2009 YEAR TEXT: 'Bear thorough witness to the good news' (Acts 20:24)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
New Tract "Would You Like To Know The Truth"?
The new tract is entitled "Would you Like To Know The Truth"?What they do not tell the reader is that this is "truth" as defined by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society and is open to change at any time.
Monday, September 29, 2008
It's Okay to Say "God Damn"
In the U.S., the First Amendment prohibits the government from abridging freedom of speech. Of course, there are some exceptions, such as obscenity and the classic example of falsely shouting "fire!" in a crowded theater. Another exception is known as "fighting words."
The most important Supreme Court case regarding "fighting words" is Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire. Mr. Chaplinsky was a Jehovah's Witness, but for obvious reasons laid out below, this case is not mentioned in the Proclaimers book.
Brother Chaplinsky was street witnessing one Saturday afternoon in Rochester New Hampshire in 1940. Apparently a mob of 50 or so people surrounded him and behaved in a threatening manner.
According to Chaplinsky, one member of the crowd even attempted to spear him with a flagpole. At some point, a police officer showed up, and Chaplinsky asked the cop to arrest the ones responsible for the disturbance, but the cop refused. In response, Chaplinsky allegedly called the officer "a God-damned racketeer" and "a damned Fascist."
Chaplinsky was subsequently arrested, tried, and convicted for violating a state law against public cursing. Chaplinsky appealed the decision all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. "Judge" Rutherford and Hayden Covington represented him. At trial, Brother Chaplinsky admitted making the statements with the exception of saying "God-damn" (he argued that he merely said "damn").
In any event, in their brief to the Supreme Court, Rutherford and Covington defend Chaplinsky's right to say "God-damn." I quote from page 11 of the brief: "Jehovah God has condemned racketeers and hence the expression 'God damned,' even if, as and when used in such circumstances, imports verity or constitutes a simple definition of fact. The right to use such definitive and descriptive language in a proper manner and time is guaranteed by the Constitution regardless of whether the one so described agreed or not." Thus, Judge Rutherford is on the record saying that it's okay to say "God damn."
By the way, Chaplinsky lost his appeal. I guess that during WW2, calling someone a Fascist and racketeer was fighting words, whether prefaced with "God damn" or not. Chaplinsky, Rutherford and the others were not bothered by the loss in Court, because now they could proclaim far and wide about how Jehovah's Witnesses were persecuted.
You can read the entire case here: http://supreme.justia.com/us/315/568/case.html
The most important Supreme Court case regarding "fighting words" is Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire. Mr. Chaplinsky was a Jehovah's Witness, but for obvious reasons laid out below, this case is not mentioned in the Proclaimers book.
Brother Chaplinsky was street witnessing one Saturday afternoon in Rochester New Hampshire in 1940. Apparently a mob of 50 or so people surrounded him and behaved in a threatening manner.
According to Chaplinsky, one member of the crowd even attempted to spear him with a flagpole. At some point, a police officer showed up, and Chaplinsky asked the cop to arrest the ones responsible for the disturbance, but the cop refused. In response, Chaplinsky allegedly called the officer "a God-damned racketeer" and "a damned Fascist."
Chaplinsky was subsequently arrested, tried, and convicted for violating a state law against public cursing. Chaplinsky appealed the decision all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. "Judge" Rutherford and Hayden Covington represented him. At trial, Brother Chaplinsky admitted making the statements with the exception of saying "God-damn" (he argued that he merely said "damn").
In any event, in their brief to the Supreme Court, Rutherford and Covington defend Chaplinsky's right to say "God-damn." I quote from page 11 of the brief: "Jehovah God has condemned racketeers and hence the expression 'God damned,' even if, as and when used in such circumstances, imports verity or constitutes a simple definition of fact. The right to use such definitive and descriptive language in a proper manner and time is guaranteed by the Constitution regardless of whether the one so described agreed or not." Thus, Judge Rutherford is on the record saying that it's okay to say "God damn."
By the way, Chaplinsky lost his appeal. I guess that during WW2, calling someone a Fascist and racketeer was fighting words, whether prefaced with "God damn" or not. Chaplinsky, Rutherford and the others were not bothered by the loss in Court, because now they could proclaim far and wide about how Jehovah's Witnesses were persecuted.
You can read the entire case here: http://supreme.justia.com/us/315/568/case.html
If You Want To Think For Yourself Don't Become A Jehovah's Witness
To many of us who have been witnesses or who have friends or family members who are witnesses, it is of course quite obvious why the Watchtower Society prefer their "faithful" to have as little education as possible, but it is still very rare to see this preference expressed so bluntly and honestly as it was in this Watchtower:
"In the world, there is a tendency to reject leadership. As one lecturer said: "The rising education level has improved the talent pool such that followers have become so critical that they are almost impossible to lead." But a spirit of independent thinking does not prevail in God's organization, and *we have sound reasons for confidence in the men taking the lead among us." (The Watchtower, September 15, 1989, p. 23, §13)
Imagine that! Education promotes critical thinking and makes people so smart that they stop blindly following their hypocritical religious or political leaders. Thinking people are (gasp, choke) "almost impossible to lead"!
* lol!
"In the world, there is a tendency to reject leadership. As one lecturer said: "The rising education level has improved the talent pool such that followers have become so critical that they are almost impossible to lead." But a spirit of independent thinking does not prevail in God's organization, and *we have sound reasons for confidence in the men taking the lead among us." (The Watchtower, September 15, 1989, p. 23, §13)
Imagine that! Education promotes critical thinking and makes people so smart that they stop blindly following their hypocritical religious or political leaders. Thinking people are (gasp, choke) "almost impossible to lead"!
* lol!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
From A Brother In The Zimbabwe Bethel
Hi to you all,
Zimbabwe is going through a very difficult time. We have just heard that the branch has had to release 24 brothers from Bethel. That will bring the Bethel family down to about 60 odd. Some will go into the special pioneer work and others back to supporting a local congregation. That is seven married couples and ten single brothers. Others may be asked to leave if the economic situation does not improve.
The branch has also had to cut back on a large number of special pioneers. So far this does not include me....!!! Additionally the whole Kingdom Hall building program has stopped and all construction brothers sent home. So far the program has built about 450 new Kingdom Halls for about 530 congregations under this assistance to countries with limited resources program.
The reason for all this is the deplorable economic situation that the country and branch has to work under. Our inflation is so high that by the time money comes in to the country, goes through the banking system and goes out to be used it has lost its value. At present US $1.00 is sitting at Z$100 billion. It will be worse this afternoon..!! So you may think, for example, that you are going to receive the equivalent of US$10. By the time you actually get it the value has dropped to a few cents. We can only draw Z$100 billion a day in cash if the banks have cash. Checks and swipe cards are limited.
We have not had bread in months. Fuel is scarcely available but only in foreign money. No mealie meal, the basic food item for the locals, no sugar, flour, salt, cooking oil, etc. Electricity and water are often off for long periods. Some areas for months and months. So it is all very trying. The whole country is on its knees and the politicians do nothing to help. But then this is Satan's system. On the positive side. We had our Kingdom Hall dedicated on Saturday. 239 came from the two congregations that will use it. One English and one Shona. The Hall itself was a major effort. The site is on clay soil and so we had to go down with eleven reinforced concrete pillars about three meters. It took as long to build our Hall as it took the brothers to build our new Assembly Hall. 15 months.....!! Just had a new peak of over 33,000 which is very encouraging as about five million have left the country for greener pastures in Europe, America, Australia and South Africa due to the problems here. So a peak in publishers is welcome news.
Just came back from doing some rural witnessing today. We have not been out to our calls in the rural area of our territory due to the political intimidations that has been going on with the elections. Many brothers have had a very difficult time and some loosing everything. Typical of Satan. The brothers warned us not to go out there.
But today it was quiet and we were very well received. The Truth is still good to some here.
Sadly we may have to leave before the year is out as we can no longer manage economically and medically. The three of us will move to England. The Medical Aid Societies, we have been relying on to assist with medical expenses, have collapsed. Along with most other institutions. It has been so sad to see such a beautiful country go down the drain...but then the whole world will soon be following suit. But we are well. A____ had a cold and cough but now coming out of that.
So keep all the brothers here in your prayers, they need them. We will continue to fight the fine fight. Your faithfulness is such an encouragement to us.
Warm regards, P
The Watchtower is a multi-billion dollar organization and yet these brothers have to rely on worldly organizations for assistance. Shameful!
Zimbabwe is going through a very difficult time. We have just heard that the branch has had to release 24 brothers from Bethel. That will bring the Bethel family down to about 60 odd. Some will go into the special pioneer work and others back to supporting a local congregation. That is seven married couples and ten single brothers. Others may be asked to leave if the economic situation does not improve.
The branch has also had to cut back on a large number of special pioneers. So far this does not include me....!!! Additionally the whole Kingdom Hall building program has stopped and all construction brothers sent home. So far the program has built about 450 new Kingdom Halls for about 530 congregations under this assistance to countries with limited resources program.
The reason for all this is the deplorable economic situation that the country and branch has to work under. Our inflation is so high that by the time money comes in to the country, goes through the banking system and goes out to be used it has lost its value. At present US $1.00 is sitting at Z$100 billion. It will be worse this afternoon..!! So you may think, for example, that you are going to receive the equivalent of US$10. By the time you actually get it the value has dropped to a few cents. We can only draw Z$100 billion a day in cash if the banks have cash. Checks and swipe cards are limited.
We have not had bread in months. Fuel is scarcely available but only in foreign money. No mealie meal, the basic food item for the locals, no sugar, flour, salt, cooking oil, etc. Electricity and water are often off for long periods. Some areas for months and months. So it is all very trying. The whole country is on its knees and the politicians do nothing to help. But then this is Satan's system. On the positive side. We had our Kingdom Hall dedicated on Saturday. 239 came from the two congregations that will use it. One English and one Shona. The Hall itself was a major effort. The site is on clay soil and so we had to go down with eleven reinforced concrete pillars about three meters. It took as long to build our Hall as it took the brothers to build our new Assembly Hall. 15 months.....!! Just had a new peak of over 33,000 which is very encouraging as about five million have left the country for greener pastures in Europe, America, Australia and South Africa due to the problems here. So a peak in publishers is welcome news.
Just came back from doing some rural witnessing today. We have not been out to our calls in the rural area of our territory due to the political intimidations that has been going on with the elections. Many brothers have had a very difficult time and some loosing everything. Typical of Satan. The brothers warned us not to go out there.
But today it was quiet and we were very well received. The Truth is still good to some here.
Sadly we may have to leave before the year is out as we can no longer manage economically and medically. The three of us will move to England. The Medical Aid Societies, we have been relying on to assist with medical expenses, have collapsed. Along with most other institutions. It has been so sad to see such a beautiful country go down the drain...but then the whole world will soon be following suit. But we are well. A____ had a cold and cough but now coming out of that.
So keep all the brothers here in your prayers, they need them. We will continue to fight the fine fight. Your faithfulness is such an encouragement to us.
Warm regards, P
The Watchtower is a multi-billion dollar organization and yet these brothers have to rely on worldly organizations for assistance. Shameful!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Language The Watchtower Uses To Keep It's Members In Line
Fear and guilt are the main components that the Watchtower uses to keep it's members in line. Just consider the language they use for those who simply no longer believe their teachings, as well as those they feel are not doing enough.
You have to keep up with the latest truths or you'll be left behind if you don't keep up with Jehovah's organization and new light ."
Translation : You won't be acceptable or spiritual if you don't do your personal study and keep up with new truths.
If you are not advancing spiritually , ie, pioneering, ministerial servant, or elder, you are regressing and going backwards .
Translation: You will be considered a weak , unacceptable publisher who others will avoid if you don't "advance" spiritually.
We as Jehovah's servants are a privileged and special people chosen to be saved into the paradise.
Translation : If you are not a Jehovah's Witness you aren't privileged and special and won't be saved into the paradise.
We have to follow the faithful and discreet slave as appointed as Jehovah's spokesman, even if we don't understand .
Translation : You have to believe whatever the "faithful slave" says because they are Jehovah's spokesman.
Any negative comments regarding the organization are attacks are coming from Satan.
Translation : Anything you hear about the organization that is not complimentary, don't believe it, they are lies inspired by Satan.
If anyone leaves the organization, it's because of bad heart motives.
Translation: No one would leave this organization except those who want to practice what is bad in Jehovah's eyes.
.....and then, of course:
How can you leave Jehovah?
Don't you know Armageddon is coming soon?
Stay within the fold
The world outside
Satan's wicked world
The spirit of the world
Love of Jehovah will move us to do more in his precious ministry.
We should differentiate between the tenderly compassionate god of the gospel and the kind of vicious, severe, unforgiving god projected by the Watchtower. The two do not coincide. The Jehovah's Witness god is an artifact created for the sole purpose of achieving mind control through a ruthless and destructive authority group. Jehovah's Witnesses have actually regressed back to the old testament set up of rules and more rules which have caused many to be stumble. Jesus said that he set us free of those rules, but the Watchtower does not seem to have gotten that message.
You have to keep up with the latest truths or you'll be left behind if you don't keep up with Jehovah's organization and new light ."
Translation : You won't be acceptable or spiritual if you don't do your personal study and keep up with new truths.
If you are not advancing spiritually , ie, pioneering, ministerial servant, or elder, you are regressing and going backwards .
Translation: You will be considered a weak , unacceptable publisher who others will avoid if you don't "advance" spiritually.
We as Jehovah's servants are a privileged and special people chosen to be saved into the paradise.
Translation : If you are not a Jehovah's Witness you aren't privileged and special and won't be saved into the paradise.
We have to follow the faithful and discreet slave as appointed as Jehovah's spokesman, even if we don't understand .
Translation : You have to believe whatever the "faithful slave" says because they are Jehovah's spokesman.
Any negative comments regarding the organization are attacks are coming from Satan.
Translation : Anything you hear about the organization that is not complimentary, don't believe it, they are lies inspired by Satan.
If anyone leaves the organization, it's because of bad heart motives.
Translation: No one would leave this organization except those who want to practice what is bad in Jehovah's eyes.
.....and then, of course:
How can you leave Jehovah?
Don't you know Armageddon is coming soon?
Stay within the fold
The world outside
Satan's wicked world
The spirit of the world
Love of Jehovah will move us to do more in his precious ministry.
