Posts by Bobcat
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16The glaring inequity between the 144,000 & the Great Crowd
by deegee inthere is a glaring inequity between the 144,000 & the great crowd (gc):.
the gc will experience:.
1. the great tribulation - a gruelling/horrifying time which has never occurred before.. 2. armageddon.. 3. a thousand years of “loving” molding and refinement.. 4. a second armageddon at the end of the thousand years.. the 144,000 will experience none of these things.. isn't it strange that the gc has to prove themself so much but the 144,000 don't???!!!
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11
Signatures on posts
by Simon incan i please ask people not to repeated signatures on their posts.. i have pm'd a few people directly with the request as i've noticed them but i guess the inevitable "explain why / show it's fair" means i need to make it publicly to all .... everyone's name and avatar is already displayed next to each post made so anything added at the bottom is really superfluous and just reduces readability on smaller devices where screen-real-estate is already at a premium.
if the layout is redesigned for mobile devices with the poster name at the bottom then it looks kind-of stupid (e.g.
"said simon - simon ...").
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Bobcat
Ditto what Smiddy said. Never even thought it before.
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8
Request For Awake 1946 3/27 page 16 - Explanation of 1Tim 6:15-16
by Bobcat ini am endeavoring to find a digital copy of the 1946 awake (consolation?
) issue 3/27 page 16.
("3/27" was how the wt pubs index had it.).
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Bobcat
First of all, to everyone who responded, WOW! Thank you all for the info and links. And Splash for providing much more detail than I had found. It appears that the 'understanding' sways back and forth.
Aside from your responses, this reminds me of my one 'questions from readers' that I sent in to the Society. It was never published in the magazines, but I did get a polite letter back in the mail a few months later. I asked about a particular verse in the Bible. I quoted the few WT publications that commented on it (that covered about a 50 year period) and then I asked them what reasoning led them to their conclusion on the verse.
The reply, while polite, was maddening. It basically said, 'the publications say so-and-so' (I told them in the letter what the publications said; I wanted to know WHY they said it). At the end of the letter was a tactful, yet definite, reminder to keep in mind the more important things. They patted me on the head and told to remember to be a good little boy.
I should have realized that the person answering the letter was probably under strict orders to simply stick with what the pubs say. Somehow I imagined a truth loving organization that would be happy to expound on its published beliefs.
A couple of years later an MTS brother who seemed to have a lot of connections was assigned to our area. I was still trying to research older WT publications to find the answer to my question. There was a reference to a 1931 WT that I had no access to, so I asked this brother if he could ask one of his friends in Bethel if I could get a scan or xerox of the 1931 article. He said he would check. Some time passed, months. I was patient but I finally asked the MTS brother about it. He told me (only after I had asked) that they didn't have time for that.
And thus, my awakening process was in full swing . . .
How ironic the flood of responses to my request here. Thank you all!
Bobcat
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Request For Awake 1946 3/27 page 16 - Explanation of 1Tim 6:15-16
by Bobcat ini am endeavoring to find a digital copy of the 1946 awake (consolation?
) issue 3/27 page 16.
("3/27" was how the wt pubs index had it.).
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Bobcat
OrphanCrow:
Thank you very much.
Bobcat
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Request For Awake 1946 3/27 page 16 - Explanation of 1Tim 6:15-16
by Bobcat ini am endeavoring to find a digital copy of the 1946 awake (consolation?
) issue 3/27 page 16.
("3/27" was how the wt pubs index had it.).
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Bobcat
I am endeavoring to find a digital copy of the 1946 Awake (Consolation?) issue 3/27 page 16. ("3/27" was how the WT pubs Index had it.)
What I am looking for is a quote with context of how they explained who 1 Tim 6:15-16 is referring to.
This particular publication seems to be in the center (timewise) of a change in belief on this subject. Here is what I have so far:
w1931 p. 75 - Applies to Jehovah
w1932 p. 58 - Applies to Jehovah
hp42 p.44 - Applies to both (1942 "Hope in a Righteous World" - see it here)
w1948 p. 347 - Applies to Jesus
So the 1946 Awake/Consolation is at a strategic point in this changeover. So far I haven't been able to find a digital copy of the magazine. The archive websites I had bookmarked seem to have closed down.
If anyone can provide a copy of a paragraph or two, or a link for downloading I would very much appreciate it.
Bobcat
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Big Boldfaced Lie in Meeting Workbook for August 1-7, 2016
by SAHS inthere is a fundamental lie which i couldn’t help noticing today in the our christian life and ministry—meeting workbook for august 1-7, 2016. it is in the little supplemental page considered this week under the title “improving our skills in the ministry—helping bible students to progress to dedication and baptism,” in the first paragraph (labelled “why important”), third sentence.
here is that sentence:.
“a christian’s dedication is to jehovah—not to a human, a work, or an organization.”.
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Bobcat
It is interesting also the emphasis on "dedication" as a singular act or goal. But look in the article and see if you can find a single verse that describes this. Verses for baptism can be found, but not for an act of dedication.
I think Mt 16:24 is sometimes used which roughly describes the need for disciples of Jesus to be 'dedicated' (as an adjective). But there is no explicit instruction to perform a 'dedication' ceremony, nor any example in the NT of anyone doing this. Yet WT is insistent that this is a necessary prerequisite to baptism.
The Pharisees were also good at turning general instructions into specific ritual acts.
