A First Stepping-Stone For Bethelites & Lurkers?

The Searcher

For potential new-arrivals:

If you are one of the many who are facing expulsion from Bethels around the world in the near future - or simply a sincere J.W. who is lurking here - I hope that you will emulate the Beroeans by comparing this recent Watchtower's comments & claims with "what the Bible really teaches."

Perhaps these Scriptures will help you to begin to see things clearer, and also to take your first steps in a new direction - now that 'Mother's' façade is crumbling before people's eyes.

w14 7/15 p. 24 pars. 3-4 "You Are My Witnesses"

"In 1931, the name Jehovah’s Witnesses was adopted by the Bible Students. Afterward, many letters of appreciation were published in this journal. "The good news that we are ‘Jehovah’s witnesses’ has thrilled us, and filled us with renewed determination to be worthy of the new * name," wrote one congregation from Canada. 4 How can you show your appreciation for the privilege of bearing God’s name? Also, can you explain the Scriptural ** context from which our name, Jehovah’s Witnesses, is taken?"

*New name - (Isaiah 62:2) "And you will be called by a new name, which Jehovah’s own mouth will designate", - not Mr. Rutherford's!

That new name was Christians - plain, simple, and logical - (Acts 11:26) "It was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians."

Mr. Rutherford decided in 1931 to pervert the prophecy of Isaiah and the scripture in Acts in order to create a distinctive brand-name within Christendom's multitudinous denominations.

** Here is the true Scriptural context:

Matthew 10:18 - ".....for my sake, for a witness to them and the nations.

Mark 13:9 - "......before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them."

Luke 24: 47,48 - "....and on the basis of his [Jesus'] name....You are to be witnesses....."

John 1:15 - "John bore witness about him..." [JESUS]

John 5:37 - "the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me."

John 8:18 - "the Father who sent me bears witness about me."

John 15:26,27 - "the spirit will bear witness about me; and YOU in turn, are to bear witness."

Acts 1:8 - "You [11 faithful apostles] will be witnesses of me...."

Acts 4:17,18 - ...upon the basis of this (Jesus') name .... upon the basis of the name of Jesus.

Acts 10:39 - "And we are witnesses of all the things he [Jesus] did..."

Acts 10:43 - "To him [Jesus] all the prophets bear witness....."

Acts 13:31 - "who are now his (Jesus') witnesses to the people.

Acts 22:15 - "because you are to be a witness for him [Jesus] to all men......"

Acts 22:20 - "......the blood of Stephen your [Jesus'] witness was being spilled..."

Acts 23:11 - "..... a thorough witness on the things about me in Jerusalem..."

Acts 26:16 -"I [Jesus]..choose you as an attendant and a witness..respecting me"

Romans 8:16 - "The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit..."

1 Corinthians 1:6 - "even as the witness about the Christ..........."

1 Timothy. 2:6 - "......what is to be witnessed to at its own particular times."

2 Timothy 1:8 - "............of the witness about our Lord.. [Christ]"

1 John 5:9 - "the witness God gives...the fact that he has borne witness concerning his Son."

Revelation 1:9 - "....for speaking about God and bearing witness to Jesus."

Revelation 12:17 - ".......and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus."

Revelation 17:6 - "........and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus."

Revelation 19:10 -".....the work of witnessing to Jesus.... bearing witness to Jesus."

Revelation 20:4 - "............ for the witness they bore to Jesus."

1 Corinthians 1:2 - "....with all who....are calling upon the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ...."

James 2:7 - "They blaspheme the fine name by which YOU were called, do they not"?

1 Peter 4:14,16 - "If YOU are being reproached for the name of Christ, YOU are happy....But if [he suffers] as a Christian, let him not feel shame......but let him keep on glorifying God in THIS name."

John 3:18 - "....he has not exercised faith in the name of the only-begotten Son of God"

Acts 2:38 - "......be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ...."

Acts 3:6 - "In the name of Jesus Christ the Naz·a·rene´, walk!"

Acts 4:10 - ".......in the name of Jesus Christ the Naz·a·rene......"

Acts 8:16 - ".......been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus."

Acts 9:27 - ".....and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus."

Acts 10:48 - "With that he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ."

Acts 16:18 - ""I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her."

Acts 19:5 - "On hearing this, they got baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus."

In whose name were Christians to witness? (see above)

For whose name would Christians be hated? (Matt. 10:22)

By whose name were people healed? (Acts 3:6; Acts 4:10)

By whose name were demons expelled? (Luke 10:17; Acts 16:18)

By whose name would people receive Holy Spirit? (John 14:26)

In whose name would people pray to God? (John 15:16)

By whose name would people be identified? (Isa. 62:2; Acts 11:26)

By whose name would people be reconciled to God? (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18)

By whose name would people be forgiven their sins? (Matt. 26:28; Acts 2:38; Eph. 1:7)

In whose name would people be judged? (John 5:27)

By whose name would people be resurrected (John 5:28)

In whose name would people be baptized? (Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:48, 19:5, 22:16)

In whose name were people to put faith? (John 2:23)

In whose name was Saul/Paul commissioned to preach? (Acts 9:14-16)

For whose name would Christians be reproached? (1 Peter 4:14)

In whose name were Christians to gather together? (Matt. 18:20)

For whose name would Christians make sacrifices? (Matt. 19:29)

For whose name would Christians be persecuted and killed? (Luke 21:12,16,17)

In whose name will every knee in heaven and on earth bend? (Philippians 2:10)

In whose name would people be declared righteous? (1 Cor. 6:11)

Christ's name was to be the focus for Christians according to the Bible - no other!

