, 3 inch spike heels and a skirt a little too tight.

12, 13. (a) What should we do if our eyes tend to

wander where they should not? (b) What can move

us to avoid becoming a source of temptation to others?

12 We urgently need to cultivate self control.

If our eyes tend to wander where

they should not, let us recall the firm resolve

of faithful Job, who made a formal agreement

with his own eyes—a firm decision not

to give romantic attention to a woman not

his own wife. (Job 31:1) Similarly, King David

resolved: “I shall not set in front of

my eyes any good-for-nothing thing.” (Ps.

101:3) Whatever might damage our clean

conscience and our relationship with Jehovah

is for us a “good-for-nothing thing.”

That would include any temptation that appeals

to our eyes and threatens to seduce our

heart into wrongdoing.

COMMENTS

Job—OT—remember that Job had no barrier to having more than one wife, to have sex with a single woman; he had no obligation under any law of God.

I’m hoping that King David said “I will not set in front of my eyes any good-for-nothing” after he took another man’s wife and had her husband killed.

13 On the other hand, we certainly would

never want to become, in a sense, a “good-for-

nothing thing” to others by tempting

them to contemplate wrongdoing. We

therefore take seriously the Bible’s inspired

counsel to wear well-arranged and modest

clothing. (1 Tim. 2:9) Modesty is not

something we can simply define in a way

that suits us. We need to take into account

the consciences and sensitivities of those

around us, putting their peace of mind

and welfare ahead of our own preferences.

(Rom.15:1, 2) The Christian congregation is

blessed with many thousands of young people

who set sterling examples in this regard.

How proud they make us as they refuse to

‘follow their hearts and their eyes,’ choosing

instead to please Jehovah in all that they do

—even in the way they dress!

COMMENTS

Oh yes, poor men, they can’t see the glimpse of an ankle or a bare arm and not get sexually excited. It was Bathsheba’s fault that David saw her bathing….yup, yup.

So no slits even just below the knee, all shirts or dresses or sweaters must button under the chin, skirts around the ankles, no heels higher than one inch, do you get the idea that it is not the males the are exciting the sensitivities of the women.

Jws think modesty has to do with dress, but more importantly is not gossiping and spreading false stories.

Do Not Follow “Unrealities”

14. What warning about pursuing

“unrealities” did Samuel deliver?

14 Imagine that your journey took you

across a vast desert. What would happen if

you veered off the road to pursue a mirage?

Pursuing that illusion could cost you

your life! Jehovah well knows that danger.

Consider an example. The Israelites wanted

to be like the nations around them, who

were ruled by human kings. That desire was,

in fact, a grave sin, for it amounted

to a rejection of Jehovah as their King.

Although Jehovah allowed them to have a human

king, he had his prophet Samuel deliver a

pointed warning about pursuing “unrealities.”—

Read 1 Samuel 12:21.

COMMENTS

What is a WTS mirage? That we are close to the “end.” The WTS says it has been close in 1914, 1920, 1925, 1940’s, 1975, 1984, 1994, being on the threshold all that time. As soon as you get close to a date it evaporates.

The Israelites were wrong to want a human king, yet jws are told they cannot go directly to God but have to go through Jesus and they cannot go through Jesus without going through the WTS organization, basically a human ruler on earth.

Why is it dangerous to follow an impulse?

15. In what ways did the Israelites

pursue unrealities?

15 Did those people think that a human king would

somehow be more real, more dependable,

than Jehovah? If so, they were truly pursuing

an unreality! And they were in danger of

pursuing many other satanic illusions. Human

kings would easily lead them into idolatry.

Idolaters make the mistake of thinking

that physical objects—gods made of wood

or stone—are somehow more real, more reliable,

than the invisible God, Jehovah, who

created all things. But as the apostle Paul

noted, idols are “nothing.” (1 Cor. 8:4) They

cannot see, hear, speak, or act. You might be

able to see them and touch them, but if you

were to worship one, you would, indeed,

be pursuing an unreality—an empty illusion

that would bring only disaster.—Ps.

115:4-8.

COMMENTS

What is an “unreality”? An illusion, a mirage…see paragraph 14 for some of the WTS illusions.

16. (a) How does Satan lure many today into pursuing

unrealities? (b) Why can we say that material

things are unrealities, especially in comparison with

Jehovah God?