We should differentiate between the tenderly compassionate god of the gospel and the kind of vicious, severe, unforgiving god projected by the Watchtower. The two do not coincide. The Jehovah's Witness god is an artifact created for the sole purpose of achieving mind control through a ruthless and destructive authority group. Jehovah's Witnesses have actually regressed back to the old testament set up of rules and more rules which have caused many to be stumble. Jesus said that he set us free of those rules, but the Watchtower does not seem to have gotten that message.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Some People Are Just Sick, Sick, Sick!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1061766/Two-Jehovahs-Witnesses-murdered-13-people-mission-God-cleanse-world-sinners.html
Two twisted Jehovah's Witnesses have been arrested as suspected serial killers, accused of murdering 13 people during a nine-month killing spree in Russia.
Claiming to be on a mission from God, Vladimir Gurianov, 44, and Elvira Egorycheva 46, hacked, shot and bludgeoned their victims in a case that left even hardened Russian detectives shocked.
The pair were finally spotted in a supermarket in a suburb of the city and arrested. By then they were on nationwide search lists and their photographs had been widely circulated in the region.
When they were searched Egorycheva had a revolver, two axes, an electric-shock device and a rope in her belongings.
Another gun and a knife were found in Gurianov's jacket.
Gurianov - who locals said had 'mad eyes' - and Egorycheva first met at a Jehovah's Witnesses sect meeting 16 years ago.
When they were reunited late last year, Egorycheva allegedly told him she had a vision and they must travel to the Volga region to carry out God's wishes.
She said: "God wants us to go to Nizhniy Novgorod and cleanse the world of sinners".
A neighbour said: "They were very odd. He called her "mother" or "Princess Elena". She called him "my son, Prince Mikhail".
"Gurianov used to say they had a certain mission. No-one took them very seriously but then the killings began."
The first victim was a fortune teller Ludmila Kostina, 51, with whom they made an appointment after seeing her advert in a local papers.
A day after the first murder they went to another fortune-teller, Nina Mashtakova, 66, who they killed before stealing valuables.
One victim was killed around January 10, when Gurianov answered an advert advertising Pekingese puppies.
A 17-year-old boy, returning home, found Gurianov killing his mother, who only managed to scream: "Run, boy!"
Gurianov later boasted to detectives about one particularly brutal slaying.
He said: "I shot at the head of this woman, but she was still alive. I shot her a second time and she fell down, but just as I was digging a grave for her I realised she was still alive and just watching me. So you'll understand I had to stab her."
Also in January this year, Gurianov, a convicted rapist, and Egorycheva met a 17 year-old girl by the garage complex in the city's outskirts.
Police believe the couple stopped the girl, and Egorycheva told her: "Stop, sinner! I, Princess Elena, and my son Prince Mikhail, have been sent by God to punish you!"
Gurianov then allegedly raped the girl, killed her with a hammer and buried her next to the garage complex.
He later told investigators: "Mother explained to me that every woman killed or raped by me would become my wives in the afterlife."
They are also suspected of killing 18 year-old student Masha Maslennikova, missing since May, whose body has not been found, as well as Ludmila Kotelnikova, 45, and Elena Lomteva, 37, whose corpses were found near their holiday homes.
One detective said: "Apparently, they didn't care who became their next victim, whether it was a woman, a young girl or a child. Their only criterion was to carry out the killing in remote parts of the city where no one could help the victims."
Later police asked the pair why they killed innocent people.
Gurianov, clearly enjoying recounting his deeds, replied: "God told us to go and take the money. He said: 'Go there and take as much as you need.' So we did".
One shocked detective said: "Our hearts are bleeding.
"They seem to enjoy talking about the things they have done. They feel safe as well. What is prison to them? Even if they are sentenced to life, they'll live until old age.If ever there was a case for capital punishment, this is it.
Two twisted Jehovah's Witnesses have been arrested as suspected serial killers, accused of murdering 13 people during a nine-month killing spree in Russia.
Claiming to be on a mission from God, Vladimir Gurianov, 44, and Elvira Egorycheva 46, hacked, shot and bludgeoned their victims in a case that left even hardened Russian detectives shocked.
The pair were finally spotted in a supermarket in a suburb of the city and arrested. By then they were on nationwide search lists and their photographs had been widely circulated in the region.
When they were searched Egorycheva had a revolver, two axes, an electric-shock device and a rope in her belongings.
Another gun and a knife were found in Gurianov's jacket.
Gurianov - who locals said had 'mad eyes' - and Egorycheva first met at a Jehovah's Witnesses sect meeting 16 years ago.
When they were reunited late last year, Egorycheva allegedly told him she had a vision and they must travel to the Volga region to carry out God's wishes.
She said: "God wants us to go to Nizhniy Novgorod and cleanse the world of sinners".
A neighbour said: "They were very odd. He called her "mother" or "Princess Elena". She called him "my son, Prince Mikhail".
"Gurianov used to say they had a certain mission. No-one took them very seriously but then the killings began."
The first victim was a fortune teller Ludmila Kostina, 51, with whom they made an appointment after seeing her advert in a local papers.
A day after the first murder they went to another fortune-teller, Nina Mashtakova, 66, who they killed before stealing valuables.
One victim was killed around January 10, when Gurianov answered an advert advertising Pekingese puppies.
A 17-year-old boy, returning home, found Gurianov killing his mother, who only managed to scream: "Run, boy!"
Gurianov later boasted to detectives about one particularly brutal slaying.
He said: "I shot at the head of this woman, but she was still alive. I shot her a second time and she fell down, but just as I was digging a grave for her I realised she was still alive and just watching me. So you'll understand I had to stab her."
Also in January this year, Gurianov, a convicted rapist, and Egorycheva met a 17 year-old girl by the garage complex in the city's outskirts.
Police believe the couple stopped the girl, and Egorycheva told her: "Stop, sinner! I, Princess Elena, and my son Prince Mikhail, have been sent by God to punish you!"
Gurianov then allegedly raped the girl, killed her with a hammer and buried her next to the garage complex.
He later told investigators: "Mother explained to me that every woman killed or raped by me would become my wives in the afterlife."
They are also suspected of killing 18 year-old student Masha Maslennikova, missing since May, whose body has not been found, as well as Ludmila Kotelnikova, 45, and Elena Lomteva, 37, whose corpses were found near their holiday homes.
One detective said: "Apparently, they didn't care who became their next victim, whether it was a woman, a young girl or a child. Their only criterion was to carry out the killing in remote parts of the city where no one could help the victims."
Later police asked the pair why they killed innocent people.
Gurianov, clearly enjoying recounting his deeds, replied: "God told us to go and take the money. He said: 'Go there and take as much as you need.' So we did".
One shocked detective said: "Our hearts are bleeding.
"They seem to enjoy talking about the things they have done. They feel safe as well. What is prison to them? Even if they are sentenced to life, they'll live until old age.If ever there was a case for capital punishment, this is it.
Do The Annointed Have Special Insight?
The Governing Body is Unsure:
However, genuine anointed Christians do not demand special attention. They do not believe that their being of the anointed gives them special "insights," beyond what even some experienced members of the great crowd may have.
*** w05 1/15 p. 15 par. 21 Christ—The Focus of Prophecy ***Only his faithful anointed disciples would discern his royal presence. In the next article, we will see how that insight would have a profound effect on them, culminating in the gathering of millions who would become Jesus’ earthly subjects
*** ip-2 chap. 15 p. 228 par. 23 The Barren Woman Rejoices ***23 Verse 13 of Isaiah chapter 54 provides the key—all will be “taught by Jehovah.” Jesus himself applied the words of this verse to his anointed followers. (John 6:45) The prophet Daniel foretold that during this “time of the end,” the anointed would be blessed with an abundance of true knowledge and spiritual insight. (Daniel 12:3, 4) Such insight has enabled them to spearhead the greatest educational campaign in history, spreading divine teaching in all the earth. (Matthew 24:14) At the same time, such insight has helped them to see the difference between true religion and false. Isaiah 54:12 mentions “boundaries of delightsome stones.” Since 1919, Jehovah has given the anointed an ever clearer understanding of the boundaries—the lines of spiritual demarcation—setting them apart from false religion and ungodly elements of the world. (Ezekiel 44:23; John 17:14; James 1:27) They are thus set apart as God’s own people.
*** w00 5/15 p. 11 par. 6 Pay Attention to God’s Prophetic Word for Our Day ***6 In this time of the end, many faithful Christians have ‘roved about’ in the pages of God’s Word, the Bible. The result? With Jehovah’s blessing on their efforts, true knowledge has become abundant. For instance, anointed Witnesses of Jehovah have been blessed with insight, enabling them to understand that Jesus Christ became heavenly King in the year 1914.
*** km 3/00 p. 8 par. 4 Studying Daniel’s Prophecy ***4 Prepare well for the study each week, and enjoy participating in it. Appreciate your privilege of associating with Jehovah’s visible organization and benefiting from the insight and understanding provided by his faithful anointed ones.
*** dp chap. 17 p. 292 par. 11 Identifying True Worshipers in the Time of the End ***: “The ones having insight will shine like the brightness of the expanse; and those who are bringing the many to righteousness, like the stars to time indefinite, even forever.” Who are “the ones having insight” today? Again, the evidence points to the same “holy ones of the Supreme One.” After all, who but the faithful anointed remnant had the insight to discern that Michael, the Great Prince, began standing as King in 1914?
*** dp chap. 18 p. 309 par. 7 Jehovah Promises Daniel a Wonderful Reward ***In our own day, the anointed have been blessed with spiritual insight, shining as beacons of truth in this bedarkened world.
*** w98 2/15 p. 19 par. 7 Glorious Freedom Soon for the Children of God ***Meanwhile, God granted his anointed servants, born-again Christians, noteworthy insight.
*** w87 7/1 p. 23 par. 10 Divine Blessings for “the Ones Having Insight” *** “The ones having insight” are clearly the faithful remaining members of the anointed Christian congregation, who are ‘filled with accurate knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension.
*** w81 3/1 p. 26 Do You Appreciate the “Faithful and Discreet Slave”? ***This indicates that the congregation of Christ’s anointed disciples, those having insight, would be watching for the Master’s return and be found faithfully providing spiritual food at the proper time when he returned.
*** w70 11/15 p. 690 par. 22 The Need to Know What We Worship ***The anointed remnant of “people who are knowing their God” have been the ones that have prevailed, and this due to having insight.
*** w60 2/1 p. 90 par. 37 Part 31—“Your Will Be Done on Earth” ***They act with insight and keep walking in their integrity or blamelessness toward God. Realizing their being anointed with Jehovah’s spirit to preach, they do preach, that they may “impart understanding to many.”
As usual the Governing Body flip flops all over the place. Yet, for some reason, Witnesses keep on believing whatever their latest declaration of "truth" is. Remarkable.
However, genuine anointed Christians do not demand special attention. They do not believe that their being of the anointed gives them special "insights," beyond what even some experienced members of the great crowd may have.
*** w05 1/15 p. 15 par. 21 Christ—The Focus of Prophecy ***Only his faithful anointed disciples would discern his royal presence. In the next article, we will see how that insight would have a profound effect on them, culminating in the gathering of millions who would become Jesus’ earthly subjects
*** ip-2 chap. 15 p. 228 par. 23 The Barren Woman Rejoices ***23 Verse 13 of Isaiah chapter 54 provides the key—all will be “taught by Jehovah.” Jesus himself applied the words of this verse to his anointed followers. (John 6:45) The prophet Daniel foretold that during this “time of the end,” the anointed would be blessed with an abundance of true knowledge and spiritual insight. (Daniel 12:3, 4) Such insight has enabled them to spearhead the greatest educational campaign in history, spreading divine teaching in all the earth. (Matthew 24:14) At the same time, such insight has helped them to see the difference between true religion and false. Isaiah 54:12 mentions “boundaries of delightsome stones.” Since 1919, Jehovah has given the anointed an ever clearer understanding of the boundaries—the lines of spiritual demarcation—setting them apart from false religion and ungodly elements of the world. (Ezekiel 44:23; John 17:14; James 1:27) They are thus set apart as God’s own people.
*** w00 5/15 p. 11 par. 6 Pay Attention to God’s Prophetic Word for Our Day ***6 In this time of the end, many faithful Christians have ‘roved about’ in the pages of God’s Word, the Bible. The result? With Jehovah’s blessing on their efforts, true knowledge has become abundant. For instance, anointed Witnesses of Jehovah have been blessed with insight, enabling them to understand that Jesus Christ became heavenly King in the year 1914.
*** km 3/00 p. 8 par. 4 Studying Daniel’s Prophecy ***4 Prepare well for the study each week, and enjoy participating in it. Appreciate your privilege of associating with Jehovah’s visible organization and benefiting from the insight and understanding provided by his faithful anointed ones.
*** dp chap. 17 p. 292 par. 11 Identifying True Worshipers in the Time of the End ***: “The ones having insight will shine like the brightness of the expanse; and those who are bringing the many to righteousness, like the stars to time indefinite, even forever.” Who are “the ones having insight” today? Again, the evidence points to the same “holy ones of the Supreme One.” After all, who but the faithful anointed remnant had the insight to discern that Michael, the Great Prince, began standing as King in 1914?
*** dp chap. 18 p. 309 par. 7 Jehovah Promises Daniel a Wonderful Reward ***In our own day, the anointed have been blessed with spiritual insight, shining as beacons of truth in this bedarkened world.
*** w98 2/15 p. 19 par. 7 Glorious Freedom Soon for the Children of God ***Meanwhile, God granted his anointed servants, born-again Christians, noteworthy insight.
*** w87 7/1 p. 23 par. 10 Divine Blessings for “the Ones Having Insight” *** “The ones having insight” are clearly the faithful remaining members of the anointed Christian congregation, who are ‘filled with accurate knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension.
*** w81 3/1 p. 26 Do You Appreciate the “Faithful and Discreet Slave”? ***This indicates that the congregation of Christ’s anointed disciples, those having insight, would be watching for the Master’s return and be found faithfully providing spiritual food at the proper time when he returned.
*** w70 11/15 p. 690 par. 22 The Need to Know What We Worship ***The anointed remnant of “people who are knowing their God” have been the ones that have prevailed, and this due to having insight.
