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80

THE WATCHTOWER (STUDY EDITION) JANUARY 2016

by wifibandit in

pdf .

this issue contains the study articles for february 29 to april 3, 2016.. what about the number of those partaking at the memorial?12, 13. why should we not worry about the number of those who eat the bread and drink the wine at the memorial?12 in recent years, we have seen an increase in the number of those partaking at the memorial of christs death.

that trend contrasts with the decrease in the number of partakers that we saw for many decades.

Saved_JW

yeah, I was going to say: In a related story, the recent increase in active publishers worldwide includes those who mistakenly got baptized, those who may think they are Jehovah's witnesses and those who have mental issues. So the actual number of Jehovah's Witnesses may not reflect reality

24

Jehovah's Witnesses - People of Integrity

by Saved_JW in

when i think of integrity, a lot of positive connotations come to mind.

i think of individuals grounded in principles, who do not operate on opinions that change based on the breeze of political or social change.

a life that is directed by a code of morality, not on capricious emotions.

Saved_JW

yes, my entire point is that JW's THINK that they are people of integrity to SCRIPTURE and to God, but the reality is different. They use words like Loyalty to Jehovah, and People of integrity. But when you boil it all down, they are loyal to the Organization which changes all the time. The irony is of course, they are not actually people of integrity when it comes to absolute standards, principles and codes, since the watchtowers codes and standards change all the time. I hope that makes sense. That's the irony I wanted to expose.

I will edit my post slightly to clarify

24

Jehovah's Witnesses - People of Integrity

by Saved_JW in

when i think of integrity, a lot of positive connotations come to mind.

i think of individuals grounded in principles, who do not operate on opinions that change based on the breeze of political or social change.

a life that is directed by a code of morality, not on capricious emotions.

Saved_JW

Integrity: the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

Loyalty: the quality of being loyal to someone or something.

I used these two terms purposefully, Jehovah's Witnesses are people of strong moral conviction. [Morality defined by the Watchtower] principled only in the sense that those codes conform to Watchtower principles.

In a way, I am trying to use a play on words to appeal to the JW reader in a hope that they will see the difference between Loyalty to the Watchtower and Loyalty to God. Secondly, people of integrity to the Watchtower or people of integrity to Scripture. I want to show them that contrast.

I agree to the differences to those terms. no argument with me

24

Jehovah's Witnesses - People of Integrity

by Saved_JW in

when i think of integrity, a lot of positive connotations come to mind.

i think of individuals grounded in principles, who do not operate on opinions that change based on the breeze of political or social change.

a life that is directed by a code of morality, not on capricious emotions.

Saved_JW

When I think of Integrity, a lot of positive connotations come to mind. I think of individuals grounded in principles, who do not operate on opinions that change based on the breeze of political or social change. A life that is directed by a code of morality, not on capricious emotions.

People of integrity are the best types of leaders, marriage mates, employees and members of our society.

It comes as no surprise that the word Integrity is vastly used in the Watchtower society as one of the most important traits an individual can have with their dedication to Jehovah.

After being out of the Watchtower for the better part of 6 years now, I have had some time to reflect on this important issue of integrity and really ask myself: Are Jehovah's Witnesses people of integrity? and if so, to what? This is what I hope to answer.

Keeping in step with the Organization

I remember quite clearly sitting in the hospital room with my JW friends and family after my grandfather had a stroke a few years ago. One of the few opportunities I had to actually be able to talk to them. I sat in the corner of the waiting room listening to the conversations like a shamed fly on the wall. I had the distinct impression that the goal of those seemingly natural conversations about the Watchtower, were intentional and purposeful in an effort to stir me into coming back to the organization.

In one such conversation, I couldn't help but laugh on the inside. My uncle began to talk about the appointment of the new governing body members. he commented on how young they were, and he never thought he would see the day when he would be the same age as a governing body member [he being a former bethelite himself] The direction of his conversation was meant to convey urgency, as if big changes equates to big events in the near future.

The conversations continued on, some talk about the direction of the Watchtower, and yet others speaking about the loyalty of the newly appointed governing body members. I couldn't help but notice in the 1/2 hour discussion, not one mention about Jesus or Jehovah. Their hope for the future, their dedication was squarely placed in the direction of the Watchtower Society.

