Comments You Will Not Hear at the 02-19-06 WT Study (January 15, 2006 issue, pp. 21-25)(DEVIL)
Review comments will be in red
WT material from today's WT will be in black
Quotes from other sources will be in quotes boxes
w = Watchtower
g = Awake
www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible (various Bible translations online)
www.reexamine.org (WT publications online)
www.silentlambs.org (child abuse)
www.ajwrb.org (blood issue)
http://www.randytv.com/secret/unitednations.htm (United Nations issue)
DO NOT ALLOW PLACE FOR THE DEVIL
"Do not give the Devil a chance."--EPHESIANS 4:27, Byington
Opening Comments
Now why would the WTS break from the NWT and is it by "chance" they chose Byington's translationn?
*** Proclaimers book (1993) chap. 27 p. 607 Printing and Distributing God's Own Sacred Word ***
Steven Byington, of Ballard Vale, Massachusetts, U.S.A., had also made a modern-English translation of the Bible that gave the divine name its rightful place. The Watch Tower Society came into possession of his unpublished manuscript in 1951 and acquired the sole right of publication in 1961. That complete translation was printed in 1972. Down till 1992, there had been 262,573 produced.
*** Scripture Inspired p. 323 Study Number 7-The Bible in Modern Times ***
The Bible in Living English. In 1972 the Watch Tower Society produced The Bible in Living English, by the late Steven T. Byington. It consistently renders the divine name as "Jehovah."
http://www.watchtower.org/library/na/article_05.htmSteven T. Byington, translator of The Bible in Living English, explains why he uses God's name: "The spelling and the pronunciation are not highly important. What is highly important is to keep it clear that this is a personal name. There are several texts that cannot be properly understood if we translate this name by a common noun like 'Lord,' or, much worse, by a substantivized adjective [for example, the Eternal]."
(Sidepoint: Since 1972 when the WTS obtained printing rights, it has quoted from the Byington Bible just over 60 times, about twice a year; I don't think a JW can order it any longer through the WTS, correct me if I'm wrong)
How many non-JWs realize that JWs belief that the non-JWs and the whole world is controlled, manipulated, influenced by the devil? That the devil is only targeting anointed JWs for persecution because they are the only "true" Christians that matter, and since 1919? Even the great crowd are only tagalongs.
DO NOT IMITATE THE GREAT SLANDERER
SHUN THE WAYS OF THE ORIGINAL MANSLAYER
STAND FIRM AGAINST THE CHIEF LIAR
RESIST THE FOREMOST APOSTATE***
NEVER LET THE WORLD'S RULER GET A HOLD ON YOU
ALLOW NO PLACE FOR THE DEVIL
No wonder JWs think the devil is behind every corner, behind every bad thing that happens to them, hiding in every closet, waiting to take their lives.
START OF ARTICLE
Paragraph 1--Why have many questioned the existence of the Devil?
Thought of the Devil as a horned, cloven-hoofed creature clad in red and using a pitchfork...
The Bible does not support that idea.
Misconceptions...to think that the term applies only to a principle of evil.
Paragraph 2--What are some Scriptural facts about the Devil?
Eye-witness evidence and clear testimony
How can the WTS base their statements on such assertions without first establishing the credibility of the Bible?
Do not reveal this spirit creature's original name
That's right, his name is not Satan or Devil.
Paragraph 3--We will consider what question?
Jehovah's servants--only JWs
DO NOT IMITATE THE GREAT SLANDERER
Paragraph 4--How did "the wicked one" slander God?
Slander is a false, malicious, and defamatory statement about someone.
How many JWs did you hear of that were disfellowshipped for slander? Slandering someone in the rank and file? No. "Slandering" the WTS? Yes. Well, you know who matters.
*** w89 10/15 p. 14 Guard Against Harmful Gossip! ***
Slander can lead to expulsion from God's organization; a slanderer may be disfellowshipped, perhaps as an unrepentant liar. However, such action is not to be taken against those guilty of light gossip. Elders should weigh matters prayerfully, drawing a sharp distinction between mere gossip and vicious slander. To be disfellowshipped, the wrongdoer would have to be a malicious, unrepentant slanderer. Elders are not authorized to disfellowship anyone for trivial gossip that is motivated by human interest but that is not false or malicious. Matters must not be magnified beyond proper proportions, and there must be witnesses with substantial testimony to prove that slander is unquestionably involved.
Paragraph 5--Why did Diotrephes deserve to be called to account for slandering?
3 John 9,10
Likes to have first place
Does not receive anything from us with respect
Chattering about us with wicked words
Loyal Christian--only JWs
Paragraphs 6,7--Why would we want to avoid slandering anyone?
Slanderous statements and false accusations are often hurled against Jehovah's servants.
Jehovah's servants--only JWs
What statements, details............
Those falsely accused brothers are the anointed Christians (only JWs) on earth in these last days.
No Christian (only JW) would want to slander anyone or make false accusations.
Yet the WTS constantly demonizing or uses a broad brush tarring all non-JWs as being immoral and violent.
If we did not have all the facts before bearing witness against someone
As the WTS hides or distorts the facts about child abuse, the UN, blood transfusions, and their doctrinal history about 1874, 1914, 1915, 1920, 1925, 1975....
SHUN THE WAYS OF THE ORIGINAL MANSLAYER
Paragraph 8--In what way was the Devil "a manslayer when he began?"
Turning Adam and Eve away from God
The devil made me do it yet Adam and Eve descended into eternal death with no hope of a resurrection based on current WTS dogma.
