Rutherford's dream in life was to 'lead an army'. Since through his own teachings he couldn't join the army, he chose to takeover the bible students and turn them into his personal army. That's why he added military terms, called a congregation a company (group of soldiers), etc. That's why Bethel was operated like a military boot camp. He loved to make enemies with other religions and have his soldiers distribute his attacks, etc.
A major change in the new song book I initially overlooked
by slimboyfat 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Gorbatchov
Slimboyfat it's crazy, I was thinking the same two days ago. I had the tune written by the concentrationcamp surviver in my head. I could remember the words and the military style. Unbelievable you are thinking the same 1000' miles away!!!
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St George of England
So, are you going to post links to YouTube so we can enjoy your efforts, sbf?
The new songs are so embarrassing, I cringe whenever we get any new ones in the hall.
George
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Mum
"It had a savage, barking rhythm that could not exactly be called music." - George Orwell, 1984
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clarity
Nice Orwell quote Mum!
>
Oh yeah those sneaky busturds removed all that as well as all the
New World Order phrases!
clarity
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Island Man
I have noticed that they have completely redone the chorus to song 33 - "Fear them not".
The chorus used to be a very scriptural paraphrase (almost word for word quote) of Jesus' words at Matthew 10:28:
"Fear not those who kill the body but cannot destroy the soul"
This has been reworded to:
"Fear them not o my beloved, though their boasting threats may fly"
Although the orginal phrase "fear not those who kill the body but cannot destroy the soul" is still mentioned once during the last stanza, I think it is obvious that this is just a token mention so they can still claim the song is based on Matthew 10:28. They can no longer stomach having to repeat that phrase as the chorus. Why? Evidently TM , they are so thin skinned about Jesus' words at Matthew 10:28 being interpreted as evidence for the immortality of the soul that they don't feel comfortably singing it over and over as a chorus. LOL.
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SafeAtHome
Holy Crap, Tim Hooper. I have been out for 29 years and the sound of that dirge gives me the creeps. It's like something out of a classic horror flick! I could only listen to half of it. There is nothing uplifting, bright or cheerful that goes on at the Kingdom Hall. If the constant berating of not doing enough doesn't make you feel down trodden enough, the music will.
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tim hooper
Dug this one up from years ago...gives you some idea of the self-imprinting experienced by JW's everytime they sing these words:
"All his ARMIES.. the world we've left behind, the unbelievers think we're odd, but this we do not mind.. we move ahead triumphant in JEHOVAH'S STRENGTH and MIGHT, many VICTORIES he does grant us in the WARFARE.. we incur the nations HATRED.. filled with confidence in VICTORY, we will MARCH on undeterred, in THIS WORLD we will have trouble.. JEHOVAH does the FIGHTing, fire from him his FOES devours, over the world we are VICTORIOUS.. he who wields the SWORD.. glorious VICTORY we shall claim.. now has come the most high's awesome JUDGEMENT HOUR, soon all the WICKED ones will feel his MIGHTY power, accordingly god's kingdom PREACHERS must not fear but speak out boldly.. the fall of BABYLON THE GREAT, that soon DESTRUCTION by our god will be her fate, and so JEHOVAH god commands that we proclaim his VENGEANCE and the vindication of his name.. and.. HATE.. LOYALLY SUBMITTING to THEOCRATIC order.. they must all OBEY, and remain united, LOYALTY display, LOYAL SUBMISSION.. our leader is in full CONTROL, he equips the SOLDIERS that he does enrol.. WARFARE, so we have to act, as a group, united, close-knit and compact.. LOYAL SUBMISSION.. PERSECUTION and HATRED abound and of these we bear the brunt.. be steadfast, unmovable, as the LAST DAYS move along.. far from THIS WORLD.. SATAN's old SYSTEM abound.. great is the need for our mind to keep sound.. soon these LAST DAYS will have passed.. this SYSTEM NEARs the brink of ARMAGEDDON's coming BATTLE, it's NEARER than they think while men praise their disgusting