Comments You Will Not Hear at the 11-07-04 WT Study

by blondie 12 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  blondie

  Comments You Will Not Hear at the 11-7-04 WT Study (October 1, 2004 issue date)

  Review comments will be in black and parentheses ()

  WT quotes

  will be in red and quotes ""

  Quotes from other sources

  will be in blue

  WHO ARE GIVING GOD GLORY TODAY?

  "You are worthy, Jehovah, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power."?Revelation 4:11

  www.biblegateway.com /cgi-bin/bible

  Opening Comments

  It has been another busy week. I am getting the hang of my job but there are many details to remember. While I worked in the legal setting years ago, I have to reprime all those neurons.

  It has been a momentous week for people in the US. Now the election is over but the war still rages in Iraq. And there was snow in Texas before there was snow in Wisconsin. Does that mean the End is near?

  We are getting the yard ready for winter; cleaning out the basement and garage, and getting ready for the holidays. Around here things start right after Halloween, with Xmas decorations and shopping.

  This week?s article doesn?t have much new?.less than normal.

  Basically, it is "evolution is bad" and "we are the only true religion."

  START OF ARTICLE

  Paragraphs 1-4

  Humans copy nature?biomimetics.

  The sad reality is that in today?s world, God is rarely given the credit for the glory he deserves.

  Few take note of what makes God impressive.

  Now that trashes all the Christians in the US.

  Prominent figures in society, if they believe in God at all, have influenced people to treat the glorious Creator of the universe with disrespect.

  Are they talking about President Bush?

  "They are Inexcusable"

  Paragraphs 5-10

  Many scientists insist there is not God.

  How many, who, the majority?

  For example, evolutionist Stephen Jay Gould wrote" "We are here because one odd group of fishes had a peculiar fin anatomy that could transform into legs for terrestrial creatures?We may yearn for a ?higher? answer?but none exists."

  Similarly, Richard E Leakey and Roger Lewin wrote: "Perhaps the human species is just a ghastly biological blunder."

  Notice there is no reference to the source of this material. Hmmm?

  Gould is better described as a palentologist.

  Some years ago, a man well-versed in evolution interviewed people who accepted the theory. He said: "I discovered that most believers of evolution are believers because they have been told that all intelligent people are believers."

  What man would that be? Why did they name the 2 men above but not this one?

  "Blind Guides" Mislead Many

  Paragraphs 11-15

  Many religious people sincerely believe that their form of worship gives glory of God.

  Implied: Only JWs have the true religion.

  The doctrine they choose to prove that: predestination.

  A second way that organized religion (obviously, the WTS is not an organized religion) dishonors God is through the conduct of its adherents

  "Love one another"

  "No part of the world"

  What about the members of Christendom?s clergy? Have they really followed those teachings?

  All religions are tarred with the same brush? What about the Amish, Mennonites, and Quakers? What about women like Mother Theresa?

  What about the WTS? Have they really followed those teachings?

  What about the doctrine of disfellowshipping?

  What about the WTS? association with the UN as a nongovernmental organization?

  Who are Truly Giving Glory to God?

  Paragraphs 16-20

  If the promonent and influential people of the world have by and large failed to glorify God, they who are truly doing so?

  Implied: All members of Christendom are prominent and influential.

  First, we can glorify God by praising his name.

  Is saying God?s name enough? What about Jesus? name?

  Who today, then are glorifying Jehovah and making his name known?Jehovah?s Witnesses are?

  Do JWs identify themselves as Christians and witnesses of Jesus?

  but YOU will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon YOU, and YOU will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in all Ju·de´a and Sa·mar´i·a and to the most distant part of the earth ." ACTS 1:8

  Second, we can glorify God by teaching the truth about him.

  Must reject doctrines that are not based on the Bible and that misrepresent God and his wil.

  Superior authorities

  1. Secular governments

  1. God and Jesus

  1. Secular governments

  End will come in

  1914, 1915, 1925, 1975?.

