What Terms Do Jehovah's Witnesses Use To Indicate They Are A Cult?

by minimus 61 Replies latest jw friends

  • blondie
    blondie

    km 1/03 p. 4 Teach Others the Pure Language ***

    What is this pure language? It is the proper understanding of the truth found in God?s Word regarding Jehovah and his purposes, particularly the truth about God?s Kingdom. As foretold by Jesus, this truth is being dispensed by means of a visible earthly channel, "the faithful and discreet slave," with the result that people "out of all the languages of the nations" are embracing true worship.?Matt. 24:45; Zech. 8:23.

    ***

    w91 5/1 p. 19 Speak the Pure Language and Live Forever! ***

    You must use the pure language regularly, or you will lose the ability to speak it well. To illustrate: Years ago, some of us learned a foreign language. We may recall some words in that tongue but have likely lost our command of it because we have not put it to constant use. The same thing can happen with the pure language. If we do not use it regularly, we can lose our command of it, and that would have tragic consequences spiritually. Let us therefore speak it regularly at meetings and in the Christian ministry. These activities, coupled with personal study, will enable us to say things correctly in the pure language. And how important that is!

    17

    Speech can be lifesaving or death dealing. This was shown during a conflict between the Israelite tribe of Ephraim and Judge Jephthah of Gilead. To identify Ephraimites trying to flee across the Jordan River, the Gileadites used the password "Shibboleth," which had an initial "sh" sound. The men of Ephraim betrayed themselves to the Gileadite sentries at the fords of the Jordan by saying "Sibboleth" instead of "Shibboleth," mispronouncing the opening sound of the word. As a result, 42,000 Ephraimites were slain! (Judges 12:5, 6) Similarly, what Christendom?s clergy teach may sound close to the pure language to those not well acquainted with Bible truth. But speaking in a false religious way will prove fatal in the day of Jehovah?s anger.

    I have seen the WTS say they can tell if someone is actively associated by the theocratic terms they use: Back-call or return visit, for example.

    Calling the elders:

    Princes

    Look! A king will reign for righteousness itself; and as respects princes, they will rule as princes . . .

    ISAIAH 32:1

    Glorious ones

    Chieftains

    Gifts in men

  • missy04
    missy04

    "discipline" within the congregation

  • blondie
    blondie

    Language Loading

    The organisation redefines words (especially emotionally-charged words) to suit its outlook in the world, and more importantly, the outlook it wants its members to have. The creation of new words or expressions also isolates the member from the outside world.


    Adopt "loaded" language (characterized by "thought-terminating cliches"). Words are the tools we use to think with. These "special" words constrict rather than expand understanding. They function to reduce complexities of experience into trite, platitudinous "buzz words". "Thought-terminating cliches" and simplistic slogans stop critical thinking.

  • SheilaM
    SheilaM

    Drink the kool-aid ....nah wait that was the Jim Jones thing never mind

  • keeshah
    keeshah

    "the Society"

    Do they still use that one? I've been out for 15 years now.

  • one
    one

    judicial comitee

    marked

    service

    territory

    circuit

    district

  • Gill
    Gill

    The words that define what a person is really pee me off!

    Elder

    Ministerial Servant

    Presiding Overseer

    Pioneer and Special Pioneer and Auxillary Pioneer (these make me cringe with embarrassment)

    Annointed

    Other Sheep

    Circuit Overseer and District Overseer (I imagine men standing on boxes looking over everything! Just my twisted mind)

    Microphone Servant

    Book Servant

    Why has everyone got a label?

    Phrase like 'going out in Service' make me want to spit. Anyone bleating that 'I want to serve Jehovah and be out on the service' makes me want to punch them.

    Anyone saying 'Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaymen' at the end of a prayer used to make me want to fall about laughing.

    Contributions

    Praising Jehovah with out material wealth

    Praising Jehovah by serving him with out youth

    .

  • JH
    JH

    They alone are "PURE".

  • blondie
    blondie
    "the Society"

    Do they still use that one? I've been out for 15 years now.

    The WTS even knows that one has caused them problems in their efforts to get recognition as a religion in some countries. The governments think that JWs are following the WTS rather than God as they advertise.

    *** w98 3/15 pp. 18-19 Living Up to Christian Dedication in Freedom ***

    3

    Someone may argue that the way the Witnesses speak about the Watch Tower Society?or more often just "the Society"?indicates that they view it as more than a legal instrument. Do they not consider it to be the final authority on matters of worship? The book Jehovah?s Witnesses?Proclaimers of God?s Kingdom clarifies this point by explaining: "When The Watchtower [June 1, 1938] referred to ?The Society,? this meant, not a mere legal instrumentality, but the body of anointed Christians that had formed that legal entity and used it." The expression therefore stood for "the faithful and discreet slave." (Matthew 24:45) It is in this sense that the Witnesses generally used the term "the Society." Of course, the legal corporation and "the faithful and discreet slave" are not interchangeable terms. Directors of the Watch Tower Society are elected, whereas Witnesses who make up ?the faithful slave? are anointed by Jehovah?s holy spirit.

    4

    In order to avoid misunderstandings, Jehovah?s Witnesses try to be careful about how they express themselves. Instead of saying, "the Society teaches," many Witnesses prefer to use such expressions as, "the Bible says" or, "I understand the Bible to teach." In this way they emphasize the personal decision that each Witness has made in accepting Bible teachings and also avoid giving the false impression that Witnesses are somehow bound to the dictates of some religious sect. Of course, suggestions as regards terminology should never become a subject of controversy. After all, terminology is of importance only to the extent that it prevents misunderstandings. Christian balance is required. The Bible admonishes us "not to fight about words." (2 Timothy 2:14, 15) The Scriptures also state this principle: "Unless you through the tongue utter speech easily understood, how will it be known what is being spoken?"?1 Corinthians 14:9.

  • jwbot
    jwbot

    "the Society teaches," many Witnesses prefer to use such expressions as, "the Bible says" or, "I understand the Bible to teach.

    Interesting how those are interchangable.

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