They pick and choose when they decide to care about what scholars' views are.
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re: adjustments to draw close to jehovah.
dear brothers:.
some changes involving our understanding of the meaning of gods name and what it re p- resents have been made to the first chapter of draw close to jehovah.
They pick and choose when they decide to care about what scholars' views are.
.
re: adjustments to draw close to jehovah.
dear brothers:.
some changes involving our understanding of the meaning of gods name and what it re p- resents have been made to the first chapter of draw close to jehovah.
"Scholars hold varying views, so we cannot be dogmatic about this meaning."
Which "scholars" are informing their dogmatic certainty of other doctrines/teachings?
i would like to locate some information within the publications with comments from the wts that could help me build a case.. case in point is: can an individual jw hold different views on doctrine from those held by the "organization" and still continue to be a jw if he chooses to, and if he keeps his opinions only to himself?.
i remember a recent magazine making comments regarding the intolerance of other religions who limit the freedom of their members to study the bible....or another one (publishers book?
) about those who harbored doubts about the course of events within the organization but remained inside.. i got an excellent quote from rutherford in the booklet "intolerance" but that was from 1936 already.
Eden One: from Jeffro's post here, http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/129316/1/Independent-Thinking#.UrwrU7TFkYI
*** w83 1/15 p. 27 Armed for the Fight Against Wicked Spirits ***
Fight Against Independent Thinking
19 As we study the Bible we learn that Jehovah has always guided his servants in an organized way. And just as in the first century there was only one true Christian organization, so today Jehovah is using only one organization. (Ephesians 4:4, 5; Matthew 24:45-47) Yet there are some who point out that the organization has had to make adjustments before, and so they argue: “This shows that we have to make up our own mind on what to believe.” This is independent thinking. Why is it so dangerous?
20 Such thinking is an evidence of pride. And the Bible says: “Pride is before a crash, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.” (Proverbs 16:18) If we get to thinking that we know better than the organization, we should ask ourselves: “Where did we learn Bible truth in the first place? Would we know the way of the truth if it had not been for guidance from the organization? Really, can we get along without the direction of God’s organization?” No, we cannot!—Compare Acts 15:2, 28, 29; 16:4, 5.
21 When we consider the mighty spirit forces who are fighting against us, we must acknowledge that on our own we could not possibly win. Yet with God’s backing, and with the help and support of his organization—our worldwide association of brothers—we cannot lose. (Psalm 118:6-12; 1 Peter 5:9) However, we must never forget that we are in a spiritual war, and that wartime is no time to be relaxing, enjoying only leisure and the pleasures of life. Rather, it is the time for vigorous training, alertness and self-sacrifice. The enemy has been able to get some from among us to relax their guard, and these have become battle casualties. May this never happen to us! It will not if we keep on “the complete suit of armor from God” and “stand firm against the [crafty acts] of the Devil.”—Ephesians 6:11, 12.
*** w66 6/1 p. 324 Intellectual Freedom or Captivity to the Christ? ***
It seems that some in association with the early Corinthian congregation were disregarding Paul’s authority, looking at him according to what he appeared to be in the flesh, and neglecting to take into account his special commission from Christ. Today, too, there are those who, by their independent thinking, question Christ’s ability to have and use on the earth a specially appointed governing body of imperfect humans, to whom he has entrusted all the Kingdom interests or “belongings” on earth. (Matt. 24:45-47) When such independent thinkers receive counsel and direction based on the Bible, they incline to the thought, ‘This is only from fleshly men, so it is up to me to decide whether to accept it or not.’
On this very subject, E. A. Dunlap, Registrar of the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead, speaking to a class of missionary students, recently inquired: “Do you look at it that way?” Then he continued: “If you do, then you are being infected by that spirit of independence with which Satan is infecting the whole world. So, to overcome this attitude, the thing to do, as the apostle Paul intimates, is to think, ‘Now, am I “bringing every thought into captivity to make it obedient to the Christ”?’”
i have put together a mash up of active and former jehovah's witnesses, including a number of interesting interviews.. http://youtu.be/ozwvh57erro.
as a side note, i hope it does not get removed for copyright violation, as software automatically scans for pieces of music and i have already received some violation messages.
the video does comply with fair usage laws, as the music is relevant to the commentary..
Hokey Pokey; How did you come know these items about Billy Joel? My family knows his sister and niece. My knowlege is that he does not and never did like the JW religion. I am just interested to know of your source of info. There are so many stories floating around out there about celebrity JWs and encounters of the worst kind.
"Simon Templar": meet your baby brother, "Hokey Pokey"!
"Hokey Pokey": meet your big brother, "Simon Templar".
The family that posts together, exits together.
hello everyone, i know you have heard this topic before and your probably thinking.
...not again lol.. but i was wondering if anyone has thought of going back for the same reasons as myself, i don't think its the truth but i searched and my conclusion is that other religions don't have the truth, they are all wrong in my opinion.
if there is no other religion to go too, why leave were i was born and raised.
Excaliber - is deciding to make lying the cornerstone of your association with the congregation, one of the morals you plan to teach to your future children (if you marry a fellow JW, and raise your children in the religion)?
i'm just curious but has anybody meet some one on jehovahwitness-net who they knew in their jw lives.
just want to hear experiences.
please include the indicators that led up to you identifying each other, and how you eventually revealed yourself.
I wish!
jw literature is racist as hell.
jesus looks like an american folk singer, the governing body look like a corrupt version of an enron luncheon.. the jw's literally print different magazines for africa with african pictures, black people instead of white, to make it 'more appealing' to them.... just to be clear that means they think the opposite is true too!.
....and then there is the lack of black angels..... .
Ah, the people we once called "Brother," and one of "the friends"!
i thought the kingdom ministry feb 2014 had a couple interesting things in it:.
1. a short talk encouraging the jw sales force to publicize the jw.org website at every opportunity.. 2. do not put out bibles on your table displays keep them hidden underneath.
i thought they were so p-p-p-p-proud of their new nwt??.
Hence, the dumping of "Watchtower, Bible and Tract" society.
It's now all about the ORG.
though he is a typical wt slave, we are like david and jonathan.. in my most intimate conversation with him, i asked him:.
how do you manage serving an organization built on inherent contradictions?.
he said: organization helps people to grow spiritual, like any other religious organizations do.
A similar analogy freed me from taking bible rules literally. The visiting pastor likened it to the frame for pouring the foundation. Once the foundation is set you don't need the petty rules any more. That got me to thinking, twenty years and counting, surely I have reached maturity?
Hmm, interesting!
Rules are for babes... and the wicked.
hi, i have not been on much lately due to family circumstances , but i would like to wish everyone on jwn .
a very merry christmas .
please use this thread everyone to add your own christmas greetings .
Have a positively magnetic Winter solstice!