What to say to WT Publishers

by Anna Marina 13 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Anna Marina

  On BBC Radio this morning there was a 20 minute piece on JWs and the child abuse cover up. I am already receiving reaction to it from a number of sources.

  It occurred to me - if you were giving ordinary members of the public a steer on how to deal with WT publishers what would you advise?

  I would explain that the name Jehovah is only the English pronunciation of God's name. In Hebrew God's name is written as 4 letters and is known as the Tetragrammaton. Others, such as the Catholics pronounce the Tetragrammaton as Yahweh.

  Jehovah is the name of God the Father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was He who sent His Son, Jesus Christ to buy us back from sin and death.

  Watchtower publisher don't serve Jesus Christ and His Father. So if you go up to them and say, "when are you going to return to Jehovah?" it might make them think because that is such a key phrase to them. On the other hand it might just annoy them. But that'd be quite funny.
  
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  oppostate

  How do you deal with Paul's references to the Old Testament Jehovah applying them to Jesus and to make his case that Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messiah?
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  Vanderhoven7

  https://youtu.be/fUf_6bp-ckE
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  Justaguynamedmorph

  Respectfully, your argument is very esoteric and wouldn't scratch the mental fog of a JW in the slightest. Im not even sure what your augment is, at its core. jW’s would quickly tell you they serve the desert god and recognize his son as king of his kingdom and dismiss your assertions to the contrary.

  I have had some success waking up dubbies it has always come from having a good relationship with them and taking time to plant a few seeds that make them think and then lead them to do some thinking on their own on issues that they already have doubts on. The key is really freeing their mind to think. 99% of them already have doubts and things that nag at them, you only have to encourage them to think on it more.
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  Anna Marina

  Justaguynamedmorph - If you say, "when will you return to Jehovah," you have employed their own volcabulary (which THEY understand) and challenged them on their identity in a way that is meaningful to THEM.

  Sure they'll say 'we are...blah blah bla'h - but this phrase isn't often said TO them.
  

  Being kind to them can help, after all they are being cheated and it is sad. But even those who are still in but mentally out cannot wake up those who do not want to hear. It is a kind of superstition that holds them not any real association with the teachings in the Bible/Christianity.

  Vanderhoven7 - yes no doubt some just view it as telling people God's name is Jehovah. A different approach was taken with me. I was told that making God's name know was Jesus showing people what Jehovah was really like. I certainly was in a very nice congregation for a time, where there were a good number of genuine Christians.
  

  (John 14:9) . . .Jesus said to him: “Have I been with you men so long a time, and yet, Philip, you have not come to know me? He that has seen me has seen the Father. How is it you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
  

  Our congregation was viewed as a refuge from other congregations where the elders were harsh.
  
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  Overrated

  My family often try to get me to "Return to Jehovah". I ask myself what for? More life disappointments and dealings with fake people. No Thanks!
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  Anna Marina

  That's returning to the Governing Body to be stripped of your freedom in return for the privilege of carrying their microphones.
  
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  Vanderhoven7

  Good point Aanna Marina. Jesus did an excellent job at that.
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  smiddy3

  I was told that making God's name know was Jesus showing people what Jehovah was really like.

  Jesus view of God / YHWH was at odds with the way the Old Testament portrayed YHWH/ God if i`m not mistaken .

  Doesn`t his actions in the Old Testament speak louder than words of Jesus in the New testament ?
  
  
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  menrov

  If knowing the name of the creator was indeed a life saving requirement, I would expect that the name would be clearly communicated, without doubts, without variations and without some dependency on one organisation, which is not free from scandals.

  The scriptures say that he is a jealous god. Well, if that is true, and you are almighty, how hard would it be to protect the use of your name and to ensure every human being will know your name?

  I compare it with the times that people were having multiple wives, like Abraham, David etc. If the creator did allow even his key representatives on earth to have multiple women, i can only conclude he did not mind that much. It was not that important. Well, if it was allowed that people (jews?) removed the name from the scriptures, apparently it was not that important and many generations have not heard at all of that name.
  In other words, if you do not protect it, you do not value it. If I do not protect my children, my pets, my fellow humans (where I can), I do not value any of them, right?