Watchtower Oct 15 2014. Legal contracts?

by StarTrekAngel 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  StarTrekAngel

  For anyone who may have looked at, or attended the WT study for this week. The first two articles of the magazine in subject use, in my opinion, the word "legal contract" too often. Anyone noticed this? Was it me or is there a push to make the "pacts" look like a series of parallel pacts, rather than seeing them as ammendement or complements of each other?

  In either case, It doesn't seat well with me when they begin to hammer on a term. This is how all the other terms were crafted. Great crowd, truth, faithful and discrete slave, etc, etc.

  what is next? Are we going to have to sign a baptismal contract or be destroyed by God in the big A?
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  sloppyjoe2

  As I very sparingly paid attention while perusing the internet on my ipad, I remember thinking how is it a "legal" contract? Wouldn't Jehovah be the one who would enforce any type of legal contract, that he apparently made...with himself...with no legal system in place to enforce a legal contract?
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  Terry

  The Jehovah's Witnesses can thank the LEGAL mind of "Judge" Rutherford for the appropriation

  of such legalese as "witnesses" "District" assemblies "Circuit" servants and the promotion of the

  idea that Jehovah's name was slandered and the witnesses must testify in order to restore His reputation.

  Today's Society is pretty much monitored 24/7 by legal advisors and may even be run by lawyers for all we know.
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  hamsterbait

  STA - the Witchtower has said that baptism is entering into a legal contract - dont have the litterature to find the quote unfortunately.

  However, since this is the case, it means that those baptised whilst minors, can legally demand that their baptism be annulled, since in the US minors cannot enter into legal contracts.

  Minors also cannot donate gifts to corporations, so there might be a case for demanding the return of all contributions given whilst you were a minor.

  This is all prolly part of a drive to ensure that the sheeples are guilted into giving the funds they promised.
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  StarTrekAngel

  Now I am interested on knowing the literature where it says your baptism is a legal contract. It always sounded to me like one. Anyone knows?
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  leaving_quietly

  Not sure we can fault WTBTS for this teaching as there is Biblical precedence for it. I haven't done a deep study into this particular aspect of the covenants (their legalities), however, they are probably basing these "legal contracts" on the language of Hebrews 6:16,17:

  For men swear by someone greater, and their oath is the end of every dispute, since it is a legal guarantee to them. 17 In this same way, when God decided to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath,
  The phrase "legal guarantee" is unique to the NWT (as far as a super quick search shows). However, the definition seems to be okay. The phrase used is is "eis bebaoisin" which is can be a technical term for a legal guarantee in a transaction. It literally means "for confirmation". The idea expressed in verse 16 is not uncommon. In the U.S., there's such a thing as a "verbally binding agreement," which, when tested in the courts, if both parties state that they agreed to something verbally, it is considered binding, thus, a legal guarantee. Verse 17 here is showing the binding agreement God entered into when he made his promise to Abraham. It really isn't that far of a stretch to say that all the covenants, which means "promises", are "legal contracts" bound by verbal agreements, sometimes by only one party (God himself) and other times by two parties (e.g. the Law covenant where the Israelites agreed to it verbally (Ex 19:3-8).)

  So, at first glance, it appears that while the use of the phrase "legal contract" to the degree used in the article is irritating, it does not appear to be incorrect.
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  prologos

  Can Corporations that are only legal entities, persona, enter into contracts, can they issue promissary notes? --so:

  surely other non- material constructs, like the Desert Wt god can do the same.

  These uni-lateral covenants (The mosaic one being the exception), why does WT make them legal? the fine print not disclosed, not well understood?

  written in legalise, --are these articles designed to scare the R&F to not question them? who wants to argue without an attourney to represent you? and

  The legality of the New Covenant for the 144 000 ONLY is questionable and goes something like this:

  OK, the new covenant allows me (the legaliser) to forgive your socalled "sins". That allows you the right of ADAM, JESUS, to live forever on earth, --then

  You can RENOUNCE that right to an earthly, everlasting , paradise - bound life, and aspire to immortality in "heaven".

  first you get it, then you reject it for the bigger gamble. but:

  what if this is all made up? if the only laws that the creator allows us to experience are the natural laws? named after their discoverers, Kepler, Newton, Guy Lussac----?

  BSW: If the Abrahamic covenant applies to the muslims too, 'who ever' help us all.
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  StarTrekAngel

  Thanks everyone for their input. I was just especulating as to what this may lead to. In many years of attending and studying, I had never heard the term so repeated in magazinez. The bible, yes, but I always thought it was a metaphor.

  Anyone knows where to find the mention of legal contract in regards to baptism?
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  Crazyguy

  I believe the bible says that baptism was for forgiveness of sins nothing more but maybe I'm wrong.
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  WTWizard

  With Saturn entering Sagittarius this coming December 23 around 4:30 PM GMT, this "legal contract" could be a major problem. They start taking people to court, the judges start siding with the jokehovians that they signed a legally binding contract, you could start seeing people being dragged back in via court order instead of being hounded via hounding calls and threats of judicial committees. They see that people do not give a fxxx about getting disfellowshipped but will go back in if they are sued (or drugged) for breach of contract. Or, they might be told that they are to do everything they are told--Israel mission and all--or else get sued or forced to take Seroquel (or both) for breach of contract. It takes just one judge to uphold this, and Saturn in Sagittarius favors this.