Does the Watchtower magazine carry more weight than the Bible?

by Sour Grapes 51 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Sour Grapes

  Last week as I listened to the public talk, I noticed

  that several times the speaker referred to the Watchtower

  as the source of authority.

  He said that "in the July1, 1980 Watchtower page 15

  paragraph 4 it says".... It is like he was looking up a Bible

  verse. My first thought was, hell that was 32 years ago

  when the "Truth" then is so much different than the "Truth"

  today. I know that when I was an elder I always looked forward

  to the Questions from Readers because that is where the real

  mashed potatoes or meat in due season was served on a silver

  plater near the end of the Watchtower.

  I remember the questions and latest from God's mouth to our

  ears on smoking, oral sex, homosexuallity, blood products, selling

  cigarettes, carrying a gun in for your job, working on a church,

  R rated movies, etc. There were so many important truths that

  we just had to know because God failed to put them in His Word.

  Sour Grapes
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  baltar447

  Of course the WTS superceeds the bible. I'm paraphrasing here but it was said once at an assembly: "If the society said that this green bible is red, then well brothers it's red." I may have the colors mixed up but you get the idea.
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  baltar447

  Of course you'll never get a JW to admit that the bible isn't the ABSOLUTE authority. They will say that the bible is greater than the WT but in practice it just isn't true.
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  Azazel

  Good observation guys.

  The Mormans have the bible but always refer to "The Book of Mormon"

  Jehovah's Witnesses have the bible but are giving greater reference to "The Book of Watchtower".

  At least the mormons got it in one go JW's get it as pulp fiction!

  In any of its publications you can substitute "Gods Will" with WTS or GB because thats what they really mean.

  Az
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  Lore

  Ask any witness what happened to Jepthah's daughter. If they tell you she was offered up as a burnt offering, then the Bible holds more weight.

  If they tell you she dedicated her life to serve in a temple in Shiloh, then you have your answer.
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  yadda yadda 2

  Up to a certain degree, yes.

  Lets try a thought exercise. If the Watchtower published study articles later this year announcing that the trinity is true after all, and that the human soul is immortal after all, what do you think would happen?
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  Band on the Run

  Nothing would happen. They would smile at the new information. It is a cult not a way of viewing the Bible or any one theology.
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  blondie

  Is Loyalty more important than truth?

  What happens when the Watchtower Society makes a mistake? In 1984, Karl Klein a member of the Governing Body, addressed this issue in the October 1, 1984 Watchtower page 22. He says, "World War I was raging, and even though the most prominent brothers had been unjustly imprisoned over the war issue, the need for Christian neutrality was not fully appreciated by those taking the lead. A few who saw the issue clearly took offense and separated themselves from the Bible Students, calling themselves Standfasters. They warned me that if I stayed with the Bible Students I would lose out on being of the 'little flock' of Jesus' anointed followers." Karl Klein although he appears to have agreed with the Standfasters in principle, goes on to say, "Mother, though not yet dedicated, helped me to make the right decision. I could not see myself leaving those from whom I had learned so much, and I decided to take my chances with my Bible Student brothers. It was a test of loyalty."

  Did the Watchtower organization make a mistake? Apparently so because just prior to World War II, they adjusted their viewpoint. Their new viewpoint was now identical to that of the Standfasters. (See the Watchtower, Dec. 1, 1981 pg. 29.) This is a perfect example of the Watchtower's position that it is not important if the organization is right or wrong. What is important is loyalty to the Watchtower Society. The fact that faithful followers of the organization believed in a position before the organization did, was not looked at with favour. Apparently it was not as important who was right but who was loyal to the organization.

  Did the Watchtower Society, realizing their error and changing their doctrine, reach out to the Standfasters and ask them to return to the fold? The offical history of the Society, the Proclaimers book published in 1993 does not even mention the Standfasters. The Society's 1930-1985 Index lists the Standfasters as an apostate group. Apostate in what way? Apostate in that loyalty was more important than truth. Apart from the 1984 Watchtower there appears to be only one other instance where Society literature talks about the Standfasters. The reference is the July 15, 1964 Watchtower pages 441-3 where the Standfasters are portrayed in a negative light. "As if persecution was not enough trouble, the Devil began to cause divisions and fighting within the ranks of God's people in an effort to disrupt the organization from within. Some ambitious individuals in the organization began selfishly to seek power for themselves. They claimed that those in the headquarters of the organization, known as the Bible House, were compromising and were too broad-minded. They called them 'broadviews.' This, of course, led to confusion and misunderstanding among the brothers. What were they to do? Should they remain loyal to those in the Bible House or leave the organization? A number of persons who had prominent positions of oversight in the congregations left the organization. They called themselves the 'Standfasters,' getting their name from the Bible book of Galatians where, in the Authorized Version of the Bible, it speaks of standing fast in the 'liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free.' (Gal. 5:1) The Standfasters soon began wrangling among themselves." The nature of the "wrangling" is not described. It is worth noting that the writer said that the Standfasters considered the Society too compromising without revealing the specific issue. Nor does he mention that the Society eventually decided that it was indeed too compromising and changed their viewpoint on Christian neutrality.

  This brings to mind a quotation from the Watchtower Dec. 1, 1981 pg 30 discussing patriotism: "One patriot even expressed it this way: 'Our country! . . . may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong.'" Many Jehovah's Witnesses still in the organization say "The Watchtower Society! May she always be in the right; but I will be loyal to her right or wrong!"

  http://www.jwinfoline.com/Documents/Watchtower_organization/is_loyalty_more_important_than_truth.htm
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  leavingwt

  "Does the Watchtower magazine carry more weight than the Bible?"

  Absolutely. Much of the WT dogma is nowhere to be found in the Scriptures.

  Then again, you can interpret the Bible to fit any need. They'll always claim that their teachings are supported in Scripture, in contrast to the teachings of Babylon the Great, which are inspired by demons.
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  Azazel

  blondie i have found the Watchtower speaks volumes by its silence on some of the closer to the mark religions than themselves.

  Az