*** lv chap. 10 pp. 110-120 Marriage-A Gift From a Loving God ***
"A threefold cord cannot quickly be torn."-ECCLESIASTES 4:12.
Q1, 2. (a) Regarding new marriages, what may we at times wonder, and why? (b) What questions will we discuss in this chapter?Do you enjoy going to weddings? Many do, for such occasions can be very pleasant. You see the couple looking their best. Better yet, there is such joy on their faces! On this day, they are all smiles, and their future seems full of hope and promise.
Is the wedding ring a pagan practice? If so why is the WTS inconsistent when it says that wearing a wedding ring is ok but confetti can not be thrown at a wedding because it is "pagan"?
2 Still, it must be admitted that in many respects the institution of marriage is in a shambles today. While we hope for the best for newly married couples, we may at times wonder: 'Will this marriage be happy? Will it last?' The answers to those questions will depend on whether husband and wife trust and apply God's counsel on marriage. (Proverbs 3:5, 6) They need to do so in order to remain in God's love. Let us now focus on the Bible's answer to these four questions: Why get married? If you marry, whom should you choose for a mate? How can you prepare for marriage? And what can help a couple to remain happily married?
"...marriage is in a shambles today..." Are JW marriages more successful than non JW marriages?
http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/divorce.php
WHY GET MARRIED?
Q3. Why would it be unwise to marry for trivial reasons?3 Some believe that marriage is essential to happiness-that you cannot find fulfillment or joy in life unless you find a mate. That is simply untrue! Jesus, a single man, spoke of singleness as a gift and urged those who could to make room for it. (Matthew 19:11, 12) The apostle Paul too discussed the advantages of singleness. (1 Corinthians 7:32-38) Neither Jesus nor Paul made a rule in this regard; in fact, "forbidding to marry" is listed among "teachings of demons." (1 Timothy 4:1-3) Still, singleness has much to offer those who want to serve Jehovah without distraction. It would not be wise, then, to marry for trivial reasons, such as peer pressure.
"...singleness as a gift..." & "It would not be wise, then, to marry for trivial reasons, such as peer pressure" - Are they directing this at the many single sisters who seem desperate to get hitched?
"...serve Jehovah..." or the WTS or is that the same thing? Why no mention of Jesus?
Q4. A good marriage provides what foundation for child-rearing?4 On the other hand, are there valid reasons to get married? Yes. Marriage too is a gift from our loving God. (Genesis 2:18) So it has certain advantages and the potential for bringing blessings. For instance, a good marriage is the best foundation for family life. Children need a stable environment with parents to raise them, providing love, discipline, and guidance. (Psalm 127:3; Ephesians 6:1-4) However, child-rearing is not the only reason for marriage.
"Children need a stable environment with parents to raise them" - Is the WTS now encouraging child raring?
W00 1/08 p.21 Why Do They Have No Children?
"Although Noah's three sons were all married, none fathered children until after the Deluge. ... While this does not imply that it is wrong to have children today, many Christian couples decline to have children so as to become more fully involved in the urgent work that Jehovah has given his people to do. Some couples have waited for a time before having children; others have decided to remain childless and consider the possibility of bearing children in Jehovah's righteous new world."Q5, 6. (a) According to Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, what are some of the practical benefits of a close friendship? (b) How can a marriage be like a threefold cord?5 Consider the theme scripture for this chapter along with its context: "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their hard work. For if one of them should fall, the other one can raise his partner up. But how will it be with just the one who falls when there is not another to raise him up? Moreover, if two lie down together, they also will certainly get warm; but how can just one keep warm? And if somebody could overpower one alone, two together could make a stand against him. And a threefold cord cannot quickly be torn in two."-Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.
6 Primarily, this passage is about the value of friendship. Marriage, of course, involves the closest of friendships. As this scripture shows, such a union can provide assistance, comfort, and protection. A marriage is especially strong if it is more than a bond between just two people. A twofold cord, as this verse implies, might be torn apart. But three strands woven or braided together would be much harder to tear apart. When pleasing Jehovah is the prime concern of both husband and wife, their marriage is like that threefold cord. Jehovah is a real part of the marriage, so the union is very strong indeed.
"Primarily, this passage is about the value of friendship" - so they admit this passage doesn't directly apply to marriage but they are applying it talking about marriage!
What kind of an example to JW is King Solomon considering he had 1,000 wives and "left Jehovah" because of them. Is the WTS saying he believed in marriage between 2 people because it seems that marriage to him was a thousandfold cord!
What does "...pleasing Jehovah is the prime concern of both husband and wife..."mean? Is it attending meetings, field service 8 hours a month not preaching the gospel of the Bible, personal study of WTS publications, and family study of WTS publications?
Q7, 8. (a) What counsel did Paul pen for single Christians who struggle with sexual desires? (b) The Bible gives us what realistic view of marriage?7 Marriage is also the only context in which sexual desires can be properly satisfied. In this setting, the sexual union is rightly viewed as a source of delight. (Proverbs 5:18) When a single person is past what the Bible calls "the bloom of youth"-that time when sexual urges first become strong-he or she may still struggle with sexual desires. Uncontrolled, such desires could lead to unclean or improper conduct. Paul was inspired to pen this counsel for single people: "If they do not have self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to be inflamed with passion."-1 Corinthians 7:9, 36; James 1:15.
"Uncontrolled, such desires could lead to unclean or improper conduct." - Please don't talk about the M word with children in the hall...
"If they do not have self-control, let them marry..." - This is a recipe for disaster - the old marry in haste and repent at leisure...
8 Whatever reasons motivate a person to marry, it is good to be realistic. As Paul put it, those who marry "will have tribulation in their flesh." (1 Corinthians 7:28) Married people face challenges that single people will not face. If you choose to marry, though, how can you minimize the challenges and maximize the blessings? One way is to choose a mate wisely.
"...good to be realistic..." - Does the WTS practice what it preaches to others?