*** w60 2/1 p. 90 par. 37 Part 31—“Your Will Be Done on Earth” ***They act with insight and keep walking in their integrity or blamelessness toward God. Realizing their being anointed with Jehovah’s spirit to preach, they do preach, that they may “impart understanding to many.”
As usual the Governing Body flip flops all over the place. Yet, for some reason, Witnesses keep on believing whatever their latest declaration of "truth" is. Remarkable.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Do Jehovah's Witnesses Really Trust Jehovah?
Jehovah's Witnesses claim to trust their god Jehovah implicitly. They fervently preach, teach, and publish unending articles about God's protection, even baptising converts who have sworn an oath to Jehovah and his "representitive organization". They believe unreservedly that God takes a moment by moment active role in watching out and taking palpable action on behalf of Jehovah's Witnesses' welfare, both on an organizational level and individually.
Considering this bold and confident stand as regards God's personal protection and guidance for them alone, what does their personal conduct and organizational methods really indicate?
Far from dependence on Jehovah's personal action, protection and guidance, they display willfully a propensity for self promotion, some actually taking part in "theocratic warfare" which involves lying, misrepresenting, twisting, maneuvering individuals, organizations and governmental agencies to attain their goals.
The recent UN/NGO debacle a prime example. How by any means did their joining ('riding on the back') of this 'worldly, beastly, unclean, whore mongering, unclean human run entity in any way reflect unequivocal dependence and trust in Jehovah? Not one iota. Those who signed the concordat with the United Nations did at that moment in time, and for nine long years afterward, demonstrate a complete lack of trust in their god Jehovah.
For if they truly trusted in Jehovah they would have relied on him to accomplish what they joined the United Nations to accomplish.
Throughout the entire history of Jehovah's Witnesses (120yrs+) they have presumptively called attention to the exclusivity of their honored and sacred relationship with God Almighty, even claiming they are the only ones who utilize his personal name. Somehow by the very incantation of the ancient Hebrew name of god, they by self proclamation claim an absolute exclusivity to offering the only prayers even considered as worthy or acceptable to God. All other's who desire to commune with God are speaking to a deafened ear. God listens to Jehovah's Witnesses only, period, end of discussion.
Yet, when you examine the conduct, when you reflect on the various Jehovah's Witnesses' leaders actions, or should I say antics, what do they reveal? Unabashed self glorification by organizing a religion and declaring that the only way to approach Jehovah is through them.
Could it be that Jehovah's Witnesses for over 120 years have been spreading man's messages, man's desires , man's wishes, instead of God's? You only need look at the track record as respect the real trust the real confidence they have displayed in man's words. Just take a look at your theocratic library and seem the reams of books, not written by or inspired by God, but man.
Considering this bold and confident stand as regards God's personal protection and guidance for them alone, what does their personal conduct and organizational methods really indicate?
Far from dependence on Jehovah's personal action, protection and guidance, they display willfully a propensity for self promotion, some actually taking part in "theocratic warfare" which involves lying, misrepresenting, twisting, maneuvering individuals, organizations and governmental agencies to attain their goals.
The recent UN/NGO debacle a prime example. How by any means did their joining ('riding on the back') of this 'worldly, beastly, unclean, whore mongering, unclean human run entity in any way reflect unequivocal dependence and trust in Jehovah? Not one iota. Those who signed the concordat with the United Nations did at that moment in time, and for nine long years afterward, demonstrate a complete lack of trust in their god Jehovah.
For if they truly trusted in Jehovah they would have relied on him to accomplish what they joined the United Nations to accomplish.
Throughout the entire history of Jehovah's Witnesses (120yrs+) they have presumptively called attention to the exclusivity of their honored and sacred relationship with God Almighty, even claiming they are the only ones who utilize his personal name. Somehow by the very incantation of the ancient Hebrew name of god, they by self proclamation claim an absolute exclusivity to offering the only prayers even considered as worthy or acceptable to God. All other's who desire to commune with God are speaking to a deafened ear. God listens to Jehovah's Witnesses only, period, end of discussion.
Yet, when you examine the conduct, when you reflect on the various Jehovah's Witnesses' leaders actions, or should I say antics, what do they reveal? Unabashed self glorification by organizing a religion and declaring that the only way to approach Jehovah is through them.
Could it be that Jehovah's Witnesses for over 120 years have been spreading man's messages, man's desires , man's wishes, instead of God's? You only need look at the track record as respect the real trust the real confidence they have displayed in man's words. Just take a look at your theocratic library and seem the reams of books, not written by or inspired by God, but man.
Monday, September 22, 2008
The Love Bomb
One way in which cults or high control groups seduce their prey is a tactic known as Love Bombing. Remember when you first started going to the Kingdom Hall and everybody was so glad to see you? They swarmed all over you in a sort of ,"cocoonment". All of a sudden you have, INSTANT FAMILY, INSTANT PURPOSE, INSTANT COMMUNITY, INSTANT FRIENDS. Can you imagine how this must feel to those who are disinfranchised from society, or those who have suffered a loss of some kind, those who are searching for answwers, those who are depressed? You now have friends and a family. You know longer have to look for answers as to the purpose of life because the high control group leaders will dispense all your spiritual needs. You feel so lucky that you found all of these wonderful good people!
Elders who have the Pay Attention book know that this act of Love Bombing is something that is greatly stressed for new ones. Pages are dedicated to greeting new ones and how to get the congregation to join in this practice. Smiling, greetings, shaking hands, playing with their kids, inviting new ones to sit with you, making sure they have a Bible, helping them to look up scriptures. All of this is planned enducement to get the people to keep coming back, to want to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
According to the book Cults in Our Midst by Margaret Thaler Singer the practice of love bombing is a common practice in groups who seek to control others.
She states: Most cults have specific plans for drawing in each recruit. As soon as any interest is shown by the recruits, they may be love bombed by the recruiter or other cult members. This process of feigning friendship and interest in the recruit was initially associated with one of the early youth cults, but soon it was taken up by a number of groups as part of their program for luring people in. Love bombing is a coordinated effort, usually under the direction of leadership, that involves long-term members' flooding recruits and newer members with flattery, verbal seduction, affectionate but usually nonsexual, touching, and lots of attention to their every remark. Love bombing---or the offer of instant companionship--- is a deceptive ploy accounting for many successful recruitment drives.
Remember the talks right before the Memorial that we should welcome any newcomers who come. That we should make that extra effort to be welcoming. Or the midweek talks reminding us to be extra friendly and welcoming to any new ones at the Sunday meetings. Especially when we had special talks or the Circuit Overseer came to visit.
Yes many, including myself, were seduced by the Love Bomb. However, what a difference it is when you fail to tow the line. The Love Bomb train is swiftly swept away!
Elders who have the Pay Attention book know that this act of Love Bombing is something that is greatly stressed for new ones. Pages are dedicated to greeting new ones and how to get the congregation to join in this practice. Smiling, greetings, shaking hands, playing with their kids, inviting new ones to sit with you, making sure they have a Bible, helping them to look up scriptures. All of this is planned enducement to get the people to keep coming back, to want to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
According to the book Cults in Our Midst by Margaret Thaler Singer the practice of love bombing is a common practice in groups who seek to control others.
She states: Most cults have specific plans for drawing in each recruit. As soon as any interest is shown by the recruits, they may be love bombed by the recruiter or other cult members. This process of feigning friendship and interest in the recruit was initially associated with one of the early youth cults, but soon it was taken up by a number of groups as part of their program for luring people in. Love bombing is a coordinated effort, usually under the direction of leadership, that involves long-term members' flooding recruits and newer members with flattery, verbal seduction, affectionate but usually nonsexual, touching, and lots of attention to their every remark. Love bombing---or the offer of instant companionship--- is a deceptive ploy accounting for many successful recruitment drives.
Remember the talks right before the Memorial that we should welcome any newcomers who come. That we should make that extra effort to be welcoming. Or the midweek talks reminding us to be extra friendly and welcoming to any new ones at the Sunday meetings. Especially when we had special talks or the Circuit Overseer came to visit.
Yes many, including myself, were seduced by the Love Bomb. However, what a difference it is when you fail to tow the line. The Love Bomb train is swiftly swept away!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
New Light From Old Books And Dead Opposers
New Light from Old Books and Dead Opposers
by Gary Busselman
In support of their recent Biblical interpretation change concerning "this generation" (Matt. 24:34), the Governing Body (hereafter GB) of Jehovah's Witnesses submitted four documents. (Watchtower, 11/1/95, p. 12)
Those were:
1. Walter Bauer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
2. W.E. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.
3. J.H. Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
4. The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (1964), edited by Gerhard Kittle.
After reading the November 1, 1995 Watchtower, my friend, Steven A. Hickey, pastor of Harvest Covenant Church in Sioux Falls, SD (also a Biblical scholar and theologian) asked me, "How do they get 'new light' from a guy who's been dead for a hundred years?"
In my research that he inspired, I found that the GB often relies on "worldly wisdom" from old books and dead opposers, who were educated by, and members of "apostate Christendom." (Sorry folks, Watchtower language, not mine.) Here are some additional facts regarding these sources.
1. Walter Bauer (1877-1960), German lexicographer. Taught at Gottingen from 1916 to 1945. (Wycliffe Biographical Dictionary of the Church, 1982, Moody Press, Chicago.)
2. William Edwy Vine (1873-1949), vocal OPPOSER of Jehovah's Witnesses, called their teachings of conditional salvation, the denials of the Deity of Christ, and the Trinity heresies. [Vine was appealed to by the Watchtower 52 times in their encyclopedic Insight on the Scriptures alone.] Greek scholar, educator, editor, pastor and author, educated at University College of Wales; BA & MA in "Ancient Classics" from University of London, pastor at Manvers Hall Church in Bath for 40 years. Celebrated Christmas, believed in Hell and that Christ is God, that He died on a CROSS, it is proper to address Him in prayer, and that all believers partake in the Lord's Supper.
Vine denied the concept of an early Christian "organization," and a "selective" resurrection. He wrote two volumes on the "End Times" and the parousia. Vine taught that parousia should not be translated at all and that it (parousia) will start with the rapture of the Church, (when believers meet Christ in the air) and it will end with the manifestation of Christ in glory. (Publisher's Forward of Vine's Expository, 1981 ed. and W.E. Vine, His Life and Ministry, Oliphants LTD, London, 1951)
3. Joseph Henry Thayer (1828 -1901), New Testament lexicographer, born in Boston, MA, College at Harvard and seminary at Andover. Ordained a pastor in the Congregational Church in 1859. Professor of sacred literature at Andover Theological Seminary (1864-1882). Lecturer at Harvard Divinity School (1883-1901). Instrumental in founding the American School of Oriental Research in Jerusalem. (Wycliffe Biographical Dictionary of the Church, 1982, Moody Press, Chicago.)
4. Gerhard Kittle (1888-1948), German biblical scholar, born in Breslau, Germany. Instructor at Kiel (1913) and Leipzig (1917), professor of New Testament at Greifswalg (1921-1926) (ibid. p. 229)
Similarly, the Watchtower publication Insight On The Scriptures, vol. 1, p. 440 applies for credibility citing the following sources of "worldly wisdom":
1. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, James Strong (1822-1894), Methodist biblical scholar and educator. A member of the Anglo-American Bible Revision Committee. (Wycliffe Biographical Dictionary of the Church, 1982, Moody Press, Chicago, p. 385)
2. Edward Robinson's Greek and English Lexicon, Edward Robinson (1794-1863), American biblical scholar, studied at Hamilton College and learned Greek at Andover Theological Seminary. Did much research and theological writing. (Who Was Who in Church History, Moody Press, Chicago, 1962.)
What do these Watchtower sources all have in common?
a. They are all dead. (Long-time dead men don't usually write, call or show up on videos.)
b. They were all college educated (unlike most Witnesses I know). And they read Greek and Hebrew (unlike all Witnesses I know).
c. None were Jehovah's Witnesses. All were students of, and/or members of "Christendom."
d. All were writers of what the Watchtower calls "wisdom of the world."
by Gary Busselman
In support of their recent Biblical interpretation change concerning "this generation" (Matt. 24:34), the Governing Body (hereafter GB) of Jehovah's Witnesses submitted four documents. (Watchtower, 11/1/95, p. 12)
Those were:
1. Walter Bauer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
2. W.E. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.
3. J.H. Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
4. The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (1964), edited by Gerhard Kittle.
After reading the November 1, 1995 Watchtower, my friend, Steven A. Hickey, pastor of Harvest Covenant Church in Sioux Falls, SD (also a Biblical scholar and theologian) asked me, "How do they get 'new light' from a guy who's been dead for a hundred years?"
In my research that he inspired, I found that the GB often relies on "worldly wisdom" from old books and dead opposers, who were educated by, and members of "apostate Christendom." (Sorry folks, Watchtower language, not mine.) Here are some additional facts regarding these sources.
1. Walter Bauer (1877-1960), German lexicographer. Taught at Gottingen from 1916 to 1945. (Wycliffe Biographical Dictionary of the Church, 1982, Moody Press, Chicago.)
2. William Edwy Vine (1873-1949), vocal OPPOSER of Jehovah's Witnesses, called their teachings of conditional salvation, the denials of the Deity of Christ, and the Trinity heresies. [Vine was appealed to by the Watchtower 52 times in their encyclopedic Insight on the Scriptures alone.] Greek scholar, educator, editor, pastor and author, educated at University College of Wales; BA & MA in "Ancient Classics" from University of London, pastor at Manvers Hall Church in Bath for 40 years. Celebrated Christmas, believed in Hell and that Christ is God, that He died on a CROSS, it is proper to address Him in prayer, and that all believers partake in the Lord's Supper.
Vine denied the concept of an early Christian "organization," and a "selective" resurrection. He wrote two volumes on the "End Times" and the parousia. Vine taught that parousia should not be translated at all and that it (parousia) will start with the rapture of the Church, (when believers meet Christ in the air) and it will end with the manifestation of Christ in glory. (Publisher's Forward of Vine's Expository, 1981 ed. and W.E. Vine, His Life and Ministry, Oliphants LTD, London, 1951)
3. Joseph Henry Thayer (1828 -1901), New Testament lexicographer, born in Boston, MA, College at Harvard and seminary at Andover. Ordained a pastor in the Congregational Church in 1859. Professor of sacred literature at Andover Theological Seminary (1864-1882). Lecturer at Harvard Divinity School (1883-1901). Instrumental in founding the American School of Oriental Research in Jerusalem. (Wycliffe Biographical Dictionary of the Church, 1982, Moody Press, Chicago.)