Bobcat
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What the Org Teaches #7 Birthdays
by The Searcher in#7 birthdays.
what the org teaches: .
"the bible never refers to a servant of god celebrating a birthday.
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Bobcat
For those interested, and to bolster Searcher's point about birthdays, In the Hebrew construction of Job 1:4 his children hold a feast each one on "his day." (See Heb. here.) In Job 3:1, according to the NWT, Job curses "the day of his birth." But the Hebrew has literally (and so does the NWT footnote) "his day" (See Heb. here.) The writer of Job saw no need to explain what "his day" meant for his children. But Job 3:3 clearly explains that "his day" in Job 3:1 meant "the day . . . on which I was born." (See Heb. here.)
Bobcat
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What the Org Teaches #7 Birthdays
by The Searcher in#7 birthdays.
what the org teaches: .
"the bible never refers to a servant of god celebrating a birthday.
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Bobcat
Searcher:
Thanks for the references to "his own day." Good 'searching'!
Bobcat
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And they say WE are the negative and bitter ones?!?
by stuckinarut2 inwas just thinking how the society has fervently promoted the idea and direct teaching that all who leave are "bitter, negative, twisted, and mentally diseased" etc... yes, they say that those who leave are at fault.
all who leave are wrong and destined to die.. yet, they are the ones who dwell on such negative thinking!
most who fade or leave do so for matters of concience, yet just want to get on with life.
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Bobcat
Hey Stuck!
The WT is "framing the debate" about those who leave. In effect, WT says there are only two options: You are 'upright' if you stay with the Org. OR, you are "bitter, negative, et al . . . if you leave. They don't want their readers to think that there might be another possibility.
They do the same with partaking at the memorial: You either accept the truth (as they teach it) and don't partake, OR, you are emotionally/religiously disturbed if you do. There is no possibility that someone might simply accept Jesus' instructions as being for all. They don't want anyone to even consider that possibility.
Bobcat
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I have a favor to ask. I need to find a statement that was in one of the magazines, but I can't find it now. Can you help?
by AndersonsInfo ini have a favor to ask.
i need some information found in a watchtower that i can't seem to find in my library.
today, the watchtower teaches that the governing body is the faithful slave.
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Bobcat
I think this is the one you are looking for. Notice how those who think that the 'slave' "pictures only the leading ones" are described as "objectors" and it is implied that they are deceiving themselves ("self-deception").
How ironic that the WT now teaches the very thing about the "faithful slave" that was an evidence of "self-deception" back in 1981!
*** w81 3/1 pp. 24-25 Do You Appreciate the “Faithful and Discreet Slave”? ***
Bobcat
“WHO REALLY IS THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE?”
Some state that the “slave” refers to Christian ministers, or their office of oversight, with responsibility to care for the spiritual needs of the congregation. The ‘master’s’ arrival is said to be either the second coming of Christ or the death of the individual minister. Thus it is held that the parable should motivate Christian ministers to care well for what is entrusted to them.
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that this parable pertains to the one true congregation of Jesus Christ’s anointed followers. Beginning with Pentecost, 33 C.E., and continuing through the 19 centuries since then, this slavelike congregation has been feeding its members spiritually, doing so faithfully and discreetly. Especially has the identity of this “slave” become clear at the time of Christ’s return or presence. The “slave” is identifiable by its watchfulness and by the fact that it is faithfully and discreetly providing spiritual food as needed by all in the Christian congregation. Indeed, this “slave,” or spirit-anointed congregation, is the one approved channel representing God’s kingdom on earth in the “time of the end.” (Dan. 12:4) Witnesses of Jehovah understand that the “slave” is comprised of all anointed Christians as a group on earth at any given time during the 19 centuries since Pentecost. Accordingly, the “domestics” are these followers of Christ as individuals.
Some readers may feel that this is a rather sectarian view of matters. Or they may object to the idea that the “slave” and the “domestics” represent the same class, one as a composite body and the other as individuals. The objectors may argue that not all of Christ’s anointed disciples have a share in preparing the spiritual food, so that perhaps the “slave” pictures only the leading ones, and the “domestics” those they serve in the congregation.
There is no point in trying to force an interpretation of the parable. Self-deception is of no benefit and is spiritually damaging. Therefore, we must look to the Scriptures for an understanding. In doing this, what do we find? This “slave” is a servant of the Master Christ Jesus and his Father, Jehovah. (Compare Matthew 10:24, 25.) And a servant can be a collective group. In the past, the entire nation of Israel was Jehovah’s servant, or slave. He said to them: “You, O Israel, are my servant.” (Isa. 41:8, 9; 44:21) This one servant was composed of individuals, as Isaiah 43:10 shows in stating: “‘You are my witnesses [plural],’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘even my servant [singular] whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and have faith in me.’” These Israelites of ancient times were Jehovah’s “special property,” a “holy nation.” (Ex. 19:5, 6) Even though not every individual shared in administrating the nation’s affairs, all individuals made up the one people, God’s “servant.” Only a few shared in writing or copying the Holy Scriptures, yet the apostle Paul could say of the people of Israel: “They were entrusted with the sacred pronouncements of God.” (Rom. 3:1, 2) To these belonged the covenants, the Law and the promises. (Rom. 9:3-5) So the entire nation was Jehovah’s collective, or composite, “servant,” while it, at the same time, was made up of individuals, his “witnesses.”