The Watchtower—Study Edition  |  July 2023

by RULES & REGULATIONS 11 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  RULES & REGULATIONS

  STUDY ARTICLE 31

  “Be Steadfast, Immovable”

  11 At times, we might reason that the direction Jehovah gives us is not sufficient. We might even be tempted to “go beyond the things that are written.” (1 Cor. 4:6) The religious leaders in Jesus’ day were guilty of this sin. By adding man-made rules to the Law, they imposed a heavy burden on the common people. (Matt. 23:4) Jehovah gives us clear direction through his Word and through his organization. We have no reason to add to the instruction he provides. (Prov. 3:5-7) Therefore, we do not go beyond what is written in the Bible or make rules for fellow believers about personal matters.

  
  

  Paragraph 11 is a joke. The whole Watchtower Society religion is nothing but a man-made rule religion. ''No beards'' are just one of many man-made rules that are placed on brothers. Banning facial hair ( you can grow a small mustache) is an easy way to separate the compliant from the non-compliant. It's the Societies way to control the lives of the common people.

  Watchtower publications never show a brother with a beard. How many beards do you see at this Watchtower study?

  
  

  
  

  Specific instructions are given on ''dress and grooming'' for brothers in congregations, assemblies and conventions.

  
  

  "For men, a neat personal appearance may include being clean-shaven. In areas where mustaches are widely viewed as dignified, any who wear these should keep them neatly trimmed." Benefit From Theocratic Ministry School Education (2001) p.133

  
  

  Criminals and pirates are shown shaving off the beards after they learn about Jehovah in ''paradise earth.''

  
  
  
  

  The Watchtower Society ''DO'' go beyond what is written in the Bible. They ''do'' bind their ''human rules'' on their fellow believers.
  
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  Kosonen

  Especially the latest, pushing Covid vaccines. Before they wrote that brothers should not push on others different medical treatments, because they are personal matters. Now they break their own rules.

  Have they become apostates themselves?
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  FFGhost

  LOL.

  You want to know something in WT-world that “go beyond the things written”?

  How about:

  — the whole “judicial” process: committees of 3 elders, appeals committees, public reproof, private reproof, restrictions, reinstatements, etc. etc. etc.

  — LDCs, RDCs, RTOs, Bethel complexes, Branch offices, etc. etc. etc.

  — Blood fractions (utterly wrong and deserving of death if you take them) vs. blood components (perfectly fine, no problem whatsoever)….or do I have that reversed? Where is it “written” what the difference is between a “fraction” and a “component”?

  — This type of porn will get you DFed but not that type of porn

  — “special” privileges: pioneers, special pioneers, full time service, special full time service, etc etc. etc.

  I could go on but you get the point.
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  Rattigan350

  Why does this subject of beards keep popping up?

  It is not a rule. I don't need anything from the organization telling me not to have a beard to know not to have one.

  They are uncomfortable and make me look older. I don't want that.

  Same with alcohol. I don't need the Bible telling me anything about alcohol.

  It is expensive, and has harmful results and tastes bad.

  People should be smart enough to know what works and what doesn't without being told to from God.

  But I agree that the organization has become the pharisees and they post paragraphs like that to cover up that truth. God doesn't monitor what people do or dont' do. He doesn't keep records of our activities and get offended by what we do.
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  Konagirl

  Jehovah gives us clear direction through his Word and through his organization. We have no reason to add to the instruction he provides. (Prov. 3:5-7) Therefore, we do not go beyond what is written in the Bible or make rules for fellow believers about personal matters.

  Who really is providing the instructions? God? Quotes like this are just plain sickening. They DID AND DO, go beyond what is written in the Bible.

  Lev 26:1 - "You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves; nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God."

  Literally and symbolically, they have done this. Their sacred pillar standing at Bethel represents their organization. Their “engraved stone” is their logo, which is the door that opens to their lies. Interestingly, the dichotomy is Jesus, the Logos, the Word of truth from the Almighty God. John 1:1-5; 10:7-10

  Exod 20:4a “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.