After the conversations simmered down and my family funneled out of the waiting room, my father just sat there reading a magazine from the table. I sat next to him and talked to him about some of the issues I had with the Watchtower. These issues were placed squarely on doctrinal issues that contradict the bible. I showed him right from the bible the problems with the 144,000 doctrine, and having a two class salvation cannot work scripturally. Either you are saved or you aren't. Either you have Jesus as your mediator, or something else must take Jesus place. [See Romans 8; Revelation 19]

He looked in wonder as I showed him from Revelation 19 that the "Great Crowd" was actually In heaven. I responded to him by saying. "So you see the reason why I cannot return to the Watchtower. It isn't because im bitter with God, it isn't because I have a grudge. I cannot return as a matter of integrity. I cannot in good conscience claim to be a Jehovah's Witness, when the very doctrines they promote contradict scripture. Even worse, they [the Governing Body] replace the role of Jesus as mediator in the life of the believer."

My dad recognizing the clear contradiction in scripture to the Watchtower sat there completely puzzled. Which isn't something that I am used to. He is a congregation secretary, he always had the right answers, a very smart and quick witted man. His reply to me was one of the most impactful yet revealing things that exposed much of the Jehovah's Witness mentality.

He said " you know, the most important thing that we can do right now is recognize that the Governing Body will never lead us astray, they have our best interests at heart. that's why its important for all of us to keep in step with Gods organization."

Loyalty to who?

My dad's unscripted heartfelt reply is not unlike what most JW's will say when confronted with a dilemma of this magnitude. Yet at the same time, his reply revealed a huge amount of information as to the true source of his loyalty.

you see, at the end of the day, when presented with clear biblical evidence of a contradiction from Watchtower policy to Biblical doctrine. His knee jerk reaction WAS NOT to set aside his Watchtower bias, but instead, set aside altogether the bible in leau of trust in the Watchtower.

His comment "The Watchtower has our best interests at heart" revealed to me that all information, all judgment calls are filtered through that one emotional presupposition. Namely, that the Watchtower cares. As long as the Watchtower cares about him, they will always do what is right, even when they are wrong, they will still correct themselves. In his mind, Jehovah will look past even the most blatant unbiblical doctrines that he is following, because the most important thing is that he is loyal to the Organization.

Are Jehovah's Witnesses people of Integrity?

the short answer to this is YES. Jehovah's Witnesses are some of the most loyal people around. But that really depends on the OBJECT of your loyalty. Their loyalty at the end of the day is grounded not on scripture, but instead the Watchtower society who interprets scripture for them.

What this means is, on the surface , Jehovah's Witnesses will think they are loyal to Jehovah and to the bible, but practically and functionally are actually loyal to the Organization. If a Watchtower doctrine contradicts scripture, they will always side with the Watchtowers interpretation, they will put trust that "Jehovah will correct things in time" or "we are to keep in step with Gods organization" these are all sayings that reveal the true source of integrity. Willing to compromise the truth of scripture for the doctrines of man. What this also means is that their principles are not grounded in any code that is absolute and timeless, they are grounded in a code that constantly changes based on cultural changes dictated by the Watchtower. The Watchtower of today is vastly different then the Watchtower of 1980, so on and so forth.

When Jehovah's Witnesses dedicate their lives to "Jehovah" they are in reality dedicating themselves to an Organization knowing that todays truth is tomorrows lie and heresy. They are completely willing to dedicate themselves to a code of change that they know nothing about in the future. Completely willing to submit to the direction of an Organization, simply because "they have our best interests at heart"

9

what is truth - Pilate asked Jesus

by Ruby456 in

jw
friends

i think pilate was being socratic when he asked jesus - what is truth?.

my question is to do with whether or not jesus was also being socratic when he said he had come to bear witness to the truth.

my idea is that both pilate and jesus were talking about a kind of ethics to live.

Saved_JW

Your right, I mean Rhetorical! lol. I defiantly know the difference between the two

94

What other Shenanigans can we expect to see in the next 2 years?

by John Aquila in

its been a little over 2 years since i left the watchtower.

in that time the magazines have been cut, the birth of jwtv, jw-org.

carts for preaching, removed district overseers, cut assemblies, demand all the money from the congregations, stop construction and layoff bethelites, change the format of the tmschool .

