Comments You Will Not Hear At the 2-29-04 WT Study

by blondie 31 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  jgnat

  p. 11..Despite the apostacy that led to the development of Christendom after the death of Jesus? apostles, Jehovah kept on performing wonderful works to ensure the fulfilment of his purpose. 12 For instance, the Bible canon was preserved....

  ...so this ?APOSTATE BUNCH? defined and preserved the bible canon, fulfilling Jehovah?s will - in spite of themselves?

  Quoted from ?A Brief Overview of Bible History?
  by Lisa Alekna Written August 07, 1999 updated 3/10/00

  During the early centuries of the Church, there were many documents that claimed to hold "true" Christian teaching. Due to misinterpretation of various teachings, it became important to identify which were truly canonical and "inspired", and which were not. The very first version of the "New Testament", in AD 140, was written by an anti-Semite, Marcion, who deleted all references to Jesus' Judaism. This convinced the leaders of the Church that there was a dire need to authoritatively decree which books were to be considered truly inspired.

  Selection of New Testament books as canonical was slow, the present Canon appearing for the first time in the Festal Epistle of Athanasius (A.D. 367). Pope Damascus I, at the Council of Rome in 382, stated the canon of Scripture, and listed the same books we have today. In the Synod of Hippo (A.D. 393) this same Canon was officially stated and adopted for all the Church. However, it is evident that it found many opponents in Africa, since three councils there at brief intervals--Hippo, Carthage, in A.D. 393; Third of Carthage in A.D. 397; and Carthage in A.D. 419 - found it necessary to reiterate the official catalogues. This canon was once again by the Second Council of Nicaea in 787; and then by the Council of Florence in 1442.

  Ironically, it was not the deuterocanonical books that were the stumbling point, initially, but apparently the NT Scripture of the Book of Hebrews. Once this agreement on Canon was reached in it's final version, all major Christian churches used the same Canon. Basically, the Canon proclaimed in AD 367 by Athanasius is the same exact version of the Bible that the Catholic Church uses today. Remember, at the time there WAS only ONE Church, and this was the Bible that all Christians used.

  ...so this ?APOSTATE BUNCH? translated the bible in to common languages, and continues to this day.

  This ?APOSTATE BUNCH? created the printing press and made the bible available to the masses.
  Gutenburg Bible

  How grateful the WTBTS must be for all the assistance Christendom's Churches has done to help spread God's word throughout the world...
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  jgnat

  Absolutely right-on, Blondie, on how Jesus is presented as a mere tool of Jehovah in this article. Noteworthy, to me anyways, was:

  22...He (Jehovah) is full of mercy, willing to forgive repentant sinners on the basis of Jesus' ransom sacrifice.

  How does the WTBTS view Jesus' ability to forgive sins? Lord knows, he raised a few eyebrows the first time he did it. After all, isn't the ability to forgive sins reserved for Jehovah alone? Matthew 9:2-8.
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  heathen

  jgnat--- That's a nice piece of research you did there . The WTBTS does claim that the apostate christians or catholic church for one did preserve the writings but also tampered with them by adding popular opinions that would have supported the trinity belief that they were not interested in a word for word translation . I think the WTBTS states that jesus was given authority to forgive sins . John 5:19 is a good place to answer that question.
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  jgnat

  Heathen, thanks for your comments. I understand that the WTBTS speaks out of both sides of their mouth when it comes to the contributions that CHRISTENDOM'S CHURCHES have made. It ticks me off that they can blather on every week about BABYLON THE GREAT, the GREAT HARLOT, disfellowship members for VISITING a church, yet blithely use thousands of years' worth of research and scholarship from that same harlot with nary a blink.

  One doesn't see Elijah borrowing Jezebel's library to assist him in developing his prophecies.
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  Odrade

  Thanks again Blondie! Great review as usual.

