please give examples of noteworthy quotations from publications of the watchtower society.
examples could include where they have contradicted themselves, have been inconsistent with logic, have been patronizing, or how what was written rocked you back.
think about quotes that would be helpful to a sincere witness or "newly interested" person in seeing the watchtower society for what it really is.
The Society's former president, Frederick W. Franz, in the morning Bible discussion for the headquarters family on
"The sole purpose of our existence as a Society is to announce the Kingdom established in 1914 and to sound the warning of the fall of the Great. We have a special message to deliver."
please give examples of noteworthy quotations from publications of the watchtower society.
examples could include where they have contradicted themselves, have been inconsistent with logic, have been patronizing, or how what was written rocked you back.
think about quotes that would be helpful to a sincere witness or "newly interested" person in seeing the watchtower society for what it really is.
Watchtower 1881 by the President C T Russell
“..their organization was of Spirit; their law for the government of each was love, and all as a whole were put under obedience to ‘the law of the Spirit’ as it was expressed in the life, actions and words of their Lord…”
“..it is clearly seen that these present day churches…interpret and enforce the ‘traditions of the elders’ which ‘make void the Word of God.’ These take the place of the true Head of the Church – Jesus and the true teacher and guide to all truth, the Holy Spirit. Hear the prophet Isaiah express it (chap
“This brings us to our second preposition, viz that all Christians should be joined to this organisation… But says one; Must I not join some organisation on earth, assent to some creed and have my name written on earth? No. Remember that Jesus is your pattern and teacher, and neither in his words or acts will you find any authority for binding yourselves with creeds or traditions of the elders, which all tend to make the word of God of none effect (Mark 7:13) and bring you under a bondage that will hinder your growth in grace and knowledge, and against which Paul warned you to ‘stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free, and be not entangled with the yoke of bondage (Gal 5:1}”
Watchtower 1882 April, Questions & Answers
“We are strictly unsectarian…(read 1 Cor 3:1-4)…we have no creed (fence) to bind us together or keep others out of our company. The Bible is our only Standard, and its teachings our only creed…We are in fellowship with all Christians in whom we can recognise the Spirit of Christ, and especially with those who recognise the Bible as the only Standard. We do not require therefore that all should see just as we do in order to be called Christians, realising that growth and knowledge is a gradual process; nor do we see reason to expect that any but the Watchmen of Zion will ‘see eye to eye (Isa 52:8) until that which is perfect is come..(1 Cor ).”
“If all Christians were to thus free themselves from prescribed creeds, and study the Word of God without denominational bias, truth and knowledge and real Christian fellowship and unity would result. The Spirit of the Head would pervade the unfettered members of the Body and sectarian pride would vanish.”
Watchtower 1884 February
“We belong to no earthly organization…we adhere only to that heavenly organization ‘whose names are written in heaven’ (Heb Luke )”
“What think you?...suppose…all man made creeds and forms …and names were laid aside, or that all Christians met in the One name of Christ, and in earnest simplicity, studied HIS words under the direction of God’s Spirit and the explanations furnished in the Apostles’ writings, would there be long and serious differences, even of opinion?... And so, by whatsoever names men may call us, it matters not to us; we acknowledge none other name than ‘the only name given under heaven and among men’ – Jesus Christ. We call ourselves simply CHRISTIANS and we raise no fence to separate from us any who believe in the foundation stone of our building mentioned by Paul: ‘that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures’; and those for whom this is not broad enough have no right to the name Christian.”
WT 1895 15 September article “How to Conduct Group Meetings”
“Beware of ‘organisation’. It is wholly unnecessary. The Bible rules will be the only rules you will need. Do not seek to bind others’ consciences and do not permit others to bind yours. Believe and obey so far as you can understand God’s word today, and so continue growing in grace and knowledge and love day by day”.
please give examples of noteworthy quotations from publications of the watchtower society.
examples could include where they have contradicted themselves, have been inconsistent with logic, have been patronizing, or how what was written rocked you back.
think about quotes that would be helpful to a sincere witness or "newly interested" person in seeing the watchtower society for what it really is.
Watchtower 1946 Nov 1 page 330, Article “Let God Prove to be True”
“The divisive force among the Catholic and Protestant religionists of Christendom is the religious traditions which they follow. The truth of the Bible is a unifying power. After Christ Jesus prayed: ‘Sanctify them through thy Word: thy Word is truth,’ he immediately prayed that all his believers, those then following him and those yet due to believe, should be united in one, just as he and His heavenly Father are one (John 17:17-23)”
....“How is disunity over each one’s individual interpretation of the Holy Scriptures now overcome or avoided? Is it because they are united around a visible human organization or around a visible human leader? The answer is No. It is because they recognize Jehovah God and Christ Jesus as The Higher Powers to whom every Christian soul must be subject for conscience’ sake (Romans 13:1)
“ Hence Jehovah’s Witnesses do not claim to be what the religious Hierarchy claims their religious organization to be, namely, the one holding the magisterium or teaching office and hence ”the Divinely appointed Custodian and Interpreter of the Bible.”