  Beginning of great tribulation

  1. to begin again in the near future

  1970---has not begun yet

  Organ transplants

  Until 1967---okay

  1967-1980?df?ing offense

  1980?okay again

  Generation alive in 1914 would see Armageddon until 1995

  Generation born any time after 1914 would see Armageddon

  One one group has faithfully been teaching?.precoius truths?Jehovah?s Witnesses.

  Third, we can glorify God by living in harmony with his standards.

  While thousands died in Malawi in the 70?s for not buying a political card, JWs in Mexico paid bribes to government officials to avoid prison because of not getting a military card. From 1991 to 2001 the WTS was part of the world when it associated with the UN as a nongovernmental organization supporting the UN charter.

  Are You Giving Glory to God?

  As you look for reasons to give glory to God, you become more positive, appreciative.

  Then, you are in a position to help others live a happy, fulfilling life, thereby finding greater happiness yourself.

  Yes, if you are not happy, you are not spending enough time in the door to door work.

  Concluding Comments

  I will warn that next week?s lesson is on "love" in the congregation. So bring a bucket.

  This week?s article is basically a self-praise exercise and a demonizing of every "other" Christian.

  I was conversing with a JW who took exception with the fact that they identify themselves to others as JWs not Christians. This week I found 5 articles about JWs and in each case they identified themselves as JWs not Christians.

  What are JWs taught to do at the door? Say, "we?re Chrstians" or "we?re Jehovah?s Witnesses"?

  w01 12/1 p. 8 "You?ve Dialed the Wrong Number" ***

  After arrangements had been made to drop off the brochure What Does God Require of Us?, Mrs. G? asked: "By the way, what religion are you?"

  "We?re Jehovah?s Witnesses," Caroline answered.

  w66 5/15 p. 314 A New Songbook! ***

  We?re Jehovah?s witnesses;

  We speak out in fearlessness!

  Blondie
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  blondie

  I thought I would add some statements from the article that follows the 2 study articles in the 10/1/04 WT.

  WHAT KIND OF WAITING ATTITUDE DO YOU HAVE?

  Using the story of Jonah the WTS says:

  Jonah possibly felt that his unfulfilled proclamation of destruction by a certain date made him lose face as a prophet.

  Does the WTS mean that they are a prophet?

  He evidently became more concerned with his own reputation than with mercy and salvation for others?

  But JWs are told to hope for the kingdom to come soon, that it will come very soon by the WTS.

  Yes, he develped a kind of begrudging, wait-and-see attitude.

  The WTS says that JWs are like Jonah.

  Realizing that things did not happen the way he expected (the way he was told wasn't it; just like JWs were told the end would come in 1914, 1915, 1925, 1975), he built a booth, sat in the shade, and silently waited to see what would happen. Jehovah, however, did not approve of Jonah's attitude.

  The WTS does not approve of the attitude of many of the rank and file...slow down and wait and see.

  A proper waiting attitude manifests absolute confidence that Jehovah's day will come not one moment later than Jehovah purposed.

  It is just that the WTS does not what God has purposed per their incorrect dates in the past.

  Thus, a Christian (JW) is to be energetic, zealous in good works. He should fight any tendency to "loiter" in spiritual inactivity, perhaps diverting his energies toward pleasures or material pursuits.

  The two (slaves) who kept busy while waiting for their master were told upon his arrival, "Well done, good and faithful slave!"

  However, the one who waited idly receive..."Throw the good-for-nothing slave out into the darkness outside."

  Although this parable applies to anointed Christians (JWs), there is a less for all of us....

  The Master, Jesus Christ, expects each one of us to work diligently in his service (in the WTS service) while we await his arrival at Jehovah's great day (I thought he arrived in 1914 or was it 1874?).

  What if this system of things has lasted longer than we once thought or hoped it would?

  Accurate knowledge of God's purpose (as not taught by the WTS in the past, why now?) and a humble appraisal of our own relative importance (now that makes me feell special!) will enable us to be patient just as long as Jehovah sees fit to be patient with this old system.