4. Gerhard Kittle (1888-1948), German biblical scholar, born in Breslau, Germany. Instructor at Kiel (1913) and Leipzig (1917), professor of New Testament at Greifswalg (1921-1926) (ibid. p. 229)
Similarly, the Watchtower publication Insight On The Scriptures, vol. 1, p. 440 applies for credibility citing the following sources of "worldly wisdom":
1. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, James Strong (1822-1894), Methodist biblical scholar and educator. A member of the Anglo-American Bible Revision Committee. (Wycliffe Biographical Dictionary of the Church, 1982, Moody Press, Chicago, p. 385)
2. Edward Robinson's Greek and English Lexicon, Edward Robinson (1794-1863), American biblical scholar, studied at Hamilton College and learned Greek at Andover Theological Seminary. Did much research and theological writing. (Who Was Who in Church History, Moody Press, Chicago, 1962.)
What do these Watchtower sources all have in common?
a. They are all dead. (Long-time dead men don't usually write, call or show up on videos.)
b. They were all college educated (unlike most Witnesses I know). And they read Greek and Hebrew (unlike all Witnesses I know).
c. None were Jehovah's Witnesses. All were students of, and/or members of "Christendom."
d. All were writers of what the Watchtower calls "wisdom of the world."
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Jehovah's Witness Growth Chart
Please click on chart to enlarge it.
Since 1995, statistics for the Watchtower Society have rapidly become less encouraging in almost every indicator. Most dramatic have been the increase in people leaving and the number of hours required to convert an extra publisher. It would appear a dramatic change in growth of Jehovah's Witnesses relates to the change of the generation teaching, and access to information via the Internet. American studies show that Jehovah's Witnesses now have the highest turnover of any religion, as supported by Watchtower figures presented in this section. In the 10 years from 1996 to 2005 there were 2,968,732 baptisms, yet the increase in average publishers was only 1,439,672. This shows 1,529,060 stopped publishing. Even accounting for the average death rate, over 1 million Witnesses left in a 10 year period. There are limitations to how much can be read into each individual statistic. For instance “Hours preaching per baptism” is limited in that it can not be determined how many baptisms were newly interested people from the territory, and how many were children raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Furthermore, a person that becomes a publisher does not necessarily go on to be baptised. What is readily apparent is that the trends show a significant drop in growth, and an even more significant increase in the percentages leaving. (To see all figures used in these graphs.)
Percentage increase of average publishers.
The most important statistics are percentage growth rates; these show a significant drop over the last ten years. In the 5 years prior to 1975 the number of publishers was increasing at an average of 15% per year. During the 1980’s and early 1990’s growth continued at over 5% per year. This has fallen to between 1 - 2%, hardly more than the world’s population growth of 1.2%. A large number of new publishers are teenagers that were raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses. This indicates that over 1 billion hours of preaching a year only brings enough new people to the Watchtower Society to replace the children that leave.
Since 1995, statistics for the Watchtower Society have rapidly become less encouraging in almost every indicator. Most dramatic have been the increase in people leaving and the number of hours required to convert an extra publisher. It would appear a dramatic change in growth of Jehovah's Witnesses relates to the change of the generation teaching, and access to information via the Internet. American studies show that Jehovah's Witnesses now have the highest turnover of any religion, as supported by Watchtower figures presented in this section. In the 10 years from 1996 to 2005 there were 2,968,732 baptisms, yet the increase in average publishers was only 1,439,672. This shows 1,529,060 stopped publishing. Even accounting for the average death rate, over 1 million Witnesses left in a 10 year period. There are limitations to how much can be read into each individual statistic. For instance “Hours preaching per baptism” is limited in that it can not be determined how many baptisms were newly interested people from the territory, and how many were children raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Furthermore, a person that becomes a publisher does not necessarily go on to be baptised. What is readily apparent is that the trends show a significant drop in growth, and an even more significant increase in the percentages leaving. (To see all figures used in these graphs.)
Percentage increase of average publishers.
The most important statistics are percentage growth rates; these show a significant drop over the last ten years. In the 5 years prior to 1975 the number of publishers was increasing at an average of 15% per year. During the 1980’s and early 1990’s growth continued at over 5% per year. This has fallen to between 1 - 2%, hardly more than the world’s population growth of 1.2%. A large number of new publishers are teenagers that were raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses. This indicates that over 1 billion hours of preaching a year only brings enough new people to the Watchtower Society to replace the children that leave.
Statistics for the 2008 Service Year have not yet been published, but when they are in February 2009, you will see a definite downswing in the number of field service hours as well as the growth rate.
Many witnesses are waking up to the bogus teachings of the Watchtower Society. Of course, there are also many witnesses who will stay with the Society no matter what they do. These people will forever be chasing after the carrot of everlasting life that they hold out. These sad people truly believe that they are pleasing Jehovah.
There are people in my own family that have spent their whole life waiting for the end to come so that they can live in a paradise earth. Now some of their children and their children's children are joining in that wait. They refuse to recognize that the Watchtower is nothing more than a corporation, a made man, human run business. I feel so sorry for them.
09-21-08 Watchtower Study "God Who Makes It Grow"
Field service hours are down. It seems that witnesses just are not finding "joy" in walking around for hours in the heat, the cold and the rain and not finding anyone at home. Is it any wonder why many witnesses in field service spend so much of their time in donut shops?
While there are some parts of the world that are still fertile ground for the witnesses, increasingly people just do not want to be bothered with a message to join another religion. This is especially true in developed nations.
While the Watchtower says that witnesses are preaching an urgent, life saving message, is that really true? If it were so urgent, wouldn't they buy television time to reach the largest number of people? What about radio air time? Or perhaps an ad in all the newspapers around the world? They can well affford to do this. But they don't. Instead they choose the least effective of all means available to advertise their urgent, life saving message. The door to door ministry done by unpaid volunteers who are duped into believing they are doing the Lord's work.
Since the Watchtower cannot motivate it's members by pointing to a date in which the end will come, they have to find other ways to get their recruitment needs met. Sunday's Watchtower study is one of five that was written specifically to get the witnesses off their duff's and out in field service.
Notice this little gem from paragraph 9 of the study article.
Q 9. What comforting truth did the apostle Paul and Jesus both emphasize?
9. Faithfulness on the part of the sower is not measured by the results of his work. Paul alluded to that when he said: "Each person will receive his own reward according to his own labor." (1 Cor. 3:) The reward is according to the labor, not according to the results of that labor. Jesus likewise emphasized this point when his disciples returned from a preaching tour. They were overjoyed because the demons were made subject to them by the use of Jesus' name. As exciting as that may have been, Jesus said to them: "Do not rejoice over this, that the spirits are made subject to you, but rejoice because your names have been inscribed in the heavens." (Luke 10:17-20) Even where a sower may not see a lot of increase as a result of his work, he has not necessarily been less diligent or faithful than others. To a large extent, results depend on the heart condition of the hearer. But ultimately, it is God who makes it grow!
Notice that the Watchtower says that individual results are not important. So if you spend two hours in service and speak to no one and no one answered the door that is okay. You did not waste your time. You were "sowing Seeds". So there is really no need for you to prepare well to go in field service, because good or bad results are not proof of God's blessing and or proof that you are not doing a good job.
The message is just to get out in field service and engage in our "trademark" of door to door recruitment. You may get lucky and you may find someone that wants to join our organization. The Watchtower has heavy expenses and they need all the members that they can get!
While there are some parts of the world that are still fertile ground for the witnesses, increasingly people just do not want to be bothered with a message to join another religion. This is especially true in developed nations.
While the Watchtower says that witnesses are preaching an urgent, life saving message, is that really true? If it were so urgent, wouldn't they buy television time to reach the largest number of people? What about radio air time? Or perhaps an ad in all the newspapers around the world? They can well affford to do this. But they don't. Instead they choose the least effective of all means available to advertise their urgent, life saving message. The door to door ministry done by unpaid volunteers who are duped into believing they are doing the Lord's work.
Since the Watchtower cannot motivate it's members by pointing to a date in which the end will come, they have to find other ways to get their recruitment needs met. Sunday's Watchtower study is one of five that was written specifically to get the witnesses off their duff's and out in field service.
Notice this little gem from paragraph 9 of the study article.
Q 9. What comforting truth did the apostle Paul and Jesus both emphasize?
9. Faithfulness on the part of the sower is not measured by the results of his work. Paul alluded to that when he said: "Each person will receive his own reward according to his own labor." (1 Cor. 3:) The reward is according to the labor, not according to the results of that labor. Jesus likewise emphasized this point when his disciples returned from a preaching tour. They were overjoyed because the demons were made subject to them by the use of Jesus' name. As exciting as that may have been, Jesus said to them: "Do not rejoice over this, that the spirits are made subject to you, but rejoice because your names have been inscribed in the heavens." (Luke 10:17-20) Even where a sower may not see a lot of increase as a result of his work, he has not necessarily been less diligent or faithful than others. To a large extent, results depend on the heart condition of the hearer. But ultimately, it is God who makes it grow!
Notice that the Watchtower says that individual results are not important. So if you spend two hours in service and speak to no one and no one answered the door that is okay. You did not waste your time. You were "sowing Seeds". So there is really no need for you to prepare well to go in field service, because good or bad results are not proof of God's blessing and or proof that you are not doing a good job.
The message is just to get out in field service and engage in our "trademark" of door to door recruitment. You may get lucky and you may find someone that wants to join our organization. The Watchtower has heavy expenses and they need all the members that they can get!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
2008/2009 Special Assembly Day Program
“Keep Watching The Ministry…………that You Fulfill It” Col. 4:17
Program 2008 - 2009
Morning Session
9:40 Music
9:50 Song No. 148 and Prayer
10:00 Keep Your Ministry to the Fore
10:15 Overcoming Challenges to Our Ministry
10:40 Cultivate What You Have Planted
10:55 Song No. 43 and Announcements
11:05 How We Recommend Ourselves as
Ministers
11:35 Dedication and Baptism
12:05 Song No. 202
Afternoon Session
1:20 Music
1:30 Song No. 48
1:35 Experiences
1:45 Watchtower Summary
2:15 Young and Old Enjoy the Ministry
2:30 Youths Who Fulfill the Ministry
2:45 Song No. 47 and Announcements
2:55 Highly Esteem Your Ministry
3:55 Song No. 181 and Prayer
Does this program help the youth? Does it help single parents? Does it help families? Does it address economic hardship? Does it offer advice in getting a job? NO! The whole emphasis of this program is field service and how witnesses should be doing more of it. Everything is about recruiting new members for the Watchtower. Nothing else is deemed important. Not your children, not your job, not your health. All of this is secondary to getting out in field service and rounding up some new members for the Watchtower.
Program 2008 - 2009
Morning Session
9:40 Music
9:50 Song No. 148 and Prayer
10:00 Keep Your Ministry to the Fore
10:15 Overcoming Challenges to Our Ministry
10:40 Cultivate What You Have Planted
10:55 Song No. 43 and Announcements
11:05 How We Recommend Ourselves as
Ministers
11:35 Dedication and Baptism
12:05 Song No. 202
Afternoon Session
1:20 Music
1:30 Song No. 48
1:35 Experiences
1:45 Watchtower Summary
2:15 Young and Old Enjoy the Ministry
2:30 Youths Who Fulfill the Ministry
2:45 Song No. 47 and Announcements
2:55 Highly Esteem Your Ministry
3:55 Song No. 181 and Prayer
Does this program help the youth? Does it help single parents? Does it help families? Does it address economic hardship? Does it offer advice in getting a job? NO! The whole emphasis of this program is field service and how witnesses should be doing more of it. Everything is about recruiting new members for the Watchtower. Nothing else is deemed important. Not your children, not your job, not your health. All of this is secondary to getting out in field service and rounding up some new members for the Watchtower.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
2008 – 2009 “Keep Conquering the Evil With the Good” Circuit Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses
SATURDAY
Morning
9:40 Music
9:50 Song No. 3 and Prayer
10:00 Fortified to Conquer the Evil With the Good
10:15 Theocratic Ministry School
11:00 Song No. 123 and Announcements
11:10 Can you “Be at this Ministry” — By Pioneering?
11:35 Dedication and Baptism
12:05 Song No. 13
Afternoon
1:20 Music
1:30 Song No. 98
1:35 Experiences
1:45 Symposium: “Stand Firm Against the Devil’s Crafty Acts”
* Have You Identified Satan’s Crafty Acts?
* In the Field of Technology
* In the Field of Entertainment and Recreation
* In the Field of Education
2:45 Song No. 19 and Announcements
2:55 Now Is the Season to Stay Awake!
3:25 Beware of Overconfidence!
3:55 Song No. 10 and Prayer
SUNDAY
Morning
9:40 Music
9:50 Song No. 92 and Prayer
10:00 Daily Text Reminders Help Us Conquer Evil
10:10 Symposium: Acquire Power to Resist in This Wicked Day
* How We Acquire Such Power
* Acquire Power as Individuals
* Acquire Power as Families
* Acquire Power in the Congregation
11:00 Song No. 152 and Announcements
11:10 Watchtower Summary
11:40 Giving Attention to the Needs of the Circuit
12:05 Song No. 129
Afternoon
1:20 Music
1:30 Song No. 187 and Prayer
1:45 Public Address: All Evil Soon to End!
2:10 Song No. 209 and Announcements
2:20 Do Not Show Yourself Discouraged in the Day of Distress
2:55 Strengthening Our Faith to Conquer the World
3:30 Song No. 34 and Prayer
Morning
9:40 Music
9:50 Song No. 3 and Prayer
10:00 Fortified to Conquer the Evil With the Good
10:15 Theocratic Ministry School
11:00 Song No. 123 and Announcements
11:10 Can you “Be at this Ministry” — By Pioneering?
11:35 Dedication and Baptism
12:05 Song No. 13
Afternoon
1:20 Music
1:30 Song No. 98
1:35 Experiences
1:45 Symposium: “Stand Firm Against the Devil’s Crafty Acts”
* Have You Identified Satan’s Crafty Acts?
