Posts by Nicholaus Kopernicus

4

Evidence of condescending thinking on the part of the GBoJW / Writing Committee.

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

source: july 2016 “study” watchtower.. .

page 11 paragraph 17.. “we should not imitate the people of ‘the nations,’ who have no real faith in a loving heavenly father who cares for those who put the interests of his kingdom first in their life.”.

page 16 paragraph 13.

Nicholaus Kopernicus

Source: July 2016 “study” Watchtower.

Page 11 paragraph 17.

“We should not imitate the people of ‘the nations,’ who have no real faith in a loving heavenly Father who cares for those who put the interests of his Kingdom first in their life.”

Page 16 paragraph 13

“Many are so wrapped up in their mundane affairs of life...”

Page 17 paragraph 14

“Instead, we must regularly associate with fellow Christians at our congregation meetings, where God’s sprit is present.”

Page 23 paragraph 11

“By their preaching and teaching work, they [the anointed remnant] have brought millions of ‘other sheep’ into a righteous standing before Jehovah.”

The last paragraph in the Insight Volume I under humility states:

“False humility can actually result in developing haughtiness in the individual, for he may tend to think he is righteous on his own merit; or he may feel that he is accomplishing his ends, not realizing that he cannot deceive Jehovah. If haughtiness develops, he will in time be humbled in a way that he will not enjoy. He will be brought low, and it may be to his own destruction.—Pr 18:12; 29:23.”

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WT “Study” for 18th Sept 2016 – “Grateful Recipients of God’s Undeserved Kindness”

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

“life is to short” has commented on the above study in terms of grace being translated as undeserved kindness in the nwt.

the analysis is quite interesting.. here in this thread, i will be opening up other facets of the “study”.

for example.... paragraph 11 applies the daniel 12:3 phrase – “those having insight” to the “anointed remnant”.

Nicholaus Kopernicus

DATA-DOG made the interesting and perceptive observation that "They are poor teachers". I concur entirely.

Scripture appeals to us to "follow his steps closely" (1 Pet 2:21) in reference to Jesus. He was referred to as Rabbi (teacher) and thus the authors of the "study" Watchtower under the supervision of the GBoJW give evidence of abandoning the Apostle Peter's advice.

1 Tim 3:2 states that "overseers" should be "qualified to teach" and clearly these ones evidence they are not, for they have been appointed to their level of incompetence (Peter Principle). This is not an accident or otherwise inadvertent occurance.

It has taken place in the context of the GBoJW having withdrawn the Statement of Purpose from the Watchtower (study edition) from Jan 2013 onwards. Thus, their poor quality teaching is contrived and is another dimension of their wanton lawlessness (2 Thess 2:3).

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WT “Study” for 18th Sept 2016 – “Grateful Recipients of God’s Undeserved Kindness”

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

“life is to short” has commented on the above study in terms of grace being translated as undeserved kindness in the nwt.

the analysis is quite interesting.. here in this thread, i will be opening up other facets of the “study”.

for example.... paragraph 11 applies the daniel 12:3 phrase – “those having insight” to the “anointed remnant”.

Nicholaus Kopernicus

“life is to short” has commented on the above study in terms of Grace being translated as undeserved kindness in the NWT. The analysis is quite interesting.

Here in this thread, I will be opening up other facets of the “study”. For example...

Paragraph 11 applies the Daniel 12:3 phrase – “those having insight” to the “anointed remnant”. It goes on to claim that “By their preaching and teaching work, they have brought millions of ‘other sheep’ into a righteous standing before Jehovah”.

Well this is a tall tall claim. It is in conflict with Hebrews 1:1,2 where scripture describes God as having used the prophets in times past, but more recently he has used Jesus. No other individual is identified in scripture as an intermediary. Neither is “anointed remnant” a scriptural phrase, but rather, an invention of the GBoJW! In that they are pointing to themselves as being the ones responsible for millions being brought into this righteous standing, they are leaving themselves open to accusations of arrogance. For example, assuming that these millions of JW’s are seen by God as righteous, couldn’t his Holy Spirit or his Son Jesus have had something to do with it? Why only credit the “anointed remnant”? Even in the world there is humility wherein it is widely accepted that “Self praise is no recommendation / honour!” Their claiming this role for themselves is also a form of scredotalism and thus merges their structure and position with that seen in Christendom, whom they disdain with every breath! At the end of this paragraph, they quote Rom 3:23,24 but their claim to have brought people to a righteous standing is still inexcusable!

