How The WT's 144,000 Theology Hijacks Their Annual Memorial Meeting

by Room 215 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Room 215

  At last year's local memorial service, purported to honor Jesus' sacrificial death and its signficance to the eternal prospects of humanity, the visiting speaker from Bethel quite remarkably managed to talk for almost an hour without one recourse to the word "resurrection".. a remarkable achievement, given its centrality in the belief system of nominal Christianity.

  Nor were the stirring moments of high drama in the Bible's depicting of Jesus last hours on earth-- his last supper and his prayer for the well-being of his disciples, the betrayal of Judas, the agony of the garden; his disciples' succumbing to sleep; his betrayal and arrest in the Garden of Gethesemane; the scattering of his fear-gripped disciples; Peter's denial, and the climactic soul-stirring awareness of the signficance of the empty tomb and its guardian's chilling pronouncement to Mary Magdalene and the women "why are you searching for the living among the dead?"... and so on, to his post-resurrection appearance at Emmaus, etc.

  All of this was swept aside in favor of convincing those in attendance that they had no business in partaking of the emblematic bread and wine.
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  OnTheWayOut

  Then they have no need to attend.
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  james_woods

  It IS an astonishing doctrine - given that:

  1) - there is nothing whatsoever in the bible that actually says only 144,000 should observe the ceremony.

  2) - there is nothing whatsoever in the bible that actually says only 144,000 are of the heavenly resurrection.

  3) - according to established JW teachings - there really should not be anywhere near 12,000 of the annointed left alive now on earth.
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  Ding

  Demonstrating that the WTS' Memorial is all about "the faithful and discreet slave class," not Jesus...
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  james_woods

  Demonstrating that the WTS' Memorial is all about "the faithful and discreet slave class," not Jesus...

  Absolutely correct. It is self-worship - and in today's JW theology, the "faithful and discreet slave class" actually means the Governing Body.
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  jean-luc picard

  I always did think that it was strange that the 144000 was not complete before the 20 century.

  From memory ( though I am starting to forget some of the details) in the first century 5000 were baptised in one day, and 3000 on another occasion.

  At that rate, in one month the 144000 would have been complete.

  I wonder if the GB accounts are as accurate as their other number crunching?
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  miseryloveselders

  Then they have no need to attend.

  I chuckled after reading this. Its the truth, why bother attending if it has nothing to do with me? It's like everything else in WT land when it comes to doublespeak. The commission to preach was given to the 144,000 according to WT doctrine. That being the case, the average JW isn't obligated to do field service, especially this nonsensible 30 hour auxilliary pioneer initiative. The Memorial observance according to WT doctrine only applies to the 144,000, so the average JW isn't obligated to attend. There's a handful of other doctrines that this double speak applies to as well.

  Funny I couldn't remember which Bible verse it is on class distinctions, so I Googled it. The very first result was from the Watchtower.Org. Ironic isn't it? James 2:1-4 for those like me who couldn't remember.
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  Perry

  Excellent Topic.

  Jesus didn’t spill his blood in order to give a few folks a position in his kingdom government per se. He shed his totally righteous blood so that “whosoever believeth in him might not perish but have everlasting life”. Or in other words, have their sins forgiven and thus have the right to keep living.

  The Jews, from their history learned this principle over and over for thousands of years. But, for most of us gentiles it may be a new concept. So just to make it clear:

  Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

  God’s Law states that the wages of sin is death. Death is the penalty for sinning. However, to circumvent this unforgiving LAW, in the Old Testament (Contract) God allowed animals to die in the place of the sinner in (foreshadowing) satisfying this righteous penalty.

  Both Jew and non-Jew proselyte had to first come under the jurisdiction of the Old Testament Contract before they could partake of this sin atoning provision.

  In lock step with the sin-forgiving qualities of the Old Testament, the New Testament (Contract) was inaugurated the night of Jesus’ crucifixion for the same purpose:

  Hebrews 7:22 - By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

  Hebrews 9:15 - And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

  No matter how many false NWT bibles and magazines the Watchtower prints to change the meaning of the New Testament; the words of Jesus can NEVER be erased:

  Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

  And again:

  Luke 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

  And again:

  Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

  And again:

  Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

  The teaching that the New Covenant (Testament) was a small contract only for political kingdom positions is a lie from the pits of hell. It appeals to our feelings of inadequacy that most of us have. Once our sins are forgiven, we have a RIGHT to eternal life irregardless of our feelings. At that moment of forgiveness, we inherit life, rulership, and blessings directly from our Father the King of Kings, just as our children inherit our things. Whether or not a person feels like they are worthy is completely irrelevant to this reality.

  John 1: 12 - But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

  Over and over, God warns us not to trust our feelings. It is his WORD that we are to completely trust, and not our easily swayed hearts and feelings.

  Since the forgiveness is in the blood, and the blood is disobediently rejected in favor of works, there is NO FORGIVENESS THAT CAN BE PROVEN FROM THE BIBLE FOR JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES.
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  joelingeorgia

  think of the hundreds of thousands of christians killed for their faith during the early years of the church.

  makes no sense that thousands would still be alive.
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  Ding

  Only 144,000 true Christians in 1900 years would be less than 76 new Christians each year worldwide.

  Does that make any sense, especially given that in the first century alone:

  -- There was a church in Jerusalem

  -- There was a church in Antioch

  -- Acts 2:41 says 3,000 were converted during Peter's one message

  -- Acts 2:47 says God was adding daily those who were being saved

  -- Acts 9:31 says the church spread throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria

  -- Acts 11:26 says Barnabas and Saul taught great numbers of people

  -- Colossians 1:6 says, "All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing..."

  -- One man (Paul) personally planted churches in Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Corinth, Colossae, Thessalonica, Berea, and Rome?

  -- Paul also got converts in Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, Crete, etc.