The Borg's thimble and pea trick

by ozziepost 4 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  ozziepost

  Remember that magic trick with the thimbles and the pea and you have to guess where the pea is? Somehow it was always switchedbut you didn't notice.

  The WTS are masters of this when it comes to describing their teachings.

  The Watchtower of February 15 invites people to join Witness congregations:

  First-century Christians also gathered together in congregations. (Acts 2:41, 42, 46; 1 Corinthians 1:1, 2; Galatians 1:1, 2; 2 Thessalonians 1:1) The same is true today. Congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses come together for meetings that are specially designed to help individuals to draw closer to Jehovah and to have joy in serving him.

  But a switch takes place here! The scripture texts referred to do not describe congregations in the manner of congregations of Dubs in modern times at all. Rather, the texts refer to gatherings of Christians in private homes, yet the innocent or uninformed reader would be led ever so gently into accepting that the Kingdom Halls are modern-day versions of what the "true christians" experienced. Nothing could be further from the truth! Those gatherings of early christians had none of the trappings of the Dubs in their Kingdom Halls. They weren't ordered meetings with platforms and audiences. There certainly weren't talks limited by time to 45 minustes or 5 minutes or whatever the WTS decide. Why, unlike the dubs, the women spoke and prophesied!!! So once again the WTS is guilty of dishonesty in its teachings.

  Interesting books that describe the meetings of first-century christians are:

  Going to Church in the First Century (Christian Books Publishing House, Beaumont, Texas)

  Paul's Idea of Community (The Early House Churches in their Histrorical Setting) Eerdmans, Michigan

  Both are written by Robert Banks
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  pudd

  Very interesting post!

  I am wondering how long it will be before I am able to read the bible without automaticaly reading in W/T interpritations. They are very good at what they do.

  Brain washing is a scary thing.
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  Love_Truth

  ozzie,

  Good post! What you say is true, as Jesus himself taught, in Matthew 18:20: "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

  One of the things I used to point out to everyone, when I was a JW (much to their chagrin), was that they justified the "Assemblies" using this Scripture in Deuteronomy 31:12: "Assemble the people- men, women and children, and the aliens living in your towns-so they can listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and follow carefully all the words of this law."

  Interestingly, however, they always left out the context of that command to Moses, found two verses earlier, in Deuteronomy 31:10: "Then Moses commanded them: "At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Feast of Tabernacles."

  That's why I stopped going to "Assemblies" years before I quit the JWs- their constant "cherry-picking" of Scriptures, out of context, to support their vision of the "truth".

  Whadda buncha misleading, lying, hypocrites!!
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  ozziepost

  Even the familiar text of Matthew 18:20 is misapplied by the WTS.

  In context, its topic is not congregation meetings but praying!

  From the NIV, it reads this way:
  "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven, for where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them." - Matthew 18: 18-20

  Verse 18 is actually addressing the matter of handling disputes in the congregation and so this recommendation of the two or three in prayer follows from that. It certainly isn't a model for congregation meetings!
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  Love_Truth

  ozzie,

  Indeed. Philippians 2:12-18 states very clearly: "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out [1] the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

  We must each work out our own salvation then. What sect we do or don't belong to has no bearing on God's judgement, as we will each be judged on our invidual merits, or lack thereof.

  Organized Religion is Babylon the Great, IMHO.