image.. go tell from DOOR TO DOOR, the good news of JEHOVAH's kingdom.. SHEEP-like ones.. hold fast integrity.. join with our dear brotherhood.. as Michael, he o'er SATAN VICTORY won, soon the DEVIL, dragon, serpent with his DEMONs will be bound.. SATAN wants us to deflect but his wiles we detect he would have us spurn god's orders, and with sly, deceptive speech, how he tries hard us to over reach! with enticements, men of SIN subtly our hearts would win.. APOSTASY we will avert.. yes, we must put up a FIGHT.. dark days are here.. life's darksome night, filled with much fright, none can be denying for all men are DYING, none from the grave his life can save, all man's work is vanity.. PUFFED UP with pride.. with blasphemous slander in SIN's ways meander, SATAN holds sway o'er earth today, WICKEDNESS is all around.. soon there will be JUDGEMENT from JEHOVAH, and then all will see, blotting out of WICKED ones eternally.. our god set us apart.. no part of SATAN's world are we.. in god's own work to keep employed.. this WICKED world will surely HATE yes, PERSECUTION we expect.. fear them not.. tremble not before your foe.. though your FOES be STRONG and many, though they threaten and revile, though they use fair speech and smile, the unwary to beguile, fear them not, my faithful WARRIORs, FIGHT let not your heart grow faint, for I will preserve the faithful keep them free from all restraint.. fear them not, my christian WARRIORs, though men boasting threats may fly.. train our minds, and tongues to WITNESS.. FORWARD, you WITNESSES, firm and determined in this time of the end.. the good news to defend, though SATAN against them he vaunted, in god's STRENGTH they keep on undaunted, then FORWARD, you WITNESSES.. the WICKED seek to ban.. SOLDIERS of JAH do not seek a life of ease.. in the face of ARMAGEDDON's NEARNESS.. never swerve.. from HOUSE TO HOUSE, from DOOR TO DOOR, JEHOVAH's word we spread.. we are not deterred.. the WICKED.. will, like green grass, fade and DIE.. from earth the WICKED soon will vanish, there'll be no place for them to stand.. the days are WICKED, and steps we all must take.. to god's LOYAL congregation we too will show LOYALTY, give it our steadfast allegiance even in adversity faithfully we'll guard its interests, never let them suffer harm, should we see that they are threatened, we will quickly sound alarm, LOYALTY we'll help our brothers whether new ones or the weak.. LOYALTY will be a must.. LOYALTY we will display.. LOYALTY wins.. god's WARRIORs are advancing.. AGGRESSIVE is our WARFARE.. why should we feel dismay? our commander, now BATTLEs for the right, he takes the grand offensive, let's join him in the FIGHT, with god we are advancing, he surely will prevail, so, till his vindication, o may our zeal never fail! since VICTORY is certain, his promised full reward, awaits the tried and faithful, who lay not down the SWORD.. do not stray.. take care to OBEY.. JEHOVAH has shown us today he has a fine CHANNEL that's surely unique, and through it he chooses to warn and to speak, this is the way in which to walk.. FORWARD.. go FORWARD.. we must consider how we dress.. FORWARD moving.. keep stretching FORWARD with god's prize of life in view, forgetting the things you've abandoned.. FORWARD moving, keeping ever LOYAL.. press ever FORWARD.. FORWARD going.. FORWARD moving, keeping ever LOYAL.. sure we are of his reward.. fear inspiring is your righteous power, stilling earth's turmoil in your JUDGEMENT HOUR.. all that is WICKED your son will DESTROY.. though SATAN slaps us.. assigning his work the first place, go forth with rejoicing god's service to do, give thanks for each privilege he offers to you.. we would make daily our delight your 'SLAVE', so faithful and discreet, helps us know what is wise and meet, feeds us with nourishment when due, thus STRENGTHens us your will to do impart to us your active FORCE, that we may keep a faithful course and bring forth fruitage.. hail the THEOCRACY, ever increasing! wondrous expansion is now taking place.. we are being refined, he gives his people truth that's progressive, so there's no need to be looking behind.. we're beset by adversaries who would rob us of the prize, there are SATAN and his DEMONs, and the snares of fallen flesh.. bravely press on.. BATTLE.. FORCE that moves us to action.. zeal.. JEHOVAH, MIGHTY in BATTLE, exhorts us faithful to be till ARMAGEDDON DESTROYs this old SYSTEM and he has gained VICTORY, then let's go forth, bravely press on, advancing.. thus says