Comment to JW's on latest KH Meeting (Please add your comments!!)

by bk62 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • bk62
    bk62

    I again went to the Sunday meeting with my wife, in order to "keep abreast" and look for any flaws to exploit. Lo and behold, this was a "special" meeting b/c the "Circuit Overseer???" was there to put his spin on things. Of course he's good at what he does, but I had a couple observations I would like to share via this letter which I intend to use in order to raise a little more doubt in my wife's eyes. Please add any comments you have in order to make the issue stronger!!

    "The message delivered by the CO was quite an timely one, and he raised some interesting points (although I don't agree with all of them.) There is one issue in particular though, that I don't understand. And since it's a major "selling point" used by JW's to put down other religions, I am hoping you can answer this question for me. You guys always say that "Jehovah" is God's proper name, and other religions are wrong b/c they don't use it. Well during the presentation I noticed the Circuit Overseer rarely used the name Jehovah, but in most cases he used God's name. It was so obvious to me, that I made a point of counting the number of uses of each name. During the entire speech (not counting quoted Bible versus) he used the name of God 25 times, yet Jehovah was used about 10 times. I also noticed that the uses of the name Jehovah came very close together towards the end of the presentation. It seemed to me that the presenter realized his mistake at not using that name, and started throwing it in at any place possible (even when not really fitting).

    Is the use of God's name really interchangeable? If not, then why do JW's use either-or, and sometimes both together (as in Jehovah God)? If it *is* interchangeable, then why are other religions wrong for deciding to use the name God instead of Jehovah? Your meetings and Bible prove to me that it's up to the individual speaker or writer to decide which name to use. Is there a number or percenteage that Christians are required to adhere to? If the presentation of the Circuit Overseer is any indication, it would seem that the name of God is more important than the name Jehovah. Or is he so important that only he can choose which name to use?

    One last comment - I was utterly amazed by the acts of kindness shown at this meeting. Since it was such a special event, there was obviously a lot of interest (and therefore many people left standing). Since I'm a relatively young male and an outsider, I was left standing (no big deal). The thing that ticked me off though, were the reserved chairs. I noticed at least a dozen chairs with books, jackets, which were never actually occupied. Wouldn't it be nice if those standing were allowed to occupy those seats - at least until the persin for whom it was reserved decided to show?"

    Please let me know what you think!!

  • jgnat
    jgnat

    My honey had a similar chair experience at his KH. The wife of his bible study leader (whom he had been in the habit of joining) made a point of placing her book bag on the chair beside her. They were moved when a young woman joined them. One can never be to careful whom one sits with. Even those attending may not be the best association.

  • blondie
    blondie

    Saving seats and not using them has been a long standing problem with JWs. Notice how long the WTS has been telling the rank and file:

    *** km 5/73 7 "Divine Victory" International Assembly ***


    Any who do accept our invitation to attend the assembly ought to be able to see by our conduct that we truly reflect unselfish love and concern for others. This should be evident in our interest in helping others to get seated, and in our not saving seats needlessly.

    *** km 5/77 3-4 "Joyful Workers" District Assembly ***


    One such situation that requires consideration for others is that of saving seats. Even though reminders have been given in the past, many have found magazines or other items placed on every available seat in the building, although there were far more seats than the number of persons in attendance. This may be due to some using seats for storage purposes, but would it not be much more loving to keep our things under our own seat, on our lap or in the checkroom? In this way brothers will be able to find seats without having to disturb those already seated.

    In many places it has been observed that large numbers of seats have been saved and were never occupied during entire sessions, forcing people to stand

    . How would we feel if this happened to us? Jesus stated: "All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them." (Matt. 7:12)

    *** km 5/89 5 You Are Invited to the 1989 "Godly Devotion" District Convention! ***


    Your full cooperation is requested in the matter of saving seats. Please keep in mind that SEATS MAY BE SAVED ONLY FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS AND ANY WHO MAY BE TRAVELING WITH YOU IN YOUR OWN CAR. Please do not reserve seats for others. At times, extra seats are reserved for no one in particular. This is unloving and is misleading to the attendants and others looking for available seats.