  Jehovah God (the WTS really) does not want us to tire out or give up while we are waiting.

  The hours are going down; too many inactive JWs...

  He has a work for us to do and is pleased if we use the waiting time to engage industriously in that work.

  not become weary...prove ourselves worthy...by keeping busy (hawking WTS publications).
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  jgnat

  That's quite a stretch with Jonah. I thought his "attitude problem" was that he wanted the Ninevites dead, dead, dead. First he ran off because he did not want to transmit God's life-saving message to them, and finally he was ticked off because God did not destroy them after all. I don't think lack of patience was his problem. He was a bigot.

  Hum, maybe not a stretch to describe Witnesses' attitude problems after all. Sometimes, I swear when they look at me, they are thinking "buzzard meat".
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  Flash

  Blondie,

  Your insights on the WTS and their message are 'right on'...as usual.
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  willyloman

  A second way that organized religion ... dishonors God is through the conduct of its adherents

  Exactly, and that is why my family and I left the dubs. Their conduct dishonors God. That's just one of the things I love about your weekly WT "study," Blondie. It reinforces why we left and reminds us that the WTS is the real apostate here.
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  jgnat

  I like your questions, Blondie. They are thinking questions, not like the ones in the article, which direct the reader what section of the paragraph to underline. My comments on the last couple paragraphs, red are quotes from the magazine:

  Who are Truly Giving Glory to God?

  Orthodox Christians all agree to the Nicene Creed, in use since about 1549. The principles are simple, and it is easy to test if an organization claiming to be ?Christian? is following them. When Jesus was asked what the most important law was, his answer was simple; love God, love your neighbour. Upon these two rules all the law and the prophets are based.

  By contrast, Jehovah?s Witnesses have a long list of beliefs, and disagreeing with the smallest detail can result in disfellowshipment. When the Jehovah?s Witnesses provide a list of activities that only they do, ask yourselves, are they doing the most important things? Any group can claim they are unique in the activities they are doing. Do these other groups claim to be the only Christians on the planet?

  In this article, four beliefs are listed which they claim make them unique Christians. The only Christians on the planet. They are:

  1.

  Jehovah is the Most High God (agrees with the Nicene Creed, and therefore, nearly all Christian groups)

  2.

  Jesus is God?s Son and the appointed Ruler of God?s Messianic Kingdom (Read plain, it would seem to agree to the Nicene Creed. Unsaid here is that Jehovah?s Witnesses do not believe that Jesus is fully God. )

  3.

  God?s Kingdom will sanctify Jehovah?s name and fulfill his purpose towards this earth and the humans upon it (Belief in Armageddon and Paradise Earth. Is this ?knowledge? critical for a Christian?s salvation? There are many Millenialist groups outside of the Jehovah?s Witnesses)

  4.

  The good news about this Kingdom must be preached in all the earth (para 18) (The good news is preached by many fine Christian groups. They tend to concentrate on telling the good news of personal salvation from sin, however, rather than the Paradise dream. Which is more Christian?)

  ?For well over a century, only one group has faithfully been teaching such precious truths - Jehovah?s Witnesses!? (para 18)

  Hyperbole.

  ..what religious group have many governments praised for being peaceful, law-abiding citizens who pay their taxes?

  How many Christians fail to pay their taxes? Does this make the JW?s unique? The French government is investigating the Jehovah?s Witnesses for back-taxes as we speak.

  What people is known the world over for their unity with fellow believers - a unity that rises above racial, national, and ethnic differences?

  Of what great feat is it to have unity with one another? Even the pagans do that! What are they doing to reach out in brotherhood to people of other beliefs? Quakers, for example, are also known as a Christian group promoting peace and brotherhood, that rises above racial, national, and ethnic differences.

  What group is recognized worldwide for their Bible education work that fosters respect for law, family values, and Bible morality?

