Interesting quotes from the Feb 15th Watchtower (it's not a cult at all, honest!)...

by cedars 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  cedars

  Hi everyone

  Well it's the 15th today, so I thought I'd check to see whether the Feb 15th Watchtower has been uploaded yet... and sure enough it has.

  Here is the link to the PDF...

  http://download.jw.org/files/media_magazines/5a/w_E_20130215.pdf

  I've breezed through it and noticed that it is littered with odd stuff that would scream "CULT!" to an outsider, but which your average indoctrinated JW will just lap up as always.

  Here is my pick of the quotes...

  The first article, entitled "This Is Our Spiritual Heritage" gives a very flattering whistle-stop tour of the history of God's organization - from Abraham to Tynedale to Rutherford (bypassing Russell altogether) before explaining that nothing will ever thwart Jehovah's purposes. It then says in paragraph 20 on page 7...

  "Throughout human history, the worship of Jehovah has prevailed and is gaining momentum with each passing day."

  Really Watchtower? You're absolutely sure about that? Even though worldwide growth is actually SLOWING DOWN when you bother to compare the Yearbooks from one year to the next? 2010 saw 2.5% growth, 2011 saw 2.4% growth, and early reports suggest the latest figure is in the region of 2% growth. And yet, "the worship of Jehovah... is gaining momentum with each passing day"?

  The second study article is entitled "Do You Appreciate Our Spiritual Heritage" and begins with the words...

  "DURING a milestone governing body meeting in Jerusalem in 49 C.E., the disciple James said: “Symeon [Peter] has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name."

  Whilst undoubtedly a stirring way to begin an article, it won't escape the attention of many on this forum that the bible doesn't actually mention the words "governing body" even once in all of its many pages - so quite how a "governing body" could have convened in Jerusalem in 49 C.E. when it never existed is more than a trifle confusing. Of course, the Society feels they know better than Jehovah, who chose to speak of "the apostles and older men" without grouping them under a collective noun. The Society therefore needs to describe these two seperate and distinct groups as one "governing body" to clear up the confusion left to us by the Almighty.

  "If a person clings to false doctrines, such as the Trinity and the immortality of the soul, he cannot benefit from the ransom. But we can."

  I found this quote from page 12 more than a bit ironic since, as many of us on this forum know, Jehovah's Witnesses themselves cannot directly "benefit" from the ransom unless they are of the anointed. The Society's literature only speaks of Christ acting as a mediator for spirit-anointed ones, and NOT for Witnesses with an earthly hope. Such ones only benefit indirectly from the blessings bestowed upon mankind by Christ and the anointed. So speaking about who does or doesn't benefit from the ransom is more than a bit duplicitous when Jehovah's Witnesses themselves teach that only certain Christians can enjoy having Christ as mediator.

  "We benefit from balanced consideration of the history of Jehovah’s organization, even as the people of Israel benefited from reflecting on how God delivered them from Egyptian bondage."

  This is a real gem of a quote, also from page 12. I love how the word "balanced" is cautiously inserted when talking about considering the history of Jehovah's Witnesses. We all know why "balance" is required - because anyone who scrutinizes the history of the Watch Tower Society to any great extent will open a can of worms. Dubious characters in charge, scandalous decisions and constant flip-flops of doctrine await the unwary researcher who dares to delve into the history of the organization without exercising "balance".

  "Was this prophecy [Zechariah 14] completely fulfilled by the end of World War I? No. More attacks by the nations were to come against the anointed remnant and their loyal companions with an earthly hope. (Rev. 12:17) World War II is a proof of that."

  Yes, the millions of people who died in World War I were just victims of a sub-plot to the true story, which involved a small number of Bible Students being persecuted at the hands of the authorities because of their unique brand of evangelizing, which included anti-war rhetoric with strong political overtones. Did this persecution by the nations end with Word War I? Why no. For the evidence, you need only look at, er, World War II. Compelling evidence indeed.

  "When did this division of the mountain of the olive trees take place? It occurred when the Messianic Kingdom was established at the end of the Gentile Times in 1914."

  No. your eyes do not deceive you. This quirky quote from page 19 sums up a new explanation of the scripture in Zechariah 14:3-5 where Jehovah prophetically describes his "two mountains". Apparently, a mountain representing Jehovah's universal sovereignty splits to form another mountain, symbolizing Christ's Messianic Kingdom. The valley inbetween is the sole habitation of God's worshippers, who can find safety beneath God's universal sovereignty and his son's kingdom. This apparently happened in 1914 by the way, in case you were wondering. A lot of invisible things of earth-shattering significance seem to have happened at that time.

  "Since 1919 the valley of divine protection continues to protect true worshippers earth wide."

  ...is what is said on page 20. What a lovely thought.

  "It is imperative that we remain in the valley of protection, for that valley will take on even greater meaning for true worshippers during the fast-approaching great tribulation."

  You heard it here first folks. Don't you DARE leave the valley of protection - or baaaad things will happen to you.

  Take it from these guys...

  

  "On that day, “one’s very eyes . . . and tongue will rot away” in that the attackers will be able to strike out only blindly and their defiant speech will be silenced."

  This quote on page 20 apparently represents a new understanding of the words found in Zechariah 14:12. In one talk that I have publicized on YouTube in the video below, Gerrit Losch applied the words in this prophecy in such a way as to imply that God might use some form of divine radiation to rot the flesh of evildoers (or non-JWs) while they are still standing during Armageddon. I wonder whether Gerrit was pleased or disappointed to receive the rather vague "new light" on this verse?!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4BL_HzHjZM

  More to follow...

