Does the Watchtower Doctrine exist?

by family_man 38 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  jgnat

  People who peddle the magazines (called "publishers") count their TIME and placements. Profits are from donation only, but the WTBTS are masters at keeping their costs down. Labour at the printing plant, for instance, is done by volunteers who have taken a vow of poverty. Ditto for the authors. They get room and board, and only receive a pension if they remain loyal to the organization for their lifetime.

  Typically, a single Kingdom Hall has several congregations using the facility in rotation.

  Scholars??? Give me a break. Their research is haphazard at best, deceptive at worst. Scholars give references so critics can check their sources. Scholars provide complete quotes, in context, so that the original meaning is not lost.

  So why go to all this effort to print all these magazines and books? It keeps the cultists busy, so they don't notice how miserable their life is getting. Check out this thread.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/32670/1.ashx

  Ask your wife where the origin of the term "publishers" comes from - is it in the bible? Is that any better than the made-up terms like "clergy" that the rest of Christendom's churches are condemned for?
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  family_man

  Joker - I see right through you. I am sorry you are in this situation. Read the bible by yourself and without Awake. Pray to god for guidance.

  Avishai - what does Df'd mean?

  Peaceful Pete yours seems to be the consensus of a lot of people in this forum. I've already tried putting my foot down - resulting in fights. The kind path is the path I will take - it seems the most biblical.

  I'm going to KH tonight to be with my wife - the whole time I'll be praying she snap out of it soon...

  Wish me luck... I guess I am going to be in this for a the long haul.

  Everyone else thanks for the advice I'll take it all to heart and keep continue to communicate through this forum ...
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  Winston Smith :>D

  They have little respect for husbands who are non-JWs and will put their demands ahead of you and your family's needs.

  ...To say that she will have little respect for you if she decides to become a Witness is a lie.

  Joker

  Joker, you must have misunderstood what I meant above when you quoted me. When I say 'they' will have little respect, I am referring to to the ones who are studying with his wife. If he asks his wife to stop letting the JW's come to their house to study with her, the conductor of her study may ask her to then meet in a public place and study, or something sneaky like that. I've seen it done in our congregation more than a few times. Drive by the house, oops, the husband is home. Ok group, lets stop another time when he's not home. Joker, I dare you to deny that this is how a car group operates in field service when one spouse is opposed to the JW's.

  there are some things a couple must decide together, there are also some things a person should decide on their own joker

  This is true, and I agree. It will be her choice to discuss with the man that she married, and that she took a vow to love and respect, to weigh the pros and cons of being a JW. Or it will be her choice to toss that aside and to accept the WTS as her head rather than her husband, with no weight or consideration given to her husband's opinion.
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  Winston Smith :>D

  family_man,

  I agree that peacefulpete stated things best.

  He has a gift to take the thoughts that I have as well and run them through a 'balance' filter.

  Alot of these comments sound like the WT is conspiring with malicious intent. ...I don't think this is consciously done, but is is a self reinforcing cycle. These are not evil people, just unwitting victims of an unhealthy and destructive religion. If you approach this from that angle you will be more successful than attacking the people or it's doctrine. Better to be informed and point out your concerns while asuring her of your love. peacefulpete

  well said
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  Joker10

  It appears that you are assuming many things. Me reading the bible or Awake or your wife soon leaving you if she doesnt quit, is another. I feel sorry you see things that are really not there. Best advice I can give you is not to believe everything you hear. And don't limit yourself to read or hear from one point of view (which is this site).
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  Winston Smith :>D

  It appears that you are assuming many things.

  Joker10

  You got mail Joker
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  peacefulpete

  I'll just add that it is not an attack upon free will to inform a person who is making a mistake. The methods of thought control and information control used by high control groups and cults are designed to disable a persons's judgement. A person being drawn in gradually relinquishes their right and skills of decision making. This of course does notmean they become a zombie. No cult is capable of completly erasing a person's identity. (those that use drugs of course are more successful) The convert is forever being told that they made a decision to serve God (ie be a JW). This creates the illusion that the process was consciously and logically arrived at. A good parallel is those that have substance addictions. They imagine that the choice is their to make, but the influence of the drug is in fact shaping their course. Friends would never stand by and allow this to continue without helping the person to see what is happening. They would not see this as disrespecting the person's right of choice.
  
  I'll add too that I'm concerned about the extent of her integration. I'd say that probably 3/4 of those who attend meetings for a few months becom JWs. The time commitment, the social integration, and the facade of congregation piety are powerful forces that convince those desiring to be convinced. Good luck. I was very lucky myself and just when our divorce date was coming up my wife asked the tough questions, learned the facts and left. She has subsequently suffered the loss of her family and friends but we are making new friends all the time.
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  family_man

  Pete

  Can't help but feel there is nothing I can do to warn her. What did you do right or wrong to get her to start thinking? Learning from others mistakes/triumphs willhelp.

  Last night I attended a study at someones house. It was about marriage. I asked her sister (active JW) about using other bibles - I brought a KJV. She said they encourage people to use their version but welcome others to read different versions.