    *** km 5/95 5 1995 "Joyful Praisers" District Convention ***


    At the 1994 "Godly Fear" District Convention, did you note improvement in the matter of saving seats? Some progress has been made, but we still need to be conscious of this reminder: SEATS MAY BE SAVED ONLY FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS AND ANY WHO MAY BE TRAVELING WITH YOU IN YOUR CAR. We are there as guests of the Society. The rental of the auditorium has been paid for by voluntary donations. Would it be loving and considerate to save a seat that we are not sure will be occupied?

    *** km 5/99 4 1999 "God's Prophetic Word" District Conventions ***


    You may save seats only for those in your immediate family or car group.

    Blondie

  • bk62
    bk62

    Wow - the saving of seats was only an afterthought - apparently a bigger issue than I realized!!

  • JeffT
    JeffT

    While it isn't very common, the name Jehovah is used at my church (Overlake Christian Church in Redmond WA). JW's do not have exclusive use of it. What is rare among Witnesses is the name Jesus. Read the new testament. The name at the center of all the writing is Jesus.

    Philippians 2

    9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,

  • Redneckgurl
    Redneckgurl

    BK62,

    In answer to your question as to the name of God, if it is interchangeable, I am a bit puzzled, but I think you mean, it is okay for JW's to say just "God" instead of "Jehovah"? Well, yes, that is done all the time, but we are also told that "God" is just a title, and we distinguish our God from the god of all other religions (which we are taught is basically Satan the Devil) by using the name Jehovah. There is no set amount of times to use it, in fact, whenever I have spoken with someone who is not a JW and I was trying to preach to them, I hardly used the name Jehovah because I didn't want to confuse them or scare them off. (silly me!) lol

    Hope that helped! Oh, and as far as seats, yeah, some people can be really rude! Usually the attendants are too intimidated to say anything since the ones doing the seat hogging can be "stumbled" by being told what to do. (that's my opinion from observation)

    Redneckgurl

  • bk62
    bk62

    Redneckgurl,

    Thank you very much for your comments. I gather (based on the limited interest in this post) that I'm making an issue out of nothing. It just seems funny to me - they say all other religions are being disrespectful, or not getting to know God because these other religions don't use his personal name. But from what you said, it's entirely optional whether you use the name Jehovah or God. I can understand that you used the name God when speaking to non-JW's, in order to help with their understanding. You also said that God is only a title - not His name. But I had that question going through my mind during the meeting I mentioned above. The speaker made comments like "...only God the Father can forgive us...." or "Put in faith in God, our saviour". Please note - I am absolutely sure he didn't say "Only a god can forgive us" or "Put your faith in our god". He was using God as His name, not as a title.

    Please forgive me for being petty - I'm just trying to make sense out of all of this!! /bk62

  • gumby
    gumby

    The society themselves admit to the fact that Jehovah is NOT the proper pronunciation of the divine name but rather Yahweh. You can find this in the Large NWT with Refrences, page 6 and page 1561. Their excuse of using Jehovah is.......it has been the accepted ENGLISH usage.

    The name Jehovah was coined by a 10th century Catholic monk.

    The society also admits what is meant by " a name". It is NOT the pronunciation, but rather WHAT the name STANDS FOR. This idea has only been presented rarely as comared to their contrary opinion that usuig the exact name is what is important. They talk out of both sides of their mouth.

    Gumby

  • benext
    benext

    bk62, when other religions use the word or title "God" they usually mean Jesus. The Witness use of the name Jehovah is to distinguish in the minds of the hearer who they are referring to. In a meeting at the Kingdom Hall both might be used with no confusion. Many speakers will use both. It may have struck you as strange because of your unfamiliarity with the meetings.

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