March 15, 2010 Watchtower -- "One Flock, One Shepherd" (page 6)

Chalam

Dude, read again! Two flocks (Jew & Gentiles) have became one flock for those who follow the Shepherd, Jesus.

John 10:16 (New International Version)

16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

John 11:51-52 (New International Version)

51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.

Romans 10:11-12 (New International Version)

11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,

Blessings,

Stephen

Watkins

Hey Mary! For me, this was one of those wt things I had to scrap completely and start from scratch! Now it seems so clear - duh - we were completely blinded by the wt's so-called 'authority'. I think this article's just another in the long line of articles flexing their (invisible)authority - notice these words - "If, though, those who will live forever on earth were entitled to partake of the emblems..." Entitlement? Deservedness? See how they twist it to make the b&s feel guilty to question what's actually happening to them when they come to Christ and receive the holy spirit just as Jesus promised. They're so confused because by WT doctrine this means they're heaven-bound! They don't yet realize that this(some call it 'being born again' or 'born from above') is what's supposed to happen to everyone following Christ and loving God. There's one faith, one hope. There's no Biblical indication that any of us know where we're to be or even what we're to be until our resurrection. They've danced around that for a long time, recently admitting all believers share God's spirit "without measure"... but it's still in the minds of JWs that there are huge spiritual differences between their 'anointed' class and the rest. Language used in past articles put the r&f in their lowly place, being accused of 'grasping' at things not belonging to them; thinking 'something special' of themselves - when this is exactly how belief in Jesus is supposed to work! It does make us special and set apart from the world - just like all Christians are supposed to feel! What it's not supposed to do is make one Christian more 'special' than another - we're all called and we all fall short - Christ Jesus is what unites us, not doctrine!

The whole 2-tiered construct is wrong. Yes, the 2 flocks that Jesus already made into the one - was done with his death and resurrection. The 'little flock' was made up of his Jewish brethren and the 'other sheep' were the Gentiles or 'nations'. One main point is that they are no longer separate 'flocks' - they have already been made one, with one shepherd Christ Jesus.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/134820/2400646/post.ashx#2400646

The link above shows their explanation of Jesus coming 6 times! Really, they have no clue about the presence of Christ, they just like to go on and on about how they're the only ones who know what a Greek word means - and they even screwed that up! I think about the many times Jesus said to 'be on the watch' and to be 'alert and waiting'... he didn't say

[quote]Curse the WT to time indefinite for its blasphemous teaching that has divided those seeking the Savior! Amen. Sylvia[/quote]

They've done it to themselves. And I agree - it's the most divisive and harmful teaching - it actually convinces the b&s to actively reject the symbols of Christ's body...

I could rant for a solid month about this...

watkins

yadda yadda 2

Nice posts Mary and Watkins, thanks.

kashkrunched

A quick Google search on Communion and its Pagan connections reveals some interesting information.

The Lord's Supper was not invented by Paul, but was borrowed by him from Mithraism, the mystery religion that existed long before Christianity and was Christianity's chief competitor up until the time of Constantine. Paul's "home-town" was Tarsus, from where Mithraism began. In Mithraism, the central figure is the mythical Mithras, who died for the sins of mankind and was resurrected.

Believers in Mithras were rewarded with eternal life. Part of the Mithraic communion liturgy included the words, "He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made one with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation."

Eerily, the Vatican hill of Rome considered to be sacred to Peter was originally sacred to Mithras and the cave of the Vatican was once a Mithraic temple. The very throne upon which the Pope sits is to this very day Mithraic in its origins from the inscriptions on it. Mithra was the Roman’s ‘Sun Hero’. Jesus is just the latest spin off of this religion.

The Watchtower was on the 'right track'; and thought they had the ‘upper hand’ when they ‘exposed’ False Religion’s doctrines connecting them to ancient pagan myths. Where the Watchtower went wrong is that they didn’t take the train to the 'end of the track'. A closer examination reveals that Christianity, like other religions, is loosely based on the worship of the sun. The Watchtower regularly paints itself into a corner when they try to make Jesus a walking, talking human being separate from Mithraic and other mythology.

Christians have been tricked into worshiping the sun.

stillajwexelder

my brain hurts

wobble

WELCOME KASHKRUNCHED !

Thanks for your post,when I was in I often used to wonder at the similarity between many of the myths of ancient gods, and the "life" of Christ, the Mother and child motif, the death and re-birth,and other features, and as you have shown, the Mithraic connections.

I used to rationalise that it was coincidence, what a dumbass !

Thanks too to all of you on this thread, it will give me much ammo. in future discussions with my Uber-Dub family.

Love

Wobble

Mad Sweeney

Yet another reason why the GB frowns on education. Most JWs don't know a thing about Mithras or any other religious beliefs or traditions. Ask any random JW at the Kingdom Hall what he/she knows about Mithras and you'll get a glazed look in response. They don't teach that stuff in high school. You have to do your own reading of non-WT literature <gasp!> or go to college to learn that kind of stuff.

carla

Will this be considered new light by the r & f?

designs

Lutherans teach Closed Communion, conservative Presbyterians teach Calvin's Election of the Elect, Methodists have an Open Table, Catholics have their Transubstantiation and Priesthood officiates, the LDS have communion for members only, and we had this quirky Memorial.......

Not bad for a nice Jewish kid from Bethlehem.....

Help out at your local Food Bank, support a local environmental cause, put a smile on someone's face today, It'll be alright....

March 15, 2010 Watchtower -- "One Flock, One Shepherd"

John 10:16 (New International Version)

John 11:51-52 (New International Version)

Romans 10:11-12 (New International Version)

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