  The organization is built in the likeness of all other organizations in the earth, below the heavens.

  “Jehovah and his organization” - They have paired their perception of God, with corruption. What blasphemy.

  Isaiah 46: 5-10 “To whom will you liken Me, and make Me equal
  And compare Me, that we should be alike?
  6 They lavish gold out of the bag,
  And weigh silver on the scales;
  They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god;
  They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.
  7 They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it
  And set it in its place, and it stands;
  From its place it shall not move.
  Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer
  Nor save him out of his trouble.

  8 “Remember this, and show yourselves men;
  Recall to mind, O you transgressors.
  9 Remember the former things of old,
  For I am God, and there is no other;
  I am God, and there is none like Me,
  10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
  And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
  Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
  And I will do all My pleasure’

  Who really wants to be like God, and prefers to lie over telling us the truth? John 8:44

  Who loves to offer riches and power and authority from this world, to wield over others? Luke 4:5-7

  Ancient Israel was led into idolatry more times than one can number. Spirit “Israel”/anointed/”saints” have been led into idolatry as well. Matt 24:24-25; 2 Cor 11:3-4,13-15; Col 2:8; 1 Tim 4:1; Rev 13:4-7,10-12

  "So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast ("Jehovah's organization") ; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

  Doesn't this "beast" spiritually "kill" people who do not revere "Jehovah's organization"?

  Rev 13:15 - "He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast ("spirit-directed organization") should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed."

  
  
  
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  My Name is of No Consequence

  LOL! Blackbeard becoming a J-dub!! That pic always cracked me up!!
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  road to nowhere

  Rat

  My beard is comfortable and makes me look better, even admitted by long time company men. . It takes grooming, but less than shaving every day. You are right, it is a choice, not a requirement either way.
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  HiddlesWife

  LOL! Blackbeard becoming a J-dub!! That pic always cracked me up!!

  And HILTER, MUSSOLINI, HIROHITO, SADDAM HUSSEIN, MUAMMAR GADDAFI, IDI AMIN DA-DA, IVAN THE TERRIBLE, STALIN, KIM JONG IL, ETC.

  According to WT, there may just be A WHOLE PLETHORA of folks--good and evil--filling up their PANDA PARADISE! Hmmmmm. . . . . . . . .🤨😫
  
  
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  Rattigan350

  Every time I see Jack Smith, the special prosecutor for Trump, I think if I were on that grand jury, I would tell him that I don't trust a damn thing you are saying because you have a beard. I trust Trump because he doesn't. (though Don Jr does)
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  Longlivetherenegades

  February 2017 watchtower........ The Governing Body is neither inspired nor infallible. Therefore, it can err in doctrinal matters or in organizational direction. In fact, the Watch Tower Publications Index includes the heading “Beliefs Clarified,” which lists adjustments in our Scriptural understanding since 1870. Of course, Jesus did not tell us that his faithful slave would produce perfect spiritual food.

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  Article 13.........At times, we might reason that the direction Jehovah gives us is not sufficient. We might even be tempted to “go beyond the things that are written.” (1 Cor. 4:6) The religious leaders in Jesus’ day were guilty of this sin. By adding man-made rules to the Law, they imposed a heavy burden on the common people. (Matt. 23:4) Jehovah gives us clear direction through his Word and through his organization. We have no reason to add to the instruction he provides. (Prov. 3:5-7) Therefore, we do not go beyond what is written in the Bible or make rules for fellow believers about personal matters.

  Nope Jehovah cannot give clear directions. It will never happen, it simply cannot since the voice of Jesus and Jehovah are filled with errors and mistakes in doctrines and organisation direction.

  Don't ask me how I know, ask Jehovah and Jesus the Guardians of our Doctrines. Delusions and they don't know they are deluded.