May you all have peace...
And may you all understand that truly... there is 'nothing new under the sun'. How so? I give you the WTBTS' original "Bethel". For all who think that the "Society" did something "great" in calling the headquarters "Bethel", let me enlighten you, if I may:
First, the word "Bethel" - which means "House (Beth) of God (El) - was an ancient center of false worship. The capital of Samaria (the territory of the 10-tribe kingdom of Israel - the SAMARITANS), Bethel was the place where King Jeroboam set up worship after deciding that worshiping at the temple at Jerusalem (the capital of Judea, the territory of the 2-tribe kingdom of Judah) was just too far to travel. And rather than adhere to the "law" that only Levitical priests could serve in the temple, he (Jeroboam) went taking from the among the people, making priests... of anyone HE chose. Thus, many of the Levite priests left Bethel... and went back to Jerusalem.
Second, the WTBTS' orignal headquarters, fondly referred to as "Bethel" was formerly the Protestant church "Plymouth Bethel", and when the "Society" bought the building and took it over, they simply dropped the "Plymouth" part.
My point?... Seriously? You don't GET the point? Okay... the POINT is that:
1. The Society started OUT in a building purchased from so-called "Babylon the Great"...
2. They didn't even come up with the name Bethel; it was already there; they just dropped a part...
3. Bethel is STILL a center of false worship.
Want proof? Look up "Bethel" in:
1. NWT (especially the Reference one)
2. Insight On The Scriptures, Vol. 1
3. Proclaimer's Book
See?! Nothing new under the sun. Nothing at all. And by their OWN mouths, they condemn themselves.
May the one that has 'ears'... HEAR... and get the sense of it!
A slave of Christ,
SJ