JEHOVAH, 'I'll STRENGTHen and help you, BATTLE for truth and for right,'.. JEHOVAH's happy people.. we'll WATCH and FIGHT.. keep on enduring.. his judicial rulings do preserve us though all the proud smear us with LIES.. who was the one that overthrew their hosts, that they PERISHED ignominiously? yes, whose was the arm that silenced all their boasts and gave his chosen people VICTORY?.. OBEDIENCE.. SUBMISSIVE you must be.. service.. thereby storing up in heaven treasures for eternity.. they will FIGHT against you, using all their WICKED power, they'll not prevail against you, for you will be a MIGHTY TOWER.. do bold and fearless WITNESSing.. keep steadfast, as NEARs the FINAL HOUR.. there is much to do, our work indeed is not in vain, to us will joy accrue.. stand firm, be STRONG with steadfastness, press on to VICTORY.. even when from HOUSE TO HOUSE we're PREACHing we meet ridicule or apathy.. PREACH god's day of VENGEANCE, warn the WICKED.. with fear and trembling we should serve.. now each day pressures come to test our LOYALTY, the spirit of THIS WORLD, ATTACKS us tauntingly.. our ENEMIES.. soon christ will crush the DEVIL in the FINAL WAR.. mourning, outcry, pain and DEATH.. no greater friends could we now have.. go forth and teach still others this language to speak.. our FOES now abound, they make up a host.. we LOATHE their false gods.. you have held back destructive powers.. patience shown and long to see, the triumph of your sovereignty, your patience we would not abuse.. the women are a large ARMY.. thousands will be falling, yes, at your very side, ten thousand at your right hand, no harm will you betide, you will not need to quake with fear, as though great harm to you were NEAR, your eyes will merely see it, as 'neath god's wings you'll abide, no PLAGUE will e'er befall you, no dire calamity.. a fortress is his great name.. let's earnestly guard.. JEHOVAH is love, his ORGANIZATION, will always, yes, always, unselfishly serve.. the SHEEP-like ones within his pen, JEHOVAH gives us shepherds too.. PREACH with boldness, JEHOVAH's servants need to be STRONG, due to the pressures from SATAN's throng.. never neglect those of tender years.. the WICKED move around.. engage in much.. field service.. we may walk with you in fear.. WICKED works earth wide abound, cold has grown the love of many, very little faith is found.. never let the DEVIL weaken our STRONG faith.. in mental darkness, filled with fear.. move ahead.. JEHOVAH our god.. fear-inspiring, manly in WAR.. we proclaim that he's MIGHTY and STRONG [chorus] rejoice with the sound of the horn.. grand VICTORIES attaining.. hail JEHOVAH's firstborn.. he did not selfishly endeavor to be equal to god, in rivalry, but humbly he descended.. the LIGHT gets brighter.. flashed.. never should we doubt or worry, seek to FORCE the truth to hurry.. then they will know, long have your FOES your holy name reviled, with their deceit your holy place defiled, soon.. SATAN's dominion will be overthrown.. his earthly host, in ARMAGEDDON's WAR, will meet DESTRUCTION and oppress no more [chorus].. keep PUBLISHING my name NEAR and far, prove that my WITNESSES you are.. our's is the god of true PROPHECY, what he foretells comes to be.. WICKEDNESS now is exposed in its starkness, what a sad climax to men who've sinned [chorus] truly we're glad now to learn JEHOVAH's reason why he's permitted gross WICKEDNESS so long, it will be dealt with.. move ahead.. improve in your ministry.. by WITNESSING from DOOR TO DOOR, though WICKED FOES tend to cause you to fear.. the body we must keep our SLAVE.. myriads on myriads of brothers stand at my side to be, each one a faithful WITNESS, keeping integrity, myriads there are on myriads, truly a MIGHTY crowd, in all the nations of the earth.. now's the time.. soon will come the FINAL FIGHT.. some of your seed by the wayside may fall, which SATAN's birds likely will eat, while other seed often on rocky soil lands, to wither from ENEMY heat.. as we face god's WAR of ARMAGEDDON, may we be courageous, carry on as men, manly courage is a sure requirement.. not much longer will it be until you draw your SWORD, here on earth we see, at last.. WICKED men may rant and rave and seek to cause us harm, but your APPOINTED TIME is here to bare your MIGHTY arm.. waiting on JEHOVAH.. o may we ever show a teachable, MEEK attitude while learning.. god is our STRENGTH and our MIGHT, and our MIGHT.. this good news of the kingdom let us PREACH! PREACH the good news of the kingdom on the streets, from DOOR TO DOOR, PREACH this good news with the printed page all nations over.