* In the Field of Technology
* In the Field of Entertainment and Recreation
* In the Field of Education
2:45 Song No. 19 and Announcements
2:55 Now Is the Season to Stay Awake!
3:25 Beware of Overconfidence!
3:55 Song No. 10 and Prayer
SUNDAY
Morning
9:40 Music
9:50 Song No. 92 and Prayer
10:00 Daily Text Reminders Help Us Conquer Evil
10:10 Symposium: Acquire Power to Resist in This Wicked Day
* How We Acquire Such Power
* Acquire Power as Individuals
* Acquire Power as Families
* Acquire Power in the Congregation
11:00 Song No. 152 and Announcements
11:10 Watchtower Summary
11:40 Giving Attention to the Needs of the Circuit
12:05 Song No. 129
Afternoon
1:20 Music
1:30 Song No. 187 and Prayer
1:45 Public Address: All Evil Soon to End!
2:10 Song No. 209 and Announcements
2:20 Do Not Show Yourself Discouraged in the Day of Distress
2:55 Strengthening Our Faith to Conquer the World
3:30 Song No. 34 and Prayer
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Coordinator Of The Body of Elders
Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses
TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS
Re: Coordinator of the body of elders
Dear Brothers:
Jehovah is the Supreme Overseer, and he has appointed Jesus Christ as head over the congregation. (Eph. 1:22; 1 Pet. 2:25) Congregation elders serve as shepherds, cooperating together with Jesus Christ and the faithful and discreet slave class for the advancement of Kingdom interests and for the good of the entire congregation.--Matt. 24:45; Eph. 4:15, 16.
One of the many positions of responsibility in the body of elders is that of presiding overseer. Effective January 1, 2009, the term "presiding overseer" will no longer be used, since that expression may convey the thought that one overseer holds more authority than the rest do. Scripturally, individual elders are to cooperate closely with the body of elders, with each member holding equal authority. Hence, no elder is above the others in the body, and none of them should try to dominate the others.--Matt. 23:10; od p. 37 par. 1.
In view of this, the designation "presiding overseer" is being changed to "coordinator of the body of elders." This term more correctly describes his role as one who helps the body of elders to work together harmoniously. He is not the coordinator of the congregation but rather the coordinator of the body of elders. In recognition of Christ's headship, he humbly works along with the other elders in caring for the flock of God.--Rom. 12:10; 1 Pet. 5:2,3.
We are confident that this adjustment will help all to more fully understand how the body of elders functions. Please accept a sincere expression of our appreciation for your tireless work in behalf of Kingdom interests.
Your brothers,
Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses
cc: Traveling overseers
PS to presiding overseer:
Please promptly arrange for this letter to be read to the body of elders. All the cited scriptures and the cited paragraph in the Organized book should be included in the reading. Thereafter, the secretary should place the letter in the congregaition's permanent file of policy letters. An announcement regarding this change will appear in Our Kingdom Ministry.
TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS
Re: Coordinator of the body of elders
Dear Brothers:
Jehovah is the Supreme Overseer, and he has appointed Jesus Christ as head over the congregation. (Eph. 1:22; 1 Pet. 2:25) Congregation elders serve as shepherds, cooperating together with Jesus Christ and the faithful and discreet slave class for the advancement of Kingdom interests and for the good of the entire congregation.--Matt. 24:45; Eph. 4:15, 16.
One of the many positions of responsibility in the body of elders is that of presiding overseer. Effective January 1, 2009, the term "presiding overseer" will no longer be used, since that expression may convey the thought that one overseer holds more authority than the rest do. Scripturally, individual elders are to cooperate closely with the body of elders, with each member holding equal authority. Hence, no elder is above the others in the body, and none of them should try to dominate the others.--Matt. 23:10; od p. 37 par. 1.
In view of this, the designation "presiding overseer" is being changed to "coordinator of the body of elders." This term more correctly describes his role as one who helps the body of elders to work together harmoniously. He is not the coordinator of the congregation but rather the coordinator of the body of elders. In recognition of Christ's headship, he humbly works along with the other elders in caring for the flock of God.--Rom. 12:10; 1 Pet. 5:2,3.
We are confident that this adjustment will help all to more fully understand how the body of elders functions. Please accept a sincere expression of our appreciation for your tireless work in behalf of Kingdom interests.
Your brothers,
Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses
cc: Traveling overseers
PS to presiding overseer:
Please promptly arrange for this letter to be read to the body of elders. All the cited scriptures and the cited paragraph in the Organized book should be included in the reading. Thereafter, the secretary should place the letter in the congregaition's permanent file of policy letters. An announcement regarding this change will appear in Our Kingdom Ministry.
A Former Member Testifies to the Dangers and Dysfunctions of the Jehovah's Witnesses
Is it rational to "train" babies and toddler to sit quietly for up to two hours at a time, five times a week, at congregation meetings? These children cannot color, they cannot read a book, they cannot bring a doll or a small toy to the meeting. They have to sit still, pay attention and listen. The entire concept is ridiculous and inhumane.
If the child become fidgety or starts crying he/she is dragged into the spanking room. Many spankings that I saw had nothing to do with discipline but had to do with parents indulging themselves in the act of releasing their anger due to their embarrassment that their child failed to live up to expectations. Brother and sisters are under enormous pressure to demonstrate that they "train" their children because you are judged by how your children behave.
Of course, some people have children with temperaments that can be easily "trained" to sit still for an extended period of time. However, this is definitely not the norm.
I have noticed that most other Christian churches have day care provisions available at services and events so that parents can benefit from the worship while small children are cared for by volunteers. Often, there are separate programs designed for the small children so that they get some benefits as well. The Watchtower organization has arrogantly and stubbornly resisted any kind of arrangements like this. No wonder so many parents are stressed out.
I believe that many parents thus subconsciously feel pushed, coerced, and pressured to dutifully perform the organization's outlined treadmill of works, while being told from the platform that they need to do more. All of this pent-up frustration tends to outwardly manifest itself in one way or another.
Here is an experience of one former Witness:
ENUMCLAW, Washington, September 16 /Christian Newswire/ -- According to the Jehovah's Witness membership statistics, active Watchtower congregants numbers around 7,000,000. Every year, close to 300,000 new members are baptized into the faith, and over 101,000 organized congregations operate under the direction of a central governing administration located in New York.
Raised in one such congregation, author William Coburn remembers his childhood years and the impact the Jehovah's Witness made on his life.
"When our church building, Kingdom Hall, was renovated, a 'Spanking Room' was added as an extra convenience for mothers. My mother kicked me, punched me, threw a vacuum cleaner at me and even knocked me out on more than one occasion."
"The Spanking Room – A Child's Eye View of the Jehovah's Witnesses" explores the inner-workings of the Kingdom Hall and chronicles a first-hand account of the physical, mental and emotional abuse among Jehovah's Witnesses. It explores how Watchtower doctrine encourages violence against its most helpless members—the children.
A former Jehovah's Witness, Coburn spent over thirteen years of his childhood and adolescence observing the consistency of dysfunction and abuse taught by the Watchtower Society.
Today, Coburn works as executive recruiter with a list of clients that includes the Pentagon. He is an accomplished public speaker and has given seminars, classes, and workshops on subjects ranging from drug awareness counseling to close-combat survival at West Point Military Academy. A Christian, husband, and father, Coburn credits his happiness and survival to God's mercy and grace.
"I'm successful. I'm happy. I have love and faith and hope in my life . . . I turned out fine. But I did not turn out this way "because" of the Watchtower Society; I turned out this way in spite of it."
If the child become fidgety or starts crying he/she is dragged into the spanking room. Many spankings that I saw had nothing to do with discipline but had to do with parents indulging themselves in the act of releasing their anger due to their embarrassment that their child failed to live up to expectations. Brother and sisters are under enormous pressure to demonstrate that they "train" their children because you are judged by how your children behave.
Of course, some people have children with temperaments that can be easily "trained" to sit still for an extended period of time. However, this is definitely not the norm.
I have noticed that most other Christian churches have day care provisions available at services and events so that parents can benefit from the worship while small children are cared for by volunteers. Often, there are separate programs designed for the small children so that they get some benefits as well. The Watchtower organization has arrogantly and stubbornly resisted any kind of arrangements like this. No wonder so many parents are stressed out.
I believe that many parents thus subconsciously feel pushed, coerced, and pressured to dutifully perform the organization's outlined treadmill of works, while being told from the platform that they need to do more. All of this pent-up frustration tends to outwardly manifest itself in one way or another.
Here is an experience of one former Witness:
ENUMCLAW, Washington, September 16 /Christian Newswire/ -- According to the Jehovah's Witness membership statistics, active Watchtower congregants numbers around 7,000,000. Every year, close to 300,000 new members are baptized into the faith, and over 101,000 organized congregations operate under the direction of a central governing administration located in New York.
Raised in one such congregation, author William Coburn remembers his childhood years and the impact the Jehovah's Witness made on his life.
"When our church building, Kingdom Hall, was renovated, a 'Spanking Room' was added as an extra convenience for mothers. My mother kicked me, punched me, threw a vacuum cleaner at me and even knocked me out on more than one occasion."
"The Spanking Room – A Child's Eye View of the Jehovah's Witnesses" explores the inner-workings of the Kingdom Hall and chronicles a first-hand account of the physical, mental and emotional abuse among Jehovah's Witnesses. It explores how Watchtower doctrine encourages violence against its most helpless members—the children.
A former Jehovah's Witness, Coburn spent over thirteen years of his childhood and adolescence observing the consistency of dysfunction and abuse taught by the Watchtower Society.
Today, Coburn works as executive recruiter with a list of clients that includes the Pentagon. He is an accomplished public speaker and has given seminars, classes, and workshops on subjects ranging from drug awareness counseling to close-combat survival at West Point Military Academy. A Christian, husband, and father, Coburn credits his happiness and survival to God's mercy and grace.
"I'm successful. I'm happy. I have love and faith and hope in my life . . . I turned out fine. But I did not turn out this way "because" of the Watchtower Society; I turned out this way in spite of it."
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Abraham To Speak To The World Via Radio
In The Golden Age, Oct. 6, 1926, Rutherford predicted that Abraham would soon speak to the world via radio. He might have been drinking when he wrote it, but you decide.
"The day, therefore, is not far distant when Abraham will stand on Mount Zion and, by means of the radio or even some improved instrument, speak with authority; and his words will be heard by the peoples in every part of the earth. And as he speaks the message from the great Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords, all the people who hear and obey shall live and rejoice in the blessings that they have. Seeing, then, that we are at the very beginning of this wonderful time, with confidence it can be said: "Millions now living will never die."
"The day, therefore, is not far distant when Abraham will stand on Mount Zion and, by means of the radio or even some improved instrument, speak with authority; and his words will be heard by the peoples in every part of the earth. And as he speaks the message from the great Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords, all the people who hear and obey shall live and rejoice in the blessings that they have. Seeing, then, that we are at the very beginning of this wonderful time, with confidence it can be said: "Millions now living will never die."
Is The Watchtower Truly Politically Neutral?
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has lobbyists in Washington.
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society joined the United Nations as an NGO.
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is heavilly linked to The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. (Click on the link provided below and scroll down to numbers 102, 103, 248, and 314 in the blue boxes to the left of the organization's name. http://www.osce.org/documents/odihr/2006) (A list that describes the position of the osce.org: http://www.osce.org/odihr/13421.html)
Germany: Jehovah's Witnesses claim (falsely) that thet were the only "religion" that opposed the Nazi political party. How can I oppose a political party and still be indifferent?
Greece: Jehovah's Witnesses lobbied every politician in Greece and gave them all a copy of the "Proclaimer's" book. How do I lobby a politician with indifference?
United States: Jehovah's Witnesses hold the record among "religious" groups for political involvement with the United States government at the Supreme Court level with the goal of influencing the application of law. Is influencing the application of law "dealing with the affairs of government" or not?
United States: The Watch Tower Society owners were found guilty of political crimes and the president and all the directors were sent to Federal prison. May political crimes be considered political activity?Jehovah's Witnesses are a political organization called "The Theocracy". Rutherford was an attorney and a politician and immediately after he stole the company, he consistently used the Watch Tower venue as a political resistance movement involved in every political issue from Prohibition to national defense. (Just a funny side note: Judge ("Booze") Rutherford used to preach that prohibition was from Satan The Devil!)
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society staged a protest in March in France because of France's decision to tax their assets. (It didn't work. France is still taxing their assets.)
It makes one wonder why they are always advocating that witnesses should "wait on Jehovah" to solve problems and makes things right, when the above demonstrates that they themselves do not believe in "waiting on Jehovah". Hypocrites!
Before anyone says that the Watchtower used the courts to advance freedoms for all peoples, while it is true that they did not wait on Jehovah to correct things, scores of other people and organizations also used the Courts to advance freedoms for all people. Among them were:
Larry Flint, Hustler Magazine
Hugh Hefner, Playboy Magazine
Luther Campbell, Rapper
Howard Stern, Talk Show Host
Imus, Talk Show Host
and many, many others
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society joined the United Nations as an NGO.
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is heavilly linked to The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. (Click on the link provided below and scroll down to numbers 102, 103, 248, and 314 in the blue boxes to the left of the organization's name. http://www.osce.org/documents/odihr/2006) (A list that describes the position of the osce.org: http://www.osce.org/odihr/13421.html)
Germany: Jehovah's Witnesses claim (falsely) that thet were the only "religion" that opposed the Nazi political party. How can I oppose a political party and still be indifferent?
Greece: Jehovah's Witnesses lobbied every politician in Greece and gave them all a copy of the "Proclaimer's" book. How do I lobby a politician with indifference?
United States: Jehovah's Witnesses hold the record among "religious" groups for political involvement with the United States government at the Supreme Court level with the goal of influencing the application of law. Is influencing the application of law "dealing with the affairs of government" or not?
United States: The Watch Tower Society owners were found guilty of political crimes and the president and all the directors were sent to Federal prison. May political crimes be considered political activity?Jehovah's Witnesses are a political organization called "The Theocracy". Rutherford was an attorney and a politician and immediately after he stole the company, he consistently used the Watch Tower venue as a political resistance movement involved in every political issue from Prohibition to national defense. (Just a funny side note: Judge ("Booze") Rutherford used to preach that prohibition was from Satan The Devil!)
