by ClassAvenger 13 Replies latest watchtower bible
In 1920 the watchtower published a set of official reprints of the first 40 years of watchtowers 1879 to 1919. These 7 volumes sell for between $500 to $2500 for the complete set. This is the most cost effective way to aquire original literature. I have some damaging photo copies.
Are you trying to convert your friend to the real Jesus Christ or just trying to shake his faith in the WT? I would provide an alternative (the real Jesus), and not just try to destroy his faith.
Of course I am trying to show him the real truth, real Christianity. I wouldn't like to shake anyone's faith, even if they were Buddhists, let them keep on going with their stuff. Just that I am really interested in showing this person the real Jesus Christ.
Something else, if anyone can scan photocopies of key Watchtower magazines and send them to my e-mail ([email protected]) I would be very pleased. Thank you.
Class you may want to start with his misplaced securities before bringing up damaging information. A witness may see damaging information on the watchtower as being an attack on his faith in God and the Bible.
It is important to realize that the Witness is trained to place his/her faith in the Watchtower Organization as much as in God. Therefore before you "attack" the WT Organization it is often necessary to separate the Witness faith in God from their faith in the Organization. A fully indoctrinated witness cannot separate their faith in God from their faith in "God's Organization." The below WT arcticle can help you do this.
The January 15, 1970 Watchtower p. 37-40 contains arcticle titled:
"Which Comes First- Your Church or God?"
"The "first man" represents the believers who remain faithful to their church out of loyalty to the religion they were brought to believe in. Thier attitude is: Right or wrong, it is my religion! Is that the way you feel? If so, you are certainly a loyal person. But to whom do you owe the greater loyalty-to your church, or to God? With so much disbelief rife throughout the earth, you are to be commended for maintaining your faith, but where should your faith be placed-in a religious organization, or in God?" p.37
"The "second man" mentioned in the Nouvel Observateur represents those Catholics and Protestants who stay with their church because they do not know where else to go. They havebeen taught that their church represents God, and they do not want to turn away from him. They disapprove of many church practices or doctrines, but they hope to reform their church from within. Typical of these are the 744 French Catholics who, in November 1968, sent a long open letter to the pope. In it they stated: "Today the Christian needs to live in a 'true' Church . . . Therefore all that is false, contrary to the Gospel and scandalous within the Church today wounds the Christian." Then followed a long list of grievances against the Catholic Church and it current teachings and practices. Yet, toward the end, these catholics expressed their unconditional adherence to their church by alluding to John 6:68 and stating: "Who could we go to? In her [the Roman Catholic Church] we find the One who has words of eternal life." p.39
I beileve that this Watchtower arcticle can with a few simple questions be used effectively to separate the witnesses "Loyalty to God" from "Loyalty to the Organization". The Issue of faith in a religious organization being separte from faith in God is addressed nicely. Also issues of "where else to go" and the misappication of John 6:68 from Christ to a "church" or "organization" can be very effectively brought up using this arcticle.
In an earlier post the follwing was given by a former witness as some of the reasons for staying in the Watchtower Organization.
"Obstacles/hinderances: Loyalty. Thinking that there was no where else to go. Fear of the unknown. Believing God and the Watchtower were inseperable. Believing we would lose Gods protective barrier and bring death on our family (Like Job) if we left."
I believe that the above article can be used effectively and non-offensively to deal with these common issues. Once a Witness grasps the true meaning of John 6:68 they will be less afraid of losing their faith in the WT.