Paragraph 14 mentions that individuals can receive comfort for their hearts (Ps. 51:17). It is good that they mention that this comfort comes from God because if you are a Jehovah’s Witness you will most seriously need such comfort. I do! I need it a lot! Why so? Simply because of the “harshness” and “tyranny” (Ezek 34:4) with which the GBoJW and it’s temple policemen (BoE) treat people. So it’s a bit rich for them to be preaching and teaching comfort when they are so readily disposed to wreak havoc in peoples’ lives.

Paragraph 16 states that “we should not presumptuously think that he condones all conduct.... These unfaithful Christians apparently thought that they could sin and then count on Jehovah to forgive them.” Again, this is really rich coming from the GBoJW! Why has nearly every other religious organisation apologised for the child abuses which have taken place, but the GBoJW continues to be in denial? Why do they teach us to be submissive to the superior authorities when Losch avoids the Supreme Court of California? Why did the GBoJW instruct elders to destroy legal papers when the British inquiry into child abuse stated that any legal papers should be retained? Why have they for years been teaching that the UNO is the disgusting thing that causes desolation when the WTBTS have been members of same? One could go on and on...

Why is it that the “study” articles are so dull, so lifeless, so conflicted, so confused? Why are the WTBTS meetings so banal, tiresome, repetitive, and even soporific? Maybe it is in part because the GBoJW and its authors are thinking more of themselves than it is necessary to think rather than thinking to have a sound mind (Rom 12:3). They marginalise the refreshing teachings of Jesus who is hardly mentioned nowadays. At the meetings, scripture is hardly mentioned. Could be that the GBoJW exemplify the disposition of the “Man of Lawlessness”!

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WT “Study” for 11th Sept 2016 – “Why Must We ‘Keep on the Watch’”?

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

i was really puzzled when i opened this edition of the wt magazine at the above “study”.

what on earth has this picture at the top of page 13 got to do with christian watchfulness?

i wasn’t making a connection at all.

Nicholaus Kopernicus

That the GBOJW and their "helpers" expect people to be seated and silent during their self-extolled music betrays a lack of understanding of human nature on their part.

When folks gather together they naturally talk, converse, interact. In all likelihood this will continue and thus, the GBoJW's direction will be de facto ignored / forgotten. People are people. That they are seen as otherwise by the GBoJW's is folly on their part.

The content of this "study" article is specious, spurious, and vacuous. There is not the enthusiasm in the audience for answering up that there used to be. The poor quality of the written output undermines attendance and participation. The GBoJW don't get that!

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WT “Study” for 11th Sept 2016 – “Why Must We ‘Keep on the Watch’”?

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

i was really puzzled when i opened this edition of the wt magazine at the above “study”.

what on earth has this picture at the top of page 13 got to do with christian watchfulness?

i wasn’t making a connection at all.

Nicholaus Kopernicus

I was really puzzled when I opened this edition of the WT magazine at the above “study”. What on earth has this picture at the top of page 13 got to do with Christian watchfulness? I Wasn’t making a connection at all. I thought of the early 60s movie “The Music Man” with Robert Preston and the rousing musical piece....

Seventy-six trombones led the big parade

With a hundred and ten coronets close at hand.

They were followed by rows and rows of the finest virtuosos,

The dream of ev’ry famous band.

But Hollywood is nothing to do with this “study” article. Then I began to look more closely. I noticed the brother in the foreground manipulating his cellphone. Ah! Ha! Maybe he’s being watchful by checking his news app to discern world news events. Nope! Then there are the three brothers and two sisters who made the effort to attend this convention on time so that they could enjoy some wholesome and up building association! After all, the literature of the GBoJW always extols attendance at their arrangements partly for that purpose. But I thought again – nope! That can’t be it. Wholesome and up building association is fine and good, but this “study” professes to be about watchfulness. So I’m still not getting it! Oh dear! Am I getting slow or what? Then I looked at the solitary fellow on the platform sitting on his chorus and verse. Ah! Ha! It’s beginning to click. This picture is suggesting that we should all be like him when the music starts at the convention. We should all be seated on our chorus and verses, be still, and be silent. That’s what the GBoJW is really getting at! But then again, that has nothing whatever to do with Christian watchfulness!