The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society staged a protest in March in France because of France's decision to tax their assets. (It didn't work. France is still taxing their assets.)
It makes one wonder why they are always advocating that witnesses should "wait on Jehovah" to solve problems and makes things right, when the above demonstrates that they themselves do not believe in "waiting on Jehovah". Hypocrites!
Before anyone says that the Watchtower used the courts to advance freedoms for all peoples, while it is true that they did not wait on Jehovah to correct things, scores of other people and organizations also used the Courts to advance freedoms for all people. Among them were:
Larry Flint, Hustler Magazine
Hugh Hefner, Playboy Magazine
Luther Campbell, Rapper
Howard Stern, Talk Show Host
Imus, Talk Show Host
and many, many others
Saturday, September 13, 2008
November 1, 2008 Watchtower, Who Will Be Saved At Armegeddon
The November 1 Watchtower has an article entitled "Do Jehovah's Witnesses Believe That They Are The Only Ones Who Will Be Saved?"
The article goes on to say that Jehovah's Witnesses believe that ultimately God Will judge hearts, not them. They say it but do they truly believe it? Of course not! No matter what they say they believe that only Jehovah's Witnesses will be saved. And they wonder why people think that they are religious nuts!
The article gives an illustration of a lost hiker who desperately wants to be saved. Whether or not be will be saved depends on his response to help and says that the hiker may be to proud to accept help. Are they crazy? A hiker is lost and is desperate to be saved. Of course he is going to accept any help that comes his way. Where do they come up with these ridiculous illustrations? Who writes this crap?
One requirement of salvation is to make the father's name known just as Jesus did. No where in the Bible does Jesus use the name Jehovah. Not once, not at any time. Even when Jesus was praying in the Garden before his execution, he did not use that name.
This article is perfectly crafted, in true cult form. It is designed to fool outsiders into thinking they believe they're not the only ones to be saved, while reinforcing the "you need us and only us" message to the flock.
Sorry, but this obviously deceptive article got me all fired up!
Friday, September 12, 2008
Evidence of Watchtower's Double Standard
Times Herald-Record
pbrooks@th-record.com
Town of Shawangunk — Watchtower Farms wants to add millions of dollars worth of living, parking and support space to its massive complex on Red Mills Road.
The Jehovah's Witness organization has filed preliminary paperwork with the town of Shawangunk Planning Board. The town wants to be the lead agency on the environmental review of the proposal. The county Planning Board is review that designation at its meeting next week.
Watchtower Farms wants to add 300 living units, a 400-space parking garage and a three-story building for recreation and equipment. It also wants to add to the existing dining room, laundry and dry cleaning facilities, according to the documents.
The expansion, if approved, will not take any of the land out of current agricultural use or take land off the existing tax roll, according to Troy Snyder. He is part of the management team at the farm. This expansion would not impact the school district.
"Some of the residence housing was built in the 60's and 70's, much of it in dormitory style. We are trying to upgrade the living quarters. It's a quality of life issue," he said. The parking and support services go along with that work.
The work would begin next year or perhaps even later. "We haven't gotten to that stage at this point," he said. Snyder did not have an cost estimate yet.
The farm is exempt from property taxes, according to town officials. If the property was taxed, the bill would be about $2 million.
On the other hand, "You can't get better neighbors," said Shawangunk Assessor Curt Schoeberl. Watchtower has helped the town build a park and rail trail. When winds downed trees all over town, Watchtower sprung into action with its equipment and people to help, Schoeberl said.
Such religious and other groups are under heightened scrutiny from town officials. A recent court ruling allows governments to reject the property tax exemptions in some cases. Assessors will be taking another look at some organizations as a result, Schoeberl said.
This is a perfect example of them having a double standard: one for them, one for the rank and file. Jehovah's Witnesses have for decades, been told not to do every day normal things, such as getting a decent education, buying a home, having children or saving for retirement. This was all said because 'The End' was right around the corner and to make any kind of long term plans was viewed as being 'spiritually weak' or 'lacking in faith', no matter how much you might believe this was 'the Truth'. Yet at the same time they're telling others not to make long term plans in this 'System of Things', they're doing exactly that. If they truly believed that the Great Tribulation was imminent, they most certainly would not be making plans like this, plain and simple, regardless of how practical a move it is.
pbrooks@th-record.com
Town of Shawangunk — Watchtower Farms wants to add millions of dollars worth of living, parking and support space to its massive complex on Red Mills Road.
The Jehovah's Witness organization has filed preliminary paperwork with the town of Shawangunk Planning Board. The town wants to be the lead agency on the environmental review of the proposal. The county Planning Board is review that designation at its meeting next week.
Watchtower Farms wants to add 300 living units, a 400-space parking garage and a three-story building for recreation and equipment. It also wants to add to the existing dining room, laundry and dry cleaning facilities, according to the documents.
The expansion, if approved, will not take any of the land out of current agricultural use or take land off the existing tax roll, according to Troy Snyder. He is part of the management team at the farm. This expansion would not impact the school district.
"Some of the residence housing was built in the 60's and 70's, much of it in dormitory style. We are trying to upgrade the living quarters. It's a quality of life issue," he said. The parking and support services go along with that work.
The work would begin next year or perhaps even later. "We haven't gotten to that stage at this point," he said. Snyder did not have an cost estimate yet.
The farm is exempt from property taxes, according to town officials. If the property was taxed, the bill would be about $2 million.
On the other hand, "You can't get better neighbors," said Shawangunk Assessor Curt Schoeberl. Watchtower has helped the town build a park and rail trail. When winds downed trees all over town, Watchtower sprung into action with its equipment and people to help, Schoeberl said.
Such religious and other groups are under heightened scrutiny from town officials. A recent court ruling allows governments to reject the property tax exemptions in some cases. Assessors will be taking another look at some organizations as a result, Schoeberl said.
This is a perfect example of them having a double standard: one for them, one for the rank and file. Jehovah's Witnesses have for decades, been told not to do every day normal things, such as getting a decent education, buying a home, having children or saving for retirement. This was all said because 'The End' was right around the corner and to make any kind of long term plans was viewed as being 'spiritually weak' or 'lacking in faith', no matter how much you might believe this was 'the Truth'. Yet at the same time they're telling others not to make long term plans in this 'System of Things', they're doing exactly that. If they truly believed that the Great Tribulation was imminent, they most certainly would not be making plans like this, plain and simple, regardless of how practical a move it is.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
September 1st Watchtower Regarding Higher Education
On Page 10 of the magazine:
What will be the "End Afterward"?
Young people are often exposed to temptations and pressures to experiment with things that seem popular. Here are some likely scenarios.
Someone dares you to smoke a cigerette.
A well-intentioned teacher urges you to pursue higher education at a university.
You are invited to a party where alcohol and possibly drugs will be freely available.
"Why don't you post your profile on the Internet?" someone suggests.
A friend invites you to watch a movie that features violence or immorality.
If you are ever confronted with any of such situations, what will you do? Will you simply give in, or will you carefully consider what the "end afterward" could be? You would be wise to ask yourself: "Can a man rake together fire into his bosom and yet his very garments not be burned? Or can a man walk upon the coals and his feet themselves not be scorched?" - Prov 6:27,28
Can you believe that they equate smoking, drugs and violence with a university education? How many young intelligent young people will be coerced into making a lifetime decision based on "wisdom" like this from the Governing Body.
When the Watchtower was still using dates they made this prediction in the May 22, 1969 Watchtower.
If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfilment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. Of the generation that observed the beginning of the "last days" in 1914, Jesus foretold: This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur" - Math.24:34. Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfil any career that this system offers. If you are in high school and thinking about college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system be by that time? It will be well on the way toward it's finish, if not actually gone!
(Oh, yeah. They really know what they're talking about!)
What will be the "End Afterward"?
Young people are often exposed to temptations and pressures to experiment with things that seem popular. Here are some likely scenarios.
Someone dares you to smoke a cigerette.
A well-intentioned teacher urges you to pursue higher education at a university.
You are invited to a party where alcohol and possibly drugs will be freely available.
"Why don't you post your profile on the Internet?" someone suggests.
A friend invites you to watch a movie that features violence or immorality.
If you are ever confronted with any of such situations, what will you do? Will you simply give in, or will you carefully consider what the "end afterward" could be? You would be wise to ask yourself: "Can a man rake together fire into his bosom and yet his very garments not be burned? Or can a man walk upon the coals and his feet themselves not be scorched?" - Prov 6:27,28
Can you believe that they equate smoking, drugs and violence with a university education? How many young intelligent young people will be coerced into making a lifetime decision based on "wisdom" like this from the Governing Body.
When the Watchtower was still using dates they made this prediction in the May 22, 1969 Watchtower.
If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfilment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. Of the generation that observed the beginning of the "last days" in 1914, Jesus foretold: This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur" - Math.24:34. Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfil any career that this system offers. If you are in high school and thinking about college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system be by that time? It will be well on the way toward it's finish, if not actually gone!
(Oh, yeah. They really know what they're talking about!)
Does The Governing Body Communicate With The Dead?
The Revelation book commenting on Rev.7:13-14. States: “Yes, that elder could locate the answer and give it to John, this suggests that the resurrected ones of the 24 elders group maybe involved in the communicating of divine TRUTHS today” (page 125.)
Is this not communicating with the dead! or put another way ‘receiving messages from the spirit world’?
“Another way that Satan misleads people is through mediums. A medium is a person who is able to receive messages from the spirit world. A great many people, including mediums themselves, believe that these messages come from spirits of the dead…The demons actually pretend to be spirits of the dead”. (Watchtower booklet: Spirits of the dead, can they help you or harm you? page 15)
Monday, September 8, 2008
Watchtower Pedophile Problem-Huntsville Times, Huntsville, Alabama, September 8, 2008
Excerpt From Newspaper Article
A crime, not just a sin.
But too many children find only denial when they do report a problem, says Barbara Anderson who, with her husband, Joe, helped bring national attention to a pattern of abuse denial in the Jehovah's Witnesses a few years ago.
The Witnesses have a policy, based on biblical principals, that if one member has a problem with another, they are to go first to that person and then to the elders to resolve. In cases where wrongdoing is alleged, the elders ask for at least two witnesses, the complainant and another.
Where elders went wrong, Anderson said, speaking recently as she and her husband traveled through Fayetteville, Tenn., on the way from their home in Tullahoma to visit friends in Atlanta, was confusing crime with sin.
"This is a matter for the police, not the elders," Anderson said. "But they didn't want to make the church look bad."
Anderson became aware of the extent of the problem because she worked as a researcher in the publishing offices of the Witnesses in Brooklyn. She passed on documents such as letters from victims and official church memos to lawyers helping victims sue the church.
Anderson and her husband have since been excommunicated from the church. She documents her findings at watchtowerdocuments.com.
In both the Witnesses scandal and in the better-known Catholic scandal, abusers who confessed and repented were usually accepted back into the church and the allegations kept secret. Some of the Witness elders thought such confessions were protected under clergy privilege, an argument they made unsuccessfully in court in a case that was settled out of court in 2007.
Rick McLean, who remains on America's Most Wanted list for child abuse for multiple offenses over 20 years against young girls in California, is the most notorious of those accused of abuse by Witnesses and whose crimes had been made known to church elders.
Since the Jehovah's Witness cases broke into the news and courtrooms in 2002, Witness church leaders have issued statements to instruct elders that suspected child abuse is to be reported in states, including Tennessee and Alabama, where laws mandate the report of suspected abuse. The church's Web site, watchtower.org, includes articles to help families and congregations prevent child abuse.
A crime, not just a sin.
But too many children find only denial when they do report a problem, says Barbara Anderson who, with her husband, Joe, helped bring national attention to a pattern of abuse denial in the Jehovah's Witnesses a few years ago.
The Witnesses have a policy, based on biblical principals, that if one member has a problem with another, they are to go first to that person and then to the elders to resolve. In cases where wrongdoing is alleged, the elders ask for at least two witnesses, the complainant and another.
Where elders went wrong, Anderson said, speaking recently as she and her husband traveled through Fayetteville, Tenn., on the way from their home in Tullahoma to visit friends in Atlanta, was confusing crime with sin.
"This is a matter for the police, not the elders," Anderson said. "But they didn't want to make the church look bad."
Anderson became aware of the extent of the problem because she worked as a researcher in the publishing offices of the Witnesses in Brooklyn. She passed on documents such as letters from victims and official church memos to lawyers helping victims sue the church.
Anderson and her husband have since been excommunicated from the church. She documents her findings at watchtowerdocuments.com.
In both the Witnesses scandal and in the better-known Catholic scandal, abusers who confessed and repented were usually accepted back into the church and the allegations kept secret. Some of the Witness elders thought such confessions were protected under clergy privilege, an argument they made unsuccessfully in court in a case that was settled out of court in 2007.
Rick McLean, who remains on America's Most Wanted list for child abuse for multiple offenses over 20 years against young girls in California, is the most notorious of those accused of abuse by Witnesses and whose crimes had been made known to church elders.
Since the Jehovah's Witness cases broke into the news and courtrooms in 2002, Witness church leaders have issued statements to instruct elders that suspected child abuse is to be reported in states, including Tennessee and Alabama, where laws mandate the report of suspected abuse. The church's Web site, watchtower.org, includes articles to help families and congregations prevent child abuse.
Why Tthe Fascination With The End Of The World? BBC Homepage September 8, 2008
On the BBC News homepage there is an article about the fascination with the end of the world.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7600966.stm
''The Jehovah's Witnesses have issued countless predictions about cataclysmic scenarios that have manifestly failed to come to pass, only ceasing predictions of the end in recent years. Failed predictions seem not to have alienated core believers.''
FAILED PREDICTIONS
Jehovah's Witnesses have predicted end several times, but have stopped
Millerites predicted end of world for 22 October 1844 - day known to followers as Great Disappointment
Edgar C Whisenant wrote 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could Be in 1988 - followed up with predictions for 1989, 1993, and 1994
Argentinian goalie Carlos Roa gave up football in anticipation of end of world in 2000
Hal Lindsey in 1970's The Late, Great Planet Earth linked end of world to the EU
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7600966.stm
''The Jehovah's Witnesses have issued countless predictions about cataclysmic scenarios that have manifestly failed to come to pass, only ceasing predictions of the end in recent years. Failed predictions seem not to have alienated core believers.''