  There are plenty of others, and in their area of specialization, they far exceed the JW?s in work accomplished. See below.

  There is only one group whose fine conduct in these and other areas speaks for itself - Jehovah?s Witnesses! (para 20)

  Hyperbole. Good thing most Jehovah?s Witnesses are taught to distrust all other sources of information.

  Are truly Jehovah?s Witnesses the best model of early Christianity today?

  Nicene Creed
  http://mb-soft.com/believe/txh/nicene.htm

  Waging Peace: A Story about Robert Muller
  http://www.westbynorthwest.org/artman/publish/printer_340.shtml

  Gideons International are placing seven million copies of God?s word every seven days.
  http://www.gideons.org/

  Focus on the Family publishes numerous magazines and books in support of traditional family values.
  http://www.family.org/

  Over 50,000 mission participants sent around the world
  http://www.adventures.org/

  Aid to the Church in Need
  http://www.kirche-in-not.org/index.html

  Quaker Beliefs and Practices
  http://emes.quaker.eu.org/meeting-the-spirit.html

  Pliny the Younger of Bythinia, observations on early Christian life:
  http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/jod/texts/pliny.html

  ?They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so. When this was over, it was their custom to depart and to assemble again to partake of food--but ordinary and innocent food.?
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  Elsewhere

  I find it quite ironic that Jehovah is not even close to the correct pronuciation of the Hebrew god's name. Hell, even the WTS admits this much... reasoning that it is not really important that they say it right anyway.

  Now they are saying that it IS important to use the god's name... even though they admit they have no idea what it is... of course at the same time they say that they are the ONLY religion that use's god's name.

  I think I'm getting dizzy trying to figure out that one!
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  BluesBrother

  I would disagree with Blondie's statement that there was not a lot in this article. It has provoked quite a discussion in this household.

  After a nice opening about the wonder of creation we change completely at para 11 to slate "False religion". An example of false teaching is predestination.

  para 13. " Predestination is an unscriptural teaching that slanders God. It confuses what he can do with what he actually does. The fact that God can foreknow events is clearly shown in the Bible. However it is illogical to think that he cannot control his ability to know the future or that he is responsiible for every outcome.To illustrate, suppose you had great phisical strength. Would that make you feel inclined to lift every heavy object in sight? Of course not. Likewise having the ability to know the future does not compel God to foreknow or foreordain everything . His use of foreknowlege is selective and discretionary . Clearly false teachings such as predestination do not glorify God."

  For a start this is clearly speculation, the product of human reasoning on a conundrum of God "Knowing all, yet preventing nothing"........The illustration of lifting weights is to my mind irrelevent, we are not talking of harmless ability, we are speaking of knowlege... The argument claims that the almighty puts on metaphorical blinkers and choses to put his head in the sand , while his beloved creatures blunder into disaster. Can that be compatible with a god of love or wisdom?

  In the UK this weekend there has been a railway crash that cost many lives. Supposing a CCTV camera had been on the rail crossing, would it have been reasonable for a signalman to turn it off, and chose not to know that a car was blocking the line?

  if god were to chose not to know, what is his to know, then he is voluntarily making himself a lesser god than he could be .. That is stupid.

  Trouble is that dubs refuse to have an enquiring mind when "The Society" have printed something.
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  blondie

  BB, I did mention that point but not as detailed. I was surprised that the WTS picked that as a doctrinal point to elevate JWs because they did not teach it. Few people I know in churches believe that even the Presbyterians I know. Thanks for bringing that out. Compared to recent articles on apostates, the points were more subtle.

  Thanks for going into more detail. I should mention that my illness and new job limit my awake time. I should quit procrastinating and get a scanner. Anything you can add is greatly appreciated.

  (BTW, if anyone can recommend a good scanner that will allow me to move around the scanned material...OmniPro is what has been thrown at me)
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  BluesBrother

  Dear blondie.. I know that all of us appreciate so much the hard work that yo do on this topic every week.. together with ill health and all...