  Cedars
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  Unbrainwashed publisher1

  The further I get away from the Org the more creepy it becomes. Valley LOL
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  cedars

  "Warfare always brings suffering, even to the eventual victors. Food may run short. Property may be lost. Standards of living may drop. Personal freedoms may be curtailed. If such hardships befall us, how will we react?"

  I found this quote interesting. It again reminded me of the talk by Gerrit Losch in which he described teams of brothers being assigned to bury bodies after Armageddon - the key message being 'not everything will be rosey after Armageddon'. The above question seems to be a clever way of reinforcing the idea that not everything always goes smoothly for the victors in any war, so Jehovah's Witnesses shouldn't expect a smooth ride during or after the Great Tribulation, much less now.

  Yes, win or lose, the times ahead will be tough. Yet one more reason to stay in Jehovah's "valley of protection"...

  

  One thing's for sure, I very much doubt the Governing Body members' "standards of living" will take a drop, whatever happens. They'll be sitting pretty in their luxurious compound, devising interesting and overly-invasive new ways to curtail our "personal freedoms".

  "Still, do we put off pioneering, reasoning that we should first become financially secure?"

  ...so it says at the top of page 24. I had to chuckle when reading this. Apparently, despite the challenging worldwide economic downturn, making sure you're financially secure before giving up your career prospects to pioneer is just plain foolish and irresponsible.

  Again folks, please remember that this is NOT a cult. Financial security is BAD. You have been warned.

  "Just as a small amount of pollution can contaminate clean water, friendship with those who do not practice godly devotion can contaminate our spirituality and lead us into adopting worldly viewpoints, dress, speech, and conduct."

  Yes, you read that correctly. This charming quote, also from page 24, really does liken non-JWs to "pollution", and claims that friendship with such ones can "contaminate" one's spirituality. Again, this isn't a cult. Please keep that in mind. It just encourages you to think of everyone who doesn't share your beliefs as pollution, that's all.

  "Many fail to accept the Kingdom message because they are afraid of what acquaintances or family members might think of them. But could the desire to receive glory from humans affect even dedicated servants of God?"

  I also found this quote on page 27 ironic from a personal perspective. I've just spent a week in the company of my family, who have made it abundantly clear what they "think of" me - namely that I should believe the same things that they believe. Apparently, if you choose not to appease your non-believing family by pursuing JW beliefs you are taking a bold stand by refusing to "receive glory from humans" - but funnily enough this reasoning doesn't apply when your family are all Jehovah's Witnesses and you choose to view things differently.

  Cedars
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  Theocratic Sedition

  Oh the irony of them stating that people clinging to false doctrines such as the Trinity or immortality of the soul cannot benefit from the ransom provision. I guess all the people that lived and then died clinging to WT doctrine that had to be changed due to new light don't benefit from the ransom provision either. Your great aunt Bertha decided to get a kidney transplant in 1961 going against the WT's doctrine on organ transplants at that time? She arrogantly didn't view it as cannibalism? She's likely in the lake of fire for making such a brazen decision. What's that? You're father believed in the "this generation" teaching as it stood prior to 95" and then died? He probably won't be resurrected for clinging to such an erroneous teaching.
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  elderelite

  All your posts should start with the byline:

  Cedars: he reads this crap so we dont have to!

  I find it absolutly sad and funny that they can say even a small amount of contamination polutes the whole. Hey, dumb asses... What is "new light"? Isnt that clearing out some poluted understanding? What about new light yet to be recieved? How much polution do we have currently that we are forced to accept?

  I hope divine radiation rots them all
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  Christ Alone

  Wow, cedars...just wow... To take an overly used WT term, there are so many things to glean from this.

  This comment, as a believer, really struck me:

  "If a person clings to false doctrines, such as the Trinity and the immortality of the soul, he cannot benefit from the ransom. But we can."

  Why THESE "false" doctrines? This statement cuts off many of those that they used to view as the Faithful Slave. They've long said that men like William Tyndale and the Lollards were part of this slave class because they spread God's Word. But these same people also believed in some of the teachings the WT condemns. So did they not benefit from the ransom? What scripture can be possibily used to support this? As far as I know, the scriptures do not talk about NOT benefiting from the ransom because of misunderstanding a teaching. 1John 5:1 makes it clear that it is only belief in Jesus that saves us. Not NOT believing certain doctrines.

  So did the early JWs not benefit from the ransom when they were worshiping Jesus? Was THIS doctrine ok even though they now believe it is wrong? Why the Trinity and the Soul particularly?
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  nugget

  It is interesting to see the continued distancing from Russell. I was also interested to seethe concept of the valley of protection. I have learnt how worthless the societies protection is in reality. A conditional valley dependent on where you are, who you are and what you believe.
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  carla

  The quote below shows that it is not belief in Christ that leads one to eternal life but rather not believing in certain doctrines. Didn't it used to be that you had to 'cling to the ark' (the org) rather than staying in the 'valley'? something like that, so the valley thing is the new replacement for comparing the jw org to Noah's ark?

  "If a person clings to false doctrines, such as the Trinity and the immortality of the soul, he cannot benefit from the ransom. But we can."
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  Honeybucket

  my jw husband even got a chuckle out of "God will use radation to rot the flesh" bit. Seriously... Are they aware that this is a form of "hellfire" scare?
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  prologos

  For those with claustophobia, the valley is a bad picture. but it fits. you are stuck low, its an effort to get out of it, against gravity for us octogenarians. a trap. I prefered going UP to Zion, give me alttude and freedom. The mounting up like eagles Isaiah 40: 13, being lifted by God's spirit with oustrechted wings. up up and away. What is the difference between being in a rut and being in a valley? the valley is deeper. blessings