FAILED PREDICTIONS
Jehovah's Witnesses have predicted end several times, but have stopped
Millerites predicted end of world for 22 October 1844 - day known to followers as Great Disappointment
Edgar C Whisenant wrote 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could Be in 1988 - followed up with predictions for 1989, 1993, and 1994
Argentinian goalie Carlos Roa gave up football in anticipation of end of world in 2000
Hal Lindsey in 1970's The Late, Great Planet Earth linked end of world to the EU
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Is The Jehovah's Witness Practice of Shunning Scriptural?
I sometimes wonder how congregations would react if an announcement were made that shunning was no longer practiced. I'm sure some would feel a sense of relief but I think many other Jehovah's Witnesses who would be very unhappy if that happened. I think some people really need the sense of power and moral security that comes from shunning in order to feel special.
Several key scriptures form the basis for disfellowshipping. Jesus himself introduced the standard:
Matthew 18:15-17 : “Moreover, if your brother commits a sin, go lay bare his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, in order that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. 17 If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations and as a tax collector.”
Jesus did not say to never utter a word to an unrepentant wrong doer. Rather, he stated they should be treated as persons of the world. Though not considered close friends, Jesus himself spoke to and ate with tax collectors. (Matthew 9:11) The majority of information on how to treat wrongdoers within the congregation comes from Paul. Paul showed a balanced approach advising not to socialize with a wrongdoer but to still ‘admonish as a brother’. 2 Thessalonians is key to understanding that wrongdoers should be marked, not disfellowshipped.
2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15: “Now we are giving YOU orders, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the tradition YOU received from us…. 14 But if anyone is not obedient to our word through this letter, keep this one marked, stop associating with him, that he may become ashamed. 15 And yet do not be considering him as an enemy, but continue admonishing him as a brother.”
Paul did not say to disfellowship such people, but rather instructed the congregation to ‘mark’ or ‘take note of’ such a person, yet “continue admonishing him as a brother”. Hence Paul did not indicate that marking was only for non-serious sin. The Society’s disfellowshipping policy has been formulated mainly from statements in 1 Corinthians 5:11 and 2 John 10. At 1 Corinthians Paul specifically outlined practices for which to cease ‘mixing’ with a brother. Yet this too is similar to the advice given when marking a brother.
1Corinthians 5:11: “But now I am writing YOU to quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. 12 For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Do YOU not judge those inside, 13 while God judges those outside? “Remove the wicked [man] from among yourselves.””
1 Corinthians does not say to totally shun a brother who is a wrong doer, rather it says to ‘quit mixing in company’ with such a person and ‘not eat with’ such a man. This statement does not state that this type of person must never be spoken to. By far the strictest advice on how to treat individuals denying Jesus was given by John. It is on the basis of this scripture that treatment of disfellowshipped ones is primarily based. However John was here referring to a specific type of person in a unique situation.
2 John 7-11: “7For many deceivers have gone forth into the world, persons not confessing Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Look out for yourselves, that YOU do not lose the things we have worked to produce, but that YOU may obtain a full reward. 9 Everyone that pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God. He that does remain in this teaching is the one that has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to YOU and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into YOUR homes or say a greeting to him. 11 For he that says a greeting to him is a sharer in his wicked works.”
A far harder line appears to be given here than by either Jesus or Paul, as it is stated not to even greet such a person. Who is John referring to? The Antichrist. It is only in regard to the Antichrist that instruction was given not to even greet a person. John is not here referring to wrongdoers such as fornicators and greedy people. Nor does he mention those that reject the authority of an organization. He simply applies this to those that reject Jesus. The Watchtower Society uses this single scripture in 2 John to dictate that every disfellowshipped or disassociated person should not even be greeted.
Several key scriptures form the basis for disfellowshipping. Jesus himself introduced the standard:
Matthew 18:15-17 : “Moreover, if your brother commits a sin, go lay bare his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, in order that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. 17 If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations and as a tax collector.”
Jesus did not say to never utter a word to an unrepentant wrong doer. Rather, he stated they should be treated as persons of the world. Though not considered close friends, Jesus himself spoke to and ate with tax collectors. (Matthew 9:11) The majority of information on how to treat wrongdoers within the congregation comes from Paul. Paul showed a balanced approach advising not to socialize with a wrongdoer but to still ‘admonish as a brother’. 2 Thessalonians is key to understanding that wrongdoers should be marked, not disfellowshipped.
2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15: “Now we are giving YOU orders, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the tradition YOU received from us…. 14 But if anyone is not obedient to our word through this letter, keep this one marked, stop associating with him, that he may become ashamed. 15 And yet do not be considering him as an enemy, but continue admonishing him as a brother.”
Paul did not say to disfellowship such people, but rather instructed the congregation to ‘mark’ or ‘take note of’ such a person, yet “continue admonishing him as a brother”. Hence Paul did not indicate that marking was only for non-serious sin. The Society’s disfellowshipping policy has been formulated mainly from statements in 1 Corinthians 5:11 and 2 John 10. At 1 Corinthians Paul specifically outlined practices for which to cease ‘mixing’ with a brother. Yet this too is similar to the advice given when marking a brother.
1Corinthians 5:11: “But now I am writing YOU to quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. 12 For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Do YOU not judge those inside, 13 while God judges those outside? “Remove the wicked [man] from among yourselves.””
1 Corinthians does not say to totally shun a brother who is a wrong doer, rather it says to ‘quit mixing in company’ with such a person and ‘not eat with’ such a man. This statement does not state that this type of person must never be spoken to. By far the strictest advice on how to treat individuals denying Jesus was given by John. It is on the basis of this scripture that treatment of disfellowshipped ones is primarily based. However John was here referring to a specific type of person in a unique situation.
2 John 7-11: “7For many deceivers have gone forth into the world, persons not confessing Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Look out for yourselves, that YOU do not lose the things we have worked to produce, but that YOU may obtain a full reward. 9 Everyone that pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God. He that does remain in this teaching is the one that has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to YOU and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into YOUR homes or say a greeting to him. 11 For he that says a greeting to him is a sharer in his wicked works.”
A far harder line appears to be given here than by either Jesus or Paul, as it is stated not to even greet such a person. Who is John referring to? The Antichrist. It is only in regard to the Antichrist that instruction was given not to even greet a person. John is not here referring to wrongdoers such as fornicators and greedy people. Nor does he mention those that reject the authority of an organization. He simply applies this to those that reject Jesus. The Watchtower Society uses this single scripture in 2 John to dictate that every disfellowshipped or disassociated person should not even be greeted.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Wisdom from Judge Rutherford In A Sober Moment
“From the very beginning God expressed his indignation against religion, showing that it is an abomination in his sight because formulated, brought into existence and practiced by the Devil…From and after the flood until now religion has been the chief means of confusing, deceiving and misleading the people and has resulted in turning them away from the knowledge of and worship of the true and almighty God. This of itself is proof conclusive that religion is the product of the Devil.” --Enemies p. 69
“All religious organizations on earth are formed and carried on by men who are subjected to wrongful influence and ruled by the great enemy Satan the Devil; and this is true whether any of then know it or not, because the Bible so states… The purpose is to set the facts plainly before the people that all sincere ones may see who constitutes their real enemies.” --Enemies p. 72
“The opinion of a man is of no value whatsoever if that opinion expressed is contrary to the Word of God. If you follow the teachings of men you are certain to remain in darkness.” --Enemies p. 83
“All religious organizations on earth are formed and carried on by men who are subjected to wrongful influence and ruled by the great enemy Satan the Devil; and this is true whether any of then know it or not, because the Bible so states… The purpose is to set the facts plainly before the people that all sincere ones may see who constitutes their real enemies.” --Enemies p. 72
“The opinion of a man is of no value whatsoever if that opinion expressed is contrary to the Word of God. If you follow the teachings of men you are certain to remain in darkness.” --Enemies p. 83
Friday, September 5, 2008
Did The Serpent That Spoke To Eve Have Legs? (Watchtower Wisdom)
Did the serpent lose legs or feet as means of movement as a result of the divine curse recorded at Genesis 3:14? Watchtowr, June 1964
At Genesis 3:14 we are told: "And Jehovah God proceeded to say to the serpent: ‘Because you have done this thing, you are the cursed one out of all the domestic animals and out of all the wild beasts of the field. Upon your belly you will go and dust is what you will eat all the days of your life.’" This is the only place in the Bible where any indication is given that the serpent did not at one time travel on its belly.
What is said here is, of course, directed principally to the invisible spirit creature who used the literal serpent as his mouthpiece. It foretells his debasement. But for the symbolic application of this judgment upon the wicked spirit creature who became Satan to have any force there must be a fulfillment of it in the literal serpent, which has come to symbolize Satan. It, therefore, is reasonable to conclude that before God cursed it the serpent possessed legs that elevated it above the ground. As he had the power to create the serpent in the first place, God had the power to transform its body so that it ceased to have legs and was able to move about on its belly.
Oops! New Light Alert
Did the serpent that spoke to Eve have legs? Watchtower, November, 2007
As recorded at Genesis 3:14, Jehovah God addressed the serpent that had deceived Eve in the garden of Eden. God said: "Because you have done this thing, you are the cursed one out of all the domestic animals and out of all the wild beasts of the field. Upon your belly you will go and dust is what you will eat all the days of your life." The Bible does not specifically state that the animal used in tempting Eve had previously had legs but lost them. While the wording of Genesis 3:14 might lead some to think so, we need not necessarily conclude that prior to this curse, serpents had legs. Why not?
Principally because the real object of Jehovah’s judgment was Satan—the invisible spirit who had misused that lowly animal. The Bible describes Satan as "the father of the lie" and "the original serpent." Both of these expressions apparently point back to Satan’s using a visible animal, a serpent, as his mouthpiece to induce Eve to disobey God’s command.—John 8:44; Revelation 20:2.
God created serpents, and Adam had apparently given serpents their name before Satan’s deceptive act. The unreasoning serpent that spoke to Eve was not to blame. It would have been unaware that Satan was manipulating it, and it could not understand the judgment that God rendered against the disobedient parties.
Why, then, did God speak of the serpent’s physical abasement? The behavior of a serpent in its natural environment, crawling on its belly and flicking its tongue as if to lick up dust, fittingly symbolized Satan’s debased condition. Having previously enjoyed a lofty position as one of God’s angels, he was consigned to the lowly condition referred to in the Bible as Tartarus.—2 Peter 2:4.
Further, as a literal serpent might wound a man’s heel, Satan in his debased state would ‘bruise the heel’ of God’s "seed." (Genesis 3:15) The primary part of that seed proved to be Jesus Christ, who temporarily suffered at the hands of Satan’s agents. But the symbolic serpent’s head will, in time, be permanently crushed by Christ and his resurrected anointed Christian companions. (Romans 16:20) Thus, God’s directing his curse toward the visible serpent aptly pictured the debasement and ultimate destruction of the invisible "original serpent," Satan the Devil.
At Genesis 3:14 we are told: "And Jehovah God proceeded to say to the serpent: ‘Because you have done this thing, you are the cursed one out of all the domestic animals and out of all the wild beasts of the field. Upon your belly you will go and dust is what you will eat all the days of your life.’" This is the only place in the Bible where any indication is given that the serpent did not at one time travel on its belly.
What is said here is, of course, directed principally to the invisible spirit creature who used the literal serpent as his mouthpiece. It foretells his debasement. But for the symbolic application of this judgment upon the wicked spirit creature who became Satan to have any force there must be a fulfillment of it in the literal serpent, which has come to symbolize Satan. It, therefore, is reasonable to conclude that before God cursed it the serpent possessed legs that elevated it above the ground. As he had the power to create the serpent in the first place, God had the power to transform its body so that it ceased to have legs and was able to move about on its belly.
Oops! New Light Alert
Did the serpent that spoke to Eve have legs? Watchtower, November, 2007
As recorded at Genesis 3:14, Jehovah God addressed the serpent that had deceived Eve in the garden of Eden. God said: "Because you have done this thing, you are the cursed one out of all the domestic animals and out of all the wild beasts of the field. Upon your belly you will go and dust is what you will eat all the days of your life." The Bible does not specifically state that the animal used in tempting Eve had previously had legs but lost them. While the wording of Genesis 3:14 might lead some to think so, we need not necessarily conclude that prior to this curse, serpents had legs. Why not?
Principally because the real object of Jehovah’s judgment was Satan—the invisible spirit who had misused that lowly animal. The Bible describes Satan as "the father of the lie" and "the original serpent." Both of these expressions apparently point back to Satan’s using a visible animal, a serpent, as his mouthpiece to induce Eve to disobey God’s command.—John 8:44; Revelation 20:2.
God created serpents, and Adam had apparently given serpents their name before Satan’s deceptive act. The unreasoning serpent that spoke to Eve was not to blame. It would have been unaware that Satan was manipulating it, and it could not understand the judgment that God rendered against the disobedient parties.
Why, then, did God speak of the serpent’s physical abasement? The behavior of a serpent in its natural environment, crawling on its belly and flicking its tongue as if to lick up dust, fittingly symbolized Satan’s debased condition. Having previously enjoyed a lofty position as one of God’s angels, he was consigned to the lowly condition referred to in the Bible as Tartarus.—2 Peter 2:4.
Further, as a literal serpent might wound a man’s heel, Satan in his debased state would ‘bruise the heel’ of God’s "seed." (Genesis 3:15) The primary part of that seed proved to be Jesus Christ, who temporarily suffered at the hands of Satan’s agents. But the symbolic serpent’s head will, in time, be permanently crushed by Christ and his resurrected anointed Christian companions. (Romans 16:20) Thus, God’s directing his curse toward the visible serpent aptly pictured the debasement and ultimate destruction of the invisible "original serpent," Satan the Devil.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Bound Volume Letter
Elders just received a letter from the Watchtower stating that any publisher who makes extensive use of the Watchtower cd-rom may want to consider not ordering bound volumes.
It's expensive to supply all those bound volumes and a lot of times the brothers don't even pay for them.
It's expensive to supply all those bound volumes and a lot of times the brothers don't even pay for them.
