The August Study Watchtower: what is the big deal?

by ukpimo 15 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  ukpimo

  I have been following a number of posts discussing the August Watchtower study magazine. I really don't believe this common idea being passed around that it's being timed for the Annual Meeting.

  Here's why.

  The August Watchtower will be available on servers not long before its public release. Additionally, we are still over 3 months away from the Annual Meeting. The Organization isn't going to wait 3 months leading up to the release of the December Study Edition without too many PIMI JWs whining and begging to see the August Watchtower.

  The Annual Meeting this year will be held on 5th October. So you mean to say that all Sunday meetings will come to a halt that weekend because there is no study article? Will there instead be a live message from WHQ to be broadcast over that weekend with a strangely timed immediate release of the digital Watchtower? I don't believe that would ever happen, it wouldn't work logistically.

  This Watchtower we are waiting for will be out soon, simply put, in the same fashion as Armageddon!

  So to all who are speculating, just stop speculating! It probably does have unique information. It's probably just not anything that's actually to be discussed at the Annual Meeting.

  I'll eat my hat if I'm wrong!
• 

  Gorb

  Take care with your hat. A brother overhere would eat his broom if Armageddon would not come in 1975.

  A hat doesn't taste well, just like a broom.

  Gorby
• 

  sheol-do

  No sorry if it was a minor issue why is Sept now online digitally???

  I actually do think now it's being timed for the Annual Meeting. The official announcement isn't a lie per-se:

  Production of the August 2024 study edition of The Watchtower has been delayed.

  What has it been delayed for?

  They didn't say PRINTING has been delayed - if they had, why is the September issue now online?

  This may be momentous stuff, something they want to announce and then study in within the week. JAH PROVIDES! If the issue doesn't arrive then you'll get it digitally.
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  dropoffyourkeylee

  My thought is not that they will wait until October to release the Aug WT, but rather that they are ironing out the script of the Annual Meeting, and the August WT study articles (to be studied in October) will present some of that information. They'll release the Aug WT sometime in July I would guess.
• 

  LaFrancia

  It seems but I cannot say with 100% certainty that the W August 2024 also deals with the topic of dissociation. 3 paragraphs of this magazine were published by someone and are the following:

  Understanding dissociation in light of the Scriptures

  3 What about those who decide to write a letter disassociating themselves from the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses? It is critical to distinguish between disfellowshipped individuals, who are removed from the congregation due to unrepentant transgressions, and those who voluntarily disassociate. 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 clearly states, “But now I write to you, do not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but… This counsel is specifically addressed to those within the congregation who persist in committing serious sins without repent. However, those who dissociate no longer identify themselves as brothers or sisters in the faith. They have made a personal choice to depart, which is different from being removed for moral misconduct. Therefore, the strict exclusion applied to unrepentant offenders does not apply directly to them.

  4 Respect for religious freedom is a principle supported throughout the Bible, which emphasizes the importance of individual choice in matters of faith. Jesus himself demonstrated this respect when he allowed the rich young ruler to leave instead of forcing him to follow him (Matthew 19:16-23). Furthermore, when many disciples chose to leave, Jesus asked the Twelve, "You don't want to leave too, do you?" (John 6:66-70), showing his respect for their freedom of choice. This respect for personal choice is echoed in Galatians 5:13, which states, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.” These examples illustrate that Jehovah and his son Jesus value individual choice in serving him.
  

  5 When someone dissociates, they are no longer considered part of Jehovah's Witnesses, thus becoming part of the world. Jesus' teachings provide clear guidance on how to deal with those who are not part of Jehovah's organization. In Matthew 5.44-48, Jesus teaches to "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you", emphasizing that Christian love should extend beyond the community of believers. However, it is important to remember that if a dissociated person becomes an apostate, actively opposing the faith, he or she should be treated as one who spreads false teachings. Jude 1:4
  

  Questions to consider
  

  3. How does 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 help us understand the distinction between disfellowshiped people and those who voluntarily disassociate themselves?
  

  4. What are the biblical principles that respect individual religious freedom?
  

  5. In what ways should Christians interact with dissociated apostates?
  
• 

  LaFrancia

  I can imagine that these 3 paragraphs have created a lot of discussion within the Governing Body, some may not agree with this for fear that many PIMOs may leave without the consequences of ostracism, while others more liberal may be very supportive.
  
• 

  Gorb

  LaFrancia,

  Thanks. Can you imagine a study Watchtower article like this has not pass through the highest level before the editing proces starts? Articles are written a year ahead.
• 

  iloowy.goowy

  Those paragraphs are written using poor English grammar.

  The WT would have all sorts of editors catching grammatical mistakes as blatant as those in the three paragraphs supposedly from the August issue.

  I call b.s. on the content of the paragraphs since the wording can't be trusted. Unless LaFrancia translated from a foreign language version. Is that the case?

  Something is rotten and smells funky with those three paragraphs. Who cut the frommage? Maybe it was Lösch.
• 

  road to nowhere

  That year ahead is the key. The con artists got caught up in their changing lies, currrying favor with governments, infighting and inflated egos.

  Without the scars and mental dysfunctional from being in and having family in nobody would give a shit.

  Come study time there will be a long winded work around. Tune in here for a 2 minute breakdown of the facts from an hour long " deep" talk.
• 

  wannabefree

  Interesting.

  The Org seems to be to making changes to things that make it seem less controlling and cult like.

  Perhaps the 'follow the governing body even if it doesn't seem to make sense' admonition is simply about a restructuring to this more mainstream identity.

  In the short term, it might cause some to leave as did the 1975 fiasco, only to rebound significantly like it did in the 1980's.

  The utopian earth idea that Jehovah's Witnesses present is appealing and more so without the cult like organization micromanaging lives.

  When apostates point to the past errors, the organization uses the 'light gets brighter' explanation and takes away their fuel by making these changes.

  The hemorrhaging of funds through lawsuits and government actions have brought a light to their darkness. Their changes aren't necessarily bad. It's not the cult we knew and it seems it will be less so in the future.