Comments You Wont Hear at the November 3, 2002 WT Study
"PAY MORE THAN THE USUAL ATTENTION"Hebrews 2:1
Introduction
This talk was given at the 2002 District Convention. I found it insulting and that the audience was being treated like children. Maybe the speakers are tired of seeing the above. Note how the WTS makes it the publishers fault rather than theirs and their spirit-appointed dupes.
"Distraction can lead to disaster." The WTS then says that Judaism was distracting the Hebrew Christians because they wanted "tangible" worship, to see the priests and smell the burning sacrifices. "Christianity may have seen rather abstract in nature."
Do JWs walk by sight? Do they believe something only if an elder, CO, DO says it? It isnt enough to see it in the Bible, is it necessary for a human man to say it for it to be true? Can you think of some ways that JWs say, "it is only true if I see it."
The Hebrew Christians did not know the day and the hour Jerusalem would be destroyed. "Some Christians in Jerusalem lost their sense of urgency." Watch how the WTS ties this in with today.
PAYING "MORE THAN THE USUAL ATTENTION" TODAY
"We face an impending destruction. Of course, we do not know the precise day and hour. Nevertheless, we are eyewitnesses to the fulfillment of Bible prophecies that clearly indicate we are in "the last days."" (Here the WTS only cites 2 Timothy 3:1-5) Obviously not much scriptural proof is offered to support the "clearly" indicated prophecy. We dont know the "precise" day and hour. I remember back near 1973 a brother saying, "We dont know the day or the hour but we know the year."
So what will help us? According to the WTS, being regular in our attendance at Christian meetings, assemblies, and conventions. Being "ardent" students of the Bible. While the WTS brings up the Bible often, the real solution is to "gather for instruction with fellow believers." The serious problem to be addressed now is increasing "our attention span at meetings." Lot of sleepy JWs in the audience evidently.
IMPROVING OUR CONCENTRATION AT MEETINGS
What makes paying attention a challenge according to the WTS?
Crying infants
Latecomers
Being tired at a long days work (maybe too long, materialism creeping in?)
Tada, the real culprit is mentioned
"The one who is speaking from the platform might not be the most captivating speaker" but then nothing, no admonition to the brother to prepare better if he prepared at all, no comment at all.
The solution, first one
"It is usually easier to pay attention at meetings if WE are well prepared." WE meaning the audience not the brother giving the talk!
Second one, "sit close to the front of the Kingdom Hall"
How many have or had congregations that roped off the back rows because it would fill up. I went to one hall where the first 5 rows were totally empty. The speaker stopped his talk and asked if he had bad breath. Some laughed nervously, as he asked some to move up. Only about 5 did, and that didnt include any elders, MS, or their families.
Third, fourth, fifth
"Maintaining eye contact with the speaker, following along in the Bible when a scripture is read, and taking notes are other ways"
Am I imagining that the WTS, is telling an audience mostly made up of long-time "mature" JWs to follow along in the Bible?!
Of course, remember why JWs really gather. "We meet with fellow believers primarily to worship Jehovah." I have news for the WTS, the meetings are mostly for social purposes.
Now the WTS finally addresses the real cause of distraction but look at their spin. "It is true that those on the program should do their utmost to employ the art of teaching and especially to reach hearts. Yet we who are listening should not be unduly critical." "Our prime concern should be, not how well the speaker delivers his talk, but how well we incline our ear.""If we are eager to take in the knowledge of God, we will benefit from meetings, regardless of a speakers abilities." Remember that now when you go to a restaurant. The quality of the food, how it is prepared and served are not the important point but how hungry and appreciative we are. (Believe me, if someone put a cowpie on my plate, no amount of appreciation would get me to eat it!)
FULLY BENEFIT FROM PERSONAL STUDY
"Reading and pondering over the Bible and Christian publications will furnish us precious opportunities to imbed the truths of Gods Word in our heart. This, in turn, will have a profound effect on the way we think and act."
First, the WTS is thoroughly convinced that we need Christian publications (what happened to the "Bible-based publications?). Actually, if they had a choice to make, keep the Bible or keep the publications, the Bible would go, after all the necessary scriptures are already in the publications.
I think the COs and the brothers at the assemblies have been noticing too many dozing out in the audience. Notice these phrases.
"We need to develop our powers of concentration." "It is so easy to be distracted!" "Minor interruptions cause use to lose focus." "Or we may have a short attention span to begin with." "Good intentions but before long the mind may be grazing in other pastures."
Of course, the blame is put on the audience again, not those speaking from the platform.
Meditation "helps us to get Gods thoughts off the printed page and into our heart." What printed page do you think the WTS means? The Bible or the WT?
To all you last-minute highlighters and underliners, note this. "Our goal should be to linger in study rather than to rush through it." And dont miss out on this, "And we can do further research using the vast amount of material provided by the faithful and discreet slave class." What happened to the vast amount of material provided by Jehovah, the Bible?! "There is great value in peering into the deep things of God." Well, you wont find them anywhere but the Bible!
Well, that was pretty lightweight stuff compared to next weeks KEEP PRACTICING THE THINGS YOU HAVE LEARNED, translated to KEEP AWAY FROM THOSE APOSTATES. See how they apply 1 John 4:1, "test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God." Learn how the WTS says seeds of doubt can be sown by the media, the Internet and by modern-day apostates. I have comments written all over. If you have any observations, experiences or comments yourself on this weeks crap please post. Save any for next week. I should have it up by Wednesday depending on the vomit factor.
Blondie
Edited by - Blondie on 1 November 2002 7:42:36