Tracing The Whereabouts Of Jehovah's Witnesses in History
When the Watchtower writing department was researching this topic for the Proclaimers book in the 1990's, Karl Adams gave Barbara Anderson, the researcher for the Proclaimers book, just four criteria to identify a group of Jehovah's Witnesses:
During the 150 year period from Henry VIII to Charles I (1500 and 1600's) anti-Trinitarianism was pursued consistently and vigorously by 'heretics'. Many of these 'heretics' such as the Unitarian Bishop of Transylvania (Hungary) had such radical views in other areas they can not be considered acceptable to a Jehovah's Witness.
In 1919 The Finished Mystery pp.23-72 claimed that the Seven Messengers or Revelation 2 and 3 were St Paul, St John, Arius, Waldo, Wycliffe and Luther and Russell. However Waldo, Wycliffe and Luther were Catholics and Protestants whose beliefs were strongly at odds to both Russell and the essential doctrine listed above.
The groups closest to Witnesses that have been mentioned in Watchtower publications are the Waldenses, Cathari, Albigenses. Lollards and Huguenots. These were all basically Protestants and adhered to many Protestant teachings considered wrong by the Watchtower Society. The Minor Brethern (Socianians) is the group most similar to Jehovah's Witnesses today. A brief look shows none of these would be acceptable to be called a Jehovah's Witness.
- rejection of the Trinity
- rejection of hellfire
- rejection of immortality of the human soul
- acceptance of the ransom sacrifice of Christ as defined by Jehovah's Witnesses
- "Throughout the centuries there have always been truth lovers. To mention just a few: John Wycliffe (c. 1330-1384) and William Tyndale (c. 1494-1536) furthered the work of Bible translation even at the risk of their life or freedom. Wolfgang Fabricius Capito (1478-1541), Martin Cellarius (1499-1564), Johannes Campanus (c. 1500-1575), and Thomas Emlyn (1663-c. 1741) accepted the Bible as God's Word and rejected the Trinity. Henry Grew (1781-1862) and George Storrs (1796-1879) not only accepted the Bible and rejected the Trinity but also expressed appreciation for the ransom sacrifice of Christ. Although we cannot positively identify any of such persons as "the wheat" of Jesus' illustration, certainly "Jehovah knows those who belong to him."" Jehovah's Witnesses-Proclaimers of God's Kingdom p.44
During the 150 year period from Henry VIII to Charles I (1500 and 1600's) anti-Trinitarianism was pursued consistently and vigorously by 'heretics'. Many of these 'heretics' such as the Unitarian Bishop of Transylvania (Hungary) had such radical views in other areas they can not be considered acceptable to a Jehovah's Witness.
In 1919 The Finished Mystery pp.23-72 claimed that the Seven Messengers or Revelation 2 and 3 were St Paul, St John, Arius, Waldo, Wycliffe and Luther and Russell. However Waldo, Wycliffe and Luther were Catholics and Protestants whose beliefs were strongly at odds to both Russell and the essential doctrine listed above.
The groups closest to Witnesses that have been mentioned in Watchtower publications are the Waldenses, Cathari, Albigenses. Lollards and Huguenots. These were all basically Protestants and adhered to many Protestant teachings considered wrong by the Watchtower Society. The Minor Brethern (Socianians) is the group most similar to Jehovah's Witnesses today. A brief look shows none of these would be acceptable to be called a Jehovah's Witness.
The Original Religion
Jehovah's Witnesses consider themselves part of "The one original religion introduced by mankind's Creator (as apposed to) the many counterfeit kinds introduced by his adversary." (Awake! 1989 Jan 8 p.7)
It is taught that there have always been Jehovah's Witnesses.
Although they really have no real proof of this statement, they insist that it is true
"Jehovah's witnesses have a history almost 6,000 years long, beginning while the first man, Adam, was still alive, … [Abel was] the first of an unbroken line of Witnesses…Jesus' disciples were all Jehovah's witnesses [sic] too."
Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose pp.8-9 It is said that in 33 A.D. Jesus established a Slave Class to spiritually care for his people. The slave has continued uninterrupted since Jesus death, and will continue until the time of his return. Since 1919 that slave has been identified as operating in its cleansed, awaken format as the Watchtower Society.
These completely unproven statements show clearly that the Watchtower has absolutely no respect for the intelligence of its readers and believes that they can throw anything out there and it will be believed. The unfortunate fact is that it usually is!
My question is: If the Jehovah's Witnesses are the one true religion and can trace their religion all they way back to Adam, why did God chose the apostate Catholic Church to compile the Bible Canon in the 4th and 5th century and not use his "Faithful Slave"?
It is taught that there have always been Jehovah's Witnesses.
Although they really have no real proof of this statement, they insist that it is true
"Jehovah's witnesses have a history almost 6,000 years long, beginning while the first man, Adam, was still alive, … [Abel was] the first of an unbroken line of Witnesses…Jesus' disciples were all Jehovah's witnesses [sic] too."
Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose pp.8-9 It is said that in 33 A.D. Jesus established a Slave Class to spiritually care for his people. The slave has continued uninterrupted since Jesus death, and will continue until the time of his return. Since 1919 that slave has been identified as operating in its cleansed, awaken format as the Watchtower Society.
These completely unproven statements show clearly that the Watchtower has absolutely no respect for the intelligence of its readers and believes that they can throw anything out there and it will be believed. The unfortunate fact is that it usually is!
My question is: If the Jehovah's Witnesses are the one true religion and can trace their religion all they way back to Adam, why did God chose the apostate Catholic Church to compile the Bible Canon in the 4th and 5th century and not use his "Faithful Slave"?
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Are Jehovah's Witnesses Loyal to Their Religion
A major new survey presents perhaps the most detailed picture we've yet had of which religious groups Americans belong to. And its big message is: blink and they'll change. For the first time, a large-scale study has quantified what many experts suspect: there is a constant membership turnover among most American faiths. America's religious culture, which is best known for its high participation rates, may now be equally famous (or infamous) for what the new report dubs "churn."
The report, released today by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, is the first selection of data from a 35,000- person poll called the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey. Says Pew Forum director Luis Lugo, Americans "not only change jobs, change where they live, and change spouses, but they change religions too. We totally knew it was happening, but this survey enabled us to document it clearly."
According to Pew, 28% of American adults have left the faith of their childhood for another one. And that does not even include those who switched from one Protestant denomination to another; if it did, the number would jump to 44%. Says Greg Smith, one of the main researchers for the "Landscape" data, churn applies across the board. "There's no group that is simply winning or simply losing," he says. "Nothing is static. Every group is simultaneously winning and losing."
An even more extreme example of what might be called "masked churn" is the relatively tiny Jehovah's Witnesses, with a turnover rate of about two-thirds. That means that two-thirds of the people who told Pew they were raised Jehovah's Witnesses no longer are — yet the group attracts roughly the same number of converts. Notes Lugo, "No wonder they have to keep on knocking on doors."
Lugo would not speculate on whether such a buyer's market might cause some groups to dilute their particular beliefs in order to compete. There are signs of that in such surveys as one done by the Willow Creek megachurch outside Chicago, which has been extremely successful in attracting tens of thousands of religious "seekers." An internal survey recently indicated much of its membership was "stalled" in their spiritual growth, Lugo allowed that "it does raise the question of, once you attract these folks, how do you root them within your own particular tradition when people are changing so quickly."
The Pew report has other interesting findings; the highest rates for marrying within one's own faith, for example, are among Hindus (90%) and Mormons (83%). The full report is accessible at the Pew Forum site.
The report, released today by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, is the first selection of data from a 35,000- person poll called the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey. Says Pew Forum director Luis Lugo, Americans "not only change jobs, change where they live, and change spouses, but they change religions too. We totally knew it was happening, but this survey enabled us to document it clearly."
According to Pew, 28% of American adults have left the faith of their childhood for another one. And that does not even include those who switched from one Protestant denomination to another; if it did, the number would jump to 44%. Says Greg Smith, one of the main researchers for the "Landscape" data, churn applies across the board. "There's no group that is simply winning or simply losing," he says. "Nothing is static. Every group is simultaneously winning and losing."
An even more extreme example of what might be called "masked churn" is the relatively tiny Jehovah's Witnesses, with a turnover rate of about two-thirds. That means that two-thirds of the people who told Pew they were raised Jehovah's Witnesses no longer are — yet the group attracts roughly the same number of converts. Notes Lugo, "No wonder they have to keep on knocking on doors."
Lugo would not speculate on whether such a buyer's market might cause some groups to dilute their particular beliefs in order to compete. There are signs of that in such surveys as one done by the Willow Creek megachurch outside Chicago, which has been extremely successful in attracting tens of thousands of religious "seekers." An internal survey recently indicated much of its membership was "stalled" in their spiritual growth, Lugo allowed that "it does raise the question of, once you attract these folks, how do you root them within your own particular tradition when people are changing so quickly."
The Pew report has other interesting findings; the highest rates for marrying within one's own faith, for example, are among Hindus (90%) and Mormons (83%). The full report is accessible at the Pew Forum site.
Public Service Announcement
Jehovah's Witness Elder/Molestor On The Run, Have You Seen This Man?
Frederick McLean (AKA: MCCLEAN,RICK; MCLAIN,FREDERICK; MCLAIN,RICK) was featured on America's Most Wanted and is currently on the US Marshal's Service Top 15 Most Wanted criminals.
He is described as an armed and dangerous child molestor. Please check the links at AMW and MSNBC for the story and photos of this monster. I
f you know where this fugitive is please alert law enforcement immediately. He is considered armed and dangerous so do not apprehend him, just report his whereabouts to the authorities.
Have you seen this man?
Dept. Of Justice US Marshal Page http://www.usmarshals.gov/investigations...
America's Most Wanted http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id...
MSNBC Text Story Page http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21917798/
MSNBC Video Story http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?mkt=en-u...
I am posting this here because a lot of Jehovah's Witnesses read this blog. It is possible that this criminal is hiding amongst Jehovah's Witnesses unbeknownst to them. No other implication is being made by this posting.
Frederick McLean (AKA: MCCLEAN,RICK; MCLAIN,FREDERICK; MCLAIN,RICK) was featured on America's Most Wanted and is currently on the US Marshal's Service Top 15 Most Wanted criminals.
He is described as an armed and dangerous child molestor. Please check the links at AMW and MSNBC for the story and photos of this monster. I
f you know where this fugitive is please alert law enforcement immediately. He is considered armed and dangerous so do not apprehend him, just report his whereabouts to the authorities.
Have you seen this man?
Dept. Of Justice US Marshal Page http://www.usmarshals.gov/investigations...
America's Most Wanted http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id...
MSNBC Text Story Page http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21917798/
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I am posting this here because a lot of Jehovah's Witnesses read this blog. It is possible that this criminal is hiding amongst Jehovah's Witnesses unbeknownst to them. No other implication is being made by this posting.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Keeping The Congregation Clean
Watchtower 9/1/1987 pages 14-15 "A Time to Speak"-When?
Thinking Ahead Employers have a right to expect that their Christian employees will ‘exhibit good fidelity to the full,’ including observing rules on confidentiality. (Titus 2:9, 10) If an oath is taken, it should not be taken lightly. An oath makes a promise more solemn and binding. (Psalm 24:4) And where the law reinforces a requirement on confidentiality, the matter becomes still more serious. Hence, before a Christian takes an oath or puts himself under a confidentiality restriction, whether in connection with employment or otherwise, it would be wise to determine to the extent possible what problems this may produce because of any conflict with Bible requirements. How will one handle matters if a brother or a sister becomes a client? Usually such jobs as working with doctors, hospitals, courts, and lawyers are the type of employment in which a problem could develop. We cannot ignore Caesar’s law or the seriousness of an oath, but Jehovah’s law is supreme. Anticipating the problem, some brothers who are lawyers, doctors, accountants, and so forth, have prepared guidelines in writing and have asked brothers who may consult them to read these over before revealing anything confidential. Thus an understanding is required in advance that if serious wrongdoing comes to light, the wrongdoer would be encouraged to go to the elders in his congregation about the matter. It would be understood that if he did not do so, the counselor would feel an obligation to go to the elders himself. There may be occasions when a faithful servant of God is motivated by his personal convictions, based on his knowledge of God’s Word, to strain or even breach the requirements of confidentiality because of the superior demands of divine law. Courage and discretion would be needed. The objective would not be to spy on another’s freedom but to help erring ones and to keep the Christian congregation clean. Minor transgressions due to sin should be overlooked. Here, “love covers a multitude of sins,” and we should forgive “up to seventy-seven times.” (Matthew 18:21, 22) This is the “time to keep quiet.” But when there is an attempt to conceal major sins, this may be the “time to speak.”
Thinking Ahead Employers have a right to expect that their Christian employees will ‘exhibit good fidelity to the full,’ including observing rules on confidentiality. (Titus 2:9, 10) If an oath is taken, it should not be taken lightly. An oath makes a promise more solemn and binding. (Psalm 24:4) And where the law reinforces a requirement on confidentiality, the matter becomes still more serious. Hence, before a Christian takes an oath or puts himself under a confidentiality restriction, whether in connection with employment or otherwise, it would be wise to determine to the extent possible what problems this may produce because of any conflict with Bible requirements. How will one handle matters if a brother or a sister becomes a client? Usually such jobs as working with doctors, hospitals, courts, and lawyers are the type of employment in which a problem could develop. We cannot ignore Caesar’s law or the seriousness of an oath, but Jehovah’s law is supreme. Anticipating the problem, some brothers who are lawyers, doctors, accountants, and so forth, have prepared guidelines in writing and have asked brothers who may consult them to read these over before revealing anything confidential. Thus an understanding is required in advance that if serious wrongdoing comes to light, the wrongdoer would be encouraged to go to the elders in his congregation about the matter. It would be understood that if he did not do so, the counselor would feel an obligation to go to the elders himself. There may be occasions when a faithful servant of God is motivated by his personal convictions, based on his knowledge of God’s Word, to strain or even breach the requirements of confidentiality because of the superior demands of divine law. Courage and discretion would be needed. The objective would not be to spy on another’s freedom but to help erring ones and to keep the Christian congregation clean. Minor transgressions due to sin should be overlooked. Here, “love covers a multitude of sins,” and we should forgive “up to seventy-seven times.” (Matthew 18:21, 22) This is the “time to keep quiet.” But when there is an attempt to conceal major sins, this may be the “time to speak.”
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