  O
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  heathen

  I don't want to come off as a defender of the WTBTS but I also understand why they see things the way they do on this issue . They feel that at the appointed time they were allowed to restore christianity to it's original form and from that point on they have made great efforts to expose the hypocrisy of other religions , much like we do here over many WTBTS doctrines . In their short existence they have met with great opposition from other religions as well so it seems obvious to me why they have no respect for other religions . They are not the only ones after power and control , the only difference is they don't want political power .IMO
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  NoBorg

  Thanks Blondie, I count on you for your introspectives each week.
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  Room 215

  Blondie, once again, thanks. It should be abudantly clear that JWs are Neo-Judaizers masquerading as Christians.

  As to that reference to the 1976 ``sacred service" article, which dealt with the meaning of the Greek equivalent ``latreia" or some such (translated as ``sacred service" in the NWT), it's interesting to note that there's no reference to it under ``sacred service" in any of the Society's indices... you have to know it's there if you expect to find it. The WTBTS would much prefer that you be unaware it ever existed.
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  BluesBrother

  Could not miss the front page article of this issue. A bold picture and banner title "Whose promises can you trust?"

  Excuse me , but given their track record of failed predictions and doctrinal flip flops, I hardly think they are in a position to comment on others. The second article ends

  You can have complete trust in all the promises contained in the Bible , for their source is Jehovah the God of truth"

  Yes, but how many of the promises are directly from God? Rather the inventions of the psuedo theologians in Brooklyn , putting a spin on scriptures that were totally unrelated to the point in question

  Those of us who gave the best of our lives believing these things are entitled to feel a little bitter
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  Pistoff

  Does anyone remember the sacred service debacle?

  Oh yes. I remember how much SENSE it made; I felt like a real christian for a time; the KM was even retitled as the Kingdom Service.

  More crazy making pontificating from the worst writers on the planet, the ink stained wretches in Brooklyn. How can we motivate the rank and file, without getting them to think too much about being a Christian? After all, if they think about christian principles, they will have to read the NT Greek Scriptures; that might lead them into reading and re-reading the book of Acts, where we see Paul waffle about his principles, and the older men in Jerusalem making political decisions that show their bias for the old system of belief; then they might realize that the "ban" on blood was also a political choice.

  And most of all, by emphasizing the OT, as blondie notes, they can reinforce the DESTRUCTION side of the equation; David was impressed with Jehovah for what reasons?? He destroyed his enemies. Hmm. I seem to remember Jesus turning the other cheek; that Jesus forgave sinners, and didn't threaten them with death.

  David is the official poster boy for the boys in Brooklyn. After all, he committed all of what blondie referred to: lust, adultery, malfeasance and murder. It was the opinion of Nathan that the child died due to Jehovah, but of course I know that he does not try any with evil things, so that was a coincidence. So really David got off scot free for his sexual indiscretion; that is how the GB would like things to be for the truly evil policy they refuse to abandon, their child sexual abuse policy. They STILL maintain that TWO witnesses must present evidence for a child to be believed. Is it any wonder they love David so much????

  As for the "dignity of Jehovah". That is a new one to me too. The obvious inference is that we should have respect for the modern day "channel" of Jehovah, the WTS. How about this, Ted and company: show some courage, admit your mistakes, and then we might have a shred of respect for you. SHAME ON YOU FOR YOUR SEX ABUSE POLICY.

  In spite of David's achievements, he had a humble view of himself.

  Why would they think this?? Because he wrote some songs that included praises to God? Tip for the writers: this is MUSIC. Do you think he is going to sing about how great he is? Where is the evidence for humility on David's part? David was an astute politician; when Nathan confronted him (a modern day committee would disfellowship him for hiding his sin!!!) he confessed. Well, sure; when you are caught, you better look repentant.

  Why the continual reference to David, week after week????? I am convinced it is due to his checkered sexual history; it makes what has happened in the WT somehow forgiveable in their eyes.

  More of the same from the third grade writers on the 5th floor. I am glad that I am sick today so I don't have to sit through this puke.