How do Jehovah’s Witnesses arrive at their explanation of the Bible?

by mankkeli 18 Replies latest jw friends

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  GLTirebiter

  Jesus said that he would have on earth a “faithful and discreet slave” (his anointed followers viewed as a group), through which agency he would provide spiritual food to those making up the household of faith. (Matt. 24:45-47)

  That passage is a parable, an allegorical teaching--one of many illustrations in this passage from Matthew's gospel about staying faithful, being prepared, and living every moment as though it will be your last. It does not identify a specific person or group as a major domo ruling God's servants on Earth; rather it calls every one of us to be a wise and faithful servant of the Lord.

  The two men in the field and two women at the mill (Matt 24:40-42) are not specific people; they are examples contrasting those who are living God's way and are ready for his coming to those who live their own way and are caught unprepared at the end. The master of the house (Matt 24:43-44) was not a lesson about home security, it says to to take action now and prepare for the coming judgement before it is too late. The ten virgins (Matt 25:1-13) is not about weddings and lamp oil, it is about being wise and prepared instead of foolish and not doing your duty. The parable of the talents (Matt 25:14-30) is not investment advice, it tells us to apply ourselves and do the Master's will to the best of our ability today and every day, not to hesitate out of fear of inadequacy or punishment for falling short.

  So, amid all these allegorical parables, did the Lord abruptly toss in a clue about a literal "Faithful Slave" to oversee us, then just as abruptly return to his previous discourse? Or was He telling us, all of us, to do his Father's will at all times, to always be ready no matter when the Master returns to judge our faithfulness? The first interpretation is out of context with the remainder of this two-chapter passage; a blatant attempt to inject a particular meaning into the text. The second is harmonious with passage as a whole,; it follows a consistent theme and teaching.

  So I ask (rhetorically): who really will "resort to philosophical arguments to evade its clear statements of truth or to justify the way of life of people who have abandoned its moral standards"? Who really makes up "theories as to its significance"?
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  N.drew

  Is not time relative? Sequence of events is what humans do not understand unless they are lined up. Throw your theory away, it doesn't work.
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  Meeting Junkie No More

  Jesus said that he would have on earth a “faithful and discreet slave” (his anointed followers viewed as a group), through which agency he would provide spiritual food to those making up the household of faith. (Matt. 24:45-47)

  Mankkeli,

  The only words Jesus said in that whole quote above is the part in quotation marks"faithful and discreet slave". That bit about (his anointed followers viewed as a group) in parentheses, is an explanation given by the JWs, where they are trying to tell YOU that that is what Jesus MEANT. Jesus asked a question - WHO REALLY IS .... if you actually read the scripture they quote (Matt. 24:45 - 47)

  If we dissect their explanation - His anointed followers (anointed by holy spirit, remember); and now we're supposed to view these AS A GROUP but they would be invisible to you and me unless we're actually watching these very people partake yearly. So, unless we travelled the whole globe every Memorial to see EXACTLY who these anointed followers are - THESE ARE THE PEOPLE VIEWED AS A GROUP?!! that make up the faithful and discreet slave?
  
  They sure are asking us to swallow a whole lot of gobbledygook in that one sentence....and I was more or less born in so sucked this stuff up like mother's milk. Once you actually start THINKING about what they 'explain', it all falls apart quite nicely.
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  jonathan dough

  They get the bad stuff from the dark side. They have roots deep in the occult.

  This documented historical connection with the occult is evident in several ways. Russell relied heavily on astrological predictions and signs of the zodiac. Rutherford believed that Jehovah most likely resided in the Pleiades constellation. Many of Rutherford and Russell's false predictions were calculated based on alignment and measurement of ancient Egyptian pyramids relying in essence on the powers of the occult. A small pyramid was erected next to Russell's grave as a memorial to his life and work. The satanic All-Seeing Eye of occult worship adorns Russell's memorial pyramid, and early Watchtower publications incorporate Masonic symbolism to a great degree. Furthermore, the Divine Plan of the Ages, an early Watchtower book, is adorned with the Winged Sun Disc, an Egyptian religious symbol of pagan origins and false worship.
  