  Ia lso asked about who started the JWá. My wife responded that Russell did. Her sister interceded that actually it was started by a small group of people of which Russell was part.

  I can't help but think that some of what I read here is exagerrated, but my gut says otherwise. How do I reveal them for what they are when they are contrdicting that which they practice and makes them a cult. I feel like showing my wife the board but have been advised not to.

  It is hard to gauge how deep she is in it. Last night I casually showed her Jn 1:1 and inquired her thoughts on JC's diety - of course she denied it and said she is reading it as that JC was a god. Then she withdrew.

  On the other hand today she is going to help prepare for an upcoming birthday. Sat we are doing some Valentine's Day activities. I feel like taking the risk she'll snap out of it If reveal now what I know... but the worst case scenario scares me...

  Thoughts anyone?
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  Nathan Natas

  Probably the person "studying the Bible(tm)" with your wife has access to the local Kingdom Hall Library. Nothing beats seeing this stuff in black and white. If she does not have access to the Kingdom Hall Library, she may have a copy of the official Watchtower CDROM, which contains recent Watchtower publications in a cheapo "text only" format.

  Here is where you can show your wife that JESUS IS MEDIATOR ONLY FOR ANOINTED, not for her:

  THE WATCHTOWER April 1,1979 page 31 "Questions from Readers"

  Questions from Readers
  ? Is Jesus the "mediator" only for anointed Christians?

  The term "mediator" occurs just six times in the Christian Greek Scriptures and Scripturally is always used regarding a formal covenant.

  Moses was the "mediator" of the Law covenant made between God and the nation of Israel. (Gal. 3:19, 20) Christ, though, is the "mediator of a new covenant" between Jehovah and spiritual Israel, the "Israel of God" that will serve as kings and priests in heaven with Jesus. (Heb. 8:6; 9:15; 12:24; Gal. 6:16) At a time when God was selecting those to be taken into that new covenant, the apostle Paul wrote that Christ was the "one mediator between God and men." (1 Tim. 2:5) Reasonably Paul was here using the word "mediator" in the same way he did the other five times, which occurred before the writing of 1 Timothy 2:5, referring to those then being taken into the new covenant for which Christ is "mediator." So in this strict Biblical sense Jesus is the "mediator" only for anointed Christians.

  The new covenant will terminate with the glorification of the remnant who are today in that covenant mediated by Christ. The "great crowd" of "other sheep" that is forming today is not in that new covenant. However, by their associating with the "little flock" of those yet in that covenant they come under benefits that flow from that new covenant. During the millennium Jesus Christ will be their king, high priest and judge. For more detailed information, see Aid to Bible Understanding, pages 1129 and 1130 under "Mediator"; also God's "Eternal Purpose" Now Triumphing for Man's Good, page 160, paragraph 10; also The Watchtower issues of February 15, 1966, pages 105 through 123; November 15, 1972, pages 685 and 686, under the subheading "Leading the Way to a New Covenant"; and April 1, 1973, pages 198 and 199, under the subheading "The New Covenant."
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  peacefulpete

  I'm not going to lie to you, it sounds that she has already made her mind to proceed. It likely will only be a matter of months before she ends the holidays. I will strongly recommend NOT debating doctrine. Arguing interpretation of the Bible is a futile excercise. Besides it is not doctrine that is attracting her, it is the community and acceptance. My best advice is to go to the website I recommended earlier the AFF and do the search for characteristics of unhealthy controlling groups. Some of the information of course will not apply, as the site itself says. Everything is a matter of degree. Go to websites that compile JW quotes, dwell on quotes about matters like the role of the Society. Theuy have expressly said many times that they are the only agent of God and that only they can interpret scripture. They have said that members must abandon personal views and humbly accept the direction given by them as from God. Loyalty and obedience are favorite words. Submission and sacrifice are others. It will talke a while to processs this information yourself. Presenting these concerns in a spirit of love and concern may make her ask herself what is going on. If so then she may be ready to here about the UN stuff or the compromises with Hitler by Rutherford etc. I take it your a Christian so I don't know how you feel about matters like evolution but IMO these areas are hard to reconcile with the fundementalist view preached by JWs and are valuable in separating fact from illusion. If you are not comfortable with that just forget I said it. Ultimately be the best husband you can and always express your reservations about the JWs in a spirit of concern. Don't let a wall go up. AS far as this site having a lot of exaggerating, The language may be emotionally charged but most everything I read here is accurate. If someone is mistaken another always corrects them. You must believe that if she goes forward and you do not follow, your life will be changed for the worse. When my wife was going after I had left she was being told by other women in the Hall how I was wicked and selfish and how much better off she was to be separated from me. Her mother to this day wishes she had not reconcilled with me. And I was a favorite son in law befor this. The Isaiah book (one of their study books) specifically says that nonJWS are incapable of generosity and compassion for aging parents. Only because I did not give her any reason to believe this was true did she finally see that she was being manipulated.