PAST COMMENTS BY THE WTS ABOUT THE NCC
*** w84 1/15 24 Insight on the News ***
Non-Sexist
Bible"For God so loved the world that God gave Gods only Child, that whoever believes in that Child should not perish, but have eternal life." That translation may sound odd to you. But it is the way John 3:16 is rendered in a new 192-page translation of Bible readings, The
Inclusive
Language
Lectionary, released by the National Council of Churches.
"This lectionary tries to speak of God as beyond differentiations of sex," says its introduction. So that its readers are "not overwhelmed by male metaphors," the translation uses expressions such as "God my Father and Mother" for "Father," "Child" for "Son," "Sovereign One" for "Lord," and so forth. Thus, Jesus prayer on the night of his arrest begins: "God my Mother and Father, the hour has come; glorify your Child that your Child may glorify you."John 17:1.
Among those voicing disapproval of the translation is Princeton Theological Seminary professor Bruce Metzger, who said: "To explain that God transcends differences of gender is the work of the religious educator, not the Bible translator." What the new lectionary has done is "tantamount to rewriting the Bible," he added. Apparently, in its effort to ally itself with the womens liberation movement (and to uphold the ordination of women), the National Council of Churches has seen fit to alter Gods Word.
The Pharisees and scribes of Jesus day had their own ideas and causes to espouse, and in so doing they rendered Gods Word void. Jesus said of them, "You have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition." Modern-day "Pharisees" are trying to do something similar. But their worship is no more acceptable to God than was that of the ancient Pharisees concerning whom Jesus added: "It is in vain that they keep worshiping [God], because they teach commands of men as doctrines."Matthew 15:6, 9.
*** w82 12/15 11 Insight on the News ***
A
Waning
"Product"A study recently released at the headquarters of the National Council of Churches in New York revealed results of a major investigation of American religion. One of the directors of the study, Professor William Newman of the University of Connecticut, stated that "the present generation in middle adulthood in general uses the product [religion] less." He also noted that Americans generally "are less enamored of religion." And The
New
York
Times report on the study added: "Church membership from 1971 to 1980 failed to keep pace with the rate of the nations population growth, reversing a pattern of church prosperity in the previous two decades." Less than half of all adults now belong to a church or synagogue.
Thus the Biblically prophesied drying up of support for religion continues, just as the waters of the river Euphrates were dried up to prepare the way for the destruction of ancient Babylon. Today, "Babylon the Great," the world empire of false religion, is also losing its "waters," portending a similar outcome.Revelation 16:12; 17:1, 5, 15, 16.
*** w66 6/1 345 Can You Avoid the Mark of the Beast? ***
What about Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion? Does she worship the beast and its image? Consider these facts: In all the nations, the religions of Babylon the Great turn the people to their own nationalistic governments for hope of life and peace. In many places the Church is united with the State.
The most aggressive member in Great Babylon, namely, Christendom, heartily backed up the formation of the League of Nations as proposed by the Anglo-American World Power in 1918. In January of 1919 the National Council of Churches of Christ in America termed the proposed League of Nations "the political expression of the kingdom of God on earth."*** g70 2/22 3-4 How Does the National Council Stand with God? ***
THE National Council of Churches is the largest federation of religions in the United States. It is said to be made up of 33 Protestant and Orthodox denominations with a combined membership of about 42 million persons.
These churches say they represent God. Thus, one should expect the Council to be in harmony with Gods requirements, for Gods own Word says: "This is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments."1 John 5:3.
It was of interest, therefore, to read the following from the New York Times of December 5, 1969: "Mrs. Theodore O. Wedel, a 61-year-old former church executive, defeated a militant black candidate today to become the first woman president of the National Council of Churches." Mrs. Wedel is an Episcopalian. Yet, the Times noted: "The Episcopal Church is one of the few Protestant denominations in the country that still refuses to ordain women."
Episcopalians thus find themselves in a dilemma. They do not ordain women as church leaders. Yet one of their women members is now the head of the organization of which they are a part.
When God created man and woman, he equipped each of them with wonderful mental and physical qualities to care for their respective roles. God created the man to be family head: "A husband is head of his wife." (Eph. 5:23) The woman was excellently suited for her rolethat of wife and mother.
However, we also read: "The head of every man is the Christ," and "in turn the head of the Christ is God." (1 Cor. 11:3) In the Christian congregation, men are to take the lead. But they are not to try to take over the role of Christ, acting as if they are mediators between their fellow worshipers and God. (1 Tim. 2:5) In the same way, women are not authorized by God to take over the mens role of presiding and instructing in the Christian congregation. Gods Word says: "I do not permit a woman to teach, or to exercise authority over a man." (1 Tim. 2:12) And: "It is disgraceful for a woman to speak in a congregation," that is, in a manner that challenges the headship of men.1 Cor. 14:35.
But if there are things the woman does not understand, what then? Instead of disputing with those to whom God has given the assignment, Gods Word says: "If, then, they want to learn something, let them question their own husbands at home." U.S.
News
&
World
Report of December 15 states: "Disputes over such issues as black power, the war in Vietnam and draft resistance are raising large questions about the future of the National Council of Churches." Over these disputes a woman now presides, contrary to the principle that only men are to preside in the Christian congregation.
How does the Council measure up in other regards? Earlier in 1969 a commission of the Council condoned student violence in the belief that "God is in some way present in the midst of these movements, and we would be prepared to see in them His creating of a new order." But nowhere does the Bible teach this. Jesus did not promote communism, capitalism, socialism, revolution or any other such philosophy. He taught that God will replace all present systems with the kingdom of God.Matt. 6:10; Dan. 2:44.
Christians, Jesus commanded, are to preach "this good news of the kingdom . . . in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come." (Matt. 24:14) But of the Councils actual work, two ministers said: "The
National
Council
of Churches does have
as
its
primary
objective
the
preaching
of
the
gospel
of
Christ . . . It has become an ecclesiastical power bloc, aiming for a powerful super-church, which would be the instrument of revolutionary, social and political change."
That the Council has deviated so far from Gods commands should come as no surprise when we consider the spiritual health of its member churches. A poll taken of Council delegates found that 33 percent of them doubted that "God really exists," and 62 percent doubted that "miracles actually happened just as the Bible says they did." An Episcopal minister said of the Genesis account of creation: "Its a myth in the true sense." Another maintained that the Ten Commandments were out of date, irrelevant to modern society.
Episcopal theologian J. Fletcher said that in some cases fornication could be more moral than married love, lying more Christian than telling the truth, stealing more acceptable than respecting private property. Episcopal minister F. Wood told an all-girl college: "There are no laws attached to sex. I repeat: absolutely no laws. . . . Premarital intercourse . . . can be very beautiful." And ninety Episcopalian priests classified homosexual acts between consenting adults as "morally neutral," declaring that it may even be a good thing.
But Gods Word declares: "Do not be misled. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men, nor thieves, nor greedy persons . . . will inherit Gods kingdom." (1 Cor. 6:9, 10) Do you believe God, or the clergy who say the opposite of what God says?
Is your church a member of the Council? If so, it shares responsibility for what the Council says and does. And what the Council is saying and doing is contrary to what Gods commands are. Hence, the Council is in fact turning its back on God, and is responsible for misleading others to do the same.
What about you? Are you a member of a church that belongs to the Council? Do you think you will please God by remaining part of any system that proves by its fruits that it has turned away from God and is influencing others to do the same?Matt. 7:19, 20.
