My day at the assembly, er, convention

by Pistoff 40 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • blondie
    blondie

    The most disobedient are the elders. The CO comes through, they nod their heads, then he leaves for another congregation and everything goes back to the way before.

    that Jesus came in

    1914 to be king, he came again in 1918 to inspect, and again in 1919 to approve the FDS. Three comings; is this new stuff, Blondie?

    Don’t forget 1874 (presence) and 1878 (became king). That would make it five.

    As to acting as priests on earth now. Remember that the WTS teaches that the priests in Israel were responsible for teaching the rank and file about God and his laws. They believe that the WTS has that same authority and assignment. Ergo, they are acting as priests on earth NOW. (bunch of BS)

    w02

    5/1 p. 15 Jehovah Hates the Course of Treachery ***

    More than a thousand years earlier, God’s laws that were given to Israel through Moses said that the priests had the duty "to teach the sons of Israel all the regulations that Jehovah [had] spoken." (Leviticus 10:11)

    w02

    8/1 p. 13 Loyally Submit to Godly Authority ***

    Who make up this royal priesthood today? The apostle Peter answers that question in his first inspired letter. To anointed members of the body of Christ, Peter wrote: "You are ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession, that you should declare abroad the excellencies’ of the one that called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9) From these words it is clear that, as a group, the anointed footstep followers of Jesus make up this "royal priesthood," which Peter also called "a holy nation." They constitute the channel that Jehovah uses to provide his people with instruction and spiritual direction. —Matthew 24:45-47.

    And as to Uzzah correcting David:

    And of course, Uzzah is dragged out. The outrageous line is given that even though David may not have made the right arrangements for carrying the Ark, still Uzzah is the one who "ran ahead of Jehovah". So even though David may have goofed, Uzzah was WRONG to go against God's arrangement. This example from the OT is now plugged into the idea of elders making mistakes; even though God picks them for us, and they make a mistake, we are wrong to do what is right if it conflicts with what the elders tell us to do.

    Then I supposed it would have been wrong to point out to David that he had violated the Law by committing adultery with Bathsheba, having her husband killed, and later taking a census when God had forbidden it (oh, right someone did point out that was wrong).

    (Hi pistoff, good stuff)

    Blondie

  • rebel8
    rebel8

    You have a lot more patience than I do! The obedience stuff is awful.

    "And our obedience to Jehovah should not be grudgingly or against our will; it should be given with a willing heart."

    Not only are you required to behave obediently, you are required to LIKE it. It reminds me of the "joy" lectures I used to get all the time....not only must you go in FS and live a bizarre, depressing life, you are required to LIKE it. If you don't have the "right heart condition" ya know, the big J will be executing you soon. Even if you DO the right things, you'll be dead if you don't enjoy doing the right thing. Mind control at its best.

  • luna2
    luna2
    I know that the longer I am free the crazier the old beliefs are...

    Ditto that!!!

    I'm finding all the heavy emphasis on obeying the elders and FDS as you would God absolutely frightening. I hope more and more witnesses start listening to the remnant of their reason that must be screaming at them from the jail cell they've locked it up in, deep in what's left of their mind, to WAKE UP and RUN! The bonds of slavery are getting tighter and tighter.

  • damselfly
    damselfly

    This just makes me so sad to think that all my family believe this to be true.

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere
    And of course, Uzzah is dragged out. The outrageous line is given that even though David may not have made the right arrangements for carrying the Ark, still Uzzah is the one who "ran ahead of Jehovah". So even though David may have goofed, Uzzah was WRONG to go against God's arrangement. This example from the OT is now plugged into the idea of elders making mistakes; even though God picks them for us, and they make a mistake, we are wrong to do what is right if it conflicts with what the elders tell us to do.

    They had to do all sorts of mental acrobats to squeeze out that line of reasoning.

    What is odd is that they totally ignored another scripture that, point blank, says what to do when one sees the leadership doing something wrong:


    (Galatians 1:6-12) . . .I marvel that YOU are being so quickly removed from the One who called YOU with Christ’s undeserved kindness over to another sort of good news. 7 But it is not another; only there are certain ones who are causing YOU trouble and wanting to pervert the good news about the Christ. 8 However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to YOU as good news something beyond what we declared to YOU as good news, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said above, I also now say again, Whoever it is that is declaring to YOU as good news something beyond what YOU accepted, let him be accursed. 10 Is it, in fact, men I am now trying to persuade or God? Or am I seeking to please men? If I were yet pleasing men, I would not be Christ’s slave. 11 For I put YOU on notice, brothers, that the good news which was declared by me as good news is not something human; 12 for neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught [it], except through revelation by Jesus Christ.

  • potleg
    potleg

    You WILL obey us and you WILL be happy, because we say so. are these nutters putting themselves in place of god or what? The control and guilt they inflict upon their followers is sickening. Are they saying that any problem a witness has is because of not fully applying bible/WT instructions. Am I reading this right? If so the R&F need to be even more dependent on th Borg.

  • upside/down
    upside/down

    Ugh!

    u/d

  • damselfly
    damselfly

    Maybe I was used to tuning this sort of control out back in the day. Have they always been this blantant about control? Or has it gotten worse since I left?

    Damselfly, Happy to think for myself

  • Sunspot
    Sunspot
    Galatians 1:6-12......

    AHA! Thanks, Else! I was hunting for that a few days ago! Good JOB...I can stop hunting!

    hugs,

    Annie

  • kgfreeperson
    kgfreeperson

    They're right you know: respectful and cheerful obedience to the elders is what keeps you from independent thinking. The only way to keep your faith--that doing whatever the Watchtower says is the only way to please Jehovah--is to never think about any of this stuff. The only way to keep obeying the elders is to find a way to do it respectfully and cheerfully (otherwise you'll lose your faith that doing whatever the Watchtower says is the only way to please Jehovah.)

    That, it seems to me, is the core belief--follow the Watchtower and its minions no matter what if you want to please Jehovah. It seems to me that people who manage to stay Jehovah's Witnesses accept the fact that Jehovah is capricious and crazy and possesses a terrible and easily triggered temper. So all this is an elaborate form of showing submission to the alpha animal.

    Human beings are interesting, no?

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