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. PREACH.. o what help JEHOVAH god gave when he sent the FAITHFUL, WISE SLAVE, with whom we serve.. all WICKED ones he will DESTROY.. see yonder through the breadth of earth the sight my heart entrances JEHOVAH's band of WARRIORs in unity ADVANCES, their helmets, bright against the sky, bid ignorance and error fly, they shout aloud their BATTLE cry.. they wield their SWORD.. clear to the DEATH they FOLLOW [chorus].. soon all his FOES shall lick the dust, before him they must cower.. you PERISH in the way, happy are all they that put their trust in him today.. a VICTORY song.. chariots and his MILITARY FORCES he has cast into the sea.. stay awake, stand firm, grow MIGHTY, in the WARFARE that is right, carry on as men undaunted, for the VICTORY is in sight.. soon the BATTLE-cry will be given, putting ENEMIES to flight, stay awake and keep your senses, always ready to OBEY.. as one we serve as an ARMY, ever LOYAL.. our commander soon will tell us when, so OBEY his rules for the BATTLE 'JEHOVAH's SWORD and gideon's!'.. the time has drawn close for JEHOVAH of ARMIES.. great is our joy as together we sing: 'JEHOVAH is STRONG and is MIGHTY in BATTLE,'.. as LIGHT keeps increasing, they wait without ceasing the revealing of god's sons.. they can find good friends among JEHOVAH's people, why should they seek friendship with the WICKED WORLD?.. other SHEEP, who now may chance to DIE, will waken early from the tomb.. all avoiding SATAN's snare.. the signs of the times prove god's rule has begun.. proclaiming JEHOVAH's day of VENGEANCE, the trumpets now are sounding, the call is loud and clear, JEHOVAH's day of VENGEANCE is drawing ever NEAR, we tell it out with boldness, though men may frown and scorn.. the BATTLE is JEHOVAH's, his son directs the FIGHT, VICTORIOUS is the finish.. to carry out our WARFARE, our hands by god are taught.. each stands in his position according to god's choice.. shun the world, leave it alone.. the DEVIL will ever resort to deception.. you'll ward off his blows.. SATAN's wiles are not unknown.. to bad ways do not be prone, if your body members you CONTROL.. you meet stiff opposition.. though men now cause ruination to earth, god's lovely creation, still we live in expectation that god such EVILs will cure, [chorus] our FOES, like DOGS, keep on snapping, our STRENGTH they want to keep sapping, but hands with joy we are clapping, we know our VICTORY is sure, [chorus] though FOES may put in appearance and try to cause interference.. the DEVIL's SYSTEM is ending.. a fate that is APPALLING.. today men heap reproach and shame in many ways on god's fair name, some show god weak, some paint him cruel, 'there is no god!' so shouts the fool.. who'll tell the WICKED what's in store? who'll warn of god's great FINAL WAR? 'lord, here I am! send me, send me, I'll sound the warning fearlessly [chorus].. FOLLOW the WARRIOR king!.. WARRIORs of god, arise, join the FIGHTING FORCE under the captain of god's free nation, take up the.. SWORD, put on the helmet.. [chorus] FORWARD go! yes, go! fearlessly go! fearlessly go! as an ARMY, let us go to COMBAT the WICKED foe, FOLLOW the WARRIOR king, who can never fail, FOLLOWing him, we shall prevail!.. the BATTLE of the great day of JEHOVAH.. keep your eyes on the prize!"
This was a sequential sampling from the Jehovah's Witnesses' Song Book. Could those who prescribe such WARLIKE, unhealthy, intensively-administered, loaded-language "nourishment" be aware of the academic work of Dr. Pavlov? Misusing knowledge and position to terrify and induce persecution complexes and other mental illnesses and disorders in people whose trust you have.
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steve2
Good spotting SBF. JWs were in cosy march-like company with "Babylon the Great". The churches had/have lots of soldier-like themes in their hymns; the older, the more overtly battle-obsessed. The use of warfare imagery in hymns reached its zenith with the meddlesome Salvation Army.
JWs have removed the overt war-like references and, like proponents of sanitized abbatoirs on the outskirts of populated areas, the Witnesses are now happy leave the details of the bloody slaughter of the human race to their razor-sharp, jealously raging "True" God Jehovah.
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Dagney
Interesting. Great observation. Them and their obedience.