The Watchtower and its Symbol - an idol of worship

by IslandWoman 11 Replies latest jw friends

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  IslandWoman

  From the days of Russell the Watchtower has sort to understand prophecy to in effect act as a prophet. Yet it has failed.

  But wait, didn't Pastor Russell (and others) "prophesy" 1914? To many it seemed that way, but there was something else that Russell did: he also raised the status of the Watchtower magazine to such heights that it surpassed even the word of God! He claimed that if someone read the Bible but stopped reading the Watchtower they would fall away, contrary to that if they ONLY read the Watchtower and not the Bible they would still prosper! New light! What Russell wrote surpassed the Word of God!

  He raised the status of the Watchtower so high that it was an affront to God! He as well as the current Watchtower leaders have raised the Watchtower to a godlike position! This is why at their Pattersen complex there is a large fountain formed in the shape of the Watchtower symbol, the viewing of this "god's" image is part of the regular tour at Pattersen.

  In addition, when we lasted visited in 1997 we stayed at the Harvest Inn, at that time it was owned and operated by brothers. In the Gift Shop were various items of interest to JWs, but there was also something which struck at the heart of myself and others with us. It was a gold chain necklace upon which hung the Watchtower symbol! So, while Catholics wear the cross, here JWs could purchase a necklace and wear the Watchtower Symbol!

  IDOLATRY!!

  Russell's seemingly well aimed attempt at prophesying and at the same time placing the Watchower where it did not belong, in the place of God's holy word in effect making IT a god, was in actuality a fulfillment of scripture!

  Deuteronomy 13:1-5 "In case a prophet or a dreamer of a dream arises in your midst and does give you a sign or a portent, and the sign or the protent does come true of which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us walk after other gods, whom you have not known, and let us serve them,' you must not listen to the words of that prophet or to the dreamer of that dream, because Jehovah your God is testing you to know whether you are loving Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul. After Jehovah your God you should walk, and him you should fear, and his commandments you should keep, and to his voice you should listen, and him you should serve, and to him you should cling. And that prophet or that dreamer of the dream should be put to death, because he has spoken of revolt against Jehovah your God, who has brought you out of the land of Egypt and has redeemed you from the house of slaves, to turn you from the way in which Jehovah your God has commanded you to walk; and you must clear out what is evil from your midst."

  Fittingly, Russell died without seeing his "dream" come true!

  His successors have also raised the Watchtower to a place it does not deserve or belong. Following his disasterous lead they have also attempted to "prophesy" but always with the caveat; "we are not prophets". They are right!

  What they are is followers of men!! Men who have gone so wrong that their writings are no longer published by the Watchtower, and soon F.W. Franz' writings will bite the dust as well!

  They are also Idolaters!!!

  311
• 

  Nathan Natas

  Island Woman relates, "...In the Gift Shop were various items of interest to JWs,... It was a gold chain necklace upon which hung the Watchtower symbol! So,... here JWs could purchase a necklace and wear the Watchtower Symbol!"

  Don't you think it would be a wonderful thing if some enterprising apostate (one of oour "undercover" Dub-in-good-standing apostates)were to manufacture and sell these necklaces on the internet?

  - Nathan Natas
  UADNA (Unseen Apostate Directorate of North America)
• 

  SPAZnik

  LOL...interesting point.

  SPAZ
• 

  MikeMusto

  I knew a cat who would say that Stoops was run by apostates,
  just to see the reaction of peoplen when they were looking
  through their catalogs....it didnt phase anyone..they still
  said they would order........so i say ..go ahead with you watchtower
  trinkets on the net
• 

  Francois

  There are several places in previous WTs where statements claiming that the WTBTS "acts as a prophet." And other weasely statements like that too. I don't have access to a WT index or any of the bound volumes, but I'd love to know the actual quotes, and sites of two or three such statements.

  Anyone game?

  Francois
• 

  RR

  Actually Islandgirl,. it wasn't "The Watchtower" it was Russell's "Studies in the Scriptures." And if you read the article and knew the circumstances you would see things differently. BUt I suspect it would be better to believe it the way you say it because in the end it justifies your means.

  IS THE READING OF "SCRIPTURE STUDIES" BIBLE STUDY?

  THE plan of reading twelve pages of the STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES each day, tried by so many, results in more Bible study than any other way that we know of. We believe that it is not so much the time that is given to Bible study, but the amount of study done and the amount of information gained, that counts. We all know people who have spent days and weeks and years in the study of the Bible and have learned little or nothing. We think the idea that Bible study is merely the time spent in handling a Bible and reading over some verses is a mistaken idea.

  It is a great deal like hunting or fishing. Some people go hunting every year, and though they do a lot of hunting it is no sure indication of how much they get. Some do a lot of fishing, but do not get many fish. Bible study is very much the same. It is not the amount of time we spend in poring over a passage, but the amount of information we secure from the Bible.