Saved_JW

I suspect a much greater emphasis on cart witnessing, door to door evangelism is not effective with bringing people to the kingdom halls.

I also suspect changes in the way people are disfellowshipped. DF'd people are much more of a liability to the religion then minor forms of punishment. They will be a lot more lenient with people going foreword. I say that because it makes business sense, and we all know, the business comes first, not theology or integrity to their interpretation of scripture.

I also suspect automatic payments [monthly] to be an option on the website. This is the next logical step foreword for monetary contributions.

9

what is truth - Pilate asked Jesus

by Ruby456 in

jw
friends

i think pilate was being socratic when he asked jesus - what is truth?.

my question is to do with whether or not jesus was also being socratic when he said he had come to bear witness to the truth.

my idea is that both pilate and jesus were talking about a kind of ethics to live.

Saved_JW

You are correct, Pilate was being Socratic in the way he responded to Jesus claim. His main concern was that Jesus was trying to start a rebellion by claiming to be the King of the Jews. Jesus response was a theological one, where he did claim to be king, just not of this world.

This is why Pilate found no guilt [as to the accusations made by the Pharisees] for the claim of being King.

Greek Philosophers have long struggled with the question of "the Logos" in other words, the one element that unites all things together. The Logos was another way of saying "the Truth" Jesus was essentially claiming to be that Truth that unites all things. Thus making him King or supreme over all things.

23

How Jehovah's Witnesses could become a huge mainstream religion without harming people. Any thoughts?

by JWchange in

if jws did the following, i believe they would grow exponentially and become one of the largest 'religions' on earth : .

1. no more dfing or shunning......its up to your conscience who you like or don't like.

in the same way if i was catholic living in ireland, i wouldn't hang out with my neighbor if she was a drunk fornicator, just had an abortion, had a taliban boyfriend and also supported liverpool soccer club.

Saved_JW

I have actually put a lot of thought into this very subject. I am afraid if I post my thoughts, the lurking JW bethel member will pick up on my idea. But here it goes.

1- Centralized Authority

This is actually a huge problem for the Watchtower. Having so much power delegated to central authorities makes the organization hard to manage. and therefore un-effective for a number of reasons.

When your authority figure is distant and not known by the rank and file member, dedication and motivation plummet. In fact the only thing one can reinforce is obedience by fear.

Look at the LDS [Mormon] Church as a good example of how to manage members. Much of the authority is delegated to local "Stake" and "ward" levels. Pretty much ALL inquiries and disciplinary models are handled locally. this gives leadership freedom and leeway to handle individuals based on customs and circumstances differently.

Another huge advantage to this is that local leadership knows intimately the people they are dealing with. This of course means no hasty conclusions are going to be made [for the most part] and the individuals respond much better to correction and changes being made.

Another huge factor to consider is the loyalty to leadership as well. When more responsibility is delegated and entrusted to local leaders, their dedication to the organization increases which means less retention and increased loyalty. Leaders and members not being governed by fear is a HUGE motivational factor to consider.

2- Scripted Material

This is almost an extension of the first problem. When ALL talks are prepared centrally, this takes away from the human element of giving speeches. Have you ever watched somebody read a passionate speech from a teleprompter? It comes across as fake. The information may be insightful, but moving people into action is [at its core] an emotional appeal. something that cannot be manufactured or scripted.

In an effort to be consistent across all kingdom halls, the Watchtower has sacrificed passion, emotion, love and all those elements that make persuasive speeches moving at the alter of strict doctrinal consistency. The result?
Members who come to meetings and hear informational material, but are not passionately moved to do anything. Only repeat information to others out of fear, which by the way will not motivate others they speak to who are not governed by fear.

3- No Culture

Lets be honest, If you ask the average joe on the street: "What do Jehovah's Witnesses believe" nobody will know. In fact, the only thing they know are what the Jehovah's Witness DONT believe. Having a reputation for only negative factors is a huge blind spot. [not celebrating holidays, flag salute , etc..]

