by kibizzle 16 Replies latest watchtower bible
My H and I are generally good at avoiding the subject, but the other day we got into a "debate" about the "truth". Anyway, he gave a few reasons why he believes the JWs have the "truth" such as the scripture that says "It is better to not have known the truth at all than have known the truth and walked away".
A few scriptures come to mind that can dispute his claim to the JW's having biblical truth. Matthew 7:1 and Matt. 12:31,32
Interestingly, both scriptures (Hebrews and 2 Peter) are among the latest writings of the N.T., reflecting at least a 3rd or 4th generation situation when the "new religion" (I mean Christianity) is getting old enough to register its first defections, partly due to some tiredness because the expected parousia doesn't come. A situation quite similar, mutatis mutandis, to the WT's from the last quarter of the 20th century onwards. Then prominent churchmen, borrowing the names and authority of the 1st-generation apostles, increasingly resort to cursing the "apostates"...
Side memory: this reminds me of one day in May, 1986, when I was waiting for my final JC "appeal" hearing in a Paris KH. I opened my Bible at random to calm my nerves and fell upon Psalm 109. "Food at the proper time", as it seems. I was especially struck by verse 28:
Let them curse, but you will bless.Hope this may help.
Let my assailants be put to shame; may your servant be glad.
Tab, the WT takes the truth of what is in the Bible and changes it and twists it and goes beyond it, an distorts it. For instance, when the WT magazine refered to elders as the 'glorious ones" spoken about in Jude. They have taken the truth of what the scriptures say and become apostate in their teaching.
When the Ex and I first left...we wondered about similar things...but I realized, 1. I can only be walking away from God, if JWs truely represented God, and the evidence for that was growing slim...to none. 2. all those verse which apply to those who had the truth and left and should be shunned, etc. can only be applied to those who claim to be inspired and infallible, something the WTS never did, which means by their own admission they could be very very wrong and there is nothing dishonest nor immoral for anyone who is a JW to conclude that JWs do not represent THE TRUTH and with geninue doubt and honest ignorance, leave.
I concluded that I honestly cannot tell: 1. if the bible god exists. 2. if JWs represent him if he did exist. 3. that I would care one way or the other now, after coming to see the bible god as a monster by his own laws and standards and not worthy of love nor respect.
Gumby said:
What commandment was that? Anyone know?
According to the Bible, there are really only a few Commandments for Christians:
1: Love God
2: Love your fellow humans
3: Believe in Jesus Christ
4: Repent
The JW's have their own terminology as to what certain common words mean.
The word "Truth" to a Jehovah's Witness means the current doctrines and teachings as put forth from the Organisation, and as printed in the Watchtower.
The third president of the Watchtower Society, Nathan Knorr, once said in a conversation that (paraphrased) "We may argue about it here, but what is printed on the third floor [where the printed presses were] is the Truth!"
This explains why the JWs accept changs or adjustments in doctrine so readily, as Truth is whatever is published by the Watchtower.
--VM44
....searching the web trying to find Knorr's exact quote....
What they say ?is the truth.? President Knorr was well known to say: ?It is the truth when it comes from the Ninth Floor? of headquarters in Brooklyn.
The essential thought is the same though, whatever the Watchtower says is the truth, is The Truth!
--VM44
Web Reference: http://www.nazarene-friends.org/pubs/confessions/005.htm
