"Do NOT go beyond the things written (but we can)."

by TimothyT 28 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  OnTheWayOut

  TimothyT, obviously Paul went beyond the current scriptures because he was led by Holy Spirit to write more. He was writing further scriptures and had to go beyond what was available in his day.

  The writers at WTS play both sides of this: They are not inspired prophets, but they are spirit-directed. (Essentially the same thing, but allowing for them to be wrong change what they said or meant.) So they are just doing as Paul did. They write to clarify what God meant. They are adding clarity to the scriptures by going beyond the basic writings whenever they feel like it it is convenient new light comes from above.
• 

  BluesBrother

  Trouble is, they really believe that they speak for God. Recent comments in the WT have made this even clearer. So,"If we say it, it is the same as if God said it"

  Sounds more like The Pope, doesn't it?
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  pontoon

  A great example of Borg going beyond is their ever changing rules on blood. If they Really believed 'no blood' in the beginning of that doctrine they would have not even allowed blood tests. When I was a kid and my parents became Witnesses, we used to check food ingredients for lecitin, possibly a blood product. One that was nut was the machine that returns your own blood to you (can't remember the name of it) as long as it was primed not with blood and the blood was continuely contained, if it became exposed to air in the process it was "spilled" and couldn't be used. Look at where they are today on blood. They are absoutely crazy nuts on a doctrine that was going beyond to begin with. Ask a witness where it talks about blood fractions in the bible.
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  miseryloveselders

  Regular Pioneer, Auxilliary Pioneer, Special Pioneer- not in the Bible

  Theocratic Ministry School, Congregation Bible Study, Watchtower Study, Public Talk- not in the Bible

  Mandatory clean shaven, no sports coats or blazers while on the platform at the Sunday Meeting or Assemblies/Conventions- not in the Bible

  Women prohibited from handling responsibilities such as literature in the average congregation- not in the Bible

  The Governing Body, The Writing Department, The Legal Department,- not in the Bible

  Publishers, Turning in field service slips, The Service Committee, The Maintenance Committee- not in the Bible

  The Coordinator of the Body of Elders, The Hospital Liason Committee, The REgional Building Commitee- not in the Bible

  The Bible Highlights, The Kingdom Ministry, The Awake Magazine, The Watchtower Magazine- not in the Bible

  The #2 Talk, The #3 Talk, The #4 Talk, Kindom Melodies, Sing Praises to Jehovah- not in the Bible

  Discouragement towards a College Education, ban on blood transfusions, - not in the Bible

  Circuit Overseers, District Overseers, Branches, District Conventions, Circuit Assemblies- not in the Bible

  Auxilliary Pioneer hours dropped to 30 for the month of April 2011- not in the Bible

  Taking the speaker out to eat, paying for the expenses of the Circuit Overseer and his wife- not in the Bible (Paul didn't ask for anything!)

  Women prohibited from wearing slacks in the winter time at the meeting or field service- not in the Bible

  Applications to pioneer, applications to Bethel, applications to work on Kingdom Halls, Accounts Servant forgot about Judas!- not entirely in the Bible

  Anyone who gets baptized into this accursed religion after spending enough time on this message board- not in the right frame of mind.
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  JW GoneBad

  'Elders do not go beyond the things that are written in the Bible. And by extension, they do not go beyond the Bible-based counsel written in the publications of the faithful and discreet slave.'

  What a joke!

  Thank you TimothyT for pointing this out!
• 

  thetrueone

  The Watchtower Kingdom has definitely gone beyond what is written in the bible many times over,

  probably due to the fact it started out as a commercial publishing house and stayed that way continuously over the years.
• 

  Ding

  In the end, that was Ray Franz's biggest complaint against the WTS, that they went beyond what the Bible says in so many areas.

  That's what happens when you think Jesus has put you in charge of everything...
• 

  JuanMiguel

  This is a perfect example of making a mountain out of a molehill.

  The brief comment Paul makes at 1 Corinthians 4:6 to avoid going "beyond what is written" is not a general rule upon which to base Christian obedience or knowledge or theology. That is taking the phrase out of its intended context.

  Paul was dealing with a specific problem of speculation that far exceeded anything taught in the Hebrew Scriptures and beyong the scope of instruction from him and the others leading the Church. Such specultion had to do with things that would normally require direct answer from him or the other apostles, and likely in writing (note how in the following verses he corrects their speculative views on already ruling in Christ's kingdom).

  Being overly concerned with things even the apostles were not was going beyond the example of the cross and following in the footsteps of Christ's passion (see entire passage, verses 6-21), an example that was being made ever more visible in the life of Paul and the others who were currently leading the universal congregation.

  In other words, the example of Christ and those who follow in his footsteps is enough. If the time for anything more to busy themselves with came about, they would have been told in writing if not in person. The instruction is not centered on going beyond written instruction per se but considering anything else more important than following in the footsteps of Christ. The kingdom of God is found not in speculative talk about their future place in that kingdom but in the power found in those who were gifted living examples of sharing in the passion of Christ, the same power which was evident in Paul.--1 Co 4:18-20.

  I like how the Governing Body makes it about something else since they themselves live quite a plushy life in comparison to the actual instruction found in the context.
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  ProdigalSon

  One cannot make daily decisions in the modern world while staying within the boundaries of an ancient collection of myths and fables written by kabbalist priests and psychic astrologers, compiled into a book by the Roman Church. If they're going to base their religion on it, of course they have to go beyond it, no one can derive a coherent set of doctrines from its pages.

  If they could get away with it, they would require the dubs to sell their property and possessions, hand the proceeds over to the SnakeTower, and if they secretly held back some of the price, they would just strike them dead like Peter did to Ananias and Sapphira and take their shit anyway.

  Yeah, the Bible can settle every issue today all by itself....
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  stuckinlimbo

  I brought this up a while back, this study article made me very angry, and I commented on much of it here:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/151577/1/April-study-wt-unbelievable-mind-control

  BTW its under my old username which I can no longer access...