DesirousOfChange

Searcher, I'm interested why this seems to be such a key issue to you. I've seen you emphasize it several times here. When a JW, or even where I am now, it seems like a non-issue to me and I can't see it being a catalyst issue for a new lurker. Yet almost everything else you say in your posted comments resonate in a great way with me, so I'm curious as what I'm missing here. Since the post has sat idle here for over 2 days, maybe you can enlighten others as well.

Remember, I no longer am of the JW mindset where I believe that it is mandatory to be united in thought on every single issue. And I realize that what is a "poke-in-the-eyeball" issue with one person can be unimportant to another.

Thanks,

Doc

Tenacious

When a JW, or even where I am now, it seems like a non-issue to me and I can't see it being a catalyst issue for a new lurker.

@ DOC - a true Christian will follow Christ and no one else. That is the will of God, for people to listen to his Son.

How can you say the person whom we must believe in, put our faith in, rest our faith in, are named after, and be saved by, is a non-issue?

The Searcher is right. I've always wondered even when I was 100% in, why the WTS pushed Jehovah as the sole salvation instead of the Christ. I too agree and am overwhelmed with the scriptures that indicate this. That is one of the reasons why the WTS inserted the name 'Jehovah' into so much of the New Testament. So they can quote it more!

Salvation by Christ is the premise of the New Testament!

Witness 007

I think u lost them at "heĺlo".

KateWild

Nice idea Searcher,

I was very scripturally minded when I first awakened and read the Bible lots. You're scriptures resonated with me and helped me see that WT was not in line with the bible.

I am sure others will be awakened by your scriptures too

Kate xx

The Searcher

Hi DOC - maybe my very personal experience with a zealous J.W. friend will explain it better.

When I told him of the 28 scriptures which tell Christians to witness for Jesus, he went ballistic and accused me of sounding the same as Christendom's religions who are always going on about 'Jesus this' or Jesus that'.

It really touched a raw nerve, because it destroys any credibility or Scriptural validity for the name "Jehovah's Witnesses." If it can do that to him, it can affect others.

Those verses are like a Biblical cluster-bomb which pulverises their unique designer label, and exposes it for what it is - a marketing exercise.

If those verses help to trigger just one person's thinking processes regarding the Org, I will be delighted.

OneEyedJoe

I'm kinda with DOC on this one...I know it wouldn't have mattered to me one lick while I was in (probably would've gotten a "that's odd" and then I would've moved on) and I don't see how it would matter to anyone. Especially with how the JW bible's NT is so bastardized with the insertion of Jehovah all over the place it really muddies the water.

But my journey was my own and since I was essentially an atheist for my last decade in the cult, it makes sense that it wouldn't matter to me whether I ought to be worshiping Jesus or Jehovah, because my main issues were more foundational than that. I think the best first stepping stone would be something like jwfacts where someone can go through a quick index and find a topicthat most affects them personally and explore it. Trying to advertise any single issue as a universal first step for people waking up (not that that's what's being done here, necessarily) is folly. Everyone's path out is unique in some way, and each step has to matter to that person on a deeper level than cold facts.

SimonSays

Funny! Your attempt to teach something you haven’t understood yourself. LEARN FIRST! BEFORE YOU TEACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

However, your ideology is good for let’s say, a born again Christian.

Alive!

In the year I was starting to really squirm and feel a tightness of breath about the ongoing declarations coming from 'our leaders' - I took to reading the bible even more.

A thought I kept in mind, was something that is often said amongst witnesses 'we are the only ones who use jehovahs name'

Every letter in the NT is begun prayerfully - 'to God our Father......." Etc.

The name of Jesus, his title as Lord or Christ is used liberally.

One afternoon in service with a lifelong pioneer, we were talking of the scriptures and the promises, the forgiveness and so on. I deliberately sprinkled my comments with the phrase 'our Lord Jesus Christ' and 'God our Father' (not overly to the point of weirdness!!)

At one point I finished a comment saying something about our Lord Christ Jesus ( having not mentioned Jehovah once) and my pioneer friend giggled "Alive! You sound like one of those born agains!"

I laughed too. I said actually, I was just following the pattern and language of the scriptures and letters from the apostles.

I started up the car and quickly said 'so where next'

My own words haunted me!!!!

A First Stepping-Stone For Bethelites & Lurkers?

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