Then I began to realize that this is just another appalling attempt of the GBoJW to try and influence folks to sit down and shut up for the 10 minutes of music at each day of the convention. So why do they have to control people so? Maybe they are trying to elevate the status of their musical compositions in the minds of JW’s rather like they have been elevating the importance of their literature – almost having the same authority as scripture! What an outrage I then began to say to myself. The enigma had departed from my mind and I realized that this was another “Theocratic direction”!

Yet, even if I took the claimed authority and status of the GBoJW as it is portrayed, it is still outrageous. They claim to be the Faithful & Discreet Slave, despite Hebrews 1:1,2 stating that God “spoke on many occasions and in many ways to our forefathers by means of the prophets” but “at the end of these days spoken to us by means of a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things...” So this scripture states that it is God’s Son who is the personage through whom God communicates. No intermediary such as a FDS here. Similarly, 1 Cor 11:3 states that “... the head of every an is the Christ" and so there’s no room for an intermediary here either! But even if the Bible is wrong and the GBoJW is right, then how does telling people to sit down and shut up during 10 minutes of music fall within their claimed remit to “give ... food at the proper time...” (Matt 24:45) There is a difference between giving food (literally or metaphorically) and telling people to be seated and shut up (arrogant control). So they exceed their own claimed mandate! What a damned cheek!

Well, this article has started so badly that I can hardly bear to read the rest of it! I’ll just wait and hear what the brothers and sisters have to say on Sunday. One thing I do know is that the brothers and sisters in my and neighbouring congregations exemplify those in the foreground of the photo. Having a nice chat, enjoying each others’ company, messaging, enjoying wholesome and up building conversation. This “kill joy” paradigm of the GBoJW may be just the catalyst for others to see the GBoJW and their “helpers” for what they really are!

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Shepherding Visit Riposte

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

if an elder approaches you and wants to arrange a shepherding call one possible response is..... "well thankyou brother, but jehovah is my shepherd.

i shall lack nothing.

(ps 23:1) but thanks again anyway".

Nicholaus Kopernicus

Scratchme1010:

You say that "... they wouldn't dare coming anywhere near me... “

That is such a nice position to be in. Can you elaborate at all as to how you managed to get your BoE to avoid you?

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WT "Study" for 4th September 2016 - “Seek the Kingdom, Not Things”

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

i’m sitting there in the kingdom hall just thinking how rich it is of the gbojw to preach about materialism when they have recently been evidenced to be using bro’s & sis’ contributions to the world wide work to travel business class!

just that thought alone was leading me to read scripture while they were all engaged in the wt “study”.. however, then it came to paragraph 17 and i blurted / choked a little.

the paragraph said that “we should not imitate the people of ‘the nations,’ who have no real faith in a loving heavenly father who cares for those who put the interests of his kingdom first in their life.”.

Nicholaus Kopernicus

BluesBrother:

What a paradox. Reaching out is a "fine thing" according to scripture. But not a fine experience in your case, mine, and that of many others. It's as if they were a bottom line employer and try to work you until your burned out! Not at all Christian.

In the last 5 years, I've been approached twice about reaching out (usually in close proximity to CO visits) but next time I'm going to adopt your thought as my riposte. Namely: thank you brothers but I'm working on the counsel to simplify my life rather than complicate it.

Shouldn't be all that long before I'm avoided by them all together. Amen!

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WT "Study" for 4th September 2016 - “Seek the Kingdom, Not Things”

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

i’m sitting there in the kingdom hall just thinking how rich it is of the gbojw to preach about materialism when they have recently been evidenced to be using bro’s & sis’ contributions to the world wide work to travel business class!

just that thought alone was leading me to read scripture while they were all engaged in the wt “study”.. however, then it came to paragraph 17 and i blurted / choked a little.

the paragraph said that “we should not imitate the people of ‘the nations,’ who have no real faith in a loving heavenly father who cares for those who put the interests of his kingdom first in their life.”.

Nicholaus Kopernicus

I’m sitting there in the Kingdom Hall just thinking how rich it is of the GBoJW to preach about materialism when they have recently been evidenced to be using Bro’s & Sis’ contributions to the world wide work to travel business class! Just that thought alone was leading me to read scripture while they were all engaged in the WT “study”.