Paragraph 9--As indicated at 1 John 3:15, how can we become manslayers?
We would bear guilt before God if we hated a fellow Christian (only JW) and wished him (not her) dead.
You must not hate your brother (sister) in your heart.
Quick to resolve any problem.
Does not destroy our Christian unity
Does that mean that JWs can hate a non-JW and not become a manslayer?
STAND FIRM AGAINST THE CHIEF LIAR
Paragraphs 10,11--What must we do in order to stand firm against the chief liar, Satan?
We cannot resort to lies and deception.
We must "speak truthfully."
*** it-2 p. 244 Lie *** Lying generally involves saying something false to a person who is entitled to know the truth and doing so with the intent to deceive or to injure him or another person.
Has the WTS consistently taught that 1914 was the beginning of Christ's presence?
*** w93 1/15 p. 5 'Caught Away to Meet the Lord'-How? ***
The Watchtower has consistently presented evidence to honesthearted students of Bible prophecy that Jesus' presence in heavenly Kingdom power began in 1914. Events since that year testify to Jesus' invisible presence.
*** Proclaimers book (1993) chap. 5 p. 47 Proclaiming the Lord's Return (1870-1914) ***
Though each subject had been treated by others before, in Russell's view this book was "the first to combine the idea of restitution with time-prophecy." It presented the view that Jesus Christ's invisible presence dated from the autumn of 1874.
God...blesses only his truthful Witnesses.
The whole body of Christian (WTS) teaching
Until 1943, if you were a JW and did not believe that Jesus had been invisibly present in 1874, you would not have been considered a faithful JW supporting "the whole body of Christian teaching."
*** Thousand Years book chap. 11 pp. 209-210 "Here Is the Bridegroom!" ***
In the year 1943 the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society published the book "The Truth Shall Make You Free." In its chapter 11, entitled "The Count of Time," it did away with the insertion of 100 years into the period of the Judges and went according to the oldest and most authentic reading of Acts 13:20, and accepted the spelled-out numbers of the Hebrew Scriptures. This moved forward the end of six thousand years of man's existence into the decade of the 1970's. Naturally this did away with the year 1874 C.E. as the date of return of the Lord Jesus Christ and the beginning of his invisible presence or parousia.
Our very salvation--the only salvation JWs are concerned about based on the effectiveness in finding converts that stay.
RESIST THE FOREMOST APOSTATE
Paragraphs 12,13--How should be treat apostates?
Some first-century Christians fell into "the snare of the Devil," apparently becoming his victims because of being misled and deviating from the truth.
Instruct them with mildness...recover spiritually
Listening to the Devil and not rejecting his lies...first human pair apostatized.
Should we listen to apostates, read their literature, or
EXAMINE THEIR WEB SITES ON THE INTERNET?????????????????????
Should not allow apostates into our homes or even greet them....makes us 'sharers in their wicked works.'
Abandoning the Christian (JW/WTS) "path of truth" (doctrine)
I wonder how they can instruct them with mildness if you can't even greet them?
Paragraphs 14,15--What warning did Paul give elders from Ephesus and his coworker Timothy?
Oppressive wolves...rise and speak twisted things..apostates.
Like saying that the WTS was not associating with the UN as a nongovernmental organization from 1991 to 2001, annually filling out a form that says they have to support the goals of the UN Charter....including military action to keep the peace.
Shun empty speeches
Like the empty prophecies about 1914, 1915, 1920, 1925, 1975.
Paragraph 16--Despite the wiles of the foremost apostate, why have we been loyal to God and his Word?
Satan has often used apostates in an effort to corrupt true worship...
Yes, Satan has used the WTS to corrupt true worship, teaching people that the superior authorities were God and Jesus, flipflopping several times on the fate of those killed at Sodom and Gomorrah, saying the great tribulation started in 1914 and took hiatus in 1918 only to have that changed in 1970; and what of all the faithful JWs who believed the WTS that organ transplants were wrong from 1967 to 1980?
No, the FDS has not helped true Christians remain loyal to God and Christ, but only loyal to the WTS.
NEVER LET THE WORLD'S RULER GET A HOLD ON YOU
Paragraphs 17-19--What is the world that is lying in the Devil's power, and why should we not love it?
Unrighteous human society alienated from God--all non-JWs including little babies
The world ruled by Satan (all non-JWs) hates Christ's followers (only JWs).
Paragraph 20--Why can it be said that we are "no part of the world"?
Anointed Christians (only 8,000 approx JWs)
Dedicated companions (only 6 million approx JWs)
This unrighteous world hates us (only JWs are ever persecuted for their faith, right?)
Midst of human society--fornicators, adulterers, extortioners, idolaters, thieves, liars, and drunkards--including the WTS
ALLOW NO PLACE FOR THE DEVIL
Paragraphs 21,22--How can you (why not we?) apply Paul's counsel recorded at Ephesians 4:26,27?
Led by God's spirit
Like the "spirit-directed" WTS? Or can holy spirit only come through the WTS not directly to Christians?
We may at times become justifiably angry
And when would that be?
Promote discord in the congregation
Quickly settle differences (second mention of that, hmmmmm?)
Guide by God's spirit (guided by the WTS)
Paragraph 23--What questions will we consider in the next article?
Should we fear Satan?
Based on the fear of demon-possessed garage sale items, Smurfs, and the urban legends about demon experiences of JW, I would say yes.
Why does he foment the persecution of Christians (only JWs)?
Concluding Comments:
I will be on vacation this week. Sorry for the abbreviated review. You have all been doing so well. I learn from you every week.
Love, Blondie