by Tomapostate 3 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
"Love is one of the identifying marks of the TRUE religion:Jesus gives us another reason why we should cultivate the divine quality of love. “By this all will know that you are my disciples,” he said, “if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:35) The word “if” leaves it up to each Christian as to whether he or she will learn to express love."
Which Watchtower said that? Please let me know. Thanks.
Is this the one?
*** w99 2/15 p. 22 par. 20 The Way of Love Never Fails ***
20 Jesus gives us another reason why we should cultivate the divine quality of love. “By this all will know that you are my disciples,” he said, “if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:35) The word “if” leaves it up to each Christian as to whether he or she will learn to express love. After all, merely dwelling in a foreign country would not in itself force us to learn to speak its language. Nor does simply attending meetings at a Kingdom Hall or associating with fellow Christians automatically teach us to express love. Learning this “language” takes continuous effort.
George
Many of them.
They also quote Matthew 7:15-20:
“Be on the watch for the false prophets that come to YOU in sheep’s covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits YOU will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they? 17 Likewise every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit; 18 a good tree cannot bear worthless fruit, neither can a rotten tree produce fine fruit. 19 Every tree not producing fine fruit gets cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Really, then, by their fruits YOU will recognize those [men].
Thanks, it was the 1999 Watchtower, because I remember at the time how uncomfortable it made me. The lack of concirn the elders had for many of the elderly happened to be an issue I was raising with them at the time and this Watchtower -rather than lend support to my argument- undermimed it by saying that this "distinguishing mark" of a true Christian was nothing of the sort- instead it was now something a "Christian" (someone already considered such) had the option of displaying the mark!