16 Satan is still adept at convincing people

to pursue unrealities. For instance, he has

seduced innumerable people into looking

to material things to provide security. Money,

possessions, and high-paying jobs may

seem to deliver advantages. What do

material things deliver, though, when health fails,

when the economy crumbles, or when a

natural disaster strikes? What do they deliver

when people feel empty inside, in need of

purpose, direction, and answers to life’s

deeper questions? What relief can they deliver

in the face of death? If we look to material

things to fill spiritual needs, we will be

disappointed. Material possessions do not

deliver; they are unrealities. In the long run,

they cannot even provide physical security,

for they have no lasting effect on the present

brevity of human life or the likelihood of

sickness and death. (Prov. 23:4, 5) How

much more real, then, is our God, Jehovah!

Only in a strong relationship with him can

we find genuine security. What a precious

blessing that is! Let us never forsake him in

the pursuit of unrealities.

COMMENTS

Why does the WTS tar every non-jw with the same brush? Why do they assume that jws get infected by people outside the congregation? Who do they spend most of their time with, other jws? What is a high-paying job…one that pays your bills or must jws seek to live in poverty? If material things are empty, why did Jesus teach his disciples to ask God for food?

17. What is your resolve regarding the negative influences

we have discussed?

17 Are we not blessed to have Jehovah as

our Friend and Guide on life’s journey? If

we continue to heed his loving warnings

against three bad influences—the crowd,

our own hearts, and unrealities—we will be

much more likely to reach our destination

of everlasting life. In the following article,

let us consider three more warnings that Jehovah

provides to help us hate and avoid

the false paths that lead so many astray.—Ps.

119:128.

COMMENTS

CARROT—DESTINATION OF EVERLASTING LIFE

Are you pursuing any unrealities?

What Do You Think?

How can you make personal application

of the principles revealed in the following

scriptures?

Exodus 23:2

Numbers 15:37-39

1 Samuel 12:21

Psalm 119:12

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

Next week, WILL YOU HEED JEHOVAH’S CLEAR WARNINGS?

False teachers—what false teachings are found in the WTS doctrines?

Sorry this is late. I had a close family member die this weekend as well as a serious personal medical emergency.

Love, Blondie

yesidid

Thank you Blondie.

ziddina

Yay, Blondie's posted another article!!

Thank you very much!!

colorful calla lillies

ziddina

"As he gives you thorough directions, he might say something like this: "Be careful about that next turn. The sign is misleading. A lot of people follow it and wind up getting lost." ..."

Now, I've driven in a lot of cities that I was totally unfamiliar with, driven back roads looking for trail heads, hiked trails and have had to deal with 'braided' trails, and I've asked for directions more times than I can count, but I've NEVER gotten that response...

Usually if I'm talking to locals, they give directions based on landmarks; they really don't pay that much attention to the street names....

Zid

ziddina

"... we will discuss some influences about which our Friend, Jehovah God, warns us. ..."

Our FRIEND????

That makes me think of these clueless parents who are always trying to be their child's 'buddy', and attempt to regain their lost youth by acting like they're 13 years old, too....

I don't think I want to be friends with a bloodthirsty, Bronze-Age Middle-Eastern god... That 'friendship' would be very one-sided in its benefits...

JW GoneBad

Sorry this is late. I had a close family member die this weekend as well as a serious personal medical emergency.

No apology needed. Talk about a self-sacrificing spirit! You are a Gem.

It is we who are sorry for your loss and wish a speedy recovery to your health.

Thank you Blondie.

ziddina

" In this article, we will discuss three negative influences. The first is an external force, the second an internal one. The third is not even real; nonetheless, it is very dangerous. ..."

Ahhhh....

This comes very close to being a 'boogyman' - it ain't real, but it'll getcha anyway!!!

ziddina

" Sorry this is late. I had a close family member die this weekend as well as a serious personal medical emergency. ..."

Blondie, I'm sorry to hear that! I hadn't gotten that far in your post yet - good thing JW Gone Bad had read further ahead!!

Like he said, you're a gem - and a very determined lady - not letting such deep personal blows impede you...

My deepest sympathies...

tulips

JW GoneBad

Little do the GB know how this statement in Par 5 applies to them...............

"People with faith see clearly the difference between the baseless claims of men (the governing body of JWs) and the sacred promises of Jehovah God."

This explains the exodus of so many from the organization!

ziddina

"...Many today might find a law about putting fringes and blue threads on their garments hard to understand. .... Obeying such a law helped God's people to keep themselves distinct and separate from the pagan nations around them. ..."

As someone commented on another thread - I think it was the "Sisters still can't wear pantsuits" thread - the Watchtower Society's edicts about so-called "modest" dress has caused Jehovah's Witnesses to look behind-the-times, backwards, weird and sometimes even clownish.

Well, at least they're "distinct". Not distinctive, just standing out like a sore thumb...

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 09-04-2011 WT Study (GUIDANCE)

EARTHLY RULERS

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