....“The written Word of God does not therefore need the addition of traditions which are the private interpretations of man and of religious organisations. It is not on our own authority that we say the Bible is sufficient without such. The inspired Apostle, Paul, writes his faithful and fellow worker Timothy to that effect saying: ‘from thy infancy thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which can instruct thee to salvation, by the faith which is in Jesus Christ. All Scripture, inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice, that the man of God may be perfect, furnished to every good work.” (2 Tim 3:15-17)
Had the oral traditions of religious men been necessary to complement the Canon of the Bible, Paul would not have said that the inspired Holy Scriptures were profitable to the point of making the men of God perfect in faith and devotion to God. It would have been inadequate and would have left the man of God unperfected…(quotes 2 Tim
please give examples of noteworthy quotations from publications of the watchtower society.
examples could include where they have contradicted themselves, have been inconsistent with logic, have been patronizing, or how what was written rocked you back.
think about quotes that would be helpful to a sincere witness or "newly interested" person in seeing the watchtower society for what it really is.
Watchtower Society Website “Do You Know The Truth”
“If we want to worship God acceptably, we must know the truth. This is an important issue. Our eternal happiness depends on it. Therefore, everyone should ask himself: “is my way of worship acceptable to God”? “Am I genuinely interested in learning the truth of God’s word? Or am I afraid of what a careful investigation might reveal?”
please give examples of noteworthy quotations from publications of the watchtower society.
examples could include where they have contradicted themselves, have been inconsistent with logic, have been patronizing, or how what was written rocked you back.
think about quotes that would be helpful to a sincere witness or "newly interested" person in seeing the watchtower society for what it really is.
Watchtower Jan 15 1974
When persons are in great danger from a source that they do not suspect or are being misled by those they consider their friends, is it an unkindness to warn them?
They may prefer not to believe the warning. They may even resent it. But does that free one from the moral responsibility to give that warning.
i'm rather sick of hearing the term "unconditional love.
" there is no such thing.
love must be earned--it is not something given with no strings attached.
If I understand Scriptures correctly, and I don't just include Hebrew or Christian Scriptures, but my very limited understanding of other world faiths too... Ideals, such as unconditional love, are something to aspire to - life goals - not something we humans can expect just to have or to give.
So it is not a question of whether some people love unconditionally, it is more about how better the world would be if this was even our goal. Just my clumsy two-penneth.
hi, folks.
for those who may not remember my previous posts, i'm someone who has been studying with the jw's for about two years but didn't commit (i.e., get baptized) because, as i thought then, i was just too selfish and cowardly to join up with the jw's.
that's before i found this site and watched the dateline video on the child molestation problem.
Your question is a very good one.
Watchtower
“Down through the years the slave-like congregation has been feeding its true members faithfully and discreetly. From Pentecost, AD 33, up to the very present hour this has been lovingly and carefully performed. Yes, and these domestics have been fed on progressive spiritual food that keeps them abreast of the “bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established”. (Prov 4:18) All this has proved to be “food at the proper time” as stated by Jesus.”
So the claim is that this faithful & discreet slave was to have a continuous uninterrupted history down through the centuries up to and including the end of the world. The congregation, through this spiritual food would become increasingly enlightened. Each century & succeeding generation passing on increased illumination. By 1870 & CT Russell, the light should have been very bright, so why did he not receive guidance from this close-knit organised & enlightened body of Christians. After all the WT says “we cannot find the Scriptural guidance outside the faithful & discreet slave organisation.”
hi, folks.
for those who may not remember my previous posts, i'm someone who has been studying with the jw's for about two years but didn't commit (i.e., get baptized) because, as i thought then, i was just too selfish and cowardly to join up with the jw's.
that's before i found this site and watched the dateline video on the child molestation problem.
Lynn
It really must be all or nothing with this religion.
A chapter in the Ray Franz book "In search of Christian Freedom" deals with your question - Chapter 5 - The Faithful & Discreet Slave.
hi i'm doing this for the fourth time.
so just a short message.hi, will see if i'm doing it right.
4th time lucky! A Warm Welcome!
since the jehovah's witness organization currently rejects most of the teachings of its founder charles taze russell and since they also reject "judge" joseph franklin rutherford, who succeeded russell as president from 1916 - 1942, how can we be sure that in 25 more years, jehovah's witnesses won't also reject the current president, milton g. henschel (1992 - present), as they did russell and rutherford?
Isn't the current President Don Adams?
Is the President anything more than a figurehead these days?
