I just endured the painful process of trudging through the 2012 Examining the Scriptures Daily, looking for interesting quotes. Apart from being repetitively boring, it has managed to squeeze most of the Watchtower's crazy concepts into a single book. The comments concentrate on:
- avoiding the internet, video games, pornography, materialism,
- working harder in the congregation, more meetings, more preaching, more family worship
- improved treatment of others, not becoming angry, being better in marriage
- The evilness of the world and other religions
- Avoiding being discouraged at how long the end has delayed
- 6 different texts regarding the advantages of being single
It starts with a wonderfully arrogant comment.
"In fact, those who truly make the Bible their guide are a minority—only about 0.1 percent of the earth’s population." foreword.
mmm. .01%. Could that by any chance coincide with the percentage of JW publishers?
In smilier vein it claims there are "millions" that are friends with God - another dig at the billions that are not - i.e. non JWs.
"The ransom is totally undeserved. But by exercising faith in it, millions today have become friends of God, with the hope of everlasting life on a paradise earth." feb 25
What also irritated me in that comment is the typically negative comment that the ransom is "totally undeserved". So humans inherited sin from Adam and Eve, have no control over being unacceptable to God, and then don't deserve him to try to fix the situation.
Then there are the constant comments about how we need the Slave.
"However, we cannot hope to acquire a good relationship with Jehovah if we ignore those whom Jesus has appointed to care for his belongings. Without the assistance of “the faithful and discreet slave,” we would neither understand the full import of what we read in God’s Word nor know how to apply it." Mar 4
"For instance, a brother may have been listening to questionable music. Eventually, his conscience becomes troubled because of ignoring Bible counsel presented in publications of “the faithful and discreet slave.”" May 15
"If a certain type of work is plainly in conflict with Scriptural requirements, most of us quickly respond to the direction provided through the faithful and discreet slave class. When the answer to an employment question is not clear-cut, however, Bible principles should be noted and considered prayerfully." Dec 25
Any normal person would write "because of ignoring Bible counsel" and realise it is not necessary to add "presented in publications of “the faithful and discreet slave.”" That sentence is good indication of what a high control religion it is and the self adulation the leaders feel necessary to constantly enforce.
Interestingly they come out and clearly state the Governing Body direct the rest of the Anointed, but do not really explain how the rest of the Anointed are used as part of the Slave.
"As Head of the Christian congregation, Christ has used this “faithful and discreet slave” to administer His Kingdom interests on earth. He has provided direction for the anointed “domestics” and their “other sheep” companions by means of a Governing Body." July 15
After all the preceding comments, it is hard to miss the irony of the following text.
"Do not . . . be called “leaders,” for your Leader is one, the Christ.—Matt. 23:9, 10. Christendom’s churches have human leaders, such as the pope of Rome, the patriarchs and metropolitans of the Eastern Orthodox churches, and the heads of other religions. Jehovah’s Witnesses recognize no human as their leader. They are not disciples or followers of any man." October 28
There is mention that Jesus inspected and chose the Slave, but without reference to the year 1918, including a claim that anyone knowing Watchtower history will find amusing.
"From 1879 onward, through thick and thin, they had been publishing Biblical truths about God’s Kingdom in the pages of The Watchtower." July 15
And then there are the logical fallacies, such as that preaching could not be done without Holy Spirit.
"Holy spirit empowers us to declare the good news. What else could explain how the good news has been preached earth wide?" May 6
Again in Aug 6
"Considering the scope of their preaching commission, the strength of their opponents, and the frailty of the human flesh, it was clear that they needed superhuman power."
The preaching certainly is not earth wide, as billions have never seen JWs, and if it can only be explained by holy spirit and superhuman power, what accounts for other religions even more impressive growth, such as Catholics. (Of sorry, they represent Satan, and so his spirit guides their growth.)
Aug 3 has a story of a 16 year old that went into the world, fell pregnant, had an abortion, and returned to the congregation regretting the emotional scars from being part of the world, which has "nothing but misery to offer". Falling pregnant as a teenager is not a common "worldly" undertaking, and only the gullible would suck down these far fetched stories as an indication of reality outside the organisation.
I'm not sure how quoting a 3,000 year old Scripture is very motivational or convincing that Armageddon is close at hand.
"The great day of Jehovah is near.—Zeph. 1:14. A storm that threatens the very existence of the human race is approaching." August 13
There are plenty of comments about Armageddon and Noah's day. This following contains particular irony.
"For example, 1 out of every 142 children born in the United States will become a murder victim. With senseless violence so prevalent, do you think that Jehovah will take less notice today than he did in Noah’s day?" Oct 17
So Jehovah's solution to controlling the murder rate of 1:142 is by the far greater act of violence of murdering virtually everyone, 999:1000.
I cannot stress enough the repetitiveness of the Daily Texts. There are only 365 texts required, but they could not come up with more than at most 30 topics to discuss. For instance Prov 27:11 " Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice" was used 3 times as the text Scriputure and then quoted 2 other times. The average JW has to endure this mindnumbing repetitiveness daily with this publication, then repeated in the meetings and other publications, year after year after year.