A new poster to this board claimed this is not an official Witness site because of the flag displayed here. One of the big JW problems has been with flags. The right not to have to salute a flag has been claimed as a big freedom victory. I don’t know when the WTS and JWs began having problems with national, state and other flags but it certainly proved to be a big cause of self-induced persecution.
What we tend to forget or not even know is that the WTS have hidden flag waving Israelites from the Bible. This is the NWT version of Numbers 2: 1,2:
Jehovah now spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: "The sons of Israel should encamp, each man by his [three-tribe] division, by the signs for the house of their fathers. Round about in front of the tent of meeting they should encamp. NWT
The footnote to this scripture and signs is this:
"By the signs." Heb., ve´o·thoth'
A link to the Insight book states:
A sign of a literal or symbolic nature could serve as an identification.-Nu 2:2; Ex 12:13.
Vol 2 page 941
So according to the NWT each Israelite camped by his division and sign. But what is a sign and a divison. According to other translations they translate the passage in Nu 2:2 thus:
Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch. -- King James
The children of Israel shall encamp every man by his own standard, with the ensigns of their fathers' houses: over against the tent of meeting shall they encamp round about. –ASV
The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting some distance from it, each man under his standard with the banners of his family." NIV
“Each tribe will have its own tent area, with its flagpole and tribal banner;..” Living Bible
2. |0376| Every man |1714| beside his own standard, |0226| with the ensigns |1004| of household |0001|Strong’s
Strong's Ref. 1714 - Romanized degel, Pronounced deh'-gel
from HSN1713; a flag:
KJV--banner, standard.
Strong's Ref. # 226 - Romanized 'owth, Pronounced oth
probably from HSN0225 (in the sense of appearing); a signal (literally or figuratively), as a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc.:
KJV--mark, miracle, (en-)sign, token.
Everyone else says, flag, banner or ensign. I suppose the WTS can’t say flag because the argumant that it is an idolatrous symbol can’t be used here. Why? Because the second commandment forbids idolatry but the Israelites were not condemned for raising flags and banners but actually commanded to raise them and use them. Once again the WTS resorts to deceptive translation to justify their doctrines.
The flag on this board serves as an identification of those who support freedom. Keep it there.
Thirdson
'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'