  The Jehovahs Witnesses can run from their occult past, but they can't hide. Nor can they sweep these truths under the rug of their New Light Doctrine. Due to such an un-biblical foundation that continued well into the 1920s, it is inconceivable that Jesus Christ chose the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society as their sole representatives on earth due to the purity of their faith.

  http://144000.110mb.com/directory/jehovahs_witnesses_directory_beliefs.html
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  THE GLADIATOR

  Re: How do Jehovah’s Witnesses arrive at their explanation of the Bible?

  In the same obscure way that the Bible came to be...
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  kurtbethel

  The leaders of this religion channel information about the Bible and then publish the channeled material.

  I will let them explain it.

  Finally, Jesus declares: "Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations." (Revelation 2:29) For the fourth time, Jesus here repeats this rousing refrain, and it will conclude all three messages yet to come. Do you have that responsive ear? Then keep listening intently as God, by his spirit, continues to provide counsel through his channel. (Revelation -- It's Grand Climax At Hand (book) 1988 p.54)
  
  5 God's Appointed Channel: Bear in mind that our heavenly Father has an appointed channel of communication, "the faithful and discreet slave." That "slave" has the responsibility to determine what information is made available to the household of faith, as well as "the proper time" for it to be dispensed. This spiritual food is available only through the theocratic organization. We should always look to God's appointed channel for reliable information, not to a network of Internet users. — Matt.24:45. (Our Kingdom Ministry September 2002 p. 8 [For Britain] )

  They channel their Bible doctrines from spirit guides.

  “It was a message of the Lord sent through his invisible angels, because without a doubt these are clothed with authority to direct the course of earthly members of Gods organization.(Light vol.1 1930 p.106)

  “The heavenly messengers or angels of the Lord now used by the Lord in behalf of the remnant. These angels are invisible to human eyes and are there to carry out the orders of the Lord. No doubt they first hear the instruction which the Lord issues to his remnant and then these invisible messengers pass such instruction on to the remnant.” (Vindication, Volume 3, 1932, p. 250)

  “Certain duties and kingdom interests have been committed by the Lord to his angels, which include the transmission of information to God’s anointed people on the earth for their aid and comfort.” (Preparation, 1933, p. 36)

  When they are not busy channeling these spirit guides, they claim to get instruction from the dead.

  'Hence our dear Pastor, now in glory, is without doubt, manifesting a keen interest in the harvest work, and is permitted by the Lord to exercise some strong influence there upon Lord to exercise some strong influence there upon (Revelation 14:17)' Watchtower, 11/1/1917, p. 325)

  “Though pastor Russell has passed beyond the veil, he is still managing every feature of the harvest work.” “ It also writes that by the Lord's arrangement he is supervising the work yet to be done . (Studies vol.7 p.144)

  “ It is fitting, then, that one of the 24 elders, representing anointed ones already in heaven, should stir John's thinking by raising a pertinent question.'... This suggests that the resurrected ones of the 24-elders group may be involved in the communicating of divine truths today.'(Revelation, Its Grand Climax is at Hand, p. 125,1988)

  
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  Shanagirl

  Click here: Secrets of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society aka Jehovahs Witnesses Russell's prophecies were based on his previous connections to pyramidology, and Freemasonry, and connections Aventisits and Mormons. Lot's of creepy stuff went on in the beginnings of Watchtower origins.
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  JWdaughter

  Mankkelli, here is a specific example, and you provided it, thank you.

  "Jesus said that he would have on earth a “faithful and discreet slave” (his anointed followers viewed as a group), through which agency he would provide spiritual food to those making up the household of faith. (Matt. 24:45-47)

  The entire concept is taken out of context! Applying that scripture to this random group of basically self appointed men-a little self serving, I'd say, on their part.
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  wobble

  "Indications as to the meaning of symbolic terms....are found in the rest of the Bible" They claim to let the Bible provide its own explanation.

  Then they go and tell the world the meaning of the very symbolic "faithfull and discreet slave", do they show where their unique interpretation gains support anywhere in the Bible ? NO.

  They are masters at doing this, I remember in the Rev Climax book they set out what sounded like a reasonable methodology for interpretation, and then proceeded to break the rules of what they had set out within two pages !

  They are taking the piss, the writing department must wet themselves when they do this, they know that if anyone is recruited using faulty logic like this they will never question any Bull***t they are fed, like the 7million brain dead already in the cult.