However, then it came to paragraph 17 and I blurted / choked a little. The paragraph said that “We should not imitate the people of ‘the nations,’ who have no real faith in a loving heavenly Father who cares for those who put the interests of his Kingdom first in their life.”

Well! I thought – what an almighty cheek! What a gross presumption! Who do they (WT authors) think they are? I immediately began to mentally undermine this gross insult. In Mark 12:28, one of the scribes put’s a question to Jesus....

“Which commandment is first of all?”

In verses 29 and 30, Jesus gives his response...

“Jesus answered: “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah, and you must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind and with your whole strength.’”

Now what made me think of this scripture in undermining the GBoJW’s malign disparaging of people in general, is that the scripture in no way can be regarded as being targeted at Jehovah’s Witnesses in the 20th & 21st centuries. This scripture is for everyone. It is the “first of all” commandment and thus supersedes the GBoJW’s perspective that putting “the interests of his Kingdom first in their life” is the commandment which is “first of all”. ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A JEHOVAH’S WITNESS TO LOVE GOD UNRESERVEDLY as this “first of all” commandment states. So the GBoJW are far far out in deprecating people as they do in this paragraph, and have also got it wrong in terms of what is most important to put first in one’s life. This is evidence of appalling leadership. It is evidence of not being faithful to Jesus’ teachings, evidence of not being discrete and thus adhering to the Bible as the final authority, evidence of not being slave like by putting the (negative) thoughts of man above the teachings of Jesus. What a truly ghastly read paragraph 17 was!

As for the box: “How to Simplify Your Life”

1.Identify your actual needs

Surely the GBoJW travelling business class instead of economy exemplifies the priority of want over need on their part!

2. 2. Eliminate unnecessary expenses

This is good advice. I have eliminated all contributions to the world wide work of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Kingdom Hall fund etc. I do so as my conscious does not allow me to contribute to the funding of lawyers to rebut child molestation victims’ lawsuits against a remorseless GBoJW.

3. 3. Prepare a realistic budget

Sound advice. My budget no longer includes contributions for the WT literature I utilize. No contributions for assemblies or CO expenses.

4. 4. Dispose of things you do not use

Very practical. I have disposed of copious amounts of WT and AW bound volumes and other items of WT literature.

5. 5. Cut back on secular employment

Not such good advice. I enjoy my employment. I’m a health professional and find my occupation quite gratifying in many respects. So I’ll ignore this advice. This advice is intended to free one up to join in one of their evangelizing schools as a pioneer or something. To be a pioneer one has to "cooperate with the body of elders" - this requirement alone rules out such a career change at a stroke! I'm not a follower of man!

6. 6. Plan how to expand your ministry

I have accepted this advice and expanded my ministry. This is via contributing to the online Christian community who have been and are victims of the “Man of Lawlessness”. Not what the GBoJW witnesses had in mind I’m sure!

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Shepherding Visit Riposte

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

if an elder approaches you and wants to arrange a shepherding call one possible response is..... "well thankyou brother, but jehovah is my shepherd.

i shall lack nothing.

(ps 23:1) but thanks again anyway".

Nicholaus Kopernicus

Cold Steel:

A shepherding visit is usually two elders (can also be one elder and a MS) visit at the home address. It is claimed in the literature to be for the purpose of "imparting a spiritual gift"! The reality is far removed from that purpose however. Many elders say they merely want to offer encouragement! Neither of these rationale for such a visit withstands scrutiny however.

In my congregation, none of the elders are encouraging when behind the lectern. The literature published is not encouraging. Thus, my assessment in terms of elders wanting to impart a spiritual gift to me or wanting to encourage me is that they are simply NOT CAPACITOUS!

The real purpose is to correct, or control or both. I have known a significant number to become conscious of the falsehood of "the truth" as a result of these "shepherds'" malign visits mind you! I view them (locally anyway) as pure brutes and best avoided.

13

Shepherding Visit Riposte

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

if an elder approaches you and wants to arrange a shepherding call one possible response is..... "well thankyou brother, but jehovah is my shepherd.

i shall lack nothing.

(ps 23:1) but thanks again anyway".

Nicholaus Kopernicus

If an Elder approaches you and wants to arrange a shepherding call one possible response is....

"Well thankyou Brother, but Jehovah is my shepherd. I shall lack nothing. (Ps 23:1) But thanks again anyway".