Assembly Musings

TD

During the Sunday morning discourse, "Jehovah Hates the Course of Treachery" the following statement was made at the 2001 Teacher's of God's Word District Convention of Jehovah's Witnesses:

"Are we personally alert that no unrighteousness be found on our lips? For example, can our family members, including our mate really trust what we say? Can our brothers and sisters in the congregation? It would be so easy to develop the habit of couching one's words so that they are technically accurate, yet deliberately misleading to others."

I'm curious - would "couching one's words so that they are technically accurate, yet deliberately misleading to others" include statements like the following?

"By 1879 they had become sure that Christ’s second coming would begin his invisible presence; that a hard time of world distress was ahead; that thereafter would follow a millennium—the thousand-year reign of Jehovah’s Christ, to bring about restoration (restitution) of paradise conditions on earth with everlasting life for men of good will from all nations; and that the glad tidings of such “restitution” blessings should be heralded the world over."
(The Watchtower January 15, 1955 p. 45)

How about this one?

"In 1879, however, it became clear which “second coming” voice was being chosen by Jehovah to speak the pure language as his Witnesses. By then a small Bible-study group led by Charles Taze Russell was meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. They had become certain that Jesus’ second coming would begin his invisible presence, that a time of world distress was ahead, and that this would be followed by the Thousand Year Reign of Christ that would restore Paradise on earth, with eternal life for obedient humans."
(The Watchtower May 1, 1991 p. 17)

Or this?

"As for the time of Christ’s second presence, Daniel’s prophecy is again the one that gives the chronology for it. (Dan. 4:16) It was figured out as pointing to A.D. 1914, and The Watchtower called notice to the significance of 1914 in the year 1879."
(The Watchtower November 1, 1952 p. 658)

Or this?

"The Bible also provided chronological evidence that 1914 would mark the birth of God’s heavenly Kingdom, to be followed by unprecedented world trouble. But was anyone living back then aware that 1914 would be such a turning point in history? Decades before that date, there was an organization of people who were making known the significance of 1914."
(Life - How Did It Get Here? By Evolution Or By Creation? pp. 227 & 229)

Or this?

"Prior to that unforgettable year the anointed Christians proclaimed the good news of God’s kingdom that was coming. Since that year God has supplied the theme of a new song. For in 1914 the heavenly Father and Source of theocratic government brought that glorious kingdom to birth by enthroning and crowning the Seed of his woman, the Heir of the covenant that was made with David for the everlasting kingdom. That was something new indeed."
(The Watchtower April 15, 1958 p. 238)

Or this?

"Russell and his associates also saw that Christ’s presence was to be invisible, in spirit. The Gentile Times, during which period God’s sovereignty was not being expressed through any government on the earth, were to end in 1914. Then God’s Kingdom would be established in heaven. These teachings are identified with Jehovah’s Witnesses today.
Russell and his companions announced these truths far and wide by talks and printed page."
(Jehovah's Witnesses Unitedly Doing God's Will Worldwide 1986 p. 8)

Or this?

"So Jehovah’s people of the 19th century correctly understood that the pa·rou·si'a of Christ would be an invisible one. They had also come to an understanding that the end of the Gentile Times would occur in the autumn of 1914."
(The Watchtower May 1, 1993 p. 11)

Or perhaps it is hopelessly idealistic and naive to expect WTB&TS writers to actually practice what they preach?

Tom

gsark

couching our words so that they are technically accurate...

Like the GB 'WE didn't say the end was coming in (pick one, 1874, 1914, pick any old one)' because technically THEY the ones who said that are all dead! Aaaaargh!

Prisca

They are nothing but liars, liars, LIARS!!!

teejay

Tom,

A quick question and I'm off to work...

We all know that that quote you made from the district about whether our family members can trust us... our words being "technically correct" blah, blah highlights the Watchtower's (and the speaker's) blatant hypocrisy as you and hundreds of others have done with the subsequent quotes from the mags, but what was the theme of that talk? What point were they trying to get across, even if it WAS along the lines of "do as I say not as I do"?

Maximus

Recently I've posted some outrageous Watchtower quotations that are slanted, distorted, and out of context. In another post, hawkaw does the same thing. Millions are misled.

Ask the "coordinator" about it, and you will be asked: "Did we get it correct between the quotation marks?"

What gets me is their unmitigated arrogance.

Maximus

peterstride

Excellent post TD,

If the WTS only practiced what it preached. Unfortunately, part of the problem is that members either don't remember or never knew the WTS past and what had been stated in past publications, so when they make statements (even in magazines) that contradict old ones, they may very well think that they are being truthfull.

There's a saying that goes something like this:
Those who don't know their history are bound to repeat it.

So sad...

Peter Stride
Toronto, Canada

TD

I appreciate everyone's comments. Accompanying a JW spouse to all three *!!*#% days of a convention is only slightly less enjoyable than chewing your own arm off.

Teejay,

What point were they trying to get across, even if it WAS along the lines of "do as I say not as I do"?

From the title, I had gotten the mistaken impression that this was going to be a tirade against “closet apostates” within the congregation. As it turned out, it would have taken a lot of imagination (more than I have) to construe the presentation as such.

Briefly, the discourse was developed around Malachi chapter 2, a condemnatory message ostensibly delivered to the postexilic priesthood. The quote I gave above was the pivotal statement bridging the gap between the respective audiences of bible writer and JW speaker. This in my opinion was the point of the discourse. Although the writer or writers of the outline made no attempt to explain any of the various methods of crafting technically correct statements so as to give a false impression, the following examples were given of areas where such treachery could occur.

1. (A very brief mention of) Honesty in business dealings
2. Teaching anything save the “party line” in congregational assignments. (The only specific dealt with here was the presentation of “personal viewpoints.”)
3. Marriage with “unbelievers” (Bit of a stretch that)
4. “Unscriptural” divorce (Ditto)
5. Chasing skin on the internet whilst the mate is not looking. (A major bugaboo at this convention)

Tom
(Hoping he has not made anyone gag)

rollercoaster

I always hated the conventions. I had a lot of sarcastic thoughts during the talks.
It seemed like the only one expected to practice what was taught there was me. People forgot within 30 minutes of leaving the convention what they had just learned. Or it always applied to someone else.
The last convention I went to I wanted to stop and talk to the apostates that were standing there with their own message talkin on the megaphones.
I'm so happy to be away from all that crap!!!

RC

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