Jehovah's Witnesses can only relate to one another [brotherhood] with negative factors. Oh I don't celebrate holidays either! This is hardly the glue that should mold a culture together.
The Watchtower needs to encourage a culture of diversity, where individual talents and passions are encouraged, not smothered. Instead of having Christmas, why dosnt the Watchtower promote other Holidays of their own choosing? Have a separate and unique culture that can counter the culture around them.

By not doing this, they loose a HUGE amount of the younger generation who feel shackled and confined.

4- Kingdom Halls Stuck in the turn of the 20th century

lets be honest, the "church" model that the Watchtower has is stuck in the last century. Who sings Hymns anymore. Being inside of a kingdom hall is enough to make anybody anxious and unwelcome. In an effort to be neutral of religious icons, they have again replaced that perceived neutrality for a dull and culturally dead atmosphere.

I have lots more, but time limits me. peace out

6

Thoughts on "Our Christian Life and Ministry" meeting

by Saved_JW in

i just watched the sample meeting corresponding to the new release of "our christian life and ministry" and i have a few lingering thoughts.

1- meeting layout simplified to match level of publishers.

when i grew up in the watchtower, the only real positive takeaway i have is being forced from a very young age to have the skill for public speaking, this has directly helped me with my confidence and gave me a skillset that is valuable in my current job.

Saved_JW

Honestly, it really ain't that subtle.

your right, lol

6

Thoughts on "Our Christian Life and Ministry" meeting

by Saved_JW in

i just watched the sample meeting corresponding to the new release of "our christian life and ministry" and i have a few lingering thoughts.

1- meeting layout simplified to match level of publishers.

when i grew up in the watchtower, the only real positive takeaway i have is being forced from a very young age to have the skill for public speaking, this has directly helped me with my confidence and gave me a skillset that is valuable in my current job.

Saved_JW

I just watched the sample meeting corresponding to the new release of "our Christian life and Ministry" and I have a few lingering thoughts.

1- Meeting Layout simplified to match level of publishers

When I grew up in the Watchtower, the only real positive takeaway I have is being forced from a very young age to have the skill for public speaking, This has directly helped me with my confidence and gave me a skillset that is valuable in my current job.

What is interesting about this new layout, is the focus isn't so much on training the Publisher with any real practical skill in evangelism, instead the focus is on entertainment. The new layout of the magazine I will admit is much more informative and simplified [no doubt an effort to cut through the boredom of the two tone Kingdom Ministry] However replacing the student talks with videos will not be effective when it comes to training the publisher to be confident in speaking to the public.

The "Bible Highlights" portion of the meeting is vastly simplified. Notice that the Watchtower sets the agenda for WHAT the bible reading is, and the application of the chapter being read. The speakers job is to simply repeat the application. Gone are the days when the individual Witness read the chapter for himself, and delivered from his own words the application of the verse.

Also notice that the questions are CLOSED ENDED. No more are the witnesses encouraged to simply comment on what they read in the bible reading. Much like the Watchtower study, bible reading questions are prepackaged and are tailored to steer the reader to specific conclusions of what the bible reading is about. Thus the publisher is drawing the same conclusions as the Watchtower as to how to understand and apply the bible chapter [through the WT Doctrinal Lens]

2- Subtle propaganda

I noticed something very fascinating about this video, the very specific camera shots of the publishers holding Ipads and tablets in the audience. I believe there is a push for members to move to digital devices in an effort to curb printing costs. I just wanted to add that the Watchtower often times pushes agendas without saying a word.

3- Still a sales meeting

I find it very funny that the Watchtower makes a change, without actually changing anything. If the end goal of the Watchtower is to make an effective service to produce publishers effective in field ministry, I am afraid that this program being implemented is simply more of the same thing. Its still a sales presentation, minus any experiential training.

What I see is an effort to make the meeting more entertaining and interactive visually, but hardly prepares the publishers for "Real world encounters"

The sales pitches for the WT magazine assume that the Householder is dumb as a box of rocks, they allow the JW in the presentation to completely control the flow of the conversation with absolutely no objections. In my experience this is hardly if ever the case. What this means is that the sales presentations at the meetings do not actually prepare the Jehovah's Witness for effective apologetics thus being able to defend their own point of view. Another way of sheltering and controlling conversations. Any real objections or challenges at the door are met with deaf ears and a "do not call" next to the address.

Saved_JW

Posts by Saved_JW