  The six volumes of SCRIPTURE STUDIES are not intended to supplant the Bible. There are various methods to be pursued in the study of the Bible and these aids to Bible study are in such form that they, of themselves contain the important elements of the Bible as well as the comments or elucidations of those Bible statements on exactly the same principle that our Lord and the Apostles quoted from the Old Testament, and then gave elucidations of those Old Testament passages. Many of the elucidations were such that if we had not had them had not had specific interpretations, we might never have been able to discern the proper application of them.

  Yes, Russell did state the following:
  

  If the six volumes of SCRIPTURE STUDIES are practically the Bible topically arranged, with Bible proof-texts given, we might not improperly name the volumes— the Bible in an arranged form. That is to say, they are not merely comments on the Bible, but they are practically the Bible itself, since there is no desire to build any doctrine or thought on any individual preference or on any individual wisdom, but to present the entire matter on the lines of the Word of God. We therefore think it safe to follow this kind of reading, this kind of instruction, this kind of Bible study.

  Furthermore, not only do we find that people cannot see the Divine Plan in studying the Bible by itself, but we see, also, that if anyone lays the SCRIPTURE STUDIES aside, even after he has used them, after he has become familiar with them, after he has read them for ten years —if he then lays them aside and ignores them and goes to the Bible alone, though he has understood his Bible for ten years, our experience shows that within two years he goes into darkness. On the other hand, if he had merely read the SCRIPTURE STUDIES with their references and had not read a page of the Bible, as such, he would be in the light at the end of the two years, because he would have the light of the Scriptures.

  You say, "there is the quote." But notice what else he says:
  

  Our thought, therefore, is that these SCRIPTURE STUDIES are a great assistance, a very valuable help, in the understanding of God’s Word. If these books are to be of any value to us it must be because we see in them loyalty to the Word of God and as far as our judgment goes, see them to be in full harmony with the Word and not antagonistic to it. Therefore, in reading them the first time, and perhaps the second time, and before we would accept anything as being our own personal faith and conviction, we should say, "I will not take it because these studies say so; I wish to see what the Bible says." And so we would study the Scriptures in the light of these SCRIPTURE STUDIES; we would prove every point, or disprove it, as the case might be. We would be satisfied with nothing less than a thorough investigation of the Bible from this standpoint.

  If, after doing that, we should find the books to be in accord with the Bible, then we would think we were logical in saying, "I will not need to go through that process now every time that I read the SCRIPTURE STUDIES for I have looked up those texts of Scripture and know certainly that the New Testament proves all those points." If, at the same time, in any future reading, we should come to a place where something did not seem clear to us and we thought of some Scripture which seemed not as harmonious with it as we had previously thought, we would think it our duty to refer at once to the Scriptures because the Scriptures are the standard and in that reference to the Scripture it would be with a view to discerning whether or not we had been mistaken in our previous examinations.

  ____________________________________
  That's my story and I'm sticking to it! . http://www.food4jws.org/testimonies/rr144.htm
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  IslandWoman

  RR,

  Sorry about the mix up between the "Watchtower" and the "Studies in the Scriptures."

  Thanks for the exact quote though!

  "Furthermore, not only do we find that people cannot see the Divine Plan in studying the Bible by itself, but we see, also, that if anyone lays the SCRIPTURE STUDIES aside, even after he has used them, after he has become familiar with them, after he has read them for ten years —if he then lays them aside and ignores them and goes to the Bible alone, though he has understood his Bible for ten years, our experience shows that within two years he goes into darkness. On the other hand, if he had merely read the SCRIPTURE STUDIES with their references and had not read a page of the Bible, as such, he would be in the light at the end of the two years, because he would have the light of the Scriptures."

  Appreciate that quote RR! I've read parts of the "Studies in the Scripures", could not stomach the whole thing. That's why the Watchtower Society no longer prints it.

  BTW, your renaming me "Islandgirl" says more about you and your religion than anything "I" could have ever said!

  THANKS!!!!!!!!!!

  Also, did you ever read the quote about the GB! Yes, they are still alive in the Watchtower literature!

  IW

  P.S. It's never a good idea to "worship" any man!
• 

  Bhagavad

  When I was an early JW my wife and I saw a VW van parked in a San Ysidro, CA, Spanish Kingdumb Hall parking lot. It was very hot outside and must have been fiery hot in the closed van, because glued to the dashboard was a plastic Watchtower, just like a Catholic plastic Jesus, and it was bent over like a limp noodle, from the heat. We both laughed because it was a MEXICAN Kingdumb Hall. Little did I realize I should have taken a more serious cue from that event.
• 

  IslandWoman

  Bhagavad,

  Thank You!

  IW
• 

  Kenneson

  The Watchtower is a JW shrine and the Brooklyn Vatican.